360° Material - [Chapter 16]

Translator - Sarah
Proofreader - Jae

Chapter 16: Clubs Assembly

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The chapter opens with Mio, Taki, Marui, and Akane walking to school. They seem to have been discussing school clubs, and Mio just learned that Akane was in the kendou club in middle school. She says that it seems fitting for Akane, and asks if she plans to join in high school too. Akane isn't sure, and says that she'll consider it after the clubs' assembly today. From the back of the group, Marui comments that he'll be appearing in the assembly. Mio asks if he'll be introducing the club from the stage or dancing or something. Marui tells her that another guy will be doing the introductions (and no one will be dancing). He's just demonstrating some basketball skills. As they talked, Akane glares in Marui's direction, thinking that she didn’t expect the guy to be in love with Ootaka-san. Did this start back when they were going to Nao's house? Glaring back at Taki, Akane angrily thinks “What are you doing, Nao!? Are you oblivious to this?” Akane
again recalls the time when Marui told her not to interfere in their relationship, and thinks that she might not need to worry based on that conversation. They reach a convenience store, and Mio suggests that they make a stop there. Akane initially says that she's going on ahead, but stays back when Marui follows Mio into the store. Wondering if Marui is waiting for an opportunity to strike, she suddenly grabs Taki's arm. He asks her if she needed something, she says that she doesn't, but... For now, shouldn't he pay attention to that?

As they approach the school gates, Akane is watching Mio and Taki talk (something about the bread from that store?) and thinks that Mio doesn't seem concerned about [being around Marui]. Akane glares back at Marui again, and he asks her what her problem was. She's been giving him dirty looks since they were on the train. Having thought he was just an idiot, she hadn't considered he might be tough to deal with... Akane tells him, “I've developed a slightly better opinion of you.” Marui says, “Huh?” and Akane continues to wonder what to do. If he was a bully (like the types she kept away from Taki when they were kids), she could easily get rid of him, but... As Akane is lost in thought, Marui tries and fails to get her attention. She doesn't notice that a guy on a bike was rushing towards her, so Marui puts his hand on her shoulder and guides her out of the way. Marui tells her that he doesn't know what, if anything, she's angry about, but she can tell him if she wants. She waves him off, and tells him she isn't angry, but she's just been deep in thought over a problem. Watching her walk into the school, Marui figures that it's just her default personality. Akane looks back at Marui (who is talking about a book with another guy) and thinks that if he likes Ootaka-san as much as it seems, this will definitely be tricky. Rubbing her arm where he touched it, Akane adds that if Marui betrays Nao, she will kill him.

Later, the boys are running sprints in PE, and everyone is impressed by Marui's speed. (Ishida is annoyed that he had to be put up against Marui.) But he could do better if he got serious, right? Marui says that he was being plenty serious, though the others point out that he isn't out of breath. Taki listens in, and runs as hard as he can when his turn comes. He finishes 0.05 seconds behind Marui's time, which the other guys are pretty impressed by. Taki eyes Marui, and the others question if that means they're having a face off. Marui says it doesn't, but thinks “But, if that's what he has in mind...” On their next trials, both improve their times by half a second, but Taki is still 0.05 seconds behind. They throw the timer to Ishida, and face off directly four more times. Taki gets as close as 0.03 seconds, but can never beat Marui. Taki tries to demand another shot, but their time is up. Taki declares that he lost; he couldn't get on the right track. How annoying... Marui sits up, commenting on his margin of victory (thinking that he was nervous about that 0.03 second difference). Taki calls him back, asking, “Have you heard anything?” Huh? Thinking that he was trying to talk about Marui's feelings for Mio again, Marui pointed out that they'd had this conversation, but Taki clarifies, “Has Mio discussed anything with you?” Marui recalls the conversation he had about Mio's “friend,” thinking that Taki himself is what's causing her to worry. But, figuring that Mio said it was a friend, he answers no. Shouldn't Taki ask Mio herself that question? Marui starts walking away again, and Taki tells him that he did ask. She actually talks to Marui...

In the teacher's office, Hatano and her friend are given boxes to take back to the classroom. They complain about the heavy boxes, so the teacher tells them that he'll show them something interesting in exchange. He takes out a book from last year, and Hatano looks intrigued. Back in the classroom, Taki is watching Mio talk to Marui, mentally comparing her sad face to the smile she put on when he asked her if something was wrong. Hatano spots him and taps his shoulder. She called for him three times, did he not notice? The two of them are talking as they walk down the hall, with Hatano asking Taki if Ootaka-san was angry yesterday. Taki answers “she wasn't, but...” Hatano leans in eagerly, asking, “But?” Taki doesn't answer, still staring off into space. Hatano starts to talk about how earlier, when there was something she didn't want to think about, she did some calculations in her head. Taki responds, “You do that, too, Hatano-san?” Hatano glances back, and Mio is angrily wadding up a piece of paper. Shii questions if she should be doing that, and Mio decides she better not. She smoothed it out, wondering if those two are talking excitedly about mathematics again. She wants to join, but she can't. Yuni looks at the paper Mio is holding, and asks why she's carrying that quiz around. Shii suggests that she's reviewing it, looking a bit shocked. Mio thinks that she declared she would get as good at algebra as Hatano-san, so she tried to get fired up for the lesson, but she couldn't do it. That hurdle was too high. However, she managed to perfect her work on that quiz. Planning to ask Taki to go to the library with her on the way home, Mio calls out to him, but the teacher sticks his head in and asks for the class representatives to come work in the staff room. Mio offers to go too, but is told that two is enough. Mio leans in the doorway, thinking her
positive attitude was promptly smashed. Mio hears something behind her, and finds Shii-chan and Yuni. Seeing Shii-chan in her uniform, Mio asks if she's participating in the assembly today, recalling that Akane said she'd be going. Shii tells her that she'll be there, but in the background. Mio says she'd like to go, since she has some free time, but wonders if it's OK for someone who isn't a first year to go. Shii assures her it's fine, and Mio suggests Yuni join her, but Yuni has to go to work. Yuni asks if Taki can go with her, and Mio glumly tells her he had to do something with Hatano-san.

Mio finds a spot to watch from above the stage, and spots Akane on the floor. She thinks that it still feels a little strange to see Akane at the same school, in the same uniform. Mio thinks that it has a different atmosphere than the classroom, so maybe she cannot think so much about things... But, seriously, what is Hatano trying to do? Even though she said that Mio was a problem, she told Taki she was worried Mio hated her? And why would she ask Taki that? Maybe she was just trying to get Taki-kun involved... Mio tells herself to stop thinking about that, and the chapter switches to a quick look at Taki unhappily working in the staff room. Back in the gym, Akane is trying to decide if she should join a sports club, even though it would take time away from concentrating on her grades for college... Akane realizes that someone is looking over her shoulder, and snaps at the person, “What are you looking at!?”

The guy who came in second to her in the entrance exams (from Chapter 13) says he was looking at what she wrote. She got a perfect score on her entrance exam, but that was after cramming for it. She couldn't keep up with that sort of studying if she joined a club could she? Putting on a cute, fake smile, Akane responds, “Right, shall we join the Tea Ceremony club?” Akane's cute act makes him blush, as he repeats, “Tea Ceremony...” Looking disgusted, Akane questions why she has to be in the same class as that guy. She was so annoyed that she unintentionally imitated Ootaka-san's behavior... The girls’ volleyball team gives their pitch, and Akane recognizes Shii-chan as Mio's friend. As she considers the club, Akane notices Mio calling out to Shii-chan from above. Thinking, “Speak of the devil...” Akane wonders why Mio is there. What is Nao doing? Eh, no matter... The kendou club is introduced next, and Akane is extremely put off by their comedy act and bad puns. (It's obviously lost in translation, but they're punning on “shinai,” as in the bamboo sword used in kendou, and “shinai,” the negative form of the verb meaning “to do.”)

Next, the boys' basketball club is announced, while Akane considers if she'd rather join a cultural club, or one to study for exams... It's the kendou club's fault for turning her off. Thinking that she can decide once the whole presentation is over, Akane looks up only to see Marui demonstrating his moves as part of the basketball team. Akane watches in awe as he weaves between the opposing players to shoot the ball, and then effortlessly completes a blind pass. Two girls behind her start talking about Marui, saying how cool that tall guy in the jacket is. Akane gives them a sort of disgusted look as one girl mentions his handsome face, and the other replies that she was talking about his basketball skills... But, well, both are good. (Akane is wondering if he's really that well-liked.) The team captain
gives a speech about how they're looking for a female manager (the position he offered Akane a few chapters back), then Marui steps up to demonstrate a free throw. As the girls behind her wonder if they should try for that manager position, Akane thinks that none of these people even know that he practically failed algebra last year... But, in spite of herself, she's impressed again as he easily shoots the ball and sinks his free throw. The ball bounces into the crowd, and Akane catches it. Marui steps up and says, “Ah, sorry... are you...” Stopping in the middle of asking if she's all right, Marui recognizes Akane and thinks that if that's who it is, she'd be all right. Trying to recall her name, Marui pictures Mio calling out “Akane-chan!” Without giving it too much thought, he yells, “Akane! Throw it here!” Hearing him call her by her first name, Akane throws the ball hard, directly at him. Marui smiles back at her, saying, “Nice pass!” Behind her, the girls who were talking before are chattering about how he called her, and the guy who was bothering her earlier is muttering, “He calls Ebihara-san, 'Akane,'...” As Mio is gazing at an airplane from the window, Akane is blushing furiously, wondering why she can't control how her heart is pounding. You don't just call out a person's name like that...

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