/
My Biggest Rival
“Towa-kun, it’s almost time for your regular test.”
One day, a few days after Rin’s parents showed up at my home.
As I was studying as usual, Rin put coffee on the table and spoke to me.
“Yeah, I guess so. I don’t want to get a red mark, and I need to push harder.”
“You’re working harder than before, and I think you’ll be fine, don’t you?”
“I’m more confident than before, 

. But our school progresses so fast, doesn’t it? The months I slacked off were significant.”
“What has passed can’t be helped. Instead, let’s think about the future and do our best!”
I smile the same way at Rin, who holds my hand and smiles at me.
But the hand that she’s holding is slightly painful 

.
It’s probably due to the fact that she’s so fired up.
The previous regular test was not to Rin’s satisfaction.
Although I avoided a red mark, everything was just barely 

 enough, and to be honest, it was a disappointing result.
So this test is both my revenge and a test of the results of Rin’s teaching.
I guess that’s why she’s so fired up about it.
Of course, I feel the same way.
Perhaps I have a stronger commitment to this test than Rin does.
As I run my pen through the pages, I look down at the questions that have been handed out to me to study for the test.
Looking at the questions, I mentioned a thought that occurred to me.
“Sometimes I think that studying for exams should take precedence over regular school tests
”
“Is that so?”
“You know, in college entrance exams, grades don’t matter unless you use recommendations, right?”
“That’s true, you do have a point.”
Rin nodded her head and drank her tea with a polite gesture.
Even a single gesture is so beautiful that it serves as a model for others to follow.
While I was idly watching her, Rin giggled and showed me her student notebook.
“Look at this. If you get three red marks in one year, you will need to repeat the year, right?”
“Oh, I see. It’s true that we need to avoid that

.”
If I need to call Rin “Wakamiya-senpai” and Kenichi would say, “Yo, junior!”. I’m confident I’ll be depressed for a while if that happens.
Then, I’ll have to work hard on my schoolwork


I don’t want to repeat the year.
I sighed and slumped my shoulders.
“Towa-kun, you’re separating school tests and entrance exams, but I don’t think there’s any need to make a clear distinction between the two, right?”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. Just think of it as a difference in the level of the questions, and besides, all you have to do is study for every regular exam, and bring it up to the level of the entrance exam.”
“Whoa

..”
It’s natural, isn’t it?
I unintentionally chuckle at Rin’s attitude.
If I could do that, it wouldn’t be so hard for me

.
After all, I’d have my hands full with immediate studies.
“So when Rin was studying, some of it was awfully hard and some of it was easy

.”
“I study in stages. I didn’t start out with the ability to do it myself. Only my mother could do it without studying.”
“Eh 

, Lisa-san? Really?”
“Yes, she’s like a real genius. She told me before that she can remember most things once she sees them, and she’s perfectly if she sees them a second time.”


 She is a superhuman. Huh.
I thought that was only in fiction

.
I was stunned, but Rin continued.
“Of course, she’s great outside of her studies, too. I heard that she has always been popular, and according to her father, she was called a “devilish woman” and a “goddess”.”
“Uh, 

. That’s something I can imagine. I get the feeling she gets along with everyone and is close to everyone.”
Lisa, she tried to hug me when we first met.
And with her looks

, how could she not be popular?
“I’ll go further and say that mom’s awesomeness isn’t just her beauty or brains.”
“What kind of metaphor is that?”
“Well, I’ll give you an example. For instance, in front of my mother, lies can be seen through.”
“Really 

?”
Rin seems somewhat bitter, as if she too has memories.
Rin is straightforward, but there is a reason why she ended up with that character

.
Nevertheless, Lisa.
I guess 

 people are not what they seem, even though she is so relaxed 

.
What replayed in my brain is when she speaks in a strange, slow, peculiar way, and when she has a serious voice 

.
Is that 

?
Maybe 

.
Does that mean that there’s a possibility that

 I’ve misrepresented things

 have been detected?
I feel the blood gathering to my face as soon as I arrive at a possibility I hadn’t considered before.
I’m getting very embarrassed

.
“Towa-kun, your face is red, right?”
“No, no! It’s nothing

.”
“Are you sure? It’s kind of suspicious

.”
“Seriously, it’s nothing. It’s not a cold, either.”
“Mmmm, what if this is
..”
When I stammered out a response, Rin looked at me suspiciously.
And then, after a little bit of distress, she grabbed me by the shoulders.
No way, Rin has realized a lot of things 

.
“You mustn’t fall in love with my mother!!”
From Rin’s mouth came the oblique answer that has become familiar to me every time.


 Well, in Rin’s case, it was always an outburst.
She shakes my shoulders and says, “You can’t!”
“That’s not going to happen, it’s okay. 

 I don’t have the taste to mess with other people’s mothers.”
“Really 

? Prove it
”
“No, I can’t prove my feelings to anyone.”
“Mmmm. I was told off just before I said it out loud. I didn’t think my biggest rival was my own mother. 



 I have to hurry.”
“Hey, Rin, calm down a little.”
“I have to get ahead. I have to hammer the nail into mom first!”
“Wait! Ah

 you’re as fast as ever!”
Rin said and hurriedly walked away from me with her phone.
She is out of control as usual, but I guess she has some thoughts about Lisa.

. More boorish than usual.
“In Rin’s case, I think your runaway head is your biggest rival

.”
I sipped my coffee, which was getting a little cold, and sighed, “Hah”.