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Chapter 17: I'm Afraid Others Might Misunderstand
"Co-habitating... isn't that a bit too fast?"
Saeko Busujima tucked her hands behind her back, her fingers nervously interlacing and rubbing against one another. Facing Suyan's proposal, she looked visibly awkward. Her breathing grew slightly more ragged than usual, yet she couldn't suppress the spark of joy rising in her heart.
Since Saeko hadn't directly refused, Suyan knew that she had already agreed in her heart—she was likely even looking forward to it. It was only her feminine reserve and conservative nature that made her embarrassed to say yes. She just needed him to give her a little push, or find a reason that was barely passable.
After all, despite her heroic and valiant demeanor, Saeko was still just an ordinary girl who had never even been in a relationship. At most, she was just a bit stronger than others and had slightly niche hobbies.
But Suyan was in no rush. He wanted to appreciate the sight of Saeko's conflicted and awkward expression. This was a precious, once-in-a-lifetime sight. Besides, it was a good way to get back at the girl for teasing him earlier.
The corners of Suyan's mouth curved upward into an almost imperceptible smirk. "What's wrong? Is Saeko-senpai unwilling? Then let's just forget about it."
"I'm not, I didn't, don't talk such nonsense!" Saeko panicked, waving her hands frantically in denial.
"Oh? So Saeko-senpai is saying she agrees?" Seeing Saeko so worked up, the smirk on Suyan's face widened as he followed up with another question.
Suyan could barely hold back the smile on his face, and Saeko finally realized she was being teased. Understanding this allowed the girl to regain some of her calm, and her body slowly relaxed.
She took a soft breath, puffed out her cheeks, and lightly poked Suyan in the chest. "Suyan, you really are a petty man." She was clearly thinking about how embarrassed he had been by her words a moment ago.
"Yeah. So, are you still moving in with me?" Suyan didn't deny it.
"Of course I am!"
Now that she had calmed down, Saeko had fully rationalized the benefits. Beyond being able to consult him about Nen at any time to grow stronger, just the thought of living under the same roof as Suyan in the future made her feel an irrepressible sense of joy.
"Good," Suyan said. "Let's go. I'll walk you home so you can grab your clothes and essentials."
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Fujimi Academy — Sojutsu Club
If kendo was a popular interest in Japan, making the Kendo Club the largest organization in the school, then sojutsu was the polar opposite. Even though Fujimi Academy had enough interested students to found a Sojutsu Club, it was practically deserted compared to the current popularity of the Kendo Club. The clubroom only had a few stray members here and there.
However, inside that clubroom...
A girl with long, flaxen hair held a long spear with both hands, thrusting frantically at the wooden dummy in front of her. She moved as if the dummy were a sworn enemy she shared a blood feud with.
Fast! Accurate! Ruthless!
Every thrust struck the exact same spot on the wooden dummy.
If not for the danger and the lack of funding for such a small club, they might have used real spearheads. Instead, they used long poles with layers of cloth wrapped around one end to represent the spearhead used for attacking. If not for that, the practice dummy would have been shredded long ago.
"Miyamoto-senpai is really working hard today. She's been going at it for so long."
"Yeah. And have you noticed? She seems to be putting a lot of extra force into her strikes today. Do you think something happened?"
"I didn't think much of it before, but now that you mention it, it does seem like it."
"What do you mean 'seems like it'? The practice dummy is clearly about to be shredded. My guess? Maybe she got dumped."
"Probably not. I heard she was held back a year for some reason."
"So we should start calling her Miyamoto-san now, right?"
The girl in training seemed not to hear the discussion around her. She continued to thrust her spear with absolute focus. If anyone had leaned in close to her lips, they might have heard her barely audible grumbles: "Damn Koichi Shido... Damn Takashi Komuro... Annoying Suyan!"
With every name muttered, she delivered another strike.
This girl was Miyamoto Rei. Although she had a surname that made her sound like she should be strong with a sword, she wasn't a member of the Kendo Club; she was a spearwoman.
"Miyamoto-san, club hours are over. It's time to head out."
Finally, Rei's training was interrupted by the Sojutsu Club President. She snapped back to reality instantly.
"Oh no, is it that late already?"
It was only then that she remembered she had forgotten to return the bento box to Suyan after cleaning it. The girl put down her training equipment. "Sorry, President! I just remembered I have some urgent business to take care of. Can I leave first?"
After getting the President's permission, Rei hurried out of the activity room.
"If I remember correctly, Suyan is in the Kendo Club, right? I wonder if he's left yet," Rei muttered to herself as she rushed toward the dojo. The mere thought of Suyan's annoying face made the girl feel a surge of irritation in her stomach. If she didn't return the bento box today, there was no telling how Suyan would try to anger her tomorrow.
"Rei! What a coincidence. Want to walk home together?"
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind, stopping her in her tracks. Rei turned around, a flash of disgust crossing her eyes.
It was her childhood friend, Takashi Komuro. He was a member of the Baseball Club, so it wasn't surprising that he hadn't left the school yet. Rei couldn't understand how this man could act like nothing was wrong after clearly hurting her.
"Komuro-kun, we aren't that close. Could you please not address me by my first name? I don't want people to get the wrong idea," she responded coldly.
"Huh?" Takashi scratched his head somewhat awkwardly. He seemed genuinely unable to comprehend why his childhood friend would suddenly speak to him like that.
In the interpersonal relationships of the Japan, boundaries are paramount. Generally, acquaintances use surnames; only close friends use given names. Addressing someone as "-kun" or "-san" with their surname usually implies distance.
"Suyan, wait a moment!"
Just then, Rei spotted Suyan leaving with Saeko Busujima. She immediately chased after them, ignoring her former childhood friend entirely.
Looking at Rei's resolute figure as she walked away, Takashi opened his mouth to say something, but the words wouldn't come. A wave of bitterness and ache welled up in his heart, along with a faint premonition that he might be losing his childhood friend forever.
It wasn't in any textbook, and no teacher had ever taught him how to deal with this. He couldn't solve it... he really couldn't!
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