CH 90

Chapter 90: It's Good To Have Sparks Once In A While!

TL: Akabane

***

The season was approaching summer. The heat and humidity and the coolness of the lecture halls. The students were buoyed up by the air of long vacations approaching every second. It was just like summer for students.

"Hey, hey, Tokiwa. Is the content of this report okay?"

Igarashi and I were working on an architecture assignment in the Komaba library. The report, which discussed various aspects of modern architectural design, was quite challenging. I was in a groove writing the report. I found myself going way over the prescribed number of pages, and had to do a lot of cutting and shaving.

"Hmm? Which one?"

Igarashi held out the report paper to me. It was just short of the stipulated number of sheets, and on top of that....

"You write by hand nowadays?"

"Eh? No? I think it would convey my feelings better."

"That's...I'm sorry, but I don't think it's a good idea...you're supposed to communicate what you're discussing about the issue, not your feelings."

"Eh. Ufufu. I guess I'm kind of not used to reports. Isn't it like a book report? Right, right?"

"It's totally different. Not at all anymore. Alright. Let's start with this paragraph..."

I started to correct Igarashi's report with a red pen. Igarashi's face turned paler and paler each time I did so.

"Ugh...my report is all red....terrible...Tokiwa Onii...!"

Igarashi glared at me with a droopy face, but it wasn't scary at all. In fact, I found it rather cute. I never thought that the two of us would be working together on a report assignment like this. In my previous world, we hardly talked at all in the university. It was a strange feeling. I guess having fun is part of college life, but spending time together in casual spaces like this is also an important moment. I feel that way now, strangely enough. By the time we finished our assignments, it was time for dinner. We naturally headed for the cafeteria. We carried our plates of dinner to our seats and sat down facing each other.

"I never stayed at school until this late before college, but I found myself getting used to it. It's strange, isn't it? It's that thing, isn't it? I heard that some fourth-year students and others stay overnight on campus."

"I guess some people do that. I'd rather not. It's dark and scary on campus."

"That's true. It's a little scary to go to school at night. Ufufu"

"Bullshit. You're not afraid of horror stories at all."

"Ahahaha. I guess you're right. What did you say? Did I say I was okay with horror?"

Oops. We hadn't done that in a long time. I polo'd my mouth out remembering the previous world where we watched horror movies together.

"No. I just kind of thought so."

"Hmm. Really? But don't you think I'm actually the type to be scared? I'm a girl too."

Somehow, strangely, she was biting on this topic. It was then that I suddenly realized. Igarashi occasionally glances at the TV set in the cafeteria. I turned my attention to the TV, too. And there it was.

--- "The strongest, the craziest, the most exciting, and the scariest horror is born right here! The horror is so real you will never be able to stand it! The best haunted house awaits you! Let's go play at Fujikoki Ultra Land!"

Fujikoki Ultra Land. It's a gruesome amusement park near Mt. Fuji. It's an amusement park with nothing but crazy fast roller coasters and crazy tall swings and stuff like that.

"Don't you want to see if I'm really scared...?"

She asks me in a sweet, somewhat provocative voice. I can't help but be taken aback. What does this mean?

"You have a car, don't you, Tokiwa?"

"Yes, I do."

"I've never been to that amusement park. What about you, Tokiwa?

"I've never been."

I've never been to the one in my previous world either. I've been to the Sea of Trees in Fuji with a guy and let him swing on the swings. That time was tough...and I don't have any good memories of Mt. Fuji. I might have to overwrite this one.

I heard from a friend that it's possible to go there on a day trip.

"I see. That's great. Shall we go there?"

I summoned up a little courage and asked Igarashi to join me. She nodded with a big smile on her face. An amusement park with a girl! I was getting really nervous! Igarashi seemed to be feeling the same way, and she looked somewhat downcast and fidgety with a blush on her cheeks. There was a soft, yet ambiguous and sweet atmosphere between us. I felt that it was somehow uncomfortable. That's when it happened.

"Ah, Ayashiro......"

Igarashi mumbled, and I turned around. There was Ayashiro, holding a plate of food with a mature-looking man and woman.

"Oh dear. Well, well... but it's just fine."

Ayashiro took the guys he was with and joined us at the table we were at. Ayashiro naturally sat down next to me, and for a moment Igarashi looked reluctant, but Ayashiro brushed it off with a smirk.

"Hey, Ayashiro. Who are those people over there?"

"They're my friends from the education circle. Let me introduce you all. This man with the anti-corporate face is the Kanata Tokiwa."

"No, Kanata is a nickname. I don't know what people say about me, but I'm Kanahisa Tokiwa. Nice to meet you."

I bail lightly. The guys on the other side also bailed casually.

"So, by the way, you're free tomorrow after school, right? Even if you're not free, be free."

"Well, I don't have any plans. Why?"

"Our education circle is having a volunteer event tomorrow Saturday. You speak English, right? And I taught you Spanish too."

Ayashiro had been forcing me to learn Spanish recently. I've mastered it enough to speak it well to travel without trouble.

"Well, I can. Do you teach middle and high school students in English as well?"

"It's not. ...... Well, please help me if you can. Please."

Ayashiro put her hand on mine under the table. Ayashiro's eyes are unusually anxious or sad. Apparently, this request is a stiff one.

"Okay. Okay."

"Thanks Tokiwa. So, we've secured a pinch hitter. Now we will be able to give a quality class. If possible, let's do our best to get the grant with tomorrow's results!"

Ayashiro stood up and spoke emphatically to the circle members. Everyone nodded vigorously, with faces that seemed to have high morale.

"What do you mean? What on earth is this? Hey, Ayashiro! I can speak English too! Besides, I'm free tomorrow!"

Igarashi starts to appeal to Ayashiro. But tomorrow is supposed to be a club activity day for Igarashi.

"Oh? That reminds me. Plus, you've got guts... and you look good... yes."

Ayashiro pondered for a moment, then gave a thumbs up.

"Okay. You should be in on it too! Fufu. This is getting interesting in more ways than one."

I don't know what it is, but it has been decided that I will be asked to participate in some kind of volunteer activity that Ayashiro has planned. And the word "grant" makes me very nervous. This sounds like a serious event. I'll have to brace myself. After all, a bombastic girl named Igarashi will be participating. I thought to myself, "I should be as prepared as possible."

***Author's musings***

Oh no! They're doing something like a normal romantic comedy!

I think Season 4 will settle into a form that alternates between summer-like playful events and serious ones.

Serial events will focus on serious circle activities.

I'm also looking forward to finally getting around to writing a night pool-ish one!

Night pool! Night pool! Night pool!

Also, I've been writing a lot of random stuff in my activity reports lately, so please take a look at them.

I'm also planning to do a swimsuit event at the beach in the future, so please don't hesitate to contact me.