After the match, I got surrounded by people.

Little did I know at the time, it was revealed after that Yoshikawa-senpai is apparently the ace for the team. I had just obliterated the best player during my first match. I was a bit underwhelmed after hearing that. I thought that he’s just a cocky but skilled senpai, the club isn’t as good as I thought it would. Or I might’ve had too high of an expectation for the members.

“Dang it! I almost had that one!” Fujihara-senpai said in frustration after losing our match. That was my fourth match now, after the game with Yoshikawa-senpai, I had gained a reputation in an instant. Some of the members asked me to play against them, Fujihara-senpai is the latest person I had beaten in the game.

“You almost had me at that last round.” I said trying to comfort him.

“Shut up, you’re just really good. That’s all.” He said in a jokingly way.

I laughed.

As I sat on the bench where Yoshikawa-senpai was sitting, beside him was Hana Murakami. A fellow classmate and teammate.

She wasn’t talking with senpai, it was more so that she was waiting for someone. My best guess is it’s me she’s waiting for. I acted dumb as I made eye contact, pretending that I just didn’t assumed that she was waiting for me.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. This is Hana-san, she’s almost as good as Yoshikawa in terms of skill.” Fujihara-senpai introduced me to her.

She chuckled, “I’ll give you a tip if you want to be as good as me.” She teasingly said with a smirk on her face, “But’ll cost you.”

“Eh?! Is there a senpai discount at least?”

“Hmm…… Well, since you’re my senpai, I’ll at least give you a senpai rate. But I’ll do it later.”

“Oh yeah! Sorry, I forgot I was about to introduce you to Hana-san.”

“That’s ok. You seem close with her.” I said.

“No, that’s not the kind of relationship I have with her.” he got flustered but for Hana, she chuckles.

I probably phrased my sentence wrong.

“That’s not what I meant. Sorry, I’m still learning the language. I’m still not used to it.”

“Oh!” He laughs it off, “My bad. I completely forgot that you’re a foreigner.” He laughs more.

Hana laughs too as a respond.

“Anyways, sorry about that. I’m Murakami Hana, call me however you like. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Isla Sco— I meant, Scott Isla.” I tried to correct myself, “Family name is Scott and first name Isla.”

She giggled, “That’s so cute~”

Woah, what was that?! Is this why everyone likes her? There’s this feeling I can’t put into words about the aura she gives off. It’s almost similar to hypnotizing, but in a pleasing way. Comforting? Nostalgic? Something along those lines.

“Anyways, I was going to ask if I can go up against you next.” She asked.

“Okay. Let’s just wait after their turn.” I pointed to the pair who just started the game after me and Fujihara-senpai. They asked us before the match if they could use the field after us.

“Okay.”

It got quiet. I wanted to talk to her more, but it was getting awkward because Yoshikawa-senpai is sitting between us and we’ve been talking over him, as if he wasn’t there.

“If you guys want to get to more with each other, I don’t mind moving.” Yoshikawa-senpai asked after we got quiet. He probably saw me glancing over to her.

“No, no, no, that’s fine senpai.” I apologetically said.

But Hana didn’t hesitate, “Scooch over senpai.”

Yoshikawa-senpai sat beside Fujihara-senpai.

“I’m going to be blunt with you, I know we just met but……… do you have a boyfriend?” I thought my ears heard wrong.

Uh? What?

“Wait, Hana-san! You swing that way?!” Fujihara-senpai flipped.

She did asked me that! He wouldn’t react that way if she didn’t. But isn’t that too honest to ask a person you just met!

“No.” she shot him down instantly.

I nervously chuckled, “Why’re you asking me about that?” I reluctantly asked.

“…….. Because someone I know is interested in you, I’m just asking you in their favor.”

Huuuuh?! But I just got here! It’s literally my first day at school! Am I THAT attractive?! Well, I know I am but! This on another level of shock!

“Eh…… can you tell me—” she interrupted me because she knew what I was going to ask.

“It’s classified information.”

“Ah…. Umm, I don’t have one yet.” I answered.

It started to get warmer, and I started to sweat, even though I’m not in the sun nor am I playing.

She process her thoughts for a couple of seconds while I’m heating up and confused at the same time.

Who’s is it? Have I met him recently? Have I talked to anyone before class? Wait! Is it during lunch time? No, it can’t be during lunch time, I only bought lunch in the cafeteria and ate it in class. Who is it?......... Wait, I did talk to someone before class. It a guy who helped me look for the teacher’s office. He didn’t tell me his name though.

“Does……. he look handsome?” I asked because my first impression of him is that he was very good looking. He was the type of guy that I like, in terms of looks. Of course, I wouldn’t like someone only from their good looks.

She gave me a face that says ‘so you’re only after the looks’.

“Don’t get me wrong! I’m only asking because someone helped me this morning to look for the teacher’s office. That’s my first impression of the guy that helped me.”

“………… was he with some of his guy friends this morning? One of them looks like someone you would want to hit with a racket?” she asked.

“What?”

“Sorry, forget what I said. But was he with some of his friends this morning?” she repeated the question without that oddly specific description.

“Yeah, kinda? They were hiding behind him the whole time, like a stalker would. There was probably three of them. I thought they were about to do some prank to him, but they didn’t do anything.”

“Oh,” she recalled something, “was he very awkward but unexpectedly nice?”

That was spot on! We’re definitely talking about the same guy.

“Yeah! He’s a few inches taller than me.” I enthusiastically said. It was like we had just solved a case.

“This tall, right?” she uses her hand to measure his height comparing to her height.

“Yup, so what’s his name?” I asked innocently.

“It’s Hi— hey!” she found out.

I laughed, “Sorry, I thought I almost had you there! So close!”

“Almost!” she cracked a big smile.

“Hana-san, is it Ta-kun?” Yoshikawa-senpai asked.

“Secret~”

“Damn, was that why?” senpai mumbles to himself, but I heard it.

“Does senpai know the guy too?” I asked Hana.

“Yeah, he knows Yoshikawa-senpai, but only as a senpai.”

As we were having our conversation, coach Koji came to the court and interrupted everyone. Apparently, practice is finish for the day and is asking the remaining members to leave because he’s about to close the court.

Some of the members left early, there are only nine people left here, including me.

“No! We were just about to play a match.” I was in despair.

“We were too into our discussion back there.” She giggles.

Dude! I’m telling you; this girl’s giggles are so hypnotizing.

As we were about to change, coach approached me. He was amazed by my performance today and he encourages me to keep getting better.

I joined Hana after in the girl’s changing room.

“Was he amazed by your talent?” Hana asked as she ties up her hair again.

“Yeah, he said, ‘keep it up’ or something like that.” I tried to imitate his deep voice.

She chuckles, “You know, he’s not gonna like that.”

“But you can’t deny that he does sound like that. He’s that cliché coach in movies that would look intimidating and knows what he’s doing, but after a while he does nothing for the story. That’s the vibe I’m getting from him!”

She cracks up in laughter, “That’s so mean!”

“But it’s true, right?!”

She couldn’t contain her laughter, “Kinda, pfft.”

I was about to take out my shirt, “Give me a sec.” I asked as I was about to remove my P.E. clothes.

I changed back into my uniform first before I continued talking to Hana, because I get easily distracted by her. She’s so fun to talk to.

It was only us two who were in the girls changing room, most of the members we were with were guys, so we had the room to ourselves.

“Oh yeah, I forgot to ask. What should I call you?” she asked as I finished changing. She was already done and is waiting for me.

“I completely forgot too.” I chortled, “Isla is fine. All my friends back home calls me Isla.”

“Okay, Isla-san?” she said in a tone of confirming whether I approve of it or not.

“If you’re comfortable with that.”

“……… Ai-chan~” she teasingly said.

I’m so hypnotize by this girl’s way of talking!

“That’s cute! Please use that!”

She giggles again! “Then Ai-chan it is.”

“If you’re going to call me that, then I’ll call you……. Ha-chan?”

“You’re so good at this! Are you sure you’re not Japanese?”

“I am one-hundred percent American.” I proclaimed with confidence.

“Okay, okay, American.” She sarcastically dissed me.

“That kinda hurts, Ha-chan.” I purposely used the nickname.

My attempt for a comeback made her titter.

“Ai-chan, you want to eat some ramen after this? I know a good place.” She offered, “I’ll also introduce you to some of my friends.”

I just realized that I have made my first friend at the end of my first day in school. I won’t be lonely anymore for the rest of the year! I also get to hangout with a friend after school on my first day! And it’s ramen!

“Yes! I would love to!” I could almost feel the glitter in my eyes.

“That’s great! I’ll just text them.” She took out her phone, “give me a second.”

She was on her phone for a couple of minutes. It was now just me and my thoughts as usual.

I always think a lot. No matter what kind of situation it is, my mind is always active the second I open my eyes. My thoughts are sometimes simple and sometimes they’re complex and confusing. Like this thought that I’m having now. This is a prime example of a complex but useless thought that I always—

“They said yes.” My thoughts were interrupted.

“Oh! Okay, so where are we meeting?” I asked.

“On the main entrance.” She started walking.

I walked beside her.