I Chose the Plain Girl Instead of the Class’s Top Three Beauties, and Somehow She Became the Heroine - 34

Chapter 34: A Small Celebration

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《Sora Mukei’s POV》

From one week before the test, I had started doing after-school study sessions in the library with Anno-san.

“Here… Is the antecedent correct here?”

“It’s correct. …Ah, but you might not need the comma.”

“Got it.”

Anno-san had begun to look up right away whenever she got stuck. Her voice was small, but her hesitation had decreased. I gave short answers. Her writing was cleaner than mine. For Japanese class summaries, there were even more moments where I learned from her instead.

“In the second line, the paraphrasing overlaps. You should keep this one instead?”

“Thanks, I see. That helps.”

During every five-minute break, she tapped her rabbit keychain with her finger—just a tiny touch. Seeing that gesture loosened my own nerves, too. The atmosphere between us hadn’t broken. We kept a good distance. We were on the same wavelength. The day before midterms. When we finished the last set, she made a small fist pump in front of her chest.

“I’ve started to be able to read English!”

“Yeah. You’re seeing the verb positions really well. You’re solving the problems well too.”

In the hallway leaving the library, she stopped and took one deep breath.

“…I will do my best tomorrow.”

“You’ll be fine. Everything you did up to now will definitely be on your side on the day of the exam.”

As I said it, I also said it to myself. Her “yeah” sounded bigger than usual.

And then, the day of the test. When the final subject’s ending chime rang, the air in the classroom relaxed. Someone stretched and said, “It’s over—!”

I closed my pencil case, stretched, and stood up. Near the shoe lockers, Anno-san was waiting. She gently straightened her uniform collar, her hairpin still in place. When our eyes met, she gave a small bow. Akira had invited me to an after-test hangout, but I asked him to move it to another day. I would spend the weekend with Akira, but today I wanted to spend my time with Anno-san.

“Good job today.”

“Good job today.”

Our words matched. Just that alone made me strangely happy. We passed through the rows of shoe boxes and breathed in the outside air. It felt like there was a sweeter scent mixed in today. Maybe it was from the takoyaki stand. I waited for a beat, then opened my mouth.

“Hey, today… Do you want to go have a small celebration, just the two of us?”

“…A c-celebration?”

Her shoulders twitched. Exactly the reaction I expected, so I hurried to continue.

“Not something flashy. Do you remember the café above the bookstore? I saw they have a limited-time soda. Just one drink each, ten minutes. Since the tests are over, I want to spend a calm moment with you… But if you’re tired, we can do it another day…”

I left her a way out. I didn’t push. She might have plans too. She lowered her gaze and gently stroked the rabbit keychain. The few seconds of silence felt oddly long to me. I didn’t want to rush her answer, but my heart rushed anyway.

“…Um, just the two of us… Right?”

“Yeah. If you’re okay with that, just the two of us.”

For only a split second, the corner of her lips lifted. The next moment, she quickly tightened her expression again.

“Um… I don’t dislike it. Actually, I’m happy. …Yes, I want to go”

The weight in my chest lightened. I nodded, careful not to smile too widely.

“I’m glad. Let’s go then.”

“…Yes.”

We began walking side by side. At the school gate, she subtly matched my pace. I slowed down a little, too. I once read in a light novel that people who walk at the same speed feel life at the same speed…

“U-Umm…”

“Yeah?”

“Which drink do you want to get, Mukei-kun?”

“The blue one.”

“It’s kind of childlike and cute.”

“What about you, Anno-san?”

“The red one… Strawberry.”

“I see. We will look nice together then.”

“Eh, l-look nice…?”

As soon as she said it, she pressed her cheeks with both hands. I couldn’t hold back my laugh.

“I’m not taking photos. I’ll remember it with my eyes.”

“Th-that’s a relief…”

We rode the escalator up. My head, which had been full of exam material until yesterday, now felt like fizzy soda bubbles were popping inside it. Just walking side by side felt strangely fun. Maybe celebrations were supposed to be louder, but this quietness fit us.

The café was half full. Two seats by the window were open. We placed our order and set down the number stand. Our conversation during the wait was softer than usual.

“How was the last math problem?”

“I hesitated a little with the range after finding the vertex. But I didn’t forget to flip the inequality sign.”

“Yes! …The part Mukei-kun taught me showed up!”

She made a very small fist pump. My throat let out a laugh on its own. She looked down shyly.

“How was Japanese for you, Mukei-kun?”

“…For Japanese, Anno-sensei’s corrections really helped me.”

“S-sensei?”

“Yeah, Anno-sensei.”

After a moment, we both burst out laughing. The staff brought our sodas. Blue and red lights shimmered inside the clear glasses. Just the act of passing straws loosened the last of the tension.

“Then, good job on the tests.”

“Good job today.”

We gently clinked the glasses. When I sipped it, the sweetness spread across my tongue and disappeared quietly in my throat. Outside the window, a bus pulled out of the terminal. Time moved slowly.

“…Um…”

“Yeah?”

“This is my first time doing something like this. I’m happy. A celebration… Just the two of us..”

She looked at me properly. I nodded and searched for the right words.

“I’m happy too. I really liked our twenty-five minutes in the library. It was quiet, we made progress, and sometimes we laughed.”

“…I liked it too.”

I didn’t confirm what her “liked” referred to. For now, that was enough.

“Starting tomorrow, let’s resume our book exchange too. I finished reading mine for stress relief. I’ll send you my thoughts later.”

“Yes. Next is the romance-and-romcom exchange… I’ll write my thoughts too!”

We said it together and laughed. When we finished our sodas, she took out a small memo card from her bag. Tiny letters were written on the edge.

“Today’s thoughts… ‘The bubbles disappear quickly, but the sweetness stays.’”

“You’re a poet.”

“N-no! It’s just… Uum. Th-thank you.”

Her flustered reaction was cute, and I found myself laughing again. She blushed, but she laughed with me. We wandered a bit in the stationery section, and she chose a small light-blue bookmark. A tiny rabbit silhouette was printed on it. The metal fittings glinted softly.

After paying, we left the store. In the elevator, she ran her fingers along the bookmark. I watched from the side and checked the distance between us again. Not too close. Not too far. But close enough that our shoulders might touch. Just that made my chest pound. If I moved even slightly, I would bump into her. It felt like doing something I shouldn’t, and just thinking about it made me nervous.

“Mukei-kun?”

The elevator had stopped and the doors were open. She looked at me in surprise since I hadn’t moved.

“Sorry, I was just thinking.”

“Really?”

She looked at me with that curious expression of hers. Every one of those small gestures began to look like sparkling treasures to me. Near the ticket gate, the flow of people shifted, and for an instant a faint invisible wall rose between us. I took a short breath and spoke.

“Thanks for coming today.”

“Thank you too. For inviting me…Thank you.”

A bow. In perfect timing. She stepped back, then came right back again.

“Um… Please do this again. You know, something like this…”

“Of course. …But isn’t this a d-“

“D-don’t say it…!”

We both laughed. I finally understood what “sweet and sour” felt like.

“See you next week.”

“Yes, next week.”

Her rabbit keychain swung slightly as she passed through the gate. Watching her walk away, I repeated a short phrase in my heart.

It was fun. I want to ask you out again.

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