Chapter 69

It’s time for the cla.s.s trip again, or the ‘learning excursion’ as it’s officially called.The middle school trip goes to Los Angeles in America. I tried my very best to cut down on the luggage, but I ended up needing both a suitcase and a carry on bag.But I had to pack enough blouses for a few days, as well as spare uniform jackets and skirts. I needed clothes other than my school uniform too, and I’m bringing a few shoes too, so in the end my suitcase was full in an instant.Then again, vacations with your family would have even more luggage, so I think I did pretty well this time.I sure am looking forward to it~

The trip is technically for ‘learning’, but we’re just sightseeing and aren’t learning a thing.For example we went to visit places like the Chinese Theatre and Beverly Hills, and then did some shopping at Rodeo Drive.There, we went to that famous jeweller known for its blue box, and my close friends and I bought matching necklaces to commemorate the occasion.We discussed the motifs like the heart, keys, leaves etc. and in the end we chose a cross.Everyone put theirs on right after purchase. The blouse of my uniform covered it up, but it was new and matching, so just wearing it lifted my spirits. It’s so friend-like to have matching stuff! I kind of want to shop even more now.Everything was listed in dollars, and since I’m paying for things by card, my money sense was a bit messed up. Before I knew it, my two hands were filled with spoils of war. It’s scary how I bought all this stuff I don’t even need. I’m not going to look at any windows anymore.

The hotel we’re staying at is a first cla.s.s hotel fit for Suiran. Dinner was mostly hearty meat dishes. As expected of America. There was a lot.I felt bad leaving stuff on the plate, so I decided to clean up every meal. It was delicious, so it was no problem.Or so I thought, but it didn’t take long for my stomach to feel weird. I guess eating so much eat everyday might be a bit much for me. And it wasn’t just dinner, it was lunch too. Does this country have nothing but meat!Anyway, there was just a lot of it, so I desperately needed bread to go with it. Actually, just the bread enough would have been fine. I love carbohydrates, so eating meat, meat, meat is really tough on me. I want to eat tofu. My stomach feels oddly heavy&h.e.l.lip;Serika-chan, who was staying in the same room as me, said,

“It’s a bit hard eating all this before bed, isn’t it.”

But Serika-chan, you left some meat on your plate, didn’t you?I get the feeling that everyone’s faces have gotten rounder during this trip&h.e.l.lip;I brought some snacks as emergency rations in case I didn’t like the food here, but my stomach feels so bad I don’t even want to touch them.At night I did some exercises with Serika-chan said to help with digestion, but it didn’t feel like it worked at all.

After that we went on a field trip to a protestant school.It’s not even a sister school, so why are we here?I thought, but just going around eating, buying, and playing at amus.e.m.e.nt parks wouldn’t const.i.tute much learning, so I guess they added this to itinerary for show.In front of real Christians, I suddenly felt guilty about the cross I was wearing under my uniform. I noticed the other girls were looking around at each other’s blouses too.

“Perhaps we really should have gone with flowers or a heart.”

“Yes&h.e.l.lip;”

But it was a lovely school with a nice sense of freedom. When I saw all these American schoolgirls lying about on the wide garden, I was likeIt’s just like a foreign drama!and got all excited. It kind of made me want to study abroad.

We ended up having lunch at that school as well.I’ve actually been secretly looking forward to it. The school is vegetarian so there won’t be meat! My stomach can finally have a break!Now then, I wonder what we’ll have? Or so I wondered with sparkling eyes, but they carried out something completely brown.I timidly had a taste&h.e.l.lip;&h.e.l.lip;This is bad. What is this strange flavour.I don’t know what this is, but it might be worse than hospital food. I don’t think evenIcan eat this. What’s ‘gluten’?Thanks to the rapid meat attack I’ve been forced to endure, I’d be fine skipping a meal but&h.e.l.lip;Looking around, I found that n.o.body else was really eating either. I guess they’re the same as me. Why couldn’t they have just given us salad. Why did they give us this weird-tasting weird-textured stuff.Incidentally, Kaburagi was eating indifferently.It’s a little surprising.I was sure that Kaburagi was the type to leave behind anything he didn’t like.This food is definitely untasty, but Kaburagi hadn’t let out a peep about it.&h.e.l.lip;Yeah. This school prepared us with this food, so it would be rude to leave stuff behind. I’m reflecting.I began learning from Kaburagi and forcing myself to eat. But, uu&h.e.l.lip; It tastes so bad. How on earth is he keeping his poker face, eating this stuff!?In the end, we were offered between carrot cake and mint cake, and when I chose the latter out of curiosity, this bright blue cake was brought out to be. This is impossible&h.e.l.lip;I met eyes with Kaburagi. He looked at me, and then at my cake, and then had this expression like I was some pitiful weirdo. What the heck!

After that, we just went to amus.e.m.e.nt parks every day.Thinking about it, this is my first time going with my Suiran friends. That kind of makes me happy!In my excitement, I rode one ride after another, and then ended up motion sick&h.e.l.lip;America’s D*sneyland is a lot more exciting, and also a lot scarier than j.a.pan’s. And aren’t these rides a lot longer too?Maybe it’s the curse of the meat dishes, but I’m feeling terrible.I guess I’ll need to rest for a bit.

“Are you all right, Reika-sama?”

“Yes. I think I will be fine after a little rest. Please pay me no mind and continue enjoying the rides.”

Worried about me, Serika-chan and the girls suggested staying with me, but I had them enjoy themselves instead. They said they would come back to check on me after the first ride, but I told them not to worry and just have fun. Plus, some other girls seemed to want a rest too.

While I was sitting on a bench and s.p.a.cing out, I saw Kaburagi and Enjou walk past. Kaburagi seemed to be enjoying himself, unlike his usual poker face. So he actually liked amus.e.m.e.nt parks?Together with his guy friends, Kaburagi was briskly walking from ride to ride. And behind him followed Tsuruhana-san’s group. They’ve all got so much energy.Everyone is in casual clothing today, so it was hard to tell Suiran students from the other tourists. Well, it’s a big place. I wonder if there’s anyone else I know~Wha-, ah!It’s Maiden Cla.s.s Rep walking together with Miharu-chan!There were other kids with them too, but Cla.s.s Rep and Miharu-chan are going to the attractions together!d.a.m.niittt! An amus.e.m.e.nt park date? I’m so jealouss!

A while later when my friends came back, a bunch of male students were with them. Apparently they met each other in the lines, so they rode the rides together. They’re kinda looking at each other and smiling.

Eh-, why did everyone go on pseudo-dates while I wasn’t around!?And why did the boys leave once the girls reached my side? Aren’t we supposed to go on more rides together?Could it be&h.e.l.lip; No, it’s your imagination. It’s okay, Reika. Don’t think about it.

At night we went to the haunted house. It was night, so somehow the atmosphere was just better.

“Speaking of which, apparently a ghost appeared at last year’s summer camp.”

“Right, right. A girl from Cla.s.s 5 saw it. A dripping wet yuurei woman!”

“I heard that she was gnawing a corpse.”

Everyone started talking about how scary it was.I’m the one who’s scared, okay. The rumours just keep spreading&h.e.l.lip;

“Reika-sama, didn’t you partic.i.p.ate in last year’s summer camp as well?”

“Yes. But I don’t know anything about it at all.”

I’m definitely not going again this year.

After coming back from my meat galore trip, I gained three kilos. What do I do!And it feels like all the girls except me are closer to the boys now! Why!?

“There, we went to that famous jeweller known for its blue box”She refers to Tiffany’s.