It was the day after studying at Eda’s.
In other words, it’s Tuesday, after school.
「How was it?」
Shirota called out to me in the classroom.
She was already prepared to go to her club as she had her bag draped diagonally over her shoulder.
It further emphasized her breasts and I strangely ended up getting a bit restless.
「Did Fukiko properly teach you?」
「Yeah she properly taught me」
「It seems like there wasn’t any problems?」
「That’s right…she properly helped me review and there shouldn’t be a problem for the re-test」
「I’m glad」
*Nikkori*, Shirota grinned.
Her face without wearing make-up is dazzling.
「Then there’ll be no problem for you to come over on Friday」
「Y-yeah」
Lightly waving her hand, Shirota starts to leave the classroom.
「Ah, Shirota」
「N?」
Shirota stops and turns back.
She was still smiling.
「You aren’t doing anything on Saturday are you?」
「You mean for my club? We have it off」
「Got it」
Showing her white teeth, Shirota went out into the hallway with an even lovelier smile.
Her clubmates were waiting in the hallway.
They disappear down the hall while their lively voices echo.
Yesterday Eda asked to see when they would be free to meet up.
She said it would be fine to use her house.
Then since Mikoto needs to be there as well, having it be a day off from school like Saturday should be good.
Since I’ll be staying at Shirota’s place, we can both head over to Eda’s together.
Eda would directly invite Mia when they are together for student council.
After that, I just need to invite Mikoto.
「Senpai, senpai」
I looked towards where the voice was coming from and it was Ooki from the Human Culture Research Club calling out to me.
「What is it?」
I wonder if Ooki’s practice to become a mountain monk was effective as he has a strangely refreshed feeling about him.
He was somehow an agreeable young man compared to his uncouth aura from earlier.
If you look at him now, he resembles his little sister, Rino-chan.
I went out into the hallway.
I bet it’s hard for a first year to enter an upper class men’s classroom no matter how late it is after school.
「There is no club activities today」
「Is that so?」
Stuff like this has been happening recently.
Because I haven’t been going recently it doesn’t particularly bother me.
However, the reason the club is taking a break is because the president, Kawauchi will be gone.
「Is there any particular reason?」
If it’s like always, Kawauchi or Ebara would come tell me.
They also have sent mail plenty of times and sometimes don’t even tell me.
They have never sent the lower classman, Ooki, like this.
「No…rather if you are free after this, would you mind coming to my place?」
「To your house?」
「Yeah. Since I need to properly thank you for that time…Rino said she made something good」
I don’t particularly have any reason to downright refuse.
Mia has student council today so I’m free.
「It’s fine」
「Thank god. There wasn’t as much of a chance previously, sorry」
I lightly shake my head at the grateful Ooki.
「Don’t worry about it」
After that we both headed towards Ooki’s house.
Since it was close to our high school, we couldn’t really have anything that resembled a conversation on the way there.
However, hanging out with my junior didn’t feel that bad.
「Pardon the intrusion」
「Go ahead」
I changed into the prepared slippers in the entryway.
After that, Rino-chan came from the living room.
「Ah, Okutani-san. It’s been a while」
Rino-chan politely lowers her head.
When she lifts her head, she faces me with a smile.
Today as well, she had her black hair in twin tails and was wearing a white T-shirt with a mini skirt.
Even though she was a second year in middle school, her body was quite mature.
She had plump breasts and tight hips as well as thin limbs.
Her face was still youthful but it was like she was climbing the stairs to adulthood.
「Since there is time before dinner, I’ll head to my room, okay?」
「Eh?」
The little sister, Rino-chan, showed a pout towards her brothers blatant proposal.
「It’ll be fine. Just do it in the living room」
「But we won’t even watch T.V.?」
「Isn’t there no T.V. in your room either? Plus even I want to talk with Okutani-san」
That was a charming thing she said.
At least she doesn’t hold any negative impressions of me.
Shrugging his shoulders seeming shocked, Ooki looked at me.
「Is that fine?」
「It’s fine. If there’s anything I can help with let me know」
「That’s no good!」
As we head towards the living room Rino-chan shakes her head.
「Today is for repaying Okutani-san so…」
「That’s right…ah, go ahead and head into the living room」
Saying that, Ooki went up stairs.
Somehow it seems he was heading to his room.
I enter the living room with Rino-chan.
For some reason, a good smell was coming from the kitchen as if something magnificent was being cooked.
「Our parents went to an associate’s party so they aren’t here」
「A party?」
「Yeah…the wedding reception wasn’t anything special but a friend called them over for the afterparty so they left」1
When I sit down on the sofa, Rino-chan gives me a glass of cold tea.
It’s bad for my heart when her mini skirt flutters about each time she makes a restless move.
Ooki had changed out of his uniform and came down. Surprisingly, he was in traditional Japanese clothing
「Senpai, here…」
Ooki passes a book to me as I sat on the sofa.
「What is it? Religious scriptures or something?」
「No」
He shakes his head while smiling at my joke.
「It’s the book you wanted earlier」
「Oh?」
I try taking a look at it.
The title was『The Murder of a Quick Bather』2 written by『Nishiki Maru』
「You, where…did you get this?」
「I won it in an auction online. It was pretty expensive」
「Don’t say things like that!」
Rino-chan yelled out from the kitchen.
After giving a bitter smile, Ooki scratched his head.
「Well…please take it as thanks」
「Thank you」
It’s a book I’ve always wanted to read.
It wasn’t an old author and they were still alive but the publisher declared bankruptcy so it was out of print.
There were many core fans requesting a reprint but it didn’t seem like it would come true anytime soon.
I also wanted to read it. I probably let that slip in the club at some point.
I went to second hand stores to look for it but I wasn’t so zealous to deal with an online auction.
Ooki obtained that for me. I’m thankful.
「Say, Okutani-san, do you like books?」
Rino-chan asked me a question from the kitchen.
I replied while putting the valuable book in my bag.
「I do. Since it’s something you can do alone」
「What’s with that」
Rino-chan’s laughter seeming happy was pleasant to my ears.
Kind of rough to TL but seems close ↩ Lit. Karasu no Gyouzui Satsujinjiken. Karasu no Gyouzui is literally crow’s bath but is used as a saying in Japan to describe someone who takes quick baths TIL. It’s missing a particle in there so I don’t know if it is murder of a quick bather or the quick bather murderer ↩
