I'm a manager apprentice too

The new school year of my second year of high school started, and my homeroom teacher was once again Yamaki-sensei, also known as Leon.

Compared to my first year, I surprisingly didn’t feel as negative towards him.

Leon is the advisor of the soccer team, so I think I’ll be consulting with him a lot about club activities and my educational path. I hope we can build a trusting relationship like I had with Seki-sensei, who took care of me a lot during my elementary school years.

More importantly, there were so many things that happened during spring break that I’m already in exhaustion mode at the beginning of the new semester. The reason is the start of the soccer team manager position and…

“Good morning! Doremi~!”

After a loud voice resounded throughout the classroom, Hana-chan jumped at me. I thought her physical contact was excessive.

Well, it’s like a morning ritual, and when it’s over, she seems satisfied and sits on the chair behind me, trying to act like a high school girl.

At first, everyone in the class was surprised, but after three days, they got used to it, so now they just ignore it.

“…Oh, good morning, Hana-chan.”

I guess I’m the only one who hasn’t gotten used to it yet.

That’s right. Can you believe it? Hana-chan and I ended up in the same class. The Queen’s opinion was that since we’re in the human world, it would be less troublesome for us to act together. I agree, but to think that we’d end up in the same class? I don’t think it’s Hana-chan’s magic, but who knows.

At the beginning of the new school term, we’re sitting in order of the class roster, so Hana-chan is right after me, “Harukaze Doremi”. Her surname is “Makihatayama”, so there’s no one with a surname in between us, but I don’t think that’s magic either.

She’s treated as an overseas returnee, but unlike Momo-chan, she’s not from the United States. She’s technically spent most of her life around Paris, but of course, she can’t tell people that she’s from the witch world. In middle and elementary school, being a returnee garnered a lot of attention, but high school is different. After her first self-introduction, the only people who know who Hana-chan is are those who also went to elementary school with her. Since she doesn’t have any close friends yet, no one’s been asking her any intrusive questions.

When we were in middle school, I told the classmates who knew Hana-chan that she moved overseas due to her father’s job, and since MAHO-do was also leveled, the topic of Hana-chan gradually faded away.

Even so, when the topic came up occasionally, I told them that I didn’t know the details, and we just occasionally communicated through email.

Regarding Hana-chan, as you already know the true situation, her magical power has significantly leveled up over the past four years. For example, even if Hana-chan accidentally says something that doesn’t make sense in class, I think she can solve it with magic right away. However, since Hana-chan lives in the human world, using magic should be kept to an absolute minimum. The rules here take priority while in the human world. In general, it’s hard for humans to believe in magic and witches, and if it’s exposed, it could become a public disgrace. Anyway, we have to be careful.

Also, using magic just for Hana-chan’s convenience is very dangerous. The power is so strong that Hana-chan seems to have realized it even without being scolded by the Queen. Well, there are still many times when she doesn’t understand it.

She’s naive or rather, super naive, or innocent to a fault. Anyway, since we’re in the same class, I’m on the edge of my seat.

To become a real Queen supported by everyone, I think Hana-chan needs to gain more experience and knowledge about many things. For now, it seems like she’s still being swayed by the power of magic, so maybe our role is to put the brakes on it.

The witch world and the human world have different lifespans, lifestyles, and ways of thinking. So I thought our way of thinking would be different. However, there are many things we can empathize with.

When I was in elementary school, I didn’t think about it deeply, but now that I think about the Queen’s feelings and Hana-chan’s current situation, I hope we can be of help, as there is a connection that we have forged.

So Hana-chan’s high school life has begun, but it’s still just the beginning, and who knows what will happen from here on out.

The new school term has just started, and of course it’s not just me. Setting aside Hana-chan for now, let me tell you about my best friends.

Last year alone, there were so many things that I couldn’t write them all down. If I actually wrote everything, it would probably be as thick as an encyclopedia.

Just adding Hana-chan to that would be overwhelming for me. If we can help the witch world and Hana-chan, we’ll do anything. Our peaceful middle school days feel like a distant memory.

First, let me talk about Hazuki-chan. She was able to perform with great composure at the end-of-year concert. We can see that her skills are impressive not only within Karen Girls’ Academy, but also among her peers across the country.

As evidence, Hazuki-chan has decided to participate in a national violin competition in May and is practicing every day. Of course, if she achieves good results, she can also participate in international competitions. I hope she can eventually win a famous international competition. Yes, I believe in her.

Ai-chan’s leg has healed, and she has started serious training. Maybe because she had a gap, her times are not improving, and she seems frustrated. Nonetheless, Ai-chan who continues to practice diligently is somehow cool.

First of all, she’s aiming for the record meeting in June and is training for that. There will also be Olympic representative qualifiers around that time, but we who know how hard she’s been working shouldn’t push Ai-chan too hard.

After finishing the Paris stage, Onpu-chan returned to Japan and focused on attending school. Of course, the stage received good reviews, and there were magazine articles speculating whether her next move would be a Hollywood movie, a Broadway musical, or a national TV show.

But right now, she needs to focus on getting good grades. Plus, she also wants to live a normal life like a regular high school girl. She wants to help out at MAHO-do without forcing too many schedules, play with her friends, and continue taking English and singing lessons.

Anyway, she’s really ambitious. Lately, Onpu-chan seems more and more invincible.

Meanwhile, Momo-chan is giving special training in sweet-making to Dodo, Rere, Mimi, Roro, Nini, Toto, and even Hana-chan, who just joined MAHO-do. If it were a simple task, Hana-chan’s magic could replicate Momo-chan’s sweets, but that’s not the case.

As for me, now that I’ve become the manager of the soccer team, I can’t go to MAHO-do every day like before. But we try to find time to help Momo-chan whenever we can.

Momo-chan has a monthly special limited sweet-making event, and the buzz from word-of-mouth has led to high expectations for her new creations. She’s busy, but it’s also a source of encouragement for her. We’re also worried about the new rival sweet store opening nearby, but because Momo-chan is taking it at her own pace, we just do our best to help her.

So, the rival store is going to be the second branch of the famous patissier Ikoma Arihito-san’s store located in Tokyo. The sweets at the main store have a chic and sophisticated image, but I wonder if the same concept will be used for this new store. The building is almost completed, but for now I can only describe it as having a modern feel.

Oh, by the way, Pop passed the entrance exam for middle school at Karen Girls’ Academy, but not many of her friends from elementary school are going there. Mom was worried if she would be able to fit in with her class, but Pop is not the only one feeling anxious.

Although the school is close to our home, some students commute from farther away, and there are both real princesses and ordinary kids like us. Anyway, everyone gets nervous in a new environment. Pop has become friends with a girl who sits close to her, so that’s a relief. Even Pop gets nervous, though.

There aren’t as many music classes in middle school as there are in high school, but she practices piano at home with Mom. This year, she wants to go to various concerts with Mom and friends. Hmm, she’s so positive. I have to do my best too. Oh, she’s still as cheeky as ever. I hope she becomes a suitable young lady for Karen Girls’ Academy.

So, finally, it’s about me. I’m in a pretty tough spot right now.

As I mentioned before, I officially became the manager of the soccer team starting this year. I ended up being in the same class as Kotake, which I thought might make things a bit difficult, but it seems like he’s not even aware of it. It was a bit anticlimactic, but it’s actually easier this way.

Anyway, the soccer team is focused on becoming the prefectural representative and beyond that, the Winter Kokuritsu¹. But first, we have to tackle the inter-high school² preliminaries, which are scheduled to begin soon.

Thanks to the special training from Kogure Maki-senpai, watching soccer on TV with Dad, and the pressure from Leon, I’ve gained a lot of knowledge about soccer. Considering I used to pronounce Kokuritsu as “kunitachi”³, it’s a big improvement in a short period of time.

That being said, becoming knowledgeable about soccer is just basic stuff, and as the manager, my role is more like a behind-the-scenes support to help the team members concentrate on soccer. It’s more like doing errands than coaching the players.

And now, the biggest issue is this. Someone who’s way more knowledgeable about soccer than I am has come to join as a manager. Her name is Kashiwagi Chinami. Maybe because “Kashiwagi-san” is hard to say, everyone calls her “Chinami-chan” or “China-chan”. Meanwhile, I’m called “Manager”, “Harukaze” or “Harukaze-senpai” by many people. Could it be that they treat me differently just because I’m one year older? I don’t even want to think about it, especially since I’m only 16.

Well, I also call her Chinami-chan because Kashiwagi-san is hard to say.

As for what kind of girl she is, first of all, she’s energetic. Kotake says she’s a bit noisy like there are two of me, but I’m the first one. Wait, does that mean we’re both noisy?

Anyway, the reason why I can’t beat Chinami-chan in soccer is because of the time and experience of watching soccer. Apparently, her whole family is a soccer fan, and she’s been a supporter of the local J-League since elementary school, going to games and practices. She wanted to try it herself, but there were no soccer teams or clubs nearby for girls to join, so she gave up. Now, her family watches overseas soccer broadcasts together and she says she wants to see it live someday.

In other words, she’s similar to last year’s charismatic manager, Kogure-senpai, in terms of her environment.

“Harukaze-senpai, please take care of me today too.”

I’m still not used to being called “Harukaze-senpai”, so I asked her to call me “Doremi-senpai” instead. She’s obedient, and when she calls me “senpai”, I don’t feel bad about it, and it’s not presumptuous. Yeah, she’s not a bad girl. But there’s something bothering me.

Well, I’m doing my best not to become invisible in this situation. Anyway, today’s practice was canceled, so I was relieving stress at MAHO-do.

“Well, that’s not good. If you’re not careful, Chinami-chan might kick you out and become the charismatic manager of the soccer team herself.”

Kick me out, Ai-chan? It’s just a high school soccer team. Chinami-chan isn’t the type to act like that.

“Doremi-chan has a powerful new rival, Chinami-chan. She’ll definitely give Doremi-chan a run for her money.”

“Run for money, huh!”

Momo-chan, it’s a power struggle, right? And Hana-chan didn’t seem to want to take sides either. They both looked happy. I didn’t miss the big stars sparkling in their eyes.

Ai-chan and Momo-chan are in the same class, and I’m with Hana-chan. MAHO-do is also a place to exchange information. but I thought they wouldn’t actively participate in the power struggle or rivalry between me and Chinami-chan. Even so, they seemed to be enjoying the conversation about the rise of the new rival.

By the way, today Hana-chan, Dodo and the others, and I were making cupcake decorations together. We took turns minding the store during that time. There was a lot to learn. As for sweets, we started with easy things like baked goods and cupcakes. Thanks to Momo-chan who drilled us on the basics, we were improving quickly.

Momo-chan was working on a new sweet today. Actually, it was supposed to be ready at the beginning of the month, but she had been so busy from March to April that she hadn’t had time to make it properly.

What she was making now was an orange cake. She boiled down oranges and mixed them with the sponge and cream, so a refreshing aroma was spreading throughout the kitchen. Honestly, I was so eager to have a bite of Momo-chan’s cake right now, instead of cupcakes. I could taste a prototype, but there were more people now, so the portions were getting smaller.

Majorika says there’s no way Momo-chan’s cake can fail, and we don’t need to taste it ourselves, but we can’t convey the deliciousness to our customers without trying it. I came here today because I was looking forward to Momo-chan’s cake so much.

“Doremi-chan, you’ve stopped working.”

“It’s because she keeps staring at the oven.”

Ai-chan and Momo-chan playfully ganged up on me. Because, you know, there was an incredibly good smell coming from the oven. I’m the happiest and prettiest girl in the world because I can eat freshly made sweets.

Come to think of it, Hazuki-chan said she’d come after her lesson today. Onpu-chan sent a message saying she’d be late, but she’d stop by. Hmm, I see.

However, the two of them came firmly one hour before closing.

As the two of them went to change in the back without much greeting, they glanced at me, who was standing in the lobby, and said this:

“If we had been any later, the taste-testing would have been in danger, Hazuki-chan.”

“It’s okay, Onpu-chan. Momo-chan will save our share for us.”

“Doremi-chan is staring at the cake so much that it’s like she’s Pavlov’s dog or something.”

Ugh, how did they know what I was thinking?

“Wow, you two are amazing. You know everything about Doremi.”

Hana-chan was just impressed and seeing them off, but I need to adjust my course of action soon, otherwise I might be misunderstood in various ways. Since Hana-chan is still quite inexperienced and impressionable, the initial information is crucial. If she misunderstands, I have to update the information quickly.

Soon, the two of them returned to the kitchen.

Onpu-chan’s patissiere outfit was fresh. Finally, everyone was together. I couldn’t be all that happy about it, considering the reason why we were all here.

“I’m glad we made it. I’ll help right away.”

Hazuki-chan smiled at Hana-chan and, anticipating that the cake would be ready soon, efficiently started to tidy up the surrounding area to make space for the cake.

“That’s right. It doesn’t feel like you’ve really eaten anything if you’re being watched by Doremi-chan.”

“Onpu-chan, I don’t think that’s true~!”

I poked my head into the kitchen and complained, but Onpu-chan just smiled and ignored me. Okay, okay, I’d let go of my attachment to Momo-chan’s cake and focus on working in the store.

Majorika and Lala turned away from me but shaking slightly. They were probably trying to hold back their laughter at Hazuki-chan and Onpu-chan’s conversation, which was just too perfect.

“Yep, it’s done baking.”

As soon as the oven was opened, the scent of vanilla mixed with refreshing orange wafted out. Even I, who was on the other side of the room, could tell. This was the scent of happiness.

“That’s right. Momo-chan is getting better and better.”

“That’s not all. The fact that we have more regular customers and her efficiency has improved is proof of that.”

Lala and Majorika also looked satisfied as they watched the finished cake.

“It’ll be done soon. Just wait a bit.”

Momo-chan neatly arranged orange marmalade and sliced, simmered oranges on top of the cake. The new cake made entirely of oranges was simple, but with its color and scent, it made your appetite soar. We take pictures every time and save the recipe along with them. The files in MAHO-do’s computer keep getting bigger and bigger. It would be nice if the delicious scent and taste could be preserved as well.

Since everyone had gathered, we quickly finished cleaning up the store and preparing for tomorrow. Anyway, I was fixated on the cake in front of me. It might be a type of cake without complicated decorations, perhaps for Hana-chan and Dodo and the others who are not yet used to it. Momo-chan had properly prepared for the mass production starting tomorrow and had already finished a meeting with Majorika and Lala.

“Hey, isn’t it ready yet? I want to eat it quickly,” I said.

“If you stare at it so much, it’ll disappear, Doremi.”

Lala said with a wry smile as she brought over the tea set.

“OK! I’ll start cutting it now.”

Momo-chan sliced the cake and placed it on a plate lined up neatly. Since orange was also mixed into the cream, the color was nice. Tea and cake were distributed to everyone, and we all said “Itadakimasu” before taking a bite. Everyone was satisfied and smiled. Momo-chan also smiled as she watched us. The sponge had orange peel mixed in, giving it a slightly bitter taste. The orange cream in between and on top was sweet and fresh. Although it looked plain and the color was dull, the inside was like a combination of the best parts of oranges.

“I’m thinking of making it with not only oranges, but also several types of citrus fruits,” Momo-chan said.

Now that I think about it, there were lots of citrus fruits in the refrigerator in the kitchen. I wanted to try them all if possible.

“Well, let’s get to the main topic.”

Ai-chan suddenly spoke up as we were eating. We all focused on her.

“The uprising of the junior manager.”

Ah, she brought that up. I was also distracted by the cake and had completely forgotten about it. It seemed that the purpose was to spoil my appetite.

Ignoring my sudden drop in mood, Ai-chan and Momo-chan began to explain about the junior manager.

“I saw it during track practice. It looked like there were two Doremi-chan’s,” Ai-chan said.

“I saw it too. Yeah, both of them seemed to be working hard,” Momo-chan said.

That’s right. I’m still not used to my manager job, but Chinami-chan is the same. She seems to be working really hard.

“Chinami-chan, the bright girl with the short haircut like Aiko, right?”

Hana-chan seemed to have already checked her out.

“Chinami-chan… that’s her name, right? She seems like a lively girl, but is she ever cold to you, who doesn’t know much about soccer and likes to show off her knowledge?”

Hazuki-chan looks at me with a worried expression.

“No, not at all. I just feel a little inferior.”

“The soccer team has a lot of members. I think the manager’s job is to ensure that all the players can concentrate on the club activities. If we divide the roles properly, soccer-savvy juniors could be a great force.”

Onpu-chan calmly analyzed the situation. That’s right. We just haven’t quite figured it out yet.

“I just noticed something.”

Ai-chan tilted her head and continued,

“Do new students usually come to the club activities this quickly? She’s been coming every day since the beginning of the school year.”

Oh, really? That’s probably why it feels a little strange.

“It seems like there aren’t many students from her middle school in her class, and I’ve never heard her talk about any of her friends. Yeah, it’s important to quickly fit in with the class.”

I’ve been in the same local area since Misora Elementary School, but Chinami-chan went to a completely different middle school. Even though she’s a new student, she’s never talked about her classmates. We’ve talked about soccer normally though.

“From what I hear about her, she doesn’t seem like the shy type.”

Onpu-chan started cleaning up the cake plate, and we got up too.

“I think it’s important to chat with friends and exchange information right after entering school. Maybe Chinami-chan has a reason why she doesn’t want to stay in the class for long. Maybe you should ask her, Doremi-chan.”

Hazuki-chan also acted as a bridge for Mukai Riko-chan, who was in a similar environment, to fit into the class.

That’s how best friends tell you things you don’t notice yourself. It’s really helpful when they hit the nail on the head. I’m really fortunate.

“No, you have already noticed it.”

“Normally, you would overlook things, but you can understand people’s feelings.”

What Ai-chan and Hazuki-chan said is something I don’t understand at all myself. Is that so?

“If that’s the case, Hana-chan will solve it for you. It’s easy!”

Hana-chan had a really excited look on her face, but that was a no.

“Yeah. That’s right. It’s going to be really busy when the preliminaries start, so we should talk a little bit before that. I’ll do my best. Thank you, everyone.”

When we started talking about the “uprising of the junior manager”, I thought it would be a disaster, but we managed to settle it somehow.

But you know, the cause of my unease is not just that anymore.

The next day, after discussing the match schedule for this month and next month in a meeting, we met with our advisor Yamaki-sensei, also known as Leon, and the coach to discuss our tasks.

It was really good timing. Last year’s managers had done so many things that it would be impossible to expect the same level of performance from me, but if the two of us worked together, we might become as good as Kogure-senpai. It might not be right away, but maybe after the summer break.

After the meeting, the coach went to the club’s practice, Leon went back to the staff room, and I decided to clean up the club room with Chinami-chan. We also needed to clean up the whiteboard and write down the schedule, of course, including the details of participating in the inter-high school competition. We’re confident that we won’t lose in the qualifiers.

“Doremi-senpai, you’re in the same class as Vice-captain Kotake, right?”

It was much dirtier than I thought, and the two of us spent about an hour cleaning it up. Chinami-chan put away the cleaning tools and took out her notebook from her bag. She was probably going to write down the schedule.

“I heard you were friends since elementary school, is he your boyfriend?”

She came straight to the point before I could answer. Slowly and carefully, I spread out the materials I had received from the coach and stood up to write the schedule on the board. I’m not good at hiding my emotions.

“Well… we were in different classes last year, but we’re in the same class this year.”

Kotake became the vice-captain. Leon said it was convenient for me since I’m the manager in the same class. Hana-chan is also there, so I’m more concerned about her in the class. Even if I talk to Kotake, it’s only about administrative matters, and it’s still early in the new school year, so I haven’t talked much.

“My homeroom teacher is Leon… Oh, Leon, I mean Yamaki-sensei. I was the one who gave him that nickname, and it seems to have caught on quite well. So it’s convenient for me. But, no, he’s not my boyfriend or anything like that.”

She’s looking at me. She’s looking at me so much.

It’s a very painful gaze from Chinami-chan piercing into my back. She looked dissatisfied about something.

“Kotake-senpai is a good soccer player and he’s tall and cool. Don’t you think so too, senpai?”

“…He was short when he was in elementary school. I’m surprised how much taller he’s gotten.”

What should I do? I couldn’t turn around. I pretended to be calm and wrote the schedule on the whiteboard, but…

“Oh, there’s a mistake in the date of the second round, senpai.”

“Really? How careless of me.”

“Other seniors are cool, and being a manager is rewarding, isn’t it?”

It’s like a police interrogation or something. Stay calm, stay calm.

“You know a lot about soccer, don’t you, Chinami-chan? I didn’t know anything about it until now. Without you, I wouldn’t know many things, including the records.”

I tried changing the subject. Finally, I could turn around. Did I succeed?

“My family liked it, so naturally I became a soccer fan too.”

“Then, there’s a member who is from the same middle school as you and is currently a temporary member, right? If you were in the same class, you would probably get along well.”

I confirmed what I had written by comparing my April schedule with the board. There are many school matches, so there are also many matches to be played before becoming the representative. Since we are seeded, April will focus on practice matches and preparing for the qualifying matches. I understand that sports clubs have long activity hours and are tough. I will do my best to support them so that they can play in good condition. Wait, Chinami-chan is quiet.

“…I’m in a different class unfortunately.”

It’s good that Kotake’s talk is over, but she cut me off. I noticed that Chinami-chan had ups and downs in her mood, sometimes being cheerful and sometimes quiet. I have ups and downs too, but it’s a little different. I wonder if new students can’t speak up in front of their seniors.

Chinami-chan came in hoping to be a manager as soon as she entered school. As I mentioned, she knows a lot about soccer, but she doesn’t mind doing physical work or cleaning. She sometimes makes comments about Kotake and other seniors being cool, but she never slacks off in her manager duties. Although we have only known each other for a few days, I feel like we are getting closer.

Despite this, she hasn’t come to the club activities at all since this week. I wonder what happened. The deadline for temporary enrollment is coming soon.

At that worrying timing, two first-year students who want to be managers came. They are both cute, so the members are interested in them. There’s a pretty girl here too, you know.

“Oh no, no good. Those two are fired.”

Leon shook his head and gestured with his hand at the neck just by looking at them. Well, they didn’t even change into their jerseys and just talked to each other while watching the practice, so there was nothing I could teach them. They were reluctant to do their work even when asked.

“Harukaze alone is enough to be the manager, but Kashiwagi seemed to be just as motivated as Harukaze.”

Leon put my name first. I was a little relieved.

Chinami-chan came to the club activities all the time, even though she has just entered school and has plenty of things to do, so Leon also said to wait and see, and I had the same idea.

Even though the soccer team is strong, Misora High School is a public school and the facilities aren’t very good. We don’t have full use of the field every day, so we can’t do match-style practice often. Also, half of the field is used for running and practice, so we have to take out equipment, time ourselves, and pick up balls. What we do changes depending on the day of the week.

Instead, we mainly have matches on the weekends, and because we rent good fields, there are some small excursions as well. In practice matches, the new students do the chores, so the manager needs to prepare, but there is no need to participate.

Once I get used to the job, I can take a break from being a manager except before and after the match, so I can work at least a little part-time. I’m still worried about Dodo and the others, and I’m also worried about Hana-chan. Making sweets is more fun than I thought it would be, and I’m getting paid for it too.

It would be great if I could work well with Chinami-chan and have a good time.

After school, Hana-chan showed up at the club room.

“The two new managers didn’t show up, if Chinami-chan quits, maybe Hana-chan can be the new manager. It will make us the strongest team in Japan.”

Even though she’s flashing the victory sign… Hana-chan’s words are always a prank. After all, she’s a witch, and she claims it would be a cakewalk to completely heal Ai-chan’s injuries.

“That’s no good! Curing illnesses and injuries is forbidden magic. If you do that, what kind of misfortune is waiting for you, Hana-chan?”

“But Hana-chan might be able to do it now.”

“I told you, no!”

“Hehe, just kidding. See you later.”

Hana-chan left the club room with a smile.

Geez, Hana-chan. She really could do anything.

After Hana-chan left, two manager candidates came.

“It looks like a tough job, and the coach says we are not suitable for it.”

“Thank you for your help, even though it was only for a short time.”

That was too short. Of course, but I didn’t say it out loud.

After that, I had a little chat with them. One of them apparently went to the same middle school as Chinami-chan. They joined because they heard from Chinami-chan that there’s a cool senior on the soccer team. I wonder if it’s true. I’m kind of shocked.

It was the day after the game, so club activities ended with a meeting.

I went to MAHO-do early for the first time in a while, and while helping to make sweets, I complained to Momo-chan and Hana-chan.

“They don’t do any work and just stare at the club members. I tried to ask one of them to do something, even just a small thing, but they said they wouldn’t unless they were both together.”

“So, Hana-chan will be the manager with you!”

“Hana-chan, you’d better work harder making sweets than being a manager,” Momo-chan said.

Momo-chan put a plate of orange slices in front of us. This month is like an “Orange Fair”. Thickly sliced oranges are sweetly simmered, and then coated with chocolate. It’s a stylish sweet in both appearance and taste.

“There are so many, but they’ll be sold out within this week. Momo-chan is amazing.”

There’s a lot for Hana-chan to learn, but making sweets seems fun. We’re currently dividing up the decoration and packaging tasks. There are piles of candies and cookies as well, so it’s taking a while.

“Ugh. Many girls believe that being a manager for a boys’ sports club is just a way to get close to the cool members.”

“Really?”

While completing the finishing touches of the orange cake, Momo-chan winked at me.

“I don’t think that’s the case with you. Chinami-chan also said that Kotake-kun looks cool, right?”

“Yeah, but… she definitely loves soccer and works hard.”

I’m still not sure. Maybe I should check with Chinami-chan. At that moment, Hazuki-chan came in. She was carrying her violin case.

“Wow, it’s full of orange and chocolate aroma. Oh, Doremi-chan, you have no club activities today.”

Hazuki-chan changed into her patissiere outfit and went around the lobby. For now, it’s Rere, who transformed into Hazuki-chan, taking care of the counter. She’s still worried.

Ai-chan and Onpu-chan couldn’t come and the store was about to close. As I cleaned up, I told Hazuki-chan about Chinami-chan.

“Yes, that’s a common story. But even if that’s the reason, it’s not enough to keep going. Being a manager for a sports club is a tough job.”

As expected from Hazuki-chan. She understands it well.

“The two girls who joined later heard there’s a cool club member here. Maybe Chinami-chan couldn’t just tell her friends that she just loves soccer.”

“Eh, it’s not rare for girls to love soccer, you know.”

“Yeah, Hana-chan loves soccer too.”

Momo-chan might think that way because women’s soccer is popular in America. It’s kind of impressive that Hana-chan can say that even though she knows less about soccer than me.

“I’m going to meet with Chinami-chan tomorrow. I want to work together with her as a manager.”

“I think that’s a good idea. Once you stop showing up, it’s somehow difficult to go back. Maybe Doremi-chan as a senior is the best person to invite her.”

“But I think it’s true that she has a crush on Kotake-kun.”

Momo-chan still wanted to have some fun in the end. I don’t think it would be good development for Momo-chan and Ai-chan to get involved in the matter between Chinami-chan and Kotake, but as Hazuki-chan said, Chinami-chan has just entered the school. Before Chinami-chan came, I thought I would be fine alone, but now there’s Hana-chan, and MAHO-do has become our base for that reason.

The Queen said it’s okay for us to prioritize school and our own lives, but I think it’s important to help Hana-chan too. There are things that only those of us who can use magic in the human world can do.

I know that Dodo can take my place in an emergency, but it still feels dangerous to leave everything to her. I think it’ll only be for a few hours at most.

I know it’s a bit selfish of me to want to work with Chinami-chan as managers. But we’re going to take the entrance exam next year. I don’t want to think about it, but it’s true. So I’m sure that Chinami-chan will be a great asset to us.

The next day, I turned down Leon and decided to go meet Chinami-chan after school. It just so happened that I was scheduled to receive first aid and taping lessons from the health teacher that day, which was a convenient excuse for me to invite her.

I’d been in the freshman class until March, but going to the freshman class still felt like being in the presence of new students. It felt refreshing. Chinami-chan was getting ready to go home, but she came over to me right away. She seemed to be worried about the stares of her classmates, which was something I had also experienced before. For example, when Kogure-senpai came. It was scary in a different way, though.

Before heading to the infirmary, we stopped by the courtyard because no one was there. We sat side by side on a bench.

“Chinami-chan, are you going to give up being a manager? I hope not.”

I wanted to know her true feelings.

“…Well, the two new manager candidates, what happened to them?”

“They got fired rather than quitting. They didn’t do any work and just stared at the club members, so the coach got mad at them.”

The job was more mundane than they expected, and they were disappointed. We’re not just supposed to be cheerleaders for the players.

“You know, my friend said it’s okay if you’re just interested in the cool senior. They said that any initial reason is fine. I know you’re not just limited to that, Chinami-chan.”

Chinami-chan was looking down, but I really wanted her to be the manager with me. She might even be better suited for the job than me.

“Oh, maybe you don’t like me? In that case, it’s okay for you to become the manager instead of me. Even with those new manager candidates who came the other day…”

“No, that’s not it. I’ve never thought that I don’t like you, Doremi-senpai!”

In the middle of our conversation, Chinami-chan suddenly spoke up in a loud voice. She looked at me with teary eyes.

“I really want to be a manager. I love soccer so much and I want to contribute in some way. But when my middle school friends asked me about it, I just…”

After hearing Chinami-chan’s story about her middle school years, I finally understood.

“You really like soccer, and you know that the soccer team at Misora High School is strong, so you wanted to become a manager if you could get in, right?”

Chinami-chan nodded.

“When I was in the first year of middle school, there was a member of the soccer team in my class, and we used to talk a lot. Especially on Mondays, when the soccer team had a day off, we would discuss the European League games that happened over the weekend, along with the soccer-loving boys.”

However, when they became second-year students and were placed in different classes, Chinami-chan’s soccer friend was no longer in her classroom. Moreover, because that soccer team member was a bit handsome, the girls in the class thought they were dating. They were just friends, but he was a boy. And at that age, misunderstandings were easy to come by.

“In the second year, when they found out that a girl in the same class liked the soccer team member, the misunderstanding was cleared up, but I couldn’t talk to him anymore.”

So, Chinami-chan ended up joining a group of girls in the same class and stopped talking about soccer at school. That’s why there are many people who don’t know that Chinami-chan is a real soccer fan, even though they went to the same middle school.

“I’m sure you’ll regret it if you quit now. You’re different from the old Chinami-chan, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

Chinami-chan told me a lot of things and seemed to feel relieved. After the health teacher taught us various things, she said that she would come properly from tomorrow. It seems that she realized she needs to be more assertive.

I was running late after explaining the situation to Leon, but I decided to go to MAHO-do. Even though the sweets at the store were sold out, I thought I could help them prepare for tomorrow. Momo-chan and Hana-chan were at MAHO-do.

When Ai-chan arrived right after me, followed by Hazuki-chan and Onpu-chan, the cleanup was almost done. Everyone was worried, so I thought I’d tell them what I heard from Chinami-chan.

“Yes, that’s right. If you lie to yourself, every day will become sad,” Momo-chan said.

When Momo-chan put freshly baked madeleines in front of us, we started on the next task. We were talking while doing our respective jobs.

“According to Chinami-chan, when she advanced to the second year, she had to separate from her friends who were excited about the end of the European League. But there was a girl in her class who approached her, and she ended up hanging out with that girl’s group.”

It was good at first, but then it gradually became uncomfortable.

“That group was mostly talking about idols and fashion trends.”

Momo-chan shrugged her shoulders and said,

“I don’t think there are any girls who aren’t interested in boys or fashion, but if you don’t have anything in common, you don’t have to be friends, right? Japanese people have that kind of thing.”

“Aren’t you a Japanese yourself? Ah, but I kind of get where it’s going,” Ai-chan interjected.

Chinami-chan wasn’t disinterested either, and she didn’t mind talking at school, but their relationship gradually expanded.

“I also go to an all-girls high school, so I understand how you feel. Girls tend to act in groups,” Hazuki-chan said.

Weekend soccer fans are busy with watching their favorite J-League home games, European Leagues at night, World Cup and Olympic qualifiers, and spending time with friends is important too.

“According to Chinami-chan, the worst thing was not being able to say ‘no’ when it was inconvenient. She was trying her best, but she seemed to be gloomy even within the group.”

It’s only soccer, yet it means something. Just because she couldn’t say a small thing, her middle school life became lonely.

“I’m not sure if middle school friendships are really special,” Ai-chan said.

Hmm, I don’t think either of us can understand the special relationship that middle school friends have.

“Saying that she likes Kotake-kun because he’s cool would have been an easier way to fit in with her new group of friends.”

Onpu-chan also had a hard time making friends after entering high school.

“Eh, Hana-chan doesn’t understand at all.”

We were talking among ourselves, but Hana-chan got angry because she was left out. Even though we are classmates in appearance, our actual ages are different, and Hana-chan’s world and our high school daily life are really in different dimensions.

“Come on, it’s already this late. We’ve finished preparing for tomorrow, so go home for today.”

“Yeah, that’s right. It’ll be solved in a good way anyway.”

Upon hearing this from Lala and Majorika, I checked the time. Time really flies when you’re chatting. Suddenly, I started to feel hungry.

“Eh──, Hana-chan is going to stop the time, so please explain it to me properly!”

“Hey, Hana. Don’t say something unreasonable. If everyone doesn’t go home soon, their families will be worried.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

We changed and went outside. It was still chilly, but it was gradually getting warmer. Spring is my favorite season. Oh, I also like summer because of my birthday.

“I have club activities tomorrow, so I’ll be late, but I’ll be here.”

“Chinami-chan will surely come tomorrow too.”

“If she gives up again, she won’t be able to enjoy her high school life.”

Hazuki-chan and Ai-chan were right, Chinami-chan doesn’t have many classmates from the same middle school, and she also entered a high school with a strong soccer team.

“Yes, it’s true. There’s no point in having such good conditions if she doesn’t take the chance.”

Onpu-chan may have felt overwhelmed or stifled by the expectations or perceptions of those around her, but she worked hard to overcome these challenges.

“Yeah, I think so too.”

I feel like I have become closer to Chinami-chan too.

“If Chinami-chan’s comeback goes well, the next battle will be over Kotake-kun. Can you win, Doremi-chan?”

“Eh──, why are you suddenly talking about that?”

What’s with Momo-chan? You just reminded me again.

“I wrote this.”

When Chinami-chan handed in the club registration form, Leon accepted it and said,

“Alright. Kashiwagi, Harukaze, work together and do your best for the soccer team.”

He patted us on the shoulder and left the clubroom. We looked at each other. Leon must be relieved that he had fulfilled his duty.

“Let’s do our best, Chinami-chan.”

“I’m looking forward to working with you, Doremi-senpai. I also told the girls who wanted to be managers and the girls in my class that I genuinely like soccer.”

“That’s great! I’m so glad to hear that.”

“There are several girls who love soccer in our class, and we’re planning to watch a J-League game together next time.”

That’s good. It seems like Chinami-chan’s high school debut was a success. Everything will be resolved soon. Now let’s do what we can to help the soccer team win smoothly.

──As soon as I thought about it, the next week she said,

“Doremi-senpai, I’m giving up on Kotake-senpai. After observing how the two of you interact, I got the sense that you have a good relationship where you can say anything to each other openly, so I realized it’s impossible for me to get between you two.”

“Ah, yeah… I guess so.”

Where did you see that? Could there be a spy in the classroom?

After Monday’s meeting, we were checking and restocking our equipment from the weekend’s games. We were in high spirits because of our success in the qualifying rounds.

“Besides, I’ve found someone else I’m interested in.”

She said with a smile.

“Is it a member of the soccer team?”

“Well, I’m interested in both senior members and European League players, but no. It’s a youth player in the J-League that my family and I support. He’s cool. He’s been a regular in all the games this year. I think he’ll be selected for the U-17 team. Oh, I’m sure Kotake-senpai will be selected too.”

“Ah, under seventeen… huh.”

Kotake was suddenly added to the conversation. Chinami-chan had said that she was just a pure soccer fan, but it seems that good looks are also important to her. Still, she seemed so energetic.

But what surprised me was when I heard his name.

“Uh, Kimura Takao-kun? We were in the same class in elementary school!”

“Really? Then Kotake-senpai must know his email address. Yay! Let’s ask him tomorrow.”

Thank you for your hard work. Chinami-chan left the clubroom with a smile on her face. What should I do? I think Kotake knows Kimura-kun.

My manager’s work was over, so I headed to MAHO-do. On the way, I texted Kotake, and he replied that since they both continue to play soccer, they keep in touch and know each other’s contact information.

“Kimura Takao-kun is Kotake-kun’s rival, you know.”

I knew Momo-chan would get hooked on it.

“They play different positions, so they’re not rivals. Kimura-kun is a midfielder. Kotake said it would be great if they could work well together and score goals if they both get selected for the U-17 team,” I explained.

Hold on, didn’t Kotake say before he had another soccer friend from middle school, although they were in separate schools? While they may be rivals in terms of whether or not they will be selected for the national team, it seems that Kimura-kun is currently one step ahead. I wonder if being a regular player on the youth team is an advantage.

“Classic Doremi-chan, spacing out when Kotake brought up soccer as usual, right?” Ai-chan joked.

“Kimura-kun was close to Koizumi Marina-chan when they were in elementary school. I wonder how things are now.”

Hazuki-chan remembered it well. At first, Kimura-kun and Marina-chan were not close, but towards the end of elementary school, they were slightly conscious of each other.

“We should ask Kimura-kun to elaborate on his relationships and interests,” I said.

Kimura-kun is currently attending a private high school in the same prefecture, where he can be flexible in pursuing his goal of joining the J-League from the youth team. So I don’t know if he and Marina-chan went to the same school.

“Maybe we don’t need to ask about it for now. She said there were other people she was interested in too. Her feelings seem to change quickly. And Kotake-kun is working hard to advance in the preliminaries right now, so it wouldn’t be right to bother him with such questions.”

As Onpu-chan suggested, we came to the conclusion that we should leave it alone for now.

That’s exactly what happened. Chinami-chan, who had completely emerged from her shell, is a sincere and cheerful manager who has become very popular among the members.

“Doremi-chan is like the mother of the members.”

“Yeah, it feels that way. Hana-chan thinks so too.”

“That’s right. And Chinami-chan feels like a little sister.”

Hey, Ai-chan, Hana-chan, Momo-chan. Being a mother and a little sister are completely different things. At least call me a big sister or something.

“The atmosphere in the team has improved. You won the first match in the second preliminaries, so it’s good, right, Doremi-chan?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

Hazuki-chan followed up, but it was a smooth summary.

“Doremi-chan is familiar with Kotake-kun’s play, so I’m sure she will be able to support him well as a manager. I’m sure his play will improve even more with her support. It’s a synergistic effect, for sure.”

What’s with Onpu-chan’s choice of words?

There may still be some twists and turns, but first and foremost, it’s important for Kotake and the soccer team to be selected as prefectural representative. I hope we will win in the inter-high school competition as well. Individually, members are aiming to be selected for the U-17 Japan national team, and as a club, to become the best in Japan among the prefectural representatives. With two managers, it’s impossible for us to be eliminated in the preliminaries.

I also have to work hard with Chinami-chan to make it to the Winter Kokuritsu this year.