Chapter 18: The Angel’s grades are perfect too (2/2)

“Say, Chii, don’t you think Amane’s the type to dote on a lover?”

“Enough with that.”

“Eh, what? Amane has a lover?”

“No.”

“Ehhhー, whatー. I would have wanted to get along with her.”

Tch, so she clicked her tongue, looking disappointed.

“That getting along of yours is overaggressive skinship. Even I would feel sad for my imaginary girlfriend if I have one.”

“Eh, so you have an imaginary girlfriend?”

“I said if I have one, okay!?”

“Just joking~”

“It’s tiring dealing with you…”

“It’s because you lack stamina, Amane.”

“Even if I have, it’ll be worn out by you…”

More so than physical stamina, he felt his mind would be tired instead.

Amane typically would not speak to anyone other than those he was familiar with, and would rather kept a low profile, and lived a listless school life. It would be really difficult for him to talk to a hyperactive person like Chitose.

Despite the aloof reply, Chitose did not mind at all, “You aren’t looking good.” so she said to a tired looking Amane, beaming happily.

“Hurry up and get used to it.” Itsuki too randomly tossed in this advice, and all Amane could do was to make a long, tired sigh.

“…What are you doing??”

Amane returned home, had some of Mahiru’s homecooked food, and after washing the dishes, he found Mahiru laying out the exam papers on the living room table.

Washing dishes was a rotational task for them, but Amane took the chance to wash them first, not wanting to add more to Mahiru’s workload, and so Mahiru spent her time in his living room. She said that if she left it all to Amane and returned home, she would feel a little sorry.

“Checking the answers.”

“Well, I can see that.”

She appeared to be going through the answers, checking the textbooks, seeing if she did make any mistakes.

“So how is it?”

“If I did not write the wrong answers, full marks.”

“To be expected of you.”

Her reply remained dull as she mentioned that she had full marks, and Amane too showed no extreme reaction.

The lack of surprise on Amane’s part was because Mahiru was always first in the year for their school grades.

He felt that Mahiru could have done so, and thought that she would get nothing less than full marks to begin with.

“I do not hate studying to begin with. After all, I have studied through everything that is to be taught a year ago, so all I need to do is revision.”

“Wooahh, as to be expected of you…”

“Are you not good at your studies too, Fujimiya-san?”

“So you know my grades?”

“I have some impression when you were listed on the rankings.”

It appeared she had already known about him somewhat before he first talked to her.

He had assumed those who were not in the single digit ranks were worthy of her attention, but she mentioned his previous ranking, so it appeared she was paying attention.

Amane would spend some effort in studying not because of a serious thought like…a student’s duty is to study. It was a condition his family gave.

“Well, it’s the condition for me to live alone. Maintain my grades.”

When he was allowed to live alone, he was told not to let his grades slip.

There was also the condition of him half to return home once every half year, but that could be arranged over a long vacation, so his family would not meddle if he maintained his grades.

“I’m just working hard enough for them not to cause me trouble, but I can’t best you. You really work hard.”

“…It is important to work hard.”

Mahiru muttered, looking down,

The bangs covered her expression, obscuring it, but surely she was not happy in the slightest.

Nevertheless, she quickly lifted her head, regaining her usual expression, so he missed out on the opportunity to point this out.

And even if he did have the opportunity, he would not have asked. She seemed to be enduring pain after all.

From time to time, Mahiru would show such an expression.

She never would say why she was feeling so painful, so disgusted, but it seemed she was bound by certain things, struggling in them.

It was not hard to imagine the cause of it being her family environment.

Thus, it was inappropriate for him to interject.

He knew very well it was an area he as an outsider should not interfere with, so he kept the distance as her neighbor all this while.

Amane too had things he did not want others to talk about. He too often sensed that outside interference was really a rude thing, and found himself more grateful when others pretended not to notice.

Mahiru did her best to hide the emotions she had, “I shall be leaving now.” She said with her usual chirp, and then kept her textbooks and question papers into the bag.

He did not intend to stop her, “I see” and answered tersely as he looked towards her while she did so.

She was done packing all the things she took out, and stood up from where she was seated when Amane noticed there was something not belonging to himself behind an empty mug.

He reached his hand over, and found a plastic case containing the student ID, which every student would have.

It appeared she had taken it out along with her textbooks, and forgot to pack it back.

He scanned her face along with her name, student number, birthday and blood type, simple information, and called out to her right when she was wearing her shoes at the door, about to return back.

“You forgot this.”

“Ahh, sorry to make you bring it to me. Good night then.”

“Good night.”

She bowed courteously, and left his apartment. As he watched her leave, he gently sighed.

He recalled the full date written on the student ID…especially the month and day, and put his hand on his forehead.

“…Four days later?”

If he had not seen her student ID, he would never have known about Mahiru’s birthday. If only I had known earlier, so he sighed again.