Bad Influence

The loud buzz of chatter and laughter echoed through the indoor gym as students scattered across the room, forming groups around basketball hoops and badminton courts. The air was filled with the squeak of sneakers on the polished floor and the rhythmic bounce of basketballs.

I stood near the entrance, dressed in my sports uniform, watching the scene unfold. Today's P.E. class was different—completely laid-back. The teacher had casually announced that we could play whatever sport we wanted.

"Since this is your last year, I'm giving you the freedom to enjoy today. Do whatever you like!" the teacher had said with a grin before stepping aside to let the chaos unfold.

Excitement rippled through the gym. Students laughed and shouted as they split into groups. Some had already grabbed basketballs and were shooting hoops, while others set up badminton nets. The energy was contagious.

"Hikaru-kun," a familiar voice called out.

I turned around and saw Araki. "Kazufumi Araki... what is it?"

"Wanna play badminton?" he asked, casually twirling his racket.

"Got a spare?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I do. Let's play."

A small grin tugged at the corner of my mouth. "Alright, you're on."

Araki tossed me a spare racket, and I caught it effortlessly, giving it a quick spin in my hand to test the grip. The familiar weight felt comfortable, stirring memories of casual games we'd played in the past.

We made our way to an empty badminton court, weaving through groups of students already immersed in their games. The sharp sound of shuttlecocks being hit back and forth blended with the echo of bouncing basketballs and bursts of excited chatter.

Araki smirked as he picked up a shuttlecock. "Ready to lose?"

I chuckled, rolling my shoulders to loosen up. "You wish."

He served first, sending the shuttlecock flying over the net with a sharp flick of his wrist. I lunged forward, returning it with a swift backhand. The game quickly escalated into a fast-paced rally, each of us pushing harder to outplay the other.

***

Meanwhile, across the gym, Sakura sat quietly on the bleachers, her eyes subtly following Hikaru as he played. She watched him move with focus and energy, seemingly lost in the game.

A shadow loomed beside her, and she glanced up to see one of their classmates approaching.

"Hey, Sakura-chan," the girl greeted with a cheerful smile.

"O-oh... you're Risa Adachi, right?" Sakura replied, slightly caught off guard.

Risa nodded, her grin widening. "Yep! We're in the same class—don't tell me you forgot?"

"I didn't… I just wasn't expecting you to talk to me," Sakura admitted softly.

Risa giggled. She was the kind of girl who could easily become friends with anyone—warm, outgoing, and effortlessly charming. "I've noticed you've been hanging around Hikaru a lot lately," she teased, leaning in slightly. "Is there something special going on between you two~?"

Sakura's face turned a shade pinker, and she quickly shook her head. "N-no! It's not like that! We're just... friends."

Risa chuckled, clearly amused. "Oh, come on, you can tell me! I mean, the way you're watching him right now says otherwise."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest but hesitated, her eyes drifting back to Hikaru for a brief moment.

"I-I just... he's interesting, that's all," she mumbled.

Risa smirked. "Uh-huh. Sure."

Sakura followed Risa's gaze, watching Hikaru and Araki play intensely, their movements sharp and focused.

"But seriously though," Risa continued, her tone softening, "it's rare to see you hanging out with someone like him… especially someone so busy."

"Busy…?" Sakura echoed, glancing back at Risa in confusion.

"You know," Risa said, twirling a strand of her hair casually, "he's always involved with the student council, even though he's only in Class 1. And he seems pretty close with the upperclassmen on the council too."

"Oh, yeah… I think he was," Sakura murmured, recalling bits of conversation and fleeting moments where Hikaru seemed occupied with responsibilities she didn't fully understand.

Risa leaned back, resting her hands behind her. "It's kind of impressive, honestly. Most first-years wouldn't bother getting involved with all that. But him? It's like he's always in the middle of something important."

Sakura's eyes lingered on Hikaru a moment longer, watching the way he moved—focused and determined, yet somehow relaxed.

"Yeah… he is kind of different," she admitted quietly.

"Hey, hey, Sakura-chan! When winter break comes... what are you gonna do?"

"Eh... um, nothing, I guess?" Sakura replied, caught off guard.

"Then how about we go somewhere and hang out together!" Risa said brightly, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Oh... yeah, sure? But why?" Sakura tilted her head slightly, genuinely curious.

"Why?" Risa paused, twirling a strand of her hair nervously. "Um, well... if I'm being honest, my friends don't really like me anymore."

"They don't like you anymore?" Sakura repeated, her expression softening in surprise.

Risa let out a small, awkward laugh, scratching the back of her head. "Yeah... lately, they've been kinda distant. I guess I can be a bit much sometimes."

Sakura frowned slightly. "That doesn't seem fair. You're fun to be around."

Risa's eyes widened a little at the unexpected kindness. "Aw, Sakura-chan, you're sweet! But yeah, I figured maybe it's better to hang out with someone new for a change. And you seemed... nice."

Sakura smiled softly. "Well, I don't mind. It could be fun."

"Yayy!" Risa pumped her fist in the air. "Let's make it a plan then! We'll find something fun to do during the break!"

Sakura chuckled quietly at Risa's enthusiasm. "Okay, sounds good."

Risa grinned. "Awesome! Oh, maybe Hikaru-kun can come too?" She nudged Sakura playfully. "You two seem pretty close."

Sakura's face turned a light shade of pink. "W-we're not that close! He's just... um, a friend."

Risa giggled. "Sure, sure~ Just a friend. Got it."

Before Sakura could respond, the sharp sound of a shuttlecock hitting the floor caught their attention. Both girls turned to see Hikaru and Araki finishing their game, laughing and catching their breath.

Risa smirked. "Well, whether he's just a friend or not, we should totally drag him along!"

Sakura glanced at Hikaru, a small smile tugging at her lips. "...Maybe."

I wiped the sweat from my forehead, leaning on my racket as I caught my breath. The scoreboard—or rather, the mental tally in my head—mocked me with the final score: 21 to 12.

Araki smirked, casually spinning his racket in his hand. "Man, you really thought you had me for a second there. What happened, Shinomura?"

I shot him a deadpan glare. "Shut up. Ahh, I'm tired."

Araki let out a loud laugh, tossing the shuttlecock up and catching it. "Tired? Seriously? That's it? Man, you've gone soft! All that student council work got you skipping gym days or what?"

I groaned, straightening up and rolling my shoulders. "Yeah, yeah, keep talking. Let's see you handle all the paperwork I deal with."

He grinned. "Paperwork, huh? Pretty sure lifting a pen isn't the same as running laps."

I opened my mouth to argue but stopped. Honestly, he wasn't wrong. I sighed in defeat. "Whatever, man. I'm getting water."

Araki chuckled behind me as I turned away, still basking in his victory. "Yeah, yeah! Go hydrate, old man!"

I just waved him off, too tired to throw a comeback his way.

I stepped out of the noisy gym, the door closing behind me and muffling the sounds of laughter and bouncing balls. The cold air hit me immediately, a light layer of snow dusting the ground. It wasn't thick, just enough to coat the pavement and crunch faintly under my shoes.

I exhaled slowly, watching my breath cloud in front of me. Man, it's colder than I thought.

Crossing the yard, I made my way to the vending machine attached to the side of the school building. The bright lights of the machine flickered against the gray winter sky. I slipped a few coins in, scanning the options before settling on a warm coffee.

As the can clunked down into the tray, I reached for it—

"…You're loud."

I nearly jumped, whipping around to the source of the voice.

There, sitting lazily on the bench beside the vending machine, was a girl. I hadn't even noticed her. She sat slouched, bundled in her winter uniform with a scarf loosely wrapped around her neck. Her long, dark hair framed her face, and her half-lidded eyes stared at me with disinterest.

It took me a second to recognize her. Wait... isn't she a third-year? I'd seen her around before but never heard her speak.

"Uh… sorry?" I mumbled, holding the warm can awkwardly.

She didn't respond right away. Just leaned back, her eyes drifting toward the softly falling snow.

To Be Continue.