Walking to the courtyard, Uesugi Sakura’s excellent hearing could catch the whispers of classmates around him.
Most of it concerned him and Hanabi.
"So, you don’t want to participate?" Goto asked, following behind.
"Isn’t it obvious?" Uesugi retorted.
The gentle rain made the green leaves in the courtyard glisten with a faint sheen of water.
"If you don’t participate, our class leader won’t let you off."
Uesugi suddenly wanted to sigh, "Is it a school mandate?"
Goto nodded: "Everyone has to participate in at least two events."
"Why didn’t I know?" Uesugi Sakura said.
At the entrance of the backyard behind the school building, there was a vending machine with prices several times cheaper than those outside.
The rain pattered on the small roof of the newspaper kiosk, making a light noise.
Inserting two 50 yen coins, there was a clanking sound. After selecting a can of coffee and a bottle of milk, the machine started up.
"Aren’t you going to drink something?"
Standing under the rectangular eaves of the newspaper kiosk, Uesugi said to Goto.
The raindrops gathered into ovals, like milky beads dropping from the shiny stainless steel onto the ground.
Goto looked off into the distance at a little pavilion in the rainy backyard, "Since you mentioned it, I guess I will have something."
He took out a 50 yen coin and got a bottle of water.
"Something on your mind?"
"Not really, but I have to give up my hobby." Goto unscrewed the cap, and the cool, refreshing water poured into his mouth.
"That’s an obsession, not a hobby."
"An obsession is still a hobby, just a more niche one!"
He took a deep breath, and Uesugi thought he might suddenly shout, but he didn’t expect him to just pretend.
The meaning behind this action was incomprehensible.
A few girls came walking from the direction of the school building; they too intended to get some drinks from the kiosk.
They all took shelter from the rain under the kiosk.
Kyujuu Rika, seeing Uesugi, spoke, "Sign up for an event."
Uesugi Sakura handed the milk he had just selected to Hanamaru Hanabi beside him, her soft pleated skirt swaying gently.
Hanamaru Hanabi cradled the milk with both hands, sweetly thanked him, "Thank you, Sakura-kun..."
The black sailor uniform and her red little scarf made her look especially cute.
Uesugi Sakura smiled down at her upturned face.
Ayaka Rie and Kiyohara Tomomi selectively ignored their exchanged smiles.
Refusing to partake in this unnecessary display of affection.
"No way." Kyujuu Rika ignored it, "Teacher Haneda specifically told me to make sure you participate."
"Am I that good?" Uesugi Sakura took a sip of canned coffee.
He quite liked this brand, Boss; deep roasted coffee, with a crisp, bitter and slightly sour aftertaste, lingering pleasantly.
Kyujuu Rika rolled her eyes at him, "Not because you’re good, but because you’re too lazy. What did you do at the last sports meet?"
Uesugi Sakura looked up, recalling briefly.
"Signed up for a standing long jump. Though simple, I tried my best."
"Jumping a meter is trying your best?"
"Well, I was exhausted."
If Uesugi claimed he was exhausted, then he must have been quite comfortable.
"You’re not fooling Hanabi-chan , are you?" Ayaka Rie gave him a sidelong glance.
"Am I that kind of person? Besides, wasn’t the misunderstanding resolved?" Uesugi Sakura pointed casually at Goto Iwao.
"Why point at me?" Goto noticed Uesugi’s gesture.
"Your wingman account ruined my reputation; some small circles started rumors that I’m a pervert."
Uesugi Sakura was very curious.
"What did I do, come on, I’m loyal. Knowing it concerns your reputation, I only used that account to chat normally, just to introduce myself!"
"Hmph," Ayaka Rie crossed her arms, she didn’t care much for Goto, "The last part is possibly true, but the first part probably isn’t."
Goto Iwao opened his mouth, but as soon as the words reached his throat, he didn’t know where to start.
He was thinking about how to explain this matter clearly.
The bespectacled Kiyohara Tomomi had little presence; her golden-rimmed glasses gazed at the sky, absentmindedly watching the rain fall from the clouds.
Kyujuu Rika bent down to retrieve a few bottles of drinks from the vending machine, handing them to Ayaka Rie and Kiyohara Tomomi.
Kiyohara Tomomi only snapped out of it after a while, accepting a bottle with her hand, and then continued staring at the rain.
No one knew what she was thinking, but as a literary girl from the Literature Department, she shouldn’t be pondering anything strange, right?
Kyujuu Rika said to Uesugi Sakura, "Think about what events you want to join and let me know, through LINE or text, and I’ll help you submit the entry form."
Then, the girls returned to the classroom first.
Hanamaru Hanabi, as she followed them, held the milk bottle and smiled back at him, waving a hand in farewell.
The red little scarf of her black sailor uniform gently swayed, her smile was adorably innocent, and her amethyst eyes were captivating even on a cloudy day.
"Mm." Uesugi Sakura smiled back at her.
Only when she turned and quickly caught up with her friends did Uesugi Sakura finally lower his waving hand.
"It’s just the end of a class..."
"What are you mumbling about?"
"I think I need to distance myself from you, Uesugi, you’re about to lose the only two friends you have at school!"
"Not just two, I have a few friends in the Kyudo Club as well."
"That’s not the point, is it! The point is why every time I hang out with you, I get a mouthful of forced PDA? Spare a thought for the singles, would you! Uesugi-kun!"
"Can’t I smile at my fiancée?"
"I brought this upon myself."
[Time remaining: 7:55:26]
The continuous drizzle always exaggerated her thoughts. Lately, Hanamaru Hanabi had no worries, so she’d space out in the rain’s sound, becoming deeply relaxed and peaceful.
Yet she would occasionally think of that mischievous kid sneaking a kiss.
At such times, she’d subconsciously press her lips together and then, with a "Mmm—" sound, bury her head where no one could see her blushing face.
A girl is, after all, just a girl. Once that odd buff disappears, she becomes shy again.
Feeling flustered: Why did I act so strangely then...
She tried to avoid thinking about it, but the more one avoids something, the more intense it becomes.
Her cheeks inexplicably heated up, and Hanamaru Hanabi rested her hands on her desk cluttered with books, then cupped her cheeks, pouting, randomly kneading.
"Hanabi-chan, what are you doing?" Ayaka Rie, just returning from the restroom, asked.
Then she sat at her front desk. The two were both in the right-side window seat of the classroom now.
Hanamaru Hanabi pinched her soft cheeks lightly; her fair face had a faint pink hue, continually bouncing back against her fingers.
She seemed not quite fully recovered, her head a bit dizzy.
[Time remaining: 7:50:36]