Kenkyo, Kenjitsu o Motto ni Ikite Orimasu Chapter 172

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Also Christmas is considered by j.a.panese as also being a romantic occasion.

When I met up with Aoi-chan that weekend I started ranting about being asked to become the Pivoine’s president.

“In other words you don’t want to become the president of that group?”

“Mmn. Absolutely not. It’s too heavy. Cla.s.s president is about as much responsibility as I can handle.”

“I see… Then is there anybody else suitable?”

In my opinion it should have been Kaburagi as the most influential member. If not then Enjou maybe.

But Kaburagi would never agree to something so trouble. I couldn’t see him being interested in the power over the Pivoine either.

But obviously Youko-sama and co. knew all of this or they wouldn’t have come to me to begin with, huh…

“I can only think of two others but they’d never accept…”

I suppose there was at least the possibility that Enjou would accept if he was asked, but I didn’t have high hopes for it.

“Is the workload really that bad?”

“I don’t think the work would be all that bad…”

The work for the Summer Party and other events were all outsourced, and the Pivoine’s concierge did all of the clerical work.

Compared to the Student Council President, you could say that the President of the Pivoine did basically nothing. I think that was why the role wasn’t pa.s.sed on until December, despite the exams.

“But you still don’t want it?”

“Yeah…”

“That’s rough,” she consoled me when my phone, which I had left in silent, began to vibrate in my bag.

“Oh? Aren’t you going to get that, Reika-chan?”

“Sorry. Could I?”

“Of course!”

The sender field read Sakura-chan.

It turned out to be an invitation to hang out since she was free right now.

d.a.m.ned Sakura.

Did she think I just sat around at home every weekend?

“A friend of mine was inviting me to hang out.”

“Oh okay. No problems?”

“Yeah.”

I texted her back and said that I was already with another friend so I couldn’t.

Hehe, even I have friends to hang with on a weekend, you know.

“She’s from Yurinomiya. We met while we were in primary and for a while we went to the same cram school. Even though she looks like a perfect j.a.panese doll, her personality is actually pretty funny.”

“Huh~ Then why don’t you invite her here?”

“Eh!? Is that okay!?”

“Yeah. I’m fine with it.”

Being fine with a stranger coming along would have been unimaginable in primary school, given that she was shy enough to run from me.

Huh.

Or was it just that I was that scary back then?

Haha, no way, right?

“Well then, I guess I’ll ask her.”

Actually it was Sakura-chan who was liable to turn this down. After all, she was always playing the sweet girl with other people.

Or so I thought, until her next message arrived.

‘I’m already close by. Be there soon.’

Ehh!? Everyone was so sociable today!

“She’s coming,” I said.

“Oh okay,” she smiled. “Does she know where the place is?”

Wow, so she really didn’t care…

Sakura-chan wasn’t lying about being close-by. She was there right away.

“Hi, I’m Yorino Aoi.”

“Nice to meet you. I’m f.u.kioka Sakurako.”

I had been worried that it would be awkward, but the two of them really hit it off. Mostly with love-talk.

“So you’re going out with a guy from your school, Aoi-chan. That’s sooo nice.”

“But don’t you have a boyfriend in Suiran, Sakurako-chan?”

“We’re not officially dating yet though. I just need to give him a bit of a push.”

I had heard from Sakura-chan that Akizawa-kun’s att.i.tude had changed after the School Festival. Apparently he finally realised his feelings for her after what happened with Dite.

Well done, Dite.

And speaking of Dite he hadn’t given up on Sakura-chan yet.

Sometimes he spoke to me about his pa.s.sionate feelings for Sakura-chan, and even made poured those feelings into violin CDs that I ended up having to listen to.

Yet another troublesome thing in my life.

“Please help me, Kisshouin-kun!” he’d say each time, but since there was no way Sakura-chan would ever give up on Akizawa-kun, I couldn’t do anything except advise him to search for a new love.

And getting rid of that afro would be a great first step.

“So I’ve been making him one lunch a week, you see?” said Aoi-chan, “But compared to the lunches I actually put effort into, it was only when it was a simple ginger pork on rice did he really enjoy it. It was sooo depressing.”

“I know what you mean! I spend so much time making some of these things for Tak.u.mi but he prefers the karaage of all things. It’s really discouraging. I make lunch for his track and field champions.h.i.+ps but each time he just keeps asking for karaage, karaage, like a broken record. Why do I even bother.”

“Aah, I know how you feel~ Fried food is a winner with them, isn’t it. My boyfriend loves fried prawns too.”

“Mmn. Making anything else feels like a waste of effort. But then Tak.u.mi always says ‘You make the best karaage, Sakurako’ so I can’t help but keep making it for him, you know~?”

“Ah. So you’ve gone back to praising him?”

“Uhuhu~”

Sakura-chan and Aoi-chan continued talking about what they were making their boyfriends.

“What did you make recently?”

“Hmm, deep-fried pacific saury? He liked that it was salty and sweet. Oh, and some cabbage rolls.”

“Cabbage rolls are a good choice. Made in broth though? Or is it tomato sauce?”

“My family uses broth, but tomato sauce is nice too.”

“And if you use dried parsley with the tomato sauce the colour is fantastic.”

“Mhm, mhm.”

I was being left out.

The two of them could cook as though it was natural…

I could barely make desserts. For some reason it was making me anxious. Maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea to learn, for my future boyfriend…

“So what are you doing for Christmas?”

“My school is Catholic so we’ll be busy with a bazaar, and a musical performance with handbells at the church. Every year we have a Christmas party at Tak.u.mi’s though, so that’s what I’ll be doing in the evening.”

As expected of family friends. It seemed that each year Sakura-chan roasted turkey with his mum and older sister.

Given that she was his childhood friend, and his mother already doted on Sakura-chan like her own, Akizawa-kun was probably going to have to just accept his fate.

“I want to see the Christmas lights too.”

“That sounds nice~ I’ve thought about going myself, but maybe before the day since it’s going to be packed.”

“That was my plan too. Where are you going, anyhow?”

And then they began happily talking about their Christmas plans.

I sat there silently and sipped on my tea.

Tsk. What ‘Christmas’.

A blizzard ought to just come in and clog up the traffic.

Through Enjou, Yukino-kun told me that he wanted to show off the results of his latte art training, so I happily headed to the Pet.i.t Pivoine.

When I arrived I was greeted by little angels.

“Reika-oneesan, quickly sit down!” guided Yukino-kun.

I did as he said, and he began demonstrating his latte art skills.

“Yukino-kun, will you make some for us too?” asked Mao-chan.

“Sure.”

And so after that he drew three hearts in a row.

For some reason there was a beautifully drawn ox sitting in front of me instead.

Huh. Was this a holstein?

“You did a splendid job drawing this cow.”

“Ehehe, I tried really hard,” he smiled happily.

I took a picture of it before helping myself.

Mn, yummy.

“Oh yeah, Reika-oneesan, thank you for the cake the other day. The little pistachio cake was delicious?”

“Oh? I am happy to hear that.”

Since Yukino-kun had to stay at home during the party the other day, I had Enjou carry a set of the hotel’s mini cakes home for him.

When I was small Oniisama would always bring cakes and desserts back from the parties for me, so I was just following his lead.

“What are you doing for Christmas, Reika-oneesan?”

“Me? Oh, I have a few things planned with some friends of mine…”

I unconsciously put on airs since Yukino-kun asked.

“Ehhh!?” exclaimed Mao-chan, “But I wanted you to come to my Christmas party, Reika-oneesama! You’re dropping in too, right, Yukino-kun?”

“Yes,” he nodded.

Ehh!? Really!?

Why did I have to satisfy my stupid pride…

Thanks to that I wasted my own chance at spending Christmas with cute little angels! Reika, you idiot!

I couldn’t just take back my words now either…

Mao-chan suggested exchanging presents and they began to talk about their plans for the party.

Uuu, I wanted to come too.

Today was the day of the term-end exam results.

With my face beaming the usual ‘I don’t really care about my ranking at all~’ I made my way to the board, only to find that I really wasn’t in the top 30.

Guoooh!!

I just had no luck recently.

Maybe the curse I set on Kaburagi’s panther totem had come back to roost…

Cabbage roll in broth