Chapter 63

Aira-sama and Yurie-sama have also been accepted into their desired departments, and now they just have to wait for graduation.

Once Yurie-sama graduates from the high school, she won't come to the salon anymore. Although Tachibana appears to be fine, she is secretly feeling down. Moreover, the difference in their positions next year, with Yurie-sama being a university student and Tachibana a third-year middle school student, seems to be adding to her distress.

However, no matter how hard you try, you can't change the age difference.

Concerned about Tachibana, Aira-sama told me that Yurie-sama is trying to spend as much time together as possible.

Even on days when Yurie-sama has other commitments and can't come to the salon, Tachibana gazes out the window and sighs softly.

From the looks of it, Tachibana might start writing poems soon. Should I teach her how to do a flower fortune?

Oh, I know a great shrine for matchmaking. The omikuji there are really accurate. Tachibana-sama, you should definitely try it.

Speaking of poems, the class president, despite making such a bold declaration of love, hasn't made any progress with Miharu-chan since then.

I thought for sure she would confess after that, but since there was no sign of her making a move, I asked her quietly, and she said she was too embarrassed to do it.

I don't understand the class president's standard of embarrassment...

When I asked her why she did such a thing, she said it was because she was influenced by Shima Shigetaka and couldn't help it. Middle school students are so strange.

The class president apparently wanted Miharu-chan to realize her feelings through that poem.

She used a postcard with a sea illustration, inspired by Miharu-chan's name, to express her feelings, but who would notice that!

If they were in the same class or were already good friends, it might be different, but with just that, if someone thought, "Maybe she's talking about me," they would probably think she was a bit conceited.

When she asked me for advice on what to do next, I suggested giving her a reverse chocolate on Valentine's Day. She prepared a high-quality chocolate with great effort.

Moreover, she said she was too embarrassed to give it herself and asked me to do it for her. How much of a girl can you be?

I suggested she add a love message to the card, but she said she was too shy and wanted it to be anonymous. This is the perfect time for that poem. Or maybe she should draw an apple, inspired by her beloved Shigetaka.

In the end, I ended up giving the chocolate to Miharu-chan as a friend's chocolate. Miharu-chan was surprised when I suddenly handed it to her, and I was also in a bind. If I gave such a heartfelt chocolate to a girl I wasn't particularly close to, it might lead to misunderstandings and rumors.

But the misunderstanding was not in the direction I thought. It turned out that Miharu-chan thought I had actually wanted to give it to someone I liked but was too shy to do so, so I gave it to her instead.

Miharu-chan nodded, saying, "I understand," and gave me an unnecessary encouragement, "Try harder next year."

What are you going to do, class president!

And who does Miharu-chan think I like!

Later, the class president, upon receiving the return gift from Miharu-chan on White Day, was overwhelmed with emotion.

I feel like the class president is becoming more and more girlish. Maybe I can treat her like a girlfriend now.

At that time, Sera brought information about Manaka-san.

"Manaka-san has a hole in her ear for a piercing."

"Huh?"

A middle school student with a piercing!? What a delinquent!

Isn't piercing forbidden by school rules? I can't really say that, given my perm.

"Other students also have holes in their ears."

"Unbelievable. Unforgivable."

Kikuno and the others joined the conversation.

Ryuan is a school with a prestigious brand image, so the school rules regarding appearance are strict.

Coloring is basically forbidden, although some people secretly dye their hair a natural brown.

I have a perm too.

But a piercing... I doubt a middle school student can get a piercing at a hospital without parental consent. So it must be with parental approval?

Or maybe they are piercers who do it themselves.

Still, that's quite bold. While perms and coloring are one thing, piercings are frowned upon in old families. My mother also says piercings are not allowed.

Manaka-san and her group are becoming more influential within the school. We are currently in a higher position, but the day they surpass us might be near.

Sera and the others are considering reporting the piercing incident to the school in a petty way.

You should stop that. I have my own weaknesses, like my perm.

"Let's observe for a while. I don't think it's a good idea for us to tattle to the teachers."

I tried to calm everyone down, but the conflict between the two groups might intensify when we move to third year.

No way. Even though I'm being overestimated, if it comes to a showdown between girls, I would be the first to run away. It's scary, you know.

In the midst of all this, I heard that Tachibana went to the high school graduation ceremony with a large bouquet of lilies to congratulate them.

Thinking about the class president and Tachibana, I feel a bit envious that boys can have such girlish thoughts and maintain peace.

But lilies, huh? Could it be that he was actually envious of the situation where I received urara from my brother at the elementary school graduation ceremony?

He also danced the waltz with Yurie-sama at the summer party.

Tachibana, why don't you consider becoming a disciple of Imari-sama? The last time Imari-sama visited my house, she gave me a box of flowers. How stylish! Just like Imari-sama!

Tachibana, you can't just keep giving bouquets like a broken record!

When the cherry blossoms started to fall, we moved up to third year.