A Case in Which My House Is a Gathering Place for Girls - Chapter 1: The High School Where I Was Planning to Attend Has Shut Down

As the chill began to fade and the snow on the mountains finally started to melt at the start of March…

I, Jinpei Itsuki, 15 years old, found myself standing at a major crossroads in life after returning home from helping my grandfather hunt wild boars.

The reason for this was an incoming call from my junior high school homeroom teacher, and when I heard the message left on the answering the voicemail she left, I hurried to school with barely dressed appropriately.

“Is it true that the high school I was supposed to attend is shutting down, sensei!?”

“Oh, Itsuki-kun. You’re here earlier than I expected.”

This is my homeroom teacher, Katsuragi Natsumi-sensei. The mildly surprised yet carefree voice came from a mature woman sipping coffee as I burst into the teacher’s office while gasping for air.

She’s a peculiar beauty who suddenly showed up in this ultra-remote countryside town—a place that could be generously described as peaceful but was, in reality, extraordinarily rural. She was a strange teacher assigned here out of the blue with more elderly residents than young people and a student body small enough to count on two hands.

“I thought for sure you’d come after the sun had set. Did today’s hunt not go well by any chance?”

“We’ve got a good one! Don’t underestimate my grandfa─that’s not the time to talk about it!”

“It’s good you have energy. Your quick wit is also quite impressive.”

“This is no time for praise! What will happen to me if the high school gets closed?!”

She’s way too relaxed for someone who’s supposed to be my lifeline in this crisis. Isn’t it her job as my teacher to take this more seriously?

“There’s nothing to be impatient about. Stay calm and collected. It’s important to calm yourself down at times like this.”

“It is true that impatience is the greatest trap, but isn’t it too late now if it’s not as fast as the wind?”

“Hahaha! What are you talking about, Itsuki-kun? It’s already too late. The entrance examination was over a long time ago in every regular high school.”

“You’re heartless!? You’re still my homeroom teacher!”

Katsuragi-sensei shrugged her shoulders in amazement. I’d suspected it, but hearing her outright confirm it crushed me. My spirit was shattered.

“It’s a rare impatience for Itsuki-kun. Did you miss what I said ‘a regular high school’?”

“…Is that not the case?”

“There are some high schools that are still taking entrance exams at this time of year. Though it’s a rather unusual school.”

As she spoke with a proud expression, Katsuragi-sensei took a brochure out of her desk drawer.

“My alma mater, Amahashiritsu Academy has a slightly higher deviation than the high school you were supposed to go on to, but they’re still holding entrance exams, and I’m sure Itsuki-kun could pass. I, the homeroom teacher and an alum, will guarantee it.”

Katsuragi-sensei speaks with a rare and serious look on her face. I pick up the brochure and flip through the pages. It seems that there are some students who started their own businesses when they were in junior high school and generated hundreds of millions of annual sales, as well as talented people who will change the history of women’s sprints in Japan. That’s a great school.

“The Amahashiritsu Academy has a unique admissions system. Apart from the regular entrance examinations, it conducts exams for students who wish to enter the school for a year except during major holidays. Is it like a correspondence high school where you can move in and transfer at any time.”

“But that’s when they accept transfer students, right? In my case, it’s a new enrollment, so the situation is a little different.”

“That’s another unique feature of this school. They are providing relief measures for test takers who have not been able to take the test due to various reasons. The examination is just the day after tomorrow.”

“Does that mean I can avoid taking a gap year if I pass the exam?”

It was like a single thread of hope dangling before me as I wallowed in despair. There was no way I could ignore it. But just as I thought I’d found salvation, Katsuragi-sensei’s expression darkened slightly.

“But there are a few problems. If you decide to enroll, you’ll have to move to the city.”

“…Huh?”

A dumbfounded sound escaped me. I never thought I’d have to decide to leave the place where I was born and raised.

“If you’re willing to take the exam, I’ll take care of all the necessary procedures. There’s not much time until the test, so make sure to discuss it thoroughly with your family.”

Katsuragi-sensei’s suggestion was like a lifeline thrown to someone drowning in despair. If I could grab hold of it and pass the test, I won’t have to repeat a year. But the problem is after that. Going to a high school in the city would inevitably mean leaving grandfather behind.

It’s heartbreaking to leave behind my grandfather who brought me up to this point instead of my parents who work overseas.

“I understand why Itsuki-kun is hesitating. It’s not easy to make such a big decision quickly. I don’t know if this will help push you forward, but… there’s a girl from your childhood who attends this school.”

“…Huh? A childhood friend?Are you talking about Kanna?”

There is only one person who comes to mind when I hear about a childhood friend. A girl my age who lived nearby and used to play with me. She moved away due to her parents’ work, and I haven’t seen her in nearly ten years. I still remember her face in my memory.

“Yes, she is. I think her full name was Hanazono Kanna. She’s currently enrolled in the academy. Are you happy to hear that?”

“I’d say I’m leaning toward happiness if you ask whether I’m happy or not, but I don’t know if she remembers me…”

I haven’t been in touch with her since she moved in any way. We were just kids back then, and smartphones weren’t common, so I don’t know her contact information. Every time I thought about writing her a letter, I hesitated and never sent one. I doubt she remembers me considering all that, but it’s also true that I want to see her again.

“Isn’t that depending on your efforts? Itsuki-kun, do your best☆”

“…You just ruined everything.”

High school enrollment. A reunion with a childhood friend. I started to wonder what grandfather would say if I told him about all this.

“I have met Itsuki-kun’s grandfather several times, and I think I have a decent understanding of what kind of person he is. I bet he’d say something like this—”

“Don’t worry about me and go get some air from the city.”

“…As expected of you, Sensei. You know my grandfather very well.”

What Katsuragi-sensei just said was something my grandfather had told me so often who lived with me on a regular basis.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about leaving him alone. But if I mentioned that, he’d snap back with, “Don’t treat me like an old man! I’m still in my prime!” It’s great that he’s so full of energy, but he’s almost eighty now so I really wish he’d take care of himself.

“Thank you, Sensei. I’ll take the examination at that school. I’m sure my grandfather will surely smile and give me his blessing. But the bigger issue is where I’m going to live.”

While money was a concern, the more pressing matter was finding a place to stay. There’s no way I could spend three years of high school living in a park.

“There is no problem with that. There’s a vacancy in the apartment I bought with cash, so it’s good to live there. It’s a luxurious place for students to live alone because it’s within walking distance of the academy as it was newly built.”

“…Who the hell are you, Sensei?”

“Hehehe. Women are creatures who become more beautiful by cloaking themselves in mystery.”

It’s frustrating to see Katsuragi-sensei say the final lines of a blonde Hollywood actress with a straight face as it suited her perfectly.

I sighed and threw the brochure on the desk. Does she have some condition where she needs to crack jokes after every serious conversation? It kind of ruins the gratitude I was feeling.

“But, sensei. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. I’ll do my best.”

“Nothing to worry about. Just do what you normally do, and you’ll pass with flying colors. You’re one of the most outstanding students I’ve ever taught.”

“I’m glad to hear it even if that’s just flattery, sensei.”

“It’s not flattery, but… well, that’s all right. I’ll give you some past exams to review, so look over them. I’ll drive you to the academy on the day of the exam.I’ll send you the details later.”

“Thank you for everything. I’d better head home now. I need to explain everything to my grandfather.”

And while I’m at it, I should probably report it to my parents overseas. Considering the time difference, I’ll need to make the call tomorrow morning. I turned on my heel and left the room.

＊＊＊＊＊

I, Katsuragi Natsumi, the back of my exceptionally talented student as he exited the room, I shrugged my shoulders and let out a sigh.

“Haa… Itsuki-kun was unusually impatient today. But he left when I hadn’t finished talking yet.”

I’d only heard this morning that the high school Itsuki was supposed to attend had been shut down. The unexpected news shocked not only me but everyone in the faculty room at the time.

“But it was a good thing for me… Hehe, Itsuki-kun might probably get mad if I said that.”

I picked up the brochure of Amahashiritsu Academy that Itsuki-kun had left on the desk.

“He flipped through it, but he missed the most important part. Well, given the circumstances, it’s no surprise he was flustered.”

He seemed to be flipping, but the wording on the first page was the most important thing that I hadn’t been able to share with him.

“‘Geniuses gather.’ I don’t want to speak ill of my alma mater, but they’ve got no shame putting something like this in bold.”

I hope these incitement phrases will not be included in the school introduction booklet. It makes me feel embarrassed.

But there is no lie in these words. The Amahashiritsu Academy is one of the most prestigious elementary, middle, and high school escalator schools in Japan. Among the graduates are many politicians, world-famous researchers, and athletes.

Therefore, only a small number of people are allowed to take the examination, so it is usually not recommended to save a high school repeater from the crisis of a high school repeat who has fallen into an unfortunate way.

“Well, if it’s Itsuki-kun, there’s no problem. Knowing him, he might even end up scoring the highest marks and getting a scholarship.”

He was born and raised in the countryside, but Itsuki Jinpei-kun is anything but ordinary. He’s the only one who thinks he’s just average. In fact, during our career counseling session, I had already planned for him to apply to Amahashiritsu Academy and had slipped their brochure in with the others. Not that he gave it a second glance.

“Hehehe. If an examinee from outside takes the special exam and ends up earning a scholarship, it’ll throw the school into chaos.”

Would the faculty celebrate it as a rare achievement or be left utterly bewildered? Either way, it’s a shame I won’t get to see their reactions firsthand.

“Well, I’d better get started on my preparations. First, I’ll give that damn mentor of mine a call—”

And just a few days later.

As I had predicted, Itsuki Jinpei-kun took the entrance exam for the academy and achieved the highest score in the school’s history where the most talented individuals from across Japan gather. Of course, he passed with flying colors.