Episode 6: The Cooper…

A while has passed since then.

The class was still just as low-brow as ever, with the idiots acting like they owned the place, and it was such a disaster that no one would be surprised if you told them it was an elementary school class.

During breaks, languages that didn’t even sound like Japanese flew around, and the obnoxious yelling echoed all the way out into the hallway.

I didn’t want to spend a single second in the classroom except for during lessons.

The flower beds had become my place to belong.

On days when Senpai came, she would do the watering while I handled weeding or spreading fertilizer.

On days when she didn’t come, I did the watering myself.

It wasn’t exactly a set rule, but since I was there every day, it just kind of turned out that way.

Senpai probably realizes that I haven’t blended into the class.

I’m there every day, and in the first place, she knows about that incident on the rooftop.

Even so, I’m grateful that she doesn’t say anything about it.

Neither of us had any particularly meaningful conversations, and we just stuck to light small talk.

But I’d like to think it isn’t an awkward feeling…

In the midst of that, I was a bit surprised when I happened to see Senpai in the hallway after school.

She was walking with a few other people, so I was debating whether I should call out to her, but then I overheard their conversation.

「Decide that much for yourself and take action. How much longer do you plan on acting like a middle schooler?」

「Y-yes, sorry.」

「The way these documents are organized is far too sloppy. You’ve done this specific task many times, haven’t you? Think about a more efficient way to summarize things.」

「I’ll be careful… I’ll try looking at other materials for reference.」

She probably wasn’t saying anything wrong, but she was just so strict… especially her tone.

It wasn’t just a simple warning; it was a kind of strictness that felt like there was another layer of reason behind it.

I’ve never been spoken to like that before, but if she ever said that to me, I wonder how I’d react…

The peak of it was when a flashy guy blocked the path of Senpai while she was walking.

「Satsukawa-san, ‘sup.」

「…………」

「Huh? What’s wrong?」

「…I don’t have time to deal with children, you know?」

「Wait, what?」

That cold gaze… it was intense.

Her choice of words was part of it, but it felt like she was looking down on him completely, like she truly believed he wasn’t even worth her time.

「You’re being awfully familiar. In the first place, I don’t even know who you are?」

Being told off so bluntly, the flashy guy just froze.

I don’t know if they actually knew each other or not, but at the very least, that guy had approached her assuming she knew him.

…As expected of the Lonely Goddess.

…Harsh as always, huh.

…How does everyone keep following her like that?

…It’s because she gets results. She’s not just all talk, so plenty of people look up to her.

…She’s beautiful, so maybe that coldness is actually a plus?

…Since she became Vice President, the vending machines and school rules have actually gotten a lot better, you know?

I could hear the people around me whispering to each other.

To be honest, I felt like she was just making enemies like that…

But the people with her didn’t look all that upset, even while they were being scolded.

Is there some kind of reason for it?

Is it fine just because the people involved are okay with it?

While I was thinking about all that, Senpai and the others had gotten close before I knew it.

I was leaning against the wall, lost in thought, so I didn’t notice Senpai was looking at me.

「Hello, Takanashi-san.」

「!? Hello, Senpai.」

I didn’t think she would call out to me here.

Given the atmosphere, I thought she would probably just pass me by.

But I didn’t feel any of that strictness from before; to me, it was just her usual speaking voice.

For some reason, it felt like the voices around us just vanished.

「Yes. Are you on your way home, Takanashi-san?」

「Yeah, well, the classroom is…」

「Ah, that’s right. ……Annoyingly enough, childish people really are everywhere.」

She was speaking quietly halfway through, so I couldn’t hear her very well.

「I’m sorry, I have somewhere I need to be, so I’ll be taking my leave now. See you tomorrow…」

「Y-yes. See ya.」

Leading the group that was likely the student council members, she walked off briskly.

As they passed by, they gave me looks that seemed to say,「Who is this guy?」

…Who’s that?

…He was actually having a normal conversation with her.

…Didn’t the Goddess seem a bit different than usual?

…Who does that guy think he is, getting close to the Goddess?

I was busy thinking, so I didn’t really care about the reactions around me.

Even though I knew about that strict side of her to some extent, actually seeing it in person was a shock.

If that is the normal way for Senpai to act, I wonder if a time will come where I’ll be treated like that too if something happens…

If that happens, I’m scared that I won’t be able to talk to her like I have been.

Why is the way she talks to me so polite…?

From what I heard, it doesn’t seem like she’s that way with anyone else.

All sorts of things popped into my head while I walked home, and before I knew it, I had arrived.

Today I came to the usual shrine to pray.

Calling it “praying” sounds a bit formal… I just put my hands together and make a wish.

…My situation might be at the point where it won’t be solved unless I rely on God.

I finished praying today and turned around to find the old woman standing there before I even noticed.

「Oh my! Good, I finally met you again.」

It was the old woman whose groceries I had carried before.

「Ah, hello. How are you?」

「I’m doing well, thanks to you. I’m sorry I couldn’t thank you properly last time.」

「No, I was in a hurry too, so it’s fine.」

I just carried some bags for a bit, so I haven’t done anything worth getting a reward for.

I only helped because of that awkward sense of obligation I felt.

「I’d like to give you some kind of thanks…」

「No, I really just carried your bags, so please don’t worry about it.」

「But still.」

Crunch, crunch…

I could hear the sound of someone walking over the gravel.

「Obaa-chan, so this is where you were.」

That voice…

「Sara-chan, welcome.」

「Yeah. Ah, I’m sorry for interrupting your conversation…」

Halfway through, her voice seemed to turn toward my back, so she was probably apologizing to me.

「Sara-chan. This young man is the one who carried my bags and brought them up for me the other day.」

「I see. I’m sorry for the trouble my grandmother caused you back then… thank you very much.」

When I turned around, Senpai was just bowing her head down.

「Um, Senpai…」

Hearing my voice, Senpai snapped her body upright.

「Eh! Takanashi-san!?」

It was the first time I’d seen Senpai with such a clearly surprised expression.

But honestly, I was pretty surprised too.

Could a coincidence like this really happen?

「Yes… Um, is she your…?」

「Yes, she’s my grandmother. I had heard that she was helped by a kind young man before, but to think it was actually Takanashi-san…」

I’m shocked too.

It’s a cliché, but I found myself idly thinking about how small the world is.

That’s when the old woman, who had been listening to us, reacted.

「Oh? Is he a friend of yours, Sara-chan?」

「Takanashi-san has been taking care of me.」

「Senpai has been taking care of me.」

…Our lines and our timing overlapped perfectly.

The old woman laughed a little.

「I see, I see. It’s the first time I’ve gotten to see Sara-chan’s boyfriend, so if you’d like, please come in and have some tea.」

Boyfriend… to be honest, I don’t think we’re in a relationship where she could call us that.

And I’m one thing, but I figured Senpai would find it awkward.

「E-erm…」

「I’m sorry, Takanashi-san, but I’d like to properly express my gratitude as well, so would you mind giving me a little of your time?」

Senpai, who didn’t seem particularly bothered, asked me with her usual tone and expression.

Since Senpai was the one asking, I couldn’t exactly just turn her down…

「Understood, just for a little while then…」

「Thank you. Right this way…」

Led by Senpai, I ended up entering the main house next to the shrine.