Perspective: Hachiman
I'd just finished spending a… rather intense morning with Ramonu and Ardan. What? You want details? Look, it wasn't anything worth writing home about.
(Editor's Note: Hachiman spent the morning in a pleasant conversation while being hugged from both sides by the Mejiro sisters. It wasn't just a "rose in each hand" situation; it was more like being caught between two "unreachable flowers" on a mountain peak.)
Anyway, moving on—(I can't hear the narrator, by the way)—when I finally made it to the Trainer's Office, I found the official team establishment permit sitting on my desk, stamped with the Council President's seal. There was also a form for the team name, the leader, and the registered members.
I figured Rice could be the leader, and filling in the other four members was easy enough. The real problem was the team name. What the hell am I supposed to call us?
"I can't just pick something at random…" I muttered. "Hey, Kiryuin. You want to name it for me?"
"Absolutely not!" Aoi snapped back instantly. "This is your team, Hikigaya-kun. You should be the one to decide!"
"I know that, but still…"
I'd already bluffed to the girls that I had something in mind. If I came up with some half-baked name now, they'd never buy it. More importantly, it feels like it won't be "official" unless the name actually carries some weight.
"Sigh… Where's a naming expert when you need one? Actually, maybe someone like Gimlet would be useful right now. She's always using those weird phrases and saying edgy, 'chuunibyou' stuff."
"Hikigaya-kun, that's remarkably rude of you," Aoi remarked dryly.
— The Cafeteria —
"What to do, what to do…" I leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "The team name…"
"Are you worried about the name, Onii-sama?" Rice asked, tilting her head.
"Yeah. Rice, how do you feel about 'Team Rice'?"
"N-No! Absolutely not, Onii-sama! That's way too embarrassing!" Rice squeaked, her face turning beet red.
"But Hachiman," Mr. C.B. interjected, leaning on her hand, "didn't you say a while back that you already had one thought out?"
"Yeah," Rudolf added, crossing her arms. "I recall hearing the same thing."
"Look, sometimes adults feel the need to show off," I grumbled. "And maybe I did have one back then, but I've completely forgotten it now, so it doesn't matter."
"Hachiman… that's really not cool," C.B. said, giving me a flat, judging stare.
"Ugh, alright, alright, my bad…"
"Then why not go for something with a lot of kanji?" C.B. suggested with a mischievous grin. "You know, like those delinquent groups in freestyle races. How about… let's see… Gungnir? But spelled with really aggressive characters!"
"Stop, stop. Please. It hurts just listening to that," I pleaded. "The announcers have to say this name during the play-by-play. Something safe and normal is the way to go."
"However," Rudolf noted, "it is difficult to decide on a name without a core concept, is it not?"
"That's the problem. Concept, huh…? Hm?"
My eyes drifted to a nearby table.
"..."
Admire Vega sat there alone, quiet as a shadow.
"...Let me go ask for a second opinion."
"Huh? Onii-sama?" Rice blinked in confusion.
"You guys keep eating. I'll be right back."
If it's about stars, Admire Vega—Ayabe—ought to know something useful.
"Hey," I said, approaching her table. "Mind if I join you for a second?"
"...You're Rice Shower's trainer, aren't you?" she said, her voice cool and detached.
"Yeah. I wanted to ask you something about stars. Got a minute?"
"...Fine. Sit down. What is it?"
"I was wondering… among the stars, which ones stand out the most?"
Ayabe paused, her eyes softening slightly as she entered her element. "...If you mean fixed stars rather than constellations, the brightest is Sirius in Canis Major. Second is Canopus in Carina, and third is Arcturus in Boötes."
"I see…"
"By the way," she continued, "the brightest star in a constellation is usually designated as the 'Alpha' star, followed by Beta, Gamma, and so on."
"Hmm. A fixed star, huh? If I looked that up, would I find more?"
"...I expect so."
"So I guess Deneb, Altair, and Vega from the Summer Triangle are all fixed stars too…"
She looked up at me, her gaze sharpening. "...Why bring those up?"
"No hidden meaning. I just figured your name, 'Vega,' was probably derived from the star. Just a guess. If I stepped on a landmine, I'm sorry."
"...It's fine. I don't mind."
"Good. Well, that was helpful. Thanks for talking to me."
"...It was nothing," she murmured, returning to her meal. "Besides… you aren't loud. That makes you easier to deal with than most."
…Wait, what's that supposed to mean?
"...Sounds like you've had a rough time of it yourself," I muttered. "Oh, right. I heard somewhere that you're a fan of… soft things?"
She stiffened. "...Who told you that?"
"I didn't exactly go looking for the info. Curren just kind of blabs about you, and I happened to overhear it while I was tuned out."
"...Sigh. That girl again… Well, it's not incorrect. I do like fluffy things."
"Got it. Good to know."
"...?"
"Thanks. I'll leave you to your meal. Sorry for the interruption."
"...I didn't find it an interruption," she said softly, not looking up. "If the cafeteria is crowded and there are no seats, you can sit here. I don't mind sharing the table."
"Oh… uh, sure. I'll keep that in mind."
Fixed stars. Alpha stars. Yeah, I think I got something good out of that.
"I'm back."
"Welcome back, Onii-sama."
"That was Admire Vega," Rudolf observed. "What were the two of you discussing?"
"Just getting some reference material regarding stars."
"Heh?" C.B. tilted her head. "We were talking about team names. Why did stars come into the picture?"
"Does it matter? I was just curious."
Besides, most team names follow some kind of astronomical theme. If that's the trend, I might as well follow suit, right?
What kind of name will Hachiman choose for his team?
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