Volume 2 - CH 11

“Yuuri, I don’t understand this problem here, please tell me…”

“No, Mishima-kun. You have to think a little more on your own.”

“What’s the matter with you, Tanuki-san, you’re so mean!”

“I’m not saying that to be mean. If you say that, I won’t tell you anything you ask me from now on, okay?”

“Oh, you’re lying! I’m sorry, Tanuki-san!”

“Ha-ha-ha, you two are such good friends!”

Four good friends from high school were studying together at a family restaurant.

As to why this happened, it goes back to after school.

———

“Yuuri, please! I’m seriously in trouble for this test, so help me study!”

After school, as Kanade and I were getting ready to leave, Satoru came running toward us in a mad dash. And that was the first thing he said.

“Oh, Satoru-kun, you’re cheating! I’m the one who’s always teaching you how to study, you can’t do that! You have to work hard on your own.”

“Kanade, you’re putting yourself on the shelf too much!”

“I don’t care! Hey, Kozue-chan?”

“Hmmm. I don’t mind if you ask me, but… Oh, how about we go to a family restaurant today and study together?”

At Tanuki-san’s suggestion, Satoru and Kanade answered with a twinkle in their eyes, “Let’s go!” Thus, we came to a family restaurant to study, but about 10 minutes into the session, Satoru was already feeling groggy.

———

We arrange it so if Kanade and Satoru don’t understand a problem, either I or Tanuki-san will teach it to them. When I realized that we had the best formation, Tanuki-san taught the subjects I was weak in and I taught the subjects she was weak in.

Tanuki-san’s grades are good, of course, but her teaching style is also very good!

I thought it was really great, and when I honestly praised Tanuki-san, Kanade sitting across from me kicked me in the shins and said, “Yuu-kun, what are you delirious?” and looked at me with a scary smile.

Is this jealousy? Thinking so makes the puffy Kanade look very cute. But please don’t keep kicking me in the shins all the time, Kanade.

I was studying like that, and before I knew it, three hours had passed. There were not many customers around, and the restaurant staff didn’t pay attention to me because I was ordering neatly, so I didn’t lose my concentration.

“Ah, it’s so late already. I haven’t studied this much in a long time.”

“It’s true, I made a lot of progress in today’s study thanks to Tanuki-san.”

“I also got a better understanding of the problems thanks to Yamagishi-san’s help.”

“Mmmmm… Today was really good! I hope we can have another study session tomorrow.”

“I want to study with you guys again, but it’s expensive and we can’t always go to a family restaurant.”

“Yuuri’s house is a transit station for me and Tanuki-san, so I was wondering if your house is okay?”

“My house? Sorry, it’s a little difficult.”

“I see. Well, there’s nothing we can do about it. The question is where to go.”

I felt bad for Satoru, but to be honest, I didn’t have the courage to let anyone but Kanade in the house yet. Moreover, two men and two women would undeniably remind me of that abominable day.

Then I felt a look from in front of me, and I looked over to see Kanade looking at me with a worried expression on her face. I made a smile to reassure Kanade and nodded my head once.

The four of us wanted to get together to study, but we were poor students who had to go to a family restaurant every day, so we decided to study in the school library from now on.

———

“Hey, it’s our last summer vacation in high school, why don’t the four of us go somewhere for fun for a day or so?”

As we were relaxing at the drink bar after putting away our study materials, Kanade suggested as if she had just remembered.

“I’m all for it! We’ve become good friends, so I think the four of us should go out and make some summer memories together.”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes! Then, why don’t we all go to the pool? Let’s go to the pool with the big water slide.”

Satoru… is a genius!

I looked at Satoru, who was sitting next to me, and made the best suggestion.

“Aren’t you two going silly? But a pool, huh? Sounds like fun.”

“Yeah. We won’t be able to go to the beach this year, so a pool would be nice.”

“Okay, then it’s settled! What are your plans for summer vacation, Yuuri?”

“I’m not going to cram school, so I’m basically studying at home.”

“I’m studying at Yuu-kun’s house too!”

“I don’t know my exact schedule yet.”

“Then, when Tanuki-san’s schedule is known, please put me in the RINE group.”

“Yeah. I understand. I’m looking forward to it.”

With our summer vacation plans set, we decided to pack up our belongings and head home.

I was one step ahead of the others in packing up, and seeing everyone smiling happily warmed my heart. What I lost at that time will never come back, but I realized that I was truly happy to be with these guys.

———

It was quite late today, so I decided to walk Kanade home.

I walked next to Kanade, who was humming a tune and seemed to be in a good mood.

“Sounds like you had a lot of fun.”

“Because today’s study session was a lot of fun. And it’s great that we’ve even decided on our summer vacation plans.”

“That’s right! At any rate, I’m looking forward to seeing Kanade in her swimsuit, yeah.”

I intentionally said something that made Kanade embarrassed.

The effect was extraordinary, and as I watched, Kanade’s face turned red up to her ears and she tapped me on the shoulder.

“Yuu-kun, you’re the kind to say such embarrassing things like that…”

“Because I’d love to see Kanade in a swimsuit so badly I’d get down on my knees.”

When I said that with a straight face, Kanade finally lost her patience and ran, saying, “Uwaaa” I hurriedly apologized to Kanade, saying, “Sorry, sorry,” and frantically chased after her.

When I finally caught up with Kanade, she kept her face red and said, “…then…that’s good”

I couldn’t catch it, so I asked, “What did you say?” Kanade took a few moments to clarify her words.

“If it’s for Yuu-kun, I said I can show you a lot!”

Kanade’s statement made me blush so much that I could tell. I did not expect such a counterattack from Kanade. Seeing me like that, Kanade must have been satisfied. She was so excited to see me like that.

I’m okay now.

Because I’m having so much fun right now.