Ch.247Epilogue. Hello (8)

In life, people sometimes get discouraged.

For example,

When you study hard but somehow get outperformed by someone who clearly hasn’t properly attended high school.

Of course, I’m not talking about official grades. Kagami didn’t take all the same tests I did, and she took her tests much later than Koko or I did, so the conditions were different. Maybe she could study more comfortably without people around…

No, thinking about it again, that’s not really the issue.

Come to think of it, Koko also skipped middle school, and even after missing all the first semester classes, she passed our school’s entrance exam after studying hard with the kids for just a few days.

I thought it was because of her foreign spirit’s power. Something like perfect memory, where she remembers everything after seeing it once—I thought she had something like that.

But it turns out it seems to be simply because Koko is smart.

To be more precise, Koko takes after Kagami.

“…”

But my soul came from outside.

I think I am influenced by this body too. I maintain fairly high scores even when taking tests in a language I never used before.

I’ve never scored higher than Koko, but I’ve always stayed right behind her.

For reference, Kagami’s scores were somewhere between Koko’s and mine.

“How on earth…? Are you attending some cram school?”

“I’ve never been to anything like a cram school.”

When I showed an expression of complete disbelief, Kagami smiled bitterly and said:

“But I did study on my own, bit by bit. It’s not like I spent all these years doing nothing.”

“…”

Seeing Kagami say that, I didn’t feel like questioning her any further.

Isn’t that right?

In a sense, Kagami truly has an indomitable will and is overcoming her situation. What right do I have to say anything about that?

It felt extremely strange to keep asking Kagami about things I didn’t know, and each time she would explain with a very happy expression, but anyway, that’s how it was.

Actually, this might have been one of the futures Kagami wanted. Teaching her daughter various things. I’m not sure about mothers and daughters, but fathers and sons often teach each other how to build model toys or rubber-powered machines. Studying together could be a dream of sorts.

I have absolutely nothing to feel upset about.

Nothing at all.

“…Ugh.”

Still, I can’t help feeling something’s not quite right, but anyway.

*

Being a third-year student wasn’t actually all that exciting.

In my past life memories, third year was a time when I had to be careful in many ways. Not that I didn’t have fun, but apart from occasionally hanging out with friends, I ultimately had to study.

We would meet up in the neighborhood, sometimes run away for a day just to have fun, or occasionally buy manga to relieve stress, but going on longer trips was somewhat burdensome.

Like Kaoru and Izumi last year, I planned to participate in minimal club activities and events, but I probably wouldn’t be able to attend the Christmas party this year.

It was somewhat ironic considering that the Christmas party had somehow become a gathering of friends that included the literature club members.

“Kotone senpai, I look forward to working with you this year.”

Well, I don’t think it’s an exciting year.

But that doesn’t mean it’s a year without any emotion either.

“…Looking forward to it.”

After seeing off the graduating seniors and finishing the short break.

After the entrance ceremony, there was a welcome visitor to the literature club room.

The sailor uniform with white base and blue collar had now become the same black base with red accents that we wore.

The colors seemed to somewhat subdue Shii’s unique serious yet cheerful atmosphere, but perhaps because of that, Shii seemed to have matured a bit in just a few days.

If we were just one year less apart, we could have spent much more time together happily.

It’s a bit regrettable.

Still, I’m grateful that we can spend even just one year together like this.

Who knows?

If Shii happens to attend the same university as Yuka, Koko and I—then I might be called “senpai” for two years.

I think we’ll be able to have fun together at least during our third year.

Though that all depends on what Shii wants to do.

I wonder if Shii would prefer to go to the same university as Souta rather than us?

*

First-year juniors also joined the literature club.

There’s only one second-year member, Tsugumi, but this time three first-years joined besides Shii. It doesn’t seem like any more second-years plan to join, and Tsugumi doesn’t seem interested in persuading other students to join, so this year we’ll have several third-years with half-frozen activities, one second-year president, and four first-years.

Assuming the same number of first-years join next year, the literature club’s future is definitely bright. How long it will stay bright, well, I can’t say for sure, but I hope it continues like this for a long time.

Last year… though it wasn’t for very long, I did serve as club president, so I organized all those materials as neatly as possible.

I handed everything over to Tsugumi and subtly asked Shii to help her out.

I believe the two of them will do well together. The cultural festival materials can just be continued from last year so there’s no big worry there, and as for the training camp… well, if necessary, we can just go to the same place as last year.

I’ve taken care of the ghosts, and hopefully no yokai will appear either.

“You look somewhat disappointed.”

“…Don’t I look refreshed?”

I tilted my head when I heard that comment while walking home with Koko and Yuka after a long time.

“Maybe it’s both.”

After pondering Yuka’s words for a moment, I nodded.

“I think you’re right that it’s both.”

Somehow Izumi forgot to pass on the president position, so I was only president for exactly half a year.

I can’t say I didn’t accomplish anything during that time, but honestly, it feels a bit ambiguous to claim “I was the president” after only being active for that short time.

“Tsugumi will do well.”

“I think so too.”

That’s what I’ve thought while watching her over the past year.

She can be a bit indecisive at times, but that’s not all there is to her. She tends to get a bit carried away when she likes something, so the two traits balance each other out to create a good average.

Besides, Tsugumi isn’t alone.

Shii will be by her side, and I heard the other first-years who joined are all Shii’s friends. So… well.

Unless all of Shii’s friends fall for Souta and start a war in the literature club room, I’m confident things will run smoothly.

By April, the days had grown quite long. Until recently, the sun would be quite low when we left the literature club, but now it was still high in the sky when we left.

Even if we left at the same time, the difference in feeling between when the sun has set and when it hasn’t is quite significant.

Just having the sun up makes you feel like there’s still a lot of day left.

“…”

The three of us walked in silence for a moment.

It was purely by chance that just the three of us were walking together like this, rather than the whole literature club. Shii, Tsugumi, and the rest of the first-years had decided to go home together, and Mako, Yuu, and Harumi all had their own things to do today.

I also wanted to go home for some reason today, so I left separately, and Yuka naturally followed me. I didn’t mind.

Hmm.

Until just a moment ago, I was thinking about getting home quickly, but now that we’re walking, I’ve changed my mind.

It’s been a while—should we take a little detour?

Looking at Yuka, who keeps glancing this way, it seems she’s thinking the same thing.

“Koko.”

I called out to Koko.

“Wha?”

Koko, who had been walking happily with bouncy steps, stopped abruptly and looked at me. Her oddly naive expression is always so cute.

By birth order, I might be the younger sister… but Kagami seems to consider me the older of the sisters, and officially I was the older sister, so I’m going with that.

Anyway, neither Koko nor I are very particular about who’s the older or younger sister. If we had to define it, we’re more like twins who don’t care about such things.

“Should we go get something tasty to eat?”

“Yes!”

When I asked, Koko’s eyes lit up.

“Then, let’s go.”

Taking Koko’s hand, I looked at Yuka, who smiled back at me.

Right in front of the station, we turned around.

I hadn’t thought about where to go at all. Actually, when taking detours like this, it’s more fun not to plan ahead.

Should we go to a café, or get ice cream somewhere?

Ah, karaoke would be nice too. We haven’t gone in a while.

Since I’ll be studying all year anyway, I don’t think it’s a bad idea to have a little fun early on like this.