It’s Too Early to be Having Newlywed Syndrome! ~Childhood Friends Who Rekindled their Love for Each Other ~ - 5 - 1 - As I Thought, There’s None
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- It’s Too Early to be Having Newlywed Syndrome! ~Childhood Friends Who Rekindled their Love for Each Other ~
- 5 - 1 - As I Thought, There’s None
As I Thought, There’s None
“Morita-kun, are you the one in charge of the trip to Health Land?”
During break time, a girl suddenly started talking to Naoto.
“We haven’t decided on that kind of position, though.”
Naoto answered while making a frightened expression.
“Hatsumi said that she thinks Morita-kun’s the one who organized the whole plan.”
The girl, who didn’t pay any attention to Naoto’s nervousness at all, freely continued the conversation. She’s Naoto’s classmate, Takahashi Satoko.
Satoko’s the type of girl to complain about anything that displeases her. With Naoto as the odd one out, almost all of the guys have been scolded by Satoko at least once. Be that as it may, she’s not doing it because she’s pushing her views onto others and was just her simply pointing out things that annoyed her at the time. She doesn’t keep nagging for a long time, so none of the boys hold any grudge against her.
“Yeah, I’m the one who proposed the trip. But saying that I’m the organizer, Sasahara-san has a way of exaggerating things.”
Is Takahashi-san also close to Sasahara-san?
Hearing Hatsumi’s name mentioned, Naoto was able to calm down a bit.
“What does the manga corner at Health Land look like?”
“I also want to know about that, there’s no information about it in the website. I remember it being a treasure trove when I was a kid, but right now, I’m wondering how it currently is. It might be better not to expect too much about it.
Even if the genre and amount of manga have been upgraded, if you’re thinking about spending the tie there like in a manga café and read manga while sipping on drinks, it will cost you too much.”
“I see——. How many people have you gathered right now?”
“Right now, it’s still the same eight? We just started inviting people yesterday, after all.”
“In our class, you have Hatsumi and Aki…… and…?”
“Then there’s Oshida-san and Hirose-san.”
“You invited all of them yesterday, Morita-kun?”
“That’s right.”
“Aren’t you quiet the driven person? You also called Hatsumi on the phone, right?”
“Well, that would be right. Though because Health Land’s promo campaign is this month, some urgency is needed. I actually don’t even want to do all of these things, you know.”
Naoto felt that it will be a troublesome if he explained that he was with Natsuki and the others, so he just vaguely replied.
“Hatsumi told me that she wanted to be of help to you. She said that she was really moved by you passion during your call with her.”
“Uwaa, that’s somewhat embarrassing. Was it fine by her that I called her out of the blue?”
“I think Hatsumi not a single bit bothered by it. After she explained everything to me, she went to the other class to explain about the trip as well.”
“I’m thankful for that. It would be all swell if we somehow able to gather at least 15 people.”
“Won’t ten people be enough to receive that discount?”
“Ten people would be able to afford a discount, but if we have 15 people we can charter a bus to take us to and from there for free, we’ll be able to call it at any time and any place that we want. I have motion sickness while riding buses, so I wouldn’t want to be seated next to an old man whom I don’t know. That’s why I’m frantically gathering people.
Taking into account that there are people who might cancel on the day of the trip, or people who want to go home earlier than the others, then our best case scenario would be being able to gather at least 20 people.”
“If that’s the case then it will be 18 girls, right? And only two boys will be joining?”
“That’s right. We won’t be increasing the number of boys, so we still need 12 girls. Pretty rough, I know.”
“It’s okay bringing friends from middle school, right?”
“If they are girls, yes.”
“Of course, they are. I don’t have any guy friends to call to play outside.”
“That’s what everyone says, but is that really true?”
“The others are suspicious, but in my case, it’s the truth.”
“That is indeed suspicious. I don’t know if it’s okay asking about such things, so I didn’t ask them if they have any boyfriend.”
“It seems like they really don’t have. During the volleyball tournament, everyone revealed that they didn’t have a boyfriend, and there are doubts that ‘everyone’ doesn’t have one. Then everyone began boasting how unpopular they are by saying things like ‘The last time I hanged out with boys was in middle school’, or ‘The last proper talk I had with a guy was two months ago’, then everyone burst into laughter, so we got scolded by the teacher.
After that, while changing clothes, the search for the one who have a boyfriend began once more, but it seems like no one really has a boyfriend.”
“The volleyball tournament was last autumn, wasn’t it?”
“That’s right.”
“Hmmm……well, factoring in the strictness of the school, I would say there are about 10 to 20 percent of high school students that are dating. It seems like there are even school where out of a hundred students, about five have a partner.”
Naoto told Satoko about the data he researched while writing his novel.
“It’s that low? In a magazine I read in the past, it’s about 40%, though.”
“Wouldn’t it be possible that that magazine also included people who were really interested in love?”
“Ah, it was a fashion magazine.”
“If that’s so, since many of that magazine’s readers are those who want improve on their attractiveness, so maybe it’s a given that there are many girls who are in love that will be answering that magazine’s questionnaire. Maybe since generally it’s getting harder to find someone to go out with, and with more breaking up with their partners, I think 40% was hard to maintain.
If you read a student council’s newspaper from other schools, there are sometimes questionnaires asking students whether they have a better half or not. I think that questionnaire was given as that student council’s secret survey. Maybe they think that will produce a more accurate result. If they resorted to a type of survey where a student council member will directly ask the students, it would end up like magazine interviews in the street where most will refuse to be surveyed, and most of their respondents will be the plain boys and girls.”
“If it’s gathered by the student council, then that’s a pretty accurate information.”
“That’s what I think.”
“But I’m a bit surprised that its only 5 out of 100. That would mean that the chances of making a boyfriend or girlfriend is next to impossible.”
“Well, that kind of top-class low score seems to be attributed to things like it being a former all boys school and having a dorm with very strict rules. Maybe about 10% of the students in our school are actually going out with someone.”
“But even so, that’s still low. Won’t it be hope-crushing?”
“Now, now. It’s especially because of that, that you should use this chance at Health Land to talk to others about love in your own pace, sweat a lot in the baths and improve on your style, and up your beauty in the sauna. Then all will be good if you manage to get a boyfriend after all that.”
Saying that, Naoto returned the conversation to Health Land.
“I see! Eh, by any chance, could everyone be going to Health Land with that goal in mind?”
“That’s right. If you didn’t join, then the others will be having boyfriends before you.”
“Eh. Then I’ll also go.”
“Are you sure?”
Naoto was surprised that he was able to get some progress without putting that much effort.
“I can’t?”
“I’m not saying that you can’t, it’s just that I was surprised with how quick you decided. The foods and drinks inside are quite expensive so it will cost you money.”
“But everyone looks like they’ll be joining, so it’s obvious I would want to go as well. I’ll be cutting on some of my expenses this month.”
“You’re quite close, aren’t you? I mean, the way girls hang out and play with each other. With boys, they’ll be saying ‘It’s too expensive, so count me out.’”
“Is that so?”
“For instance, back in our trip to an amusement park back in middle school, we’re struggling to find a place to eat, when we finally found a crepe store. Seeing the pricing, the others wet ‘It’s somewhat pricey, so I’m all good’, and everyone got split into the half who want to eat and the half who will just wait for the others to finish.”
“Wasn’t that awkward?!”
“Outside those who were on a diet, there was an impression from some girls who are okay with joining the others to eat and drink.”
“That’s because making the others wait makes it look like the others are imposing on them. Like, they’ll be thinking to finishing their food quickly.”
“For me, once I think this thing is expensive, I’ll always think so no matter what.
That’s why I think if we reverse the gender ratio then it’ll be harder to find anyone willing to join us at Health Land. It’ll be impossible to gather two girls and 18 boys. If it’s all boys then I think we’ll never be able to find one who willingly wants to go to Health Land.”
“I might be getting that point a bit. It doesn’t feel like guys are the type to go to the hot springs in large groups.”
“What have we here? We have an unusual combi talking about something unusual.”
The one who said that and entered the conversation, was a tall guy called Yagi. Inside the school, he hangs out with a different group so they almost didn’t have any occasion of talking to each other, but Naoto, in certain situations, has quite the friendly relationship with the guy. After all, next to Iida, he’s the next student Naoto meets the most whenever he goes to the arcade he regularly goes to.
He’s good at shooting, fighting and rhythm games, which are the kind of games Naoto sucks at, so Naoto—— and Iida—— would often spectate him whenever he plays.
Yagi gets nervous whenever he thinks that someone is watching him, but for some reason, it he doesn’t feel that way when Naoto’s the one watching, and he’s quite happy being asked by Naoto for tips on how to beat a game or two.
Naoto welcomed Yagi who joined in the conversation in his mind. It was because he would be more at ease than having a one-on-one talk with a girl that he was not used to talking with.
“Me and Iida, the guy who often accompanies me at the arcade, are going to Health Land with our first love, so we’re having it rough right now.
It’s actually the opposite, but if for instance, Iida has fear of women, and if the ratio of the girls to boys is not 2 is to 18, he’ll be to frightened to come and hang out with us outdoors. If I invite Yagi-kun with us, do you think you’ll have fun if you come with us?”
Naoto talked about a sample situation.
“If it’s me, then I’ll think it’s bothersome.”
“I thought so, a—h I’m so relieved. Guys don’t really feel like joining such trips.”
Naoto feeling relieved,
“It was maybe summer of last year when I received a letter from a classmate of mine back in middle school. It looks like they joined their school’s drama club, and the letter asked if I can come watch a play of theirs. It’s not like we have each other’s phone contacts, so I decided not to come.”
He continued.
“Eh. Is that letter from a guy? Or from a girl?”
Yagi felt like he should ask that first, otherwise he won’t get the whole context of his story at all.
“It was from a girl.”
“If that’s the case, it’s obvious I’ll absolutely go!”
“I didn’t. Am I cold-hearted?”
“In the first place, if the sender’s a girl, then I’ll go with some other intention in mind!”
Satoko, who had encountered Yagi in the arcade many times, and was even invited by him before to dinner,
“Morita-kun’s not overflowing in desire unlike you, Yagi.”
She rebutted.
“No, no, isn’t that just normal at our age? In contrast to that, why didn’t you go?”
Yagi asked with an expression of disbelief.
“It’s really tiring going to a high school that I don’t know.”
Naoto made a small sigh.
“Is it really that tough?”
“You know how in some train stations, there are certain rail lines that you can only access the platform by going through another ticket gate, and you can’t just transfer to those lines inside the station itself. I had an experience going through another ticket gate before, and it’s really tiresome. Once you enter, and decided you have to go back to the station you came in, you’ll get an error on the ticket gate, and you have to explain things to the station staff to get through, which all in all is very tiring.
Even about money, either three things happen: too much is charged from me, the normal amount is charged from me, or nothing is charged from me at all. I wonder if I’ll lose my money because I suck at explaining things, I ended up thinking about lots of stuff like that. That’s why I hate riding in trains that I haven’t rode in before.”
While Naoto was sharing his prior experience, the feeling of gloom he felt while he was lost on his way resurfaced.
“Aren’t you not used to riding trains at all?
“There are certainly some train stations that’s hard to get your head around in, though.”
Yagi and Satoko, who couldn’t sympathize with Naoto’s story, looked at each other.
Natsuki, who heard the conversation,
“That’s because Morita-kun has a poor sense of direction. So it might be difficult for him going to a school he doesn’t know of all alone.”
Backed Naoto up.
She doesn’t really like sharing information about Naoto to their classmates that much. But she couldn’t stay silent seeing Naoto dispirited like that.
“You’re sense of direction is THAT poor?”
Satoko asked while looking at Naoto’s face, not because she’s looking down on him or that she sympathized with him, but because she found that information interesting.
After thinking for a bit,
“I don’t know how by how much do you mean by ‘THAT’, but just after entering high school during our first class in the gym, I don’t know how to get there, and as a result I was 15 minutes late to gym class.”
Naoto embarrassingly said.
“Ain’t that bad?! That’s like, very real kind of no sense of direction!”
Yagi, who’s not convinced one bit,
“But you know. If it was me, I would’ve gone to that girl’s school’s culture festival even if I have to bring a friend with me, though.”
Bluntly said while putting his arms behind his head.
“Like I said, Morita-kun doesn’t jump at any girls he sees unlike you Yagi!”
Although Satoko said that with a strong tone of voice, she was smiling.
Naoto, hurriedly said ‘No no’ in order to correct something.
“To put it simply, I didn’t have any friend that would willingly come with me. And it’s not like I’m close enough to any male friends to go on trips and culture festivals. I wonder if they’ll think I’m too gloomy or something.
Of course, I want to be friends with girls too, if you’re wondering.”
“Oh, so you agree with me, right? See, it’s not just me who thinks like that.”
Yagi was glad that he made an ally,
“Looking at videos of girls dancing is really nice, right?”
He pat Naoto’s shoulder.
However,
“No, I’m not really watching those that much.”
Naoto said while laughing.
“When I was little, in times that I was lost or having a headache, those that notice and help me out were mostly girls, and I really love that kind part of them. It’s either I adore that part of them, or I want to be kind like them. I always think if only I could become a person who notices when someone’s in trouble and help them out even without being asked to.”
“Look, it’s different from what Yagi looks at in girls. Morita-kun’s saying really good things. He’s even talking about the kindness of girls.”
Satoko, after saying such a thing bluntly to Yagi in triumph,
“A person who can understand really get it, our kindness that is.”
Said so to Natsuki.
“I like girls for their kindness too.”
Yagi sullenly replied back.
“Then tell me. When was the most recent tie you felt a girl being kind to you?”
“Most recent?! Did a girls act kind to me recently? What about you, Morita?”
“Me, I recently I feel such kindness every day.”
“You serious?! So I’m the only sad person out here.
Can you give me an example?”
“Like yesterday, when I mistakenly called Ninomiya-san Aki-san, she forgave me.”
“What’s with that situation?! If that’s good enough, then I have one as well!”
Yagi agitatedly said.
“You’re suddenly loud! You’re bothering the others.”
Satoko was exaggeratedly taken aback.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I just thought I should say it immediately. E—-r you see, what was it again…….”
Saying that, Yagi looked down the floor while thinking for a while, and when everyone thought he finally raised his head,
“——My bad, as I thought, there’s none.”
He apologized awkwardly.
“What’s your problem?!”
Satoko raised her voice without thinking.
“No, that’s not it. It’s just that when I heard what Morita has to say, I thought that if it’s such a small thing like that, then I should have such an experience as well. But to my surprise, I didn’t have such an interaction with a girl. Isn’t this school’s environment kinda bad?”
“But for what it’s worth, there should be about one or two out of twelve students in our school that are dating someone.”
“Looking at that in reverse, that means getting in a relationship is almost impossible. It’s totally impossible. Only those guys that are good with their words that are able to get in one, isn’t that the case? If you just wait for an opportunity, the isn’t the chance itself already gone?”
“Well, when you think that more than 80 percent are not in a relationship, it does make your heart heavy—”
“With our school’s field trip being held in the third year, I feel like that’s already too late. It’s almost time for university entrance exams by then.”
“It feels like if you got rejected by that time, then that’s it for your high school life, it’s all over.”
“That would be hyper-awkward. If you fail that then wouldn’t you be a truant?”
“Just raise the price of the items in the cafeteria by 10 percent for couples already.”
“That would only make me sadder seeing them paying extra money in contrast. It would be fine if they just forbid couples from joining the field trip.”
“If that happens, then those couples would just go to dates on their own while the field trip is happening.”
“Damn i—–t, couples are invincible.”
Just like that, Yagi and Satoko continued voicing their complaints.
For Naoto and Natsuki, the conversation has become so awkward, that they couldn’t say anything. When the chime for the start of classes rang, the two felt relieved, looked at each other and smiled.