The holidays came to a quiet end, and with them, the lazy days of summer. The four friends had spent the last week finishing up their assignments, each tackling the work at their own pace. For Kei, however, it had been more of a struggle. She had procrastinated, as usual, and now found herself in a bit of a bind as the deadline loomed.
"Why do I always do this to myself?" Kei groaned, sprawled across her bed with papers and textbooks scattered around her.
Ryuen, sitting at her desk, looked up from his own work with a smirk. "Because you never learn, Kei. You should start earlier next time."
Kei rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Easy for you to say, Mr. 'I-finished-my-assignmentslast-week.'"
Ryuen chuckled but didn't respond. He knew better than to push her buttons too much when she was stressed. Instead, he offered a more practical solution. "Why don't you ask Violet for help? She's always on top of this stuff."
Kei considered this and, with a resigned sigh, decided to give it a try. She quickly texted Violet, asking if she could come over for a bit of tutoring.
A few minutes later, Violet arrived at Kei's apartment, her usual calm demeanor putting Kei at ease. They spread out Kei's work on the living room table, and Violet patiently walked her through the more challenging parts. With Violet's guidance, Kei was able to make sense of the material, and slowly but surely, the pile of unfinished work started to shrink.
"You're a lifesaver, Violet," Kei said gratefully as they wrapped up the last of the assignments.
Violet smiled softly. "I'm glad I could help."
With the assignments finally behind them, the friends turned their thoughts toward the upcoming school term. The first day back was always a mix of excitement and dread, but this year, there was something new to consider: club activities. Their homeroom teacher, Mrs. Yamamoto, had mentioned that it was time for the first-year students to start thinking about joining a club, and the idea had stuck with them.
The morning of their return to school was filled with the usual buzz of chatter and the clatter of lockers. As Aizen, Violet, Ryuen, and Kei met up in the hallway, the topic of clubs was the first thing on their minds.
"So, have you guys thought about which club you want to join?" Ryuen asked as they walked to class.
Kei shrugged. "I'm not sure yet. I mean, I like sports, but I'm not super serious about any of them."
Ryuen grinned. "You could always join the baseball club with me. I'm definitely going for it."
Kei laughed. "Maybe, but I'm also thinking about trying something new. I just don't know what yet."
Aizen walked quietly beside them, listening to the conversation. He hadn't given the club activities much thought either. He knew he enjoyed badminton and games, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to join a club dedicated to either of those.
Violet, too, had been considering her options. She loved badminton, but the idea of joining a club where she would have to be more social was a bit daunting. Still, she didn't want to avoid it just because it made her uncomfortable.
As they entered their homeroom, Mrs. Yamamoto greeted them with her usual warm smile. "Good morning, everyone! I hope you all had a restful holiday. Now, as you know, it's time to start thinking about joining clubs. There are plenty of options available, so I encourage you to explore your interests and find something you'll enjoy."
The class buzzed with excitement as Mrs. Yamamoto handed out a list of all the clubs available. Aizen and Violet exchanged glances, both of them wondering if they might end up in the same club.
During the break, Kei and Ryuen wandered off to check out the sports clubs, while Aizen and Violet lingered behind, looking through the list together.
"So, what do you think?" Aizen asked, glancing over at Violet. "Any clubs catch your eye?"
Violet scanned the list, her fingers tapping lightly on the paper. "I was thinking about the badminton club, but… I'm not sure."
Aizen nodded, understanding her hesitation. "I've been thinking about it too. I like badminton, but I'm not sure if I want to commit to a club just yet."
They stood in silence for a moment, both of them contemplating their options. Then, Aizen had an idea.
"What if we join together?" he suggested, his voice tentative. "It might be easier if we're both there. Plus, we can support each other."
Violet looked at him, surprised by the suggestion. She hadn't expected Aizen to want to join a club with her, but the idea was comforting. Knowing that she wouldn't be alone in a new environment made the prospect less intimidating.
"Okay," she agreed softly. "Let's do it together."
Aizen smiled, relieved that she was on board. "Great. We can check it out after class."
When Kei and Ryuen returned, Kei was bubbling with excitement. "We checked out the baseball and volleyball clubs! They both look like a lot of fun."
Ryuen nodded enthusiastically. "I'm definitely signing up for baseball. It's going to be awesome."
"What about you two?" Kei asked, looking at Aizen and Violet.
"We're thinking about joining the badminton club," Aizen said, sharing a look with Violet.
"Together."
Kei's eyes lit up. "That's perfect! You guys are going to be so good at it."
As the day went on, Aizen and Violet stuck to their plan. After classes, they made their way to the gymnasium where the badminton club was holding a trial session for new members. The gym was filled with students eager to join, and as they watched, Aizen felt a surge of anticipation. It had been a while since he had played in a proper setting, and he was looking forward to getting back into the game.
The club's captain, a friendly second-year student named Haruka, welcomed them warmly. "Hey there! You two here to join the badminton club?"
Aizen and Violet nodded, and Haruka grinned. "Awesome! We're always looking for new members. Why don't you grab a racket and give it a try?"
They both picked up rackets and joined in on the practice matches. It didn't take long for Aizen to find his rhythm, his years of playing on his own coming back to him naturally. Violet, too, moved with a quiet grace, her love for the game evident in every swing of her racket.
As they played, Aizen noticed how well they worked together, their movements in sync as if they had been playing doubles for years. The more they played, the more certain he became that joining the club was the right choice.
By the end of the session, both Aizen and Violet were breathless but exhilarated. Haruka approached them with a wide smile. "You two were amazing out there! I think you'd be great additions to the team."
Violet blushed at the compliment, while Aizen nodded, feeling a sense of pride. "Thanks. We'd love to join."
With that, Aizen and Violet officially became members of the badminton club, marking the start of a new chapter in their high school life. As they walked home together that evening, they talked about the day's events, their steps light with excitement.
For Aizen, the decision to join the club with Violet felt like a step toward something more—toward deeper friendships, new experiences, and perhaps even more discoveries about himself. And for Violet, the thought of facing her shyness head-on, with Aizen by her side, gave her a newfound confidence.
School was back in session, and with it came new challenges and opportunities. But with their friends by their sides, Aizen and Violet felt ready to take on whatever came their way, one step at a time.