Chapter 28.1

It was almost time for the book club, but I couldn’t stop myself from smiling.

I covered my silly grin with my hand and opened the door to the club room. Since I’d left early because I was so excited, there was no one in the classroom just yet.

Oh right, I should call my dad.

Sitting down and with a bright face, I pulled out the communication device I’d gotten as a birthday present this summer.

When I touched the surface of the round marble, I heard the call ring a couple of times before I soon saw my dad’s face.

I hadn’t had the chance to contact him ever since I got back to school since it was the exams period, which was perhaps why he had an even more welcoming look on his face when the call went through.

– Kate, exams must be over, huh? Great work.

“Dad, Dad, we got our grades back and I finished in fourth place.”

Waving my hand, I grinned widely at him.

His two eyes widened and the pen in his hand clattered to the floor. Soon, a loud noise could be heard from the communication device.

– Is that true? Goodness gracious, my daughter’s amazing!

“Aw shucks…”

– Hey, Kate said she got fourth place! Yeah, she really did! Haha!

Going as far as to shout outside his office, my dad burst into laughter again and again. It turned out that he was really overjoyed that I was doing so well.

“Dad, I’m actually supposed to be attending a book club meeting soon, all right? I think we need to hang up now. I’ll call you back later.”

Making a face of regret at my words, Dad puckered his lips.

– A peck before you leave.

“My gosh… What peck now?”

I wavered for a while before I finally wiped the surface of the device with my sleeve and brought it to my lips.

“I’m hanging up now.”

And just as I was about to shut the communication device off, my eyes went to Noah, who I discovered was standing stock still at the door.

Roll.

At the same time I hung up, the device rolled right out of my hands and onto the floor.

An uncomfortable silence ensued for a moment.

Picking up the device, I hastily explained should Noah misunderstand. “That was my dad.”

“… Oh?” Noah calmly nodded.

Then, pulling out the chair next to me, he sat down and stared right into my eyes. “Did you do well on the exam?”

“Yes, thanks to your tutoring, my grades improved tremendously,” I answered, smiling gratefully.

“How about you?”

“So-so.”

Wow, nothing different there. Always so modest.

Rubbing my shoulder in a random sense of awkwardness, I said, “But it’s still nice that the exams are over.”

“I wonder — I think I’m a little sad.”

He was sad because exams were over…? Was he going bonkers?

Muttering to myself in my head at Noah’s incomprehensible answer, I put the device I’d been fiddling with back into my pocket.

Noah played with his fingers for a time before he opened his mouth. “I liked how we stayed back together to study.”

“Ohh.”

Wow, okay, that was a bit heart-fluttering. Though I guess with that face, he could say just about anything and my heart would still flutter.

Scratching my nose, I looked at the clock.

“Whew.”

The door opened and Gloria and Flora entered.

Unlike how she usually was, this time Flora was sighing with a sullen face, and Gloria, who was pounding at Flora’s back, was asking her, “You don’t look very good. Was the exam that difficult?”

“Yeah, just a little.”

Flora trailed off, looking depressed.

“Maybe it’s because I’ve been out playing so much these days? My grades fell a little this time.”

True, I’d seen her out often with her boyfriend even during the exam period.

But Flora, who quickly flipped over her expression, gave me a greeting and asked, “How about you, Kate? Did you do well?”

“Oh, yes. The exams for us second-years were a little easier this time around.”

Bragging in front of someone whose grades had fallen was a little too much, after all.

At my answer, Flora smiled softly but listlessly. “Oh really? That’s good.”

“You’ve done well enough. You’ll do better next time,” said Noah.

“Hmph, hearing that from Mr. Valedictorian doesn’t make me happy at all.”

When Noah’s offer of consolation was met by Flora’s admonition, he wisely closed his mouth.

Just before Gloria sat down, she suddenly shot back up and looked between Noah and me in turns.

She looked really, really unhappy with the fact that I was sitting next to Noah.

Since it wasn’t like we could move seats now, I slowly turned my head away so as not to make eye contact with her.

***

For about an hour or so, Flora looked gloomy. Her explanations were done haltingly and she often stared into space.

Looking at her depressed figure from the back, I suddenly remembered how she had given me candy last semester.

After tapping her on the shoulder and drawing her attention, I held out a strawberry-flavored lollipop.

“Um, Flora. Have this.”

With a strange expression, Flora took the candy from me not before she shed a soft chuckle. “Thanks, Kate. Looks delicious.”

“Uh, there’s, um, also this really tasty caramel. I don’t have it now, but I’m planning to go to town this weekend, so I’ll buy it for you then. It tastes really good.”

“…”

“It’s meant to cheer you up.” I finished with a small smile.

“Pfft.”

Looking as if she’d cheered up at least a little bit, Flora laughed as she patted my shoulder.

“Yeah, it looks like I’ll be way too busy reviewing everything to even step out of the dorms this weekend. Please buy some for me.”