93 – 93. I Want to Go Back!
Time flowed smoothly and vigorously like a river of lectures, and before I knew it, in mid-July, a traveler like me was dropped off at a stopover.
Although the beautiful cherry blossoms had long fallen, the sky was gradually turning a navy color.
An airplane drew a white line across the blue sky, children played on the playground, and countless cicadas continued their chorus in unison.
“…Ah, is it really summer?”
Just as the cicadas joyfully sang, the Seihey Mansion also echoed with the sound, but for some reason, the sound was clearer in the classroom.
As the sound from outside the window continued to be heard, Kenichi, who had slouched in his chair, gradually straightened up like a bow.
The temperature had indeed risen due to the onset of summer, but he wasn’t particularly bothered by the heat.
“…Damn life.”
Just because people feel a bit hot, they shouldn’t be pessimistic about life.
The people around Kenichi, besides Kenichi, were proof of that.
Even Hotaru and Sento, unlike the superhuman Kenichi, had bodies not much different from ordinary people.
Yes, this was a problem strictly related to Kenichi.
More accurately, it was related to everyone, but it seemed like a situation that only he had messed up.
In July, approaching the summer vacation, Karakura High School didn’t have many events scheduled.
It felt like everything had been emptied for one event, for the sake of a grand finale.
“…It’s over.”
And today came to an end.
It was the final exam marking the end of the long 140-day first semester.
Exams had ended a while ago, and today the grades were out.
After the fierce battle, Kenichi, feeling as desolate as a rotting green onion, murmured bitterly.
“…I studied this time, why…”
Of course, it was a given, but the foolish Kenichi failed this exam as well.
Despite studying hard in his own way, unfortunately, the outcome remained unchanged.
Teasing him as a fool and an idiot seems to have actually affected his mind.
As a teacher, I couldn’t help but hide my sorrowful heart and lightly pat my student’s shoulder with a smile.
“Kenichi, remember, caterpillars only eat pine tree leaves. Let’s just give up on studying, okay?”
“…Damn, you’re the worst, Sensei.”
For your information, just like in the midterm, I scored full marks in all subjects.
Naturally, I ranked first in the whole school. It pains me that my student is considered a fool despite being so outstanding.
“Hm-hm-hm-ha.”
That laughter of mine was also due to that.
It was never because I enjoyed seeing Kenichi in distress.
From Noble mtl dot com
Unlike childhood friends, Hotaru, who ranked third in the whole school, grinned and waved his hand in front of Kenichi’s eyes.
His fish-like eyes showed no reaction whatsoever.
“Kenichi? Did you pass out?!”
Meanwhile, sitting next to him, Sento barely secured second place by a hair’s breadth due to a mistake in the previous exam.
In other words, the final exam was a perfect score.
Ichimaru Shiki – 1st place (total score of 700 points), Sawamura Sento – 2nd place (total score of 698 points).
It’s truly precious to achieve such a remarkable record with your partner.
If a fool like Kenichi were my partner, no matter how much I tried, we would never have achieved it.
“…Kenichi, wake up!”
Well, that was amusing in its own way.
Not only Kenichi had a good reaction, but my partner at the moment was just the same.
I turned my head slightly and met Sento’s gaze, who was staring at me intently.
The intense gaze was so hot that one could mistake his pinkish eyes for burning.
“Hm-hm-ha, what’s the matter?”
“Nothing.”
“Despite that, you seem to have something to say.”
The charge for the attempted theft of the school uniform was still not resolved.
It had been a month already.
Sento, who had shown no hesitation to steal my uniform just to put it on a naked girl, had not been shy enough to continue the awkwardness for so long.
We had clasped hands and welcomed a peaceful reconciliation for a long time.
“…Hm, ha-ha.”
Just the person sitting next to me, Sawamura Sento, was subtly competitive.
She was the kind to study diligently in a straightforward manner, facing me, who had taken the test fairly.
With what seemed like a stifled laugh, she let out a mischievous smile, her lips curling upwards as if unable to contain her amusement.
“…A tie this time?! hahahaha, how amusing.”
Although I was slightly ahead in total points, I decided to stay quiet because the reaction was cute.
Sawamura Cento, who was cheering me on, was quite adorable.
Perhaps he was as attentive as Kenichi, who did well on the exam, so I decided to just enjoy the moment.
“By the way, it’s summer.”
I knew we were transitioning into the scorching summer season, but finishing the final exams made it feel fresh again.
June, the early summer, and July approaching the summer vacation held a completely different meaning.
The weather had gotten hotter than before, and people’s clothing gradually became lighter and shorter.
Come to think of it, there was a heatwave warning not long ago.
It seemed like the world of ‘Kōmarru’ was also experiencing global warming.
The reason I came to dislike summer was precisely because of this.
Being trapped indoors due to the intense heat, catching a cold from the air conditioning breeze.
Looking back now, it was a harsh season for a homebound recluse.
“Being a superhuman now, I hardly feel the heat, but…”
Even if I were to fall into lava, I probably wouldn’t feel the heat at this temperature.
In a way, the biggest characteristic of midsummer and its flaw had disappeared.
The reason to hunker down in the corner like a recluse to catch the air conditioning breeze had also vanished.
Moreover, the summer vacation was approaching soon.
If one did nothing during the promised summer, wouldn’t it be impolite not to earn the title of ‘romantic comedy’?
Of course, this world was far from being romantic comedy-like.
But I felt like I should at least uphold that pretext.
With such thoughts, my inner desire impulsively blurted out.
“Well then, shall we play?”
Yes, because I’ve been working hard. Taking a brief break should be fine.
At my casual remark, Kenichi, who had been slumped on the chair like a deflated balloon, suddenly perked up.
Whether he didn’t know he had just returned from San Dochon or not, he asked eagerly.
“Are we finally going to play?!”
…As if someone had stopped him from playing.
I had only trained him from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., he could have played during the remaining time.
Seeing his eyes sparkle like that, my desire to let him play diminished a bit, but sadly, he wasn’t the only one responding to my words with enthusiasm.
Twinkle, twinkle…
Sawamura Cento beside me somehow quietly brightened his eyes and looked at me.
If I were to say summer vacation was canceled now, he would probably hit me on the back of my head.
Our fragile relationship would become awkward again.
In that sense, it was inevitable.
I glanced at the sky’s navy blue outside the window and clenched my fist.
“Yes, because it’s summer!”
“Wow!”
***
And so, time passed, and it became summer vacation.
It was concluded that it would be better to go to the beach rather than play in Tokyo to truly enjoy the summer vibes. As a result, I flew to Okinawa.
“Wow, the smell of salt.”
Kenichi, who kept saying “Wow, wow…” as it was his first time on a plane, still had a big smile on his face as he dragged his suitcase out of the airport.
“What’s going on? Shiki spent all this money here.”
It was a rather annoying remark.
If someone hears it, they might think I’m stingy.
Of course, the plane we took, the accommodation, the expenses, all came from the Shihei family, not my own pocket, but aren’t we like a family?
Since family and I are of one mind, it was no different from me spending the money.
“Well, let’s move quickly since the driver is waiting!”
“Oh!”
We took the limousine arranged by Shihei to our private accommodation.
A huge pension and a golden sandy beach sparkling, with the blue, vigorously shaking sea.
With the orange sunset falling at just the right moment, it was like a painting.
“…Beautiful.”
Even the expressionless and passive Sento was captivated by the beauty.
If Hotaru, who is more sensitive than her, had seen this, she would have been ecstatic, but unfortunately, she couldn’t come because she had to protect the shrine as a priestess.
Knowing she had to stay alone in Tokyo, tears welled up in her eyes.
It was a pity, but to make up for it and match the gender ratio, I brought another charming girl.
“Oh, the sea! It’s a beautiful sea to behold even for me! It must have been centuries since I last saw it with my own eyes!”
Yongyong…
Though he had the spirit of an old man rather than a girl, it was too sad to leave her alone in a corner, so I brought her along.
Somehow, it reminded me of the days when I was a hikikomori.
“It would be great to help with training.”
“Hmm?”
Kenichi, who was cheerfully admiring the sea, turned his head in surprise.
With a puzzled expression, he asked me while scratching his ear.
“What did you just say?”
“Huh? I said it would be great to train.”
“…Wasn’t training not part of the plan?”
“Huh, what are you talking about? There’s no break from training during the summer vacation, right?!”
“…Oh, I see.”
“Come on, let’s do some intense training together on the beaches of Okinawa!”
“…”
Kenichi, with a momentarily absent expression, suddenly ran towards the beach and shouted with his hands clasped together.
“I want to go back───!!!”
You’ve been kidnapped.
lmfao