Chapter 8 - Accompanying Neighbors Part 1
It was past noon.
Today, the day after dinner at Misumi's house, I was waiting for the apartment elevator to go to the bookstore.
With this, it's quicker than going down the stairs...
Before I pressed the button the elevator descended towards me, it seemed the elevator was carrying someone from the fifth floor.
Now, I'm waiting for the elevator to come down.
At the time...
Gacha, just as I thought I heard a sound, the door to the house of room 304 – Misumi's, opened.
"Yo, Misumi. Do you want to go out?”
“Ah, that voice, Tsushiro-kun.”
Misumi smiled and bowed slightly, “Good afternoon,” then walked over.
"I want to take the uniform at school."
"Hee."
"If Tsushiro-kun, where are you going?"
"To the bookstore."
"Bookstore...? If I'm not mistaken, the place is on the road to school, right?
"Right."
“...”
“...”
Misumi looked at me with a meaningful smile, I unconsciously smiled bitterly.
“…Want to go together?”
"Eh? May I?"
“Oi, don't pretend you don't know. But, well, I don't mind, you know? I can take you to school."
She said she memorized the directions to school, but if she wanted to take her uniform she would have to go to school.
If that's the case, Misumi will have no problem if I accompany her and guide her into the school.
“Is it really okay? But, Tsushiro-kun went to the bookstore, right...?
“Well, I can stop by on the way home.”
“T-Then… may I ask you a favor?
"You don't have to worry about that, I'm the one offering to help anyways."
Thank you, said Misumi, smiling while tilting her head slightly.
Geez, her every move looks pretty and gives me trouble.
Not that I'm in love with her, but it's another kind of vector — Right, I feel like I'm in front of a pet.
I have to consciously control my facial muscles here, because I can't help but smile.
"Tsushiro-kun, please lend me your arm again, okay?"
"Oh, sure."
I stretched my right elbow slightly to the side to make room for my arm.
Misumi gently wrapped her arms there.
I'm still not used to it.
Standing close to a girl, with my arms crossed, made me a little confused. As a healthy teenage boy, I couldn't help but notice Misumi standing beside me.
As I shook my head from side to side in an attempt to dispel my evil thoughts—
— “The door will open. The third floor."
Along with the sound of the elevator engine, the side door opened.
"Then let's go."
"Oke."
+×+×+×+
Winter break—Noon before the New Year.
People who are always busy at work take New Year's holidays and relax at home.
Housewives may feel a little stressed that their husbands are home at inappropriate times.
And students take advantage of school holidays to go out with their friends.
Anyway, I was worried about what would happen if someone I knew was among the passersby and saw me walking hand in hand with Misumi, but somehow we arrived at Rinsei High without that happening.
I arrived at Rinsei High School without a problem, the athletics and soccer teams were training on the field, and the basketball team was in the gymnasium, sweating.
Careful not to be seen by these people, I finally arrived at the staff room.
"Well, I'll be waiting for you around here."
"Eh? Are you going to leave me alone?”
In front of the staff room door on the first floor of the main school building, Misumi grabbed my arm and held it.
This situation reminded me of the hospital yesterday.
“Well, after this Sensei will do everything, so I guess there won't be any problems.”
"That is not what I mean. Because of the noise… I was nervous about entering the staff room with so many teachers in it. So, Tsushiro-kun please accompany me.”
“Many teachers...? I think there's only a few because it's winter break right now."
Actually, what's wrong with Misumi's school in her hometown? When I imagined that, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"Please, Tsuhiro-kun."
“...!?”
She gently grasped my right arm with both hands, and because of the height difference, Misumi looked at me.
However, it seems that she still can't clearly recognize my face from that distance, and I feel her gaze is a little off-putting to mine, but still, I can feel my face burning when she pampers me like this.
“A-Alright, I see...”
“As expected of Tsushiro-kun.”
I, who lost to Misumin, knocked on the staff room door and opened it, and said “Excuse me,”
“Who are you, you bastard!?” I'm sure they won't yell at me and throw pillows at me like I did in the hospital, but I still won't escape the question of why I'm here.
“Look, Misumi, can you tell me what you need?”
“F-Fine. U-Uhm… my name is Sayo Misumi, who will be transferring to this school starting in the third semester. I'm here to pick up the uniform."
When Misumi called out, a female teacher stood up from the second row of office desks lined up in the staff room and walked slowly over here.
"Ugh."
She was slender and tall, with her long black hair tied in a single bun high on her head, swaying down like a black ponytail.
Her slanted eyes were black, giving her a cool impression at first glance.
And the teacher is someone I know very well, and I accidentally let out a groan.
Hearing this, Misumi asked, "Is something wrong?" But before I could answer, the teacher looked at me and opened his mouth.
“Oh, isn't that you, Tsushiro? Why you are here...? Eh, what's your need with Misumi?”
Teacher compares me and Misumi with the twinkle in her black eyes.
“Well, you could say accompanying the neighbors, Kudou-sensei.”
"Wow, I don't understand at all..."
The teacher – Suzuka Kudou – frowned in confusion, but then sighed, "Well, whatever," and called out to us.
“First of all, come here first.”
Misumi and I were led to the opposite sofa in one corner of the staff room—
Translator: Exxod
Editor: Janaka