Episode 27 – Trauma reunited at a cram school
Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818622172789075625/episodes/16818622174455095470
Despite getting caught up in a strange competition, time passed and Saturday arrived.
Today, I had plans to attend a special lecture at the cram school at Nagisa’s invitation.
So, I headed to the agreed-upon station twenty minutes before our meeting time, but Nagisa was already there.
Unlike her previous dress, she was wearing jeans and a blouson jacket, a more subdued outfit.
Standing at the meeting place while looking at her smartphone, she seemed to be attracting attention.
I myself felt a little nervous because she seemed more mature than usual.
However, oblivious to my thoughts, she noticed me and gave me the same gentle smile she had at school.
“Good morning. You’re early.”
“Good morning, Amakusa san. Sorry I’m late.”
“No, no. It’s still twenty minutes early.”
Even though there was plenty of time before the scheduled meeting time, I felt a little guilty that she had arrived first.
After meeting up, we headed straight for the cram school.
Today’s schedule was a heavy one, with 90-minute lectures on English, math, and science in that order, starting in the morning.
This was my first time attending such classes outside of school, so I was both nervous and excited.
I wanted to use this opportunity to prepare perfectly for the mock exam coming up next weekend.
While I’ve already filled in most of the gaps in the exam syllabus, there’s still a chance I might overlook an application of a formula at the last minute or translate classical texts completely differently.
If I could somehow pick up that kind of improvisational skill today, that would be great.
As I thought this, I asked Nagisa along the way.
“Speaking of which, I just realized that Amakusa san goes to cram school. Does it really make that much of a difference?”
“I’m not sure. In my case, it’s more like I’ve just been going along with it.”
Nagisa smiled wryly and continued.
“I told you about my brother the other day, right? I used to follow him around when I was little. When I was in elementary school, my brother always got perfect scores on his tests, so I started going to cram school to catch up with him.”
“Oh, like doing sixth-grade material in second grade?”
“Exactly. Well, I was quickly left behind by my brother, and by middle school, I was only studying the material for my current grade. Still, from the moment I started studying, that cram school-dependent habit had already become ingrained in me.”
“Now I feel anxious without the cram school.”
I remember there were kids at my school who were studying high school material ahead of time.
But maybe it’s just my prejudice, but I always thought that those kids were more a product of their parents’ enthusiastic education than their own willpower.
The pattern of wanting to know the same things as your older brother and then getting hooked on studying is new to me and interesting.
It feels a bit heavy, but it’s still within the realm of a lighthearted home comedy.
“Fufu, that’s right. But lately, I’ve been thinking maybe I should stop. I was only studying English once a week anyway, so honestly, as long as you’re there to teach me, I don’t need a cram school.”
“No, no, you’re exaggerating.”
“That’s not true. The one who improved my stagnant English grades, no matter how many lectures or explanations I received, was none other than Edano san. Thank you for always being there for me.”
“…I’m glad.
Both Reisa and Nagisa are so overly complimentary that my nose is itching uncontrollably.
Plus, Nagisa’s choice of words is always risky.
Even when she mentioned her previous target school, there were so many phrases that could be misinterpreted if taken literally.
Does she not feel any embarrassment or awkwardness?
I avert my gaze from Nagisa, who is smiling contentedly, feeling awkward.
The bustling station front street doesn’t seem to be interfering with my consciousness today.
Maybe she doesn’t know how to close the distance between us because she doesn’t have many friends.
I think of something rude that would make her angry.
Nagisa doesn’t hang out with people much, and I’ve never seen her interact with boys in particular.
I realize that maybe that’s why her words are always so risky.
Both Reisa and Nagisa have a strange sense of distance in a different way.
Of course, in the case of that returnee, she converts her overly close sense of distance into strong communication skills and manages to get by well.
◇
After killing some time, I arrive at the cram school and enter the classroom.
There, I spot a familiar face.
Perhaps because I had recently remembered her existence due to my childhood friend, I’m slightly shaken by this reunion, which seems to have been planned.
Our eyes meet.
After our eyes met and she looked surprised, she stared intently at me and Nagisa next to me, and I felt awkward and looked away.
Her name is Yamayoshi Fumino.
She is a former classmate with whom I often talked in junior high school.
“Edano san?”
“Oh, no. I just know someone here.”
Nagisa asked me about my attitude, so I replied like that.
Yamayoshi and I were close friends in middle school, especially until the middle of third year.
We were originally close in grades, competing in tests, asking each other questions when we didn’t understand something, and occasionally teasing each other for fun.
However, in third year, she was in the same class as that girl, Kako.
At the time, both Kako and I were studying hard for the entrance exams, and since I had a bit of leeway in my grades, I spent my days teaching Kako as a way to review my own knowledge.
I was adjusting my study plan based on her class progress, so I wanted to know what kind of lessons she was taking and even how she took notes.
That’s why I asked Yamayoshi, who was close to her, about the class situation on her side.
[Wanting to know the content of other classes? You’re crazy.
[Actually, sometimes teachers mistakenly include topics they briefly covered in other classes when testing a specific class. I don’t want to lose points because of that.]
We continued to get along well, occasionally studying together, but for some reason, she started avoiding me after a certain day.
Just as Kako had made fun of me the other day, I haven’t spoken to that woman, Yamayoshi, since then.
I don’t know what triggered it, but I remember being suddenly disliked.
Personally, it was quite a trauma and became the reason I developed an aversion to her.
That’s why I stiffened when I saw her today.
“Girls are so unpredictable, aren’t they?”
“Women’s hearts are like clear autumn skies, right? Today is the beginning of autumn, so it might rain suddenly.”
“Haha, no way.”
The weather forecast was for a sunny day, and it was still clear.
If the weather were to change from here, I’d eat ramen through my nose while standing on my head.
It was an impossible thought.
While thinking such foolish thoughts, I turned my attention to the lecturer who had arrived.
From here on, it was time to concentrate.
I opened my notebook and switched to study mode.
And maybe because I was joking around.
Twenty minutes into the lecture, it really started raining, and I secretly despaired.
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