Chapter 19 - Karin and Kouhei (Part 1)
It was a morning just like any other.
There was nothing unusual about my fried eggs for breakfast, nor did a tea stalk stand upright in my cup after the meal. My shoelaces weren’t broken, and no black cat crossed my path.
Just a bland, dry morning.
Passing through the school gates and opening my locker, I found no letters waiting for me, and the same went for my classroom locker.
I’m not bragging, but I’ve never had a love story just fall into my lap, so imagining such a scenario would be quite a stretch.
However, this day was going to be a significant turning point for me, for us.
“Hey, how about karaoke? We haven’t gone since we became sophomores,”
Mogi called out to me after homeroom ended.
“I’d like to! But I’ve got student council again today.”
“Phew! You’re always so serious, Kouhei-chan! You should relax your shoulders once in a while, man! Like the old days, let’s have a barbecue in the yard and drink lemonade! Phew!”
“Yeah, maybe you’re right.”
Was that Takahashi’s way of showing concern? Thanks.
“With two beauties in the student council, are you getting stiff all over, planning to become a stodgy civil servant in the future? Phew! I want to be a pilot, but I can’t fly through the sky. Phew!”
On second thought.
Just hurry up and become a pilot, crash without bothering anyone, and get hurt just enough not to affect your health.
“Well, it’s busy since the new fiscal year just started, but I’ll make time eventually, so invite me again! Alright, I’m off to the student council.”
“Alright. Good luck. We’re off to club activities then.”
“Phew! Looks like we’re going to sweat it out today! Oh, but no tears, okay? The only times a man should cry are when his mom catches a cold and when he yawns. Phew!”
But as they say, I can’t deny that I’ve been tied up with the student council ever since becoming a second-year student.
Yet, it’s not a pain at all, which is troubling.
Am I a workaholic? Not quite.
Taking care of Marimo, having tea with Karin, and chatting with Onigawara-kun.
I guess I just like spending my time that way.
Huh? So, does that mean I’m combining hobby and utility?
...Somehow, that makes me sound like a work-loving pervert, which I don’t like.
“Hey. Good work.”
“Thank you, Kirishima-senpai! Shall I make some tea?”
Karin, always quick to offer tea when she sees me. She’s a considerate girl.
“I feel bad always making you do it, Karin. I should make it sometimes.”
“Then I’ll make it. We also have sweets.”
I wonder what Onigawara-kun’s sweets is today. I’m looking forward to it.
“No, no, you’ve already brought sweets, don’t worry about it anymore. I’ll do it.”
“Hey, hey, should I make it then!?”
Marimo stood up. Ah, I see, that’s an option.
“That would be great. Please do.”
“Leave it to me!”
“It seems I’m not needed here.”
The three of us passed the responsibility to Marimo. Are we the Ostrich Club or what?
“By the way, there was a club that came with a petition earlier. Since I was the first one here today, I took it. Here are the documents. I summarized the main points, but was that unnecessary?”
“What are you talking about? It’s much clearer now. Let’s see, the Tea Ceremony Club, huh. What’s this? The Kendo Club on the floor above practices so intensely that dust falls from the ceiling. They want something done about it. Ah, I see. For some reason, our school has the Flower Arrangement and Tea Ceremony Clubs in the same building as the martial arts dojo. The Kendo Club is just practicing passionately, so it’s hard to take sides.”
“Ah! I just had an idea, is that okay?”
“Sure, let me hear it.”
“Onigawara-kun, do the two clubs have any surplus funds?”
“Please wait a moment... Here it is.”
Onigawara is becoming like an excellent analyst from “24.”
With his robust physique, it suits him too well.
“Let’s see, oh, there’s quite a bit left over! Kirishima-senpai, how about we take the same amount from the activity funds of the two clubs causing the problem and do some simple construction on the ceiling? Until then, maybe hanging a vinyl sheet could mitigate some of the damage!”
“That’s a good suggestion! I’ll request the construction from the club advisors. Onigawara-kun, it would help if you could get an estimate ready by then.”
“I’m already on it... Here it is.”
I wonder if CTU will come to poach this capable man.
“Then, I’ll make a quick run and talk to the advisor with the estimate. Good job, Karin. There, there, good girl.”
“Stop it, please! I’m not a child!”
After laughing heartily, I suddenly looked at Marimo.
She was in a very unstable position, holding four teacups at once.
She must be thinking, “It’s more efficient to do everything at once! The tea temperature won’t change either!” But I’ll ask her about that later. For now, I quickly moved behind Marimo.
“Meow!? Ahh!”
Just as I thought. I knew she would do that.
I swiftly caught the falling tray.
Fortunately, only one teacup lost its balance.
I beautifully captured it mid-air, saving all the tea and preventing Marimo from getting burned.
“Safe! Seriously, I can’t watch this.”
“Ah, sorry, Kou-chan. But you know, doing it this way is more efficient.”
“I’ve already heard that in my head... Anyway, as long as you’re not hurt, that’s good enough!”
“Uh... Aren’t you going somewhere, Kou-chan?”
“I am. But first, I’ll drink the tea. Hot! No, it’s not hot! It would be a waste if the tea you made got cold, right? Where would all the effort you put into it go?”
“Kou-chan...! Yeah, that’s right, it’s a very rational way of thinking!”
Honestly, gulping down the piping hot roasted tea required quite a bit of courage, and it felt like a fire was burning in my stomach, but such damage is nothing to worry about.
Right?
And then, I ran off to see the teacher concerned.
An hour later.
“It was tough catching the teacher. I’m back.”
“Welcome back! You must be tired!”
“Welcome home! That must have been hard!”
“Not at all, it’s nothing... Where’s Onigawara-kun?”
“Well, he said he was going to pick flowers and left.”
He always leaves like a lady, that one.
Suddenly, our timing overlapped, and everyone fell silent.
It’s not that unusual.
Even when there are four or five of us, this happens all the time.
But the moment this silence was broken, I was about to receive a critical hit more intense than any shock I had ever experienced before.
Karin spoke up.
“...By the way, are you two dating?”
“What!?”
“Huh?”
Dating.
She’s asking if Marimo and I are in a romantic relationship.
Hold on, Marimo and I dating?
That’s ridiculous.
“We’re not dating! Right, Marimo?”
“...Eh? Oh, yeah. That’s right.”
I was about to question Karin why she needed such confirmation when her turn wasn’t over yet.
“Then, Kirishima-senpai! Please go out with me!!”
Her resolute voice echoed in the quiet student council room.
—For a moment, it seemed as if the hands of the clock I was idly watching had stopped moving.