Chapter 9

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“Niwa-kun is like the right side of a crepe!”

“Eh?”

I reached for the onions rings and Niwa-kun, who sat on the opposite side, paused his hand on the fries.

“It has a light crusty taste, but that"s it. It"s, like, the parts with no filling.”

“Oh, meaning that I have to admit myself as a shallow paper-man with a "yeah…"? I mean, I won"t deny it, but my heart might get folded into a quarter. Maybe I"ll just turn into a crane and jump out from the window!”

Niwa-kun scowled sadly and put a fry in his mouth, then he rubbed the salt off onto the tray.

“Oh no, I mean, like, there are people who like that stuff too. I think there musta be a lotta people who like the crusts.” I nodded and took a bite on the onion ring. Nom, nom, delicious~

“That"s the first time I"ve seen someone eating onions so happily.”

“Hm? Ya don"t like onions, Niwa-kun?”

“Not when it"s just onions — especially when it"s raw, "cuz it"s spicy.”

“Oh~ Are ya one of those who hate things before tasting them?”

“Uh, didn"t I just tell you about the taste?”

Ah, he"s right. Niwa-kun grimaced; I smiled embarra.s.singly.

“In the collective item known as "crepe with filling," do I fall under the needless parts? After all, if you all you want are the crispy parts, you just have to grill the middle parts.”

“But isn"t is bad without those too? Like, ya can"t hold the filling without the sides, and it isn"t a crepe anymore.”

“Then… Right, just don"t even have crepes! Burgers are in, anyway; just tell crepe shops to give up!”

“Ah, you"re right! Niwa-kun, you"re really good at being reasonable!”

“...This girl… Just when I wish she"d deny something, she"d give me a big smile.”

Bonk~ Niwa-kun collapsed… Hm? Did I… say something weird?

Niwa-kun is just that — interesting, but hard to get sometimes.

“Oh, I know!” I tried to snap… And failed. My fingers just rubbed together lamely.

“Hm?”

“I like the crust!”

“Puwah!”

“Oh oh! You look like a tipped fish tank!”

Did the Oolong tea and his windpipe play a prank on him?

...Mm, there was a day like that anyway.

That was in the beginning of June, about two weeks ago, when I had this conversation with Niwa-kun at the burger place.

You want to know how I felt? It"s a bit difficult to say out loud! But it was the most recent happy time we had, so sometimes I think about it.

Mainly when I"m feeling tired and down.

Though I"m always sleepy in morning cla.s.ses after practice, to the point where I miss my bed, the feeling of freedom will always come after club activity ends after school; I wouldn"t want to go home directly, it"s unbelievable.

For negative emotions, the feeling during cla.s.s time is pretty important.

“Hey ya~ Ryuushi!”

When I was wiping the gym floor with a mop, Mikki, my club mate, came to my side and spoke. She"s a girl cuter than Ryuushi who came from the city part of town.

“How can I help ya, ya naughty kid who got Ryuuko-san"s name wrong?”

Just how widespread is this erroneous nickname of mine? Could it be the entire school? Jeez, Ryuushi-san is so famous; she"s honest and flexible… Wait, now"s not the time to feel happy!

“Before we head home, wanna go hang out at Tamura"s?”

As for why this girl"s nickname is Mikki, it"s because she likes that one mouse in a certain park. Even though she"s a girl, she"s not M*nnie. Don"t make me say the rest! By the way, she"s a tough one who can go enjoy an amus.e.m.e.nt park on her own.

“Obaa-chan"s store? Mm~...” I felt my tummy through the uniform to confirm multiple things: “Sure, it"s been a while.” During the winter of first grade, I often went there after club activity.

“You"re cooperative sometimes, Ryuushi~”

“I told ya it"s Ryuuko! And no one ever says that!” Sigh, because… I"ve been hanging out with Niwa-kun recently.

But speaking of Niwa-kun, he"s been having the habit of leaving as soon as school"s out this week. Did something happen? My curiosity rolled like a ball in the bottom of my heart.

Was I too cruel refusing his offer? That"s going to be… problematic~

Our job was finished after we wiped the floor. On our way to the changing room in the gym, we traded a "good job guys~" with the volleyball team that we pa.s.sed before leaving.

I opened up the cellphone left sitting in my bag to check for messages… Yay~ the battery is fully charged. Hahah… Hmph, I"m sick of seeing the black numbers in my calendar; I don"t even have a day off. Seriously~ a birthday is a personal holiday, why not just take the day off? Just kidding— my birthday is at the end of month!

Today was the eighteenth of June. About ten more days. Mom always buys me delicious (but expensive) cake! I"m so excited!

“Hmm~” I stretched, my spine crackled and the elbows followed as if complaining. A surge what felt like energy came from my feet.

Tomorrow is Sat.u.r.day, awesome! And that"s why today"s club ended on an especially high note. Even the weather was the rare sunny day during rainy season. The only problem was the humidity, like melting snow, sticking to the skin as if "ah, it"s going to rain!"

“Sorry for the wait, Ryuushi! Stripping so fast as usual, eh?”

Mikki, who came out later than I did, spat lines that would lead to misunderstanding and pat my shoulder.

“You"re just slow! Whatever~ Let’s go.”

I pointed to the bicycle lot and strode forward proudly. Walk, walk, walk… Run, run, run. I switched to running halfway to catch to Mikki who outpaced me.

“You walk slow.”

With her usual expression of slight apathy, Mikki, who"s my height, criticized me.

“A walk should be with a relaxed mind, s’what I believe.”

“But you"re pretty fast at running!”

“Ya may call me Cheetah Ryuuko.” Just like a certain Jaguar someone![1]

“Is it cuz you don"t strip?”

“Mikki, what you say sometimes go through time and s.p.a.ce.”

And could ya stop making Ryuuko-san into some weird character?

Ah, but "only sometimes go through time and s.p.a.ce" sounds like an idiom!

Walk, walk, walk mixed with some run, run, run, we came to the lot. Kendo members who also just left club were also there, chatting while getting on their bikes.

After saying a few words with some friends there, I came to the side of my ride who waited patiently for her chance to shine.

“That reminds me, we haven’t seen the dog in a while.”

“Dog?”

“The stray dog with black fur. Doesn"t he sometimes come around here, and even into the school?”

“Ah~ I remember. Hm~ Maybe… He was, um, kidnapped?”

“I guess so~”

I picked up and put on the helmet that was placed upside down in the basket. Mikki saw the scene and chuckled lightly:

“It"s always hilarious to see you do that!”

“Do ya wanna try it? Rather than watching, it"s more fun to do it!”

“No thanks. Ryuushi and helmet are born for each other!”

She laughed. Hmm~ … It was probably a compliment! Oh well~ I opened the bicycle lock and lift the body outside of the spot, clank~ I rode forward, and then was pa.s.sed by Mikki. "Uguu~" She slowed down for me, and subtly laughed her head off. Grr, she"s a quick one!

“Also, you ride super slow.”

“I"ve always been the kid who can"t do the three-legged race.”

Even Niwa-kun was able to let off his pent up frustration after getting a new bicycle. I jokingly told him off with an angry voice, and then he said "then… I"ll ride behind Ryuushi-san." I"m happy and all, but I told ya I"m not Ryuushi!

We rode out the school gate toward the opposite direction of our home.

When I was little, my friends and I would always hang out at the store Tamura Obaa-san runs, which we were now heading to. Everyone"s parents would tell him or her that "don"t believe in anything that old lady says!" She has always been a strange lady who likes to talk about aliens.

For example, she always says things like "Aliens don"t live in this world — they live outside of it." She also always pet our heads and say stuff like "I hope the aliens don"t take you away~"

Because she treats the aliens like G.o.ds, I dunno… I think it"s more like religious beliefs.

But even so, everyone loved Obaa-chan"s weird stories. Compared to teachers" "read your books! Do your works!" we like those more… Uh, of course! But at the time, I actually looked forward to them.

Under her influence, I even ran to the astronomy lab outside of town with everyone to look for aliens. In the end, I never saw one… Oh, but maybe that one time? And it was recent, from not too long ago. I met a self-proclaimed alien.

Did that boy properly return "home?"

“Oh yeah, Ryuushi~ Heard you got a boyfriend now, is it true?”

“Wha?” I swirled, almost b.u.mping into Mikki"s bike.

“Ah, looking at your reaction, it must be true!” Mikki continued riding calmly.

“Ugh, no… I"m just surprised because I, the normal Ryuuko, have rumors!”

“That’s why you’re surprised?”

Mikki shot me a belittling look. How would you know as a basketball varsity member.

“But, boyfriends, huh… Hm~ I have no idea what ya mean.”

Oh, does she mean Niwa-kun? I only realized after speaking, so I didn"t lie!

Is it because I eat lunch with him?

“You know what they say: "there is no wave without wind."

“Does that mean where there is no wave, the wind doesn"t blow~?”

“Ryuushi, have you ever think about what you say?”

“Hmm~hm, never.” Hehehe, I tricked her.

After a bit of chatting, we were at the Tamura Shop. We parked next to the store; besides us, there was already a bicycle there. As if lining up, we put the bicycles into a row. Just when I took off the helmet and put it in the basket, Mikki laughed again.

Vending machine, bench with paint falling off its legs, tilted signs that was never changed, and the window that"s blurred by age.

Under the push of nostalgia and my own past, I pulled open that wrongly installed slide door:

“Obaa-san, good afternoon~”

I consciously greeted the old lady who should always be sitting inside the store.

“Ah—“

The right hand I lifted petrified at the fingertip, because my prediction was way off.

Due to my stopping in the track, Mikki ran into me; I could even hear her complaining "what are you doing~?" But my neck stiffened, unable to turn.

The other person was probably shocked as well: she dropped the bag of potato chips in her hands, and then hurriedly picked up the bag to her chest and stared over here.

“Oh, it"s the thing inside of the futon roll.”

Mikki observed the inside over my shoulder, rudely pointing at the person. FYI, if someone points at M*ckey Mouse and tells her "so the person in there…" she will give whomever said it a serious slap. Not that it"s irrelevant.

Even Touwa Erio-san, whose history is like a flaw, began to reveal a suspicious reaction; she still lowered her head and nodded meaninglessly. I stared at the friend I came with.

“…...”

What is this awkwardness? Is it because I haven"t seen her without the futon for a really long time?

No, there seemed to be reasons other than that.

Only, I think Touwa-san"s and I were awkward for different reasons.

We gazed at each others uncomfortably with downcast eyes, and then…

“Touwa...E...rio-san.” I almost blurted something like Eru-rio.

“You"re… Ryuushi...What"s-her-face...” Just as her usual uncertain speech, her words did not contain the correct answer.

I said my name is Ryuuko!

“Looking at this bench, it looks like a bus would totally stop by.”

“*Breathing* (Seriously)!”

“Ah, if a cat bus comes, then it"ll be purrfect~”

Meow~ Mikki had on an immodest face. She"s very knowledgeable in that kind of things, addicted and even completely obedient to cute things. As for the same rule, I only half agree.

We sat on the Tamura Store"s bench outside, sipping on the cup ramen we just bought. Mine was fried noodle, and Mikki"s Ramen flavor. Ramen has soup, so would it make people fatter? Constantly worrying about this subtly, I always choose fried noodles. But I still eat Ramen when it"s out of stock.

Though we talked, my gaze was mostly not on the noodles or Mikki, but floated into the store. Even if the store was dark, the light fortunately lit up the inside, so I could peek through the gla.s.s. I could only the right-half, but Touwa-san"s interestingly colored hair will occasionally enter my sight, reflecting the scene of her cleaning. And thus, I stared continuously.

“What"s wrong, Ryuushi?” Mikki slurped on the ramen, poking my side with her elbow.

“I said to call me Ryuuko, Mikki!”

“What, does Erio bother you that much?”

“Not really~”

“Hm, it"s only natural. Why is she working at a place like this?!”

Mikki, who just ignored my words, tasted the shrimps in the cup and nodded. If it"s just the second half, I too agree it is unbelievable. Now that I think about, the futon-roll hasn"t been around lately~ I did thought so.

“But, like, wouldn"t it be better if we don"t come anymore?”

“Eh? Why?”

Suddenly hearing her say that we should avoid coming here, I looked to Mikki. She began her explanation only after sucking, chewing and swallowing a few noodles:

“Cuz Erio"s here!”

“Hm, ok...”

“Now isn"t the time to stop thinking, Ryuushi!”

“Ryuuko!”

“Think about what happened at school. I"m gonna be frank — Erio is mental. You don"t want to be seen around her, right?”

“Ah...”

The roots of Mikki"s idea sprouted from the mud; I had to agree.

I remember the scene when Touwa-san reappeared after missing for half a year. Even during cla.s.s time, she didn"t care… During lunch, she would even drive everyone out of the room… The situation at that time was really bad.

We weren"t in the same cla.s.s in first year, so I wasn"t a complete victim. Seeing her wearing that futon around, I even thought "that"s pretty cute" so I didn"t hate her.

But it"s so complicated! Especially with Niwa-kun. N-no, Niwa-kun and I are just friends.

“Letting Erio welcome customers. Doesn"t that seem more like unwelcoming them?”

“Uu… Oh! Isn"t it cuz of that?”

“Because of what?”

“Because of the aliens— that"s why she works with Tamura Obaa-san.”

“Oh, I see.” Mikki"s reply was still filled with an att.i.tude half of "whatever." “Now that you mentioned it, the old lady wasn"t in the front. Is she inside?”

“Yeah, I hope she"s doing ok!”

As if swayed by the topic, I stole another glance into the store. No signs of Touwa-san.

For a while we were wordless. Only the sound of sipping and drinking echoed on the damp bench.

Then, a man about forty — similar to my dad"s age — came over on a bicycle and stopped a bit after the Tamura shop and us. He wore a suit, so probably a salary man? He s.p.a.ced out looking up toward the store"s roof. I secretly guessed, that if his one of the town"s resident, he would have seen the futon weirdo. If he goes inside the shop and see the true face of the futon-roll Touwa-san, would he be surprised, or disgusted? The thought of those reactions upset me, but since the reason was also Touwa-san herself, I felt it was only natural, or not my business. In any case, emotions of all sorts blended together messily and lied in my heart. I don"t hate Touwa-san, but it"s kinda like "hm…" Ah, but she did give me the nickname "Ryuushi" in P.E so I have to take some points away.

According to Maekawa-san, Touwa-san is Niwa-kun"s cousin, and they live together… Under the same roof, how shameless (ハレンチク)! If I was a disciplinary teacher, Niwa-kun would not have escaped the consequence of a shaved head. Heheh, fortunately I"m just a simple student, so he"s lucky to be alive… I tried to bolster myself for a sec. Ahh~ Am I actually a very blessed girl? I dunno why, but my friends always say it~ They always call me a blessed person.

In the end, the man never walked inside and kept going forward in his bike. In the bicycle"s basket there was a big cardboard box; perhaps of its weight, he struggled with jaw clenched to peddle. Mikki stopped her chopsticks as well, shooting her gaze at the man who had just left. I saw the box he was carrying. It was cola…I think? If the label on the box was right.

Oh! Ryuuko-san"s English ability has finally appeared boldly for the sake of a chance! It might be hard to believe, but I am actually certified with level three English! But nothing for the Kanji examination that I took at the same time.[2]

“Are those stolen?”

“Hard to say. Probably not.”

“Then it must be Otonakai!”

“Hm, Otonakai.” [3]

Mikki and I traded looks and nodded, and both of us smiled for some reason.

“Are those all for himself?”

“Maybe he won it in some event, like a kid"s party or something.”

“Mm… Maybe. Or maybe he"s just a cola addict.”

“Mikki can read what"s on the box! Tch~”

“Are you looking down on me?”

While laughing, we sucked on the remaining noodles.

“Also, did you see that guy"s ear?” Mikki pointed to departed back and asked.

“Eh? Does he have big ears?”

“No~ I meant the thing he had on his ear. What was that?”

“Oh~...”

Mikki, who drank all of the soup, asked her question again just as I finished:

“I"ve actually talk to that guy before!”

“Eh?”

“He asked a lot about Erio, so I told him at my discretion.”

“Oh~...” So Touwa-san is someone dangerous enough to be followed by that guy?

Maybe Mikki"s att.i.tude of "a true man will not stand beside a collapsing wall" is correct!

As of Niwa-kun… Hm~ Is it because he"s not a true man?

“What do we do with the garbage?”

“Wuu...” If it were before, Obaa-chan will always say "I"ll take it" and take them for us.

I naturally looked inside the store.

...Ah, there was someone else besides Touwa-san. A male student stood next to her as if taking care of her.

Was he in there earlier? Also, the bike that was there… Kuh, the mystery has been solved.

“It"s ok, just bring them back!” I waved my hands and said: “No!”

“Hm? Sure, I don"t like letting Erio help me anyway.”

“Hmhm.”

I brushed her off with a sound and stood from the bench. Mikki got up as well.

We patted our skirts, circled into the store toward the bicycles.

Just before leaving, I looked back once. There was nothing inside.

“Oh right. Ryuushi, free tomorrow?”

“It"s Ryuuko. What’s up?” I turned back while replying.

“Wanna go buy some accessories? I found some super cute stuff!”

“Tomorrow, huh...” Because it"s a Sat.u.r.day, there is no club, and the weather seemed good. “I’ve already made plan, sorry.”

What I saw in the store was way more important than hanging out with friends.

It is probably, for now.

When Niwa-kun first transferred here, I thought maybe he had become, to me, a kind of "candy." This is what I thought of when I ate alone during lunch.

How do I put it? Like the sort that is put on the side, when you wanna take a breather or if your mouth is a bit lonely, the candy that you"d want… Did I think of him like that? I wondered.

When we"re alone, someone I can easily say hi to… That kind of feeling.

That"s why sometimes when I"m alone, I feel stuffy.

I dunno why, but that"s what I think.

Hmmmng. I start to realize how strange this whole thing is.

The rain got stronger as well. No doubt that this is the summer rain — rather than sinking into the body, it sticks onto your body along with things other than just water. Because of the humidity, clothes glued tightly on me.

Splatter, splatter… The sound of rain falling on the asphalt road and rooftops almost made me lose my calm. Every time it happens, I would concentrate by repeatedly closing and opening my eyes.

Uh, firstly… Let’s try to sort out the situation after coming here today.

Today was the day after yesterday, so Sat.u.r.day. My reason for not hanging out with Mikki was, in simple terms, to keep an eye on the Tamura Shop. As for why, it"s because yesterday… I discovered Niwa-kun in the store. How shameless! Well, I dunno why I"m so angry either.

Because Mikki, a potential bomb, was there yesterday, I just went home. However, if Niwa-kun does show up today, I will a.s.sault him with a "bang!" I planned so and left home this morning.

Around ten o"clock in the morning, I rode to where the Tamura Shop is and hid in the corner to monitor the entrance — this was the so-called "Tailing." Who would have known that watching the alien headquarter — the astronomy lab — would become useful on day? I seemed to have gotten bored of it quickly then and played ball instead.

Looking back at past experience, I prepared beforehand a music player to let my favourite music absorb the boredom. At the same time, I stuck closely to a wall to quietly watch the store. The song that played in my ears was a drama or movie theme released a year ago by a female singer named "Nijou Owari" (二条オワリ). The singer wrote in her history booklet that she was accidentally discovered while singing in front of a train station about six or seven years ago.[4]

It also said that she likes dogs, which made me like her more. As for her songs, the lyrics and tones known for being "pessimistic yet cheerful" don"t provide a sense of straightforwardness. After listening, I agree with the review.

"I didn’t think it’d sell so well – this world is truly full of lies," she said so with a naive smile on her first TV appearance — It left me with an impression, which is why I bought the CD and listened to it in times like now.

Mm, let’s not talk about this for now. In the middle of waiting for Niwa-kun, the weather worsened as well. The sunny day of the morning collapsed; the shapes of cloud gradually changed as well. Every time when the clouds moved, the sky was as if painted many times by a brush soaked in ink. In about twenty minutes, I successfully observed with my head the first rain of the day.

Just when I decided to move to somewhere with a cover… A problem appeared.

Ugh, it"s like, there were other people watching this store. Two people, actually.

One of them looked like a woman of about thirty, and the other was the Cola guy from yesterday. Since the rain began scattering, the two of them moved as if they"re being chased. The problem became more obvious: because of their locations, neither of the shuffling people noticed each other’s" existence — but I saw everything. I only moved after observing this scene; my shoulders were now a bit wet.

The omen of a plot loomed! Hmmm, I really don"t get what I said either. Still, does everyone understand what I"m trying to say? There was some sort of a secret in this shop! Somethin" like that.

With the grocery store as the center, the female hid by the corner on the edge of the road. On the opposite side was me who hid half my body, and the cola guy. I could see the cola guy clearly, but if the woman moved a bit she"d completely disappear.

“Eh? A spotted cat sat anxiously by my legs. Was it hiding from the rain? Even when I met eyes with it, the cat didn"t do anything but waited.

“Gah~” I tried to scare it with my arms raised… Ah, it actually ran away. Since when did I have the power to threaten cats? I felt a little guilty: “Come back~”

Splash~ Though I tried calling the silhouette back, my voice was drowned by the rain, unable to get its reaction.

I swallowed my tears and returned to observing the cola guy, as well as decided to be gentler next time when I meet a cat.

He wore the wrinkly suit today as well — something that has nothing to do with the weekend. There was indeed something on his ears… What are those? Things that looked like they"re supposed to hang on a pet"s ears. Cola guy slid his body in between the telephone pole and the wall, nervously looking left and right for something. What if, his target was also Niwa-kun…. Though I almost had this thought, I stopped in the middle. If he put on shades, he"d look like a spy from those cheesy movies. As for the Tamura Shop that"s being watched by this kind of dude… The level of alien-ness suddenly rose. Was he the investigator of a certain alien department?

A certain File"s mysteriousness also came from overseas. What is he here for? The signature of the alien? Maybe it hides the secret phrase that would lead to the next step of human-alien relationship. Or maybe, Nozuchi was the pet of an alien, but it was kidnapped during the recent stray animal abduction, and the guy has been looking for him all over the town. Mm~ Looks like I"m pretty wacky too. The world-view Obaa-chan planted in my head circulated like poison. If this keeps up, I might be suspected if I try to carry out my action of "doubting common sense!"[5]

Cola guy was still looking around. Even though I was hiding, he still didn"t see me. His eyes didn"t seem too good. Probably because my clothes and the wall had similar colours, so they looked like one thing? I could actually use camouflage to my advantage; maybe the infiltration four months ago was a useful experience. Hold~ Hold on~ Setting Earth aside, this atmosphere was as if I"m shouldering the burden that is the existence of this town. What would happen if I was found… Wait, no, why am I so excited?

Am I a s.p.a.ce kid who is unfit to laugh at Touwa-san? I used to like the game of "pretend." This hand-sweating monitor that was gradually going off-course…

“Phoo~”

“Keewah!” Someone b-b-blew air, she did.[6]

The sudden attack caused me to slide; just when I was about to land my b.u.t.t on the drenched road, I was saved. The person who reach her hand out must have been the same who blew air at me. Held by another, I was able to resume my stance.

“What a close call!”

The smiling person who self-directed this crisis-and-rescue was none other than the woman I just saw. She wore a suit, and looking at her closely, there was actually some wrinkles on her face. But I don’t know how to describe it: her appearance still emits childishness. Even the umbrella she held was yellow… A color belonging to a grade schooler.

Did she see me and circled all the way behind me? Frankly speaking, what a weirdo!

"The smiling person who self-directed this crisis-and-rescure was none other than the woman I just saw."

“What are you doing at Tamura’s?”

“Eh? Ugh~ You are?”

“Me? You may call me the smooth-skinned sensei!”

She beamed at me an expectant smile. T-that aside, our conversations had been questions since earlier – are we running in circles?

“Here, do you want some?” The person who wished to be called smooth-skinned sensei handed me a half-finished cola. Though I took it without a second thought, I wouldn’t even think about drinking it. Because the education of my mom, who taught me ‘don’t take anything from strangers~’ is deeply seated in me. Ryuushi-san is actually considered a good kid. Well, about half… The bottle bobbed in my hand.

“Who are you waiting for with a toast in your mouth? How ambitious of you, even though it’s raining.”

“I’m here for a friend who is more important than my friends.”

“In adolescent terms, you’re worrying way too much for just a friend!”

“If I were ta think about question about where we stand, the place beneath my throat would feel stuffy.”

“Mmhm, It’s love”

“Is’t weird?”

“Ehh, not too different!”

“Really?”

We conversed in incomprehensible words. Because I had a feeling that I must not think too deeply, I’ve only replied shallowly:

“What about smooth-skinned sensei? Why are you playing spy?”

“I’m not ‘playing’!”

“Really?”

“Mm, it’s kind of like parent visit day?”

“Oh… Well, there’s actually a cola guy playing spy there too.”

“A guy?” Smooth-skinned sensei’s neck rolled softly. She stared at the person, ‘oh, oh’ed twice with a momentary, confused glance, but immediately declared: “That’s a s.p.a.ce stalker.”

“What a large-scaled stalker.” It seemed like he can shoot laser beams while sneaking around?

“He is a fan of the smooth-skinned sensei – me!”

“Eh? If that’s so, then smooth-skinned sensei is a mochi from s.p.a.ce?”[7]

“The very same one that was flattened in Apollo 11!”[8]

Just before I became the bad kid who talks with strangers, a bicycle’s brake screeched as if sliding in the rain. “Ah!” There he is!

Didn’t teachers tell us to not hold an umbrella on a bike? That boy is publically defying their teachings! “Then, I must get going!” I began preparing for a dash with some stretches. “Mm~? Ah, mm~” Smooth-skinned sensei shot the cola guy a glance and stared at me. After looking back and forth busily, she finally nodded in understanding.

“Then, I’m going!”

“Bye~”

She revealed a smile of habit for seeing someone off and waved.

Under smooth-skin sensei’s watch, I sprinted into the store at a speed too fast for an umbrella.

When it comes to running, I am super~duper~fast~!Translator"s notes and referencesJump up↑ Referring to Jaguar Yokota, a j.a.panese female wrestlerJump up↑ j.a.panese certification system with 12 levels, the lower the number the higher difficulty. Not sure with English, but could be similar. Makoto has level 3 for Kanji, which is middle school level, meaning Ryuushi...Jump up↑ 大人買い originally meant adult buying a large amount of kid"s toys, it later on extends to buying whole volumes of manga, videos, hobby items etcJump up↑ I thought at first it might have been Makoto"s mother, but she is not. If you search the name up, I believe you can find this name in other works by Iruma HitomaJump up↑ Referring to X-FilesJump up↑ From the text it seemed that she used the suffix でござる, which is an old way of saying です. As for why Ryuushi said it, it"s probably just because she talks funnyJump up↑ I translated Mochi-mochi sensei as smooth-skinned. It happened to be the same sound as mochi, the food.Jump up↑ The first aircraft that carried human onto the surface of the moon. Think Neil Armstrong

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