Chapter 65

Kaburagi’s female fans have been creating a fuss in cla.s.s, but never go as far as actually causing trouble for others. They just get really loud during breaks is all. It was just like last year with Enjou.Except, since Kaburagi’s temper has a lower boiling point than Enjou’s, they’ve been probing for his limit as they enjoy being around him.At a glance, it seems like there’s no problem as long as you deal with the noise, but since there are more people in the cla.s.sroom, sometimes there are kids whose seats get stolen by these girls. So a few timid kids have been having trouble with not being able to sit at their own desks.What should I do. If I keep warning them every time, they’re going to think of me as a nag, and as a cla.s.s rep, it’s not like I can turn a blind eye either.I wonder what Enjou did last year. I wasn’t a cla.s.s rep, so to be honest I didn’t really pay attention to the others.And I recall Enjou gently chiding them not to invade other people’s cla.s.srooms.In Term 1 they really were noisy, but after a while things worked out pretty fine, I think. Well, maybe we just got used to it though.Still, I’m definitely not going to start managing Kaburagi’s fans.And Monk Boy keeps looking at me with pleading eyes. It’s impossible, I tell you.Tsuruhana-san is in that fan group. I’ll create even more conflict if I say something to her.Aahh, the silent complaints from all those victims are&h.e.l.lip;Hah, can’t be helped.

“Tsuruhana-san, I am sorry to disturb you during your conversation, but it seems that this girl needs her seat back, so could you move?”

“&h.e.l.lip;Hmmm~ Whose seat was this again?”

She looked around the room with a challenging gaze.The eyes of the seat owner began to swim.

“Hey, could I borrow your seat for a little?”

“Ah&h.e.l.lip; yes, please do. I don’t need it yet&h.e.l.lip;”

Geh-! I’ve been abandoned!Hey, you can’t do that, okay? It’s because you complained that I came here to say this to her.

“So she says. That fine? Kisshouin-san?”

Tsuruhana-san chuckled.She’s a real p.i.s.s-off. But since there’s no victim, I can’t say anything back.

“I see. If the girl herself is fine with that, then I have nothing to say. My apologies for bothering you.”

“It must be roughh huhh~ Being cla.s.s rep.”

I walked away with a smile of composure, somehow managing to hide the stiffness.d.a.m.nniiitt! I lost!Serika-chan welcomed me back with a disgruntled expression. I’m sorry for being a coward!This won’t do. At this rate, far from a showdown between our two groups, I might be overthrown in my own one.All of this is Kaburagi’s fault! It’s because he’s so irresponsible! Well, I’m aware this is just an excuse though!Kaburagi was paying no attention to the girls at all, instead talking happily to the boys about sports.He has no idea how much other people are suffering&h.e.l.lip; Heavens above, please let a bird p.o.o.p on that guy’s head.Maybe I should just bring some folding chairs into the cla.s.sroom and set up a Kaburagi Viewing Corner or something.

Lately I’ve been trying to avoid buying sweets when I go snack shopping at the convenience store.I’m afraid of getting fat and pimples, you see.In exchange, I’ve started eating more onigiri and sandwiches. It’s healthier and more nutritious than sweets, you see. It’s a shame that it doesn’t keep well, though.I get chauffeured on weekdays, so I secretly do my snack-buying on weekends and during the breaks in cram school.Lately there have been a lot of new onigiri flavours. But in the end, yakishake grilled salmon is my favourite.And recently I’ve been immersing myself in some stupid hobbies to forget about my troublesome school life when I’m at home. Yes, I realise that it’s just escapism&h.e.l.lip;Anyway, for today I’ve got my ‘Convenience Store Onigiri Rankings’.Right now, I’ve got yakishake at number 1,

Onigiri made with yakishake grilled salmon

mixed chicken rice at number 2,

Gomoku Five Ingredients mixed rice typically come with some of the following: matsutake, shiitake, bamboo shoots, burdock root, fresh soybeans, chestnuts, chicken, fish, or oysters.

and maybe mentaiko roe at number 3?

Mentaiko(明太子) is the marinated roe of pollock and cod is a common ingredient in j.a.panese cuisine. The taste is salty, spicy, savoury and ocean-like.

Ah, but the omurice one from the other day was yummy as well.

Omurice in portable form

As I gobbled down my onigiri, I suddenly got a call from Sakura-chan.

“Sakura-chan? What’s the matter?”

“There’s a little something I’d like to ask. Hm? Are you eating something, Reika?”

“I just had fondant chocolate.”

“You’re going to get fat eating that at night, you know.”

“&h.e.l.lip;I’ll be careful. Anyway, what was it you wanted?”

“Oh right! There was this girl who gave Tak.u.mi a Valentine’s Chocolate!”

Valentine’s? It’s been a pretty long time since.

“Why are you talking about it now? And who?”

“Becausee! I only just found out today. I heard it from Tak.u.mi’s oneesan. The girl is his track and field club kouhai. Do you know her?”

Uh, you didn’t even tell me her name, but no, I don’t know her.

“Isn’t it just obligatory chocolates?”

“Reika. You’re making light of Tak.u.mi.”

Ridiculous. It’s true that in primary school he had a cute face like a squirrel, but maybe because of the daily training, since entering middle school I think he’s gotten pretty sharp-looking , okay?

“Find out what kind of girl she is.”

“Mm~mm, if it’s just having a look, I don’t mind. But I’ve got a lot on my hands right now.”

“Exactly what problems do you have?”

I started grumbling to Sakura-chan about my troubles as a cla.s.s rep.

“Reika, isn’t it because you’re so meek that they’re looking down on you? Go let them have it. And then maybe talk to Emperor too.”

“Eehhh~ I can’t do eiitherr of thosee~”

“Then give up.”

“Uu&h.e.l.lip;”

They’re not causing too much harm right now, so I want to avoid directly confronting them.

“Reika, you have a bad habit of running away and binge eating as stress relief, so you really need to be careful. What about doing yoga? I’m doing yoga at home right now.”

“Yoga, huhh.”

I know the word yoga, but all that comes to mind is Indians in acrobatic poses.

“Yoga calms the heart, you know.”

Eh-, but your heart isn’t calm at all. But you’re scary, so I’m not going to say that.

Since Sakura-chan gave me some recommendations on yoga DVDs, I guess I’ll check them out later. I’ve gotten pretty sick of hula hooping, so it’s good timing I guess.

And maybe I’ll even open my third eye?

The next day, I went to have a look at that kouhai as per Sakura-chan’s orders.From what I could see as I peered into her cla.s.sroom from the hallway, and observed the surroundings, she was a tanned, energetic-looking girl. The complete opposite type to Sakura-chan, the archetype j.a.panese beauty. Now then, coming here was fine and all, but what do I do after this?

“What are you doing here, Reika-san?”

I jumped at the sudden voice from behind. When I turned around, I found Ririna standing there.

“What areyoudoing here, Ririna?”

“What, you ask? This is my cla.s.sroom. Could it be that you needed me for something?”

This was Ririna’s cla.s.sroom? Then does that mean she’s in the same cla.s.s as that girl?

“Say, that Toriumi girl. What is she like?”

“Why do you want to knowthat, Reika-san?”

“There are some circ.u.mstances.”

“Well apparently, she’s a sports committee member, and her energy is her good point. I’m not all that close to her yet, so I don’t know much more. Do you guys know?”

Ririna started asking her subordinates instead.Her meek-looking subordinates gave answers like, “I think she’s in the track and field club.” and “She’s cheerful, and has a lot of friends.”

“I see. Thank you. Also, thank you for getting along with Ririna. I hope you will continue to look after her.”

“Why areyousaying that! It’s none of your business, okay!”

Ririna turned a little red. Hey, ifyoufall, it gets me wrapped up as well, okay?

“More importantly, umm&h.e.l.lip;”

Ririna suddenly grabbed my arm, and brought me further into the hallway away from the others.

“Lately that Tsuruhana-senpai and her friends have been getting bolder towards your group but, are you okay?”

Even Ririna sees it that way?

“I am fine. They have nothing to do with us.”

“Take care, alright? Ifyoufall, it gets me wrapped up as well, okay?”

She was thinking the same thing?This whole thing has turned into something pretty annoying.

Anyway, I messaged Sakura-chan with exactly what I hear from Ririna and her group.She replied, “I need you to continue your observations.”Geez, I don’t think you need to worry so much. I’m sure they were obligatory, okay?