CH 95

hapter 12 – Preparation and malaise (7)

Translator – Vodka

How was I feeling the day before the event? Truthfully?

It’s gonna be a pain in the ass.

Neither did I feel a shard of excitement, nor did I even have the tiniest bit of expectation towards it.

I was aware that there was no point to this. So, I had to keep myself reminding that, this was about hands-on experience.

Well, that was what the teachers’ side seemed to think. The students didn’t put any deep thought into it.

Well, the extent of the students’ thoughts could be defined by the incentive of being able to fill up their resumes, which, in turn, would help them land part-time jobs or find employment.

However, I had doubts. This was going to last for only a day, and we weren’t even going to be ‘working’ in the truest sense of the term, since it was going to be more of a ‘watch and learn procedure’. I couldn’t see the hiring companies giving it, much credit.

I am going about it in a roundabout manner, but I really don’t want to go.

I laid sprawled across the bed, staring at the hands of the clock as I waited for the impending event that was closing in on me with every passing second.

“……Can’t I get sick or something?…….”

I was bitter at the thought of my unnecessarily sturdy body.

I need to be grateful to mom for having given birth to the healthy me……

The day of the event. The weather was in its finest form. Not a speck of confusion.

I had dearly wished for it to be a cloudy day, but the sky was devoid of so much a single cloud.

Heck, it won’t be an exaggeration if I said that today was the perfect day for the event.

In addition, my body was in tip-top condition.

Neither was I hurt anywhere nor was I feeling unwell.

I woke up a little later than usual. I grabbed my bag that I had prepared beforehand and exited the house.

“Well then, Nii-san, please do your best.”

“I don’t want to do my best……”

“Fighting!”

[TN – I don’t think I needed to append this note, but anyways, ‘fighting’ is a cheer where basically they are saying “do your best”.]

Even though Kaede had school, she had stayed back until the last moment so that she could see me off. After being seen off, I started walking towards the station.

Kaede’s figure of seeing me off with her arms folded, was extremely adorable.

Being cheered on by such a sister, I might just be able to give it my best.

……Hm, not happening.

On the way, as I was waiting for the signal to change at a crossing, I confirmed today’s schedule.

The event was scheduled to commence at 10 A.M, and conclude at 5 P.M.

My person was going to have to be subjected to a seven-hour long constraint, but it would seem that we would be provided an hour of rest.

They would be preparing lunch for us, at a restaurant inside the hotel, it would seem. So, I didn’t bring any bento.

Upon completion of the event, we were to return home.

The hotel was located near the station. Even with slight deviations, I should be able to return home by six.

I had pondered if it was a good idea to be intruding upon a professional workplace, but it would seem that it was actually a good thing for the establishment.

According to the people in charge, it would be kind of like an appeal to the people in the area.

I had to let them that we were coming. The duty to contact the establishments devolved upon the representative of every group. Since I had no choice, I contacted them.

More like, I am the group leader?…….Ain’t these guys a bit too half-assed?

When the call connected, they immediately handed the phone over to the person-in-charge. It would seem that their employees were in the loop about this event. Making the prior arrangement went off without a hitch.

The designated spot for our meeting was the shopfront across from the station. However, upon my arrival, I couldn’t discover anyone from my group.

Although we still had five minutes until the assembly time, I was worried about the fact that I was the first one to turn up.

I let out a sigh, pondering as to how I should go about killing time in this station area, where it was hard to come across something that helped the cause. Then, I noticed a few figures of what seemed like students, appearing not so far away.

With Shizuku at the centre, a group of students was headed for my direction.

“Minato-kun! Good morning!……”

“……A case of mistaken identity?”

She called out to me, not a hint of reservation in her voice, uncaring of the surrounding eyes. I had reflexively denied my acquaintanceship with her and looked away.

Habits were a frightening thing.

I could auto-invoke the ‘Shyness’ skill without having to think about it.

By the way, the classmates standing behind Shizuku were looking at me with eyes that seemed to question my identity.

No wait. We are in the same classroom, you know.

Let me also add that one of you guys literally sit in front of me.

Why was he making that “Don’t know” face?

When I directed my cold gaze at that student, Shizuku asked.

“Minato-kun’s group is supposed to meet in front of the station too, huh?”

“Well, ya……But, I am the only one here.”

I looked in all directions, and upon confirming that not a single soul from my group was anywhere to be found, I said so.

Shizuku had a whole army of students following her from behind, while my rear was as empty as it could be.

Was it due to the difference in our popularities? Or did the problem lie in my very existence?

I had rather it be the former.

If it were to be the latter, I felt like that bout would suffer a premature death.

“……What happened to Kirasaka?”

Looking at a certain classmate behind Shizuku, a single doubt surfaced in my mind.

I couldn’t see Kirasaka anywhere, even though she was supposed to be in the same group as that classmate.

[TN – I am still confused as to if Kirasaka is in the same group as Shizuku or not. My brain is turning into mush. Let me decrypt this mystery as we go, ok?]

Considering how much Kirasaka adored doing things her way, her not turning up today, wouldn’t be surprising, but I wanted to confirm, just in case.

At first, I had thought that she was probably following the herd from behind, at a distance, but I could not make out her figure no matter where looked.

At my question, Shizuku smiled bitterly, and replied.

“Kirasaka-san is meeting her group at their place of training, it seems……She doesn’t like to partake in group activities, after all.”

“What the……Is that even allowable? “

I am jealous.

I ended up lamenting how such an ingenious idea hadn’t occurred to me.

While thinking about how it was very much like her to do so, I directed an appreciative gaze at Shizuku.

I wasn’t sure if she comprehended the meaning behind my gaze, but it sure did look like she had picked it up, as she flashed a smile at me.

“Well then, Minato-kun, please try your best! I will visit Minato-kun’s house when it’s over.”

“Hm……It’s fine not come, you know?”

What was she doing, deciding by her herself?

There was no way I would bend to something like that.

She tried to casually slip it into our conversation, making it sound like a pre-arranged event.

No way am I gonna be deceived by likes of that.

I have carefully put together a schedule for after today’s event. The fascinating plan was to return home and hit the sack.

Moreover, since tomorrow was Saturday, I could sleep all day, and I planned to do just that.

What perfect plan!

At my immediate reply, Shizuku offered a light bow, and left, accompanied by her group members.

Her group members had a certain bounce to their strides. I could gather from that, that they were really looking forward to what was in store for them today.

Well, they were probably filled with anticipation because they would get to spend the entire day with Kanzaki Shizuku and Kirasaka Ren.

Half-exasperated, half-convinced, I looked away from them.

The members of my group were yet to show their faces.

……When will they come?