"Wakaru-kun, a sudden mishap?" -Meeting Kizuki-san-

The day of the golf game. Since it was my first time playing solo golf, I left home with plenty of time to spare so I wouldn't cause any trouble. At this pace, I should be able to reach the golf course an hour early.

"After all, a capable golfer needs to have peace of mind, too!"

I've been to the golf course I'm going to today once before. As I try to recall what kind of course it was, my imagination starts to run wild.

"Alright, my mental training is perfect! ...Today is the day I break 100!"

...Or so I thought, but on the way to the golf course, I realized something important.

"Oh no! I forgot my shoes!"

Come to think of it, I had left my shoes in the entryway and went back into my room once. Then, I ended up leaving without picking them up!

I hurriedly made a U-turn and went back home, and after all that, I ended up arriving at the golf course about 30 minutes before the start time.

"Damn it, I wanted to arrive early and drink some coffee elegantly, but I'm cutting it close again!"

The delusions I had earlier completely vanished. I hurriedly got ready and headed to the course, where a slightly older man wearing glasses was already at the cart.

He had a calm appearance and seemed a bit intellectual. Looking closely, there was some gray in his hair. Is he about 50 years old?

As I stood there feeling bewildered, he called out to me.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Kizuki."

"Oh, nice to meet you too. My name is Naruhodo."
"This is my first time playing solo golf like this, so I think I might cause some trouble, but I look forward to playing with you."

(Judging by his age, this must be the person who shoots in the 80s... I had this image that good golfers were prickly and unapproachable, but... I'm glad he seems kinder than I thought!)

"Everyone is a beginner at first, so don't worry about it. The weather looks good, so let's enjoy ourselves."

"Yes, thank you very much."

I felt a little relieved after his kind words. However, I realized something important.

(By the way, what happened to the other person who is the same age and level as me? That person was supposed to be my emotional support today...)

As I looked around a bit, Kizuki-san seemed to notice and spoke to me.

"Oh, I forgot to mention, but it seems the other person who signed up canceled. I got a call from the golf course staff. So it's just the two of us today."

"Huh? Is that so?!"

(No way! Why did that person cancel! I'm going to be so nervous playing one-on-one with a good golfer!)

Honestly, I couldn't hide my agitation. I was already nervous, and now it's one-on-one!

"Being able to join or cancel easily like that is one of the good things about solo golf, but still, canceling on the day of is not great, is it..."

...Kizuki-san was saying something, but I was so agitated that, honestly, it didn't sink in at all.

Arriving an hour before the start, drinking coffee slowly while planning my course strategy... that image was completely gone, and I was just thinking, 'How can I finish the round without embarrassing myself?' the whole time.

The group in front seems to be a group of four. They are quite elderly, and judging by their movements, it doesn't look like their play will be very fast. It looks like I'll be waiting quite a bit today...

Thinking about that, after a while, I braced myself.

(Alright, there's no point in complaining about what's already been decided. Since I'm here, I might as well learn something!)

There were many unexpected things, but come to think of it, I've never had the chance to play a round with someone older, and playing a round alone with someone much better than me might actually be a chance to get one-on-one advice on how to improve.

(If I think of it that way, this might actually be lucky! Since it's a great opportunity, I'll ask her all sorts of things, like how she thinks about golf and what kind of swing she uses!)

Thinking that way made the nervous feeling I had until now a little easier. If the skill levels are far apart rather than awkwardly close, there's no need to force myself to look cool. I can just show my true self and ask away.

The sky, which had been cloudy in the morning, was gradually letting the sunlight shine through. There are no clouds in the western sky, so it seems there's no need to worry about the weather for the rest of the time.

Feeling a sense of anticipation and a slight exhilaration different from my previous rounds, I took a deep breath.