70 - Expectations before winter break are not very high (Patreon)

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“Hey, Kazuki, let's have another study meeting.”
“Sure.”

It was the second half of the second term, when the weather was getting colder. Tadashi invited me to a study meeting.

The last study meeting seemed to be effective for Tadashi, and he had solid results, so he is positive about the study meeting.
I think so too, so I agree, but Tadashi suddenly looks worried.

“No, you want to study alone with the princess, don’t you... we might get in the way...”
“It'll be okay. You don't have to worry about it.”

In the first place, I can be alone with Hiuri as much as I want in the dream. This time too, as usual, we plan to study for the test.

That said, that was a study meeting with Hiuri in the dream, so I don't know if Hiuri in real life would want to study with just the two of us.
I'm sure she'll tell me herself if she has a request, so I think it’ll be okay...

“Whatever happens, I'll back down if the princess says anything. Don't hold back.”
“I won't hold back, but... somehow, hasn’t your personality changed, Tadashi?”
“Nothing has changed. I just did some thinking.”

Compared to the previous Tadashi, maybe he thinks about Hiuri differently, or maybe the way he treats her is different... In any case, something is wrong.

“Well, ask the princess. If possible, ask Hayashi-san and the others as well.”
“Roger.”

And time moves on...wait a minute?

“Don't you have Hiuri and the others’ contact information as well?”
“I have it, but... there’s no way I can contact them, right?”

That's not so surprising.

......

After school, I often go home with Hiuri, so I talk to her about the study meeting on our way home.

“Tadashi asked what you think about holding another study session.”
“Hmm, isn't that fine?”

As usual, her reply didn't seem to show any particular dissatisfaction. Looking at this, I think Hayashi and the others will be okay with it as well, but... as I was thinking that, more words come at me from Hiuri.

“But, don’t you want to have a study meeting with me?” (Hiuri)

Hiuri turns towards me and looks at me as if pleading for something.
Was Tadashi's prediction correct? It looks like Hiuri wants a study meeting with just the two of us, but...

“Do you mean just the two of us?”
“Isn’t that obvious? We've come a long way to have a relationship like this, so it won’t be strange if we meet just the two of us, right?”

Hiuri comes closer to me as if to be spoiled by me.
That's so sly. Where did you learn such a technique? At least, it's definitely not a skill that can be learned in daily school life...

“What's wrong, Kazuki-kun?”
“No... it’s nothing...”

It can’t be, did she do it unconsciously...!?

Hiuri has always lived without being spoiled by anyone. Because of that, no one noticed her talent, but could it be that Hiuri actually had an amazing talent at being sly?

Hiuri looks at me and asks further to make sure.

“So, that means you’re okay with studying with me too, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I got it. Then I'll talk to Rinrin and the others.”

It's very difficult to look at that Hiuri and shake my head. In any case, I almost never refuse Hiuri's wish though.
It looks like Tadashi's wish will be granted.

......

“Well then, please take care of us today as well!”
“Yes, let's concentrate.”
“Regards─”

We study in the same place and in the same way as before.
At first there was an ulterior motive behind this study meeting which Tadashi started, but strangely, we decided to hold a second meeting.

Today's goal is to prepare for the end-of-term exam. Tadashi, who properly raised his score on the last test, and despite the condition that Hiuri and the others are here, is studying seriously like this.

“The scope of mathematics for the end-of-term sure is wide─”
“For some reason, it also includes the scope of the first term.”

Compared to the first term, the tests this term are a little harder in all subjects. In particular, for mathematics and chemistry, the scope includes parts that are of the first term, and the amount we have to study has increased.

“Isn't this fortunate instead? The fact that you can get a good score just by reviewing, isn’t that good for Rinrin?”
“Eeh─? I already forgot about them, you know─”

Hayashi-san complains, but Kannazuki-san starts studying without accepting any complaints.
Seeing this, Hayashi-san reluctantly begins to study. Her study methods remain the same, asking Hiuri at every opportunity.

Hiuri was going to sit next to me, but Hayashi-san asked for Hiuri, so Hiuri ended up sitting next to Hayashi-san.
Hiuri looks a little lonely, but today is the day we're all studying together, so please bear with it.

“Kazuki, what about this one?”
“Umm, for this one, use this equation..”

Maybe because he saw what Hayashi-san did last time, Tadashi started asking more questions. At first, he asked a lot of questions to Hiuri, but since Hayashi-san kept asking questions to her, he ended up asking questions to me.
At first Tadashi was reluctant, but now he asks me questions normally. Somehow, it's like watching my child grow up, and I feel like a parent.

“Then this one is?”
“Umm... Nn─, I didn't understand this either so I skipped it.”
“I see... Kannazuki-san, can I?”
“Is it this one?... this is explained as using the formula we did before, but it's actually better to use this formula...”

If it’s something even I don't understand, he asks Kannazuki-san or Hiuri. I don't particularly have excellent grades after all, so that's how he ends up studying in the end.
That said, for Tadashi, having a chance to talk to Kannazuki-san is probably a good thing.

After concentrating for about three hours, Hayashi-san slumped down on her desk.

“I can’t do it anymore... the scope is just too wide...”
“Geez, you’d have no problem if you do it every day, so it's Rinrin's fault for not doing it.”

Hayashi-san declared that she was tired, so we decided to take a break.

Once again, buying drinks has become our role, just like before. Tadashi asks everyone what they want.

“I want fruit type juices.”
“Tea.”

I wonder if Hayashi-san is okay with something like orange juice. Kannazuki-san wants tea like normal.
Hiuri was pondering what to have for a while, but suddenly, she looked at me and said,

“Kazuki-kun’s recommendation.”
“...Okay.”

I leave the rental space with Tadashi and go buy them.
My recommendation, huh... Well, since it's Hiuri, there’s no doubt that a sweet juice is okay, but I wonder what I should choose.

We arrive at the vending machine, and Tadashi purchases three drinks first.

“Umm, for Hayashi-san... there is apple juice here. And, some tea for Kannazuki-san. For me... let’s go with cider.”

I feel like the maximum number of PET bottles one person can carry is four. If you are creative in the way you carry them, you can probably carry many bottles, but if you go that far, you’d be a trader.

With Tadashi carrying three bottles, next is my turn.

“Don't make any choices that will hurt the princess's mood─”
“I know it already.”

I don't think Hiuri's mood will be hurt with just a drink after all this time, but... which one I should get.
When it comes to sweet drinks, there are quite a lot of types. Apple juice is a sweet drink, and so is cider.

Apparently that crazy sweet drink I bought for Hiuri last time is gone. Probably because no one other than Hiuri drank it. Unpopular drinks sometimes disappear from the market like this.
In the end, I bought strawberry milk for Hiuri and water for me.

“Was water okay for you?”
“Don’t you feel like water is the number one drink people drink?”
“Is that so?”

On the way back to the rental space, I asked Tadashi about something I’m curious about.

“You couldn't concentrate for even an hour before. What happened?”

Tadashi's concentration today is weird.
Before, he couldn't concentrate for even an hour, but today he was able to maintain his concentration for three hours. This is a remarkable improvement in his ability to concentrate.

“It's simple. I also have a goal.”
“A goal? And you study for that?”
“That's right. I'm the type who throws myself into it after all.”

Tadashi didn't tell me what his goal was, but it's good to have a goal.
Tadashi doesn't easily change his mind once he has made a decision, so if he can set a goal regarding his studies, that is a very good thing. This study session too, I wonder if it’s proof that he is working hard towards his goal.

“Doesn't Kazuki have any goals?”
“I guess not... for now.”
“Well, you've already got an excellent partner, so you can probably take it easy.”

I wonder if he's talking about Hiuri. It's true that Hiuri is excellent, but I won’t only rely on Hiuri, you know.

We returned to the rental space while chattering.

......

“Kazuki-kun, so you study even in the dream.”
“I want to get a good score... and the you in the dream also want to study together with me, right?”
“You know very well.”

The study meeting ended smoothly, and I am studying even in the dream. I came to the dream because it's more efficient than studying in my room, so it's no different from independent study.
Besides, if it’s here, Hiuri would look over me as a teacher.

“I won't learn much if I study here, so it’s nice to be able to concentrate on Kazuki-kun.”
“Can’t you do something like a sleep learning method?”
“I don't think I can. It might result in remembering things vaguely, but that's about it.”

I study in the dream lightheartedly. Because I promised to study with Hiuri in real life, and Hiuri also told me that straining myself too much isn’t good.

Besides, I’m giving Hiuri a parfait, so I don't think I'll be able to concentrate in this situation.

“This parfait is really delicious. Where is it from?”
“It's a parfait from a cafe that opened recently in the city. For some reason, Tadashi took me there, but it was surprisingly delicious.”

I don't usually go to cafes, but Tadashi suddenly invited me to go to one. I don’t really get what his purpose was, but I found a delicious parfait there, so I was satisfied.

Hiuri was munching for a while, but when she noticed that my hand had stopped, she lifted her eyes a little, and...

“Come on, do your best with the test!”
“There's cream on your face.”

I smile wryly at Hiuri's somewhat loose words.

────

(T/N: that’s the last of the released chapter as of today, October 14, 2023. I won’t be translating upcoming chapters. Maybe if it stockpiled enough. But it’s not certain. Well, whatever. I think I’ll try posting on scribblehub now.)

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