Chapter 22 - Promotion
June is about to end.
Tests are close at hand, but the only ones studying in the cla.s.sroom are me and Komatsu-kun. Well, this is a self-alleged high-level public school. However, with a loose system like ours, I can study whatever and however I want, so choosing a school with high entrance threshold is not necessarily a good thing.
Same as ever, irregular girls forming an L-shaped block were lively during the lunch break. And as usual Tachibana was sitting with her side towards me, while Hyoudou on the left was lying on top of Tenjuin"s desk behind her as if exhausted.
– What about sea? Isn"t it about time we would want to wear swimsuit?
– Shut up, D-cup. I don"t have b.r.e.a.s.t.s like Karen"s, is that what you want to say, d.a.m.n it!
– Hey! Don"t say it here, stupid Yayoi…
Oh my, it seems these three are making plans for summer vacation.
In truth, it is appropriate for this school. Actually, it"s not only them, the whole cla.s.sroom has the same mood. I don"t know who has done it, but bulletin board for second year students is full of things like poster of the neighborhood festival or how many days are left until summer vacation.
Atmosphere like this obviously doesn"t match with me…
If I entered another school, would I be able to be there without feeling out of place like here?
– My billion votes go to the amus.e.m.e.nt park. So, where does Momoko nee-san want to go?
– You girls are so hasty… Tests are very soon.
– Hn, I would be fine without having reality thrown into my face, this honor student.
– That so… Then, how about touring cafés?
I raised my head a bit and met eyes with Tachibana who sat close by.
At that moment, she gently smiled and I felt chilliness inside my chest. As if she was saying "Bookworm, h.e.l.lo". The clearer the sky outside, the shinier her long blonde hair.
Uu… Today, I have already raised my head once, so I should have fulfilled my quota, right?
You probably don"t know, but for a boy with mental age of 14 years old, that smile at this distance is intense for various reasons.
Still, tests are seriously close, I have no time to care about my surroundings. It is because previously, I tried to forcibly enter concentration mode but failed miserably, yeah. This time I have to achieve good results no matter what. With that pressure upon me, today, I should repeat the basic questions too…
– We have totally different opinions, huh? Well then, we need a third party"s view on this… Don"t you think so, Ichijou?
Suddenly hearing my name called, my body twitched a little.
Sitting in front of me at the left side, Hyoudou was intently looking at me while playing with her permed black hair.
– We will let you choose for us. Sea, amus.e.m.e.nt park, café… Our opinions diverged, you see.
Haa!? What the heck is she saying?
Failing to see the logic, I ended up releasing a strange sound "Fue?"
– Ah, I agree, I agree! Bookworm"s opinion, doesn"t it make you interested?
Tachibana and her random words of agreement at all of the critical moments. Her eyes are even sparkling.
– Really… I may be a bit interested too.
Oi… Don"t you get carried away and nonchalantly support them too, cla.s.s head.
Isn"t your position one of a mother who repositions her eyegla.s.ses with a cool look and prevents everybody from doing bad stuff. If not, there is no stopping the other two.
– Hey, hey, don"t you think it"s too sudden…?
– Come on. Sea, amus.e.m.e.nt park, café… Where should we go during summer? Bookworm of the wilds should have an opinion, right?
– I say, what opinion? The only thing a bookworm of the wilds can say is to study. Get yourself into a cheap national university. Filial piety, you hear, filial piety.
– Ugh… I was a fool to ask you.
And that is absolutely correct. Now you won"t be asking me, d.a.m.n glaring girl.
Well, the argument didn"t continue after that.
However, not on that day, but on the other days the same things happened. In other words, whenever they came to a stalemate in their conversation, as if by some agreement, they would always decide to delegate it to a strange boy named Ichijou. It has already become a custom.
Finding a good way to use someone. So this is your way of doing it.
Although, I feel like somehow, I give the same kind of impression.
Usually I study, but from time to time they request my view and I give a half-hearted comment. I started resembling that sort of person.
And each time it happens, blonde girl in front of me triumphantly grins… this is more or less the template of how things are going. Notification: Temporary shutdown of loner business. Since I have been replaced to this seat, Komatsu-kun has stopped coming and asking me to teach him, just what should I do?
Also, I feel like for some reason, Tachibana"s humor is getting better by the day.
At times like when we walk together outside the school after studying, I still start acting weirdly when there is no distance between our shoulders. Our bodies already touched each other many times, but it seems she doesn"t notice.
When we walk together, she sweetly whispers.
– Don"t we get along ten times better when we are alone compared to when we are in the cla.s.sroom…?
– Stop… Don"t say that.
– If somebody saw us being together. It could be… a bit risky…♪
– There is probably no need to worry. Even if club activities are over, surely n.o.body will come to the central station.
– But if someone does see… seriously… what shall we do…?
I am about to feel dizzy.
You are one of those who tease others, aren"t you? That painful expression… please stop it.
– You"ll take me home today too… right? Let"s slowly walk?
– Ye-, yeah.
I would"ve taken her home even if she hasn"t said it, but feeling worried, she did.
I"m not running away anywhere, okay?
Since the change of seats, Inside the cla.s.sroom and outside of cla.s.sroom, I spend more than half of the day close to Tachibana.
Although I sit at the rear, she is sitting right in front of me. When she ties her hair, I can see her beautiful nape, so the lesson, may be ongoing, but I can only look in front of me.
I am certainly conscious of this girl. Unfortunately, I can no longer deny it.
However, I"m still at Stage 1… right? Aunty…?
Moreover, concurrently with this grave problem, the way I behave in cla.s.s was, without a doubt, also changing. The conclusive event happened not during the lunch break, but during the short recess between lessons.
Naturally, I was amidst studying without a worry, so everything was a surprise attack for me.
Still, as expected, I was really surprised. That is because someone unexpected suddenly tapped me on the shoulder.
– Hey, Ichijou-kun. Could you…
My neighbor to the left, Tenjuin. Opposite to her stood another girl from our cla.s.s having a worried expression.
Long haired cla.s.s head shyly handed me a notebook.
– This, I want to hear your opinion about it. I don"t feel confident enough about it.
– Ah, okay…
– I thought, you should know it better. Is it, okay…?
It appears that this female honor student was lightly helping other cla.s.smates with their studies. And not having enough confidence, she decided to use me, who was by chance sitting next to her.
All of these is happening after that Hyoudou established a bad precedent with that exaggerated s.h.i.tty argument. We started talking a bit, it is probably a big matter even for Tenjuin.
Besides, it hasn"t stopped with one time.
– Sorry, Ichijou-kun. Could you help again… please?
– It"s okay, it"s okay. Show me.
To add up, those who seek Tenjuin"s help are not only girls, but boys too.
Because of that, some guys who started asking me directly appeared. Moreover, season is season. With only a week left before tests, there came a day when I had to handle everyone.
And by the time I noticed.
The ridicule I was supposed to hear during the lunch break, was no more.
Instead, when I met eyes with that Okamura, the guy directly turned his gaze away from me. With an expression just like a frightened puppy"s…
Something"s weird. I started feeling like that.
But the nature of that uncomfortable feeling, I still had no adequate explanation for it.