Chapter Eight: Saeko Busujima

When it comes to high school life in Japan, there’s one topic that can never be avoided: clubs.

Whether in anime or reality, the diverse array of clubs is an indispensable aspect of any typical high schooler’s experience. From basketball to baseball, swimming to music, you can always find the club you’re looking for at school.

Aoki Tsukasa was no exception.

According to his original plan, Aoki had really wanted to join a club like the “Go-Home Club”—as the name suggests, it was for those who just went straight home after school.

But now, with his charm rating as high as fifteen, Aoki had started to reconsider. If he kept loafing around like this, the trouble brought about by his damn charm might end up causing him some real misery.

For most people, if you look a bit intimidating, they might be wary of you.

But for those overly energetic delinquents, Aoki’s face was like a natural provocation. It was like encountering a wild, mysterious boss in a game—not everyone would pick a fight, but there was always some idiot eager to try.

Last time, he’d managed to unleash his power with the help of the “Genji Takitani Experience Card,” allowing him to take on ten at once and giving him a taste of what it feels like to be Ip Man. But if that happened again, Aoki figured he’d be crawling home.

To make matters worse, the restless system in his head left him perpetually on edge. Who knew when it might suddenly throw out some ridiculous task, forcing him into conflict with others?

If he didn’t have any real skills to rely on by then… well, the image was almost too tragic to contemplate, so Aoki decided not to dwell on it.

He resolved to learn a skill that would make him a bit stronger. In the end, after extracting a trembling answer from a certain classmate, Aoki found himself standing at the entrance of the school’s renowned Kendo Club, said to be the strongest in the entire school.

The moment he stepped inside, he saw several young men suited up in protective gear, wielding wooden swords and sweating profusely with each swing. Numerous certificates hung high on the wall nearby. In the center of the dojo, two people were sparring.

One of them was tall and powerfully built, clearly a muscular type at first glance. The other was slim and delicate, and judging by the long purple hair peeking out from beneath her headgear, was unexpectedly a girl.

What astonished Aoki most was that the purple-haired girl wielded her bokken with lightning speed and ferocity. Her brawny opponent could do little more than defend, and after a flurry of sharp, crackling strikes, her wooden sword stopped right in front of the young man’s face.

“Men!” At the referee’s command, the two withdrew their swords, returned to their marks, and bowed in salute.

Aoki instinctively began to applaud.

As the clapping echoed through the dojo, the others inevitably turned their attention to Aoki. With just a glance, everyone instantly tensed as if facing an adversary.

He must be here to challenge the club! That thought flashed through everyone’s mind.

It was only natural for them to think so—Aoki, absorbed in watching, wore a stern expression, and his rhythmic clapping, combined with his damnable charm, made him look every inch the villain making a dramatic entrance.

Noticing the sharp glances thrown his way, Aoki quickly understood what had happened. Though inwardly frustrated, he outwardly remained calm and lowered his hands.

Not far away, the purple-haired girl removed her headgear, revealing long, flowing hair of an elegant violet hue. Her eyes, beneath delicate brows, were clear and composed; her high nose and small lips complemented each other perfectly—a stunning beauty by any measure.

Even Aoki found himself momentarily dumbfounded.

Unlike the class president Kokoro Oohashi, whose beauty was bright and wholesome, this girl’s charm had a mesmerizing and slightly sinister edge, like a blooming mandrake flower—both awe-inspiring and intimidating. One instinctively felt she was to be admired from afar, not approached lightly.

“May I ask if there’s something you need?” The purple-haired girl stepped through the crowd toward Aoki. Only now did he notice that she was impressively tall—almost one-seventy-five—with a figure whose curves were only barely concealed by the loose kendo uniform.

“Uh…” Aoki glanced at the wary faces all around, then back at the girl’s emotionless yet clear eyes. He searched for the right words before speaking: “I’d like to join the Kendo Club.”

Her calm expression flickered, and she smiled faintly. “Is that so… Very few people join a club midway through the semester. Have you had any relevant training before?”

“I just transferred here today,” Aoki replied, noting that the surrounding faces had eased a little in their suspicion. For the first time today, he smiled. “As for kendo, this is my first time. May I ask, am I allowed to join?”

“Of course.” The girl returned a gentle smile—beautiful, yet somehow distant. “I’m Saeko Busujima, a second-year and the captain of the Kendo Club. Pleased to meet you.”

“I’m Aoki Tsukasa, first year. Pleased to meet you.” After responding, Aoki raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Saeko-senpai, you’re captain as a second-year? That’s impressive.”

“The members have shown me great trust,” Saeko replied with polite modesty. Yet behind her, the burly young man—her earlier sparring partner—spoke up with a less friendly tone: “Saeko took first place as the lead fighter at the selection tournament at the start of the year. Naturally, she became captain.”

“But what about you? With no kendo background, what made you want to join the club?” The young man took two steps forward and removed his headgear, revealing long black hair tied in a ponytail and a sharp, unfriendly gaze. Aoki immediately sensed that this guy was probably another delinquent.

Do I have some sort of innate grudge magnetism? Aoki thought, deeply frustrated. Outwardly, though, he withdrew the smile he’d shown Saeko and replied coolly, “I want to practice kendo to improve my health.”

“Heh…” The youth narrowed his eyes, as if about to press the issue, but Saeko interjected, “Let’s leave it at that for now. Saiki-kun, help Aoki change into protective gear and get him a bokken. Teach him some basic moves. I’ll have someone bring him an application form shortly.”

Not far away, a nervous-looking student stood up straight and answered loudly, “Yes, captain.” The sweat on Saiki’s face had even fogged up his glasses.

Saeko then gave a gentle smile. “Well, I’ll excuse myself for now. Aoki, you can start learning the basics. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.”

Aoki nodded. The student named Saiki approached timidly. “A-Aoki Tsukasa, please follow me.”

“Alright.” Aoki replied, watching Saeko’s retreating figure and the burly young man who left behind a warning glare. He felt somewhat helpless.

Why does it feel like I’ve made another enemy?