NOVEL NEXT Chapter 104
The spring break I wanted never to end had finally come to an end.
This means that from today, I’m also a High School 2nd Year student.
Of course, our school keeps the same class even if the year changes, so there’s no need to adapt again.
But conversely, this means I have to continue the Human Relationships I formed last year.
Isn’t that too much?
This system, where if you don’t make friends in the 1st year, you can’t make any friends until the 3rd year, is just ridiculous.
This system that doesn’t care about the losers should be demolished.
I want to change classes immediately so I can start my Human Relationships from scratch.
Let those proud social butterflies feel the taste of not having friends!
When I shared these thoughts with Suzuha Koga yesterday…
[In any case, wouldn’t Izumi’s situation be the same even if she changed classes…?]
I received a shocking reply.
I must have clearly grown up enough for anyone to see, but I didn’t even realize it, and such a cruel remark came out.
Unable to accept this, I protested sincerely to Suzuha Koga.
[Then why don’t you contact your classmates right now and ask if they want to hang out after class?]
That cruelly calm reply from Suzuha Koga came back at me.
To be forced to squeeze into already established Human Relationships and impose my schedule?
No matter how much I’ve grown, it’s absolutely impossible.
I mean, I can’t even do that in the first place; that’s why I insisted on changing classes…
Building Human Relationships with classmates I’ve never seen before should definitely be possible for the current me.
…Probably.
[But even if classes change, you’re not going to meet entirely new people, right?]
Such thoughts were completely crushed by Suzuha Koga, leaving me to slam the keyboard in anger.
Of course, if I broke the keyboard, Mom would scold me, so it ended with me just tapping the space bar tap tap tap.
But isn’t it strange?
A mom position is supposed to be kind and gentle no matter what, positively affirming everything about their child.
Even if she says it can’t be otherwise, in the end, she always gives in with a “Well, it can’t be helped~.”
But Suzuha Koga, who clearly is my mom position, sometimes seems eerily cold…
I should definitely tell her to reflect on this later.
If I tell her that I might have to exclude her from my mom position, she’ll surely reflect and treat me more kindly.
“Haaah…”
The cherry blossoms swirling in vain adorned the road to school.
The occasional cool breeze felt nice, and the fact that I was walking this road alone was oddly enjoyable.
★
“Kayanoh, it’s been a while.”
As I sat alone fiddling with my phone, the long-absent Ayaka Utsumi walked up to me with a smile.
“Ah, uh… lo-long time no see, Utsumi…”
“Hehe. What a surprise you’re not sleeping today?”
“Uh, well… I couldn’t, ugh, sleep…”
In truth, I had barely slept, just pretending to do so most of the time.
But of course, I couldn’t say that.
“Starting today, we’re also 2nd years. Don’t you feel excited to be called a senior? It makes you curious about what kind of juniors will show up.”
“Uh… um, I guess?”
Honestly, I’m not excited.
Having not made any friends until middle school, I obviously have no reason to interact with juniors.
But even while having no friends, I’m a bit of a perceptive loser, so I know that giving a weird response would ruin the vibe.
“When I saw the seniors graduating, I felt a bit sad… But now we have to do our part as seniors, so we should do our best.”
“Y-Yeah…”
Naturally, I have no seniors that I know.
So honestly, I snoozed during the 3rd-year graduation ceremony and returned home right after.
But still, I wouldn’t add any unnecessary dripping remarks.
I’m a quick-witted loser who has grown tremendously until now.
If Koga saw this, she’d be moved and praise me.
“Ah, and Tateyama said she wants to hang out after class today. Are you going, Kayanoh?”
“…I think I’ll just head straight home.”
“Ah… what a shame.”
Utsumi looked genuinely disappointed, and seeing her expression made me feel guilty, so I quickly waved my hands to explain.
“Uh, um… it doesn’t mean I dislike hanging out! I, um, have an appointment…!”
“If you have an appointment, then I suppose it can’t be helped.”
It’s not a lie that I have an appointment.
I actually have to head back right after class for the Broadcast.
Speaking of which, doesn’t Tateyama absolutely love gatherings?
No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t seem like it should be something rare.
It makes sense because friends gathering at school usually happens only once a year, right?
If we meet more than that, everyone gets worn out and dies, right…?
“Um? Why’s Kayanoh awake for once?”
“Ah, Ookusa! Long time no see.”
“Uh, oh, long time no see, Utsumi.”
After that, the vice president, Ookusa, came to school and sat next to Utsumi.
“Uh, excuse me, but I have to contact someone for a moment…!”
I fled to my sanctuary, the (former) Science Room.
I still think if the year changes, the class should change too…
★
After class ended today, my destination wasn’t home.
[Shirazaki House]
This is the second time I’ve seen it, but that gigantic gate still gives me chills just looking at it.
“Huuh…”
Taking a deep breath, I rang the doorbell, and ding-dong, the clear sound echoed.
[Yes, this is Shirazaki.]
“Uh, um, I’m Kayanoh… who said I’d come today….”
[Ah, I’ll come out to greet you right away. Please wait a moment.]
“Whew…”
As I waited in tension, the gate opened and appeared was…
“It’s been a while.”
“Ah, ahhh… hello…”
It was the burly man with a long scar on his eye who came to greet me last time.
I think Kurokami referred to him as Uncle Yuto…
“I’m sorry. I’m the one who welcomed you again this time…”
“Ah, no. Really, it’s fine…”
Though he looks tough and scary with that scar, I know he’s actually just as wonderful or even better than me.
“Young Lady. Your friend has arrived.”
“Ah, thank you, Uncle Yuto.”
“That’s my job.”
“You can go inside now.”
“Ah, th-thank you.”
“Then I’ll take my leave…”
“Um, Senpai, is it okay for me to go in…?”
“Yes. Please come in.”
After finishing a conversation that felt very similar to last time, I slowly opened the sliding door and entered the room.
Unlike last time, where she wore a kimono mixed with black and pink, today, she wore a bright red kimono.
Back then, I assumed she was dressed up early for Hatsumode, but maybe she wears such a kimono at home as well?
Well, I guess it wouldn’t be odd given her extravagant background…
“It’s been a while, Izumi.”
“Ah, hello, Kurokami-senpai.”
“Isn’t it Shiro Onee-chan?”
“…Eh? Uh, that was just for outside….”
“I just want to be able to call you that, Izumi. I’ll ask just once, please.”
“…Shiro Onee-chan.”
“Hehehe…”
With Koga, Utsumi, Aki, and even Kurokami-senpai, for some reason, everyone around me seems to be enchanted by the idea of calling someone sister.
I don’t quite understand it, but it feels a bit embarrassing.
At least Akabane has never said such words…
But who knows? Maybe next time, she’ll suddenly ask me to call her sister.
“Shall we start preparing soon?”
“Ah, yes…”
“By the way, how about trying on a kimono again before that?”
I was going to refuse politely.
But…
“Hehehe…”
Unable to utter a word of refusal against her smile, I could only nod.
“That aside, Izumi, what on earth have you been eating to grow this small yet have a large chest?”
“Huh? W-Wait a minute, Senpai?!”
Why do so many women around me love physical contact?!
★
[【Faction Assessment】This time, the assessment is really strict! #KurokamiHikari#KainohIzumi#StarsFlow]
– Could this be the time a first successful candidate emerges?
– Last time, Natsune narrowly missed the cutoff.
Kurokami-senpai’s faction assessment is a screening content to determine whether she can acknowledge someone as ‘her ally’ or not.
It seems that an evil noble needs faction allies who can elevate her.
However, the actual assessment is incomprehensibly difficult, and not a single person has passed it until now.
Even Natsune from the fundamental duo “The Black Star” has failed it twice.
Anyway, this faction assessment consists of a straightforward test.
To pass, Kurokami-senpai has personally selected questions that must be solved to score 75 or above.
But the highest record so far was Natsune’s 62 points, which shows how impossible it is.
…And the lowest recorded score is Aki’s 12 points.
Will I be able to pass?
Well, I didn’t necessarily mind because I came here thinking I would fail anyway.
“Okay, let’s get started. Are you ready, Izumi?”
“Ah, yes…!”
“First question! When is my birthday?”
…Huh?
“January 15th.”
“Correct! Now for the second question! How tall am I?”
“Um, 167cm?”
“That’s correct again. Amazing!”
– The agenda is too obvious, young lady lol
– It seems this assessment was predetermined
– There’s a lot of ulterior motives behind this
A lot of complaints flooded the Chatroom, but Senpai ignored it entirely.
“Third question! When is my debut date?”
And thus the faction assessment continued.