Perspective: Hachiman
— The Team Room —
"...Even though we only added two people, it feels like this place has suddenly become a lot more crowded," I muttered.
"First it was just you and Rice," Rudolf noted, looking around the room with a satisfied air. "Then C.B. and I joined, and as of today, Ramonu and Mejiro Ardan are here as well. With five of us, that feeling is only natural. And from this day forward, we shall operate as Team Capella."
"This is starting to get interesting, isn't it?" C.B. chirped, leaning back in her chair.
It was after school, right around the time training usually begins. But before hitting the track, I'd presented the name I'd chosen to the five of them. To my relief, it was met with unanimous approval.
Our name: Team Capella.
— Flashback —
"Capella?" the five of them asked in unison.
"Yeah," I explained. "It's taken from the brightest star in the constellation Auriga—the Charioteer. In the northern sky, Auriga is made up of five main stars that form a pentagon, sort of like a shogi piece. I remembered this from a manga I read ages ago, but in traditional Chinese astronomy, those five stars are known as the Goshasei—the Five Chariot Stars."
I took a breath and continued, "Each of those five stars carries a specific meaning: Sea, Mountain, Cloud, Flame, and Wind. The Sea represents the strategist; the Mountain, the demon; the Cloud, the free spirit; the Flame, the heat; and the Wind, the vacuum. If I were to map those to this team… Rudolf is the Sea. Rice is the Mountain. C.B. is the Cloud. Ramonu is the Flame. And Ardan is the Wind."
"R-Rice is… a demon…?" Rice stammered, her eyes wide. "Am I?"
"Well, looking at you now, it's hard to imagine," I admitted. "But after seeing what you did at last year's Tenno Sho… I couldn't think of anyone else who fits the 'Demon of the Track' better than you."
"And I am the Sea? A strategist?" Rudolf asked.
"In the literal sense: the one who sets the strategy to move the army. Essentially, you're Rice's right hand when it comes to controlling the flow of a race."
"Cloud… and 'free spirit'?" C.B. mused.
"Basically, it means someone who follows their own path, their own style. But I chose it more for the 'Cloud' aspect. A cloud is impossible to catch; its shape is always changing, shifting effortlessly. It's basically a description of how you live your life."
"...And I am the Flame," Ramonu said, her voice dropping to a low, melodic hum.
"I heard it from your previous trainer," I said. "They said your passion for racing is on a different level compared to other girls. I've watched your tapes—the color of your eyes changes the moment you step onto the track. Even through a screen, the 'heat' you radiate is unmistakable."
"And you mentioned Wind for me?" Ardan asked softly.
"In the lore, the Flame and the Wind are like siblings—the Flame is the elder, the Wind is the younger. I thought that suited the two of you. Your journey is only just beginning, Ardan, but I chose 'Wind' because I want to see your stride turn from a gentle breeze into a powerful gale."
"I see…" Ardan whispered, looking thoughtful.
"Anyway, that was my logic," I said, rubbing the back of my neck. "If you guys hate it, I can try to come up with something else, but—"
— End of Flashback —
"You really put a lot of thought into this, Brother," Ramonu said, a small, knowing smile playing on her lips. "I thought you just picked a star name at random, but you were actually thinking about us."
"A demon… Rice is a demon…" Rice was still muttering to herself, looking a bit dazed.
"Rice, I'm sorry! I'm really sorry," I blurted out. "I'll make you whatever you want for dinner tonight, okay? As much as you can eat!"
"Heh, well, it fits us all surprisingly well," C.B. laughed. "Hachiman really gets me! 'The Cloud,' huh?"
"Fufu. Well then, Brother," Ardan said, standing up. "We begin our activities as Team Capella today, correct?"
"Well, technically I haven't turned in the paperwork yet, so not quite—"
"Then let's go turn it in right now!" C.B. interrupted, grabbing my arm. "We have to make the team official as fast as possible!"
"Wait, no, I should wait until after training—"
"I think the sooner the better, Brother," Ramonu added, giving me a gentle but firm push toward the door.
"...Fine. Fine, I'm going. I'll be back in a bit."
— The Administration Office —
"Excuse me, is Ms. Hayakawa in?"
"Yes, right here," Tazuna-san replied, looking up from her desk with a bright smile.
"Good work today. Here are the documents for the team establishment we discussed. I've filled in the leader, the members, and the team name."
"Let me see… yes, everything seems to be in order. Then, as of today, Trainer Hikigaya, please give it your all as the trainer for Team Capella!"
"Thank you. I have a training session to get to, so I'll be heading out."
— The Hallway —
Alright. Step one complete. The team is official. Now I just need to get back to the track before—
"...Hikigaya."
I stopped. It was one of the senior trainers—let's call him Senior 2.
"Oh. Hello. Good work today," I said, keeping my voice neutral.
"...What are you doing here? I assumed you'd be out on the track at this hour."
"...I received my orders back in April. I was just turning in the final paperwork to Ms. Hayakawa to begin operating as a Team Trainer."
The man's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "What?! A... a Team? You?"
"Is there a problem? Anyway, what brings you here, Senior?"
"...It's none of your business," he spat, before turning on his heel and stomping away.
Wow, okay. He didn't even say goodbye. But honestly, if it's none of my business what he's doing, then me forming a team is definitely none of his business either.
"Whatever," I sighed. "I'd better get to the track. If I keep them waiting any longer, I'm never going to hear the end of it."
Besides, the Takarazuka Kinen is at the end of the month. We don't have many days left, and Rice is right in the middle of her final adjustments. It's the final G1 of the first half of the year… and I'm going to make sure she takes it.
[The team name is officially decided: Team Capella!]
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