Volume 2 - CH 1

1

He had decided to spend all of the available time, whether it be their chill time in his apartment, break periods at school or any other free time, on Shino’s studies.

It was to the point that it seemed a bit excessive. Even in the classroom, their classmates began to talk about it as well.

NEED SPACER

“Say, Yuizaki-san’s a regular in supplementary class, but that didn’t seem to concern her, though…”

“Looks like Fujiwara’s helping her study while making scary faces, but can he even? Is he just trying to look good just because he’s Yuizaki’s boyfriend?”

“He would without hesitation give the correct answer instantly when get picked in class, and he would also secretly help Yuizaki-san when she’s in trouble when the teacher picks her from time to time, so Fujiwara-kun’s gotta be pretty smart, no?”

“For real? …Man, I wanna help Yuizaki study, too. Like, lemme help you learn this one practical skill in PE class. Guhehe.”

“You creep. Isn’t that why you can’t get a girlfriend? Go learn from Fujiwara-kun. He doesn’t look like he’s thinking any lewd stuff.”

“I think someone like Fujiwara got a high chance to be a closet pervert, though?”

“Eww… Your jealousy is leaking trying to bring down someone’s boyfriend’s reputation like that. It’s creeping me out. Your personality is so awful I got goosebumps.”

“It’s not like I’m trying to bring down Fujiwara’s reputation or anything like that!”

“Shino’s an idiot, so I think it’s impossible no matter how hard Fujiwara tries, though. It’s just totally useless to do anything for a supplementary class regular like us.”

“Shino, that is the name of the biggest dummy in our dummies corps.”

NEED SPACER

Sandai was also aware that they were being talked about by their surroundings. However, his vague anxiety about not having enough time was so big that he didn’t have the spare time to care about people’s eyes on them.

Instead, right now it was more important to think about how to secure more study time for Shino.

Sandai was thinking as he watched Shino having a staring game with a textbook and workbook.

With a day or two passing by, it was when Sandai saw a running train through the classroom window that an idea flashed through his mind.

“I see… that can give more time to spend on study. It was so simple. Shino, can I have a minute?”

“…I’m doing what you told me, okay? I’m not slacking off, okay? I’m giving it my very best.”

“I can tell that from looking. It’s not about that, please listen; starting today, I’ll walk you to your home and not to the station.”

Shino stared blankly at Sandai’s sudden proposal.

“…Eh? What’s up so suddenly? I’d be happy if you would walk me all the way home, but… I think it’s gonna be rough, you know? The date might change by the time you get back to your apartment.”

Sandai also knew that it would take Shino an hour to go to school by train alone, and about two hours for a round trip, but the proposal was for this reason as well.

So Sandai immediately replied, “I don’t mind.”

“Uwh… nn.”

Looking anxious, Shino frowned, folded her arms, and pouted. She seemed to be thinking about something.

“Will it be inconveniencing you?”

“I know I’ve said it before, but my home is like, at a place where it’ll take an hour by train alone… it’s in the countryside way past the suburb…”

It seemed Shino’s concern was that her home wasn’t in an urban area, and Sandai somehow started to see what Shino was thinking.

Shino was probably thinking about such a thing like, what to do if he were to make fun of her and what to do if he got disillusioned.

However, Shino should know as well that Sandai wasn’t the kind of man who would care about that. That said, she was simply worried and feeling anxious about the what-ifs.

At a time like this, it would be best to quickly get rid of her anxiety.

“Countryside? What about it?”

After Sandai conveyed that he wouldn’t care no matter where her home would be, Shino breathed out a sigh of relief for having received the final push. “I see. Yeah, you really won’t care about that. I guess I’ll take you up on that then.”

Sandai smiled, and then Shino broke into a broad, lovely smile. It seemed as a girl Shino was also happy to have her boyfriend walk her to her home.

Nevertheless, even Shino would realize it sooner—that this was a one-way ticket to hell…