E-book Exclusive Short Story: Narika’s Progress

This was when I was ten years old.

It happened during a stay at the Miyakojima household.

The first time I met Narika, she called me “some weakling!” but somehow, we ended up getting along, and we started spending more time together in the same room.

One such morning…

“…Um.”

Waking up on the futon, I called out to Narika, who was sleeping beside me.

“It’s morning.”

Since Narika often overslept, Otsuko-san had asked me to wake her up in the morning if I was awake, so I gently shook Narika’s body.

However,

“Munya…”

Narika was sleeping so comfortably that she showed no signs of waking up.

As a guest—and probably because my mom was already causing trouble—I didn’t want to inconvenience the Miyakojima family any more than necessary.

So, I raised my voice, refusing to back down.

“It’s morning!”

At that, Narika made a displeased face and rolled over.

“No way… I’m sleepin’…”

“You can’t. You’ll be late for breakfast.”

“If I say I’m sleepin’… I’m sleepin’…”

As I tried to shake her awake, Narika suddenly grabbed my arm.

“Whoa!?”

I thought she was pulling me into the futon, but that wasn’t it.

Still half-asleep, Narika moved with astonishing precision and—locked me in an armbar.

“W-Wait… G-Give, I give up…!”

“Munya munya…”

“Ow, ow, ow…!? H-Help… Someone, help…!!”

It hurt so much it wasn’t funny, and I couldn’t help but cry out for help.

After a while, Narika’s grip loosened, and I seized the chance to escape.

Looking at Narika sleeping so peacefully, I felt a shiver of fear.

(…How am I supposed to wake her up?)

If I got too close carelessly, she’d lock me again… What kind of master was she? A sleeping fist instead of a drunken fist?

In that case—I’d try approaching without letting her sense my presence.

I crouched down, quietly moved to the other side, and then swiftly approached Narika.

To wake her up, I reached to grab and shake her head, but—

“Munyaa…”

“Kuh…!?”

Narika’s arm shot out, grabbing my collar in an instant.

I’m done for. Realizing it immediately, I cursed my failed strategy and retreated.

—So fast.

Was that a kataha-jime choke…?

Not just joint locks, but chokeholds too…?

(In that case…)

What if I didn’t approach from the sides but went straight from above?

I stood up, aiming to grab the collar of the soundly sleeping Narika.

But the moment I did, Narika spread her legs with blinding speed, trapping my neck and arm.

“No way!?”

A triangle choke—!?

This girl had countermeasures for attacks from every direction…!!

Was she training to be a grappling pro? Grappling doesn’t mean techniques you pull off while sleeping, though.

(This is bad… I’m gonna pass out…)

This wasn’t the time for weird thoughts.

My consciousness started to fade. It wasn’t sleepiness or some kind of slumber—it was something else dulling my mind.

If I passed out like this, people would probably just think I overslept… I didn’t want that. I woke up properly!

As I thought that and looked forward—I locked eyes with Narika.

Narika’s round eyes were wide open, clear as day.

“…What are you doing?”

“…That’s my line.”

No matter how you looked at it, I was the one being attacked here.

“Mgh… Sorry, I was half-asleep and used a move…”

She really had been half-asleep.

I’d wondered if she was just pretending to sleep while actually awake, but…

“Are you bad at waking up in the morning?”

“It’s not exactly like that…”

Narika opened her mouth, looking like she didn’t want to say it.

“Father’s morning training… it’s tough.”

“…I see.”

The harshness of the training, combined with her resistance to waking up early, seemed to be the issue.

—Later, Narika would overcome her father’s strictness, take on morning training willingly, and eventually become strong in the mornings… but back then, I couldn’t have imagined such a future.

“So… I’m sleepin’!”

“No! You can’t! Please wake up!”

If she fell back asleep, I wouldn’t be able to wake her again!

I didn’t want to get caught in any more grappling moves. I desperately tried to persuade Narika.

◆

A few years later.

Accepting Narika’s suggestion to thank me for my help during the Management Game, I found myself waking up at the Miyakojima household once again.

“Morning, Narika.”

“Nn…?”

After calling out a few times, Narika finally woke up.

“Izuki… It’s Izuki…”

“H-Hey, don’t get all sleepy on me.”

Narika sat up and shuffled closer to me.

Watching her mumble in her half-asleep state brought back old memories, but…

(…Compared to back then, this is way better.)

The fact that she wasn’t throwing grappling moves at me already felt like major progress, I thought.