Tag Archives: Kenkyo Kenjitsu

Reika-sama – 038

Dec 25, 2015 Estelulu 24 Comments

Everybody, please check the FAQ first before asking me questions.
If it’s not on there, please feel free and ask. I only get annoyed at questions when the same one has been asked 10+ times, and by then I’ll have updated the FAQ.
Thank you for your consideration, guys!

This is my Christmas present to you, and I’d be really glad if you gifted me back with a review on novelupdates!
Incidentally, Reika graduates from primary school soon, so let’s have one chapter every 15 minutes until she does.

Few things to note first.

Primary schoolers in Japan apparently go to Kyoto and Nara for their class trips. Generally.
A ryokan (旅館) is a type of traditional Japanese inn that originated in the Edo period (1603–1868), when such inns served travelers along Japan’s highways. They typically feature tatami-matted rooms, communal baths, and other public areas where visitors may wear yukata and talk with the owner.
Kaiseki (懐石) or kaiseki-ryouri (懐石料理) is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner. Served on these things:
During a proper meal with these things, you are NOT supposed to leave your seat.
Kyouyasai, or Kyouto(Kyoto) Vegetables, is the term for a number of heirloom vegetables originating in the Kyoto Prefecture of Japan. The characteristics of these heirloom vegetables are odd shapes and the rich nutrient profiles, thus they take a lot of time to grow because they aren’t easy to cultivate. Because of this, Kyo-yasai are very costly and much more expensive than ordinary vegetables. Thus, they are often eaten in the home, or in upscale restaurants.

June came, and so did the class trip, or ‘learning excursion’.
Zui’ran is a primary school filled with rich kids, so I thought for sure that we’d be going overseas for our trip, but to think that it was Kyoto and Nara.
So normal…
Well, the level of the hotels and food that we’re getting is a totally different level from normal primary schoolers though.
We ate lots of Kyoto cuisine filled with Kyoto vegetables, as well as boiled tofu kaiseki meals, and relaxed in the place we were staying; a high-class and very old Japanese-style ryokan inn.
It’s all too refined and austere for a primary schooler.
But man, if we let loose and had a pillow fight in a high-class ryokan like this, it’d be terrible if we missed and tore a hole through the paper of the shoji sliding doors.
I’d better keep a good eye on everyone.

To think that of all possible years I could become vice rep, it would be one with our class trip.
I have to go look for students late to meeting points, and warn students talking during a tour guide’s explanation, and just lots of other annoying stuff.
But my class is still on the better side of things. We don’t have Kaburagi, Enjou or anybody else disruptive like that, so my class is actually pretty tame.
The girls have been cooperating with me from the beginning and doing things like supporting me with the roll-call, or making sure we get lights out on time, and thanks to them I’m having a way easier time than all the other reps.
Class Rep is also doing his best to manage the boys after all. Occasionally when there are some guys who are too excited for him to stop, “Kisshouin Reika and her friends” surround them and silence them with smiles.
So my class is on the peaceful side of things.
I’m sure the teacher gave me this role because they suspected this would happen. I mean, even though there are girls more serious and diligent than I am, with experience as class reps too, I was the one who got nominated.
Well, if my presence helps this trip to go smoothly, then I guess it’s fine being used like this.
All the reps from the other classes seem to be having a dreadful time of it, after all.

Apparently the reps can’t stop the girls from noisily following Kaburagi and Enjou about.
Enjou at least tells the girls himself to calm down, but Kaburagi has no reaction so it’s a lawless zone.
During our meals the girls all left their seats as they please, and you seriously want to ask them “Are you girls actually young ladies from good families?”.
The class reps couldn’t stop them, so they only reluctantly returned to their seats after a warning from their homeroom teachers.
The atmosphere feels pretty strained, huh~
When they made this fuss when they were small, it was still just little girls being cute, but the older they get, the more annoying girls appear, and you need quite a bit of effort to deal with them.
There are even girls who seem like they’ll become the flashy nouveau riche-type ojousamas in the future, and there’s a bit of a hard-to-describe enmity between our groups.

Aahh, I’m glad they’re all in a different class~ Or so I was thinking, like somebody uninvolved, when the class rep of Kaburagi’s class suddenly screamed ‘Please help me!’ with his eyes.

I pretended like I didn’t notice.
Nah, I mean, it’s not my place as an outsider to say anything, and if I did say something, normally you’d react like “God, just how controlling is this chick?” right?
I’ve got my hands filled with my own clas-

“Kisshouin-san. Umm, it looks like the class rep of Class 3 is sending an SOS signal, but…”

Don’t report things that nobody wanted to know, Class Rep.

“Is it not simply your imagination?”

“No, well~ His eyes are completely serious, so. And even though it’s almost lights out time, the girls are making a fuss and showing no signs of heading back, so.”

“But it is the problem of another class.”

“Well yeah, but, it’ll trouble the people of the inn.”

Well, I do feel sorry about that.
To begin with, these primary schoolers are a bunch of kids who wouldn’t understand mature aesthetics if it hit them in the face, so it’s weird that you’d pick such an elegant and traditional ryokan to bring them to.

“Then perhaps you should go, Class Rep.”

“…You’re saying that even though you know it’s impossible for me, right?”

Well, yeah.
Girls are scary in groups, aren’t they. But I’m scared too.
Hm? Hey, it looks like girls from another class are swarming Kaburagi too. Their class rep couldn’t stop them either?
It must be scary, huh~ But you knowww, as a fellow rep, I understand your toils.
Can’t be helped.

Kikuno-chan is relatively moderate even within the boisterous girls of Kaburagi’s class, so I headed over to her first.

“Kikuno-san.”

“Ah-, Reika-sama.”

“Quite noisy over here, is it not? Even though it is almost time for lights out…”

“That’s true. Those girls don’t think about how they’re bothering Kaburagi-sama…”

Kikuno-chan replied with a sour look.

“Quite true. This inn is a favourite of his Okaasama, and each time she visits Kyoto she stays here. And yet, if she knew that there were girls bothering the people here with their noise, I wonder just what she would think of it.”

Aira-sama Intelligence.

“Eh-, the regular inn of Kaburagi-sama’s Okaasama!?”

Girls who heard our conversation glanced our way.

“You have your act together, so it does not matter for you, Kikuno-san, but perhaps it would be better if your class took care not to trouble her favourite inn, lest you earn her ire. I heard that she is a strict woman when it comes to discipline.”

The girls who were eavesdropping on my conversation with Kikuno-chan all started to fall quiet.

“Ahh, it appears that it is time for lights out now. Good night, everybody.”

“Good night, Reika-sama.”

Things seem okay for now.
There would be too much conflict had I warned them directly. I don’t want more enemies.
If I overdo things, people will hate me for being a goody-two-shoes.
Or rather, Kaburagi, warn them yourself! It’s an inn that your own mum likes, you know?
Well, even if it wasn’t, being too noisy isn’t a good thing.
And although he was gazing into the distance unconcernedly, I’ll bet his head was just filled with thoughts of what souvenirs to buy Yurie-sama anyway. There’s no mistaking it.
I suppose there’s no choice but to inform Yurie-sama through Aira-sama, and get her to give him a scolding, huh.

*imouto*

During the day, we went visiting shrines and temples, and souvenir shopping.
The matchmaker shrine was the most popular spot for the girls. After all, their romantic interest was close by, which just made their prayers all the more earnest.
Apparently Kikuno-chan who was in Kaburagi’s class even made sure to introduce him to god with, “The one standing beneath the willow tree is Kaburagi Masaya! I leave things in your capable hands!”.
They also had to buy love fortunes and amulets for romance, so everyone was really rushing in the short time frame we were given.
I had thought that it would only be girls who would enjoy the matchmaker shrine, but quite a few boys were earnest in pulling fortune slips for romance too, so I was a little surprised.
Class Rep was one of them. I wonder who the girl is.

*imouto*

I went with all the girls and got one as well.
‘future blessing’
I’m not sure how to feel about this…

If you want more pictures of high-class ryokan inns to help you imagine the scene, click here.

Also, for the fortunes,
(大吉, dai-kichi): great blessing
(中吉, chuu-kichi): middle blessing
(小吉, shou-kichi): small blessing
(吉, kichi) blessing
(半吉, han-kichi): half-blessing
(末吉, sue-kichi): future blessing
(末小吉, sue-shou-kichi): future small blessing
(凶, kyou): curse
(小凶, shou-kyou): small curse
(半凶, han-kyou): half-curse
(末凶, sue-kyou): future curse
(大凶, dai-kyou): great curse

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Kenkyo Kenjitsu

Reika-sama – 037

Dec 25, 2015 Estelulu 17 Comments

Oniisama graduated from high school and entered university, while I entered Year 6.
Once I considered that I wouldn’t see Oniisama in uniform anymore, I felt a little lonely, so I took a few photos of him.
The Zui’ran high school uniform really is so cool!
I asked him to wear it occasionally at home, but he refused…
Isn’t it fine if it’s just in the house~?

*imouto*

Yurie-sama and Aira-sama also graduated from middle school and entered the high school section, and Emperor Kaburagi got depressed that he was stuck in primary and the gap was even wider now.
I mean, a love between a primary schooler and high schooler is just impossible, right~?
I think he should just give up already, but this first love of his is supposed to continue until high school, so I guess there’s no reason he’ll give up now.
According to Aira-sama Intelligence, Kaburagi isn’t stalking Yurie-sama, but because they don’t get to meet often, he’s expressing his feelings by letter. It worked last time, so it looks like he’s encouraged because of it.

*imouto*

Since I also became a 6th Grader, next year I’ll be riding the escalator system into middle school. Having said that though, I’m preparing for our internal examinations, so I ended up getting a home tutor.
My home teacher is Ousaka Karin-sensei and she goes to a national university.
She comes over twice a week.
In my cram school exams, I rose in the rankings from upper-middle to lower-upper. I thought I made a good effort amongst all these kids from prep schools, but I really do wonder how I’m supposed to feel when I can’t even get first place amongst primary schoolers.
Once I enter middle school, maths and arithmetic are going to turn into a monster. I need to try hard while I still can.

Karin-sensei’s explanations are easy to understand and I make progress studying with her. Even if I don’t get it the first time when I see it at cram school, it really helps that I can have her follow up.
For a while now, sometimes Oniisama teaches me as well, but the feeling of tension is different. I just keep spoiling myself with him since he’s family.

“You learn quickly, don’t you, Reika-san. Really, well done for getting this far.”
Karin-sensei often says stuff like that to praise me.
Apparently she’s the type who praises people to get them to try harder.
And I’m the type that gets fired up when I’m praised or flattered, so we have pretty good compatibility, I think.

*imouto*

Ever since that day in winter, I’ve been sitting with Akizawa-kun and Fukioka-san in my Maths and Japanese cram classes.
Fukioka-san sits right in the middle, with Akizawa-kun and I to her sides. Fukioka-san wouldn’t let Akizawa-kun sit in the middle, you see.
I also exchanged mail addresses with Fukioka-san, and we’ve gotten quite a bit closer.

Contrary to her appearance as a Japanese-style beauty, Fukioka-san has quite the venomous tongue.

On Valentines Day that year, I gave my hand-made chocolates to Aoi-chan and Fukioka-san.
At Zui’ran we expect that Valentines chocolates are better quality than even high-class stores, so it’s my first time giving hand-made chocolates to anybody but my family.
Last year Aira-sama taught me how to make them, and Otousama even said “This is the best one you’ve made so far.”, but this year Aira-sama was also busy with exam prep, so I tried using the recipe that she taught me last year to make it.
Oniisama also said “Making one like last year would taste good.”
So I handed them over to them filled with confidence.

Aoi-chan told me “It was yummy.” but Fukioka-san said “It’s not very good.”…
“It’s not bad, but the taste is kind of lacking. Did you use cheap chocolate to make this?” she said. So rude! I used chocolate from Belgium!
When I told her that in complaint, she ended up replying “Apologise to Belgium”…
Fukioka-san, the gap between your appearance and inside is too huge…

Incidentally, I didn’t give one to Akizawa-kun. Whether it’s a friendship chocolate or a courtesy chocolate, Fukioka-san would probably get mad regardless.
In my mind, Fukioka-san is under the ‘cannot make into an enemy’ category.
Apparently she’s learning to cook to prepare for her future as Akizawa-kun’s wife.
How amazing. She’s got a much better idea of her future than I do. She’s actually planned so much that it’s even a little scary.
And you know, Akizawa-kun, it’s impossible for you to escape now. I’m scared of Fukioka-san too, so I’m afraid I can’t help you. Forgive your cowardly friend!

And so, Fukioka-san asked me, “What if you learnt as well?” but I’ll probably be busy with the internal exams this year, so I turned her invitation down.
When I got home, I told Oniisama “My friend told me the taste was lacking.” and he replied “The person’s feelings are more important than the taste in situations like this.” and I wasn’t sure how to feel about that.
When I get into middle school, maybe I really should start learning…

*imouto*

Right now, Aoi-chan is my Soothing Friend.
She’s docile and seems withdrawn, but once you’re closer with her, she starts laughing a lot.
She would definitely never say something like “the taste is lacking”. What a good girl.
And what’s more, shockingly! Aoi-chan told me that she went to visit her grandpa on New Years! She got me a Tarow the Taro plush keychain! I’m so happy!
When I got home, I immediately put house keys on it. There’s always a maid around and somebody chauffeurs me places and back, so to begin with I’ve never used a key before. But I do carry one around just in case.
And my keys were now hanging from Tarow. His pathetic face is really cute.

Aoi-chan has amazing sense for souvenirs. She totally knew what I wanted.
And shocking! For the holidays in spring, she got me region-exclusive potato chips!
Aoi-chan said stuff like “Although I’m not sure if you would even eat this sort of stuff…” in embarrassment, but I’ll eat it, you know! Or rather, it’s my favourite! I’ve wanted to eat potato chips for six years now, you know!
The potato chips were in a souvenir bag, and I carefully snuck it into my room so that Okaasama wouldn’t see. It was late at night when I sneakily ate it.
So nostalgic. My body trembled from the cheap taste.
It would be a shame to eat it all in one go, so I decided to treasure it and eat it little by little, but the next day I cried when I found it soggy.

Incidentally, I call Aoi-chan ‘Aoi-chan’ in my mind, but in front of the girl herself it’s “Yorino-san”.
I don’t have the courage to use her first name. I mean, I’d hate it if she went “Eh-? What’s with that all of a sudden?”.
It’s hard to find a chance to start things like this, isn’t it?

*imouto*

My homeroom teacher wanted me to be class rep. It sounded troublesome so I said that I sucked at management and refused, but they pressed me and said that vice rep was fine, and in the end I became vice rep… or rather I got stuck with it.
That was probably the plan from the beginning. After all, the position of class rep went to this boy who had done it a bunch of times already.
Teacher swindled me using that ‘ask big first, then go for small’ trick.
I got totally fooled. In the end, I was stuck as the odd job girl again.
Though it’s true that my thimbles still lie sleeping in my pencilcase though.

But this time it’s just within my class, so without my natural enemies here, things went smoothly.
Collecting forms was easy too, since the scary army of girls behind me made everybody cooperative.
Class Rep even said, “As expected of Kisshouin-san”. I don’t think he was praising me though.
It was like I was the bodyguard of some debt collector.
This is weird. This isn’t how things were supposed to be. I get the feeling that recently I’ve been losing my elegance.

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Kenkyo Kenjitsu

Reika-sama – 036

Dec 25, 2015 Estelulu 19 Comments

Oniisama safely made it into his department of choice.
And so because of that, in order to celebrate with a banggg, I think I’ll open the lid to my safe!

“Oniisama! I shall get you a present to celebrate your pass! What do you want?”

At first I thought about making it a surprise, but I couldn’t come up with any good ideas?
‘Would a watch be good?’ or so I thought, but a watch worthy of the heir of the Kisshouin family wouldn’t be within my meagre power to buy, so I had to give up on it.
Well, if I used all of the money, I might have gotten somewhere but…
Even if I thought about this and that, I couldn’t think of any wonderful ideas, so in the end I decided that I could only ask the person himself.

Now come, Oniisama! I didn’t use my new years money, so I’ve got quite a bit, you know! Don’t be shy!
It’s my savings for my future, but it’s a celebration for none other than my Oniisama so of course I shall use it!

“I have been saving up in my piggy bank. So please tell me what you want!”

“Eh-! We’re using your money!?”

So far shopping for Christmas presents or birthday presents has been done with Okaasama, so I’ve always used the Kisshouin family card instead of my own money.
And apparently Oniisama didn’t know about me saving money.
He was shocked when he heard the amount. I really do have that much money though.

“Let’s see. I think just your feelings would be plenty, but…”

“That will not do. I want to wish you congratulations, no matter what.”

Even though Oniisama has been trying so hard, I haven’t given him a thing.
I persuaded the hesitant Oniisama, and what he ended up choosing was a high class ballpoint pen from the familiar white star makers.
I didn’t expect to spend this little.
But it’s true that we already have a number of fountain pens and ballpoint pens from this place.

“I like how easy the pens from this place write. Since you went and got me it, I think I’ll use the pen you get me at university.”

Oohh! That would be great!
If Oniisama uses my present every day, I’d be really happy too.
Now that it’s come to this, let’s hurry up and buy it!

*imouto*

I went with Oniisama to the store, and after having him try a bunch of them, I bought him one that he liked.
Oniisama was really happy. Him being happy makes me super happy too.
And after that I had Italian for lunch with Oniisama!
Oniisama has been busy all this time with studying, and then after that he got his driver’s license and went out with friends, so he hasn’t really had time for me, which is why I was so happy today.

“What will you be having, Reika?”

“Let me see~”

I wracked my brains as I looked at the menu. Oh, ravioli. That would be really yummy, huh~?
After having decided on our orders, I was happily chatting with Oniisama when,

“Excuse me. Might you be Kisshouin-sama’s two children?”

A woman called out to us.

“───!!”

“Why if it isn’t Kaburagi-sama. It has been a while. This girl is my sister, Reika.”

Oniisama stood up to greet her, so I did the same in a panic.

I-, IT’S KABURAGI’S MUMMMMMM!

Kaburagi’s mum was a neat beauty, and I’ve met her once or twice at parties before.
Although both those times I basically only greeted her.

“Yes, I remember of course. Reika-san, it’s been a while, hasn’t it. You’ve gotten taller since the last time we met.”

Kaburagi-Mother smiled at me, but all I could do was return a cramped courtesy smile.
It’s fine even if you don’t remember someone like me. Rather, please forget me all your life.

After chatting about a few things with Oniisama, Kaburagi-Mother started with “Speaking of which,” before looking at me.

“Reika-san, you’re in the same grade as my son Masaya, aren’t you? Are you close with him?”

GEHHHH!

“No, unfortunately Masaya-sama and I are in different classes, and so we do not have very many chances to interact.”

And I intend to keep it that way.

“My, is that so? Then by all means come over to play. That Masaya only ever brings Shuusuke-kun over, you know. It would be wonderful if a girl came over. The place would brighten up.”

DEEEEEEEEEEEEFINITELY NOTTTTTTTT!”
And if you want a girl, there’s Yurie-sama isn’t there! Yurie-sama has been coming over since she was little hasn’t she!
Absolutely no! ABSOLUTELY NO!

Unaffected by my inner panic, Kaburagi-Mother gave a beautiful smile before excusing herself.

Oh my god…
The fun atmosphere from earlier has been totally blown away, and Oniisama looked curiously at the dazed me.

“What’s wrong? You seem kind of off.”

“…No, I am simply shocked by Kaburagi-sama’s sudden appearance.”

Kaburagi-Mother remembered my name. She remembered I existed.
Just that much is fine, but to a coward like me, just being related at all to Kaburagi is scary.
That mum of his appeared a few times in the manga after all…
Ah-, that’s right!

“Oniisama, you will be telling Okaasama and Otousama about how we met with Kaburagi-sama today, correct?”

“Yeah I guess.”

“When you do, please do not tell them about how she invited me over to play. Because that was just being polite! If they mistake her for being serious I shall be terribly troubled!”

“…You don’t want to go over to the Kaburagi house?”

Of course I don’t want to go!

“Well, if that’s all, then sure I won’t say anything. Do you hate Masaya-kun? Did he do something to you?”

“No, nothing of the sort! Only, Otousama and Okaasama are expecting me to become close to him, and earlier they had a weird misunderstanding too. So because of that, I am a little…”

“I see. It’s too early for you, huh?”

Oniisamaaaa. You’re my last ray of hope, you know.
The dish that got brought in later should have been my beloved Italian, but because of the shock I couldn’t really tell how it tasted.

*imouto*

Later when we got home, I just flopped onto my bed and remembered Kaburagi-Mother in 『you are my dolce』.
As I recall, she supported Kaburagi-Father in his job, and was a talented person.
There was also an episode about how she was a powerful mum, and ever since Kaburagi was young, whenever he went and played a prank she would punish him mercilessly.
The fact that she has a gorgeous face and an intense glare is just like Kaburagi. I guess he takes after his mother.
Wait-, who cares about that right now.
She disapproved when the heir as well as her cute, only son, Emperor, began dating a commoner girl, and chided him a number of times too.
Pushed by the lies and cajolery of Kisshouin Reika’s parents, she held an engagement party for her son and Reika, but then she was touched by her son’s resolve and dedication to the protagonist, and blessed the two of them.
Without caring about Reika and her family falling beyond repair…

Uwahh… I definitely don’t wanna get involved.

White Star
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montblanc_%28company%29

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Kenkyo Kenjitsu

Reika-sama – 035

Dec 25, 2015 Estelulu 19 Comments

Winter came, and Oniisama entered the home stretch of his exam prep.
The department that Oniisama wanted to enter only admitted a small number of students and was strict with its selection, so he probably had it tough.
But he never displayed anything less than composure. As expected of Oniisama.
I wondered if I could do anything to help him, so I decided on the late-night snack after all, but the maid said that it would disrupt his rhythm and stopped me. She persuaded me that it was best just to pray in my heart for him.
Praying, huhh. Mm~mm, should I do the thing where you walk back and forth a hundred times while praying in front of a shrine?

*imouto*

When I went to Japanese and Maths cram classes as usual, Akizawa-kun who was supposed to be next to me was absent, and instead it was just Fukioka-san by her lonesome.
Hm? I wonder what’s going on.
As I wondered that, Fukioka-san noticed my presence and gave a small bow. And so I returned the bow, and walked over to her.

“Gokigen’yoh, Fukioka-san. Is Akizawa-kun not with your today?”

“Gokigen’yoh. Takumi is down with a cold today. He even had a fever, so he’s bedridden at the moment. He should have been absent from school as well. Did you not know?”

“Akizawa-kun and I are in different classes, and so I did not know about his absence. But a cold, is it? Just when did he catch it?”

“It began the day before yesterday. After that, apparently it got worse and worse. It doesn’t seem to be influenza though. Ah-, if you’d like, please sit down.”

Saying that, Fukioka-san invited me to sit by her side, so I decided to take up the offer.
I wonder if I can stay here for the duration of class too.

“Even though it is so very close to winter break, Akizawa-kun caught the cold. What dreadful luck. A number of my classmates are absent due to the cold and influenza as well.”

“My class is the same.”

After that, we chatted lightly about our own classes, before Fukioka-san fell into silence. And then,

“…Um, I’m sorry.”

“Eh-”

About what?

“Umm, what might this be about?”

“…I didn’t want Takumi to be taken away from me, so I was malicious with you. Even at cram school, you had always been next to him, but I took that seat from you and made you sit by yourself, right? Even though Takumi told you to sit with us, because I looked unhappy…”

Aahh, that?

“That is nothing to worry about.”

I’m saying that for real.
At first I felt a little lonely, but I started going to the convenience store, so I immediately got used to it.
Fundamentally, I’ve always been a person who never really stays angry about anything. I was like this in my past life too. Except when it comes to food.
Speaking about it in reverse, when it comes to food, my wrath is terrifying.
And well, I wasn’t angry with Fukioka-san to begin with. I just thought she was a little scary, that’s all.

“Takumi explained that you were just a friend from cram school, but once I thought about how you knew Takumi in a school that I knew nothing about… I’m sorry. Today without Takumi, I felt incredibly forlorn. And I realised that you must have felt the same way all this time.”

No, I didn’t really feel forlorn or anything though…

“Please do not mind it, truly. As a rule, I am generally quite fine with being alone.”

“You’re strong, aren’t you, Kisshouin-san.”

Fukioka-san looked at me with eyes of respect.
When a Japanese-style beauty looks at you like that, it’s kind of embarrassing.

“You know, I was very worried about whether or not Takumi liked you, Kisshouin-san. No, rather, even now, I still worry. I mean, you’re so cute.”

Eh-, me, cute!?
Oh geez~ I don’t think that’s true at all though. Ehehe.

“I do not think something like that would ever happen though.”

“…You think so?”

“I do. I too have never thought of Akizawa-kun as more than a friend, after all.”

But he is a really good person. And he’s kind too.
But he’s not really the type that gets my heart pumping, hey?
Thinking about it, he’s actually pretty close to my ideal, so I wonder why. I’m sure it’s the difference between ideals and reality huh?

“You truly, won’t come to like him?”

“No.”

She smiled in relief.
Such a worrywart. What’s the saying again? No husband so desirable as his wife is jealous? Basically, women tend to think of their men as much more popular than they actually are, huh?
Ah, no, it’s not like I’m saying Akizawa-kun isn’t popular, okay?
He’s got a cute face like a squirrel after all.

“At school, are there any other girls that Takumi is close to?”

“I wonder. We have never shared a class together, after all. Occasionally when I spot him in the hallways, only boys surround him. Neither have I heard any rumours about him, or any word of girls who have fallen for him, you see~”

“I see…”

Relieved huh? Thank goodness, thank goodness.

“To begin with, our school has a preeminently popular duo, after all. The other boys get very little attention.”

“Ah-, I’ve heard about that from Takumi. And I hear rumours of them at my school as well. Apparently they’re incredibly cool.”

“…Yes.”

Rumours about them even in other schools? That’s amazing.
Fukioka-san’s Yurinomiya Girls Academy is a Catholic style school so it’s a little different from Zui’ran, but it’s famous as an ojousama school. The rumours might have spread through the network of high class girls. They’re all ‘gokigen’yoh’ comrades, after all.

“Could it be that you like one of the two, Kisshouin-san?”

Fukioka-san asked me with an excited expression.
Maidens in love all apparently have great interest in the love stories of others.

“I do not feel anything like that in particular. I have nobody like that.”

And then she looked a little bored and let-down.
Sorry for failing to meet expectations.
But still, don’t think that everybody is just like you, and it’s somehow natural that they have somebody they like.

“Even though you’re going to a co-ed school…”

“Hm~mm.”

Even if I’m going to a co-ed, people unrelated to this stuff just aren’t related.
Like me, in my old life.
Ah-, tears are…

“Huhu, somehow you’re quite different from my first impression, Kisshouin-san.”

“Really?”

“Mn. When I met you at the recital, you had a more unapproachable atmosphere. Like the very model of a Zui’ran ojousama. ‘Takumi is definitely going to get taken from me!’ I panicked.”

“Unapproachable… So it truly is because of my hairstyle?”

“Rather than your hairstyle, it’s more like the atmosphere that you exude all around, perhaps. There are girls like you in Yurinomiya as well. But once I tried talking to you, you were completely different. I think I understand why Takumi became friends with you. …Um, would you become my friend as well?”

Eh-! Suddenly, ‘Friend GET’!?
Whoa, but still, I bet more than half of the reason is that you want to use me as an information source, right?
Even though I should’ve already retired from being a spy~

“Umm… I truly am in a different class from Akizawa-kun, so I really do not know how he is at school, you know?”

“Ah-, you think I’m trying to use you, Kisshouin-san? That’s not what this is. I just wanted to talk to you more. And well, if you did tell me stuff, I would be happy though. Huhu.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

In that case, I guess being friends would be fine too.
I’d find it more fun as well, being friends rather than ignored.

“Then, let us become friends.”

“Really? Yay!”

Seeing her smile as she clapped her hands before her chest, I really did think that this was the type of Japanese beauty that you’d want to protect. She’s cute. I want to learn from her.

*imouto*

After that, we chatted about our schools or Akizawa-kun and the like.
She and Akizawa-kun were neighbours, so their parents were close as well, and apparently they had been together since before they could remember. Akizawa-kun would always pull her hand and take her out to play, and she first started liking him in kindergarten.
But apparently Akizawa-kun wouldn’t notice her feelings at all. “Akizawa-kun is really thickheaded,” she said. Yeah, I thought that too.
But that thickheadedness is seriously on the straight path to your standard childhood friend route, huh~
Fukioka-san didn’t want to be separated from her beloved Akizawa-kun and wanted to go to Zui’ran as well, but because her Okaasama was an alumni of Yurinomiya she had to go there and so she bawled in front of Akizawa-kun.
And also, even though Yurinomiya is a Catholic-style school, Fukioka-san’s family has always been buddhist, so apparently she feels like a reverse-hidden Christian.
Apparently when she first enrolled, her heart was pounding all the time from the fear of being exposed and tried as a witch.

*imouto*

She’s a totally different type to Aoi-chan, but I managed to make a new friend.

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

Kenkyo Kenjitsu

Reika-sama – 034

Dec 25, 2015 Estelulu 27 Comments

Ever since people started calling him Emperor, Kaburagi’s popularity rose again.
Because of his achievements during the cavalry battle, it seems that his adherents amongst the boys have gone up. Particularly amongst the underclassmen.
Amongst all the clamour, apparently the boys who served as The Emperor’s Horse were boasting about doing so.
I can’t say I understand how they feel, but as long as the people themselves are happy, then it’s fine I guess.
Emperor’s fame wasn’t contained to the primary school section either. Apparently the stories went as far as the middle school, and I got a mail from Aira-sama reading ‘Apparently Masaya is being called ‘Emperor’ now, isn’t he.’.
When particularly excited kids called him ‘Emperor’ to his face though, he would look at them with an icy gaze. So in the end, everybody had a tacit agreement that ‘Emperor’ would just be an informal nickname, and would never be used in front of him.
I think Emperor made the right choice. If he got on board with it like ‘I am the Emperor!’ then it would definitely turn into dark history and the source of future cringing.
Just to be safe, I mailed Aira-sama with ‘It appears that the person himself has not authorised the nickname, so please take care.’.

But man, to think that the nickname ‘Emperor’ actually came from Napoleon.
As the fake Rococo Queen, he really has terrible compatibility with me.
In 『you are my dolce』 he had always been called Emperor like it was natural, so I never really paid it much mind. I thought for sure that it was because he ruled over the school like a monarch.
But to think that it was an old nickname from primary school.
And what’s more, the reason it came about was a children’s cavalry battle… If it got explained to you once he was already an adult, wouldn’t it sound pretty stupid? Upfffpftt-!
Incidentally, I should note that my Drill Hair nickname is completely unauthorised. Rather than a nickname, that’s more like an insult after all.

*imouto*

Anyhow, unrelated to my personal opinions on it, the girls around me were completely in love with the ‘Emperor’ nickname.

“Isn’t it truly a fitting nickname for Kaburagi-sama?”

“To our class, he was like a conquering hero from the legends~”

“He was so cool during the cavalry battle~”

“Hahh~ Emperor is so dreamy…”

A refreshing breeze blew in from the window. Autumn really is the most relaxing season~
With my tummy also filled with food from lunch, I’m starting to feel sleepy.

“Don’t you think so too, Reika-sama?”

“Eh-?”

Think what? Er, I wasn’t listening at all.

“Reika-sama, you also think that Emperor is cool, don’t you?”

“Y-, Yes, well, yes.”

Can’t go against the majority.

“I knew it~”

All the girls around me nodded in agreement.
All of them like the same people, after all.

“I think Reika-sama would be well-matched with Emperor.”

Hah?

“Right. It’s frustrating, but if it was Reika-sama, I could accept it.”

“If some normal girl was paired with Emperor I definitely wouldn’t allow it, but Reika-sama has both the pedigree and refinement worthy of him.”

“But I still don’t want Kaburagi-sama to belong to anybody yet~”

“If it’s Reika-sama, I’ll definitely cheer for her.”

“Right. Reika-sama, try your best!”

…Hang on there. What’s with this sudden development?
To begin with, Kaburagi has Yurie-sama. Although it’s completely one-sided on his part…

“Everyone, are you not misunderstanding something?”

“My, what would that be?”

“I do not particularly desire to date Kaburagi-sama or anything as amazing as that. In the end, these are simply feelings of admiration. I would never dream of such a thing.”

Seriously, please stop with this!
It’s a matter of life and death for me, okay!?

“But, don’t you like Emperor too?”

“It is admiration. Simple admiration. Something quite different from love.”

The girls tilted their heads in confusion.

“Then, Enjou-sama? You were together in the executive committee, weren’t you?”

“My, so Reika-sama was actually in Team Enjou-sama. Oh my, you’re my rival then. But he really is so gentle and dreamy, isn’t he~ The other day when we bumped into each other, he asked me if I was okay and then smiled at me!”

“Hey, are you sure you didn’t bump into him on purpose?”

“I didn’t~!”

Sorry for breaking it to you while you’re all happy and stuff, but that’s also a misunderstanding!

“I do not hold any special feelings towards Enjou-sama. Although, naturally I admire him as you all do.”

“My, is that the case?”

“That is so.”

Need to say it clearly here.

“Then, just who on earth do you like, Reika-sama?”

“Eh- …nobody in particular.”

“Reika-sama, you don’t like anybody?”

“Well, no.”

“Nobody at all?”

“I do not think so, no.”

“Never ever?”

“Thus far, I do not suppose there has not been anybody like that, no.”

Yeah, my first love is still to come.

Everybody’s eyes turned pitying.

“So Reika-sama was actually still a child…”

GAAHHH…!! OTL
I got called a child by a child!
What is this silent damage that I’m taking…?

I mean, there haven’t been any princes on white horses yet, so it can’t be helped, right!?
My ideal is a calm, dreamy, gentle person who’ll laugh and forgive my selfishness.
Overbearing types like Emperor from the manga are great for screaming ‘Kyaaa! Emperor, so dreamy~~’ when it’s just a manga, but in real life he just causes you trouble.
I mean, come on. Barging in uninvited to the house of the girl you like? Who on earth does that. You just cause huge trouble for their family, or the neighbourhood, you know.
And confessing in the middle of a crowded road? Mannn, no way, no way.
Being forgiven for everything you do because you’re a hot guy? That’s only the case in manga. At least in my opinion.
And so, in that sense, a logical and gentle person is best, hey?
Where can I find my ideal man, I wonder~
Huh?
Isn’t he sitting at my house studying for his exams?

What do I do. Could it be that I really am a brocon…?

*imouto*

Later after school, I, Reika the child, was called to the staff room.

“Kisshouin-san, could you join the executive committee for the Learning Presentation?”

“I decline.”

That thing is even harder than the Athletics Meet. Just who on earth would say yes.
I’ve retired from being an odd jobs master.
Even if you flatter or soothe me, I’m definitely refusing.
The tears of an old guy won’t move my heart at all.

*imouto*

Ever since my experiences during the Athletics Meet, I gained the courage to refuse.

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

Kenkyo Kenjitsu

Reika-sama – 033

Dec 25, 2015 Estelulu 22 Comments

On the day of the Athletics Meet, I went around with the teachers greeting the guests, so things were busy from the very start.
I get the feeling that the teachers completely used my name as a proud Pivoine and Kisshouin clan member.
And I think it was the same for Enjou who was standing next to me.

Immediately after that, I returned to the executive tent to be stationed as the person in charge of announcements.
I had thought that people in the broadcasting committee would be doing this, but they’re in charge of the music for the event, and don’t have a mic.
The role of announcer is passed to whoever isn’t participating in a current event. People who aren’t good at the more ostentatious roles take a role in the background.
Of course, I wanted to work behind the scenes as well. I’ve got stage fright, so when I was doing announcements my voice was totally trembling.
After checking that there wasn’t any misprint in the programmes and manuscript, I handed it over to an announcer.
Besides that, I also did the boring job of moving the point flags for the relays.
It looks like I’ll get a lot of use out of the sunscreen that Okaasama plastered me with.

*imouto*

I carried out the odd jobs that the teachers assigned me, and then returned to the tent to finally have a breather.
While drinking cold tea, I watched the obstacle relay in a daze.
As you’d expect, they don’t have bread eating competitions in this school, huh~ Even though I would’ve totally gone if they had anpan.

“You’ve done a great job, Kisshouin-san.”

A teacher called out to me.

“You think so? Thank you very much.”

“You’ve been working all morning, right? In the afternoon, leave it to others, and rest a little. Which events are you participating in?”

“The borrowing race.”

I thought that it was a pretty safe game to enter, since it was more reliant on luck than physical ability.
Also I entered the dance, and the foot race, and the ball toss.
I’m sure not looking forward to the race~ At least let me get into the top three somehow.

It was time for the borrowing race now, so I returned to my class.

It’d be great if I didn’t get some weird item. Just glasses or something would be good.
Just to be safe, I looked over the guests to see who had what items.
At the very least, I don’t want to show something shameful like panic.

The other kids who were entering said things like “Let’s do our best, okay?” to cheer each other up.
Uuu, my heart is pounding.

The borrowing race began, and the participants all ran this way and that to look for their items and people after drawing their cards.
Please let me draw something simple!
My turn came up, and what I drew was ‘a fast-running friend’.

Who the heck is that?

Faster than my head could turn, my body ended up moving.
There’s only one friend I know that runs fast.

“Akizawa-kun! Come with me!”

I pulled on the arm of the surprised Akizawa-kun and aimed for the goal.
Although he didn’t seem to know what was going on, he ran with me.
The boys who had been with Akizawa-kun were making a fuss. Don’t misunderstand, damnit.

When I reached the goal and handed the paper over to the attendants, they read it aloud.
As I recall, Akizawa-kun was in the baton relays.
It looks like I somehow managed to contribute to my class.

“A fast-running friend, huh~? I sure was surprised.”

“Mn, sorry about that.”

He was the only one I could think of! If it was ‘fast-running person’ and not ‘fast-running friend’, then I might have found a number of people though.

“Everyone might get angry at me for helping another class.”

As he said that, Akizawa-kun smiled.
I might have gotten him wrapped up in something troublesome. I’m reflecting.

“If anybody says anything like that, please do tell me. I shall deal with it.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.”

After that, while I was standing at the goal, somebody came to get me.
A boy from some other class pulled me and had me run. I’m the item?
We ran to the drawing spot once, and then back to the goal.
What they announced when we reached there was “a girl with a ribbon in their hair”.
Thank goodness.
It wasn’t “a girl with drill hair”.

Because many of the slips this time had things related to people, there weren’t any particular rumours about Akizawa-kun.
I was wondering if I had made trouble for him, so I was relieved to hear that.
Incidentally, a slip that read ‘person you like’ appeared, and a girl was reckless enough to call out to Kaburagi, resulting in a splendid rejection.
Don’t try the impossible.

*imouto*

In the afternoon was more work in the tent.
Now that I had the knack of it, it was easier than in the morning.
Right now I was sitting on a metal folding chair, and watching the events.

Besides the baton relays, there was also the main event of the Athletics Meet; the cavalry battle with the Year 5 and 6 boys.
The classes were broken into two teams, and would snatch at each other’s headbands.
Boys from my class also formed horseback units and participated, but people said there was a favourite team this year.
Kaburagi’s.
Naturally he was the rider.
There’s no way that guy would be a horse.
Kikuno-chan who shared a class with him had told us excitedly, “With this, the cavalry battle will be our class’ win!”.
Even though he would probably just fall off right away and get laughed at.

I was a fool for thinking that.
The moment the start signal rang, Kaburagi freely moved about on his horse, and snatched headband after headband.
There were units that resolutely faced him down, but they would be rammed, have their arms twisted by Kaburagi, and sent tumbling from their horse free of their headbands.
Honestly, it was just too huge a difference in power.
I bet you lot practised heaps, to play Kaburagi’s horse so perfectly.
From their point of view, they’d make heaps of enemies if they let Kaburagi fall, so I’ll bet they practised like their lives depended on it.
For those units that ran away scared, the Kaburagi Unit would hunt them down from behind.
It was like the hunt of a carnivore.
I’ll bet they were scared.
Before long at all, the units from my class were done. No, no, I think you guys put up a pretty brave fight.

“Aa~ah, Masaya has no mercy at all, does he.”

Enjou smiled wryly from his seat behind me.
Yeah, absolutely no mercy at all.

In the end, only the Kaburagi Unit was left, and they seized a complete victory.

*imouto*

Later on, somebody would compare his gallantry in this battle to the legendary Napoleon, and eventually that turned into an Emperor.
It was the start that would cause Kaburagi to gain his famous nickname.

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

Kenkyo Kenjitsu

Reika-sama – 032

Dec 25, 2015 Estelulu 35 Comments

It’s autumn again, and the athletics meet came around once more.

Now that we’re the seniors in primary school, it’s become our turn to act as the executive committee.
And for some reason I was nominated as the female executive from our class.
I’m not particularly good at sports, and my planning ability and dynamism isn’t anything to write home about either, so why me? Or so I was wondering at first, but apparently the teacher secretly decided that it would be better to have somebody with enough authority to handle the underclassmen smoothly.

Honestly speaking, it’s a damn hassle…
We’re still primary schoolers so it’s not like the executive committee actually does anything important.
Just stuff like collecting the participation lists from each class, or doing odd jobs for the teachers, or well, small stuff like that.
And also, on the day of the athletics carnival, we’re supposed to stand in our tent and make sure everything comes along.

*imouto*

The executives from 5th and 6th grades gathered before the real preparations for the athletics carnival, and we introduced ourselves.
Amongst these people, I spotted Enjou Shuusuke.
The girls here were all excited about it. Apparently they hadn’t expected that Enjou would be an executive committee member. I didn’t either.
I looked at everybody else too, but concluded that Enjou was probably chosen for the same reason as me.
The two of us are the only Pivoine members.
But unlike me, I would have thought that Enjou would have been able to refuse.
Maybe he’s a surprisingly cooperative guy.
Speaking of which, in Kimidol, Enjou was like the mediator between Emperor and everybody else, wasn’t he.

After the introductions and the explanation of our duties, we were about to begin our work when a problem occurred.
The girls were swarming about Enjou and didn’t look like they were going to do anything.
Enjou himself was doing stuff like printing out the printouts or organising the numbers, and properly doing what he was supposed to, but the girls around him were just talking to him and not working at all.
Even when the boys in the committee gave them a warning, they would declare “I’m helping Enjou-sama!” and far from doing work, would actually look down on the boys by saying “Are you sure you aren’t just jealous because you boys aren’t popular~?” and so the boys couldn’t say anything more.
Enjou warned them as well, and they did start to work, but the moment they left his side, their hands would completely stop.
This was a total mistake in personnel selection…

While all this was happening, I was quietly sitting away from the trouble and folding the programmes.
Thanks to the Enjou Harem, I’m missing a lot of help and it’s terrible.
These programmes were ordered from elsewhere, but for some reason the task of folding them in two was left to the executive committee.
If you’re going to order them from some shop, can’t you just have them finish the job? I don’t really get it.
The paper was stealing the moisture from my hands, and I had trouble picking up one at a time.
This is hard… It’d be great if there was a thimble but…
Looking around, I couldn’t find one, but I did find a rubber band instead.
I wrapped it around my thumb.
Then I tried picking up a page.
Oooh! It’s easier!
Here we go, here we go.
Take and fold, take and fold. Like a machine, I continued to repeat this. Like I was possessed by a mother working a side-job from home, I worked single-mindedly.
Boys walking past exclaimed “Eh-, rubber band!?” beneath their breaths, but I won’t pay any mind. Like a worn-out housewife, I prioritised efficiency.

The happy voices of the harem were audible from where I was. Work, damn you.

*imouto*

Even after that, the girls of the committee continued to orbit Enjou, and basically did no work at all.
Apparently the boys in the committee had long given up on trying to make them.
And as time went on, more and more odd jobs got pushed my way.
From the next day onwards, I provided thimbles. I was also equipped with odourless muscle ointment for sore shoulders.
I’m completely used to clerical work now.
Using the copy machine has become my specialty. I’m good with shrinking, magnifying, and double-sided copying too.
The Year 6 boys all praised me and said “As expected of Kisshouin-san” and pushed more odd jobs onto me.
Do you really think I’ll be fooled with such obvious flattery?
But I couldn’t refuse, so from copying to printing to stapling, just everything, everything, everything got pushed onto me.
Hm? That’s weird.
I’m part of the elite Pivoine, and I’m supposed to be in the top caste amongst the girls, but before I knew it, I became the number one gopher.
Could it be that Side-Job Reika has gotten too powerful due to her talent?
I actually get the feeling that I’m doing every single job that was assigned to the Enjou Harem.

Dammmiiiitt! Work, you lot!

*imouto*

At one point, we realised that one of the underclassman classes had an overlap in their event selections, so I ended up heading there to warn them directly.
It was for times like this that Enjou and I were meant to use our authority as Pivoine members, but if Enjou moved then his harem would move, and we didn’t need a whole damn court procession so I went by myself.

The Year 3 class in question was having a break, so the boys in particular wouldn’t listen to what I was saying.
Because of the stress from the committee lately, I was starting to really sulk in my heart.

‘You lot, do you know who I am!? I’m Kisshouin Reika-sama!! The one and only!!’ I screamed in my heart.

I didn’t have the courage to actually say it aloud.
Dammmiittttt! Every last one of them is…!
Thankfully the girls properly listened to me, and tried to help me out, but a number of the boys just wouldn’t listen.
Or rather, isn’t that kid the one that had the overlaps!? Listen, damn you!

“As I said, you cannot participate in both of these events. Choose one, and let other students have a go at the other.”

“Ehhhhhhhh, but then we’re not gunna win!”

Like I care, retard.

“At any rate, you cannot participate in both. This event will begin immediately after the other, and you will not make it in time.”

“Then I’ll run.”

“That is not the problem here.”

What’s with this idiot? Is he really a student at Zui’ran?
He brings to mind the boys from the public school in my old life.

“Hey, listen to what Reika-sama says!”

“Hah? Who?”

What did you say?
Don’t think I won’t punish you!

Before long, the girls and boys ignored me and started arguing by themselves.
Aah, it’s beyond my control now.

“Okay, enough.”

Enjou clapped his hands together as he entered the class.

“Katsuragi, could you perhaps cause a little less trouble for Kisshouin-san? Just hurry up and fix your event entries already.”

Apparently the naughty kid was acquainted with Enjou, and immediately turned obedient.
Even the noisy class instantly began to behave, and the girls were entranced by Enjou’s show of leadership.
Dammnnnn ittttt, is this the difference between a leader and a faker!?

With Enjou’s arrival, the problems were resolved in an instant, and the two of us returned to the committee room.

“Kisshouin-san, if you were going to go, you could have told me too.”

“It seemed busy around you, so I supposed that you were busy.”

I made sure to prick at him.

“Ahh, that huh? I’m troubled about it too. It looks like quite a bit’s been left to you. I’ll help out too.”

You’re going to come along with useless extras, so no thank you.

“I will be fine. Please do your own work, Enjou-sama.”

“I see.”

When we got back, the women of the harem swarmed around their lord.

“Enjou-sama, we wanted to go too.”

“We completed the work that you left us, Enjou-sama!”

I reported the corrections that the senpais made, and then gathering up the remaining documents, I headed to the staff room.

Aahh, I need soothing…

*imouto*

“Don’t think I won’t punish you!”
Actually, “I’ll subject you to the sour plum (force feeding) punishment!”

“Take and fold, take and fold. Like a machine, I continued to repeat this. Like I was possessed by a mother working a side-job from home, I single-mindedly worked.”
In Japan, there are some side-jobs that you can do from home. Basically they send you like… well, it’s hard to explain, but it’s basically odd jobs like folding things, or sewing things, and you can work from home.

“and we don’t need a whole damn court procession so I went by myself.”
Rather than ‘court procession’, the term used actually refers to members of the inner palace (i.e. harem) lining up in two columns on each side to greet their husband.

“Dammnnnn ittttt, is this the difference between a leader and a faker!?”
Is this the difference between a real charismatic person, and a papier mache?

<Previous Chapter | Imouto | Next Chapter>

Kenkyo Kenjitsu

Reika-sama – 031

Dec 25, 2015 Estelulu 24 Comments

Yurukyara or yuru-chara are mascot characters of sorts, and like, different prefectures have their own mascots and stuff.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuru-chara

Also I’ve never been to Japan, nor seen how they sell these tourism yuru-charas, so this chapter’s translation might have a few mistakes.

Even though it’s already summer, I haven’t made any progress with the girl at cram school.
But I know her name now. It’s Yorino Aoi-chan.
As per usual, I stole a look at the name written on her books.
Aoi-chan. What a fitting name.
I kind of get the feeling that my stalker traits are getting stronger and stronger.
I don’t think I can laugh at Kaburagi anymore…

*imouto*

But a chance suddenly appeared.

As usual, I was on stand-by next to Aoi-chan as I watched the situation.
And while I was doing so, Aoi-chan suddenly dropped her pen!
At the speed of light, I picked it up!

“Ah-…”

Having lost her pen, Aoi-chan looked at me in a panic.
It’s my chance! My once-in-a-lifetime chance!

“Umm…”

“I-, I-, I am Kisshouin Reika! Gokigen’yoh!”

Aoi-chan’s hand reached towards the pen I was grasping and hesitating in mid-air, but it was a precious hostage. I wouldn’t hand it back so easily.

“Hmm…”

Aahh, she’s frightened of me.
Why? Is it because my eyes are shining like a predators? It is because of my drill hair?
Nooooo, I’m not scary, you know!?
An opening, look for an opening…

“I too like Tarow the Taro!”

“Eh-”

I decided on all or nothing.
To begin with, the reason I wanted to become friends with her is because I saw the unpopular yuru-chara on her bag.

“Ever since I saw your, um, Tarow the Taro keychain, I have always wanted to speak to you.”

Aahh, this kind of feels like a love confession.
My hands are shaking from the nervousness. My heart is pounding away.

“So, um, could you perhaps be my friend?”

“…”

Uwahh, I’m about to cry from the nervousness.
Oniisama, I meant to earnestly get closer to her, but I ended up jumping the gap in one go!
What do I dooo? Saveeee meeeeeeeeee!

“…Um, my pen, please return it.”

“……………”

Aahh, it’s over.

Aoi-chan is frowning just like Tarow is.
Of course she wouldn’t want to be friends with a girl like me.
Of course. A fake Rococo would be the type that Aoi-chan is worst with, after all.
I’m just a drill hair girl.
I see, I see.
I’m sorry. I won’t follow you around anymore. Drill hair girl will quietly leave…
I held out the pen to Aoi-chan.
Definitely, don’t cry.

Oniisama, I’ve been rejected.
OTL…

“…Please take care of me.”

After grasping the pen tightly, Aoi-chan had fallen into thought for a while, but then she raised her head to look at me before saying that.

Huh?

“I’m, Yorino Aoi.”

I know. Because I’m a stalker in the making.

“Please be my friend.”

After saying that, Aoi-chan smiled.

EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!?

“Really?”

“Mn.”

Eh-, why!? Even though you were that scared of me, why!?

“But, weren’t you avoiding me?”

When I said that, Aoi-chan looked a little awkward.
I asked something unnecessary.

“Because, you said that you liked this,”

she said, pointing at her Tarow strap,

“Nobody has said that they liked him before.”

“Same here!”

I’ve never actually asked around, but far from people telling me they like him, nobody has even mentioned him before. They probably don’t even know about him.

“I also want to talk to you about Tarow.”

“Mn!”

Did it! I did it!
Oniisama! I tried my best!
And it looks like Aoi-chan is willing to be my friend!

Class began so we stopped talking for a while, but the moment that it ended, we started talking again.

About how Aoi-chan’s grandpa lives in the countryside, in the area that Tarow the Taro came from.
About how she bought her keychain last year when she went over there to play.
About how Tarow the Taro goods were only sold in his hometown.

“I see~ I also searched the internet, but nobody was selling Tarow goods anywhere, and I was really wondering where on earth you got your keychain, you know? I even thought that you perhaps made it yourself.”

“Ahaha, he’s not very famous so I don’t think they’d sell him on the internet. There isn’t much variety in his goods, and I don’t think they sell very well.”

“Truly?”

“Yeah. Where he comes from, they sell a Tarow pouch with a picture of him in it, and in shops they sometimes have cardboard printouts of him, but the time that I went there, nobody was buying Tarow goods except me.”

“My~”

So Tarow really is a pitiful kid…
So like me, Aoi-chan also became fans of him because she felt sorry for him.
Can Tarow not get any fans outside of sympathy votes?

“Looking carefully, he’s got quite an interesting face, huh~ At a glance he looks plain though~”

“Mn…”

He’s mostly a light brown, so he really is quite plain.

After that, we continued happily talking until second period began.
It was really fun.
We promised to sit next to each other next week too. I’m so happy.

*imouto*

When I got home, I immediately let Oniisama know.

“I did it, Oniisama. I became friends with Aoi-chan!”

“Aoi-chan? The girl that you said you wanted to become friends with, last time?”

“Yes. Today we had a good time chatting about Tarow.”

“Aahh, the… weird little yuru-chara that you like…”

The other day I showed Oniisama Tarow the Taro on the internet.
Oniisama wasn’t sure what to say about him that time as well.

“Oniisama, you still haven’t understood Tarow’s charm yettt?”

“Looks like it. I don’t think it’ll ever happen.”

“Ehhhhh?”

Oniisama, why won’t you understand its cuteness.
But Oniisama gave me advice about Aoi-chan didn’t he.
As thanks, should I try making him dinner again?
Oniisama, look forward to it!

Aahh, what a good day it’s been!

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Kenkyo Kenjitsu

Reika-sama – 030

Dec 25, 2015 Estelulu 32 Comments

Lately, things between Serika-chan and Kikuno-chan have become strained.
The cause was Kikuno-chan being in the same class as Kaburagi.

When we realised it after the class announcements, Kikuno-chan was dancing for joy.
Since then, every day, it’s been talk about Kaburagi.
Stuff like “When he was reading the passage out during Japanese class, it was so dreamy.” or “After Kaburagi-sama used the piece of chalk, I ended up using it too”.
From my perspective it’s just idle gossip, but apparently that wasn’t the case with Serika-chan.

“Reika-sama, don’t you think that Kikuno-san been getting ahead of herself lately? Just because she’s in the same class as Kaburagi-sama, every single day she does nothing but boast about it. What on earth is with her!”

Oh my my~
Even though Serika-chan and Kikuno-chan are like a duo, now that one side’s been stealing a march on the other, cracks are appearing in their relationship.

“Aren’t you frustrated, Reika-sama? Kikuno-san is acting as though she’s closer to Kaburagi-sama than you are! So arrogant!”

I’m not frustrated at all, but…?
I mean, I don’t particularly like him after all.
Only, considering how many fans those two have in school, there’s no reason for me to stir up trouble by admitting that. So thus far I’ve just been randomly following along with everybody and saying stuff like “How wonderful.” when appropriate.

“She says things like how Enjou-sama occasionally comes to visit her class! And lately, that girl hasn’t even been spending lunch time with you, Reika-sama! She’s betraying us!”

Uwahh~ She’s getting all heated up.
I wonder what I should do.

“Perhaps Kikuno-san is merely doing so because she felt that you would be happy to hear such stories. I do not think that she means ill, you know?”

“…I can’t imagine that she doesn’t, but…”

Her expression clearly says that she doesn’t believe me. But well, I also think that Kikuno-chan was just happily bragging.

“After all, Kikuno-san seems to think dearly of you, Serika-san. A while back when she was ill and you waited with her in the infirmary, she told me that she was very grateful to you. She even said that when push comes to shove, you were the one that could be relied on, you know?”

“Eh-…”

This is half truth and half lie.
It’s true that she was grateful about Serika-chan accompanying her in the infirmary.
As for the stuff about being reliable, I said “Serika-san is reliable, isn’t she.” and Kikuno-chan just replied “Yes”.

“Kikuno-san said…”

“I think that Kikuno-san is just ecstatic about joining the class of the one she admires. I am sure that she will calm down, given just a little time. To begin with, Kaburagi-sama is more or less indifferent towards girls, after all. In the end, rather than the far-away Kaburagi-sama, it will be you that she values more.”

“That’s true…”

Oooh, she bit!
In that case…

“Serika-san, please take this.”

“Eh-, a macaron?”

I had given Serika-chan a pink macaron.

“It is a limited time cherry-flavoured macaron. Kaburagi-sama’s favourite.”

“EH-!? Kaburagi-sama’s!?”

“Yes. Earlier when I went to the Pivoine salon, Kaburagi-sama was eating them. I helped myself to one as well, but brought it here without eating it. You should eat it, Serika-san. Keep this a secret from Kikuno-san, all right?”

“Goodness…”

Serika-chan happily accepted the macaron with two hands.

“It isn’t often that you get to see Kaburagi-sama eating sweets, is it.”

“My. That is not the case at all. He has quite the sweet tooth, you know?”

He eats sweets in the salon a lot, and he was a sweet tooth in Kimidol as well.
For a while when he was in Kyoto, he was totally in love with this old tea shop’s matcha chocolate after all.
I don’t think he’s hiding the fact or anything, but to begin with we aren’t allowed to bring sweets to school, so the only chance of seeing him eating them is in the salon I guess.

Since Serika-chan is in a good mood again, I guess that’s good enough for now.

“Umm… Reika-sama. What I said earlier…”

“Of course, I did not hear a thing. After all, it was not how you truly felt, was it.”

“No. Thank you very much, Reika-sama.”

No, no. You’re welcome.

*imouto*

“Reika-sama, what do you think of Serika-san’s attitude lately? She’s jealous because I’m in the same class as Kaburagi-sama!”

This time Kikuno-chan timed it so that Serika-chan wasn’t there, before coming to talk to me.

“If she’s envious, then she should just say so. Even though I went out of my way to tell her stories about Kaburagi-sama, all she does is glare at me. Don’t you think her personality is terrible?”

Oh my, oh my~
That’s quite an arrogant attitude, huh~
I think both of you were in the wrong.

“Serika-san was sulking because all you spoke of was Kaburagi-sama.”

“Sulking?”

“Please keep this a secret, but, Serika-san was complaining to me about how Kaburagi-sama is more important to you than she is. ‘Even though I’m closer to her’, she said. I think that she might be lonely.”

“Eh-…”

“Serika-san likes you very much, after all. But lately all you speak of is Kaburagi-sama. Wouldn’t you feel ignored? Don’t you think that perhaps her jealousy is directed at Kaburagi-sama instead?”

Now this is a total lie.

“But you must not go to Serika-san to confirm this. Serika-san is quite the stubborn one, so if you knew how she really felt, she would likely sulk even more, you see.”

“To think Serika-san said…”

“In this case… What if you act like the mature one, and take the first step? I am certain that if you do so, Serika-san will immediately feel better. She likes you a lot. The two of you are best friends, after all.”

“Best friends… You’re right. We’re best friends, aren’t we.”

It looks like she’s a little happy about the specialness of ‘best friends’.
And it seems like her anger has subsided too.

“Reika-sama, what I said earlier…”

“Of course, I did not hear a thing. After all, it was not how you truly felt, was it.”

“No. Thank you very much, Reika-sama.”

No, no. You two are quite similar, you know.

*imouto*

After that, they immediately made up.
And it looks like my lies weren’t exposed. The two of them are lovey-lovey and following each other everywhere again.
I’m a coward, so absolutely ‘no thank you’ to trouble. It’s scary.
I mean, you never know when you’ll get wrapped up in it, after all.
Peace is definitely the best.

*imouto*

Speaking of which, in 『you are my dolce』, didn’t Kisshouin Reika feed Emperor with lies about the protagonist, that led to a falling out scene…?

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Kenkyo Kenjitsu

Reika-sama – 029

Dec 23, 2015 Estelulu 74 Comments

Kisshouin Takateru/Momozono Imari

Apparently my sister has begun dieting.
It looks like she’s doing stretches in the living room.
She doesn’t look particularly fat though, you know? Rather, isn’t she a bit too skinny?
When I told her not to overdo things, she smiled happily at me.
Simple-minded as usual.
And I also know the truth about the weird yells coming from my sister’s room.
I didn’t hear what words she was actually saying, but I’m worried now that she’s shouting strange things again.

“I can hear your shouts from outside your room, you know?” I casually told her, and in response she replied “Eh-, you heard me? Oh gosh, I need to be careful.” in shock.
Yeah, I heard you, alright. And not just your yells. I heard your weird moans too, and it’s scary.
I managed to solve another one of the problems caused by my sister’s weird behaviour.
I am technically taking my university exams this year, so I’d appreciate it if she behaved.

*imouto*

One day, my sister brought me some zousui rice soup in the name of a late-night snack.
It hadn’t been too long since dinner, so I honestly wasn’t hungry at all.
It’s not like I had been planning on studying all night, and I had planned to sleep an hour later.
So if I ate it, it would probably be bad for my body instead…

But my sister looked my way expectantly, wanting me to hurry and eat.
I’m troubled…
This pot is big enough for two people’s worth, isn’t it.
My sister’s eyes were completely glittering.
Can’t be helped…

Preparing myself for the worst, I opened the lid, and found a steaming egg zousui with spring onions spread about.
I scooped some into a bowl, and with a soup spoon, I brought some to my mouth.

…Salty.

You’ve put way too much salt, my little sister!
My tongue is tingling from it. I want some water, now.
Ah crap, there’s no water.
All she gave me was hot tea. Hot food, and hot drinks. …Little sister.

I hurriedly pulled out some cold water from a small fridge in my room and gulped it down.
Thank goodness for putting a refrigerator here.
I bought it in the past. It’s so that if I want a drink, I don’t have to risk heading outside and encountering some of my sister’s weird behaviours.

“How was it, Oniisama?”

It was salty. You put in too much salt. Did you even taste-test this?

“…It was delicious.”

When she looked at me with those round eyes, I couldn’t tell the truth.
Honestly, how troubling. Rather than tasteless chocolate, the hurdle is higher for salty zousui.
I don’t have the confidence to finish the stuff I ladled into the bowl.
But…

My sister simply believed me, and smiled happily.
Can’t be helped…
I guess I’ll try my best to at least finish the stuff in the bowl.

Without letting it show, I desperately ate. The 500ml bottle was gone in an instant.
I immediately opened another bottle.
As you’d expect, I couldn’t finish the stuff left in the pot, so I apologised and told her that I wasn’t so hungry at night.
Saying something like “Maybe I should have some too…”, she took a spoon to her mouth.

“Hmm? I wonder if it’s a little salty.”

So you’ve noticed, little sister!?
But this isn’t at the level where you’d call it ‘a little’, you know.
Even so, my sister continued eating with an unconcerned expression.
My sister’s sense of taste is wayy too rough.
And what about her diet? Carbohydrates before bed are scarier than monsters, you know.

In the end, my sister finished all of the leftovers.
At this rate, I might have to continue to suffer this hell of supper attacks. What do I do.

“Reika, thanks for making me a snack tonight. But eating makes me sleepy, so you don’t have to worry about it from now on. I won’t be studying too late either.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. I’m happy with just your feelings. And also, I might get fat eating before sleep, right?”

“Ah-, that is true!”

Looks like it had quite an effect on my dieting sister.
Thank goodness…
After seeing out my sister with the pot, my stomach was bloated from all the water, and I was exhausted.

I feel sick from all the water…
Maybe it might feel better if I just throw it up.
But she did try her very best making that, so I’d feel sorry for her if I went and did that.
And so that night, I fought with my nausea until I somehow managed to digest it.

As for the tasteless, yearly Valentine’s Chocolates, I discussed it with Minadzuki-san, who I went to an amusement park with last year.

“My sister’s handmade chocolates are too flavourless, so I was wondering what I could do about it. I feel bad for her when she tries so hard to make them, so I’m sorry about this, but could I perhaps get you to casually teach her how to make them, Minadzuki-san?”

When I asked her this, although she asked “flavourless chocolates?” confusedly, she happily agreed, and some time later they made chocolates together at our home.

A few days later, the chocolates that my sister gave me were sweet like they were supposed to be.

Just what kind of magic did Minadzuki-san use, to make that girl’s chocolates actually taste sweet.
When I asked her this she replied, “I don’t know for sure what the reason was, but she heated the chocolate in water for too long, which dispersed it, and well, just a whole bunch of other mistakes. But it’s fine now. Reika-san seems to know what to do, and what not to do in making chocolates now, so from next year the chocolates should be delicious as they should be.”
I was relieved.

Should I get Minadzuki-san to help this time as well?
But my little sister really looks up to her. If she shows her mistakes in front of her adored senpai, she might get depressed.
For the sake of her future as well, perhaps I should casually recommend cooking classes to her.

*imouto*

In public, my sister does quite a good job in playing the ojousama.
Like somebody truly befitting the name of the Kisshouin family’s daughter. My parents haven’t noticed either that she’s actually rather disappointing(pitiful) on the inside.
Anyhow, as time goes on, her mask comes off more and more when she’s in front of me, and the stupidity and silliness on the inside is really starting to show.
She’s probably just that trusting of me, but if she does something too weird it’ll scare me, so I wish she would stop.

And little sister, don’t try and do chin-ups inside your closet. It’s scary.

♦♢♦♢♦

My friend, Kisshouin Takateru, is a pretty splendid guy.
To begin with, he rarely gets angry.
I’ve almost never seen him get emotional, and he basically treats everybody politely.
In the archery club he’s captain too, and all the underclassmen rely on him.
His results are always in the high ranks, but he’s never shown off about this.

He almost seems like a human with no flaws, but he’s actually pretty black-hearted, and he uses his gentle-looking smile to get people to do what he wants.
At a glance he looks like a kind person who’ll accept everyone, but the number of people he actually let’s down his guard around are pretty few.
But at heart, he’s a straight-forward guy. Somehow or other, he’s just good at taking care of others. For people he considers friends, he definitely won’t ever betray them. It’s these parts of him that I like.

*imouto*

Anyhow, that Takateru has a little sister.

She’s a cute girl, who looks like a well-made western doll.
When she’s quiet, she looks just like one, but when she smiles her dimples come out, and it’s cute.
Whenever I bring Imouto-chan a present, she always seems to smile happily from the bottom of her heart.
Unlike her brother, she doesn’t have a hidden side to her.
Sometimes the three of us chat together, and she happily eats the sweets I bring her. I guess she likes sweets, huh.
A while back when I went with her to an amusement park, her eyes shot between this stall and that stall, and when I bought her sweets that I thought she would like, she was so grateful to me that it was shocking.
Just a few hundred Yen’s worth of food is enough to get her eyes sparkling and saying “Thank you very much, Imari-sama!” so it made me want to tell her that I’d buy her any food she wanted.
It felt like feeding a bird chick.

Imouto-chan always happily listens to my stories about Takateru. She really loves him.
I could totally feel her feelings towards her “beloved Oniisama”.

*imouto*

And as for Takateru, he totally dotes on her.
Takateru is a guy who hates people who stick to him without a sense of distance.
But apparently it’s a different story when it comes to his own sister.
Imouto-chan is adorable. She really thinks that Takateru is a gentle, wonderful Oniisama.
She doesn’t notice that he occasionally plays with her reactions. She just dances on his palms as much as he wants.

Apparently Takateru doesn’t think of himself as a siscon, but from my eyes, he’s plenty siscon enough.
When they’re sitting on the couch in the living room, he always has her sit next to him. Never, ever next to me.
When he listens to her talk, it’s not some statue’s archaic smile, but an actual smile that he has.
When Imouto-chan gets her head patted by Takateru she smiles happily in response.
These siblings really do get along.
All I have is a cocky little brother, so sometimes I get jealous of him when I wonder how things would be if I had a cute little sister attached to me too.

One day in the Pivoine salon, I heard Takateru discussing “handmade chocolates” with Aira-chan.
When I asked him about that, he told me “I asked her to teach my sister how to make handmade chocolates for Valentine’s”.
Valentine’s huh.
Apparently he gets handmade chocolates from Imouto-chan each year.
When I said “I wonder if this year I’ll get some from Imouto-chan too~”, he just stared blankly at me and asked back “Why does my sister have to give a Valentine’s chocolate to you?”.
Damn siscon…

Once when I thought about teasing this siscon and joked with a smile, “If Imouto-chan and I got married, you’d end up as my Oniichan as well, huh~ What should I do?”, I ended up eating a strong hook to the solar plexus.
…Sorry, I won’t say it again.

They’re a funny pair of siblings.
Rather, when Imouto-chan gets involved, Takateru immediately becomes funnier.
Today as well, I’m heading to the Kisshouin house with sweets in hand.

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