Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu

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2, Second Semester


　Summer vacation is over, and the second semester begins today.

　I arrive at school as usual, and as I am about to enter the classroom, which is noisier than usual, I stop at the door.
　
　...The first day after a long vacation.
　I'm pretty bad at this.
　My classmates, who were happily talking about the events that had happened during the break, quieted down as soon as I entered the classroom. I can clearly imagine that the silence will be more intense than usual.

　...But there is no point in standing here.
　With a will, I open the door and enter the classroom.
　
　As expected, inside the classrooms, each student was happily chatting about the events of the summer vacation.
　Some of them had been hard at work in club activities and their skin was completely tanned, while others were pale, perhaps because they had been cooped up during the summer vacation. Others were showing off their pierced ears to their friends.

　As I looked at my classmates, a boy nearby looked at me and muttered.

"Ah, Tomoki-kun..."

　The only word I heard was a faint voice.
　However, those around him certainly heard him, interrupting his earlier chatter and falling silent.
　The silence is spread to those around them.
　Suddenly, the classroom was enveloped in silence.

　Although the guys in this class are much more understanding of me than I have ever been, it's hard to see this strong face after the vacations, isn't it.
　With that in mind, I headed to my seat――

"Sup, Tomoki! It's been a while."

　I was called out.
　When I turned around and looked at the owner of that voice, it was Asakura.

"... Hmm? What's wrong?"

　The unexpected voice created a blank in my thoughts.
　Asakura tilted his head and asked, perhaps wondering about the situation.

"... No, it's nothing. It's been a while, Asakura."

　I reply to Asakura.
　Asakura said, "Oh," and before long the classmates around us had resumed chatting.
　... Did he help me?
　No, in Asakura's case, he may be doing these things naturally.
　Either way, he's a good guy, I honestly thought so.

"But then again, it's been rather a long time since we've talked like this."

“The last time we met was when we went to the beach together.”

　As soon as I said that, Asakura's expression clouded over.
　I was wondering what was wrong,

"...We went to the beach together? I was so busy with club activities during the summer vacation that I didn't have time to go to the beach."

"No, Asakura invited me, Ike and Kai [I was so busy with club activities, I didn't have time to go to the beach]."

　Asakura had a cloudy look on his face, and it was like a CD with a lot of sound skipping.
　Then I remembered the time we went to the beach and I guessed.

　...I guess the fact that he hit on an elementary school student was a black history that he didn't want anyone to touch.

"... Yeah, we didn't go to the beach. Good job on your club activities, Asakura."

　Then I tapped Asakura on the shoulder,

"Don't pity me, please. Tomoki, who has a cute girlfriend and the class idol all to himself, has no idea how I feeeel...!"

　Asakura returned to his seat with tears in the corners of his eyes and a frustrated expression on his face.
　
　... What was just now?
　I could only be puzzled.

　Then, after taking a breath, I spoke to a classmate who had come nearby.

"Kana, it's been a while."

　I called out to Hasaki Kana, who had been looking for the right moment to join the conversation between Asakura and me.
　
“Eh, d-did you notice!?”

"I noticed. The fact that you' re looking at me behind Asakura and somewhat hesitating."

"... U-Uwh. It's kind of embarrassing, I guess"

　Kana said, blushing.
　When she says it like that, I suddenly feel embarrassed, too.

"I haven't seen Kana since the summer festival. Well, we've been in contact, so it doesn't feel like it's been too long."

　After nodding at my words, Kana slowly opens her mouth.

"Yeah. It doesn't feel like it's been a long time, but. ...You know, how to say it. It's kind of that."

　After muttering weakly, Kana made a gesture of holding and opening her hand unnaturally.
　...I somehow guessed that she was trying to say something about the time I walked by Kana's hand on the day of the summer festival.
　However, I feel somewhat strangely embarrassed to mention it.
　After averting my gaze from her, I give a simple answer.

"Sorry, I don't know what that is."

　At my words, Kana looks dejectedly and a little dissatisfied.
　But she seemed to notice that I couldn't look her in the eye and smiled somewhat kindly.

“...Pleased to have you again in the second semester, Yuuji-kun?”

"Oh, pleased to have you."

　The words we exchange are somewhat embarrassing.
　On top of that, I felt that Asakura was looking at me with a grudge, so I decided to change the subject.

“Come to think of it, Ike hasn't come in yet?”

　At my words, Kana says as she turns her gaze to Ike's seat.

"He came in this morning, dropped off his bag, and immediately went to the student council office. I think he's headed directly to the school opening ceremony from there."

　As she said, there was Ike's bag on his desk.
　It had been the first time since the summer festival that Ike and I had been together, so I was hoping to at least say hello to him.

"The opening ceremony is about to start. Let's move out too."

　After Kana's words, I looked at my classmates around me and sure enough, they had begun to move out of the classroom.
　
"You're right"

　I answered so and left the classroom with Kana.
　On the way there, a bunch of guys from another class who hadn't seen me in a while,

    There were unfortunate events in which people made remarks like "Hih, it's Tomoki...", "Scary as ever...", and "Don't make eye contact. You'll be killed." 

　Meanwhile, Kana, walking next to me, muttered, "Even though he's so cool..." and I pretended I didn't hear her.


　☆


　After the boring opening ceremony, I left the gymnasium.
　Just as I was about to return to the classroom―

"Makiri-sensei, good morning."

　I met with Makiri Chiaki-sensei.
　During the summer vacation, she and I had a lot going on, but we were still teacher and student at school.
　No matter how much I know her to be a klutz, Makiri-sensei is still my teacher whom I respect and admire.

　That's why I greet her when I see her.

　She must have heard my voice, because she turned and looked at me.
　Then—for some reason, she looked upset.

　...What's wrong? As I was thinking so, she now blushed, turned her gaze down awkwardly and shyly, and then opened her mouth.


"Good morning, Tomoki-kun. It's sudden, but ... please come to the student guidance office after school."