So yeah, I had to take a sudden hiatus because of RL problem (C-19), I started Tl-ing again since 2 moths ago but well, I’ll continue this again now. slowly and steadily…
Yeah, I know the LN has gone far, the end of vol 5 = ch 137 of the WN…
As far as I know, there’s subtle change in the details of the story (like some dialogues and monologues) but overall the way it progress has not change that much, basically the same.
Anyway, enjoy….
47. My Idol is a Goddess
Motivation───No matter what position you are in, this is the main driving force behind every action. Children feel this motivation rise from deep inside their bodies, and show this on the outside by running around and around, whereas middle school students are entranced by their wild fantasies and tries to bring it into the real world, as this is their motivation (※Only some). Then, while you’re experiencing the transitional period called adolescence, you might awaken to the ‘unforgettable feelings’ to certain someone. And the ‘excitement and desire’ you feel while thinking that person will be the driving force for your actions. Especially boys.
In short, what I’m trying to say here…
“Being in love, sure is a crazy thing…”
With immature feelings, I looked at the paper in front of my eyes, to be exact the upper right of the paper.
“—65th, huh…”
With a heaving breathing like, “Huuuft Huuuft, haa…”, I somehow managed to pass this hellish end-of-term exams. It was so hard to a level where you started to feel pleasure from it. Aren’t all people above me masochists?
At the end of spring, we had the midterm exams, but well, in short, my rank has dropped. I remember I was 32nd. However, back then, studying didn’t feel as tedious as now.
I remember why. I had an iron will of ‘I’ll definitely go with Natsukawa’. If I wasn’t completely infatuated with Natsukawa… I wouldn’t have made it up to this excellent college-preparatory high school. Compared to the last time, I could see that the amount I studied this time was nearly not enough. Or rather, I just didn’t have any motivation.
If I were to take entrance exam here now, I wonder how it will be… I’m sure I got this rank 65th because of what I was makes the basis for what I am. Will I be able to even keep this position next time?… This is bad, I might have to be a bit more careful next time.
“Sajo-chi, how is your rank?”
“Haaa-wha-!?”
“Surprised!?”
When you suddenly coming from behind, of course I am. Oi, ‘me’, don’t just keep your paper open as if you want everybody else to see. Especially with Ashida, who will immediately come to tease if she sees the smallest opening, you can’t show it to her.
I glared up at Ashida, who leaped over her desk to look at my paper from behind. She must have realized how alarmed I was, as she slowly withdrew with a bashful laugh while saying, “Sorry, sorry”.
“I’m 74th!”
“Eh..”
Just when I thought she pulled back she suddenly revealed her own rank. Since she said it at a solid volume, I could pick that up easily, and that’s why I learned of Ashida’s rank even if I didn’t want to.
So, hmm, what? Is it that? ‘I said it first, so now say yours’, is it? …Right?
…Well, okay. The top 100 are shown on the paper in the hallway anyway, and as long as mine is better than hers, it’ll not be a problem.
“Here, it fluctuates quite a bit, you know.”
“Sixty──Well, it’s not that high… but, Sajo-chi, weren’t you even higher before?”
“I-I don’t remember.”
“Really? You’re shaking though.”
How does she even know about my previous rank… We’ve only known each other for two months back then, didn’t we? Is it her information network after all? The girl’s information network…? Eh… then, do the other girls know it too…?
“Huhー, I thought you’d be in the top 50 again, which is why I asked. This is pretty unexpected~”
“W-what a-bout you and your 76?”
“It’s 74. Remember that.”
“Yeah yeah.”
Seems like Ashida’s pretty proud about her own rank. I mean, don’t ‘Hmmph’ me, even though you’re bellow me, how can you be so proud.
“My previous rank! Do you remember it!?”
“Like hell I would.”
“220th! I made some great progress, right!?”
“So, you were an idiot, huh.”
“It’s in past tense! Since that’s the case, I forgive you!!”
Ara, she’s clearly in high spirits. Unlike me, she must have actually studied… I thought since she would be busy with her volleyball club, but I guess she’s also doing her best in this regard huh. Alright, I’ve decided. My motivation is to not lose against this girl.
“Yoo, Sajou! What rank are you? I’m 230 you know.”
This guy (Yamazaki) sure sounds happy.
◆
“Waaaah, ameizing.”
You think I was joking around? No, I was muttering to myself. These words came out of my throat before I realized it.
A few days passed since the individual grades were announced. The rank of the first-grade students was hung up in the back of the classroom. There were those happy to look at the rankings saying, “See, you see?”, those desperately trying to hide them saying, “Don’t look at it!”, and I decided to not care. I just want to forget about the existence of the exams.
The reason I let out these disgusting words was simply because I saw the name correlating to the 2nd rank. It was none other than our class’ goddess, our idol, “Aika Natsukawa”.
Yeah, as high-spec as always!
I think that during the last mid-term exams, she was like 27th whereas I was 32nd. Well, it because I clung to her even during the exam studies… at that time, I was close behind her in terms of grades, yeah, I was stalking her even in that regard.
With this test, she was awakened, awakened Natsukawa. Nobody could stop her any longer. I mean, this is seriously amazing. Seems like I really got in the way of her studies, huh. If I’m not mistaken, she wasn’t at such a rank back in middle school either.
“Ai-chii! Give me half of that!”
“W-What is it!?”
Of course, as the top of the class, Natsukawa was surrounded by everyone else. Normally, I would have been the first person to be there. But as I’ve no courage to be that aggressive, watching her flustered face from afar wasn’t half bad either. Huft… haven’t you grown huh, Natsukawa. As a fan of yours, there is nothing that makes me happy more than this…
“Sajou.”
“Hum?”
Someone called out to me, so I turned around. Sasaki sat on his seat, looking down at me with a strangely proud face.
“W-Why are you in this class?”
“Well, I’m in my class too… Why are you treating me like an outsider.”
Sorry about that, I was just in a good mood, to the point I want to tease you. I think this might be the first time I feel so indifferent towards a handsome guy. Nope, just kidding. I hope that you only have white rice with you for lunch today.
“What’s up, Sasaki. Did it finally get stolen from your little sister?”
“What exactly!? That’s not it, it’s about the exam results!”
Whaa-, it’s not related to his little sister? Impossible…
As I was thinking about something unnecessary like that, Sasaki pointed at the paper with the student rank on it. When I was searching for his name, I found it at a rank much higher than mine.
“29th…not bad.”
“Right? And you went down by quite a bit, Sajou. Couldn’t keep up with your studies, hmm?”
Urgh…what’s this guy, are you provoking me!? Even when you have that annoying attitude, how can you look like someone from a painting, you damn handsome bastard!
This is an alarming situation. For the unpopular group of students, the only thing they can use as a weapon is their knowledge in liberal arts ───in other words, studies. I can’t accept that this would be stolen by some handsome bastard from a soccer club. Alright, now I’m even more motivated!
“All passes from someone like you should just end up in the offside…!”
“You really said something terrible huh…”
Weird. No matter what I do, I can’t see us in the same sumo wrestling ring.
Must be because of the motivation. The reason he’s suddenly so cocky is because he wants to compete with me for Natsukawa, right? In the first place, even our starting line is difference, there’re too much gaps in talent, don’t you realize it? Not to mention that I got rejected over and over. You’re too high in specs alone, so could you not go all out…
“…It’s great to boast about yourself, but if you want to impress Natsukawa, something like rank 29th isn’t nearly good enough, don’t you think so?”
“Uuurgh…”
That girl, she is in the second place in the entire student year after all. Even if you won against me, that doesn’t mean anything. If anything, this road is like a path of thorns, you know? If you can’t even take the top spot, bragging is useless. Damn, that’s harsh…
Also, talking about that, that first place’s name is super long… There’re even English letters mixed in there… Maybe some exchange student? Would make sense why that person so clever.
“Well, just give up on studying, and focus on your soccer career. Just don’t miss any PK1s, okay? Don’t miss the PK.”
“That doesn’t mean I can just give up with my studies ── Wait, are you trying to put pressure on me right before the big tournament, you bastard…?”
Wait, Sasaki’s a first year, and yet a regular? Stepping further than his Senpais like that, if he doesn’t treat them well, their envy and jealously will be too much to handle. Scary. Well, Sasaki should be fine, he has a reassuring sister called, Yuki-chan, with him after all!
TN: Join my discord channel if you want.
Thank you for the chapter !
thank you for the chapter