Kazuya just stepped out of the station, and a gust of wind hit him in the face, causing his thin jacket to cling tightly to his body. He adjusted his jacket and walked towards the "Pure Flavor House".
Arriving at the shop, he saw Akiho standing on tiptoes and tying the door curtain. It's a simple setup: a stick with several pieces of cloth hanging on it, easily taken away by strong winds. But it's necessary to hang it because having this indicates it's open for business. If it's not hung, passersby might mistakenly think it's closed.
Kazuya helped her. He securely fastened the curtain stick under the eaves. Akiho glanced at him and whispered, "Thank you." Their relationship wasn't good in the first meeting, and the callings had been somewhat ambiguous. Even as their relationship gradually improved, they didn't how to call each other.
Kazuya asked, "Why didn't you ask Haruna to do this? She's so tall." Akiho, barely reaching 1.5 meters, had a significant height difference with Haruna, who was 1.7 meters.
Akiho opened the door, gesturing for him to come in, "Big sister and second sister are discussing."
Kazuya walked in, suspecting that Haruna probably make some trouble again. After staying at Sakura's house for ten days, he finally understood that there are few people in Sakura's family who are easy to worry about: Sakura's father seems to be quite stable, but he was addicted to alcohol and not in good health; Haruna was a idiot and often did some unreasonable things, which can make people dumbfounded at every turn; Ayaka and Chika are two ignorant people. Not only do they thought about cheating and being lazy all day long, they also fought with each other, never having a moment of silence; Toutaro was too young, and couldn't take care of himself.
The only one who could save a bit of trouble was Akiho, but she was too young. Being sandwiched in the middle of the siblings, she couldn't command respect. Not to mention managing Haruna, even Ayaka and Chika didn't show much respect. Toutaro also seemed to treat Haruka as a mother. Whenever there was trouble, he would insist on finding Haruka, ignoring their third sister.
No wonder Haruna had such a hot temper. Dealing with this chaotic bunch, anyone would lose patience if they had to calmly explain everything. It seemed like swift and forceful methods were more effective and less stressful.
Kazuya felt a bit sympathetic. After exchanging greetings with Naotaka, he followed Akiho to the activity room to have a working meal. He also wanted to check on what kind of trouble Haruna had caused this time.
Upon entering the room, Kazuya was mildly surprised. Haruna wasn't being scolded, sitting with chopsticks in her nostrils, amusing herself. Haruka was engrossed in flipping through a thick stack of leaflets.
The table was set with food, waiting for Kazuya and a few others. He sat down and nudged Haruna with his elbow, "What happened?"
Haruna pulled the chopsticks out of her nose, sighed, and complained in a low voice, "Big sister is meddling again." After saying that, she slumped onto the table, sniffing the aroma of the food with her nose, but without Haruka's permission, she didn't dare to eat.
Akiho sat next to Kazuya and explained, "Big sister asked second sister to choose a club based on her interests. She spent nearly a month choosing and ended up joining the Cooking Club to freeload on their meals and drinks... Big sister is very angry!"
Kazuya glanced at Haruna and was rendered speechless. Haruka had put thought into this, even considering her sister's interests. She allowed her to choose a club, hoping she could participate in some competitions and get recommended for university admission. However, Haruna managed to mess it up again. It seemed he arrived too late, and she had already endured the consequences.
He took a quick look at Haruka, noticing her pursed lips and furrowed brows. The leaflets of various clubs were separated into three piles in front of her, suggesting she was choosing from them.
His curiosity got the better of him, so he reached out for the leaflets. However, Haruka reacted quickly, protecting them skillfully. She slapped his hand away, "What are you looking at? You don't need this."
Having spent nearly ten days together, their relationship had somewhat improved, but they were still in a state of mutual restraint. Akiho always felt a subtle unease, like the calm before a storm.
"Just curious," Kazuya explained as he took a glance. He found that all the literary, entertainment, and household clubs had been rejected. Even the sports clubs had been significantly cut down.
This matter involves Haruna's future. Judging by her usual behavior, dreaming of entering university through academic achievements is wishful thinking. The only viable path for her might be to become an athlete, and the club she chooses now could potentially determine her lifelong career.
Kazuya had a favorable impression of Haruna, finding her straightforward and easy to get along with. So, he decided to offer his advice, "Haruna has a foundation in swordsmanship. How about joining the Kendo Club too?"
To be honest, even though he was now leveling up in Ancient Swordsmanship less frequently (after reaching level 8, the required experience for leveling up was astronomical, and the efficiency of gaining experience was very low), he still felt confident in his current skill level. He believed that even if he were thrown into a battlefield, he would have the power to fight and wouldn't be easily killed.
But at his current level, he didn't dare to guarantee a win against Haruna in a match. It might still be a 30-70 chance, with her having the 70. If Haruna possessed such skills, wouldn't joining the Kendo Club be a good option?
Haruna remained silent, continuing to play dead. She had gotten used to Haruka making decisions for her in everything. Haruka glanced at Kazuya, pouted unhappily, but considering that he, annoying as he might be, had some capabilities, she decided to hear his opinions. "Kendo is a niche sport. It can be a decent extracurricular activity for university applications, but choosing it as a lifelong career is too limiting. The recommended universities aren't that prestigious, so it's not a good choice!"
Kazuya nodded in agreement. The little radish made a reasonable point. Kendo wasn't currently a popular sport, only slightly better than trampoline. He flipped through the leaflets in his hand and asked, "What about water sports? Swimming and diving seem like good options..."
Before he could finish, Haruna had already shaken her head, proudly saying, "No way, I'm like a stone in water. Once I go in, I sink." Then, she used her chest to make her case, "With these two melons in front, I'm too heavy. Once I'm in the water, my head just goes straight to the bottom, and I can't control it... ah, it's not my fault!"
Haruka looked down at herself and then cast an irritated glance at Haruna. It seemed like she wanted to hit her again. "She nearly drowned in middle school during a swimming class. The teacher had to jump in to save her, but she nearly drowned him too... Forget it. Let's not consider water sports. Let's focus on land sports." Your melons? If it weren't for her younger sister, she would've burst them long ago!
Kazuya fell into silence for a while, finding nothing more to say. Given her athletic talent, it seemed odd. Was she a natural landlubber?
"Hey, what do you think about volleyball?" Haruka chose one she felt suitable for her sister, looked up at the ceiling, and sought Kazuya's opinion. In reality, she also wished to have someone to discuss this with. It would make the decision less stressful. However, finding a suitable person at home was impossible. The only one who could say a few words was Akiho, but she was only fourteen, had limited knowledge and couldn't discuss things with her.
Kazuya took a look and pondered, "It's not bad, but I think the women's volleyball team might not be very strong. Look at their past records. They don't even mention the women's team. It's highly likely they didn't even pass the first round of the prefectural tournament. Can Haruna achieve good results there?"
"You make a good point!" After a brief consideration, Haruka affirmed Kazuya's suggestion. She then examined other choices. "Basketball might be not good either. If they can't make it to the national competition, it's futile. We must consider the past achievements of the club..."
Kazuya continued her thought, "I think we should prioritize track and field. Haruna has great strength. She could try shot put, javelin, and she runs pretty fast, so middle-distance running should be an option too."
"Yes, track and field competitions rarely have team events, and individuals can shine more easily. It's also good for obtaining an excellent recommendation for university admissions. If she's discovered by a university, she might even get a special scholarship." Haruka agreed.