Episode 101: Studying for Exams

I stepped out of the bathroom, grabbed a bath towel in the dressing room, wiped my body as much as possible, and put on the spare underwear and pants I had brought in earlier.

The problem was my top… but I guess I have no choice but to go out like this.

Since it’s just my upper body, it’s a bit late for that, and Senpai should be okay in my room… probably.

I draped a bath towel over my shoulders and stepped out of the dressing room to find Sara-senpai waiting with everything ready, from a spare shirt to bandages and cold patches.

Both of us turned red the moment our eyes met from embarrassment and everything else.

And looking at a shy Sara-senpai felt like I was going to remember it all over again…

「Ah… you’re imagining it again… today’s Kazunari-san is really mean…」

Since being told that so bashfully just keeps us going in circles, I really have to break this cycle.

「S, sorry Sara-senpai. But it must be embarrassing, and it’s a lot of work, so as expected, the bath is…」

「N, no, I was unaccustomed today and showed you an unseemly sight, but I am fine. If it is for Kazunari-san, I can do my best.」

Saying that, she clenched her fists with both hands and gave a small「Guh!」

That sight of her cutely appealing that she’ll do her best is just…

And here, too, the word「refusal」does not exist for me.

I just have to do my best… me. Although I can’t say what I’m doing my best at.

「N, now Kazunari-san, first let’s dry your head thoroughly.」

Saying that, she moved behind me, lifted the bath towel I was wearing, and began to dry my head.

「Wapu.」

「Fufu… please bear with it for a bit.」

Sara-senpai seemed to have regained her rhythm, and she returned to her usual composed, Onee-san-like vibe.

It seems that, depending on some kind of switch, she either gets a bit childish or returns to her usual caring Onee-san self…

After wiping my head thoroughly, she wiped the places I couldn’t reach, like my shoulders and back, and helped me put on my top.

By the way, there is no hairdryer in my house.

「Now Kazunari-san, please sit here.」

Since bandages and such were ready on the table, I sat in the chair and placed my right arm on the table toward Sara-senpai.

She applied the cold patch just like that and wrapped the bandage around and around.

「There, it’s fine now.」

「Thank you very much. I’m sorry for everything…」

「No, I am doing it because I want to do it all.」

Sara-senpai truly thinks that, which is amazing… I can’t thank her enough.

And then it was time for Sara-senpai to go home.

I wanted to walk her…

「Kazunari-san, you are injured, so please stay quietly at home.」

I knew she would say that…

The last hurdle before summer vacation… that’s the test.

I don’t skip classes, so I think my grades are about average.

But this time, because I can’t use my right hand well, subjects with many questions or a lot of writing might be tough.

「As student council officers, I want you to get at least above average. We didn’t do it until last year, but starting this year, we’ll hold study sessions after school for the few days leading up to the test.」

Hmm… I guess as student council officers, we have to be careful about that kind of thing, too.

「President~, if it’s a study session, I want a teacher to teach us.」

「If you’re okay with me, feel free to ask. For first and second-year studies, Satsukawa-san will probably cooperate as well.」

「Yay!」

「Alright, I’m motivated now.」

「There’s actually a lot of stuff I don’t get.」

「…I can see the punchline.」

「…Me too.」

I know Sara-senpai’s test scores are far and away the best. The President is probably good too… I wonder about everyone else.

「Takanashi-kun, how is your studying?」

「I intend to take classes properly, but I don’t study at home other than homework. Is that no good after all…?」

When I said that, other people joined the conversation.

「I’m doing it for the time being~」

「I do it too when things are shaky in class.」

「I usually do it before the test.」

「Me too~」

Could it be that I’m the only one who doesn’t study?

This is bad; if I’m the only one with bad grades, I’ll drag everyone down…

「Takanashi-san will be fine. I will teach you the things you don’t understand.」

I asked Sara-senpai to keep calling me「Takanashi-san」at school, just like before.

The main reason is that I’ve decided, as a matter of personal discipline, not to call each other by our first names in public until we officially start dating.

There are other reasons, like it might cause a stir, or the fact that Sara-senpai liked the phrase「a secret just between the two of us.」There are all kinds of reasons.

「I look forward to it. I’ll do my best!」

「I am happy that you will do your best, but please be careful not to use your right hand too much.」

I’m trying to write with as little strength as possible, but the problem is that my handwriting looks all wobbly…

「Sorry Sara-senpai, about this part…」

「Yes. For this part, you do this like this…」

Since math is my weakest subject, I inevitably have a lot of questions.

But Sara-senpai teaches in a way that is very easy to understand and polite, so I’m grateful.

「Thank you very much. I’m sorry for asking right away…」

「It’s fine, that’s why I’m here. Please ask me anything you don’t understand.」

For the sake of Sara-senpai, who says that with a smile, I have to raise my grades even a little.

「H, hey Satsukawa-san, about this…」

「Did you read the textbook thoroughly? Please ask questions after investigating on your own as much as possible.」

「…Yes.」

「Just as I thought.」

「A punchline that’s easier to understand than the studying itself…」

Thanks to getting a teacher like Sara-senpai, my studying was progressing better than ever before.

I was being taught not just during student council time, but also in my spare time at home.

But what I still can’t get used to is…

「Kazunari-san, I’ll wash your back.」

「Y, yes! Please…」

Being alone in the bathroom with Sara-senpai, it’s impossible not to be nervous.

「Fufu… how is it?」

While I’m still not used to it at all, I feel like Sara-senpai has gained some composure.

「Is five minutes okay today, too?」

I went out of my way to ask because I was frustrated.

「…You’re asking that knowing the answer, aren’t you? You’re being mean…」

Gwah…

Hearing Sara-senpai’s embarrassed voice, in the end, I was the only one who got done in.