Bright and early in the morning, golden sunlight spilled through the windows of the second-floor classroom, casting a warm hue across the scuffed wooden floors. The girls of the newspaper club had already begun their club activities, huddled around a long table scattered with notebooks, half-drunk juice cartons, and a bulky camera case.
Outside, a soft breeze rustled the cherry blossom trees. One tree, however, stood out starkly from the rest—its bark pale and cracked, branches bare like skeletal fingers reaching skyward.
A click echoed through the morning calm.
"Airi, could you please stop taking so many pictures of that dead tree? That's not what we're here for," said a girl with short-cut bangs and a sharp voice.
"Right, I'm sorry, Kanae. It's just… really interesting that it's the only one that's dead while all the others are blooming," Airi replied, lowering her camera with a sheepish smile.
Kanae crossed her arms and adjusted her glasses. "Okay, I get it, but make sure you take the pictures that actually matter since they'll be in the newspaper this week."
She really is something else, thought Yuri, one of the club members, glancing at Airi. I still can't believe we became friends last year. Of all people...
She looked over at the fourth member, who stood a few feet away near the door, gripping her notebook with trembling fingers. Her knees slightly knocked together, and her face was paler than a blank page.
"Um, Rie, are you okay? You look pale," said Yuri, concern creeping into her voice.
"Um… y-yes, I'll be fine, Yuri," said Rie, though her quivering voice betrayed her nerves.
"Don't be nervous. We're just going to interview the sports teams and extracurricular activity clubs so we can get a scoop for our article. Remember, we're the newspaper club—it's our job to give students updates and feedback on everything happening at school."
"I-I know that… but I can't help feeling nervous. This will be my first time talking to complete strangers."
Yuri sighed and gave a soft smile. "Oh well, there's nothing I can do to boost her confidence," she muttered, patting Rie's shoulder gently.
"Is everyone ready?" Kanae asked, glancing at her watch.
"Yes!" the others responded in sync—well, all except Rie, who merely nodded with a tight smile.
"Then let the exploration begin."
Their first stop was the gymnasium. As the girls entered, a strong, earthy scent of sweat and body heat greeted them like a wall. The sharp thud of feet slamming the mats echoed in rhythm with grunts of exertion. Dust particles danced in shafts of sunlight cutting through the high windows. The Judo club was in full swing.
"You're definitely not going to lift me off the ground, Captain!" shouted a Judo member, laughing as he squared up with a taller boy.
"Okay, we'll see about that, you little runt," the captain growled playfully, gripping the boy's gi and flipping him over his shoulder. The younger member hit the mat with a solid thud, the sound reverberating through the gym.
"Point! And that's the match. Great work as usual, Captain," said another member, clapping.
"It'll take years before you can beat me, rookie," said the captain, helping his opponent up with a grin.
Kanae stepped forward, voice loud and clear. "Good morning, Judo club members. My name is Kanae Yamaoka, and I am the president of the newspaper club. We're here to interview and observe you for our newspaper articles. If anyone objects to the interview, please speak now."
Her sudden presence startled the group, silencing their chatter.
"Well, we're in the middle of practice, but if it's for your club, let's get started," said the captain, brushing back sweat-drenched bangs.
"Okay, then I'll start with this: Roman, you've been the captain of the Judo team since your first year, correct?" asked Kanae, already flipping through her clipboard.
"Yes, I have. I've led this team since I was just a kid," said Roman, squaring his shoulders.
"Under your leadership, do you believe this club has accomplished anything significant?"
"Of course we have!" Roman replied, his pride bristling.
"Could you elaborate on your achievements?"
"Well… you see…"
"We conducted some research and background checks on the Judo team's performance over the years," said Kanae, tapping her papers. "We found that under your leadership, the team lost in the first round twice."
Murmurs stirred among the Judo members. Roman's brow furrowed, and he clenched his jaw. A few members shot awkward glances at each other.
"Further research shows that those losses were the worst defeats in the Judo team's history," Kanae added, her tone flat and surgical.
"Are there any plans to change this?" she asked with a straight face.
"For two years in a row, we faced the champions in the first round. It's no surprise that we lost. But of course, there'll be a change! My team and I are going to the championship this year. We're going to be champions," Roman said, fire lighting his eyes again.
"I see. Then I'll come back for another scoop when you… lose—I mean, win the championship," Kanae said with a smirk. "Let's go, girls."
"Say cheese, everyone!" said Airi, snapping a quick photo. The camera shutter clicked as she captured a tense moment—Roman's jaw tight, some members glaring, others awkwardly half-smiling.
"…Did she just call us losers?" a Judo member muttered as they exited.
"Wow, Prez, that was way too harsh," Yuri said as they walked down the hall, past rows of faded student flyers and club posters peeling at the edges. "You just hurt that guy's pride. You pointed out all his failures, compared them to past Judo teams, and shoved it in his face."
"If facts and the truth are harsh, imagine how much a lie would affect them," Kanae said matter-of-factly. "Giving people false hope with deceptive words isn't my style. I prefer to tell them their current standings and the chances they actually have."
"…Whatever you say, Kanae," Yuri muttered.
"Rie, which club is next?" asked Kanae, her pace brisk.
"Um… let's see… the soccer club," Rie said, clutching her clipboard tightly.
"Alright, let's get this over with."
The soccer field stretched wide behind the main school building. The smell of freshly cut grass mixed with the faint scent of chalk paint. Cleats scuffed against the turf as the soccer team passed the ball between drills.
"Hello, beautiful young ladies of the newspaper club!" a boy called out, jogging toward them with a confident grin. "My name is Maki Abe, the ace of Toshigawa Academy's soccer team. I'd like to say that this team was already exceptional before I enrolled, but now that I'm here, we'll take the Golden Boot trophy and become champions this year!"
His teeth gleamed in the sun as he posed dramatically with a thumbs-up.
"It's true that you made it to the quarterfinals last year," said Kanae, adjusting her glasses. "However, the soccer team lost terribly to Yokohama High School by what—oh yeah—ten goals to none."
Maki's confident smile froze mid-pose. The energy around him dropped like a lead weight.
"I'm not sure 'exceptional' is the right word. How about 'humiliation' or 'embarrassment'? Those words seem more suitable."
"What are you doing!?" Yuri whispered harshly. "I knew they lost badly, but I didn't know it was that bad…"
"But I'm here now! That kind of loss won't happen again!" said Maki, forcing a chuckle.
"How many students do you think get into Toshigawa Academy based on their athletic ability?" asked Kanae.
"Hmm… I'd say roughly ten?"
"Did you know that students who enroll through sports are immediately placed on academic probation? Their first-semester grades determine whether they'll even be allowed to play for the school," said Kanae coolly.
"Is that true? I didn't know about that," said Maki, the color draining from his face.
"Yes, it is. So be sure to get good grades this semester, or you won't be playing in the tournament at all," Kanae said as she turned away.
"Say cheese for the camera!" said Airi, capturing the dazed look on Maki's face as he stared into the distance, processing everything he'd just heard.
"Kanae, that was really mean. That was uncalled for," said Airi softly, lowering her camera.
"Well, that's Kanae for you. She doesn't consider anyone's feelings," said Yuri, rubbing her temples.
Rie didn't speak. She just stared at Maki and gripped her clipboard tighter, a faint whisper escaping her lips.
"…This is gonna be a long day."