Kenkyo, Kenjitsu o Motto ni Ikite Orimasu

I’ve been over the moon since falling for Romeo-senpai.
So over the moon that I can’t do a thing about it. Awake, asleep, my mind is always filled with Romeo-senpai.
I’ve been doing things like checking his class schedule to see if I ever have a chance to pass by him, or staring hard out the window to see him during P.E. class.
Even when I get home, before I know it I’m thinking about Romeo-senpai, and end up picking at flower petals.
My the results of my urara flower divinations was unfavourable. But using the flower with my name, I’ll break through with guts and willpower!

Anyhow, as I was spending my days like that, my ranking fell on the end-of-term tests. Hard.
Of course it did. I pretty much never studied, after all. I was too busy being happy.
And honestly, even I didn’t think I would fall this badly.

When I realised my name wasn’t on the published list, the girls around me said stuff like “What a shame~” but I thought that I’d fallen only 2 or 3 places at most.
But when I looked at my slip, I had fallen over thirty ranks.
This is a critical moment. Critical like trying to keep my balance on the point of a cliff. “As expected of Reika-sama” is in the past now. It was incredibly short-lived.
Honestly, these marks are just horrible…

Or so I was thinking to myself, depressed, when my homeroom teacher suddenly called for me. And to the student counselling room, no less.
I’ve got a terrible, terrible feeling about this.
I wondered what she was going to say as I headed there in depression. When I arrived, my homeroom teacher asked me for my thoughts on my term-end results.
Well, even if they ask me that, I’m so shocked by my ranking drop that I honestly don’t know what to say. What should I say?
Or so I was wondering in a daze, when she made a difficult expression and looked at me.

“Honestly speaking, it was completely unexpected that you would fall this far, Kisshouin-san. I’ve seen your grades in primary school, and they were exceptional. I asked all the other teachers as well, and they all told me that you took your lessons seriously, your exams results were splendid, and that you were an excellent, model student. I thought so too. As a teacher, I had almost no worries about you.”

“And yet,” she continued, “how do you explain this drop in results? If something happened, please speak to me about it.”

Well, even if she asks me how, it’s simply that I fell in love and didn’t study, so I definitely can’t tell her the truth.

“I believe that I was simply lacking in effort this time. I truly apologise.”

“You know, things have become a problem. It isn’t just your results. Lately your attitude in class has been an issue as well. A number of teachers have told me that in class you simply sit there in a daze, without really trying. And the result can be seen in your grades. Just what on earth happened, I wonder.”

Eh-, it’s become this big of a deal? Just because my marks fell!?
Or rather, isn’t this the kind of thing you say to problem students!?
Far from “as expected of Reika-sama”, I’ve turned into one of those problem children that get called in to the counselling room!

“You know, Kisshouin-san, could it be that some bad boy is tricking you?”

“Hah?”

What’s this all of a sudden?

“When it comes to girls worsening their behaviour, most of the time a boy is involved. That the diligent model student that you were has changed this much… Could it be that you have begun dating some strange man?”

Sensei leaned forward as she asked this.
In other words, I began dating some bad man, and I fell onto the path of a delinquent?
Oh my gosh.
To think that while I was being over the moon, I almost got the label of ‘delinquent girl’ attached to me!

“No, absolutely not.”

Far from a bad boy, he’s the esteemed Student Council President, famous as a model student, and loved by all the teachers.
And far from dating him, I haven’t even had a chance to talk properly before.
All that I did was go “Guhuhu, Romeo-senpai~” and roll about in my room.
Even though this is all just because I accidentally lost control of my lazy side, the situation turned into a surprisingly huge matter!

“It has reached the point where we believe it would be best to try contacting your guardians.”

EEHH!? IT’S THAT BAD!?
And I’m even being brought up as an issue at your staff meetings!?
Aren’t there plenty of girls with way worse grades than me!? Why am I the only one being portrayed like I’m on the straight road to delinquency!?

“Umm, it truly is not big deal. I simply became a little too relaxed this time. I am reflecting on it, and will try my best next time.”

“…The staff here has great trust in you, Kisshouin-san. The shock we received from this was not small, you know. Also, would you consider taking summer remedials?”

“Remedials?”

In the middle school section, they have remedial classes during the summer break for kids with bad grades. Kids that are particularly studious also attend them, but they’re in the minority.
Remedials… “As-Expected-of” Reika-sama going to remedials…
But going to those remedials also serves as a way for them to keep an eye on my behaviour.
After all, sometimes there are kids who undergo shocking changes during the summer break. That’s exactly when kids start making bad friends.
But Sensei, far from bad friends, I barely have any normal friends. I have almost no friends who will play with me outside of school…
Just how on earth am I supposed to turn into a delinquent if I’m just sitting at home all day?

Well, can’t be helped. You reap what you sow.
Now that it’s come to this, all I can do is repair my reputation.

“I understand. I shall attend the remedials.”

My first summer break as a middle school student, turned into quite a tearful event.

*imouto*

*imouto*

On the first day of remedials, I headed for school.

After I came out to my family about going to remedials, they were in shock.
Okaasama was bewildered, saying “With grades like this, must you go to remedials?”, but I think it’s more about the drop in my rankings that’s shocked the teachers.
But if I went with a stupidly honest reply like, “The teachers think I’m being tricked by a bad man.” things would really blow up, so I didn’t say a thing though.
As for Oniisama, he fell into thought as he looked at my report card.
I’m sorry for being a disappointing sister.

But I really have reflected a lot, this time.
Although it was pretty shocking that just a drop in grades turned into such a huge matter.
Still, I’ll admit that my lifestyle turned quite lazy.
I also inconvenienced a lot of people, and caused them to worry too.
My home tutor, Karin-sensei, became a little depressed because she thought it was the fault of her teaching style.

And also, becoming fatter because of my idle lifestyle is actually the biggest issue here.
I used to have these clear dimples when I smiled, but lately they’ve become harder to see because of the meat.
I’ve been ignoring it as just my imagination, but my big tummy was yelling at me, “This is your reality!”
This won’t do. I like A-line dresses, but an A-line figure is definitely a no.
This rounded tanuki stomach is definitely a no!

I’ve decided that this summer break, I’m going to turn over a new leaf and try my best.

*imouto*

The remedial lessons weren’t arranged in classes, and instead each grade would be grouped together in one room.
When I entered the classroom, the students already in there looked at me in shock.
Gokigen’yoh, everyone.
Even though I was supposed to have put on a friendly smile, all of them averted their eyes. Why.

Almost all the kids in the room were those with bad grades, and not only that, the ones that didn’t stand out at school. Well, I suppose you could say that they’re the bottom caste in the school hierarchy.
Even the kids here out of enthusiasm are all just swots and hardcore crammers.
Not a single person from my caste was here.
Even within my very own group, there are kids with grades worse than mine, but those girls all have a private tutor, or go to cram school, and would never go to remedials.
And neither would any of the more rebellious kids come.
Pretty much everybody here belongs to the harmless, docile type, and they’re all the type that quietly live out their lives at school.
When I took a seat at the back of the classroom, one of the students sitting near me, slooowly moved to another seat.
Some of the kids with friends were forming small islands, but I was stuck living on a deserted one.

When I looked out the window, oh my? Was that a mirage just now? The scenery swayed.
…I’m definitely not crying or anything.

*imouto*

*imouto*

*imouto*

The recompense for being over the moon about love, turned out to be quite large.
This heartrendingly lonely remedial lifestyle, was only just beginning.