Winter came, and I began seriously studying for my entrance exams. I know it doesn’t really matter in an elevator school, but well, may as well.81Please respect copyright.PENANAJUVtKlzCrz
Once I enter the high school section, the newly arrived External Students will drop my rankings even lower, after all. I have to start studying now to prepare.
And so today, once again, I was studying with my home tutor.81Please respect copyright.PENANAD9eC8y8XMs
Since Karin-sensei was looking for a job now and quit her role as tutor, the one teaching me was her younger sister, Marin-sensei. Just like Karin-sensei, she’s a student at a national university. These sisters sure are smart~
“At this rate, I think you’ll definitely pass your internal exams.”
“Really?”
“If you continue studying like this until the last day, that is.”
I see~ But if you tell me something like that I’ll get lazy in no time, so please don’t praise me so much.81Please respect copyright.PENANAPxqibfoYqH
Procrastination has been engraved in my karma since my previous life.
“Speaking of which, I rarely ever do see your Oniisama, Reika-sama.”
“Yes, now that you mention it.”
Ever since his coming-of-age ceremony, Oniisama has been busy with both school and our family business, so things have been hectic for him. Most of the time he isn’t even back in time for dinner so I can’t just casually ask him to play anymore.81Please respect copyright.PENANA0qTCl2KX2p
But even though Oniisama is so busy that he can never get home in time for dinner, why is it that Otousama never comes home late? Otousama, aren’t you overworking Oniisama?81Please respect copyright.PENANA4Zmey3eQyn
*gasp!* Could it be that he found some fraud and has been busy with the cover-up!? That has to be it. Try your best, Oniisama!81Please respect copyright.PENANAIE2lE282vR
I’ll make him a bentou sometime. A hand-made bentou filled with his little sister’s love. I’ll bet he’ll be happy. I’ll use sakura denbu to draw a heart on the rice.81Please respect copyright.PENANAbECE7aJo2T
Get ready for a surprise, uu-pft-pft. Bentou drawings should be a good challenge for me.
“Your Oniisama is so dreamy. From all the rumours I hear, I can’t even imagine that he’s younger than my sister!”
“My.”
I had no idea. Marin-sensei was actually the type who loves celebrity gossip?81Please respect copyright.PENANAlaKjqmrIh5
But Oniisama really is dreamy. When he studies or reads books he puts on his glasses, and always looks really intellectual. As a fan of pretty boys with glasses, it really sends my heart beating.
“Is Oniisama your type, Marin-sensei?”
“Well, it’s a bit hard to say this but Takateru-sama is for viewing and admiration. If I was looking for a boyfriend, I’d go for somebody more normal.”
“Is there somebody like that in mind!?”
“Well, no. But I guess there’s a guy in my grade who’s been going after me~? He’s the opposite of my type though. It’s a bit embarrassing, but I prefer guys more like the vocalists in visual kei bands.”
“Goodness~ So you prefer skinny and fair-skinned guys in leather?”
“Yeah. It’s embarrassing though.”
You say you prefer normal guys, and then go for visual kei singers?81Please respect copyright.PENANAAjyLL3AsvL
What a surprising side to a studious girl like her.
“By the way, what’s your type, Reika-sama?”
“Eh… Just what, I wonder. Perhaps somebody earnest and kind.”
I’m not sure since I haven’t liked anybody since Tomoe-senpai.81Please respect copyright.PENANAVLqaj6F1wc
Sometimes I hear Juliet-Kasumi-senpai brag about him though. How nice~ Everyone seems to be so happy.
“The guy who’s been coming after me is earnest too but, he’s kinda… overwhelming.”
“Is he troubling you? In that case, what if you got on a boat with him at Inokashira Park?”
“Hmm, but isn’t that only for couples?”81Please respect copyright.PENANAoEFulC8iAW
It is said that, if you ride the boats on Inokashira Park’s pond with a girlfriend, you will surely break up soon.
Really? Sakura-chan was completely enraged though. She was like a real-life Hannya.81Please respect copyright.PENANAQ4PqAs0M6E
Honestly terrifying.81Please respect copyright.PENANAall2RVp6aG
Really, it was just a bit of a joke.
“JUST BECAUSE YOU’RE SAD AND ALONE, DOESN’T MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TEAR OTHERS APART!” she said. Her expression was incredible but, Sakura-chan, you two aren’t actually a couple yet, right? And if you’re really a fated couple, then small tribulations like this are essential. Confidence in your relationship is important, okay?
Forever Alone Village, currently accepting villagers.81Please respect copyright.PENANArkXMRkoAv4
It was still technically an entrance exam, so I decided for a change of pace to visit a shrine and pray to the God of Learning.81Please respect copyright.PENANAZHdDxQfN5e
I knew that they sold ‘Praying for entrance’ pencils, but I had no idea they even had ‘Victory’ headbands too.81Please respect copyright.PENANAcdiSE3BcLL
But then on the news you often see reports about kids skipping New Years celebrations and studying frantically with a headband on their foreheads, so maybe these Victory ones are actually pretty standard?81Please respect copyright.PENANATckfQToA2a
Once you consider Emperor’s abnormal obsession with headbands, maybe there’s just something about them that makes people try harder.81Please respect copyright.PENANAtART0nQBga
It seemed interesting, so I bought myself one along with the pencil. And then extras for Aoi-chan too. None for Scary Hannya Sakura. She’s a nagging youkai.81Please respect copyright.PENANAazYY9DDpIB
Aoi-chan’s been getting more and more ragged by the day. I’m really worried. I wrote “Please let Aoi-chan pass” on my wooden prayer plaque, and prayed hard for her.81Please respect copyright.PENANA1X2yUY67Cg
But even though people call Tenjin-sama the God of Learning, in life he was actually demoted wasn’t he. Can he really bless us like that?81Please respect copyright.PENANAG9r4muPFPq
Or so went my blasphemous thoughts when a bird poop attack came. It came right down in front of me, but just as I thought I was safe I realised it hit my stockings in exchange!!81Please respect copyright.PENANA33zXBvc8gk
I’m sorry. I was wrong for doubting you. Please forgive me.81Please respect copyright.PENANAGwwQsDllyi
…Vengeful spirits are so scary. Just please don’t drop lightning on me.81Please respect copyright.PENANAEBQZPVnHgI
I never told the Nagging Youkai, but the truth is that after the Athletics Carnival, Toriumi-san spoke to me.81Please respect copyright.PENANAhvlctz7ReL
Naturally, about Akizawa-kun.81Please respect copyright.PENANABoWgtozfci
Apparently, she occasionally saw me chatting to Akizawa-kun about Sakura-chan, and ended up with a strange misunderstanding.
“Could you be dating?” she asked.
Noooo wayyyyy~ This girl, Sakura-chan, why does everyone look at things through this weird romance filter?81Please respect copyright.PENANASbieDzpLVk
And it’s weird to say this myself, but good job calling out to me, Toriumi-san. The power of love is amazing, huh.81Please respect copyright.PENANA5Yw1V88gfy
In respect of her courage, I made sure to clear things up about Akizawa-kun and I, as well as mention,
“Apparently he is going out with his childhood friend.”
“So he is dating…” she said, depressed.
In response, I told her,
“I think there is somebody else even more suitable for you, Toriumi-san.”
I heard from one of Ririna’s underlings, Glasses-chan, that there’s actually a boy who likes her.
When I subtly suggested to Toriumi-san,
“What if you turned your eyes to the club members in your own grade?”
She was shocked.
Ummm~ Judging from the ways her eyes swam, perhaps spring is coming quite soon for a certain boy in the Track and Field Club.81Please respect copyright.PENANABaAeE5d1mj
Okay, this time, I think I did pretty good!81Please respect copyright.PENANADjiYVc2txx
Nagging Youkai, I’ve been working pretty hard for you in the background, okay. I, the Village Chief, have a magnanimous heart.
But anyway, that Glasses-chan might look really docile but she actually has quite the gossip. Compared to a fake spy like me, she’s like the real thing.81Please respect copyright.PENANAmpOHzOHoVE
From funny stories to useful intel, she tells me all sorts of things.81Please respect copyright.PENANASC4NmxZZAG
I don’t have many kouhai who look up to me, so Glasses-chan makes me really happy.81Please respect copyright.PENANAiPyiSGcZI7
I asked her to call me “Reika-senpai” instead of “Reika-sama”.81Please respect copyright.PENANAocdJHr3mpT
She also told me that the 1st Year who got beaten up in the cavalry battle started having these weird feelings of rivalry with me. Why?
“People say that Katsuragi-kun is an idiot, so please be careful,” she warned.
I’m surrounded by idiots, aren’t I~ From Kaburagi to Katsuragi. Even their names are similar. Life is hard.
Later on when I walked past that idiot first year, he suddenly declared,
“The likes of you aren’t suitable for Enjou-san!”
The rantings of an idiot are too crazy for me to understand.
Anyway, that sad case first year might have been ambushed by my followers later…81Please respect copyright.PENANALVU9O0ePNP
It must be tough being singled out by a group of girls. Maybe it’ll even give him a trauma.81Please respect copyright.PENANATyP4fDTrrG
If your hair turns white, you can come talk to me.