Chapter 243. [When Three Women Gather]
“Oh, isn’t it too early for high school entrance exams?”
“Are you studying for the exams?”
“No, not at all.”
As I was getting bombarded with questions by Ilyena, a conversation like that naturally reached me from a nearby table.
“Iroha-sama, will you start attending an American high school next month? Will you not progress at the school over there?”
“Um, for now, I’m staying local…”
I was about to answer when former classmates, who seemed to be eavesdropping, exclaimed in surprise.
“Eh!? Iroha-chan skipped a grade!?”
“No way! I knew it. She’s been outstanding since elementary school with her grades and all.”
“Nuh-uh, that’s not true. Iroha-chan is just studying abroad.”
“Oh, she’s back.”
It was Mai who corrected the words of our former classmates.
She seemed surprisingly nonchalant. Maybe she just went to the bathroom?
“Has Iroha-sama decided which high school to take the entrance exams for?”
“Not at all.”
“I see. If you decide, could you let me know? If possible, I’d like to attend the same high school. Even though Iroha-sama is incredibly smart. I’m not sure if my academic abilities would measure up.”
“…”
Mai’s eyes widened at Ilyena’s words, and then she began to think seriously about something.
As if she had never thought of it before.
“The same school, huh?”
I tried to imagine it.
It didn’t seem so bad, actually.
“Well, okay. But if I ended up staying local for further studies, I’ll choose a school based on its proximity to my home. I don’t think it necessarily has to have a high entrance exam score.”
“I-Is that so?”
Ilyena’s voice mixed with delight.
But then Mai interrupted with a “Wait.”.
“Um, Ilyena-chan. Isn’t the high school closest to Iroha-chan’s house…?”
Mai whispered into Ilyena’s ear.
Upon hearing that, Ilyena seemed shocked and collapsed as if hit by a blow.
“The entrance exam score here is ridiculously high, isn’t it!?”
“Huh? Really?”
Honestly, I wasn’t interested and didn’t know the level of the school.
In that case…
“But it’s not impossible.”
Just as I was about to speak, Ilyena raised her head.
There was determination in her eyes.
“If I study desperately, even I can barely make it. It’s not like it’s a ‘super’ prestigious school!”
“Alright! I’ll aim for the same school too!”
The two of them declared their determination.
So I withdrew the words I was about to say.
I want to go to the same school as them, even if it’s a bit far away.
Not that I’m thinking that, or even if I were, it would be a momentary lapse of judgment.
Above all, those words seemed rude, as if I had already decided the two couldn’t do it.
“Got it. Well then, do your best. I’m looking forward to it.”
“~~~~~!”
So, instead, I replied with those words.
A surprisingly gentle voice came out of me.
“I’ll do my best!”
“Of course! Iroha-chan, you must have been studying abroad in America so that you could tutor us for this moment!”
“Huh!? Is that true, Mai-san, you’re cheating!”
“It’s fine, right? Well, it’s the privilege of childhood friends, isn’t it?”
“Huh!?”
The two of them started arguing again.
I sighed and rested my chin on my hand, watching them.
“Iroha-chan, why are you laughing?”
“That’s right, Iroha-sama! That’s no laughing matter!”
“…I’m not laughing at anything.”
After that, we spent most of the time until we disbanded together.
Most of it, except for when our homeroom teacher, who recommended me to take the junior high school entrance exam, joined the conversation at some point… That doesn’t matter.
“Then, let’s clap our hands together. Ready, set, go!”
With the shout from the teacher who was also the organizer, we all clapped our hands.
And so, the alumni reunion came to an end―.
***
On the way home.
As we walked, feeling the night breeze, Mai exclaimed, “Oh!”
“Look, Iroha-chan! This is it, the high school we talked about!”
“Is this it?”
It wasn’t clear because it was dark.
Still, the three of us lined up in front of the school gate, looking at it.
“I see, this is it. Maybe I should study a little seriously too.”
I muttered quietly.
I can’t just keep worrying about Mai and Ilyena.
Because if I’m the only one who fails, it wouldn’t be funny.
That was a statement born out of such thoughts.
“Eh!? I-Iroha-chan is showing interest in studying on her own!? What school are you aiming for, planning to raise your entrance exam score even higher!?”
“S-So that’s it, Iroha-sama! Would it be okay to go a little easy on me!?”
Huh!?
Could they think I’m aiming for a higher school than this!?
“Um, is this school known for being competitive?”
“It’s just from our perspective, okay!?”
“Iroha-chan, you’re surrounded by smart people all the time, so your sense might be a bit off, you know!?”
They both plead, “Don’t leave us!”
I smiled wryly and ended up reflexively patting their heads.
Maybe I’m also affected by the atmosphere of this special day called the alumni reunion.
Doing things I don’t usually do, saying things I wouldn’t normally say.
“-I’m not going anywhere.”
“You say that, but you’re going back to America soon, right?”
“Iroha-sama, that’s mean! During that time, you’ll collaborate with us a lot, won’t you!?”
“Hey.”
I’m returning the favor for them getting too carried away.
The three of us looked at each other and laughed―.
***
And then, a few days later.
As promised, I was doing an offline collaboration stream with Ilyena.
And the content was…
“I’m asking Ilyena-chan! Moments when you think, ‘Ah, I’ve become so Japanese!'”
With the streaming SE sound effects of “Boom boom puff puff”ー.
Chapter 243. [When Three Women Gather]
“Oh, isn’t it too early for high school entrance exams?”
“Are you studying for the exams?”
“No, not at all.”
As I was getting bombarded with questions by Ilyena, a conversation like that naturally reached me from a nearby table.
“Iroha-sama, will you start attending an American high school next month? Will you not progress at the school over there?”
“Um, for now, I’m staying local…”
I was about to answer when former classmates, who seemed to be eavesdropping, exclaimed in surprise.
“Eh!? Iroha-chan skipped a grade!?”
“No way! I knew it. She’s been outstanding since elementary school with her grades and all.”
“Nuh-uh, that’s not true. Iroha-chan is just studying abroad.”
“Oh, she’s back.”
It was Mai who corrected the words of our former classmates.
She seemed surprisingly nonchalant. Maybe she just went to the bathroom?
“Has Iroha-sama decided which high school to take the entrance exams for?”
“Not at all.”
“I see. If you decide, could you let me know? If possible, I’d like to attend the same high school. Even though Iroha-sama is incredibly smart. I’m not sure if my academic abilities would measure up.”
“…”
Mai’s eyes widened at Ilyena’s words, and then she began to think seriously about something.
As if she had never thought of it before.
“The same school, huh?”
I tried to imagine it.
It didn’t seem so bad, actually.
“Well, okay. But if I ended up staying local for further studies, I’ll choose a school based on its proximity to my home. I don’t think it necessarily has to have a high entrance exam score.”
“I-Is that so?”
Ilyena’s voice mixed with delight.
But then Mai interrupted with a “Wait.”.
“Um, Ilyena-chan. Isn’t the high school closest to Iroha-chan’s house…?”
Mai whispered into Ilyena’s ear.
Upon hearing that, Ilyena seemed shocked and collapsed as if hit by a blow.
“The entrance exam score here is ridiculously high, isn’t it!?”
“Huh? Really?”
Honestly, I wasn’t interested and didn’t know the level of the school.
In that case…
“But it’s not impossible.”
Just as I was about to speak, Ilyena raised her head.
There was determination in her eyes.
“If I study desperately, even I can barely make it. It’s not like it’s a ‘super’ prestigious school!”
“Alright! I’ll aim for the same school too!”
The two of them declared their determination.
So I withdrew the words I was about to say.
I want to go to the same school as them, even if it’s a bit far away.
Not that I’m thinking that, or even if I were, it would be a momentary lapse of judgment.
Above all, those words seemed rude, as if I had already decided the two couldn’t do it.
“Got it. Well then, do your best. I’m looking forward to it.”
“~~~~~!”
So, instead, I replied with those words.
A surprisingly gentle voice came out of me.
“I’ll do my best!”
“Of course! Iroha-chan, you must have been studying abroad in America so that you could tutor us for this moment!”
“Huh!? Is that true, Mai-san, you’re cheating!”
“It’s fine, right? Well, it’s the privilege of childhood friends, isn’t it?”
“Huh!?”
The two of them started arguing again.
I sighed and rested my chin on my hand, watching them.
“Iroha-chan, why are you laughing?”
“That’s right, Iroha-sama! That’s no laughing matter!”
“…I’m not laughing at anything.”
After that, we spent most of the time until we disbanded together.
Most of it, except for when our homeroom teacher, who recommended me to take the junior high school entrance exam, joined the conversation at some point… That doesn’t matter.
“Then, let’s clap our hands together. Ready, set, go!”
With the shout from the teacher who was also the organizer, we all clapped our hands.
And so, the alumni reunion came to an end―.
***
On the way home.
As we walked, feeling the night breeze, Mai exclaimed, “Oh!”
“Look, Iroha-chan! This is it, the high school we talked about!”
“Is this it?”
It wasn’t clear because it was dark.
Still, the three of us lined up in front of the school gate, looking at it.
“I see, this is it. Maybe I should study a little seriously too.”
I muttered quietly.
I can’t just keep worrying about Mai and Ilyena.
Because if I’m the only one who fails, it wouldn’t be funny.
That was a statement born out of such thoughts.
“Eh!? I-Iroha-chan is showing interest in studying on her own!? What school are you aiming for, planning to raise your entrance exam score even higher!?”
“S-So that’s it, Iroha-sama! Would it be okay to go a little easy on me!?”
Huh!?
Could they think I’m aiming for a higher school than this!?
“Um, is this school known for being competitive?”
“It’s just from our perspective, okay!?”
“Iroha-chan, you’re surrounded by smart people all the time, so your sense might be a bit off, you know!?”
They both plead, “Don’t leave us!”
I smiled wryly and ended up reflexively patting their heads.
Maybe I’m also affected by the atmosphere of this special day called the alumni reunion.
Doing things I don’t usually do, saying things I wouldn’t normally say.
“-I’m not going anywhere.”
“You say that, but you’re going back to America soon, right?”
“Iroha-sama, that’s mean! During that time, you’ll collaborate with us a lot, won’t you!?”
“Hey.”
I’m returning the favor for them getting too carried away.
The three of us looked at each other and laughed―.
***
And then, a few days later.
As promised, I was doing an offline collaboration stream with Ilyena.
And the content was…
“I’m asking Ilyena-chan! Moments when you think, ‘Ah, I’ve become so Japanese!'”
With the streaming SE sound effects of “Boom boom puff puff”ー.
