Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093093152263860/episodes/16818792435693405574
First semester, closing ceremony…
In the sweltering summer gymnasium, the principal’s hypnotic speech was assaulting us.
“Well, everyone. Today is the closing ceremony for the first semester, and I am Principal Tanaka, standing here before you. Looking back on the first semester, in April we had the entrance ceremony, the opening ceremony… and new encounters in our new classes. Learning is not confined to the classroom. Greetings in the hallway, cooperation during cleaning time, casual conversations with friends… there is learning there as well. A philosophy professor I met in college once said, ‘Learning is learning how to learn.’ Hmm, that’s deep. Let me share a story from my youth. It was when I was in middle school…”
It’s long. Really long. The hellish speech goes on and on.
“Suuu… suu…”
The girl next to me, Asahina Toka, has fallen asleep standing up. She’s doing it so skillfully. As for me, today is pretty tough. The heat and sleepiness are making my head feel fuzzy.
Perhaps because of the commotion over Toka’s living situation, our final exams were a complete disaster. I managed to score just above average. Toka barely avoided failing. We haven’t grown at all since the midterms! We can’t keep this up in the second semester. We have to study harder.
“Those two are already the most famous couple in school, aren’t they?”
“Damn, I was aiming for Asahina-san…”
“Haha, you’d never have a chance.”
“Kuga-kun is so cool. He’s handsome.”
“I tried to put a love letter in Asahina-san’s locker, but there was ‘Kuga’ written on her shoes, so I gave up.”
I could hear a lot of whispering… While we weren’t at school, the rumors had grown out of control.
Damn… she announced our relationship at school and in front of reporters, so the story spread unintentionally. The one spreading it is mainly the girl sleeping next to me right now!
“Haa…”
With all the rumors and daily commotion, I’m feeling a bit mentally and physically exhausted. I’m thinking of taking a break to rest my body during the summer vacation that starts tomorrow.
“Toka, I can hear you snoring.”
“Hm…?”
As usual, Toka doesn’t care about other people’s gazes at all. She’s doing whatever she wants at school.
“Ryo-kun… Starting tomorrow, let’s do ‘daraicha’ at my place~…”
“Daaaaa, you’re sleepy! Don’t get attached at school! And what the heck is ‘daraicha’ anyway!”
“Daraidaichaicha.”
“There’s no twist to it at all.”
Seeing our exchange, the people around us started to chuckle. The laughter no longer felt like the curiosity or coldness of before, but instead carried a warmth to it.
…It was clear that everyone’s perception of Asahina Toka had changed. Once labeled a “failure” and met with disappointment, Toka was now becoming the envy of everyone, a high-ranking flower. As her boyfriend, this made me both proud and worried.
“Asahina Toka is seriously cute.”
“Kuga is so lucky!”
Once again, such voices could be heard from somewhere…
Kiiin-kon-kaaan-kon
After the end-of-term ceremony, as the bell signaling the end of the first semester rang, many girls gathered around Toka’s desk.
“Asahina-san! Do you have any plans for summer vacation?”
“Huh?”
She didn’t expect to be asked, and a slightly silly voice came out of her mouth.
“How about going to the pool with the whole class?”
The flashy girl at the top of the class hierarchy was asking Tohka that. Before she knew it, girls from other classes were waiting outside the classroom to invite Toka too…
“Eh, I’m not going.”
But Toka rejected the invitation without hesitation!
“Just one day is fine, right? Let’s all go out and have fun! It’ll be fun!”
“My schedule is already full with my boyfriend.”
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!”
The classroom was filled with the girls’ shrill voices. Liar! Your schedule is probably completely blank right now!
“I’m only interested in Ryo-kun. Sorry.”
“Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!”
The girls’ voices spread again! Haaaaaaa! What a weird way to refuse! I almost let out a loud voice too!
“Ryo-kun, let’s go home.”
“U, un…”
“Let’s cuddle a lot when we get home ♡”
Saying that, Toka wrapped her arms around my arm without caring about everyone else’s eyes. I’m so embarrassed, I want to die, please kill me now.
“Kuga-kun, are you going to Asahina-san’s house now?”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
It wasn’t me, but Toka who answered.
“Aaaah! My heart is racing!”
The girls were making silly noises. Or maybe we’re the silly ones!?
“Ryo-kun, how long can you stay at my place today?”
“Shut up right now! Everyone’s listening!”
I’m glad summer vacation starts tomorrow. If something like this happens, I don’t know what face to make when I go to school tomorrow.
…Still, the first semester was really tough. I hope Toka can enjoy a summer vacation filled with smiles, despite all the hardships.
“Ryo-kun?”
“Ah, sorry.”
While thinking about such things, I stumbled. It seems the principal’s hypnosis attack is still affecting me…
◇
The first morning of summer vacation.
“Ryo-kun, wake up! It’s morning!”
“Hmm…”
It was the first day of summer vacation, when I was supposed to be able to sleep in later than usual. Yet, for some reason, Toka was beside me.
“…Huh? Isn’t it early?”
“Hehe, I never thought the day would come when I’d wake Ryo-kun up. Your sleeping face was so cute. I wanted to kiss you.”
“Why are you here…?”
“You just ignored me! I get permission from mother-in-law you know? Yuzu-chan said she was going to club activities too.”
“Yuzuha is going to club activities…?! Oh no, it’s already that time!?”
Toka was pulling on the edge of my blanket, fluttering it back and forth. While I was still groggy from waking up, Toka was already full of energy in the morning.
“Ryo-kun, come on, wake up. The first chapter of ‘Daraicha’ is about to begin. Wake up, let’s go home soon?”
“Yeah. I guess I should get up soon…”
Looking at the clock, it was already past nine in the morning! I realized I had overslept and tried to sit up. But—.
“Huh…?”
My body wouldn’t move. I couldn’t even get up.
“Ryo-kun, what’s wrong?”
“My body… feels heavy…”
My mind was awake and clear, but my body felt unusually heavy. I couldn’t move, as if the blanket had turned into lead.
“Huh… Maybe I’m feeling a little sick…”
When I said that, Toka gently placed her trembling hand on my forehead. The usual smile had vanished from her face.
“Ryo-kun, you have a fever! You’re really hot!”
“What…?”
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