CH 26

Edited by: DannY

“Come to think of it, do Konohana-san’s and Nishinari-kun’s families have a connection?”

Asahi asked Hinako.

“Yes. Our fathers are acquaintances.”

“Haven’t you two met each other until recently?”

“Yes we didn’t, but now we are close enough to sit together at a Tea party like this.”

“Hmm.”

When Hinako replied with a smile, Asahi muttered.

“I wonder? Are you sure that’s all there is between you two?”

“Oh, come on, Asahi. That’s rude.”

Taisho said with a wry smile.

“Yeah, but… there are cases where parents having a relationship is due to an arranged marriage, and it’s standard for such marriages to develop into love. Maybe the two of you already have a better relationship?”

I could tell from her tone that she was joking.

Asahi-san laughed and looked at Hinako, as if waiting for an answer.

But Hinako didn’t say anything and slowly drank her tea.

Oi…

Why aren’t you saying anything?

{ED: These Itsuki’s thoughts at that moment}

It was a meaningful silence while Asahi-san’s jovial face gradually turned serious.

Tennoji-san wrinkled her brows as if wondering something.

Naruka stared at us with a pale face.

“No, that… is not true.”

Hinako doesn’t say anything, so I’ll answer instead.

“As Konohana-san said earlier, just because our parents are acquainted doesn’t mean we have a special relationship of sorts. Besides… me and Konohana-san aren’t a good match for each other.”

On one hand is the daughter of the Konohana Group, which is known to all Japanese people, and on the other hand is the heir to a medium-sized IT company. Even my fake status is not worth mentioning.

“I’m not sure if you both are a good match or not, but …… Nishinari-kun, you’re having a tough time with your studies right?”

“You’re right. The pace of classes at this academy is indeed fast, so it’s good if you prepare and review well until you get used to it.”

“Oh, you’re the one saying that, Taisho? You couldn’t even answer the last time you were asked a question in class.”

“Hey, stop it. How long are you going to drag that out?”

Asahi-san and Taisho talk while laughing.

As I smiled and mumbled to myself, Naruka turned towards me.

“Hmm… you liar.”

Naruka mutters in such a low voice that only I was able to hear.

As she kept quiet, she seemed to have accepted the situation, but she still felt dissatisfied with me working at the Konohana family.

And, well, this was how it went on.

The tea party seemed to be going smoothly, even though I occasionally got worried about it.

Naruka seemed to have adjusted to the group without any problems, and Tennoji-san was friendly, except for her relationship with Hinako. I can now see that it was a good idea to invite the both of them to this tea party.

I relaxed and drank the tea on the table.

Then, Tennoji-san looked towards me.

“Nishinari-san. When you drink the tea, don’t bring your mouth closer to the cup, but bring the cup closer to your mouth.”

“I  apologise…”

If I’m not careful, my cover may be blown away.

I need to never forget that… Unlike everyone else, I’m in this school with a false identity.

It’s better to be a little more vigilant.

{ED: Taking proper steps to ensure no one finds out about him}

“Did Nishinari go to a normal school before attending this academy?”

“Yes, I did. That’s why I’m a little unfamiliar with etiquette.”

I nodded my head in response to Taisho’s question.

“In the first year, I heard from my classmates that normal schools have a lot of interesting cultures. For example… Warikin, Wakarin?”

“Warikan?”

{ED: Splitting the bill }

Taisho tilted his head at Asahi-san’s words.

It’s not just Taisho who’s wondering, but everyone else as well.

It seems I have to explain it to them.

“’Warikan’ means to pay the store’s bill in installments. Don’t you do that here?”

“No, we don’t. It’s usually efficient for someone to pay the bill in one lump sum.”

“If someone pays in one lump sum… doesn’t that mean they have to pay for the entire bill?”

“I guess, yes… If it piques you, you can pay for it yourself next time. Basically, you shouldn’t care that much about buying a drink or being offered a drink. I think the person who invited you to the restaurant or the person who wants to pay for it should do so.”

I don’t know if it’s okay to be so nonchalant… I mind a lot when someone buys me a drink.

I thought ‘Warikan’ was a normal custom here, but it seems that the students here aren’t aware of it.

“Also, wasn’t there something called ‘borrowing’?”

“Yes, yes. You know, the one where you borrow something and then steal it?   I wonder why they steal it. Why don’t they just buy it?”

“No, that isn’t a custom!”

I interrupted the lively conversation between Asahi-san and Taisho and somehow managed to correct their knowledge.

It’s not uncommon for us commoners to borrow and fail to return, and when it  happens, it’s usually by accident. But if the other party suddenly moves out of town or becomes estranged from you, forgetting that they owe you, it can happen then too.

“Was there anything like that at the school Nishinari was attending previously? Let me know if there’s anything else I should know.”

“Yes, there is something else…”

Since I could tell that he was asking me out of pure curiosity, I thought of something that would be interesting to Taisho and the others.

“How about the three second rule?”

“The three second rule?”

Asahi-san tilted her head.

No one else seemed to know about it, so I continued my explanation.

“It’s mainly about food- Once you drop something, you can eat it again if you pick it up within three seconds.”

“What the hell is that?”

“Let me show you.”

Then I picked up the baked goods in the middle of the table.

It isn’t a good idea to drop the whole thing, so I bit half of it into small pieces.

“If you drop something like this while you’re eating it…”

I deliberately dropped the pastry on the table and quickly picked it up.

“It is a rule that if you pick it up within three seconds, you can eat it again.”

“I was sure you’ll come up with something interesting.”

Are you making fun of me?

I’m sure you’re not making fun of me, but you shouldn’t be impressed with this.

This is just plain bad manners.

I was just about to say that it would be better not to copy me too much.

“Is this how you do it?”

Hinako, who was sitting in front of me, did the same as me and dropped a pastry on the table.

Then she picked it up and chewed it with her small mouth.

“Y-yes that’s r-right…”.

Everyone in the room was surprised to see the beautiful and graceful Konohana Hinako behaving in such a mundane manner.

{ED: Not behaving properly with good manners}

I affirmed in a trembling voice to Hinako, who smiled adorably.

At that moment, I heard Tennoji-san cough.

“The common people do come up with some interesting stuff  from time to time, but I don’t think… that following the three-second rule is very desirable.”

Tennoji-san said after placing the cup on the table.

“But in fact, I can see that it might be okay if it’s about 3 seconds. I think I’ll try that when I get the chance.”

“It is a hygienic issue. It’s not a little thing.”

Tennoji-san rebuked her. Asahi-san didn’t seem to have meant it so seriously, and quickly replied, “Well, you’re right, it’s not a trifle.

The tea party went on without any further disturbances.