179 – Everyone’s Direction
I saw an empty career plan.
This is something that can be done by writing in an appropriate format, but strangely, the pen did not move.
“You can just write that you are going to college.”
Yuki scolded and said.
“Minsu is the only one in our class who couldn’t submit a submission.”
“Yu-kun, career path is important. No matter how much you think about it, it’s not enough.”
“I wonder if that’s true. I think there’s a problem even if you think about it too much.”
Yuuki and Haruna were talking loudly right in front of them, but they were talking out of one ear and scratching the back of their necks.
“I’m sorry, Haruna. “I’ll submit it by after school.”
“Yes. There’s no need to rush too much. “I’ll tell the teacher.”
“I am indeed. “The other kids walked without even waiting.”
After asking for permission from Haruna, a member of the class who had to collect and submit the career plan, she folded it up and put it in her desk.
“In the first place, is there a university you can go to with those grades?”
“There’s still a year left! “Just work hard starting next year!”
“I really don’t have any thoughts.”
When I looked out the window, I saw trees shaking their autumn leaves in the wind.
Time was passing by, toward the end of fall and the end of the second semester.
“By the way, Minsu, did you hear that?”
“What are you talking about?”
Yuki said, forcing herself to change the topic while avoiding Haruna’s nagging.
“Mr. Yanase. “They say I won’t be able to go to school for a while.”
“Really?”
“What is that casual expression? “I’m both worried and sad about this.”
Yuuki held both his hands together and sighed.
“Ah, what happened? Teacher~”
“What happened?”
When Haruna asked, Yuuki lowered her head and said.
“I don’t know. “Even when I asked the teacher’s office, they just said it was due to family circumstances.”
“Then I will come back when the situation is resolved.”
When he rested his chin and answered roughly, Yuuki slammed the desk and shouted.
“What?! “Aren’t you also an ardent follower of Mr. Yanase?”
“It wasn’t.”
He shook his head and let out a cold sigh, and Yuuki closed his mouth.
“Something like adult circumstances. There must have been something that couldn’t be said. “I’m curious, but there’s no way to know here.”
“That’s right…” .”
We had lunch together a few times, but in the end it was just a teacher-student relationship. As if realizing it, Yuuki’s shoulders slumped. Haruna pushed Yuuki’s back.
I felt sorry when I saw the two people sitting down, but it couldn’t be helped.
Yanase is currently hospitalized.
She was in a condition where she should have been hospitalized a long time ago, but she deceived herself and neglected herself without receiving treatment.
After barely getting Yanase hospitalized, she had made an agreement with her doctor that she could return to school when her condition improved.
The period could have been several weeks or months. From my perspective, I believed this was the best outcome.
She frowned as she rubbed one of her cheeks.
I still feel the bitter pain when I talk about it.
Because the wound was so deep that I had to be careful about eating for the time being.
That was something Yanase left to me.
It will heal over time.
At the same time, she will also be able to return to her normal state.
I forgot about my career plan and spent the time blankly until lunch time.
From Noble mtl dot com
***
Shiraishi came to school around lunch time and came up to the rooftop late to say hello to us.
“Sorry for being late. “Did you wait a long time because of me?”
“No~ Aki-chan. Elena, please sit down too.”
Haruna gestures with her hand. Shiraishi sometimes came to school late.
Since she is the daughter of the Shiraishi family, she seems to have many schedules.
“What happened today?”
“I attended her father’s business-related meeting.”
“Hey, you do that too.”
As Yuuki tilted her head as if she didn’t realize it, Shiraishi proudly placed her hand on her chest and shouted.
“Of course! “I have the responsibility to follow in my father’s footsteps and lead the family!”
“Are you following suit? “Something great.”
Yuki muttered, still feeling foolish, but it was natural that her position did not seem real to us, ordinary people.
“That’s right! “I am amazing!”
Shiraishi sat down and looked around her, feeling proud despite her meaningless exclamation.
“By the way, there aren’t many people today for some reason.”
“Yes… “There were various circumstances.”
Haruna explained with her wry smile.
With Yanase’s family circumstances, Yuuko’s illness, and Takase-senpai not being able to attend due to other schedules, today’s lunch time felt particularly different from usual.
“I see. Because I suddenly missed a few minutes… “I feel lonely.”
“Don’t worry. Yuuko said she could rest for about a day. “It’s the same with Eri.”
It didn’t feel as crowded as usual, but I enjoyed a hearty meal with my classmates and talked about various things.
“Everyone, are you free this evening?”
In the meantime, Shiraishi asked an unexpected question, and we nodded her head.
“Yes. “Because I’m not as busy as Shiraishi.”
“Me too… “I guess today will be as usual.”
After Yuuki and Haruna answered, their eyes turned to me next.
“I…” .”
Actually, I was planning to go visit Yanase in hospital, but….
I made eye contact with Elena, who was sitting quietly behind Shiraishi.
“Minsu, are you busy with anything?”
Shiraishi looked at us with earnest eyes.
And Elena also looked at me silently.
After roughly guessing the meaning of that gaze, I shook my head.
“Oh, no. Nothing happened. “It’s completely free.”
“Thank goodness!”
Shiraishi smiled broadly and shouted to everyone.
“Actually, my father returned from an overseas business trip this morning. That’s why I thought it would be nice if we all gathered together and enjoyed dinner.”
“Huh? Father?”
When I asked in confusion, Shiraishi nodded.
“Yes! “My father also wanted to see you.”
Why are you inviting your friends to a family meal?
I couldn’t understand, but the thoughtless Yuuki nodded.
“Of course it’s good. “I’ll go, I’ll go.”
“Yes. Me too.”
Once Haruna agreed, it was me again who was left.
I don’t mind just being invited, but Shiraishi’s father is there….
“Minsu?”
When her name was called, I suddenly saw her.
“Oh, well… huh. I’ll go.”
“Are you feeling burdened? In that case, you can feel free to refuse….”
Shiraishi’s shoulders slumped at my hesitant answer.
I felt as if a spark was flying from Elena’s eyes behind me.
“Okay. “If it’s uncomfortable, there’s nothing we can do.”
When Yuuki said a word, Shiraishi turned away without saying a word.
Elena, who always remained silent, took a slurp and sipped her tea.
I cleared my throat and spoke with difficulty.
“Oh, no! I’ll go. “I want to go too.”
“Are you serious!?”
Shiraishi looked back at me again and smiled brightly.
“Yes. Because the meals I eat at Shiraishi are always delicious. Well, father… “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen my parents.”
Although he hesitated and stammered about the title, Shiraishi shouted with joy.
“Yes! Of course! Since your father is coming, we are planning to prepare a special, elaborate dinner today. “You can look forward to it!”
Looking at my favorite Shiraishi, I, who couldn’t even eat most food properly due to the wound in her mouth, did my best to cheer.
“Wow, wow… “I’m really looking forward to that.”
“What is that forced reaction?”
We were invited to the Shiraishi family’s dinner this evening, including Yuuki, who was criticizing me, and Haruna, who was watching my reaction.
***
As I was packing my bags while watching students leaving the classroom after school, I remembered something I had forgotten.
“Hey. “Let’s go quickly.”
“Elena is waiting outside the school gate!”
Yuuki and Shiraishi came and stood in front of my seat.
“Sorry. “This is due today.”
I took out my career plan from my desk and scratched my cheek.
“What, haven’t you submitted it yet?”
Yuki asked as if it were absurd, but had nothing to say. He had a one-month deadline, but he was so busy that he couldn’t submit it.
I guess it wasn’t a situation where I had to worry about things like my career path.
“Oh my. Minsu, don’t you have any career plans?”
“Ugh….”
Shiraishi may have been an innocent question, but she was a question that struck me to the bone.
It felt like they were saying back, ‘Are you not thinking about anything?’
“Has Shiraishi submitted it?”
“Of course. “I have a clear plan.”
“What is it? Running for president?”
“What kind of foolish thing are you talking about?”
After thinking while holding my head in front of Shiraishi and Yuuki chatting away, I finally spoke.
“I’m sorry. “Can’t you just wait a little bit?”
After sending the two people out, saying that I would write and submit it right away, I was left alone.
I wrote the four words ‘going to college’ in the blank space, then scratched the back of my neck and erased them.
While I was pondering for a while, I raised my head at the approaching figure.
“Ah… senior.”
“Manager. “Why are you whining so much?”
“This.”
He showed me a blank career plan.
“I see. But didn’t the manager ever tell me?”
“Did you?”
When my senior smiled brightly, I remembered that.
When I joined the track and field team as a manager, I remember vaguely saying that my goal was to become a sports manager when a senior asked me why I came to a place like this.
“You don’t remember?”
The senior spoke as if teasing me.
Now she knew that everything that happened back then was just an excuse and a cover-up.
I stayed in the track and field club for less than two months.
After solving the goal, I quickly left the place.
So, I only acted while looking at the immediate situation.
“No, I remember, but…” .”
I answered with an embarrassed feeling and looked at my senior.
Now that I think about it, you couldn’t participate in lunch today. I didn’t know why.
Because it was good timing, I raised my head to ask.
“Then…” .”
At that time, my senior’s hand was placed on my head.
“I also wait in front of the school gate. “Please submit it quickly and come back.”
The senior lightly stroked my head with her gentle hand and turned her body around.
I had to endure embarrassment for a while while pressing the touched area.
I thought that there would be very few students who would be fine even after experiencing such a fleeting and unexpected touch from the prince of Sakuraba Academy.
When I took a small breath and picked up the pen to concentrate again.
“Ah, Minsu~”
Haruna entered the classroom following Senpai.
“I just ran into my sister. Do you have a career plan yet?”
Haruna, who had been away for a while due to class committee work, came back and asked me.
“Yes, sorry…” .”
They even gave me time after school. I’m still sitting like a child because I haven’t been able to submit it yet.
Haruna pulled out a chair and sat down next to me and said with a smile.
“It’s okay. “Because I can wait as long as I want.”
“But there are other kids outside too….”
I was anxious and held my head, but the more I tried, the more I couldn’t come up with an answer.
“Then you know… How about this?”
Haruna took my pen and filled in the blanks for her.
“Huh?”
That was the ‘going to college’ that Yuuki had mentioned in the morning.
“Going to the same university as me… “What do you think?”
“……….”
That is.
Are you staying with Haruna even after you go to university?
“Will my grades be successful?”
“Of course it’s a bit difficult now… “If you try hard, you will be able to come up.”
It wasn’t a bad choice, no, it was a good choice for me. She wasn’t sure if she could stand on her level.
“I will help you. “I will stay by your side and continue to help you for the rest of the year.”
I spoke to Haru as she folded her own hand over mine.
The rest of the future is also with Haruna.
It was a choice I did not wish for.
However, I felt like something was blocking me in a corner of my heart.
It would certainly be a good thing to be with Haruna, but the strange feeling of missing something stopped me.