The Road Leading to My Ideal 1

Hinata: Round one! A meeting about Tetsu-kun’s personalized outfit!

Tomoya: Y–yayyy?

Mitsuru: All right, I’m getting pumped up!

Hiiro: I don’t really get what’s going on, but I’m happy to be here!

Tetora: Hinata-kun, I’m not gonna be able to follow if you come at me so suddenly. What’s going on?

Hinata: Huhhh? Exactly what I said! We’re all having a meeting to talk about your personalized outfit, Tetsu-kun!

Tetora: Well yeah, I got that much! But like c’mon, gimme some more details at least.

Hinata: ...I, Aoi Hinata, saw Anzu-san while she was on her way somewhere and found out she was on her way to talk to you about your personalized outfit, so I decided to go with her.

Tomoya: And when Mitsuru and I saw them on their way to the dojo, we somehow got sucked into their little group.

Hinata: And then, the four of us found you and Hiiro-kun here at the dojo cleaning up after practice. Since all of us just so happened to be gathered here, it was announced that we’d be holding a meeting to discuss this important matter—

Tetora: Okay, I get how it happened, but did you really need to give me a play-by-play...?

Mitsuru: Nice ad-libbing, Tomo-chan!

Tomoya: Hey Hinata, next time can you not just send me signals without any warning? That freaked me out.

Hiiro: So just now, that was ad-libbing? Another new thing I learned!

Tetora: Jeez, this whole convo’s all over the place! So basically, you guys came with Anego to talk about my personalized outfit, right?

Hinata: Right on the money! Looks like Anzu-san’s all raring to take notes too, so why don’t we get right down to business?

Tomoya: Is there anything you’re particularly hoping for, Tetora? Like what you like in an outfit, what you’d wanna wear, stuff like that.

Tetora: Um, hmm... A cool-looking outfit’d be pretty sick, but I can’t really think up any particulars...

Mitsuru: Huhh, but it’s a total waste to not have any ideas for your super-special personalized outfit!

I was totally lost at first too. But I just let all my thoughts out and she made me the perfectest outfit for a superstar like me ☆

Tetora: I know just saying I want a cool outfit isn’t gonna help like, at all... But honestly, I have full faith in Anego here.

As long as you can make an outfit that fits the bill, I feel like it’s gonna be great.

Hinata: Ohoho, now that you said that, Anzu-san’s getting all fired up ♪ But at the same time, it kinda looks like that stressed her out a bit?

Hiiro: Hm. I suppose Anzu-san wants to hear more of your opinions, Buchou.

Tetora: ...You’re right. It’s not like I’m trying to cause any trouble for you, Anego. I’ll think a little more about it.

Tomoya: I really went through it too, so it’s not my place to say—but I do think it’s good to just think about how you want it to look and like, what’s important to you.

Tetora: (What’s important to me... I was asked the same kinda thing right before Motor Show too.)^[1]

(I couldn’t give an answer right away back then either... But after a while I got something pretty solid for once.)

...Uhh, hang on a sec. I’m trying to figure out how to put it into words.

Some ideas that Anego can use... Something that can help her make a costume...?

Tomoya: Heyyy, Tetora? You’re looking kinda scary there.

Mitsuru: Right, right! Tetsu-chan, this is supposed to be your outfit! But you just keep going on about Nee~chan.

Hiiro: I’m sure you’ll look very cool in anything you wear, Buchou. Is that why this is so hard for you?

Tetora: Ahaha... I wish I had those kindsa problems.

Hinata: Aha, I know! In times like these, you’ve gotta buckle down and focus! C’mon Tetsu-kun, I’ll sit next to you and we can meditate together!

Two hours later

Tetora: ...Everyone already left before the sun went down, so like, why’re you still here, Hinata-kun?

Hinata: I’m the one who called the meeting here at the dojo so like, why wouldn’t I see your meditation through? Ossu!^[2]

Tetora: Why are you roleplaying as me—maybe don’t do that?

...?

—Hey Hinata-kun, can you wait here for a sec?

Hinata: Yeah, no sweat, but...?

(Oh, there’s a first year outside the dojo. I didn’t even realize they were here.)

(Is he giving them advice maybe? The first year keeps nodding their head while Tetsu-kun talks.)

(...Oh, now they’re bowing to him too. Are they done with the conversation? They’re walking away now, with this big look of relief...)

Tetora: Sorry about that.

Hinata: Nah, it’s fine. Was that a first year?

Tetora: Yup yup. They wanted to talk to me about something.

Hinata: Ooh~ What a good senpai you are~

They had such a nice smile as they were leaving. Is it ‘cause of the advice you gave them?

Tetora: I didn’t say anything that great. They were just worried about what to write to a friend, that’s all.

Hinata: Buuut, if they came all the way out here just to ask you for advice, that means they think you’re a super-reliable senpai, right?

Tetora: I’d be really glad if they did. Just having kouhais is enough to keep me pumped up!

I’m still learning the ropes, but I wanna help people if they’ll let me. I wanna put my best foot forward whenever I can.

There’ve been plenty of times when I was a pathetic mess in front of them, but if they can still say that they love me, then...

I wanna keep growing and get even better, for their sake.

Hinata: ......

Tetora: H–hang on, don’t get all quiet on me.

Hinata: No, it’s just... I don’t have any kouhais who’re close to me, so this is kinda refreshing. You’ve become a really dependable guy, Tetsu-kun ♪

Tetora: Nah, not even close. I’m still hitting the grind every single day.

...All right, I’mma lock up the dojo pretty soon. Let’s head home, Hinata-kun.

Hinata: Okie doke~ ♪

jp proofing: shiro
eng proofing: findermao