Love Advice From A Childhood Friend. - V2 Chapter 6.4: Changing Everyday Life. (Part 4)

Changing Everyday Life. (Part 4)

After paying for the driving school with my first salary and the money I borrowed, I then went to the driving school to start.

“Ehh. then, what are you gonna do?”

As we were having a study session for the mid-term test at my house, Sugiuchi’s hand stopped suddenly.

The test was a few days later. So, in the living room of my house, in addition to Sugiuchi, Hinagata, Uchinokura-san and Mise-san were gathered.

“What do you mean… I’ll mostly do it on the days I Won’t have a part-time job.”

If all goes well, it won’t take more than a month.

Sugiuchi, who was smart despite his character, seemed to have the midterm test in his pockets and was teaching me math as I struggled with my workbook.

“Hinaga-san, did you know about it?”

“If you mean about his part time job, I heard about it.”

“Don’t be an adult alone, Tonomura. Man!”

Sugiuchi, looking defeated, grabbed my hand as if he wanted me to wait for him.

“Let’s play. After school.”

“I won’t be here, you know, after school.”

“You’re not a college student, are you, riding a motorcycle with your money from your part-time job? You should wait until you’re in college before you do that.”

Sugiuchi was complaining like a slug.

“Don’t be a grown up man, Tonomura.”

“Don’t put on that wise man’s face.”

His wise words are just the opposite.

“Just get on with it and solve the problem. You are the only one who’s not making progress, Tonomura.”

“That’s because you keep talking to me.”

I can forgive Mise-san for being smart.

She wears glasses, she’s serious, she’s reliable at her part-time job, and again that she wears glasses.

“I don’t care if you’re smart or not.”

“I’m not smart because I like to be smart. It’s just that I can solve problems easily if I pay attention to the class properly.”

This b*****d…

Sugiuchi was the only one who talked and talked and talked, and I would sometimes respond to him. The other three were solemnly going about their studies unless they were addressed by name.

“Nobuko, do you study hard? I think your grades are good.”

“Ahh, yes. I make a plan and study according to the plan.”

“Ooohhh, you’re a serious girl.”

“…If I don’t… there will be no good points… about me…”

Self-deprecating comments are still difficult to respond to.

Mise-san is always negative whenever the opportunity presents itself.

When I invited her to the study group, she refused, as if she would die if she joined our circle. But when I told her that I was having trouble getting through my studies, she said, “Well, then…” and she surprisingly easily agreed to join.

She is a nice person who is willing to comply with whatever reason in which she is needed, no matter how it is put forward to her.

…Since that day, every time I look at Mise-san, Sugiuchi’s words haunt my mind.

It’s a curse, he said.

Mise-san, in plain clothes, was dressed simply in jeans and a white shirt. Next to her was the cardigan she had been wearing when she arrived, carefully folded and placed next to her.

“…”

As Sugiuchi said, they are indeed huge. I don’t know how big they are, but they are clearly bigger than Hinagata’s and Uchinokura-san’s.

“…Tonomura-kun, is there something you don’t… understand?”

“Ehh, ahh, no…”

Anxiously wondering if I had been discovered, I dropped my gaze to the workbook in my hand.

“Ryuu… Tonomura-kun, concentrate. Where are you looking at?”

Hinagata gave me a sharp look and questioned me.

“I’m not… looking anywhere.”

When I made my painful escape, Sugiuchi changed the subject.

“I was wondering why you are working part-time. Nobuko? You’ve been working there for quite a while, right?”

“Yo-you…”

I thought I said it was a secret.

Sugiuchi inadvertently noticed this, but Mise-san shook her head as if to say she didn’t mind.

She probably decided it was safe to talk about it.

“It’s been almost a year since I’ve had a part-time job.”

That’s a long time.

Hinagata and Uchinokura-san also seemed to be curious about that, waiting for Mise-san to continue.

“I was in the art club in middle school, but it was a ghost club, and… we didn’t do any activities.”

I remember that in our middle school, too. That kind of thing in the cultural club.

It seems that Mise-san wanted to do something when she entered high school. But she didn’t have any friends who would invite her to join, and it took a lot of courage to start on her own as a beginner.

“Those with no experience came to see the club and tried it out, but they didn’t join in the end.” 

Uchinokura-san said.

Hinagata nodded in agreement.

Then Sugiuchi spoke as if he had got a deep understanding.

“Starting something in high school is quite a challenge.”

The baseball team also only accepts serious players, so it is very rare for an inexperienced player to be able join the team.

“My personality is not very bright, so… I guess I was afraid people would laugh at my… shabby appearance.”

I’d like to think there are no such guys, but I’m sure if enough people get together, there will be a few of those among them, that’s just the way it is.

“Nobuko, here, wipe your tears.”

Sugiuchi was about to gently hand her a handkerchief when I stopped him.

“Oii stop. She’s not crying. Don’t interrupt her.”

I’m interested, too. Why was Mise-san working part-time?

Mise-san laughed at Sugiuchi, who apologized lightly. “Sorry.”

“When I realized that I could get a part-time job when I became a high school student, I felt more at ease because I realized that not everyone could do it well the first time around.”

That’s why she began doing part time huh.

But she was embarrassed that her classmates would find out, so she decided to work in the kitchen.

“I give my parents a little bit of the money from my part-time job, and I’m glad in the end that they don’t nag me about buying things for my hobbies because of it.”

She… gives…. Her parents… money from her… Part time….?

“That’s very admirable.”

“Ehh, wow, for real? That’s the ultimate stage of seriousness.”

As I and Sugiuchi said in turn, Mise-san stuck out both hands and waved them as if to interrupt our gaze.

“That’s… not… Nothing… big about it…”

That family restaurant gives raises, so Mise-san’s hourly wage was higher than mine, since I’m a junior staff member.

She’s making a lot more money than I am… As expected from Mise-san.

“Nobuko-chan, you are so cool.”

“Fuyaah.”

Uchinokura-san’s immediate compliment made her make a funny sound.

“She’s serious, she gets good grades, she’s reliable at her part-time job… a small animal like a girl with big fruits, a beautiful girl if she takes her glasses off…”

Sugiuchi began to mumble about Mise-san’s characteristics.

“Hey, isn’t she like an Idol?”

He turned to me, as I was probably listening to his mumblings, and I agreed with him that she might be.

Only Hinagata looked at me with a complicated look on her face.

“Nobuko-chan, you’re a good girl, but still you are troubled…”

She lowered her eyebrows in puzzlement.

“What kind of things do you and Ryu… Tonomura-kun talk about your part-time job?”

Why does she care about such things?

“No, nothing, we don’t talk much at all… We mostly just talk about work, like how busy or not busy we are…”

I nodded in agreement with Mise-san’s reply.

I talk a little with the other senpais, but Mise-san doesn’t really talk much. She seems to be a master artisan who solemnly goes about her work.

When everyone’s concentration was broken, I decided to tell them what Honma had suggested the other day.

“After the test, why don’t we all go hang out?”

I wanted to tell Hinagata about this plan first, but in the end I didn’t have the timing to cut to the chase and couldn’t tell her.

Sugiuchi, who wanted to play, naturally agreed, and both Hinagata and Uchinokura-san agreed.

I was relieved to see that Hinagata seemed to be agreeing wholeheartedly, and not just giving her consent based on the atmosphere.

Mise-san looked at me with a puzzled look on her face.

“When I say ‘everyone’ I also mean you, Mise-san.”

She was surprised, and after going through the familiar self-deprecation, she decided to join us.

“…Also, Homma-chan might also like to go with us too, is that okay?”

I just suggested we hang out and he already knew that.

I knew it, Sugiuchi seems to be in touch with Honma.

Mise-san nodded and Uchinokura-san looked at him with concern.

“What do you say, Shiori?”

Hinagata was a little worried, but then she let out a breath as if she was getting into it.

“I’m fine. No problem.”

Is it just me, or does she look like she’s about to kill me.

“Is it really okay? Are you sure?”

“I also wish for it.”

What’s with her?

I could feel her silent fighting spirit.

“Well, then, it’s settled.”

Sugiuchi summed it up.

The study session ended with a meeting that never came to an agreement on where to go.