The Sasaki-san I knew was a woman of quiet grace, someone who rarely showed much outward excitement. While she’d occasionally shown a more playful side that left my heart racing, I’d always thought that was just a subtle aura—I never imagined she was the type to jump for joy like an innocent young girl.
And yet, seeing her this happy... it was so flattering I felt like I could serve her for the rest of my life. It was precisely because I’d assumed she was older that I felt comfortable making cheeky remarks about her "maturity" and such. To think that Sasaki-san was actually a middle schooler... who in their right mind would have guessed? I can’t say anything stupid anymore. This is bad. This is really bad.
Sasaki-san leaned in close. She reminded me of a pet dog reunited with its owner after a long time. She had so much momentum that I felt like if I just sat there defenselessly, she might eventually start licking my face. Regardless, I felt it would be a mistake to just let her do as she pleased while the other two watched from the sidelines, so I stood up to greet her properly.
"E-Err... you really caught me off guard. I had no idea you were a middle schooler. I never asked your specific age, so I assumed you were much older."
"Oh, honestly! I told you, didn't I? I was just a little kid until very recently—well, I suppose I might still be a child compared to you, Sajou-san..."
"No, that's not it at all. I mean, I completely misread the situation. You’re so mature that it never even crossed my mind that you were in middle school."
"Hehe... is that so?"
Ugh... now that I knew her age, Sasaki-san suddenly looked like a young girl trying her best to act grown-up. I’d felt a certain "gap" in her personality whenever she did something girlish, but it turned out she was just acting her age... Wow, I was really riding an emotional roller coaster over nothing. Since I thought she was older and that she saw me as nothing more than a bratty high schooler, I’d been throwing out lines that sounded like I was hitting on her. Isn't that incredibly cringey?
"Since you're visiting the school, does that mean you're planning to take the entrance exam here, Sasaki-san?"
"Yes. Kouetsu High School has a wonderful reputation, and the neighborhood is very safe. My father is also quite fond of the school. And..."
"And?"
"—And, Sajou-san, you told me so many wonderful things about it."
"..."
Am I going to die today?
Does that mean I was the one who set the example? Seriously? Aside from the incident with Kota, I don’t remember doing anything particularly noble. Selling her some old books, maybe? I wonder at what point I told her all that... Well, if she found it appealing, I suppose I should be grateful.
"Uuu... if it were possible, I really wanted you to show me around, Sajou-san..."
"Do you feel like you've already seen most of it?"
"I feel like I've already seen most of it..."
The afternoon was fading into evening. The overprotective Sasaki Family surely enforced an early curfew. It was out of the question to lead her around the campus at this hour.
"So, what did you think of Kouetsu High School?"
"It was lovely! Seeing it today has only made me want to get in even more. I’ll definitely pass the exam...!"
"I see. So Sasaki-san is going to be my junior... it still hasn't quite sunk in yet. At the very least, I thought we were the same age."
Actually, I didn't think we were just the same age—I was convinced she was a college student.
"Eh? Really? In that case, I should start practicing right now."
"Huh? Practicing...?"
Surprised by my words, Sasaki-san clenched her fist with newfound resolve and looked at me with an expression that suggested she’d just thought of something a bit mischievous. I had nothing but a good feeling about this, but please, don't drain any more of my luck... how am I supposed to survive the rest of the year? Am I going to get hit by a car or something?
"—I look forward to being in your care, Sajou-senpai."
"Guh..."
I think I'm going to cry.
"Senpai"... huh? What a fresh, wonderful sound. Back in middle school, I didn't have any juniors who called me that. I was actually a little moved. I didn't realize such a beautiful title existed in this world. If I ever get a junior who looks up to me, I’m going to cherish them. If they ever rely on me, I’ll respond with everything I’ve got.
"Yes, I look forward to it too, Sasaki-san."
"Uuu, that’s not right, Senpai."
"Eh?"
"It’s supposed to be: 'Yeah, I look forward to it too, Fuuka'!"
"............Have you been reading too many romance novels?"
"I have—Ah?! Y-You caught me!"
Don't be silly, young lady.
Even if she’s my junior, calling a girl of this caliber by her first name right off the bat is way too advanced for me. The reason I call Natsukawa by her surname isn't just to avoid acting like a boyfriend; it’s because she’s too "daunting" for me to do otherwise. If Sasaki-san enters a co-ed school, she’s going to make every boy in her class misunderstand her intentions...
"Um, so, Sajou-sa... Senpai. Who are the people with you?"
"Oh, right."
I’d been looking for an opening, but the timing never felt right, and I was breaking out in a cold sweat. Am I sweating too much today? Why am I always surrounded by girls at times like this? Do I smell? I don't seriously smell, do I?
Okay, me, stay cool. It's fine to mess up. It was already weird for me to be interacting with this many girls in the first place. Keep it light. Just go with a lighter heart. Don't be afraid of being disliked! Ashida and Natsukawa are already used to seeing me act awkward—
".........Hie."
I glanced over at Natsukawa and Ashida, and my shoulders gave a violent twitch. Ashida was looking at me as if she were observing a rare creature at the zoo, while Natsukawa looked a bit awkward, stealing glances at me. Either way, both of them clearly had something they wanted to say. Their stares were as sharp as needles.
"E-Err... these two are my classmates—"
"Ah—?! There she is—!!!"
Just as I was about to introduce them in that stifling atmosphere, a loud voice from the direction of the school entrance cut me off. The moment I stopped talking, Sasaki-san put her hand to her mouth as if suddenly remembering something. Three girls wearing Mishirohama Girls' Junior High uniforms were sprinting toward us.
Yeah, Sasaki-san really is mature. Those three looked exactly like middle schoolers. Pure, young girls. That’s the standard. You can really tell they haven't quite blossomed yet. Does this mean I’ve become an adult too...? Heh, I miss the days when I was just a kid...
"Geez! You suddenly vanished, and we’ve been looking everywhere for you!"
"I-I'm sorry! I thought I heard Sajou-san's voice...!"
"Eh?! Sajou-san? The Sajou-san?!"
Wait, which Sajou-san?
Does that mean she talks about me at school? Seriously? I’m starting to feel incredibly embarrassed. I’m just going to sound like some cocky, pretentious guy. W-Wait...? Could they have been laughing at me behind my back...? I’d hate that. I’d seriously shut myself in for two days.
"The Sajou-san who taught Fuuka-chan—the one who's terrible at talking—how to use polite speech?!"
"The Sajou-san who taught reality to Fuuka, whose head is permanently stuck in a shoujo manga?!"
"The Sajou-san who taught common sense to that total airhead Fuuka?!"
—I repeat, which Sajou-san are we talking about?
Is that really me...? It’s true she seemed a bit sheltered, but she looked like the epitome of a refined lady to me. She was polite from start to finish, and I never got the impression she struggled to speak... Though I could see the shoujo manga thing being true.
"N-N-No! My head isn't stuck anywhere, and I'm not an airhead!"
Wait, Sasaki-san...? You seem like a completely different person now.
Does this mean... that Sasaki-san was intentionally putting on a polite front? Well, I suppose that makes sense; a middle schooler would naturally try to use formal language with a high schooler. Honestly, I still find it hard to believe she's in middle school. The reality is only just now starting to sink in.
...Yikes, they’re all staring at me at once.
"A-Are... his hair is brown."
"It's brown, Miwa-chan..."
"You're right, it's brown..."
So what if it's brown... wait, eh? Brown? I dyed it black the other day... did the color fade? Maybe it just looks brown in the sunlight? My natural hair does have a brownish tint, though...
"U-Um!"
"Ah, yes."
"Are you Sajou-san—Sajou-senpai?!"
"Yes, that's me..."
Following Sasaki-san's lead, I spoke formally to the three of them as well. It seemed to work; although they’d looked a bit intimidated by the brown hair, they exchanged looks of relief. Being called "senpai" by them was actually making me pretty happy.
"Oh... he's being polite."
"He's so humble, Miwa-chan..."
"Even though his hair is brown..."
Is the hair really that important? Aren't you being a bit too biased? I guess middle schoolers aren't used to it, though. To be fair, I used to think everyone with brown hair was a delinquent until I got to high school, too.
"Y-Y-You three...! The sun is setting, so we should really be heading home! Don't you think so, Sajou-san?!"
"Eh? Um, well... yes. If it gets too late, your parents might worry. It’s probably best to head back before it gets dark."
"See! Exactly! Even Sajou-san says so! Let's get going, you three!"
"E-Eh? W-Wait a minute, Fuuka-chan!"
"What's the rush~!"
"Ah?! W-Wait for me, you guys!"
Sasaki-san, looking extremely flustered, began pushing two of the girls by their backs. Bowing repeatedly to us, they hurried away toward the school gate. Perhaps because it had been such a noisy few minutes, the area felt suddenly quiet once they were gone. I couldn't bring myself to look back. I was fairly certain I was currently the most awkward person on the planet.
My right hand felt cold. Condensation was dripping from my soaking wet plastic bottle, forming a dark stain on the red stone floor. Even though I wasn't particularly thirsty, I made a point of making a loud sound as I twisted the cap off to break the silence, then gulped down some iced tea.
Can something really taste this flavorless?
Yes. It can.