Chapter 23: The Troublesome Girls of Japan
After arriving at school, Shunsuke brought Mashiro to the international class. Waiting at the classroom door was a blonde girl, looking particularly ladylike.
"This is Shiina Mashiro, the one you mentioned last night?"
Eriri's expression soured upon seeing Mashiro. Both of them had blonde hair and the "child of Britain" aura, which immediately sparked a sense of rivalry in Eriri.
"Yeah, Mashiro doesn't really have much common sense, and she doesn't understand the way people in Japan, especially Japanese girls, talk. Eriri, could you help look after her?"
Although Mashiro seemed well-liked at Suimei University of the Arts High School and smoothly transitioned into her high school life there, Shunsuke wasn't optimistic about how things would go at the more intense Soubu High.
At the root of it, Japanese people, particularly from this region, could be quite troublesome.
Most of them possessed a certain talent—a mental scale they used to evaluate everyone's worth, determining who in the group was superior and who was inferior.
They instinctively clung to those they deemed superior, trying to avoid being one of the lower ranks and subject to bullying.
Friendships might seem close on the surface, but you never knew how harsh the gossip was behind closed doors.
As for those deemed inferior, there was no need to elaborate—bullying was the unavoidable outcome.
And among all of this, Japanese girls were in a league of their own.
While boys, driven by youthful energy and hormones, might speak with a certain social awareness, their straightforwardness was far easier to handle compared to the complex and winding conversations of girls.
For example, if a Japanese girl who you're on good terms with sends you a message: "Lately, school/work has been so exhausting."
What would you think?
In his previous life, Shunsuke would have thought: "She's telling me she's tired—maybe she's planning to cancel our plans? Or maybe she's confiding in me? I should probably suggest she rest and ask why she's feeling worn out."
But in reality, her thought process might go something like this: "I'm so tired, I want to eat something delicious to recharge, So hurry up and invite me, Let's go eat something good together."
The thought patterns weren't just a little off—they were completely different.
And it was incredibly frustrating.
And that was just a low-level strategy girls used when worrying boys wouldn't understand.
When it came to conversations between girls, the mental gymnastics could go through several more layers.
For example, if they went to KFC and saw some lemon slices, if it were a foreign girl, she'd simply ask, "Do you want to squeeze some lemon juice on this?" A straightforward question, followed by a direct answer.
But if it were a Japanese girl, she might instead dramatically exclaim, "Wow, they actually have lemon here!"—an indirect invitation wrapped in layers of subtlety.
At this point, those agreeing with the invitation might say, "There really is lemon!"—perhaps adding a "kawaii" to show their approval depending on the situation. On the other hand, those refusing might respond with, "It's rare to find a place with lemons."
Depending on the mood, even these answers could be interpreted in completely opposite ways, making it maddeningly complicated.
It's the kind of complexity that would drive a straightforward person from crazy, making them wonder if something was wrong with these people.
In such a distorted environment, it's no wonder that superficial friendships thrive.
This is also why Shunsuke has few friends and appreciates someone like Kitagawa Marin. The reason is simple—talking to her is easy, with no need to overthink or navigate hidden meanings.
That's how it is with his current group of friends. With people like Sakuta, he doesn't have to be overly careful with his words or actions.
They treat each other with casual honesty, and if Sakuta is having a bad day, he wouldn't hesitate to call Shunsuke at 1 AM, asking him to come over for a late-night chat.
Shunsuke thinks this might be the "genuine" connection Yukinoshita Yukino is chasing after.
However, unlike her idealistic pursuit, Shunsuke, having been an adult in his previous life, knows not to take things too far.
And since he's not shy about displaying his strength to awaken that instinctive respect for the strong in the people around him, he's managed to maintain a fairly comfortable life.
But just because his life is going smoothly doesn't mean Mashiro's will. Throwing such an innocent girl into this kind of environment, relying on the support of people around her, could easily lead to trouble.
Which is why he turned to Eriri.
This "loser" disguised as a lady has her uses.
"Ugh, why do I have to do this?" Eriri grumbled under her breath.
"I'm relying on you, Eriri. Please." Shunsuke used the typical manipulative plea of a scoundrel.
Eriri, who had been slightly annoyed, was instantly disarmed, nervously tugging at her hair.
"W-Well, since you're asking... it's not for you or anything. It's just that I feel bad for Shiina-san. Don't get the wrong idea!"
"Yes, yes, I'm deeply grateful."
Though Soubu High is a tougher school, the Sawamura family's influence in Japan is significant.
Her father's Spencer name is also well-known in the UK, and with these two powers combined, Eriri's status is nothing to scoff at. In terms of social standing, at least, she could easily rank alongside the elites of Shuchin Academy.
Sure, that might sound unimpressive in some ways, but it's leagues ahead of "new money" families like the Yukinoshita household.
"Hmph, you say that, but you didn't even buy me anything."
"Come on, don't be like that. After school, you can take Mashiro home, and you can hang out there. I'm sure Mrs. Izumi won't mind."
"I will mind, you idiot!"
Eriri almost lashed out with a twin-tail attack, but seeing where they were, she restrained herself.
She completely overlooked the fact that she had been saddled with another task in just a few sentences.
"Then it's settled," Shunsuke declared, finalizing the arrangement.
"Make sure to listen to Eriri in the classroom, Mashiro."
"Okay, Shunsuke."
She even addressed him by his first name directly!
Eriri was furious, but to maintain her image, she had to swallow her anger.
"Is something wrong, Sawamura-san?"
Chitanda Eru, who was about to enter the classroom, asked curiously.
"I'm just a little coughy. Thank you for your concern, Chitanda-san." Eriri responded politely.
"Even though spring has arrived, make sure to take care of yourself, Sawamura-san."
Stealing a glance at Shunsuke and Mashiro standing nearby, Chitanda Eru felt an urge to pry into the situation. Although she didn't believe Eriri's excuse for a moment, the timing wasn't right, so she pretended to accept it.
Seeing the familiar Chitanda Eru before him and recalling how little had changed about Hotarou Oreki in class, Shunsuke felt a hint of curiosity and asked directly, "Chitanda-san, do you know about the Classical Literature Club?"
Chitanda paused, surprised. "The Classical Literature Club? Does our school even have that? I'm sorry, but I'm not very familiar with it."
"No, I must have gotten it wrong. Sorry for bothering you, Chitanda-san."
With the mystery resolved, it seemed this upgraded version of Sobu High wasn't perfect after all.
After all, the entire history of Sobu High was only a little over a decade, while the Classical Literature Club had existed since Chitanda's uncle's time, with at least several decades of history, so it made sense that the two didn't align.
Successfully dodging Chitanda's inquisitive gaze, Shunsuke returned to the classroom.
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•Chitanda Eru [Hyouka]
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