Volume 1 - CH 57

I received a message from Takayama late last night.

I’m not supposed to know Himekawa’s contact information. Or rather, I didn’t tell Takayama.

And since I met up with Takayama early this morning in the classroom, there was no time for me to tell Himekawa about last night.

“Heh? Oh, um, Tendo-san told me about it this morning while I was on my way to school, so…”

“Oh, yes. I happened to see Himekawa on my way to school and happened to tell her about last night.”

Our eyes were looking back and forth at each other. Don’t panic, we can clear this up.

“Tendo! You even told her about the time! You didn’t have to tell her that!”

“No, no, I, uh, I just told her as we were talking. Sorry.”

“Well, for the time being, let’s just say that emergencies are fine, but let’s not contact each other past 11 at night!”

“Does that mean I can get Himekawa-san’s contact information?”

Oh, no.

The intensity in Takayama is about to break through the limit. If I don’t do something, he might just fly away from the rooftop.

“So, Sugimoto-san, do you like movies?”

I forced myself to change the subject.

“Ayane is quite fond of romance novels! When I told her about this movie, she said she’d love to see it!”

Nice assist Himekawa-san. Thank you very much.

“So that’s how it is. I hope we can go to the movie! Good luck Tendo!”

Okay, the flow has changed. Way to go, Takayama!

I’ve done some studying, but my winning percentage is 50-50 at best.

“I’ll do my best to make it up as I go along. Takayama is studying too, right?”

“Well, yeah! It’s not good to be a no-brainer. I don’t want to get a red mark. Are you studying too, Sugimoto-san?”

Takayama asked Sugimoto who was eating her lunch.

I’m a little envious of his good communication skills.

“I’m going to… for a bit.”

Hmmm. She really is the complete opposite of Takayama’s personality.

There’s a big difference in temperature.

“I took a day off with a cold the other day, so I’m borrowing a notebook from Tendo, and it’s pretty good and easy to read. But the writing got so weird in the middle of the page that it became indecipherable!”

You’re telling that story right there?

Is this some kind of punishment game? It’s not the place to bring it up, is it?

“It’s okay if you don’t want to borrow my notebook.”

“No, I’d like to borrow your notebook, but I can’t read your handwriting.”

“Do you want to borrow my notebook? If you return it by the end of the day, I can lend it to you.”

Himekawa turns to Takayama. Is it because she knows my handwriting is a little bit unreadable?

Or is there some other reason?

“I’m so glad you’re okay with it! By all means!”

Takayama raises with excitement again.

“Well, I’ll give it to you after my lunch break.”

“Thank you! Now I can get a high score too!”

Sugimoto eats her lunch without saying a word.

Is it because she can’t keep up with Takayama’s intensity or is it because she doesn’t feel comfortable here?

“Sugimoto-san, do you get along well with Himekawa-san?”

I tried my best to talk to her.

For some reason, I felt Himekawa’s eyes were piercing into mine.

“Just the usual…”

Yes, the conversation is over. The other party is tough.

Sensei, there is no chance of winning. What should I do?

“Ayane is a member of the library committee, and I used to go to the library often, so we became friends there.”

Our lunch break goes by with such conversation.

“Lunch is almost over, so let’s go back, shall we?”

As Himekawa is about to get up, Takayama pulls out his phone.

“Why don’t we exchange contact information?”

He bowed his head to the two girls and offered his phone with both hands, looking very graceful.

“I’m sure we can go to the movies! I’ll do my best and so will Tendo! Please!”

Oh, so manly. I would have rambled on if he had named only me there, but he said he would do his best, too.

Maybe Takayama is also working hard behind the scenes, just not showing it.

He was studying this morning, too, and he’s doing his best to copy my notes.

My eyes shift to Himekawa and Sugimoto to see how they react.

Both of them prepare their phones in their hands. Oh, an unexpected reaction.

“Good luck with your studies, Takayama-san.”

“Here is my code…”

Both of them show the screen to Takayama.

“Oh, you don’t mind? Thank you!”

With a little teary-eyed, Takayama is operating his own phone while looking at their screens.

It seems that they have successfully registered and are exchanging messages with each other.

I do not join them and put away the bread bag and milk carton I brought with me.

Suddenly, the screen of a smartphone came into my view.

I turned my eyes and saw Sugimoto-san holding out his phone in front of me.

“Exchange…”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think there’s anything, in particular, you need to hear from me, do you?”

“There might be from me ……”

Well, I guess there’s nothing to worry about.

I guess I’ll just register and leave it at that.

“Well, let’s exchange.”

I was happy (?). I registered the second girl’s contact information on my own phone.

While each of us was getting ready to return to the classroom, Himekawa’s eyes were on me.

A slightly unhappy expression on her face, as if she wants to say something. What’s wrong? What is it you want to tell me?

Maybe you didn’t want to exchange numbers with Takayama?

I’ll ask her when I get home.

And so we ended with the chime that signaled the end of lunch break.

Back in the classroom, Takayama, who had borrowed a notebook from Himekawa, was high on spirits and returned to his seat.

Meanwhile, he was skipping and humming a tune. Takayama stands out, even if I don’t like it. I return to my seat, not a little, but a lot further away.

Takayama opens Himekawa’s notebook and begins to copy it into his own.

There is still some time before the next class.

“Oh my, Nadeshiko is the best. You have a good summary, and unlike someone else, your handwriting is clean, easy to read, and easy to understand!

Is that directed at me? I don’t have to lend you my notebook, right?

“That’s good to hear. But won’t Himekawa be in trouble if you don’t return the notebook quickly?”

“I know that’s why I’m in such a hurry. Let me concentrate!”

You’re the one who talked to me!

I’m not going to say that. I’m not going to say that, because I think it would be better for Takayama to study.

“Okay, okay…”

Suddenly, the sound of Takayama’s pen disappears.

What? What happened?

“Hey, this is Himekawa’s notebook. The marker she uses, is it the same marker as Tendo’s? If I look closely, I think the handwriting looks just like Tendo’s mother’s.”

Early summer. The season when everything starts to get a little hotter.

I started sweating on my back like never before.

TLN: Multi-chapter release to make up for the last few days.