Chapter 12 - First Half of Golden Week
"All right! Vacation starts tomorrow!!"
As soon as the closing bell rang, Kanna shouted while raising both arms in the air.
That's right, Golden Week starts tomorrow.
Though, it's not like I have anything in particular to do.
Once Golden Week ends, it's time for midterms.
Well, some people go out to play since they're only in their second year of middle school.
I'm one of the latter, but I didn't have any specific plans.
Airi apparently is going on a trip to Osaka during the second half.
Kanna apparently has no plans in particular.
Kanna has changed.
Since that day, she started taking her studies seriously.
Though, she still sleeps during class...
So, at night, I explain the lesson content to Kanna, which also serves as my own review.
She asks Airi about the parts she doesn't understand, though.
"Eh? The answer to that is x=2, right? You can tell just by looking at it."
"Eh? You just need to use the be-verb there, right?"
It's not an explanation at all.
"Toya... explain it."
That had become the pattern.
Regarding Kanna's studies, while I have to teach her what she's currently learning, studying from the first year of middle school—or rather, from an elementary school level—is becoming important.
Even so, Kanna had her strong points.
English.
I don't know if she's good at memorization or if she liked it from the start, but she picks it up quickly.
Though it feels more like she's just memorizing it as-is rather than understanding how verbs work or anything.
"Kanna, you have classes on the 1st and 2nd, okay?"
"I know. I'm not gonna skip."
"Starting tomorrow, be at Toya-kun's house by 9 AM."
"I've heard that so many times already... By the way, Toya. Do you really have no plans for the second half?"
"I don't... I hate crowded places. And my parents are noisy about telling me to study."
"I see."
Well, Airi won't be here for the second half, so I'll probably just lounge around at home?
I was thinking about that.
GW Day One.
I'll start with the conclusion.
Kanna and I overslept.
Airi arrived exactly at 9 o'clock.
But I was asleep.
"Toya! Wake up!!"
As expected, I got scolded by Mother.
Airi is also a bit moody.
Kanna arrived after noon.
"Man, I was playing games yesterday and it suddenly became morning~"
Kanna made an excuse while scratching her head.
It wasn't an excuse.
"Kanna, I told you yesterday!"
"Sorry, sorry, don't get so mad."
Well, I'm pretty much the same, so I can't say anything.
Kanna's concentration breaks after about an hour.
Once it breaks, she starts reading manga.
"Oh, I wanted to play this game."
Or she starts playing games.
"Kanna, you didn't come here to play."
Airi's warnings come in at every turn.
And then it feels like we return to studying again.
"I've brought some tea~"
Mother brought tea and tea sweets.
Only at this time does Airi also take a break.
"You're staying for dinner tonight, right?"
Mother asks.
"Yes."
"Yes, thank you for the meal."
Hearing that, Mother smiled and left the room.
"Sorry for always being in your care."
"It's fine, Mother is happy, saying it's 'worth the effort to cook'."
"I see."
Saying so, Kanna stuffs her cheeks with sweets.
Once the tea was finished, the studying began again.
GW Day Two
On this day, everyone was able to wake up on time.
However, Kanna and I were dead during the morning.
Sleepy.
"Ow!"
"Ow!"
Airi's ruler hit both of our heads directly.
"You two stayed up late again, didn't you?"
"I-I didn't."
I just get sleepy when it's a holiday.
"I got late because I was doing housework yesterday,"
Kanna said.
Right, Kanna's mother works until late, doesn't she?
"Well, after that I was playing Ika-chan, though."
Then apparently it was morning.
Since it was a hassle, she just stayed awake.
I was a fool for sympathizing.
"Kanna!"
Airi's shout echoes.
"I've brought lunch."
Mother, nice timing!
"Yay. It's a break!"
Airi must have been hungry too, as she didn't say anything.
Once the stomach is full, one usually gets sleepy.
I was sleepy too, but I endured it and stayed awake.
Kanna was... asleep.
Kanna was sleeping spread-eagled.
I gently cover her with a towel blanket.
"You're kind to Kanna, aren't you?"
"She's only just started tackling her studies in earnest, right? There's no point in being Spartan from the start."
"I see. That's true..."
Saying so, Airi looks down.
Is she feeling discouraged?
"Don't be so discouraged. Everyone has their own pace. It's not that you're doing anything wrong, Airi."
When I say that, Airi takes out her smartphone.
And she starts typing something.
Ping.
My smartphone rang.
I take it out.
A message had arrived.
"I wonder what Kanna came here for?"
I reply to the message.
"To study, right?"
"For someone who did, she's not doing it at all."
"She is, though it's little by little."
"As I thought, you're soft on Kanna!"
"I'm kind to Airi too."
The messages ended there.
"Then... do it."
"Eh?"
I couldn't hear her clearly.
"Kiss me..."
"Right now!!"
"Your voice is too loud, Kanna will wake up."
"Why now?"
"Is now a bad time?"
Ugh... I can't talk back.
I sit next to Airi in silence.
I can smell a girl's scent.
The person who said it is frozen with nervousness.
I gently place my hand on Airi's cheek.
Airi had her eyes closed.
Our lips overlap.
It continued for about a minute.
"Nnn... mmm..."
Kanna stretches.
Startled, Airi and I pulled apart.
It seems Kanna woke up.
"Ah, I slept well."
The clock pointed to 2:30.
Airi is touching her smartphone.
My smartphone rang.
"That was a surprise (lol) But it's the first time you did it to me, Toya-kun (*ノωノ) Thank you."
I look at Airi's face.
Airi's face was smiling brightly.
GW Day Three
On this day as well, Airi and Kanna came reliably.
It's the last day of the first half.
I had sent a message to Kanna last night.
"Let's do it properly for the last day at least,"
And she replied "Got it!", and it seems she kept her word strictly.
"All right, let's do this!!"
Her spirit seems sufficient.
She was able to concentrate for two hours.
She seems serious.
Around the time the clock was about to pass 11:30, Mother arrived.
"Sorry, I'm going out with Father now, so please manage lunch yourselves. The ingredients are in the refrigerator. If it's a hassle, just buy something at the Convenience Store."
Saying so, Mother went out with Father.
"What should we do?"
"It's a hassle, should we just buy something at the Convenience Store?"
Airi and I are talking like that, but Kanna is immersed in solving problems.
"I'm pretty sure there were cup noodles left..."
"Yes! Finished!!"
Kanna apparently finished solving the problems.
"Now then... can I look inside the refrigerator?"
Kanna stands up and says so.
I make eye contact with Airi.
No way...
"Kanna, can you cook?"
Airi asks bluntly.
"Of course I can! I haven't been an only child for nothing."
Saying so, she went downstairs.
"Oh, the rice is already cooked... there's meat and vegetables too."
Kanna confirms them one by one.
"Let's see, frying pan... there's a wok!"
She's more lively than when she's studying.
Airi and I watch the cooking process in a daze.
"S-should we help with something?"
When Airi says that, Kanna replies, "It's okay, just relax."
I think it'll be something simple, right? But no matter how I look at it, it's elaborate.
And what was served was Twice-Cooked Pork, salad, rice, and egg soup.
"It's really just something simple, though."
Kanna says apologetically while shrugging her shoulders.
"Well, just try eating it."
Airi and I take a bite.
"It's delicious!"
"It's tasty!"
To think she made this much in such a short time.
"Well, the ingredients and seasonings were all there. It's easy."
Kanna eats the meal she made while saying so.
It seems she was satisfied with the result herself.
Airi is naturally a light eater so she didn't eat much, but Kanna eats greedily.
I ate just as much, not to be outdone.
We polished it off in no time.
After drinking tea and taking a breather, Airi starts tidying up the tableware.
"I'll tidy up, so you guys go back to studying first."
To that, both Airi and I naturally refused.
"I'll at least help with the tidying."
"I'll help too."
"Is that so?" Kanna says while washing the dishes.
It became a flow where Airi dried them and I put them away.
Once it was all finished, Kanna says, "Well, shall we continue?"
Did studying become fun?
Around evening, my parents returned.
Dinner was made by my parents.
And we wrapped up around 9 o'clock.
First, I walk Airi home.
"Wake up honestly once in a while, okay!" Airi says with a smile as she returns home.
Then I walk Kanna home.
I tried asking about the thing I was curious about.
"Um, about the other day."
Yes, the kiss from that night.
I couldn't bring myself to ask until today.
"What? About the other day?"
It seems she doesn't remember.
"You suddenly kissed me the other day, remember?"
When I say that, she seems to remember with an "Ah...".
"What about it? Do you want me to do it again?"
"No, it's not that!"
"It's not like we French kissed or anything, so it's not something to get flustered about, right?"
Is that how it is in the city?
"It's not like it was my first time, so it's fine, right? It's like a greeting. Don't worry about it."
Kanna says, laughing.
We arrived at Kanna's house.
"Well, see you tomorrow."
"Yeah, see you tomorrow."
"Please stop with the elbowing me."
"Got it. I won't do it if you're awake."
Saying so, I went home.
"It was my first time, though..."
Kanna's words did not reach me.