novellhall 75. School Days
75. School Days
The bell rang, signaling the end of get out of class.
The proctor gave the instruction to stop answering the questions. Genji Aoyama folded the exam paper, turned the answer sheet face down on the corner of the desk, and then stood up from his seat.
As the crowd poured out of the classroom, he thought about the test questions he had just taken while carrying his lunchbox as he walked out of the classroom.
Why does Hokkaido experience so much snow in winter?
The exam was a comprehensive humanities test. Throughout the entire exam, Aoyama Genji wrote with great skill, but he was unsure about the answer to this question.
Oh well, the exams are over.
Genji Aoyama thought about it and decided to stop dwelling on the question of right or wrong.
But thinking of Hokkaido inevitably reminded him of his hometown, Aomori, which is also a snowy region. Could it be for the same reason as Hokkaido?
Yes, I'm going back for the Golden Week holiday. It's a good time to change my mindset, so I'll treat it as a trip to adjust my mood. Besides, Haruka Minatsuki will be going too.
My mind is filled with a jumble of thoughts, growing wildly and unchecked.
Walking down the corridor, groups of students were discussing their recent exams, some lamenting, others calculating their scores.
Occasionally, you can hear encouraging remarks like "Go for it!" or "Be bolder!"
Genji Aoyama paid no attention, letting his thoughts wander freely.
"that……"
He was stopped by a jogging sound coming from behind him, followed by an unfamiliar voice.
"Hello." He looked at the somewhat shy girl in front of him. "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"Aoyama-kun... I like you!" The girl bent down abruptly, then held out a cutely wrapped envelope with both hands. "Can we go out together?"
"Feel sorry."
Genji Aoyama smiled and replied solemnly, "I already have a girlfriend, and I simply don't have the energy to date another one, so I'm sorry, I can't meet your expectations."
"Huh? Is that so...?"
The girl's expression froze, and she seemed to stand still. After a while, she put the envelope behind her back and forced a smile: "I'm so sorry to bother you!"
After saying that, she jogged away.
The whispers behind him turned into things like, "Huh? Didn't they say he broke up with Asahi?" "He seemed a bit frivolous?" "He's heartbroken."
Aoyama Genji was thoughtful.
He took out his phone, opened his chat with Yuko Asahi, and his mind involuntarily recalled her shy expression when he had a lap pillow with her last night.
So cute, it makes you want to tease them.
Fingers tap rapidly on the keyboard.
[Aoyama: I heard rumors on the street that we broke up. I feel like Yuuko didn't want to be close to me at school, which led to this misunderstanding. So... Genji Aoyama feels hurt and is unilaterally demanding compensation!]
The message was sent, but he figured he wouldn't receive a reply anytime soon, so he put his phone back in his pocket.
Class C was neither too close nor too far from the elevated corridor connecting the buildings. Passing groups of students chatting idly, Genji Aoyama walked into the corner.
The lunch break is too short, so students usually don't go to the special buildings. The area suddenly becomes quiet, except for the occasional burst of cheerful laughter from students in the atrium, which comes through the transparent security windows.
He suddenly felt that campus life was quite nice.
Upon reaching the fifth floor, the occasional sounds completely disappeared, the corridor was quiet, and even the footsteps echoed. Genji Aoyama opened the door to the Department of Psychological Problems Research.
"So Saki called me over..."
He was stunned by the sight before him before he could finish speaking.
Inside the event room, the original long, narrow table has been replaced with a high-end-looking coffee table, the steel tube chairs on both sides have been replaced with sofas, and appliances that weren't there before, such as a refrigerator and a microwave, have been placed in the corner...
Meanwhile, Saki Izumo was sitting on the sofa, staring blankly at a spot on the coffee table.
Even two seconds after Aoyama Genji pushed the door open, she reacted, waving and greeting, "Good afternoon, Aoyama-kun~~".
Her smile was as bright as ever.
"Why has the activity room become like this?"
Genji Aoyama chuckled and said, "It feels even more luxurious than the reception room in the office."
"Hehe," Izumo Saki said with a smile, "We'll be here often from now on, and it'll be very convenient to rest whenever we want. Aoyama-kun, why don't you sit down and see if it's comfortable?"
I think I understand now.
Recalling Izumo Saki's sudden surge in spending a few days ago, Aoyama Genji had a guess in his mind.
"Hold on."
He walked to the microwave in the corner and put his lunchbox inside—he was lucky to get a hot meal, and Aoyama Genji preferred a hot one.
It was a great help.
Qingshanyuanzhi adjusted the heat and set the time.
"Isn't Saki taking an exam?"
He looked at Izumo Saki, who was grinning and seemed particularly happy: "I came over as soon as I finished handing in my paper. I didn't expect Saki to arrive even earlier than me."
"Hmm... how should I put it?"
Saki Izumo looked conflicted and hesitantly said, "I suddenly couldn't answer some of the questions, so I just handed in my paper early."
"Doesn't the school prohibit submitting exam papers early?"
Genji Aoyama glanced at her, then walked towards her.
"I am a patient, and I have a doctor's certificate."
She laughed and said, "The teachers all know, and I always get good grades, so they just turn a blind eye to me skipping classes and handing in my papers early. They don't care at all."
Although she looked much the same as before, from the moment Aoyama Genji entered, he could vaguely sense that Izumo Saki seemed to be showing a dullness, completely unlike her usual lively self.
After thinking for a moment, Genji Aoyama sat down next to her.
"Then I'll test you," he said.
"Hmm—?" Izumo Saki drawled, looking expectantly at Aoyama Genji. "Aoyama-kun, please ask~"
Genji Aoyama asked the question he might have answered incorrectly on his humanities exam: "Why is there so much snow in Hokkaido during winter?"
"It's determined by the combined effects of the strong cold air from Siberia, the warm and humid air from the Sea of Japan, and the uplift of the mountain ranges," Saki Izumo replied.
"Did you answer wrong?" Genji Aoyama whispered.
"Where did you go wrong? You couldn't possibly get this wrong even with your eyes closed!"
"Um...it's not that Saki was wrong, it's that I was wrong."
"I see," Izumo Saki nodded. After the microwave "dinged," she placed the elegant bento box from the coffee table in front of her, smiling at Aoyama Genji. "Is there anything else you don't understand? Senpai can tutor you~"
"Let me think about it."
Genji Aoyama didn't go to get the lunchbox. He leaned back against the soft cushions of the sofa, a thoughtful expression on his face: "Saki seems a bit dazed today, what's wrong?"
"It's the effect of the medication!"
Izumo Saki gently patted him, playfully scolding, "You're the one who's clueless! You got such a simple question wrong!"
"Looks like you've been taking your medicine properly." Genji Aoyama smiled and reached out to rub her little head.
"Um."
Saki Izumo gave a short reply, then rubbed her head against Genji Aoyama's hand like a kitten.
After rubbing for a short while, her movements paused almost imperceptibly, then gradually slowed down until they stopped completely.
"To be honest, I don't want to take medicine at all."
Saki Izumo pouted, her voice sounded a little deep, and she looked very cute, yet inexplicably endearing.
"Hmm?" Genji Aoyama stroked her little head like he was petting a cat.
"I feel like a completely different person, and I can't muster any enthusiasm for anything," Izumo Saki said sullenly. "Even for erotic things..."
"Sour... um, so, does Saki think it's good or bad?"
Aoyama Genji is not a professional doctor and cannot make a judgment.
"I have no idea."
She shook her head, paused, and then continued, "I feel it's better this way? At least I won't cause trouble for others because of my impulsiveness."
Regarding Aoyama-kun and what happened yesterday, after calming down, I feel I went a bit too far and probably provoked Asahi.
"Don't worry, Asahi will probably come to see you today. Anyway, it's not anyone's fault. If I had to say, it's definitely the problem with the problem, so there's no need to blame yourself too much."
Genji Aoyama gently patted Saki Izumo's head, then got up and took out the lunchbox from the microwave.
"What~" Izumo Saki finally laughed, "I feel like Aoyama-kun's words are hard to understand."
"Um—I mean, I'm hungry," Genji Aoyama opened the bento box, smiling at Saki Izumo. "Can I try some? A rich young lady's bento is really intriguing."
"Of course, let's get started!"
Saki Izumo clasped her hands together and said, "I accept this as the first time Aoyama-kun has had lunch with me."
Then she opened the exquisite bento box, which looked like it had been specially delivered. The contents were quite luxurious, including side dishes, high-end-looking sushi, and fruit.
"It looks pretty good."
Saki Izumo made the first move, holding the fork lightly in one hand and a delicate little fork in the other—it was probably sticking out some kind of melon or fruit.
"How about trying some melons from Shizuoka?" Then she opened her small mouth, revealing the tip of her pink tongue, and exclaimed, "Ah~~"
Aoyama Genji took it in his mouth and chewed it.
The fruit, with its delicate floral fragrance, bursts open between your teeth, its juice flowing over your tongue, through your mouth, and down to your throat.
It tastes very good.
This is how he feels right now, not just about the sweetness of the fruit, but also about his daily life on campus after his mindset has changed.
◇
[Saki: I've decided! I'm going to learn to cook! I'm going to make bento boxes for Aoyama-kun too!]
[Aoyama: ?]
[Aoyama: Saki-sensei, how were your cooking class grades before this?]
[saki: Usually it's C]
[Saki: What's wrong?]
[Aoyama: Please, no matter what, let me go, thank you!]
[Saki: Huh? ??? I hadn't done it seriously before, and we have maids at home, so I never had to do this kind of thing myself.]
[Saki: Trust me, when I get serious, I'll do a great job! Please look forward to it!]
What if?
Aoyama Genji was thinking.