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I arrived at the classroom feeling out of sorts.
Several classmates were already there, but Neika hadn't arrived yet. It was rare for her to be later than us.
No matter how late she stayed up gaming, she absolutely never skipped being on time.
Well, in her case, it was more accurate to say she stayed up all night rather than just staying up late.
“Ryuya. It looks like Neika isn't here yet, have you heard anything?”
“Ah... no, I haven't. She'll probably be here soon.”
...? What’s with Ryuya? He seemed like he was having a hard time saying something... Does he know something?
I don't think so, but maybe they had a fight.
...No, those two would never fight. The way their gears mesh, or rather, the way their wavelengths match, is something that even surprises me. So there’s no way they fought. ...Probably.
“Ah! Sanatan, Kuratan, yah-hoo!”
“Oh, Tsuchimikado. Yah-hoo-hoi!”
“Good morning, Tsuchimikado.”
Tsuchimikado, noticing us, came over to talk.
Slender, supple arms stretched out from her short-sleeved white shirt.
Her shirt was open down to the second button, revealing a suggestive glimpse of her collarbone.
She wore a short skirt that violated school rules, made of black fabric with white lines.
A pink cardigan was wrapped around her waist, perhaps to regulate her body temperature.
To put it simply, it was a gyaru-style way of dressing down.
Kuroseya and Midorikawa, who were nearby, were dressed similarly, and combined with their flashy makeup, they really gave off that 'summer gyaru' vibe.
“How is it? Isn't the summer uniform cute?”
Tsuchimikado stood up and did a quick spin on the spot.
The Gin'nan High School uniform is rumored to be cuter than those of other schools. In fact, quite a few students enroll just for the uniform. If I recall, Tsuchimikado was one of those who chose the school for that reason.
It certainly is cute. At a glance, it doesn't look like a school uniform, but more like something from a designer brand.
Riran hasn't arrived yet either, but I bet it’ll look great on her too...
“Yeah, it really suits you. You think so too, Akito?”
“Eh? Ah, yeah. As expected of Tsuchimikado. It feels like you can pull off any outfit.”
“Ehehe~. Stop it, you're making me blush.”
Perhaps to hide her embarrassment, Tsuchimikado kept spinning around.
...Hey, stop already. Your skirt is about to fly up from the centrifugal force.
“Whoa, whoa. Hiyorin, stop.”
“We're gonna see your panties.”
“Fueh!?”
Realizing it just now, she held her skirt down and stepped back.
Her face turned bright red, and she looked at me with moist eyes.
“D-Did you see...?”
“I-I didn't see anything. I swear to God, it's the truth.”
“T-Thank goodness... I mean, today's underwear isn't very cute, so I didn't really want Sanatan to see it. It's a bit plain, or should I say...”
“You shouldn't tell me that.”
“...Ah.”
Whoosh!
Tsuchimikado, her face turning deep red, hurried out of the classroom.
“Haa... Hiyorin is so cute.”
“She’s super cute, but that airheaded side of hers is irresistible.”
““Right~?””
These girls are so carefree.
I greeted Kuroseya and Midorikawa, and we sat down in our seats.
“Man, summer is a feast for the eyes. The hidden treasures that were concealed by blazers are now being shamelessly exposed... Summer is the best.”
“I’ve thought this since middle school, but Ryuya, you're really creepy sometimes.”
“What are you saying? You only get to wear a school uniform for six years of your life. In that short time, girls are putting in the effort to make themselves look even a little bit cuter... Not looking at that would be insincere to the girls! Don't you think it would be rude?”
“At the very least, since you came to school, I think you should just look at the blackboard.”
“You’re so indifferent, Akito. If you keep saying stuff like that, won't Kuonji get fed up with you?”
That’s none of your business.
Well, but... it's true that when everyone suddenly switches from winter clothes to summer clothes, there is something that catches your eye.
I'll agree with Ryuya on that point. ...Though I'll never say it out loud.
As I was preparing for class and waiting, Neika burst into the room from the front with incredible momentum.
Like me, she had the sleeves of her long-sleeved shirt rolled up, and her usual cardigan was tied around her waist. Neika's summer style made her short stature stand out even more.
Perhaps because she was unusually irritated, she didn't come over to us and sat in her seat with a grumpy look.
“Hey, Neika. Good morning.”
“...Morning, Akky.”
“You don't seem very energetic. What's wrong?”
“Just something with my family. Well, it's not a big deal... actually, it is, but I think it'll be resolved eventually. So don't worry about it.”
The family... the Jumonji family side.
I've been to Neika's house a few times, and it was certainly a mansion. If I recall, her parents are the presidents of a large company or something.
In other words, Neika is the daughter of a company president. I think she had one younger sister.
Ours is a traditional, ordinary household, so I can't even imagine it, but I guess every family has its own circumstances.
...Huh? Why is it so quiet?
When I looked around... ah, that's right. Ryuya was just sitting in his seat.
“Hey, Ryuya, what are you doing? Come over here.”
“It's fine, Akky.”
“...Eh?”
Neika turned around slightly. Her eyes were looking straight at Ryuya, but Ryuya awkwardly looked away.
W-Wait... What happened between you two...?