My Girlfriend is an Evil Woman

“You’re asking about clubs?” Kitahara Hideji asked with his mouth full of ramen.

Although China and Japan were separated by the sea and had deep-rooted grievances, the cultural influence between the two countries had never ceased. However, Kitahara Hideji’s understanding of Japanese high schools was limited to glimpses from anime works such as “Slam Dunk” and “Haganai.” Now, with the identity of a Japanese high school student, he didn’t want to attract suspicious looks or risk being dissected like a scientific specimen. Therefore, he had to pretend to understand things he didn’t and hoped that the other person would provide more information for him to work with.

True to his talkative nature, Uchida Yuma took the initiative to speak again. “That’s right, what club are you planning to join? And Rei will probably still be in the Kendo Club, right?”

Shima Rei nodded slightly, and Uchida Yuma had the smug look he expected. He turned his head back to Kitahara Hideji and smirked, then Kitahara Hideji smiled and asked in return, “What about you? What club are you planning to join?”

Uchida Yuma chuckled mischievously but quickly composed himself, sitting up straight and speaking seriously. “I’m planning to join the baseball club and strive to make it to Koshien within three years!”

“Koshien?”

“Yes, not only do I want to compete in the national tournament, but I also aim to win the championship. After winning the championship, I want to aim for consecutive victories in the spring and summer tournaments!”

Uchida Yuma’s words were resolute and unquestionable, making Kitahara Hideji involuntarily feel a sense of respect. He realized that people indeed had their pursuits—even the mischievous ones!

Baseball had already had a significant impact on him, even though he had been in Japan for less than ten days. It was a constant topic of discussion in the newspapers, never quieting down for a moment. While it wasn’t popular in China, it had a significant market in Japan and could be considered the most popular sport (ranking first among men’s surveys and third among women’s surveys, and first overall). There were many reasons for its popularity, such as being a spiritual pillar for the Japanese people after the war, emphasizing both teamwork and one-on-one competition, and having strong entertainment value. Additionally, it often produced miracles. Even when it was the final inning with two outs and a large deficit, there was still a possibility of a comeback, making it easy to get participants and spectators excited. A miraculous inning could become a hot topic in society.

Koshien refers to a baseball stadium located in Hyogo Prefecture, Kansai, Japan. It was completed in 1924, which coincided with the year of Koshin, hence the name Koshien Baseball Stadium. This is the designated venue for the national championship of high school baseball in Japan. Nearly 5,000 teams participate in the regional qualifiers, competing against each other in a single-elimination format. Eventually, 49 teams emerge from the eight regional tournaments to compete at Koshien Stadium for the national championship. (Note: The eligibility for the Koshien Spring Tournament is based on past performance, while the Koshien Summer Tournament involves the elimination of 4,000-5,000 teams. Therefore, the summer tournament is generally considered more prestigious and the pinnacle of high school baseball.)

It’s not possible to win the championship without strong skills and a stroke of luck, let alone achieve consecutive victories in the spring and summer tournaments. In over a hundred years, only seven teams have accomplished this feat.

However, once a team becomes the champion, they receive both fame and fortune. After all, Hanshin Koshien Stadium alone can accommodate 50,000 spectators, and the Koshien tournament is broadcasted nationwide on Japanese national television, with peak viewership exceeding 30 million people. Key players in the tournament even have the opportunity to become professional baseball players with annual salaries exceeding 100 million yen, while other team members are often recruited by prestigious schools.

Even disregarding the practical benefits, Koshien is the ultimate dream of Japanese youth. They are willing to endure three years of intense training and even lifelong physical pain for the chance to enter Koshien.

Although Kitahara Hideji didn’t think Uchida Yuma had a chance to make it to Koshien, let alone achieve consecutive victories, he admired his ambitious spirit. He liked people with aspirations and sincerely wished him success. “I wish you success, Uchida! If you make it to Koshien, I will definitely be there in person to cheer you on.”

Uchida Yuma chuckled, “Of course, you have to come! We’re friends, how can you not?” Pausing for a moment, he confidently patted his chest and said, “Kitahara, how about joining the baseball club with me? I’ll be the catcher, and we’ll go to Koshien together!” As he spoke, he started daydreaming, “When we win the championship, those girls will go crazy for us. It will be easy to date them!”

Just by looking at his expression, it seemed like he was drooling, already imagining himself having three girlfriends in a week or even fantasizing about being in multiple relationships at the same time. He seemed ecstatic with the idea.

Kitahara Hideji was speechless. How did the conversation shift to girls again? It seemed like high school students were the same in every country!

Shima Rei, who had finished eating and was using an embroidered handkerchief to wipe the corners of his mouth, glanced disdainfully at Uchida Yuma and asked Kitahara Hideji in a gentle voice, “Don’t mind him! Kitahara-kun, which club are you planning to join?”

Kitahara Hideji replied vaguely, “I haven’t decided yet… By the way, won’t participating in club activities affect academic performance?” Isn’t the goal of high school to get into university? Shouldn’t one focus on studying wholeheartedly?

Shima Rei was surprised and said, “How could it? If you excel in club activities, you can also receive university recommendation qualifications! Even if it’s not for recommendation purposes, participating in club activities can give a person motivation and provide an outlet for any frustrations they may have… The achievements in club activities are also considered during university interviews. It seems like those prestigious schools don’t favor students who only focus on studying.”

Uchida Yuma chimed in, “That’s right! So, Kitahara, come join the baseball club with me. Let’s enter Koshien together! That’s what youth is all about!”

Shima Rei objected, “Don’t say things you can’t accomplish!”

“Huh? Are you saying I can’t make it to Koshien?”

“I don’t want to say it.”

“You already said it, asshole! Do you even understand baseball? I remember you loved playing with jump ropes since you were little. You’ve never been on a Little League baseball team, you haven’t played baseball or softball. You don’t know anything about it. What gives you the right to say I can’t make it to Koshien?”

“I watched last year’s Koshien finals, and I’ve seen your training… You are miles away from them.”

“I only give my maximum effort during training! Rei, let me tell you, my potential is so great that you can’t even imagine. With a good partner, I’m almost guaranteed to make it to Koshien!”

“…”

The two of them started arguing across the table, and Kitahara Hideji quickly pretended to check his email on his old cellphone and looked up some information. He started to understand it a bit more.

Unlike in China, Japan does not have specialized sports schools at the elementary and junior high school levels. However, they have an equivalent system of school clubs, especially in high school. Students who choose sports clubs are divided into two categories: those who participate purely out of interest and those who treat it as a lifelong profession. The latter category is more serious and not just for recreational purposes.

At the same time, in terms of academic subjects, Japanese high schools are often divided into special advanced courses, general courses, physical and artistic courses, and commercial courses.

The special advanced courses are aimed at students who aspire to prestigious universities. These classes are focused on cultivating top-performing students and gaining reputation for the school.

The general courses follow the curriculum set by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. About 70% of students are enrolled in these classes, making it the most common type of high school program.

The commercial courses build upon the general curriculum and include practical skills such as accounting, game programming, and office automation. The goal is often to prepare students for universities with specific requirements or for entering the workforce directly after high school, as some may not have plans for further education.

Lastly, the physical and artistic courses focus on subjects such as sports, music, and art. Students in these courses strive to become athletes, musicians, artists, etc. They tend to be more active and enthusiastic in participating in club activities, and the school schedules allow for more time for their specialized training to achieve excellent results. Japan has a comprehensive organization system for national high school competitions, including professional referees, dedicated venues, official websites, and coverage by national-level television stations and newspapers. These competitions encompass almost all sports and artistic activities that high school students can participate in.

The audience is also significant, with the baseball finals of the summer national championship drawing more spectators than professional baseball games. The influence is tremendous. Scenes of reporters chasing high school star athletes in anime and TV dramas actually happen, and when the athletes win, they are welcomed by thousands of people like heroes upon returning to their hometowns.

Based on these competitions, students who perform well can receive direct recommendations for university admission, similar to special talent admissions. This becomes the only hope for some students who may not excel academically but aspire to prestigious universities.

Kitahara Hideji looked at the information online and couldn’t help but marvel. Japanese high school students clearly have a more enriched daily life compared to Chinese high school students. With a larger population and lower university admission rates, the competition pressure in China is significant. It’s all about studying, studying, and dreaming of doing anything else is just wishful thinking.

He sat there with a smile, listening as Uchida and Shima Rei argued for a while. He interrupted them and said, “I’ve considered it, but I think I won’t participate in club activities.”

If the high school boy named Kitahara Hideji were still here, he might have joined a club. But now that he occupied this body, his life should be his own, and he should be the one to make the decisions!