Kenkyo, Kenjitsu o Motto ni Ikite Orimasu

Escalator schools are j.a.panese (usually private) schools that have a.s.sociated sections. For example, it might have everything from primary school to high school, meaning that unlike other high schools, there arent any tests to get in, and its easy to not get kicked out. In j.a.pan, getting into good middle schools or high schools involves testing, and schools where you just go straight up are thus compared to an escalator.

I entered Year 3. In the primary section of Suiran, we change cla.s.ses in Years 3 and 5. The praying I did every night during spring break seemed to work because I ended up in a different cla.s.s to Emperor. I won against the 1:4 odds.

Oniisama graduated from the middle school section and entered the high school section. Now that hes a high schooler he seems more busy than ever, and he spends even less time at home now. Thats no fun.

Both Yurie-sama and Aira-sama graduated from the primary section and became middle schoolers. For some reason they suddenly looked a lot more mature once I saw them in their middle section uniforms, and I ended up feeling the difference between primary schoolers and middle schoolers. I wonder why. Its only been a month since summer break. Is it the magic of uniforms? Mm~mm, the middle section uniform sure is cute.

Because Emperor visits a different salon to Yurie-sama now, his mood has been pretty bad. They say to leave sleeping dogs lie, so I decided just to watch. With such a dark aura around him, basically only Enjou can talk to him without a problem. As expected of Enjou. It would be absolutely impossible for me.

When I look at how beautiful Yurie-sama is becoming, I can understand Emperors anxiety about their age difference though. When youre an adult, 4 years difference isnt a big deal, but to children its much too wide a gap. Theres no way a 1st year middle schooler could look at a Year 3 kid romantically, right? Maybe its because Emperor understands that quite well. Whenever theres a guy who tries to approach Yurie-sama, Emperor just silently threatens him with eyes filled with bloodl.u.s.t. From Yurie-samas point of view, she probably doesnt feel anything except a cute little brothers jealousy, which is yet another tragedy for him. Sometimes he goes to the middle school section to wait for her, apparently. What a loyal one you are, Emperor.

*imouto*

*imouto*

Also, the cram school that Ive been attending since Year 1 had a few Suiran students enter. Suiran is an escalator school, so as long as you arent exceptionally bad, youll go straight up into the next section. Thanks to that, there isnt really any sense of crisis pushing the students to study. Whats more, almost everybody hires a private tutor instead of cram school. And despite all this, a number of Suiran boys started going to mine. It felt like the thing Id been dreading all along had finally came around.

So you were going to this cram school too, Kisshouin-san.

A boy from my Year 3 cla.s.s called out to me.

Yes, well

Um, would it be okay if I sat next to you?

Please help yourself.

I get it. That feeling when youre heading somewhere new for the first time, and while youre anxious about not knowing anybody, you suddenly spot an acquaintance. You unconsciously want to stay near them. Its rea.s.suring, right? Its relieving, right? But to me, its a terrible development.

Some other guys are going to start going as well, but theyre going on different days to me. I thought I was going to be alone, but to think that Id find you here, Kisshouin-san. Ah, are you starting this year too?

No, I have been attending since Year 1.

Ehhh!? Really!? Thats surprising. I didnt know you were such a studious typ- ah, no, umm,

Mn. I dont mind, so dont worry. As the de facto leader of the ojousamas at Suiran, I probably dont look anything like the studious type whod join a cram school in Year 1, right?

I wished to attend because of Oniisamas influence.

Well, I suppose Ill just give him a safe answer here. At some point I already had the label of brocon stuck to me after all.

Wow, I see. By the way, how is this place? Is the work harder than the stuff at school?

Hmm. This cram school is focused on preparations for entrance exams, so I suppose it is quite difficult after all.

I seee.

After that he asked me various other things as well, but naturally he was somebody who already knew me, so it got harder and harder to ask.

Whats your name? that is.

This sure is troubling. Even though hes being so friendly, if I told him that I didnt know his name, hed feel hurt, right? Isnt there some kind of hint? Ah-, I know.

Cla.s.s is about to begin, so it would be best if you took out your exercise book. Have you taken a look at the contents of the textbook?

Ah, youre right.

After rummaging through his back, he took out his j.a.panese study books and placed them on the table. Lets see, lets see. The name written on the exercise book is

(Aki-Sawa Tak.u.mi)-kun. Alright, got it. Im not sure if his surname is read Akizawa or Akisawa though.

What cla.s.s did you end up in during the cla.s.s changes, Akisawa-kun?

I casually emphasised that I already knew his name.

Ah-, Kisshouin-san, you knew my name? I was sure that your group had no idea who I was. Um, Im in Cla.s.s 4. Also, my surname is read as Akizawa, not Akisawa.

If you were thinking that I didnt know your name, then introduce yourself first, dammit.

Here I was, worrying over whether a cla.s.smate would have his feelings hurt because I didnt know his name. Is this boy actually a bit of an airhead?

Cla.s.s began before long, and brought an end to our conversation. The contents were a little difficult for a Year 3 cla.s.s, but for now Im still fine. Sitting next to me, Akisawa-kun, now known as Akizawa-kun, looked nervous, but he was trying his best to listen to the cla.s.swork and answer the questions in the exercise book.

After that came break time.

Aah, I was so nervous! Its a lot further ahead than our cla.s.ses at school, isnt it.

Akizawa-kun stretched as he spoke to me like it was natural.

Of course, right~?

This was what I was afraid of. If a Suiran student entered my cram school, then naturally they would notice me. And then after that, they would pay attention to me. Either that, or like Akizawa-kun, they could come over to talk to me. I didnt expect that there would be someone so friendly from our first conversation though. But like this, it gets in the way of my original purpose of going to the convenience store! Aahhh~ I knew this would happen

I think so too. In exchange, the cla.s.ses at school become easy though.

I seee. Your grades have been good, havent they, Kisshouin-san. You didnt seem the type at all, you know.

This boy really is an air-head. His tongue slipped.

Do I appear that lax a person?

I decided to give him a jab.

Thats not what I meant! Umm, how do I say this, it felt like you lived in a different world to hardcore students, I guess? The girls around you are like that too. And also, youre a member of that Pivoine, after all.

Well, thats true. Even amongst my peers, my family is quite powerful, so in a school that emphasises tradition, being descended from a n.o.ble family really gives you influence. Because of that, those kind of girls gather around me, and I naturally end up with the most intimidating group amongst all the girls. Everyone feels more like followers rather than friends, so its a little sad though. Rather than Reika-sama, it would be great if they called me Reika-chan, huh~ I wonder if I actually have any friends in that school

Im pretty surprised! Kisshouin-san, youre hard to approach and I thought you wouldnt give me the time of day, but to think that youd be this easy to talk to.

Akizawa-kun laughed happily.

Mn, so I really am hard to approach after all.

Do you think it would be okay if I sat next to you next week as well?

I suppose I wont be able to go to the convenience store either way now, right? Whats more, there arent that many people I can talk to so closely.

Yes, of course.

I wonder if Akizawa-kun will become my friend.