Promoted to the third grade, the chances for Tsubaki personally experiencing the teaching of the school"s motto; Natural Learning, has increased.
When she still in the lower grades, they only do things like; go out to places that rich in nature, grow and tending Morning Glories, and cleaning up the animal rearing shed, albeit not proactively.
The school only deemed it is safe to genuinely teach the students in subjects of natural activities, such as farming and animal rearing, when they get into the third grade.
And since the primary school of the Takamine Academy was on the outskirt of the city, it has a vast area of the plot.
There are farming and paddy fields used for students to learn about farming. The activities began in early spring, where middle grades students would plant sweet potatoes, while the upper grades students would plant rice.
And in autumn where the harvest season began. The middle grades students would gather together to have a compet.i.tion in making sweet baked potatoes, while the upper grades students would have lunch of freshly cooked white rice in which they had planted as their main menu together.
This is Takamine we are talking about, they must have prepared high grade seedlings for us to use, thought Tsubaki with somewhat high expectation.
And so, today, the sweet potatoes seedling planting event has started at the farming field within the school ground.
The partic.i.p.ants are the third and fourth grades students.
For students to plant the seedling, the teacher would pa.s.s the sweet potato seedlings one by one to each of the students, and plant it in the hole of the plastic-covered strip farming field on a horizontal line.
Even though Tsubaki and Anna have already planted their seedlings, Kyousuke still has not done so were he still standing with the seedling in his hands.
“Why are they fighting just for the place to plant the seedling?” (Tsubaki)
Muttered Tsubaki, as her line of sight rested on a place where the girls were fighting over the spot next to Kyousuke.
And whenever he tried to plant the seedling in his hands, one of the girls would deliberately stop him.
Is primary school girls were this aggressive before? Thought Tsubaki in wonder.
“In the end, we would already forget about our spots when the harvest season comes anyway.” (Anna)
Muttered Anna, and Tsubaki simply agrees with what she said.
The teacher has tried to stop them, but the girls" vigors were just too much for them to handle alone.
The teacher then looking at Tsubaki, as if they were seeking for help, but realized that she had already finished planting, they openly showed their disappointment.
The teacher might be thinking to give Tsubaki, who is Kyousuke"s cousin and fiancee, the right to plants besides Kyousuke and settle this peacefully. (TN: First-cousin marriage is allowed in j.a.pan.)
And there, Chizuru, who have finished planting as well, walk up toward Kyousuke and the female students.
Seeing Chizuru approaching them, the teacher who was trying to stop the female students was so relieved.
“Everyone, it is not good to trouble Mizushimsama too much. Even Mizushimsama want to end this quickly, you are all also troubling others if you keep fighting like this, you know?” (Chizuru)
As expected of the girl"s biggest group"s leader.
Heard Chizuru"s calm and persuasive warning, the female students who were making the commotion before suddenly goes silent. Using that chance, the teacher then prompts Kyousuke to start planting.
“If Toudou-sama said so–“. After saying that, they then gave up in the fight over the spot next to Kyousuke, and each of them starts searching for an open spot to plant the potato seedlings. Making the commotion before as if it has never happened.
After that, Chizuru turns around to leave that place, and then her eyes met with Tsubaki who was watching the scene from afar.
Glaring at her, Chizuru then approaching Tsubaki at a quick pace.
“As Mizushimsama"s fiancee, could you please handle this kind of situation by yourself?.” (Chizuru)
“Ara. Am I really have to be that overprotective, I wonder? Wasn"t that where Kyousuke-san suppose to handle it himself?” (Tsubaki)
An imaginary spark was flying in between Tsubaki and Chizuru. Looking at that, a male student muttered: “The standoff between G.o.ddess and Witch have started again–” and Tsubaki did not miss that.
Hearing at those nicknames, Tsubaki wanted to ask the male student “Who"s who?”, but since she can already make a guess out of it, she just pretends didn"t hear it for her own inner peace.
Meanwhile, Chizuru, who has missed what the male student had said, continued charging at Tsubaki.
“You should have known well about Mizushimsama"s personalities, aren"t you?” (Chizuru)
“That doesn"t mean I have to always meddle in his affairs, also it won"t be good for him. I will properly warn Kyousuke-san to do something about this kind of situation himself when it happens. So today, Toudou-san have managed to handle the situation peacefully, let"s just leave it at that, shall we?” (Tsubaki)
“It is because you always take this kind of att.i.tude that makes the other female students start getting ahead of themselves. If you keep looking down on them just because you are his fiancee and have a close relationship with him, don"t be surprised when someone pulls the rug under you.” (Chizuru)
“Thank you very much for your kind warning.” (Tsubaki)
Tsubaki then looking straight into Chizuru"s eyes and smiled at her. On the other hand, Chizuru gave Tsubaki a sharp glare before leaving for the place where her followers had gathered.
Nevertheless, what Chizuru said was true. Every time Kyousuke was getting surrounded by the female students, Tsubaki never helps him out as long as he did not ask for it so she would always pretend she didn"t see it happen.
That must be the reason why Chizuru thought she was looking down on them, but Tsubaki does that so Kyousuke could learn at least a way to turn down woman advances by himself.
Mou, what"s her problem? I have always warned the girls once every five times I saw them go after him so isn"t it fine? Thought Tsubaki sulkily, but remembered that the other students were still looking at her, she immediately put a calm and composed front and pretending to look at something afar.
There she saw Anna walking toward her as if she had timed her return right after Chizuru leave.
“How kind of you.” (Tsubaki)
“Oh~ the irony~ Anyway, people will talk behind your back again if we go 2 vs. 1 on her, you know?” (Anna)
“You"re right, I guess.” (Tsubaki)
In their school, Tsubaki and Chizuru"s groups are the only two major groups and currently in the state of preserving equilibrium.
Although in numbers, Tsubaki was far outstripped by Chizuru were she only have Anna and Kyousuke.
Currently, Tsubaki could stand toe to toe with Chizuru because of the influence she borrowed from Kyousuke and also makes use of some of her connections. And the matter about reputation, the other students had branded her as someone without virtue or character.
Because of that, the other students see Tsubaki as evil while Chizuru as justice.
Seeing the current development within the school, Tsubaki almost wanted to loudly laugh and say “All according to plan.”
To keep her reputation stay as it is, she only talks to Anna and Kyousuke, and always lets out an aura that as if she was saying “Don"t talk to me.”
And that was also the reason why her surroundings perceive her as an arrogant and haughty person.
The other students had never bullied her probably because they scared of those who stand behind her, so they only took a cold att.i.tude toward her.
Moreover every time Chizuru goes complaint to her, it would be always about Kyousuke, which leads to garners unnecessary hatred from the students. Although it was mostly from the girls.
“In my previous life, I was quite friendly to everyone so this pseudo-villain acting is actually kinda fun.” (Tsubaki)
“Just how thick your skin is, really.” (Anna)
In school, their surroundings were perceiving these two as a couple of baddies since the way they talk in a low voice every time they had a conversation. But, only this Tsubaki would not stop.
Because the times she throws Tsukkomi unknowingly would start increasing. On the inside, she was born common people, not some kind of elites. So there are times she wants to say “This is why rich people are…” toward these students.
Anna wanted to continue this topic, but since few students are coming pa.s.sing through them, she brazenly changes the subject.
“How is Obsama recently?” (Anna)
“This would be her third time, so I think Okasama already gets the hang of it.” (Tsubaki)
“The estimated date of birth is around summer, isn"t it?” (Anna)
“Ee. Her stomach has turned this big you know. Unlike at the time with Sumire, the baby in her stomach was quite active.” (Tsubaki)
“Oji-sama must have been bought a lot of stuff again, doesn"t he?” (Anna)
Like what Tsubaki and Anna have said, Yuriko was currently in a period of pregnancy.
Seeing this would be the second time, her father had been rather calmed down.
Yet, the number of stuff he bought was still a lot if compared with people from a common family.
Watching the couple happily discussing the name for the baby every day was quite a soothing sight for Tsubaki.
And because of that, Sumire was rather in a bad mood recently since the time her mother spend playing with her has decreased, and she had been always throwing a tantrum even from a slight matter.
That was why recently Tsubaki has been taking care of Sumire a lot in her mother"s stead.
“Of course, this is the big sister"s privilege! Big sister"s—- MY PRIVILEGE!” this is what she had once declared loudly inside the house, even though there was no one it"s directed to.
“I never know having a little sister could be this thrilling.” (Tsubaki)
“I am the only child so I don"t know how you feel. Still, do your family going to wait until the baby"s born before start guessing it"s gender this time?” (Anna)
“Ee, although for me personally, I don"t really care about it. I am glad as long as the baby is born safely.” (Tsubaki)
“The Asahina house already has two sons born from the eldest Oji-sama"s family. So, your family could take it easy at this point.” (Anna)
Just as Anna said, Tsubaki"s father has two older brothers. The eldest one has two sons, while the younger one has one.
As the third son, her father does not get involved with the matter about the family"s company management. He only works as one of the company"s employees, not as a member of the board of directors. So even if her father would have a son born in the family, the said son would not be counted as a successor.
By that meaning, there would not be any unnecessary pressure on her mother in her daily life. In this part where Tsubaki was relieved the most.
The third son of the president of the Asahina company, without any involvement with the matter of succession. In the eyes of a woman with big ambition, her father might seem inadequate for them. However, it was more than enough for her mother.
And in reality, Tsubaki saw her mother as someone who has the best time in their life.
“Nee, this comes to me but, don"t you think my mother is the biggest winner in life?” (Tsubaki)
“You just realized it now!? Or rather, she is already the biggest winner in life by the time she"s born.” (Anna)
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