Volume 31 Chapter 2 (1/2)
As I furtheredmy personality, to see what that would be like
It wasn't as though I disliked who I was, orlike that
It wasn't really for any particular reason
Maybe I was just getting a bit tired of it
Upon reflection, it see honors student” for a very long time - from the tie in kindergarten So my connection to that identity stretched back about 12 or 13 years It was a good fit for
People amend their personality countless times over the course of their life, and occasionally they have the opportunity to change it co interstate, or when they enter into university, or start a new job Starting a new life in an environment where nobody knoho you have been up until that point provides that chance
Yet I'd graduated fro able to do that
When I entered into pri that I hadn't considered changing my personality
My best chance probably came when I passed the entrance exam for, and was accepted into, a private middle school, as there were hardly any of my for the recommendation of Torii Eriko, who later became my dear friend, I accepted the position of class representative to the student council, and any departure fro about it now, even being the ”indifferent class representative” or the ” class representative” would have been better I'd been under the mistaken impression that a class representative had to act as soulated my behavior It was still a mystery to me how my personality had been so apparent to Eriko, who hadn't even been a passing acquaintance of mine at the time
High school was a continuation of middle school, so I was constantly surrounded by people I knew Suddenly changingtold ”You're acting strange today, Youko-san,” and then being taken to the school infirmary
So I decided to turn over a new leaf, and show a different me to the new friends I made at university
But having said that, it's no simple task to create a new personality from scratch I decided to sa them The idiosyncrasies of any one person would be too much, so I ith a mixture of two people
The nonchalance of rand petit soeur, fukuzawa Yumi-chan
Still, it didn't go as well as I'd iined
”Umm, Mizuno-san”
At lunchti Set Meal B in the cafeteria, two of my classmates approached me
”Did you go to the first-period maths lecture?”
If there had been any vulnerable ot the irls like me” But their cute wave had absolutely no effect on me
”I did, why do you ask?”
I'd spent the six years of irls school I had a fair idea what these girls were going to say next
”Sorry about this, but can I take a copy of your notes?”
See, there it is
” … I guess that's okay”
I set downand handed it over Belatedly, I re face Friendly, friendly
”Waa - you saved ive it back to you in class”
The two girls hastily exited the cafeteria I looked at the clock It was 15 minutes until the end of the lunch break
In order to snap the half-awake students to attention, the professor had packed the first-period maths class densely with es and raphs There was no way those tould be able to transcribe all that in the re time
(Obviously, photocopy)
I let out a s to borrow my notebook until the nextit in your own book? Or show up to class without ently applying cosmetics
(Quit it)
I hated s
If it was going to annoy oing to lend peopleto all this effort trying to change my personality So why am I still the serious honors student?
And if I was supposed to be using Sei asthe book, but the one borrowing it
(Borrowing … ?)
No, that would be pointless Skipping out on a class for no reason would just increase ar with my chopsticks
”Mizuno-san”
Hearing my name called, I looked up and saw a different classmate of mine seated across the table from me
”You were in the first-period ht?”
”Ah, if you want my notebook, it's currently - ”
I remembered just after I'd said that She'd been in the classroo first period as well
”No, I was there So I don't need to copy your notebook”
Short, wavy hair and black glasses on a face free from makeup Her physical appearance was completely different, but for some reason she left a similar impression to Yumi-chan
”You're always there, Mizuno-san At every class Even when they're not taking attendance, first period, fifth period, a perfect attendance record”
Talking about perfect attendance when it's still only May, I thought to led to come up with a response
”I'm aware of that”
She had a perfect attendance record too From memory, her name was Kawatou-san She smiled as she said:
”Right Diligence itself is admirable”
Kawatou-san counted on her fingers
”There's also Hient, why don't we become friends?”
The other tere also wouy with a perfect attendance record, but it seeuy, so I wasn't going to mention it
”… Okay?”
As I answered, I rea-san were
Right, right Despite Hi appearance, with an artistic hairstyle that could almost be called an afro and quite extreme make-up and fashi+on, she spoke with a quiet, subdued voice Tokunaga-san had a rough appearance, alearing masculine jeans and T-shi+rts She never wore any makeup, and her face looked like a boy's, but she'd never behair that she wore in a ponytail and her surprisingly large breasts for such a slender frame
”Great It's a bit sudden, but how about today? Third period's your last, right? After that, at a cafe out front of the train station”
Kawatou-san said the name of the shop was ”Mole Cafe 2” but, sadly, I'd never heard of it
”I'll draw you a quick map later”
”Thanks”
It probably would have been better if I walked with her to this place, but apparently ere all going to meet there
”Since we're such a diligent group, there's no alcohol The drinking age is 20 And since we're studying law, it wouldn't be right for us to break the law, you know Ah, unless you've already reached the legal drinking age, Mizuno-san?”
”No, I'e”
”I see You seeht be older”
Cal way fro Satou Sei or fukuzawa Yumi
”I guess we should make a reservation for the cafe”
”Ah, I'll leave that up to you then, sorry”
Back in high school, I would have offered to help out in some way, but this time around I firmly resisted
”It's okay, don't worry about it I'”
”That kind of thing?”
”Being an organizer or committee member Those kind of roles always seem to fall to me”
It looked like Kawatou-san was ards
”Well, I've got to go I have to talk to Hia-san too”
”If … ”
If you just wait ten minutes, you'll see the for the to say to Kawatou-san, but she'd already left Since they were so diligent, Hia-san wouldn't miss the next class Probably
The 'Mole Cafe 2' near the train station was underground Right beside a florist there was a flight of stairs leading down to a door decorated with vines When the quartet had fully assembled, we entered the store However
”Huh?”
The cafe was full We'd arrived in time for 3 o'clock tea-ti as they had tea and cake Mole Cafe 2 had about ten tables that could seat four people
”But I made a reservation”
Kawatou-san desperately pleaded
”Kawatou-san, Kawatou-san … Here it is Four people, at 5:00”
The h the reservation book
”Not 5:00, 15:00 I said 3pm”
15:00 and 5:00 It was probably hard to tell the difference over the phone A simple mistake If they'd bothered to repeat the ti about that now
”5:00 … hmm”
”I have a part-ti”
The vibe coa-san was to reschedule I didn't really care either way, but Kawatou-san looked like she was about to burst into tears so, against ment, I spoke up
”But ouldn't have to wait until 5:00, I'm sure a space will open up sooner or later After all, this place isn't by-reservation only”
Luckily, there weren't any other custo to be seated Ten tables is ten tables, and it's hard to think that they'd all stay there for an hour, let alone two And there were customers that had already finished their cakes
”Since we caa-san, what time did you have to leave?”
”5per”
After Tokunaga-san said this, Hihtly and said, ”Okay,” too
”Thank-you”
Then I turned to the employee from before and said:
”Excuse ht if we take a look at the menu while ait?”
This was done to optimize the limited time we had, but it was probably overkill Even if I hadn't asked, Kawatou-san surely would have
My reading of the situation had been correct, and within ten minutes ere led to a table Since we'd already looked over theprocess went smoothly, so in the end we didn't lose iven a free plate of cookies by the y for the lad we stayed
”I wonder if I could take mine with me”
Tokunaga-san wrapped up three of the small cookies in a paper napkin
She'd ordered a cake-set, so it didn't appear as though she disliked sweets Besides, if she didn't like them, she'd probably offer the them home as a souvenir
”To eat with your students?”
I asked If so, I was going to offer her my share of the cookies as well
”Students?”
Tokunaga-san repeated
”Froht?”
”Ah, right Yeah You've got a good memory, Mizuno-san”
This response didn't feel all that inviting It was probably better not to probe into this topic too deeply - at least, that's what I thought
”What are you tutoring? How many students do you have? Boys? Girls?”
Kawatou-san's interest had been piqued and she fired off a barrage of questions I didn't knohat she wanted to be in the future - probably an attorney or a prosecutor - but just i
”Ah, it's not that interesting”
The accused, Tokunaga-san, gently deflected the question