Takeda from… Joto?
After I helped the little boy retrieve his balloon, Hasumin started showering me with praise.
“As expected of you, Shuhei-kun!”
“I can’t believe it.”
“All I can say is—amazing.”
“Aren’t you, like, the strongest guy in the world?”
“Wait, are you starting to think you’re kind of hot stuff lately?”
And so, I was being excessively flattered by her.
But then, out of nowhere, a pair of guys suddenly called out to me.
“Ain’t that Aniki?! Long time no see!”
“Long time, sir!”
I turned my gaze toward the voices and saw—
“Uhh… who are you again?”
Sorry, but I had absolutely no memory of either of them.
“Shuhei-kun, are these your friends?”
“No, not at all. I seriously don’t remember them.”
Hasumin and I tilted our heads in sync, equally confused.
Still, the two guys approached with bright smiles and snapped into a crisp, formal stance right in front of me, talking like we were old pals.
“We’re just glad to see you looking so well, Aniki!”
“Same here, sir!”
“Ah, uh, thanks…? But really, who are you again? Are you sure you’ve got the right guy?”
“Whoa! Come on, Aniki, you’re hitting us with the tough jokes right off the bat?! It’s me! Takeda from Joto!”
“Takeda from… Joto?”
“That’s me, sir!”
Joto? Like, top grade? Or standard tactic? Or maybe a school name?
Who the hell is this guy…?
“Ah! Wait, could it be—Hey, Shuhei-kun, remember the guy who picked a fight with me at the convenience store on the first day of school? The one you stepped in to stop—could that be him?”
Hasumin suddenly lit up and leaned in to whisper in my ear.
“Ohh! It’s that Takeda-senpai from Joto High! His hair’s black and buzzed short now, no wonder I didn’t recognize him.”
He used to have flashy blond hair, all long and wild. Now it’s a clean-cut buzz in black? That’s way too big a change.
He might as well be a completely different person.
“You told me to clean up my act, Aniki, so I figured I’d start with my hair—dyed it black and cut it short!”
“Ahh, right… I guess I might’ve said something like that.”
“You did! And I follow every word Aniki says, no questions asked!”
Takeda-senpai replied with such clear and energetic enthusiasm.
Still, though.
His shirt was neatly tucked in, his pants worn properly around the waist, and his eyes had this oddly gentle expression.
There’s no way anyone would recognize him after just one meeting.
“So, uh, what’s with calling me ‘Aniki’? You’re a second-year, and I’m just a first-year. Shouldn’t you be the senpai here?”
“Aniki is Aniki—age doesn’t matter! It’s about how virtuous you are!”
“Exactly! Aniki’s a man among men! No wonder Nee-san chose you!”
“Uh-huh… thanks, I guess…”
They didn’t seem like they’d listen even if I tried explaining. And it’s not like they’re causing trouble, so… guess I’ll just let it slide.
“Um, sorry to butt in, but can I ask something too? By Nee-san, do you mean… me?”
“Of course, ma’am! You’re important to Aniki, so you’re Nee-san to us!”
“No, Hasumin and I aren’t like that.”
“Th-That’s right! We’re just friends!”
“Wait, really? You two looked super close, though?”
“Totally! Like straight out of Muv-Luv, for real!”
“Hasumin and I are just good friends.”
“Y-Yeah! Just friends!”
“Ah! Sorry for the misunderstanding!”
“We apologize, ma’am!”
Takeda-senpai and his sidekick both bowed deeply in perfect unison.
“Anyway, it’s fine. But what are you two doing here, anyway?”
“We’re helping out with the senior citizens’ gathering!”
“Senior citizens’… gathering?”
Okay, now that is not the kind of word I ever expected to hear from these two.
“You told us to live right, Aniki! So we’ve been doing all sorts of volunteer work lately to help others!”
“Helping with the senior gathering is just one of those activities!”
“Oh, uh, yeah… that’s actually really admirable.”
“Thanks, sir! We’re working hard to live up to your expectations!”
“Yes, sir!”
“R-Right…”
“Well, we’d better get going! We’re helping prep for Matsumoto-san’s 100th birthday party tomorrow!”
“Yeah, gotta get to it!”
“Alright. Good luck with that…”
“We’re fired up, Aniki, all because of what you said! Alright, let’s move!”
“Yes, sir!”
With that, Takeda-senpai and his sidekick—now like entirely different people—disappeared from sight.
(Ah… I just meant to scare him a little that time, but maybe I went too far? He was so freaked out he nearly peed himself. Did I literally scare him into reforming his whole personality?)
“Those two were totally different from before, weren’t they?”
“Shockingly different.”
“I bet Shuhei-kun must’ve really scared them that day.”
“Looks like it. Well, if they’ve stopped bothering people and even started helping others… I guess it turned out alright?”
At least, that’s what I decided to believe.
Still, people really can change, huh?
Not that I, a former introvert, have much room to talk…