Ch.251Epilogue. Hello (12)

I’ve never been able to take an exam with peace of mind.

No, rather, I don’t really understand the concept of taking an exam comfortably. Honestly, after finishing an exam, I can’t even remember what was on it.

While others gather to check their answers together, I didn’t particularly want to do that.

Somehow, Kagami, who took the exam with me, did ask, “Should we go eat something delicious?”

“…I just want to go home and rest.”

When I said that, Kagami nodded with a slightly worried expression. The other students who took the exam with us, including the usually energetic Koko and Yuka, had the same concerned looks.

I staggered straight home, laid out my futon on the floor, and fell asleep immediately.

And then, the very next day.

“…”

Kagami, sitting across from me at the table, was looking at me with slightly strange eyes.

I suppose it’s natural since I was inhaling my food when I usually eat breakfast lightly.

“…Weren’t you feeling well yesterday?”

“Huh?”

With my mouth stuffed with rice, I blinked at Kagami for a moment before responding.

“Oh, that. I was just exhausted.”

Sometimes mental exertion can be more tiring than physical exertion.

Besides, yesterday I was much more nervous than usual because I wanted to go to the same university as Yuka and Koko. And I had dumped out all the knowledge I’d been carefully storing in my head to avoid overflow.

Of course, this isn’t the end. We still had various hurdles to overcome to get into our target school.

But still, we’d passed the biggest hurdle. At least one worry was gone, and after getting a good night’s sleep, there was no reason for me to be in bad condition today.

“I slept well, so I’m fine today.”

At my words, Kagami and Koko exchanged glances and tilted their heads.

Like mother, like daughter—they really do look alike.

*

The third semester of senior year was much harder than freshman year in many ways, but it also passed quickly.

Just as I recovered the day after the Center Test, my mood and condition improved significantly with each step I completed afterward, making me seem like I was floating on air compared to usual.

“You look happier than when you defeated the foreign god.”

“If you don’t defeat a foreign god, your life ends anyway, but failing an exam doesn’t end your life. If you think about having to keep studying afterward, it’s like falling into hell.”

“It’s not like you stop studying just because you go to university.”

Yuka’s point was valid.

I actually studied harder in university than in high school. After all, getting a job is more important than getting into university.

Plus, I had a specific career in mind back then.

But here, things are a bit different.

I haven’t yet included continuing the Kurosawa family business in my future options, but it was a choice I could consider as an “emergency escape.”

With a mother who owns an apartment, what do I have to worry about? Kagami would understand if I just studied whatever I wanted at a reasonable level.

“You’re thinking something twisted, aren’t you?”

Yuka said with an expression like she was looking at something strange, making me chuckle.

“But in university, we can make our own schedules. We’ll probably have much more free time than we do now as seniors.”

Freshman year might be a bit busy, but I can worry less about studying. The vacations are longer, and I don’t have to think about going to school on Saturdays.

Of course, university “lectures” are different from high school “classes,” and each lecture must be treated independently, so the importance of freshman courses isn’t less than senior courses, but still, everyone tends to take it easy in their first year.

It’s the age when you can legally drink alcohol and smoke openly for the first time. Even if you stay out all night, there’s no legal issue, and no one will say anything if you go to a hotel with your girlfriend.

First-year students who’ve escaped the pressure of entrance exams and encountered adult freedom naturally tend to slack off, so it wouldn’t be a big problem to relax a bit then.

Besides, if I attend classes diligently in my first and second years, I can reduce my courses in the third and fourth years to have more days off.

There will be regular assignments and exam studying, but literally, the “time I have” will be overflowing.

And again, I didn’t need to worry too much about employment yet.

“I see…”

Yuka tilted her head as if she couldn’t quite grasp what I was saying.

“Yuka.”

“Yes?”

“What do you want to do after graduating from university?”

“Hmm.”

We’ve decided on our majors, but that doesn’t mean we’ve completely decided on our careers.

Actually, few people think “this is my path!” in high school unless they have a family business or are pursuing arts or sports. Many don’t even know what they’ll be studying in their university departments.

Aren’t there people who go to university just to delay being thrown into society for about four years?

It’s always hardest to determine your own path.

“Do you have something you want to do?”

After thinking for a moment, I said:

“Something related to my major, for now.”

“A novelist?”

“Yeah… I’ll probably be writing something.”

To be honest, I chose my major somewhat casually.

I hadn’t read enough books in this world to be called a bookworm.

But still, I had been in the literature club for three years.

In my sophomore year, I participated quite enthusiastically.

So, I developed some interest in books.

I’ve already talked to Kagami about using one of the remaining rooms in the apartment as my study.

I might end up filling it with light novels and manga… but being a light novel author doesn’t sound bad. I’d also like to try being a manga story writer if I get the chance.

Anyway, having entered a world of novels, I wanted to try living by writing novels.

“That’s true. Since we’re in the same department, I might end up doing something similar.”

Writing, huh.

Come to think of it, it wouldn’t be bad to write a sequel to the Kuro Report. I’ve never thrown away what I wrote, and even if I tried to, Kagami would have a fit trying to stop me, so it’s probably somewhere in the house.

What if I expanded that somewhat hastily written text into a full-length novel?

There seem to be many similar novels in Japan already, but they say the first work is always practice, right? I’ll improve with practice.

“I could also do research. Like on classical literature.”

“To be honest, that doesn’t really appeal to me.”

“Me neither.”

“Woo?”

Koko, who had been listening to our conversation, tilted her head.

Seeing that, I smiled and said:

“If I’m being ambitious, I’d like to open a small tea shop somewhere quiet.”

“And write whenever you have time there, right?”

“That’s right.”

Of course, I know it’s just a fantasy. A café might be a relaxed space for customers, but it’s incredibly busy for those running it.

Still, having one dream shouldn’t be a big problem.

Or maybe I could write travel journals after traveling extensively with Kagami and Koko.

I thought about writing a Korean travel guide that might become popular in about 20 years, but unfortunately, even when I lived in Korea, I hardly visited other regions, so that might be difficult.

Still, knowing Korean might give me some advantage.

While I was lost in these daydreams, Yuka suddenly spoke again.

“But are we really people who received acceptance notices?”

“Yes, that’s why we can be this relaxed.”

Additionally, Koko was relaxed from the start. She’s always calm unless it’s truly a life-or-death situation. You could say she’s a girl who doesn’t know how to feel crisis.

That’s why she’s a reassuring sister.

“I thought we’d be much more excited after finding out we were accepted.”

“We were incredibly excited that day.”

We hugged Koko, who had no idea what was happening, and the four of us jumped around shouting. Honestly, it’s a bit embarrassing to recall.

We cried too. Not sobbing, but tears did flow.

But even after the acceptance notices came out, there was still some time until the graduation ceremony.

As a result, we’re just coming to school and idly passing time while waiting for that graduation ceremony.

Well, isn’t it nice?

Basking in the warm spring sun, chatting about trivial things with friends.

It’s something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.

Live leisurely, like a cat.

Suddenly remembering the words of some cat deity, I couldn’t help but smile.

Yes, I’ll live like that.

I’ll live leisurely like Kuro at home. So happily and leisurely that others might comment on it.