If you didn’t see my last update (May 2020), here it is again.
***
「Haa……」
After exiting the library, I unconsciously let out a sigh while I was heading back to my classroom.
The cause of this sigh isn’t Pansy, rather it’s something to do with my class.
Before, I was putting up a fake personality, acting like a thick-headed, innocent boy, and had good favour with everyone in my class. However, that plan unfortunately failed and my real personality is exposed nowadays. Since my endurance is pretty good, I’ve been able to just accept fate for awhile but, in addition to obtaining some suspicions after trying to trick the two beauties in my school, I lost my reputation with my surroundings, and it’s getting tiresome as expected…….. But, that’s also not the cause of my sighing.
The suspicions have already been cleared up, and if you exclude the other classes and other years….. then my class has come to accept my real personality.
「Ah, do you have a minute Jouro?」
See? When I return to the classroom, I can properly talk with my classmates.
There’s no way this would happen if they didn’t like me.
「What’s up Asunaro?」
The girl showing me a bright smile is Hina Hanetachi. Nickname: “Asunaro”.
Take the the two characters of her surname and combine them. Then, take the first character from her given name and add that, and you get “Asunaro”, which is where her nickname comes from.1 She has a slightly wide forehead, and a ponytail that reaches past her shoulders. With charming, drooping eyelids that create a simple and cute feeling, she’s a girl who’s secretly popular with some of the guys.
「Actually, right now I’m surveying people for an article in the school paper! And so Jouro, I have a question for you! Be frank with me, how confident are you about the midterms?」
Since Asunaro is part of the newspaper club, she’s gathering information for an article through these surveys. She tilted her head and put on a smile. It was kind of cute how she held out a red pen and used it as a replacement for a microphone.
By the way, in addition to that, this girl has another unusual and interesting aspect.
「Well of course, isn’t it already decided that I’d aim for the top of the school?」
「Really?! Jouro, ya wanna take the top spot!?」
To my response, Asunaro was so surprised that her dialect started to come out.2
She’s from the Aomori prefecture, and she lived there until middle school. It seems like there was a park with monkeys and deer on the way to her school. Normally though, in order to keep her accent from coming out, she speaks formally.
「Just joking.」
「Jeez! Please don’t surprise me like that! Then, what is your real answer?」
With her cheeks dyed red, she turned her head the other way, and even though she was embarrassed from her own dialect coming out, she asked me the question again. It seems like she’ll get angry if I provoke her any further, so let’s play it safe.
「I’m confident that I won’t have to take supplementary lessons.」
「Is that so~. That being said, it seems like there’s just one person who isn’t confident about them then.」
Asunaro seemed satisfied while clicking her red pen.
Apparently, it seems like I was the last person to be surveyed.
「Ehh~… Just one person huh?」
「Yeah! So, you have an idea about who that person is right?」
「Well yeah…… It’s them right?」
While answering that question, I let my gaze shift away and Asunaro’s gaze followed.
At the end of my gaze, there was a single female student, who was staring at her notebook with teary eyes.
「Uuu~! I don’t get it!」
That girl, who was holding her head in her arms with absolutely no idea on what to do, is my childhood friend Himawari, aka Aoi Hinata.
She had a cute face as always, but her expression had become depressed.
「Spot on! The only one in this class who isn’t confident about the midterms is Himawari.」
「Well thanks.」
Himawari is bad at studying after all.
When it comes to someone answering that they aren’t confident, then it’s probably her right?
……It’s a little painful watching over from here as if it was just some stranger’s problem.
「Haa….. This is troubling…. I’ll have to take supplementary lessons. What should I do….」
If it was like before, then I think I would definitely oversee her studies again this time, like I’ve always been doing since middle school, but due to some circumstances, we aren’t close enough for me to do that anymore.
Well, if she were to tell me she wants me to teach her, then I wouldn’t think twice about it but…..
「It would be better if someone taught me this~……. Ah!」
Looking around while saying that, Himawari’s gaze froze up, when her eyes met with mine.
And then, she turned her feminine eyes upwards and away from my gaze.
…..Is this perhaps, that kind of thing? If so then…….
「Hey, Hi-」
「Then I will help you out with your studies Himawari!」
Woah! Before I could, Asunaro went over to Himawari!
「Uh….. Is that okay Asunaro-chan…?」
Even though Himawari would be relying on me for help if I had come to a decision faster!
「If you stare so hard like that, you’ll end up burning a hole through that you know! What do you not understand?」
「Ah…… okay……… Thanks! Uh let’s see, I don’t get this one and this one……」
「Roger that! Then, let me explain! Let’s start with this one—–」
Damn it. With how my relationship with Himawari is right now, it’s hard to go over there. Let’s give up.
It’s not necessary for me specifically to be the one to teach her……. I’m not needed at all!
「Ah! Oh no! Please give me a second Himawari!」
「O-okay…. I got it.」
While I was just absentmindedly watching over the two of them, it seems like Asunaro remembered something and she returned to my side and brought her face close to my ear. Because of that, an apple-like shampoo fragrance tickled my nostrils, and my heart started to beat fast for a little bit.
「Jouro. Himawari might have been the only one who said they weren’t confident, but there’s someone else, someone who is actually not confident but said they were because of their pride. If it’s alright with you, do you mind helping them study? I think it’s a good excuse you can use to talk to them.」
「Huh?」
「Then, I’ll take my leave here! Himawari, thank you for waiting!」
Ending it with a cute wink, Asunaro headed back to Himawari.
I see….. There’s another person who isn’t actually confident huh……
「Damn it! This is as difficult as when all the bases are loaded and we can’t have anymore outs!」
As if to match up with my thoughts, I could hear the voice of a guy from somewhere else in the room.
In response to that voice, I turned my head around and saw a single guy studying at their desk.
Well, the “person who’s not actually confident” that Asunaro was talking about has to be this guy.
While answering “I’ll do fine” because he hates losing, he’s fighting a rough battle…..
I was also always teaching this guy since middle school after all.
Alright let’s do this. Asunaro went out of her way to give me this chance after all! This time for sure!
「Oーi, Sun—-」
「Sun-chan, since it seems like you’re having a bad time I’ll help you out. Let’s do our best together okay?」
What the hell, you mob guy! Why the hell are you starting the conversation before me!
I’ve missed the timing now! Since I’m also a mob, I don’t have the power to slip into that conversation!
「Eh! What are you saying! I wouldn’t be a man if I couldn’t get past the midterms on my own you know!」
The guy who declined the assistance from a classmate with a enthusiastic smile is Sun-chan, aka Taiyou Ooga.
As the baseball club’s ace, he was a hot-blooded guy that had a crew cut that suited him very well.
Since middle school, he was the one I was always friendly with….. my former best friend.
Well, I think you know what I mean by former but, right now our relationship is unusually not in good standing.
The reason is because of something big that happened during the second week to the end of April.
No, even if that didn’t happen, our friendship would have probably crumbled eventually right?
Somehow, Sun-chan had been holding a grudge against me since a long time ago after all.
His resentment started back in middle school. The girl that he liked, liked me.
Without getting getting dispirited by that situation, Sun-chan desperately tried to appeal to her, but what happened after is uncertain. In the end, he wasn’t able to get his feelings across. Because of that, Sun-chan held resentment towards me, and secretly waited for his chance to get back at me.
And so, when April arrived this year, Sun-chan put out a trap for me.
Being successfully caught in that trap, I had to confess to everyone about my fake innocent, thick-headed boy persona, and was handed the title of the lowest of the low in the school caste.
That’s a summary of the event that broke all my important relationships into bits and pieces.
However, the person to help me get out of that predicament, was Sun-chan.
After many twists and turns, Sun-chan openly revealed that he was “sorry for tricking” me, and deeply prostrated on the ground in front of the whole class, and cleared up any suspicions about me.
But, his apology was directed to everyone except me, so I couldn’t accept it.
After all, Sun-chan was only taking responsibility for what he did, not to re-conciliate with me.
Furthermore, that proper apology had resulted in Sun-chan not losing his place in the school.
He was also forgiven by everyone, and that’s why he can properly talk with our classmates so well.
This incident has more or else been settled, but the root of the problem still remains.
Sorry for the long wait. This is the cause of my sighs.
Since that incident, not only has my relationship with Sun-chan crumbled, but there is another relationship that got caught and destroyed too. Of course, the person in question is Himawari.
Even though we are in the same class, both of us are too conscious of each other and cannot be direct and talk with each other.
As a result, since I don’t feel comfortable at all in the classroom, the moment it becomes lunch time I escape to the library.
Well, not considering the promise with Pansy, I have no where else to go besides there.
「Thanks Asunaro-chan! I was able to understand easily!」
「Ooh yeaaah! The battle is only getting started!」
Haah……. I thought that I would be able to talk to those guys today though……..
***
As soon as homeroom ended, I grabbed my bag and walked home trudgingly.
Normally, I would head to the library after school in order to keep my promise of “coming to the library everyday” with Pansy, but that’s not happening today.
Earlier I got a message from Pansy saying “I have something to do after school today”.
That Pansy, she’s always in the library during lunch, but I guess there are times when she’s not there after school huh.
I don’t see her as the type of person who would have plans though, what the hell is she doing?
…………..Well whatever, I don’t know what she’s doing after school, but that’s not my problem.
「I’m homeー」
Opening my front door, I yelled out a greeting but did not get a reply. Huh? Did mom go out?
I thought for sure she’d be watching her favourite idol DVDs in the living room….
Aah. Come to think of it, recently she has been talking a lot about meeting with a friend, so maybe she went to go see them……. Well, let’s just hurry to my room then. I quickly took off my shoes and walked up the stairs.
I dropped my bag down once I entered my room….. and then dived into my bed with my uniform still on.
「Aaaaaaaaaah!! What should I do, seriously!?」
While burying my face into my pillow and kicking my feet up and down, I screamed out in that pathetic manner.
The reason I’m screaming is of course because of Pansy…… not. It’s because of the awkwardness with those guys at school.
I may say many excuses but, my heart tells the truth. To be honest, I want to be friends with them again.
Of course, I really hated them during that time you know? I didn’t even want to see their faces.
But….. after this and that happened, they ended up saving me.
That’s why, I’d like to give them my gratitude. In other words….. I want to be be friends with them again! Damn it!
In particular, Sun-chan for sure. I think it’s natural to want to become friends again with someone who I’ve been best friends for about 4 years, since the start of middle school.
But, because bad timings and various other……. No, let’s stop making excuses.
The only reason is because I end up getting cold feet and end up stopping mid-way.
Today, there were many chances for me to join the conversations, even if I had to force my way in.
I wasn’t able to to that because I am a coward though. When I thought about how they might feel uncomfortable if I tried to talk to them, my feet stopped, and my voice wouldn’t come out. That’s how I’ve been spending everyday without doing anything.
「Haa~…..This is kinda lame.」
If only there was some kind of chance…… Then I could……
「Amatsuyu~! I’m home~!」
Just then, I heard my mom’s voice coming from the first floor. It seems like she just came home.
「Oohー. Welcome home!」
I should hurry to the front door then. Why you ask? That’s a rule in the Kisaragi household.
“Whenever somebody comes home, anyone who is home has to come greet them properly at the front door.”
My dad made that rule in order to keep our bond as a family tight, and we’ve never broken it once.
「I’m homeー. You came home early today huh. That’s perfect~」
As I walked down the stairs, there was a single lady with a perm that made her look exactly like Maruko-chan’s mother.3
Keiki Kisaragi. Standing out with her thick makeup, she’s my mom.
Forever 29 years old. If you did the calculations, then she would be a strong person who had me when she was only 13 years old.
「Yeah. I have days like this every now and…….」
「Come on, don’t be so shy like that, hurry and come in, come in! Let’s watch some DVDs together!」
Huh? Mom, you brought your friend huh? Then I should greet them and hurry back to my room—-
「Uhm….. Alright then….. Please pardon the intrusion.」
「…………………….Eh?」
What? The person who hesitantly and shyly entered my house looks very much like a certain girl who wears glasses and has braids, but what’s this? I rubbed my eyes really hard and doubled checked but…… yup. She’s there.
Aaah! I get it! It’s a hallucination! I see, I see!
This is quite a bad one! I must be really tired mentally! Let’s head to bed for today.
「Jeez! You don’t have to be so polite like that Sumireko-chan! Amatsuyu, I think you know already but, Sumireko-chan here goes to the same school as you! You call her ‘Pansy-chan’ don’t you?」
Whoa, I’m even having auditory hallucinations. I never thought I’d hear my mom’s voice in a hallucination.
I’m don’t particularly have a mother complex or anything you know? But, I might have to wish for someone to help my family from the bottom of my heart.
Now then! Without further ado, ‘here we go‘4 to my room!
「Amatsuyu! Why are you heading back to your room! Come here, properly greet her!」
Hallucination-san, aren’t you being too much? Even going as far as replicating my mom’s hand waving gestures.
「Hello, Jouro-kun.」
With a bashful smile, the hallucination with braids and glasses lightly nodded her head towards me.
Carefully taking off her dress shoes, I was able to see some white socks. It create a good sense of cleanliness and appeal.
「Jeez! You’re not suppose to make Sumireko-chan greet you first! Hurry up and come over here, and greet her!」
「O-ohoh!」
Oi oi. While I was absorbed in walking up the stairs, my mom suddenly pulled on my arm.
To even be able to produce a rough sense of touch….. No, I can’t escape from reality anymore.
It’s a regrettable and hopeless reality but,
「……..Yo, Pansy.」
Right now, my house has turned into Hell. (Cocytus)5
「I came♡」
Oi, did you think you’d look cute sticking your tongue out like that with upturned eyes?
「H-hey mom……… You and Pansy, do you know each other?」
「Huh? Didn’t I say it before? Me and Sumireko-chan hang out a lot! We meet every 3 days!」
Wait a sec, don’t tell me that the plans Pansy was talking about earlier…… was this!?
「Correct.」
As always, thank you for your ESP-er powers. Please leave immediately.
「Ah! This isn’t good! It’s rude to keep talking to you at the entrance way! Come to the living room! Come on Amatsuyu, come help me prepare to receive Sumireko-chan!」
Wait mom. I don’t plan on welcoming that demon. Let’s see her off at once. That’s what we should do.
「N-no…..I……」
「What are you stuttering around for! Hurry up and come!」
「………Okay.」
This is the strength of a mom huh…….. It’s pitiful but, she completely ignored my resistance. Haa……. guess I’ll go.
……….But before that, I couldn’t help but express my anger at the demon behind me.
「Didn’t you say you were going to give up on coming to my house?」
「I did say that I would give up on coming to your “room”, but I never said I’d give up on coming to your “house”.」
「Don’t joke with me…….That kind of logicーーー」
「Amatsuyu, hurry up and come here!」
God damn itttttttttttt!
「Ah, sit where ever you want Sumireko-chan! Amatsuyu, come over here and help me!」
Alright. If I help out my mom, I’ll be able to have a little time away from Pansy!
「I’ll also help out too Keiki Kisaragi-san. I brought some madeleine cakes I made today too.」
Does this girl not know the phrase ‘unwelcomed kindness’?
「Thank you~ Sumireko-chan! Also, you don’t have to speak so formally when you’re here! Please call me “Laurier” like you usually do!」
「I understand, Laurier-san.」
Hold up a sec. Sorry to disturb your guys’ friendly chit-chat but, can I ask something?
「Uh, mom….. What’s with this “Laurier”?」
「Huuuuh!? What are you saying after all this time? If you take away the first character of our surname, then you’re left with “Laurier”!」6
Ah, the act of using the name of a flower or tree derived from one’s own name as a nickname.
Don’t tell me my mom…….. is aiming to become a heroine!?
First, please go look in a mirror. You’ll understand if you do. It’s impossible for a housewife like you with that heavy make-up and perm.
「I’m Laurier, as sweet as a cake! Perfect as someone who will visit you when you’re ill!」
She even prepared a signature saying! This old lady is earnest.
「Fufufufufu. I can’t wait to try your madeleine cakes. Aren’t you also happy Amatsuyu! You ate those macarons so happily from before, you even said “I’d want to marry who ever made these macarons!”」
Whaaaaaaat! How could I have said something like that!?
「Ara, that makes me very happy.」
Oi. Get rid of that happy smile on your face right now. I’ll also erase my memories.
「Amatsuyu, what are you doing, holding the plates in your arms like that.」
「Aah. I was just thinking about trying to time travel using a Akemi-like ritual.」
「Is my appearance perhaps not suitable?」
Shut up you super degraded Homura-tan! Your position is quarterback!7
This was definitely not part of your contract! Ah! Wait! Did you tie this into the deal we had about going to the library everyday!
………Wait, this isn’t the time to escape reality!
「Hey mom…….」
I didn’t want to say this line if possible. However, I have to say it in order to avoid my mom from leaking any unnecessary information about me. It feels like I’ve already lost my last chance though….
「Wha~t is it Amatsuyu?」
「Uhm, uh, it’s about Pansy but, is it alright if I lead her to my room?」
「……..How embarrassing~.」
Don’t act so bashful. It’s disgusting.
「Eeh~! No way! Sumireko-chan is suppose to watch some DVDs together with mama! Tehe★」
Mom, you shouldn’t flick your forehead while doing those girly movements you know~! Tehe★.
「Or what, did you want it to just be the two of you? Don’t tell me, are you two going out~? Oh my~! Laurier’s heart is beating so fast~★.」
She ended up saying her own name. With that, my blood-related mom’s hopelessness power level has become 53,000.
「You’re wrong. There’s no way I’d date this girl.」
「You’re mistaken. We have only made a promise about the future.」
「Oooh! Is that so!?」
「What kind of promise!?」
「You promised to also come meet me in the library tomorrow~.」
「That future! That’s too soon!」
This isn’t good. The more we’re in the kitchen, the worse the situation will get.
I need to somehow get Pansy into my room…… and also get her away from my mom….
「Well, I get it. If Amatsuyu were to get close with Sumireko-chan here, then the possibility that she’d become my daughter-in-law in the future…. is not zero…..」
There’s no way that will happen…….is what I want to say, but in a situation like this I have to use whatever I can.
「R-right? So, for that to happen, I’ll be guiding Pansy to my room today. That’s fine right?」
I’ll lose this battle, but win the war. I never thought the day where I had to do this would come though.
Uwa….. My mom is grinning very broadly. She’s definitely misunderstanding this.
「There’s no helping it then. I’ll put up with it for today!」
Thank you mom. Sending me a young girl-like wink, she caused my heart’s tears to dry up.
「Alright then Sumireko-chan, it’s unfortunate, but is it fine if you keep Amatsuyu company today?」
「I understand. If that’s the case, then I’ll come another time to watch the DVDs with you Laurier-san.」
Oi knock it off. Don’t just casually make another excuse to come to my house again.
「Jouro-kun, since there’s no helping it, I’ll let you bring me to your room~. It’s a special occasion you know?」
This girl, is she someone important or something?
「…..Then let’s hurry and go. Pansy.」
「If you don’t hold my hand, then I won’t let you bring me you know?」
「Don’t get carried away!」
***
Chapter 1 – Part 1 | Index | Chapter 1 – Part 3
TL notes
- Asunaro’s surname is comprised of the characters: 羽立, and there is a kanji that is the combination of them, 翌. Then, her first name is comprised of 桧菜, and taking the first character and adding it to 翌 gives 翌桧 (Asunaro), which is a type of cypress or something. There’s probably some kinda personality meaning from this, but I’m not too sure.
- She speaks the Tsugaru Dialect, and unfortunately I have no clue how to translate that into English, without like making my own language lol, so hopefully some casual speak is sufficient. If anyone has any ideas, drop em below.
- This character from the show, Chibi Maruko Chan
- The raws literally write ‘here we go’ in japanese, but it could also be a reference to mario or something if he also says that in japanese?
- Coctyus is a river that flows into the underworld in greek mythology.
- Her name is 如月桂樹 and “月桂樹” is a word for a bay leaf/bay laurel which is also known as laurier, and thus she calls herself Laurier.
- The akemi in the last line, and this homura-tan is likely a reference to Akemi Homura from madoka (id be surprised if it isnt). I don’t know what ‘quarterback’ is referencing here though.
pretty bad TLs 
Leave a comment