REIKA-SAMA – 081

After entering high school the Emperor became even more popular. I could see in their eyes that the oneesamas in the 2nd and 3rd years seemed especially serious about catching him.
So far they’d always seen him as a middle school kid, but then now he was a high schooler just like them. Not only that but his appearance was mature so he didn’t look younger than them, and most importantly he was the heir to the Kaburagi group. You would be pretty serious considering all that.
Outside of close friends though, Kaburagi himself has been silent as usual. Thanks to that nobody noticed his faults. Silence truly is golden.
Hm. Is it my imagination that a lot of girls are wearing Yurie-sama’s haircut?

Anyway, about Emperor. One day dear Emperor was seated in the salon, partaking in a crème chiboust.

I always start gaining weight the moment I eat anything sweet so why is it that boys never gain weight despite gobbling everything down. So jealous.
Thinking about it, rumour has it that the Emperor goes horseback riding as a hobby. Maybe it really is all the exercise. He turned down the Horse-riding Club, but I bet he would have joined had it been a polo club, right? After all, he’s the Emperor of Cavalry Battles. Upfftpftt.

Maybe I should try swimming or something. But for some reason I have trouble staying underwater. Even though I’ll try my bestttt to dive downwards, I immediately start floating upwards. What the heck is that. Would it help if I went and took lessons?

While I was thinking about stupid things, a 3rd year boy came up to me.

“Reika-san, is anything bothering you? You seemed to be deeply considering something.”

Deeply considering? Uh, I thinking about how I wanted a crème chiboust too, and that I should hurry home so I can needle felt…

“No, nothing of import. I was simply pondering the theme for my next flower arrangement.”

“Ahh, that’s your hobby isn’t it. Should I find the chance I’d definitely want to have a look.”

“Goodness, my creations are certainly not good enough to be shown.”

Hmmmm. All these guys have been randomly approaching me since I’ve entered high school. And I keep getting party invitations too. I’ve been trying to turn those down though.
I mean, I’m interesting in romance but guys who come after me all calculating and stuff are a bit…
After that I continued discussing flower arrangement with the few other people who came along.

*

*

Today was the first time Sakura-chan had come to my house.
She’s an ojousama from Yurinomiya Girls School, so Okaasama quite liked her. After seeing Oniisama off to work, I lead Sakura-chan to my room.

“Wow, as expected of the Kisshouin family. Even in Yurinomiya there aren’t many girls with such big houses. And I met the heir too. Maybe I should brag to my seniors or something.”

The very moment she stepped through the door she stopped bothering with the pretenses.
I put down some chilled tea on the table, as well as the luxury fruit jelly that Sakura-chan brought as a gift.

“About Oniisama?”

“Is there any other heir? Amongst older girls he’s like the prime pick right now, you know?”

“Hmmm. Is that so.”

Gosh, I’d hate that. What if Oniisama married a gold digger. I want him to be happy.
Ah, but well, I doubt Oniisama would get caught by such a person anyway.

“Wow, this Kiwi jelly’s pretty good.”

“You really do like sweet things, don’t you Reika.”

“Uu. I’ve actually been wondering about my weight again recently… Am I still in the clear?”

“Have you been continuing yoga?”

“Mmm, just the Mountain Pose and the Corpse Pose though.”

“That’s basically just standing and lying.”

But it’s ’cause it gets so boring doing it by yourself in your room. Guess it isn’t really interesting outside of a classroom.

“Do you do anything active, Sakura-chan?”

“I’ve been doing Nichibu dancing ever since primary school.”

Ooh! A perfect fit for the Japanese-style bishoujo!

“I’ve been thinking about picking up swimming lessons.”

“…I can already see you skipping the moment winter comes along.”

Oh my gosh! I can see it too!

“Ummmmm, have you entered any clubs?”

“The Wind Instruments Club. I wanted to try the cello, and yeah.”

“Huhh. The Wind Instruments Club.”

“And you, Reika?”

“I wanted to enter the Handicrafts Club, but…”

“Handicrafts… It doesn’t really suit you, does it.”

“You think so too? All the club members seem scared of me for some reason so I’ve been worried that joining would bother them…”

“Well, at a glance you seem like the perfect ojousama and all. And you’ve got authority too. …Oh, what if you brought them some homemade sweets? It’d totally destroy your image and then they’d feel closer to you.”

Handmade sweets? I can see that happening.

“Thanks, Sakura-chan! I’ll try making some now!”

“Eh- …Serious?”

Now what should I make.

When Oniisama got home and I asked him what sweets I should make for school he told me not to give my handmade stuff to new people.

“To begin with, why this all of a sudden?”

“I want to enter the Handicrafts Club but I don’t feel very welcome so…”

“Handicrafts, huh. Speaking of which you’ve been making something or other with the stabby needle, haven’t you. That’s what you want to do in your club?”

“Mmm, well, at the club they’ve been knitting dolls. I’ve tried learning through books at home but it hasn’t been going well. And then at some point I got distracted by needle felting and…”

“Why not just be honest and tell them that you’d like it if they taught you to knit?”

“But would they…?”

“It’ll be fine.”

Oniisama patted me on the head. Wow, this brings me back. How come when Oniisama says it’ll be fine I really start to feel that way. What a mystery.
Alright! I’ll try just that then!

*

The next time the Handicrafts Club had their activities I visited by myself to avoid needlessly scaring them.
Although their faces seemed to be saying, ‘She’s here again!?‘

“Umm, to be frank there is something I would you to teach me. Would that be acceptable?”

“What is it?” asked the club president.

I took out my ball of yarn and the book on knitting dolls.

“To truth is I have been trying to knit. It has not been going terribly well, however. I thought that perhaps I could enter the Handicrafts Club and have somebody instruct me, but…”

“Knitting? You, Kisshouin-san?”

The club president seemed awfully surprised.

“What are you trying to knit?”

“This.”

I pointed it out in the book.

“Aah, there’s actually a simple trick to this. …I could teach you if you’re okay with me.”

“Truly!?”

Yay! I should have just asked to begin with!
With Club President’s help, I immediately started knitting away at the brown wool.
Since I was a beginner, and the doll was going to be rather big, it seemed like it would take quite a few trips.

Over the days I visited, the other club members opened up and started giving me all sorts of advice.
Lately they don’t even look scared when I come anymore. I’m super happy.
We talk about silly things too, and it’s just a relaxing time in general.

But to this day, they still haven’t given me a club entry form…