This is actually a fill for a prompt from SASO 2015: sportsanime. dreamwidth. organization/ 4403. html? thread=1458995 (Delete spaces and "anization" from "organization") (I think it kind of spoils the ending to post it. Enough to fight with this obnoxious site trying to post a link. So there you go.)

Note: I recommend reading this at Archive of Our Own: archiveofourown. organization/ works/ 7383826/ chapters/ 16772482
This version has some of the html stripped out which I cannot figure out how to fix.

I cannot think my beta semianonymity enough for giving this a read-through! There were flaws I know I couldn't have ironed out without your help. Thank you so much for that!
Also thanks to slr2moons for being my sounding board and for sometimes telling me to stop agonizing and just write.

I plan to post a chapter a day until complete.


Onoda wasn't looking for a new game. He only wanted to find the gloves he needed for Imaizumi's costume.

When Onoda first suggested a pair cosplay his friend had reluctantly said he'd never done cosplay before and he wouldn't know how to put together a costume. Onoda saw no reason why that should stop him if he wanted to do it! He was all fired up to put together a good Arimaru costume for Imaizumi so they could go together.

On his way to the counter Onoda made a detour to check if the single for the new Love Hime ending was in stock. He had practiced so much during the week he hadn't been able to line up for it. Onoda found a game case wedged into the space where the CD should have been.

'Racing Heart Manager,' was the title. The cover featured six attractive teen boys wearing matching white and blue jerseys. Each was riding or standing beside a road racer. Four of them had charming smiles. One, with spiky blond hair, had a stern face as he surveyed the rest of the team, and seemed to be more of a stoic type. The last one had his eyes squinted and his mouth pulled wide in displeasure. He seemed to be yelling at the boy riding beside him, who was clearly not troubled by this.

The boy on the receiving end of that glare looked a little younger. He was the only one not wearing gloves, which seemed strange. Onoda's first thought was that he was kind of cute. Everything from the dark blue ahoge poking up through his helmet to his excited smile was cute. He didn't even have to flash that smile at the viewer to catch Onoda's attention. The way he leaned forward over the handlebars made him look so enthusiastic. It seemed like he was filled with joy just to be riding. Onoda suddenly realized he was smiling in return.

Onoda hadn't known they made otome games about cycling, but that had to be what this was. He flipped it over to read the quick description. Sure enough, you could have a romantic relationship with a member of the cycling team. After transferring to Hakone Gakuen the player became the manager of their legendary cycling team and had to 'manage their training schedules and take care of their hearts to help them win (and win your beloved's heart along the way).'

There were a few lines about each of the six candidates. Number 6 on the list was the boy with the cute smile, Manami Sangaku. He was a climber like Onoda. Knowing that much made Onoda immediately feel a connection to the other boy.

Onoda had to admit he was curious about the sudden combination of his new passion with a lifetime one. Would it be fun? Would it use the cycling theme well?

The publisher was probably a small one, because he'd never heard of 'Stolen Heart Games' before. The characters all seemed to be named after their voice actors, which would have made sense if they were an idol group or something, but Onoda didn't recognize any of the names.

He did not come to get a game, Onoda reminded himself. How many dating sims did he have at home that he hadn't even started yet? Did he really need another one?

But he loved cycling, and he'd never seen one about cycling before!

After a moment of indecision, Onoda headed over to the games section to put it where it belonged. He hadn't spent as much time playing his games since he joined the cycling club. His backlog had suddenly grown into a pile of dating sims, ones he had researched and hunted down, all waiting for his attention. By now he had about fifty cute bachelors and bachelorettes waiting for him!

Six routes wouldn't take long, Onoda tried to reason with himself as he tried to figure out where the game belonged. Maybe he could look up more information online and then buy it another time if it looked promising.

He couldn't seem to find a tag for the game, or an empty space on the shelf. Feeling awkward and guilty, Onoda set the game on top of a display of new releases and looked around as if that might summon an employee to correct him.

At least it was in the right section now. Someone who wanted it could find it. He didn't need another game today.

He got about halfway down the aisle towards the cashier and stopped. What if he went home and finished the games he had and then he couldn't find this one again? He didn't know how rare it was. What if it was sold out or even out of print when he came back for it?

Manami's smile was really, really cute.

Onoda did not quite bolt down the aisle to snatch the game up from where he'd left it, but it was a near thing. It was ridiculous, but he had an overwhelming feeling that if he didn't grab the game right now he would never see it again.

Well, it was his now. Onoda hugged it to his chest along with the Arimaru gloves and went to pay for his prize.


Onoda didn't even indulge in the traditional sixty seconds of pretending he might play a game that had been waiting longer before pulling the plastic wrap off of Racing Heart Manager. The insert didn't tell him much more than the back of the case had, but he figured he could find a fan site later to look up some tips.

The opening was a brief animated sequence of each of the boys, first racing, and then in a moment off of their bikes. Onoda found himself unconsciously smiling for all of them looking very cool or passionate as they rode, including number 5 who had his jersey open to display his muscles and was not taking his race seriously (his extra clip was a shirtless workout for even more fanservice.)

Then there was the exhilaration on Manami's face when he was climbing. Onoda thought he looked like a fun person to ride with. He tried not to laugh when it switched to Manami putting his head down and going to sleep in class.

He had expected a visual novel, but rather than introduce the character he was playing, the game had him start by entering his first and last name, then select his gender and year in school. The next few questions he assumed would somehow tweak how the characters reacted to him.

How do you feel about cycling?
[ I bike to school sometimes. ]
[ I love to watch! ]
[ I love to race! ]
[ I hate it! ]
[ I don't know yet. ]
[ I don't care. ]

What scares you?
[ High places ]
[ Hard work ]
[ Monsters ]
[ Crowds ]
[ Thunder ]
[ Failure ]

What is important?
[ Feeling free ]
[ Improving myself ]
[ Taking responsibility ]
[ Being noticed ]
[ Silencing critics ]
[ Being the strongest ]

What do you want the most?
[ A boyfriend ]
[ A lover ]
[ A friend ]
[ A rival ]
[ A mentor ]
[ A partner ]
[ I want them all ]

The first was easy. The second Onoda had to think for a moment before deciding something like letting his friends down was the most scary among the options there. The third had one answer crossed out, as if his previous answer had made that goal unavailable. He did wonder about strategy in the possible answers, but went ahead and picked one that worked for him.

On the last question Onoda hesitated. In the context of the game he was probably meant to pick the first option, but honestly he loved his friends more than anything. He loved Makishima as a mentor. He wasn't good enough yet for a rival or partner, but he saw how those bonds inspired his teammates.

While he tried to decide the cursor flashed twice, skipped to the bottom of the list, and selected the last option for him. A text box popped up in response to Onoda's indignant noise.

Don't keep your team waiting! Racing Heart Manager is a game that's meant to be played in real time. If you wait too long to answer, the cursor will give a warning flash and then randomly select an option for you. This unique mechanic will help you choose with your heart!

Onoda did not think he liked that unique mechanic. He was used to taking his time to decide. At least it hadn't happened for the first time during the game itself.

He got another message as the set-up finished.

Now, hurry to meet your team! Remember: the heart you win will be yours to keep forever!

Onoda smiled at this message, guessing it meant the game would unlock a gallery for him when he won. Up until very recently he had been in the habit of replaying his favorite routes when he was bored and lonely, and even when he didn't feel bad he liked going back to special scenes.

The game was in first person. He started in a train station with a crowd of faceless NPCs in the background. A brief tutorial told him how to look around and choose the direction he wanted to go, then had him buy a ticket to teach him how to use items in his inventory.

The train ride provided time for a little exposition, starting with an excuse as to why he wouldn't be able to ride in the game, even though he had said he loved racing: He had been involved in an accident while riding, leading to unspecified injuries that meant he was now starting school late and leaving him without a bike for the foreseeable future. Onoda winced reading the scenario.

He was 'reminded' of his class number and the fact that he would be moving into the school dorm today, and left with the thought: "I hope I meet someone I can become close to."

Then he was left on his own and expected to walk from the train station to the school. Onoda assumed it couldn't be far, since the game didn't give him any directions. This was a bad idea. He quickly got turned around and ended up somewhere on a mountain road, about to collapse of thirst. Onoda was annoyed with his avatar in part because he couldn't say he would never end up in such a situation himself.

He cried out for water and the view swung down towards he ground. Onoda was pretty sure his avatar had actually fallen to their knees when someone held out a sports bottle in front of him.

There was a short animated sequence, enough to pan up and get a good view of the boy standing over him. Manami was squatting in front of him, smiling. The morning light caught him from behind and a breeze ruffled through his hair, conspiring to make him look almost angelic.

"Is Pocari okay?"

Manami's voice was a warm tenor. Onoda caught himself leaning forward as his avatar's hand grabbed for the bottle and the cut scene finished.

He was returned to the same mountain road background, but this time there was a sprite of Manami with the text box. He was relaxed, bent forward slightly with his hands in his pockets, and wearing an easy smile. Onoda found himself paying more attention to Manami than whatever he was supposed to be saying.

"Th-thank you."

"It's nothing. Are you cutting class too? I haven't seen you here before."

[ "I just moved here. I'm lost." ]
[ "Are you cutting class?" ]
[ "But I know you from somewhere!" ]

Onoda was finally given his first dialog option. He hesitated, looking at Manami's sprite. He was sweaty and his uniform was rumpled, but his smile was so welcoming. Onoda didn't want to get off on the wrong foot, and he didn't have time to go look for tips on the internet. He picked the most neutral option.

"I just moved here. I'm lost."

"That's right, our class rep said not to be late because we were getting a new transfer student today. Looks like I get to meet you first! Hey, do you like cycling? I noticed you knew how to open the sports bottle without having to ask."

"Yes, I like cycling!" was the first option on the list, which Onoda selected without paying attention to the others. His was too busy being happy that Manami was the first boy introduced!

"Really? Then since you're in Hakone now, how do you feel about hills?"

[ "They're difficult." ]
[ "I don't really like them." ]
[ "I like them." ]
[ "They're fun." ]
[ "That's a strange thing to ask." ]

Onoda considered for a second, then moved down to select the second to last option. Hills were fun, even if they were difficult. "I think they're my favorite," he added, although he knew Manami couldn't hear him.

"They're fun."

Manami's face lit up. "I love hills the most too! Every time I see one I get the urge to climb it, and when I climb I always end up smiling. I forget about everything else. I've already missed second period because I got carried away again. But that's okay. I even I found you today. That's right, I forgot to ask your name. I'm Manami Sangaku."

"Pleased to meet you! My name is Onoda Sakamichi. It's my first day, but. . ."

[ "Can you tell me how to get to school?" ]
[ "Will you show me the way to school?" ]
[ "Can I talk with you a little more?" ]

In real life Onoda would have selected the first option, not wanting to impose. On the other hand he wanted to choose the last option and keep talking to Manami. He settled on the middle option in hopes it would both get him to school and allow him to continue talking to Manami.

"Will you show me the way to school?"

Onoda wanted to add, 'you don't have to.' It felt so presumptuous.

"Sakamichi-kun? That's a great name! Pleased to meet you." Manami didn't say his name out loud, of course. It only appeared in the accompanying text box. Onoda was used to that in games that let you enter your own name. He just thought it was a fun coincidence that Manami happened to praise his first name, which was spelled with the character for hill, when they both liked hills.

Manami's pose changed so he was holding his white road racer. His expression changed to polite curiosity at the same time. "The school isn't far, so I guess I can walk you. Where is your bike?"

[ "It was damaged. I don't know when I'll be able to ride again." ]
[ "None of your business." ]

There was no way Onoda would say something so rude to that innocent question.

"It was damaged. I don't know when I'll be able to ride again."

"That's too bad." Manami honestly did look sad to hear that, and even a little wistful. "I would like to ride together, since you like hills too. You should still come see the cycling club. It's fun to talk to people who share your interests, right?"

Onoda nodded emphatically at the screen. He had wanted that desperately for three whole years!

"Were there many good hills where you're from? Wait, let me see if I can guess. Did you move from very far away?"

With each line either of them said the scenery behind Manami changed to show that they were moving. Onoda guessed there was a limit on how many things they could say before they arrived.

There were a lot of options. Onoda decided to go ahead and pretend he was moving from where he lived now. He selected the first option.

"Not far. I'm from the Kantou region."

"Really? Then are you from the mountains or the ocean?"

Onoda selected 'ocean.'

"That means it's Tokyo, Chiba, or Ibaraki, right?"

Onoda laughed to himself as he picked Chiba. Manami had already narrowed it down to his prefecture.

"My upperclassman knows a good climber from Chiba, so you must have some great hills there! Does your school have a cycling club?"

[ "Yes, a very good one." ]
[ "Yes, but it's a small one." ]
[ "No. I wish it did." ]

Onoda picked, "Yes, a very good one," out of loyalty to his team. The club didn't need to be big to be good, unlike some other sports where you needed lots of members just to make a team.

The school gates appeared behind Manami.

"We're here already. I wish I had more time to talk to you." With the main door in front of them, Manami raised one hand in a goodbye wave. "You won't get lost from here, right? I'll follow in a little bit."

Now he wasn't following Manami automatically. Instead of going in the main door Onoda chose to go after Manami and found him putting his bike in one of the racks. Unlike the flat, faceless crowd in the train station, Manami was given a detailed 3D form.

When he chose to talk to Manami again the other boy simply said, "This is the club building. You should come back after class."

While he had a moment, Onoda fumbled through his inventory and tried to give the water bottle back to Manami. He didn't see a second one on Manami's bike, and he would definitely need it for practice, right? He didn't want to thoughtlessly take something Manami needed.

"Keep it. It's my duty to offer help to people in the mountains. Besides, if you were so dehydrated that you collapsed you should keep drinking." He winked at Onoda. "Don't let anyone else take it from you, either."

Manami accompanied him inside and up to their classroom. They were just in time for the short break between second and third periods. Almost immediately Manami got a scolding from the class rep, a serious girl with round glasses and cute twin tails, which included, "Stop hiding behind the transfer student!" and made Onoda smile sheepishly.

In real life Onoda would have been paralyzed being introduced to the class after coming in late, but as it was he was distracted by Manami in the group shot of the class, leaning his chin on his hand with another smile. Of course the open seat waiting for him was right next to Manami, the plot would demand that, but Onoda still cheered internally.

When Onoda took his new seat and looked around he found that next to him Manami had put his head down and gone to sleep. Apparently that was all the interaction he was going to get for now.

At lunch Onoda was confronted with a familiar obstacle. There were so many boys crowded around the lunch counter he was really only guessing where it was by sheer concentration. The game did give him an option to give up, but he thought he might as well see what happened if he tried to get lunch.

He was knocked on his butt was what happened. The view switched to a short cut scene, panning up long legs, flat butt, lean torso. . . until the view was suddenly marred by the sour glare from the boy he was staring at. Onoda immediately recognized him as the irritable boy on the cover. Being on the receiving end of that look made him flinch like he was being glared at for real.

"What are you doing on the floor?"

There was an interminable moment when Onoda almost thought the game was frozen. Then, all at once, the angry-looking boy made an irritated noise and put out a hand to help Onoda up.

The view went back to normal, though his sprite didn't look any more welcoming. He glared slightly to one side rather than forcing Onoda to meet his eyes. He pulled Onoda out of the crowd, indistinct people parting easily before him.

"Ch. . ." he scoffed. "Letting yourself get stuck in a pack like that. At least stay out of the way."

[ "I'm sorry." ]
[ "Thank you." ]
[ "You knocked me down!" ]
[ Run away! ]

Onoda hit the first option as a reflex.

"I'm sorry."

This only made the scowl deepen, but whatever he was about to say was interrupted by someone off screen.

"Yasutomo, what are you doing?"

Once again the game switched to a short scene. Another one of the third year bikers, the one with reddish-brown hair, stepped out of the crowd. He looked far more laid back, his eyes half-lidded and calm. The smile on his handsome face was warm and easy. His arms were piled with food from the inaccessible lunch counter, and he picked one of the rolls to offer to Onoda.

"If you want to rescue people, you should take good care of them."

The comfortable air he brought remained even when they view switched back so Onoda could see both them. His presence seemed to have mollified some of his friend's hostility.

"My name is Shinkai Hayato, and this is Arakita Yasutomo. Are you all right? It looks like you got roughed up by that crowd."

The answer appeared automatically. "I'm fine. My name is Onoda Sakamichi. Pleased to meet you."

"Didn't Manami mention you? The new boy in his class who likes cycling."

"Ah, yes."

"Your previous school must have had a good cycling team, right? Maybe we've even faced off against them before." Shinkai added.

[ "Yes." ]
[ "I don't think so." ]
[ "I don't know." ]

Onoda hadn't asked about the history of his team yet. Maybe it didn't matter, since they wouldn't have raced this fictional version of the team.

"I don't know."

"Shinkai, you idiot," Arakita muttered. He shot another sideways glare at Onoda, one that made a chill go down his spine, but joined in the conversation with a minimum of aggressiveness. "I don't know why Wonder Boy suddenly took an interest in you, unless you're a climber or something. Ever been crowned king of the mountain?"

[ "Several times." ]
[ "Once or twice." ]
[ "Never." ]
[ "I'm not a climber." ]

Onoda bit his lip with indecision. He hadn't really. Not in an official race. And even if he had taken the mountain checkpoint once he hadn't finished.

But Imaizumi had said it counted. Imaizumi was his friend, and supported him, and Onoda knew he would never say something like that if he didn't mean it.

"Once or twice," Onoda selected, for one small but cherished victory.

"Oh? Then you definitely have to come check out the cycling team," Shinkai told him with an encouraging smile. Onoda smiled back, feeling welcomed. Shinkai already struck him as a kind person.

"How do you know that wasn't when he was a kid or something?" Arakita rudely interrupted. He finally looked at Onoda and huffed. "Well?" Nothing happened, and he gritted his teeth, as if he was somehow angry at Onoda for not getting a chance to say anything. "Do you remember what victory tastes like?"

[ "Yes, I won recently." ]
[ "You're right, it was a long time ago." ]

Onoda selected as quickly as possible. "Yes, I won recently."

For the first time there was a smile on Arakita's face. It was sharp, but no longer angry. "We can do something with that. You'd better remember to check out the club."

Even if he was meant to be a 'tsundere' type, Onoda thought he was too scary. On the other hand Shinkai seemed more like a warm 'big brother' type. It was always fun getting to see the different personalities the characters would have, even if he was already interested in someone.

And they had all told him to come see the cycling club. That felt kind of nice, like he was a wanted presence.

After school, Manami was again cornered by their class rep, but Onoda easily found the club building by himself.

There was a group of girls outside the building, and after a few seconds Onoda saw why. They had gathered around another boy from the team. As he got closer the game gave him another short cut scene to make sure he got a good look. There was no excuse for the slow pan up this time. Whoever animated that scene was determined to take full advantage of those bike shorts to show off the next eligible bachelor's toned legs and butt. Onoda's cheeks were warm by the time the view settled on his wide, confident smile.

As the cut scene ended he let out a strident laugh and said, "Thank you for your support, but I have to get to practice now."

The crowd dispersed and before Onoda could do anything he was drawn into a conversation. The apparently popular cyclist blocked his path with one hand braced casually on his hip.

"I haven't seen you around before. Do you need something?"

[ "I wanted to see the cycling club." ]
[ "I wanted to talk to you." ]
[ "No, nothing." ]

"I wanted to see the cycling club."

"Is that so? Well, I can see you have good taste, asking me to show you around." He flashed another smile. "I'm the vice-captain and ace climber of the cycling club, Toudou Jinpachi. You may have also heard me called 'Sleeping Beauty' because of my climbing."

He was definitely beautiful. His eyes were a deep violet that swallowed the light. His sleek black hair was held back by a white headband, save for a few stray bangs. Onoda wouldn't have been surprised if the writers randomly gave him a background job as a model or something. Something about the way he carried himself made it clear he was very aware of his own good looks.

On the other hand he had said he was the ace climber, which was intimidating and exciting all at once! Onoda repeated the words to himself like a goal he might, in his most close-kept fantasies, strive for himself. He definitely wanted to make a good impression.

[ "Thank you! I'd love to see everything!" ]
[ "That name does sound familiar..." ]
[ "The ace climber? Wow!" ]

Onoda did want a tour, but at that point he had thought about how 'ace climber' was what Makishima was to his team, except he was too modest to brag about it. Onoda suddenly wanted to hear more about that.

"The ace climber? Wow!"

Toudou preened, playing with his bangs. "That's right. I worked hard from my first day at Hakone Gakuen to establish myself as the best climber. But you'll have plenty of time to learn about that later. It's about time you introduce yourself and come inside."

"Sorry. My name is Onoda Sakamichi. I just transferred here."

The scene shifted so they were inside the locker room. It was larger and brighter than the building Onoda's team used.

"You're the new climber Manami told me about. I'll have you know he's already striving to follow in my footsteps. You also need to find what you're good at and focus on that until you excel, understand?"

It sounded very much like advice Makishima had given him, that he had to develop his own style. If Toudou was guiding Manami, did that make Manami a little like him? Onoda suddenly remembered the picture on the cover with Manami riding without gloves. Could he be the new person on the team? He had seemed like a confident cyclist when Onoda met him, but maybe they had some things in common.

While Onoda was lost in his thoughts, the game selected a dialog option for him, making him yelp.

"I can't ride anymore."

At least that wasn't one of the rude options, and Toudou took the explanation that followed in stride. He alternated between showing Onoda different parts of the club house–the room where they could practice on rollers, the weight room, and the various awards and pictures from past teams–and asking questions.

"Have you been cycling for a long time? Did you ever win any races?"

[ "Yes, I've won a few." ]
[ "I've been cycling a long time, but I don't win..." ]
[ "I just started." ]

"I just started."

"Then you must have been a cycling fan before you decided to start."

[ "Yes, I was a big fan!" ]
[ "Yes, casually." ]
[ "Not really." ]

"Not really."

Onoda felt sheepish admitting it. He never would have started cycling seriously if Imaizumi hadn't noticed him. Then meeting Naruko, who had so much passion, drew him in even further. Miki had kindly taken time to teach him about bicycles, starting from the very basics and giving him confidence with each lesson. They had all gotten him completely hooked.

"All I was doing before was riding to Akiba every week, and that was on a mama bike," Onoda said to himself. He didn't think he had been doing anything extraordinary.

Toudou's perfectly arched eyebrows rose even higher at his response. Onoda wondered if he should have lied and at least said he was a cycling fan. He was probably supposed to pretend he had more prior experience to get their attention.

"Even if you can't ride, there is one way you can join the team. We need a manager. I did offer to ask my fan club, but our captain wants someone who enjoys and understands racing as more than a fan. Are you interested?"

[ "Yes!" ]
[ "I'll think about it." ]
[ "It sounds like too much work." ]

"Yes!" Onoda selected, glad that someone had finally suggested it. Why would they even give him an option to turn down that offer?

"Let me see, who on the team have you met? Me, of course. Manami, Arakita, and Shinkai, is that right? Go back to the weight room and introduce yourself to Izumida. I'll find the forms for you."

Onoda found his way back to the weight room. He recognized bachelor number five, who had his shirt off again. The short cut scene added details like the flex of his muscles, and how his bike shorts hugged his hips, and a bead of sweat slipping down his neck to the dip of his collarbone. He noticed Onoda watching and let his eyes drift almost closed, showing off long eyelashes, before he let out a long breath and deliberately relaxed again.

"Are you looking for a place to train?"

"I wanted a chance to meet you. My name is Onoda Sakamichi. I just transferred here, but I'm hoping to become the manager of the cycling team."

"You're going to be our new manager? Unfortunately I can't judge your strength when it comes to something like that." He crossed his arms, appearing to look Onoda up and down. "My name is Izumida Touichirou. I'm a sprinter. Please take good care of us, Manager."

[ "Of course!" ]
[ "I'm glad to meet a strong racer like you." ]
[ "I'm not sure yet..." ]
[ "I'd better go now." ]

"Of course!" Seemed like the obvious answer to Onoda.

"You said you're a new transfer student. Will you be living in the on-campus dorm?"

"Yes."

Izumida finally pulled on his jersey. "Then let me take a moment to welcome you in my own way."

Onoda's things had been delivered to the dorm's front office, and Izumida's welcome turned out to be carrying them to his room for him. He lifted the bags with obvious ease, telling Onoda it made a nice rest in his workout schedule.

"Have you ever gone to a school with dormitories before?"

[ "Yes, my last school had them." ]
[ "Yes, but not for a while." ]
[ "No, it's all new to me." ]

For Onoda, the idea of a school with a dormitory was more like the setting of an anime than the public schools he was used to. "No, it's all new to me."

"I'll show you where everything is. I live on the floor above you, so you can come to me if you need help with anything. The rest of the team lives in the off-campus dormitory, about two kilometers away."

He gave Onoda a small tour, showing him the surprisingly luxurious baths and the communal kitchen. On the way he asked a few small questions about his previous school. Was it public or private? Were there many good sport teams or just cycling? Had Onoda played other sports before?

As they walked back Izumida paused at the small green area outside the club building.

"What about other clubs? Like gardening."

[ "Yes, I like things like that." ]
[ "No. I never had any interest." ]
[ "Do you like gardening?" ]

"Do you like gardening?" Onoda still hadn't had the chance to hear much about the club members yet, so he pounced on the chance to ask a question. Besides, his history of not taking part in club activities wasn't interesting, and was making him feel a little awkward.

"Yes." Izumida looked startled, but he smiled. "I enjoy learning about plants and taking care of them. In fact, I've started taking care of the ones growing here."

Onoda was taken back to the club room and introduced to the captain at last. He expected more questions, but instead all he got was a few words of welcome and a short tutorial for how he would go about fulfilling his role as manager.

After a quick walk-through of the menus he would use and unlocking the team's default schedules, Onoda found himself back in the locker room one more time.

Manami's sprite immediately popped up. He was wearing his jersey now, looking bright and eager. "Sakamichi-kun! You're officially our manager now, right? I'm glad you came to join the club!"

Toudou appeared at Manami's side, one hand on the younger cyclist's shoulder. "Don't get too excited. Remember to be cool and make a good impression. We're all happy to have a new manager, after all. 3" Onoda had to laugh at the little heart in the text box.

"We're leaving our all-important training schedules in your hands," Izumida added. His sprite appeared on the opposite side from Manami and Toudou, also with a smile. "Please do your best to look after us."

Shinkai stepped in behind Izumida. "Of course, we'll help you wherever we can. Please stick with us, Manager. I hope we can win together."

There was a pause before Arakita appeared. Shinkai's hand was on his arm, as if he'd had to drag his friend on screen.

"I'm not getting my hopes up," he snapped. "Just because you might be the kind of manager we've been looking for, I won't forgive you if you give up and run away." He paused and then added, "You'd better take this chance to show us what you can do."

When Fukutomi appeared front and center it swept the other sprites out of the way.

"Now that everyone has had a chance to welcome our new manager, I expect you to get back to training. Take this chance to look over the training schedules and think of what changes you want to make for tomorrow." His expression remained calm and neutral except for a serious furrow on his brow. "We are strong. With your help we will win. Welcome to the cycling club, Manager."

Onoda finished off the first day and flopped back on the floor, smiling to himself. The introduction chapter had been fun, even giving him a feeling that he was introducing himself to the characters as well. He doubted all of those questions would have any real effect. Who would write different scripts for that many possible answers, especially from something right at the beginning? But it gave him a feeling that everyone was genuinely interested in him. He felt welcomed and happy.

Just from meeting the characters, Onoda had a feeling that he was going to enjoy playing this game very much.