Kenkyo, Kenjitsu o Motto ni Ikite Orimasu

The next week at cram school, I asked Akizawa-kun about how Fukioka-san was after that.

“Mmmm, for some reason she seemed awfully conscious of you.”

“I thought so.”

In her position, I’d be interrogating him to the end.

“I think she had some weird misunderstanding about you.”

“A weird misunderstanding? Specifically?”

“She kept asking if I liked you, or if you liked me instead. Ah-! Of course, I denied it, okay!? Because I definitely don’t think that you like me in that way! Sorry if I made you feel bad.”

“No, it is fine.”

I’m not angry. It’s quite often that that’s how it is, after all.

“It looks like Fukioka-san likes you, Akizawa-kun.”

I decided to say it with conviction.

“Ueeeh-!? What the heck are you saying so suddenly. Eh? Eh?”

“Now now, calm down. Well? How about it? Have you noticed her feelings?”

“Feelings? I mean, we’re like siblings…”

“What on earth are you doing saying such tepid things. The fact that Fukioka-san is in love with you is as clear as day. Well, how about it? Are you saying that you have not noticed her feelings?”

Akizawa-kun went silent.

“Even if you fall silent, you shall not escape me.”

“Uu… Aren’t you acting a little differently than usual? Aahh, as for Sakurako liking me, I’m not really sure. I know that she’s fond of me, but it might just be as childhood friends, right? Ah, but in kindergarten she said… Umm, she said that she wanted to marry me, so,”

Cliche.

“And so since then, she has been giving you Valentines chocolate each year. After all, you two are always visiting each other’s homes, correct?”

“Eh-, you could tell?”

“Of course I could tell.”

I’ve seen through it all.

“I suppose that given that your families are close as well, since little, they have been saying things such as ‘It’d be great if these two got married, huh~’ or ‘I wonder if Sakurako-chan would be willing to join our family as a bride~’ ‘My! Please do take her.’ as well?”

“How come you know!? That’s exactly right.”

Of course, of course.

“I can see your future, Akizawa-kun.”

“Eh-, what the heck?”

“In the future, if you marry anybody other than Fukioka-san, the relationship between your Okaasama and your wife will be strained.”

“How come?”

“Your Okaasama has been thinking all these years that it would be good if you married Fukioka-san, whom she dotes on. And Fukioka-san desires this as well. But then, if you brought along some other woman, naturally they would feel unpleased. If Fukioka-san cried in secret, things would be terrible. Your Okaasama would hate your wife.”

“Mum wouldn’t…”

In my past life, on the Thursday night drama I watched, it was terrifying when the guy married a woman his mother didn’t like.

“And so, Akizawa-kun, you must be prepared to choose.”

“Prepared?”

Akizawa-kun turned a little pale.

“In the case that you choose to accept Fukioka-san’s feelings, you must be prepared to eventually marry her someday. At the end of the day, you two are family friends. If the two of you break up midway, things will become extremely awkward. If in the case that you choose not to accept her feelings, then it would be better to say so as soon as possible. If you continue to drag this out, one day…”

“One day?”

“One day it will be a bloodbath.”

Since the teacher arrived, class began. Akizawa-kun was pale and couldn’t concentrate on class, but I said what I needed to, so I was feeling refreshed now.

It’s definitely not because I’m jealous of his cliched protagonist position, and felt like bullying him a little.

*imouto*

*imouto*

Since then, for some reason Akizawa-kun started consulting me about Fukioka-san.

When they were in kindergarten, his childhood friend Fukioka Sakurako failed the Suiran entrance on purpose, and decided to commute to a Catholic-style ojousama school. Since their families lived nearby, they’ve been close since they were born, and it was the same even in kindergarten, so she wanted to go to the same school as Akizawa-kun, but because Fukioka-san’s okaasama is an alumni of Yurinomiya Girls School, she wanted her daughter to go to the same school no matter what, and so Fukioka-san tearfully gave up on Suiran. But lately, that Fukioka-san has been talking about wanting to join Suiran again. Nine cases out of ten, it’s because of me. When I met her the other day I thought that she was a graceful and proper Japanese-styled beauty, but when it comes to romance, she seems to be the reckless type. A female mini-Kaburagi, I guess?

“What am I supposed to do.”

“Let us see…”

Honestly speaking, I have absolutely no experience outside of reading shoujo manga in my past life. I’m not the type of person who should be giving out romantic advice to others. Now then, what to do.

“For now, Fukioka-san’s greatest worry would be myself, correct? In that case, what if Fukioka-san attended this cram school as well? After all, the two of us rarely interact at school.”

To be honest, this seems like it’d be even more bothersome, so I actually don’t want her coming here. But it’s for Akizawa-kun’s sake. Can’t be helped. So well, I guess if she sees for herself that ‘I’m not a rival, you know~ I’m just a normal friend to him, you know~’ then it’s all good.

*imouto*

Akizawa-kun immediately suggested this to Fukioka-san, and apparently she would be attending come Spring, when we enter 5th grade. And to Akizawa-kun who hadn’t quite made up his mind, the fact that her Valentines chocolate was even grander this year, was a little scary to him.

As for me, I guess as usual, I was just pulling the noose around my own neck.

 

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