There's already a "smartest child" in the school a week into the first year of high school. It's a girl from Kyoto, and her homeroom instructor observed she always answered every question correctly at first. From her homeroom teacher to the other teachers, and then accidentally overheard by a student, the words spread like wildfire around Umibe.
Surprisingly, she was enrolled in the same class as me, 1-B. Takanashi Ichika is her name, and she's a spunky young lady. She throws her hair in the air and makes it wave just by gazing at her walking or chatting to someone. She's quite arrogant.
The history of Europe is now being studied in the class. The teacher warned us that if we didn't create a group, he'd pick one for us. The class was deafeningly quiet, with no one speaking or moving their feet or hands. Mister Izumi, the history teacher, grumbled and scribbled the names of the groups on the chalkboard. There were 30 students in the class, and Mister Izumi divided them into 15 groups, each with two persons.
It didn't take him long to write the names down. Did he prepare the names or is he writing them down randomly?
"Alright class, don't forget the deadline is in 2 weeks"
Two weeks to make a presentation about a long-lost nation.
I've watched many videos about history, my favorite being the german history in world war 2.
All of the students rushed to the front of the class to check their group. I was still sitting in my chair, waiting for the moment it went quiet. I saw friends laughing and talking about how happy they were to get to be in the same group as their close friends.
A good 2 minutes went by and the class was a lot quieter than usual. I stood up and grabbed my bag with me and walked to the front of the class.
"?"
My eyes caught a black-haired woman sitting near the door of the classroom. Takanashi Ichika, "the smartest student in school". Her eyes looked at mine. I ignored her. I heard her gasping.
I began to read the chalkboard, searching for my name. From Group 1 to group 10, I still can't find my name. And I couldn't find Takanashi's name either.
The eleventh group: Jirou Takanawa and Kenichi Nakano.
The twelfth group: Chiharu Suzuki and Haruto Matsuda.
The thirteenth group: Shouta Kazehaya and Ichika Takanashi.
The fourteenth group: Aoki Tanabe and Ichika Kobayashi.
The fifteenth—
—wait. Did I just see…?
I re-read the thirteenth group. It has my name and Takanashi's name. But, am I worthy to put in the same group as the smartest student in Umibe high?
"—oh, we're in the same group"
"Huh?"
I looked to my right, where her face was only a few centimeters from mine. Her beautiful black hair reached all the way down to her elbow. Her blue-purple eyes twinkle as they follow the rays of the sun.
"I wish us good luck"
Her gaze was drawn to the board, then to me, and then to the door with her head. She didn't say anything else and immediately exited the classroom. A brown-haired girl waited for me in front of the classroom door.
How am I going to make her 'satisfied'? Since I am not as smart as she is. Plus, I'm not very good at interacting with the opposite gender. The only exception is Sara.
"Good evening!"
The girl who was waiting for me in front of the classroom doors asked.
"Shouta, who was she?"
"Takanashi Ichika"
"Oh…"
"Why are you not surprised?"
"I don't know… She gave me a sore look when she was passing by me"
"Did you… do something to her?"
"No"
"Maybe she's jealous of you?" I jokingly giggled.
"But… I'm not the smartest in the school, right? I don't believe someone would be jealous of the second smartest student…"
"Are you proclaiming yourself as the second smartest?"
"No, it's just facts"
"..."
"Anyways, have you started on a story yet?"
"Hum? No, I haven't. I can't think of a good story…"
"Want me to help you?"
"Yeah, sure"
"When?"
"...oh! Tomorrow evening?"
"Why tomorrow?"
"I… don't… know"
"Alright then"
—I'm still terrible at drawing, and I haven't progressed since elementary school. Sara isn't the same; she's been on the go and hasn't stopped. Her artistic abilities have been steadily growing since elementary school. When the manga club's president requested us to draw our favorite manga character, we obliged. I created a shounen manga character. And I failed miserably. The president was taken aback when I expressed interest in joining the manga club. But I also astonished her with my manga story ideas. This could be one of the reasons she accepted my request.
Sara, on the other hand, astounded everyone with her artistic abilities. She illustrated Itsuki Midori from a well-known shounen manga, which is also one of my favorites. My eyes welled up with tears when I saw the drawing. From end to the edge, her paper is meticulously detailed. It wasn't just me who was affected; the club president shares my feelings.
I feel a bit strange…
Everyone that I know is talented at something, even my little sister. Every time I watch anyone achieving something, it makes me jealous of them. Anyone would feel the same, right?
፠
"Smartest kid in Umibe?"
"Yeah… it's getting annoying getting called by that"
"Why is that?"
"Mmm…"
She grumbled.
Her hand leaning on the window, and her eyes fixated on the outside view—the ocean.
She had tied her long, black hair. Now wearing her usual clothes and was in a car with her mother.
"Oh?"
"Hm? Is there something wrong, honey?"
Her car was passing by the Koshigoe station, the station where Shouta would get off when going back to his house. When her car passed the station, she saw both Shouta and Sara walking together, side by side.
"That boy…."
"Is it~ do you have feelings for a certain person?"
Her face blushed as her mother said the words. It was an embarrassing question even though she really doesn't have any feelings towards Shouta.
"I got into the same group in history class with him!"
"Ohh, I see"
፠
Once leaving the train, Sara clinging into my arms, I went to the nearby vending machine to buy a drink. I was somehow thirsty.
"Gulp… gulp… haaaah"
"Can I have some, Shouta?"
"Yeah, sure"
I bought a cold beverage, black coffee is my choice. I have to study tonight, to catch up to Takanashi's level. I don't want to be the only weight on the team, even though there are only two students in one group.
"...yes….. —indirect kiss…."
"Is that the reason you want my coffee?"
"Yes, it is!"
"Before you drank my coffee, I wiped the same place I used to drink"
"Mmmmm"
"Hey, come on!"
Sara groaned as she held my coffee in her hands. She had turned her back on me and turned her body away from me. It's the first time in ages that she's been angry with me and hasn't turned to face me. Is she honest about her feelings for me?
"Hey Sara"
"What is it, Shouta?"
Her mood changed drastically. No longer mad at me, she went back to her expressionless self and looked at me.
"How's your manga going?"
"Volume 1 is published"
Breathtaking. Truly breathtaking. She submitted her work on Monday and volume 1 of her work was already published in the same week.
At times like this, my jealousy is immeasurable. I would smile, a fake smile. And I would clap and give them compliments, out of jealousy. But I've never been taking anyone down yet, telling them to stop what they're doing or making their lives a nightmare.
—That's too far to be thought of.
"Where can I buy a copy?"
"The bookstore"
"Umm… yeah, but which bookstore?"
"Any"
"Ohh… okay"
What was I thinking, really? It could only be sold in a specific store, for example. But why would I believe it couldn't be sold at any bookstore? Brunko C appeared to be overjoyed to be working with Sara, as seen by their emails. And why wouldn't they put everything into making Sara's books because they're so delighted to collaborate with her?
To ensure that I do not disappoint myself, I occasionally consider how I may improve a story and have it hailed as a masterpiece. I create scenarios for a section of the story, add any music that comes to mind, and begin imagining.
Sara sat to my right, and I suddenly felt movement. But when I opened my eyes, she was gone, and all I saw was her strolling across the train tracks and onto the road that leads to my house. That's not good news. Father warned against bringing girls into the house, but his tone was light. Nonetheless! It would be humiliating if she showed up unexpectedly at my residence.
"Sara!!"
I was sliding near the corner of the road, looking onto the road that leads to my house. She perfectly stood in front of the front door of my house, looking at me because I called her.
The door of my house opened hurriedly.
"BROTHER!! WELCOME——"
"I am not your brother," Sara pointed at me, still at the end of the road. "That's your brother, over there"
"Huh? Then, who are you?"
Sara smiled. This could mean one thing, and it's something Mia couldn't handle to hear. She would freak out if Sara said the words. I should stop her, I will make it in time to cover her mouth before she speaks.
"I am, Shouta's girlfriend"
She… spoke it, pride. Not a hint of embarrassment or hesitation.
I stumbled on the ground, my hand reaching out to her, my face feeling the rough cemented road. They couldn't see my red face, flustered and smoking.
"Brother, who's this?"
Mia asked. She was still in front of the door. Sara still stood in front of me. I lifted up my head and answered her question.
"Fujiwara Sara. You've met her before, Mia"
"Fujiwara…. Sara…?"
"The girl who bought you that expensive crayon set" I stood up from the ground, cleaning off my school uniform.
"—!!" She suddenly jumped back. She now must remember who Sara is, took only 5 seconds for her to remember.
"Ah! Good evening, Fujiwara!"
"Huh?"
"What's wrong, Sara?"
"She's calling me by my family name…"
"And…?"
"But… I'm your girlfr—"
I put my palm over Sara's lips, preventing her from saying anything else. When she says 'girlfriend,' it upsets me more and more. She doesn't have a boyfriend, and I'm not one of them.
"—Mia, call her Sara from now on"
I only see Sara as a friend. A very, very, close friend.
"Brother, mommy is making katsudon for dinner!"
"Oh, nice! I want five of them!"
Katsudon, a bowl of rice topped with a deep-fried pork cutlet, eggs, vegetables, and condiments. In my family, it's been a tradition to eat Katsudon at the end of a weekday.
"Sara, you're not coming?"
"Of course I am, I'm your girlfriend"
"Yeah yeah, whatever…"
My parents weren't like Mia. They remember who Sara was and father was also welcoming to Sara, pulling out a chair at the dining table and bringing food to her.
"Come here, take a seat" father smiled and brought out a tub of ice cream and a spoon.
"Dad, are you really going to give a guest a tub of ice cream just like that?"
"What's wrong with it?? We've known her since you were in fourth grade"
"Yeah, I know! But she's still our guest!"
"Looks like she's liking the ice cream, though"
"..."
There was no sound. She moved and ate the ice cream silently. Her face seemed to enjoy the ice cream, but it's still too hard to tell.
"D-do you like ice cream?"
"Yes. Yes I do"
"Oh okay…"
.
Where's the katsudon? When I walked into the dining room, there was no katsudon on the table, there was no smell of a katsudon.
"Mia, where's the katsudon?"
"Mommy said she is going to make katsudon!"
Mia shouted from her room on the first floor, she was still changing her clothes. She only got home 5 minutes earlier than me, and she waited for me. I'm so lucky to have a sister like that.
"And… where's mother!?"
"Your mum is taking a bath. She had a stressful day today, you gotta give her some rest, Shouta"
"Oh… I see"
We are rich, but we, no, they work hard to make us even richer. Father has been working around Japan, today is his break day. Mother is an amazing cook, working at a 4-star restaurant in Tokyo. Mia…
"Mia!"
The door to her room opened. Mia walked out of the room wearing her pajamas. I guess she's going to sleep early because she…
"How's your rehearsal?"
"It was great! People were clapping and cheering for me and the group when we were singing!"
She's a young Idol.
፠
In a dark, locked room. Her phone is the only source of illumination. The air conditioner was turned on, and the room was frigid. It was now 10 p.m., and it was dark outside. She will study for the coming week at this time. She's presently texting her friend while playing on her phone.
Me-: Hey, do you know the phone number of the boy in my group?
It took a moment for a reply to come.
Ryuu-: why didn't you ask him when he was there with you?
Me-: Tell me, now.
Ryuu-:
Me-: Ryuu?
Ryuu-: I'll send you his email address. Don't bother me after this!
Me-: Thank you, Ryuu :)
Ryuu logged out after she expressed her gratitude, and she received an email from him. The email contained the email address of Shouta Kazehaya, her history class partner.
"..."
Then something occurred to her. Shouta doesn't seem to have a friend or interact with anyone in her class. Since the first week, she's been keeping an eye on everyone from her seat.
The girl who patiently awaited Shouta's arrival. A girl with brown hair and ruby eyes. Her eyes were drawn to her because she appeared to be someone she knew. She can't shake the sense that she wants to take revenge on the girl, but she's not sure why.
"——"
Me-: Hey, Ryuu
There was no response. After giving her Shouta's email address, he warned her not to disturb him. He would be enraged if she sent him another message.
She let out a sigh and then sat down on her bed. To illuminate the room, she left her phone on her table, still turned on.
"Hmm"
While laying on her bed, she remembered the same girl was walking out of the train with Shouta.
.
—"let us get along with each other"