[ES!] Morning Practice

Chiaki picks up Midori to take him to morning practice…

This story is connected to the card [Upperclassman’s Present] Midori Takamine.

Story Release Date: November 26, 2015

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Chapter 1

Season: Spring

Location: Shopping District

(Breathe in, breathe out)… (Breathe in, breathe out)…♪

Mhm, that’s Takamine’s house over there! ☆ My sixth sense tells me so…!

Well, that, and I can see the signboard labeled “Takamine Greengrocer” up there. The store still isn’t open so early in the morning, but there is no doubt it’s his house.

Takamine has what it takes as long as he tries, but he still doesn’t have much confidence in himself…

He doesn’t have the motivation, either, and immediately says stuff like, “Can I go home now…?” or “I’m so depressed, I wanna die…”

It’s just one negative comment after the other.

He only recently enlisted in Ryuseitai, so he’s surely still wobbly on his feet.

In order to deepen our bonds, first comes special training, then special training, and then even more special training…☆

That’s why I’ve implemented morning practice into our program, but Takamine always has a new excuse for why he doesn’t show up, like oversleeping or having a stomachache…

So this is where I, the leader of Ryuseitai and captain of the Basketball Club, must come and pick him up myself!

Mhm! That’s what it means to be an upperclassman! ☆

Are you watching, second-year Chiaki!? You’ve become a splendid man who picks up his junior and takes him to school~!

Ha ha ha! I shouldn’t cause a commotion so early in the morning, or I’ll bother the neighborhood.

Taka—… Oh? Transfer student! That’s you over there, right?

Are you going to school this early in the morning? How wonderful! There, there~♪ (pat, pat)

I sometimes oversleep and almost come late to school — But not today, as today we have morning practice…!

Hm? Oh, no, not for the Basketball Club. Ryuseitai is having morning practice today.

The first years have only just recently enlisted in the squad, so the fastest way to get them used to everything is to have practice in the morning, right? ☆

Oh! I shouldn’t be chatting with you right now.

Takamine~! We’re going to do morning training! This isn’t the time to be sleeping! Good mooorning~!

(yawns) What’s with the ruckus so early in the morning…?

Oh! Takamine! You got up early today, huh!?

Uh… Morisawa-senpai? Transfer student-san is with you, too…? What’s going on…?

I only met her here by chance. That aside, Takamine! It’s morning practice, let’s go! ♪

Morning practice… Ughhh, just the thought depresses me…

What’s wrong, Takamine! Cheer up, Takamine…☆

It’s depressing enough to have to go to morning practice, I don’t need Morisawa-senpai’s loud voice to depress me further…

Besides, I’m not good with mornings… Well, more like I’m not fond of working hard…

I mean, I only ended up in the Basketball Club ‘cause you scouted me, and it was too much of a pain to refuse…

Then before I knew it, I got roped into joining Ryuseitai, too… I’m so depressed…

Takamine! Did you forget that it’s called “enlisting,” not “joining”? Alright, that simply means I have to remind you…☆

The red flame is the mark of justice! The sun of life, burning bright red…!

Ryusei Red! Morisawa Chiaki…!

Alright, Takamine, you’re up next!

No thanks…

Wha…! A rebellious phase? Are you in a rebellious phase, Takamine!?

Please don’t shake me around by the shoulders… Ughh, I’m feeling dizzy…

I hate attention on me, and my parents might show up if I start yelling a catchphrase or whatever…

Wait, if we’re gonna practice, that means everyone else is coming too, right…? Should we really be sticking around here…?

Yeah, you’re right! Thankfully you’re in the mood to practice now, so I will refrain from continuing our introductions!

No, I’m just glad I don’t have to say my catchphrase here — I don’t actually have any will to practice…

Oh yeah, what are you gonna do, transfer student-san…? You only met Morisawa-senpai by chance, right…? So you don’t have to join us…

Huh, you’re gonna come with us ‘cause you wanna see how we practice…?

You’re always such a hard worker, aren’t you…

If it were me, I wouldn’t wanna work so hard right after transferring schools…

But you’re not like Morisawa-senpai; you don’t yell, you’re small and cute… I feel like looking at you soothes me…♪

C’mon, Takamine! We can’t keep everybody waiting! Let’s dash straight away! ☆

Alright, I get it, so quit pulling me by the hand, please…

Transfer student-san, are you okay…? I’m used to carrying heavy stuff ‘cause of greengrocer work, so I think I can carry you on my shoulders just fine…

Huh? Erm…? Are you angry?

Did I say something upsetting…? Uwaah, I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!!

I won’t have the will to live if you hate me, Transfer student-san…

Mmrgh, Takamine seems pretty attached to the transfer student, huh…?

She resembles a mascot, so I don’t want her hating me…

Um, I apologize from the bottom of my heart! So please don’t hate me, okay…? ♪

Chapter 2

Location: Near the Fountain

…………

puka, puka…♪

…………

puka, puka…♪

(What do I do… Morisawa-senpai told me to team up with Shinkai-senpai, but I don’t even know what to talk to him about…)

(I might’ve been able to talk without worry if Sengoku-kun or Nagumo-kun was here, too, but…)

(They’re both with Morisawa-senpai for whatever reason… I wanna die…)

(Morisawa-senpai said that I could get along with him, but I don’t see how…?)

(Apparently, Sengoku-kun is way too shy, so he wouldn’t be able to practice with Shinkai-senpai…)

(And Nagumo-kun said he wouldn’t work well with him since doesn’t really get him…)

(So it sounds like I ended up getting lumped in a team with him since they both refused…)

(I don’t really know Shinkai-senpai well either, so I dunno what Morisawa-senpai’s expecting from me by thinking I can get by just fine…)

(And Morisawa-senpai took Transfer student-san with him, so she isn’t here, either…)

(Will I get scolded if I make up a random excuse to go home…? But I seriously wanna go home… Right this instant…)

today is a [lucky] day, it seems. with such lovely weather, it makes me want to [bathe] in [water]…♪

Huh? U-Um… Okay…?

would you like to join me, midori? it feels good to soak in the [fountain]~♪

I don’t think you should dip yourself in the fountain with your clothes on, y’know…? Like, um… you’ll only get them wet…

fufufu…♪ time to line up all the [toys] floating in the [water]~♪

giant isopod…♪ football fish…♪ tripod fish…♪

it does not feel lonely with all of our [ocean friends], yes…?

(This is impossible, I can’t do it, let me go home.)

(He’s starting to play around with some weird toys floating in the fountain, and I don’t even get what he means by “ocean friends”…)

(Is this supposed to be our Ryuseitai practice? Mmm, I don’t get it…)

(I always come to school at the last second, so if I had stayed home, I would’ve still been having a nice dream right now…)

(I wish this was a dream, too… Ah, that’s it. I’ll just think of this as a dream. That’s all I need to do to ignore this terrible reality…♪)

today, i will be introducing everyone to a precious [friend] of mine~♪

this is midori, he is [in] ryuseitai like me. hello~

fufufu, everyone is happy that midori is part of our [friend] group, yes…?

midori, greet them, too~♪ hello~

…………

say it louder~ hello~♪

…H-Hello…?

good job, midori. everyone is happy that you greeted them~…

(I knew Shinkai-senpai was strange, but I feel like he just gets more cryptic the more he talks…)

(By “everyone,” does he mean the toys floating in the fountain? Or is it about friends only he can see…?)

(Uuu, it’s still spring — Please don’t tell me he’s talking about actual ghosts…)1

(If he’s capable of seeing the supernatural, then I seriously don’t wanna get involved…)

(I gotta tell Morisawa-senpai, so he can team me up with someone else…)

midori. as a symbol of your acquaintance with everyone, i will give you this [football fish]~♪

What’s this, a mascot…? For me…?

yes. do you like it?

Yeah… I do, actually. It’s kinda cute how it looks so lazy…♪

Where did you buy this from? I’d love to collect the rest of them…♪

it is not from a [shop]~ i made it [myself]~…♪

Oh, really? That’s really impressive. You made a mascot and everything…

thank you~♪ fufufu, this is the first time i have been complimented on them~♪

i am so glad that you love [deep-sea fish], midori. if only everyone could love them more, too~

Umm… But, is it really okay for me to have it?

yes, please take it~♪ i have plenty in the [clubroom], so i am grateful that you are taking one~

Wahh, waaahh…♪ Really!?

If you’re okay with it, I’d like all of them…! They’re that cute…♪

maybe we share a common [interest] after all, yes…?

midori is a cute [junior] to me, so i will [gift] you more [mascots]~♪

Wahh, waaahh, thank you so much! I always thought you were a weird senior, Shinkai-senpai, but I see now that I should reconsider that!

I’d love to get along with you as fellow lovers of mascot characters…♪

Note: You can see this football fish strap attached to Midori’s phone, even to this day. Examples are here: one, two, three

Midori Idol Stories

Translation Notes

  1. In Japan, the season for ghost stories is typically in summer.