CH 16

The new year has come and gone, and winter vacation is over in the blink of an eye.

Naturally, Karen and I have to go to high school, but not for Ageha.

She is taking her entrance exams this year and is free to go to school from the third semester.

How much she studies during this time will make a big difference in whether or not she will be able to pass the high school entrance exam.

So, according to Karen, she is working very hard.

“I’m home.”

As I am not a member of any particular club, I went home early after a day of classes.

As I opened the front door, I greeted the whole house as I came home.

“Hmm…?”

After confirming that my parents’ shoes were not there, I noticed a pair of shoes that were not of my family and that were also familiar to me.

I’m pretty sure these shoes were Ageha’s, right?

Searching my memory, I took off my shoes and went up the entrance.

As soon as I entered the living room, I sighed.

“Welcome back, Haru-Kun?”

“Why are you here?”

Sitting on the living room floor with her textbooks and notebooks spread out on the low table, she turned her head to me.

I put my bag on the side of the sofa and headed for the kitchen.

The reply of Ageha flew to my back.

“I’ve been studying for a while now and I was feeling boiled down. So I came to you for a change of pace.”

“For a change of pace, am I an amusement park? Also, that word “bowled down” is a misnomer.”

When I pointed this out, Ageha turned over the notebook, saying, “Well, a lie !?”

Was she studying Japanese?

I asked while washing my hands.

“Where’s Mom?”

“Hmm? She went shopping. She said she’d feel safer if you were here.”

“Are you okay, my mother…?”

Even though we’ve known each other for a long time, I can’t believe you’d entrust a stranger to look after your house.

I let out an involuntary sigh as I walked over to the Ageha.

“So, how are things going? Karen told me you’ve been working hard.”

“Haru-kun, let me give you a word of thanks.”

“Huh, what’s going on all of a sudden?”

With a suspicious smile, Ageha says,

“I can take the exam, I can or cannot take it. I will take it!”

“Hmm?… yes.”

Perhaps it is a play on the old saying, “It’s not whether you can or cannot do something, but whether you will or will not do it,” but the meaning seems slightly funny.

……Well, that’s okay.

I’m sure Ageha will be happy with the results.

I loosen my tie and sit down in front of Ageha, unbuttoning the first button at the neck.

“When do you apply?”

“Late next month. Around the week after Valentine’s Day.”

“Ah.”

I think back to the time when I was a student for the exam.

It has only been a year since then, but I feel like my memory has faded a lot.

“What?”

For some reason, Ageha was staring at me with a peevish expression on her face.

I wonder if there was anything in our exchange that offended her.

I’m not sure…

When I was perplexed, she muttered something like, “That’s right, isn’t it? I was a fool to have high expectations for Haru-kun,” she muttered, then grabbed the calendar on the low table, rolled one up, and held it out toward me.

“This day, what day?”

The phrase was a song about a tree from a commercial for a major company.

Aside from that.

The one that Ageha is pointing to is February 14th.

“Valentine’s Day!”

“Oh, Valentine’s Day! Are you free, Haru-kun? You’re free, aren’t you?”

“It’s normal school, you know. We’ve got the final exam week later.”

“Oh, no…”

The young girl collapses on the spot as if in a daytime TV drama.

Valentine’s Day.

Every year, there were only three people who gave me chocolates: my mother, Ageha, and Karen.

All of them were Giri Choco.

… No, I wonder if it was different in the case of Ageha.

As I was thinking about this, She put the calendar back on the table and asked with a mysterious look on her face,

“You know, Haru-kun, have you ever received a Honmei choco?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

I answered vaguely because I didn’t know what Ageha really meant.

In response to my answer, she smiled boyishly and stood up with a huff.

She looked down at me as she did so.

Then, look forward to it! When Haru-kun comes home from school, I’ll give you the best honmei choco!”

“… I think you should be studying instead of doing that.”

“I don’t mean that! I’m going to give you six years’ worth of honmei chocos, so be prepared!”

I looked up in dismay at Ageha, who raised an enthusiastic voice while pointing at me.

I thought about all the things I’ve been thinking about, like how the chocolate I’ve been eating was just giri choco, and whether or not my studies were good enough.

But first, there was something I had to tell her.

“Haru-kun…?”

She looked up at me quizzically as I stood up just as she did.

I looked straight into her eyes.

“I don’t have any intention to fall in love with anyone yet, and I don’t want to go out with anyone. Therefore, I can’t give you the response you want.”

I told her that if that was the case, I would continue to use the same “giri” (obligation) chocolates as before.

For some reason, she smiled happily.

“Not yet, right? That’s enough for now. I won’t give up until you find someone else you like! Besides, feelings are not something you can understand. You don’t even know when you’ll find me attractive, do you?”

Saying this, she struck an awkward gravure-like pose.

… I’ve probably long noticed the charms of Ageha.

She is always cheerful, positive and has her own self.

I am glad that she thinks so much of me.

But that’s exactly why I couldn’t understand her.

I was indecisive and unable to take any action on my own, so what on earth did she like about me?

“… Hey, Ageha. Why do you like me?”

I couldn’t help but ask. I didn’t mean to ask.

The question slipped out of my mouth, and after a moment of rolling her eyes, she smiled with an affectionate smile that is rare for her.

“That’s right-”

She almost said it, but this time she smiled mischievously. It is a familiar, typical smile of hers.

She half-turned on the spot, turned her back to me, and said in a voice that sounded like she was playing a musical note.

“I’ll let you know if Haru-kun falls in love with me.”