"Hey." Someone called while I was doing some evening training.
I stopped my push-up and stood up to see the person who had just called me.
She was a cute petite girl with blue eyes and a pink medium-length hairstyle with a low ponytail and a few strands of hair framing her face.
*A middle-aged schooler?*
"Little girl, what do you need?" I asked, trying to avoid my bangs from getting into my eyes.
"Such… such…" She said, using her palms to cover her eyes while separating her fingers slightly with open eyes.
*Huh? What's wrong with this person?* I thought, looking down at myself.
"Ah! I'm so sorry! Iforgot to put on something." I said immediately before grabbing my shirt.
"N-no, it's okay. It's Yui's fault." She said, bowing slightly as I put on my shirt.
"So, what do you need?" I asked.
"Well… Yui heard that the guy who cooks loves staying in the training room." She said, rubbing her palms against each other.
"Yeah?"
"Well… Yui just…"
"Mm-hm…?"
"Yui… Yui just wants to eat more!" She shouted immediately as I blocked my ears with my hand.
"You want more?"
"Mm… mmn." She nodded, fiddling her thumbs.
*Ha… what's with this little girl?* I thought before smiling at her.
"Come on, I'll prepare something for you real quick." I said.
"Really? Thanks." She said, smiling brightly as we walked out of the training room.
◇◇◇
"Here." I said, placing a plate of curry rice before her as her eyes glistened.
"Here I go." She said, smiling brightly as she grabbed her chopsticks.
I sat on the chair opposite her while looking at her eat.
"Mmmmmmmn! It's soooo good." She said, smiling brightly as she ate hastily.
*I've not seen anyone with this kind of expression while eating.* I thought, trying to hold back my laughter.
"What?" She asked.
"Don't talk while eating." I said.
"Mmn."
*Where'd she even come from?*
◇◇◇
"Seconds." She said, holding out the plate for me.
"Seconds?! You just finished the fourth plate!" I said.
"Burp… Ah! Sorry about that." She said, her face beet red as she looked away.
"Okay, where are you from? And how'd you get into this place?"
"Hm? Where Yui is from?"
"Yeah. I haven't seen any middleschoolers since I came here."
"M-middleschooler?!"
"Huh?"
"Just so you know, Yui is 17." She said, pouting.
"Seventeen?!"
"Mm-hm. From your reaction, it looks like you're younger than Yui." She said with a smug face.
*I'm actually surprised that Yui… I mean, she's 17.*
"Wait, that means…"
"Yui is your elder?"
"Not that! Are you from Mimori?"
"Oh, yes. Yui is from Mimori."
*She's the twelfth member of the team. It's the first time I'm seeing her.* I thought.
"What?" She asked.
"Nothing. Don't look for me anymore. You can eat with everyone." I said, standing from the chair and walking out.
◇◇◇
"More training for me." I said, running into the field.
After jogging full lap for a while, I fell on the grass, breathing heavily.
"Ha… ha…"
"Here."
"Thanks." I said, grabbing the chilled water that was handed over to me.
*Wait…* I thought as I was about to drink the water.
"What?!" I shouted, moving away immediately.
I looked up and saw Yui smiling at me.
"You're thirsty, right?" She asked.
"Yes, but when did you get here?" I asked.
"Since you started."
"What?" I asked, shaking my head before gulping down the water.
"Yui is bored."
"… want to train with me?"
"Yeah!"
*Training with such a little girl. What kind of training will be interesting for her?* I thought, looking at some ropes.
"Aha!" I said about to go grab them.
"Where are you off to? Start the push-ups."
"What?"
"Yui will sit on your back." She said, smiling.
*She just wants to have fun, huh…?* I thought.
"Isn't that improper?" I asked.
"No it isn't." She answered immediately.
"Well… there's no harm there."
*And she's too little. I'll have no negative thoughts.*
"Okay!"
◇◇◇
"Haaaaa… Haaaaa…"
*Oh God, she's actually very heavy.* I thought, blowing my mouth and squeezing my face.
"Down!"
"Y-yes…"
"Up! Do it well!" She said childishly.
*I think I'm gonna give out.*
"What the hell have you been eating?!" I asked before collapsing.
"You can't do simple push-ups. Yui isn't satisfied."
"You look more satisfied than ever!" I said, breathing heavily.
"Huh? Atsushi and… Yui-chan?!" Akatsuki called.
"It's really them. Yui-chan!" Shinji called smiling and waving at her.
"Shinji." She called smiling at him.
"Looks like you both are having lots of fun." Teijiro said.
"Fun my ass. Do I look like I'm having fun?" I asked.
"Atsushi-kun?" She asked, looking down at me.
*Oh, I didn't introduce myself.*
"Yeah. I'm Atsushi from Team C." I said.
"Atsu…shi?"
"Mmn."
"Sushi." She said drooling.
"No!!" I shouted.
"Hahaha. I'm surprised to see you out here, Yui-chan. I thought you'd still be holed up in your room."
"Holed up?"
"Yeah. She doesn't interact well with new people." Shinji said.
"Is that so? Looks like she's doing well now." I said.
"I don't think so. Well, who cares. Do you guys wanna go out?" Teijiro asked.
"To where?"
"A movie."
"A movie?!" Yui asked.
"Mmn."
"Yes! Let's go, let's go, Atsu." She said, tugging at my sleeves.
"You guys can go. I'm not up for it."
"Well…" Yui said, her face suddenly gloomy.
*Huh?!*
"… it's no harm now, is it. You should chill out for a while. You've been training since." Akatsuki said.
"W-well you're right. I'll go have a quick shower." I said as Yui's face turned cheerful.
"I'll join you then!" She said.
"Hell no!" I shouted.