CH 37

Huh, this is the first time for me.

I haven’t spent such a relaxing time on this field trip.

Wow, here is the Kyoto Imperial Palace.

The long wall goes on the side, so we can’t see the inside at all from the bus.

But I can see that it is very big.

And on the other side is the university. A lot of university students? It’s crowded

And there is a women’s college next to it. Sounds like a lot of fun.

It’s good to be lively. It’s not bad.

I used to not like this kind of dazzling atmosphere, but I guess I can say the opposite now.

Well, I still like the calm atmosphere, though.

And fresh?

No, no, how do you read it?　Should I just read English as it is?

Is it a chain store? I’m not sure, but I keep seeing a supermarket I’m not used to in my hometown.

Well, what’s the point of thinking about this? But I see it anyway.

Something must be wrong with me because I feel that the time alone on the city bus is my relaxation time during this field trip.

But at any rate, I really feel calm. Here.

Luckily, no one I know is on board at the moment.

I get another call from Kanna.

[So-chan, I’m almost there. What about you? ]

Are you almost there? Well, it won’t be long for I to arrive now.

[Not right away, though. I’m just around Imadegawa now, so I don’t think it’ll take that long. As I said before, I’ve managed to get out of the grup, so I’m sure I can get there soon. If you get there first, I’m sorry, but just wait a bit.]

I’m really glad.

If I couldn’t get out of there, I’d have been beaten up by Kanna…

Not a trace of her…

But I don’t care about that now as long as it doesn’t spoil Kanna’s mood.

I’ve known her for a long time, so I understand. Today Kanna’s mood is really bad.

Is she going to ask me to help her with something again?

Well, it’s not like she will ask me to do something crazy, so I don’t have a problem with it.

But that look on her face is something to remember…

Oh, no, another stop.

This area is another one of those areas with many bus stops.

There are many traffic lights, and I lose a lot of time.

Well, that’s all for the time.

Yeah, I’m almost there. The goal is in sight by now, so we’ll take it easy…Oh, no!

No, no way!?

Two familiar faces are just now entering from the bus…

”Well, well, well, we’ve hunted another couple, haven’t we? I’m sorry, but they take their collective behavior lightly and flirt…I wonder what they think the field trip is. Right, Manabe-sensei?”

”Hmm, you’re right, Nakamura-sensei. They’re flirting with the opposite sex in such a place of learning. It’s really a pity that they’re so soft nowadays. We have to return them to the group they belong to as soon as we find them. Now, let’s keep working hard.”

Oh, they are…

Are they Manabe-sensei and Nakamura-sensei, who are chemistry and physics teachers??

Two of the most hated teachers in the school, who are famous for their logical and insidious personalities in everything they do, are getting along with each other and…

This is the worst.

If I’m found in a place like this, I’ll probably end up in my original group…

Why, why did you come all the way here…

How’s that possible?

I finally came all the way here, and I didn’t expect these guys to find me at the end…

Somehow, I need to get out of their eyes…Oh, shoot.

It’s over. It’s too late.

I’m totally eye-to-eye with them. No, we’ve made eye contact…

All my hard work is now completely gone…

Are you kidding me? Seriously, why did you do this at the end?

What?

Oh, what’s that? They were standing at the entrance, looking at me, nodding their heads, and mumbling.

”Ah, it brings back memories. I had a time like that too. How about you, Nakamura-sensei?”

”Well, it’s a nostalgic scene for me too. I don’t dislike such a guy. He’s still so brazen even though he’s all alone and abandoned by the others in the group. There’s always a man with a backbone.”

Hmm?　What? Why are you both giving me thumbs-up…

A-are you praising me?

Huh? You misunderstand something, aren’t you?　

I’m sure you’re mistaken in a not-so-good way.

You’re sitting in the front seat with your back to me……?

What?　No, what?　Did you ignore me being alone without a group?

No, but what? It isn’t very clear…

Well, maybe the result is good, but it’s still confusing…

Besides, did they mumble about what happened in the past? What happened to those two…

Anyway, for the time being, it’s still safe….. It seems so.

Yes, it’s safe. Safe.

I can hear them talking again, but it sounds like they’re getting off at the next stop.

Oh, that was a close one.

Really, I’ve had a heart attack all day long.

Thanks to this, I just realized that I hadn’t eaten lunch today.

Yeah. I haven’t eaten.

Come to think of it. I found a green tea Baumkuchen in my backpack, which I had bought at Airi’s request earlier.

Well, I can eat a little bit of it first…

No, she’ll lose her temper.

She’s a little girl, but she’s picky about that kind of thing.

Yeah. It’s hard to have her screaming again. It’s hard.

Let’s stop…

Well, I’m getting there.

I’ll grab something light with Kanna over there.

I’m sure she had extra lunch.

Well, finally.

But something’s been bothering me…

What is it?　Is there some important person here?

I didn’t see this many people this morning.

I mean, I don’t remember seeing this scene.

I don’t think so. But now, I have seen a black luxury car driving down the road several times since then.

A lot of them…

Is that it?　It’s Kyoto. Maybe some foreign dignitaries are coming to Japan?

A president or something?

No, I don’t think so. But there must be something going on.

Well, it sounds interesting, but I don’t think it matters to me right now.

Ring- ring-

Oh, so now my sister is calling me.

I have a bad feeling about this.

[What are you doing, brother?]

Is she going to ask for something else besides Yatsuhashi?

[ I’m on the bus right now…]

It’s a pain in the ass, but if she asks you to buy it, I have to buy it…

[Hey, where are you planning to go now?　I have some extra souvenirs I’d like to ask you to bring depending on where you go.]

I knew it. …….. 　

[ Shimogamo shrine ]

Well, I don’t know much about that place, and I don’t know if they have what you want.

[Okay, Shimogamo shrine. Then you don’t need to get the extra souvenirs. And the Yatsuhashi I asked for is fresh Yatsuhashi. Please make no mistake about it.]

What? Is it good?

That’s unusual. The usual Kana… she’s always trying to get me to buy whatever she wants.

Well, it saves me a lot of trouble. No problem at all.

On the contrary, it’s good.

She’s grown up a little, hasn’t she?

Well, I’m here now anyway.

The two teachers who just got off at the other bus stop are gone too.

Right. All I have to do is get off and walk a little bit.

It’s been a long day, but I made it.

I’m so glad.

I succeed.

But for some reason, I can’t stop sweating.

?

Why…..?