Episode 134: The Second Semester Begins

「Good morning!」

「Good morning, Natsumi.」

Natsumi-senpai was already waiting at the convenience store, so Sara-san and I joined up with her a bit late.

「…………」

Natsumi-san was just staring at us blankly in silence.

「Natsumi, is something wrong?」

When Sara-san asked her curiously, Natsumi-senpai’s eyes moved from Sara-san to me, and after looking like she was thinking something over, she finally spoke up.

「Look, Sara wasn’t at the meeting spot, so I figured you were already at the convenience store and came here first. But… which way did you just come from?」

「? I came from Kazunari-san’s house?」

Even though she was asked which way, Sara-san just flatly stated it was my house.

Natsumi-senpai naturally looked fed up.

「If you’re gonna go pick up Takanashi-kun, at least send a message letting me know.」

「That’s right. So much happened last night that I didn’t even think about contacting Natsumi… I’m sorry.」

Well, it’s true that she suddenly ended up staying over last night.

And my story was pretty long, too.

「Hah… whatever. It’s nothing new that you put Takanashi-kun first. Well, shall we go?」

I was glad she didn’t dig into the「what happened last night」part.

It feels like it’s been a while since we’ve walked to school like this.

The only thing that’s changed is that Sara-san and I are now a couple.

「Ah, summer vacation’s over…」

「Yes. There’s a lot going on in the second semester, so the student council’s gonna be busy.」

The second semester schedule… the big one’s probably the school festival.

I wonder what else there is.

「Let’s see, the festival, the ball games… oh right, there’s the school trip!」

That’s right, second-years have a school trip.

…Wait!?

That means we won’t be able to see each other for a few days again.

「Um… how many days is the school trip?」

「I think it was a week?」

A week… two more days than last time… no, get a grip, me!

I gave myself a mental kick for having such pathetic thoughts.

「? Is something up?」

Natsumi-senpai reacted curiously.

Well, obviously. It wouldn’t make sense to her that I’d have a weird reaction to hearing the dates for their exciting school trip.

「That’s right, I’d forgotten too, but a whole week… Natsumi, I’ll be canceling the school trip, so please enjoy yourself for both of us.」

Sara-san looked at me, put her hand on my arm, and suddenly blurted that out.

「Ha? Why would it turn out like that!」

「I can’t leave Kazunari-san and be away for a whole week.」

No, no, there’s no way I can let her skip something as important as a school trip.

「Sara-san, the school trip is important, so please participate properly.」

I’ll need to find the right time to persuade her.

Sara-san’s probably being serious.

I want to scold myself for thinking such pathetic thoughts even for a second.

「Kazunari-san… not being able to see you for a whole week, I…」

「I feel the same way, but you have to go on the trip. If you didn’t go because of me, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.」

「Kazunari-san… for my sake…」

「Sara-san, you’re actually the one doing it for me…」

Sara-san stared at me looking a bit moved.

I stared back, and as the distance between us closed a little…

「Hey, how long are you two gonna keep up this skit first thing in the new semester?」

It was the usual scene, just like a picture.

We got to school and entered the classroom.

Ahh.

The summer vacation where so much happened is over, and the second semester’s finally starting.

But man, it feels so good emotionally to not be struggling with summer homework.

I’ve gotta thank Sara-san.

「Mornin’.」

「Morning, Takanashi-kun!」

「Morning!」

Even people who aren’t in Natsumi-senpai’s or Hayato’s fan clubs are greeting me back.

After that talk yesterday, this sight felt extra precious.

Speaking of which, I didn’t hear the usual trio’s voices… then I saw Yamakawa was desperately doing his homework.

Yeah, if Sara-san hadn’t been around, I might’ve been in the same boat.

It looks like Kawamura and Tanaka are helping him out.

「Morning.」

「Yo, Takanashi. It’s been a while.」

「Morning. From the look of it, you haven’t ended up like Yamakawa.」

Yamakawa was so desperate he didn’t even have the leeway to return a greeting.

「Gonna make it?」

「Impossible. Well, I’m doing it even though I know that, I guess.」

「I see… good luck with that.」

That was all I could really say.

And then the chime rang mercilessly, and morning HR began.

The boring opening ceremony ended, and since it’s the first day, there wasn’t much else.

「Hayato, about that thing we talked about, I’ve got a student council meeting today, so how about tomorrow?」

「Right… today’s the first club meeting of the semester, so I can’t be late. Tomorrow would be a big help for me too.」

Hayato came over during the break, and I told him we’d talk about「that thing.」

Apparently tomorrow works better for Hayato too.

Then I’ll tell him everything tomorrow.

「Got it. Then after school tomorrow.」

「Yeah. See you tomorrow.」

If I talk to him before Yuzuha makes a move, I should be able to crush any weird stuff she tries to pull with Hayato beforehand. Then I’ll just tell him to stay on guard and we’ll deal with it somehow.

No, there’s a chance I’m just overthinking it in the first place.

Today’s only a half-day.

After eating my bento at the flowerbed for the first time in a while and watering the plants, I headed to the student council room.

The teachers had been doing it during summer break, but the weeding and maintenance were a bit half-hearted.

The after-school student council meeting was mainly for the first greetings of the new semester and checking upcoming events.

「There’s the school festival, but my term as student council president is also ending, so there’ll be an election.」

That’s right.

The president is a third-year, so they hand over the reins in the second semester.

That means someone else becomes president… wait, there’s nobody but Sara-san.

「If Satsukawa-san runs, we wouldn’t even need an election…」

「I have zero interest in the president position. If I have time for that, I’ll be busy taking care of Kazunari-san.」

「「「「「………….」」」」」

Ah… what should I do.

How am I supposed to handle this situation…

「…She’s using his first name.」

「…Something happened over summer vacation.」

「…Is it really like that? Is she gonna say they’re a couple?」

「…No way… Satsukawa-san… Satsukawa-san…」

「…I mean, what exactly is she gonna do to “take care” of Takanashi-kun?」

「W, well, we’ve still got time, so there’s no need to decide right now.」

Judging by the reaction, it looks like they haven’t heard anything from Natsumi-senpai.

It’s rare to see the president react so flustered.

For now, today ended after we finished checking all the events.