Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.
Chapter 5 â To Move Forward\nVolume 2\n<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide">\nâNormal, calmâŠ?â\n
âYeah. We just chatted. I canât even remember what we talked about. Maybe Enami-sanâs mother wanted to have a conversation too.â\n\n
The truth is, thereâs no way I donât remember. I donât remember every word of it, but I do remember certain parts of it.\n\n
(I donât need it anyway. Of course, it is insignificant.)\n\n
A sweeping glance to the side. The clear tone of voice. I can still recall it vividly.\n\n
âNaochi, you have a lot of dynamism in strange places, donât you?â\n
âIs that so?â\n
âYes. If it were me, I would never talk to her alone. Because I wouldnât think it was something I should be involved in.â\n
âThatâs what I think, too. Itâs not like we did anything serious. Itâs just a little chat. Itâs not about involving or not involving.â\n\n
Nishikawa sipped his apple juice through a straw. She put her arms on the table and looked at me as if she was curious.\n
I felt like I was being probed by Nishikawa as well as Enami-san.\n\n
âIâm sorry for asking you such a strange question.â\n\n
Enami-sanâs expression relaxed.\n\n
âMy momâs like that. I think I put you guys through a lot. I shouldnât have relied on you so much. I just got carried awayâŠâ\n
âDonât worry about it.â\n\n
I guess she was wondering what in the world I had been talking about. But more than that, she was worried that I might have gotten into trouble. Sheâs always been a bit dishonest about such things.\n\n
âIâm grateful. Thanks to you, Iâve cleaned up a lot. The strange smell is almost gone, and Momâs mood seems to be getting better. She can be very violent in her room. It also makes it easier to studyâŠâ\n
âOh, youâre taking it seriously.â\n
âObviously. Iâm going to rub it into the teachers at the end of the semester because Iâm getting tired of being complained about all the time. The better my test scores are, the harder it will be for them to complain.â\n\n
It looks like I can expect more than last time. If she not only avoids red marks but also gets top grades, Shiroyama-sensei might turn a blind eye.\n\n
âRisa-chan, youâre studying so hard. I feel like Iâll be overtaken soon.â\n
âYouâre exaggerating. My goal this time is to exceed the average score.â\n\n
Then, Enami-san smiled a little.\n
As always, Enami-sanâs smile makes me nervous. Her usual cold expression was replaced by a gentle one. I wondered if the crowd in the cafeteria had seen her smile. If they did, Iâm sure they would be surprised. It must be a completely different impression from the one of Enami-san in the classroom.\n
In fact, Nishikawa looked a little happy. Beauty is a terrible thing.\n\n
âLook at you talking⊠You were asking me a lot of questions before the midterm.â\n
âDid I ask you that many questions?ăYouâre so patronizing sometimes, arenât you?â\n
âI wonât teach you if you talk like that.â\n
âYes, yes, Iâm sorry. But I donât think I need to ask so many questions this time. Last time, I only asked so many questions because I didnât have time and I was in rehabilitation.â\n\n
Well, itâs certainly not necessary. Enami-san is the type of person who can do it if she tries. She seemed to have listened to her classes from the midterm to the end of the semester, and she was able to fill in some of the gaps from the midterm. She should be able to handle the rest on her own.\n\n
âIâll take your word for it.â\n
âYouâre so bossy. Well, everything will be fine for now.â\n
âYeah, yeah.â\n\n
Nishikawa was also laughing. She was really happy that Enami-san was in a good mood.\n\n
âI had to rely on you for cleaning, cooking, and other things. But Iâm fine now.â\n\n
Enami-san added. And I asked.\n\n
ââŠhm?ăWasnât the whole point of doing all this to take care of Enami-sanâs motherâs health by asking me to do the cleaning and cooking as well?â\n
âThatâs right. Yes, but I donât want to ask you to do more than that. So Iâm going to learn how to cook myself after I get the kitchen a little more organized.â\n
âI see.â\n\n
What I was thinking at that moment was about Sayaka and Fujisaki. If I could be released here, I would not have to burden Fujisaki anymore. Also, I could take my time to think about my response to Fujisakiâs words.\n
It might not be a good idea to get too deep into it.\n\n
âOkay. Then Iâll leave the rest to you, Enami-san. Just thatâŠâ\n\n
One more thing. Thereâs one more thing I had thought of.\n\n
Basically, no more contact from now on. Back to my normal routine.\n
However, I felt that it would be wrong not to see Mother Enami again. She liked me a lot. Besides, I wanted to talk to her again.\n\n
âCall me when youâre ready to use the kitchen. Iâll help you cook for at least one time.â\n
ââŠIs that okay?â\n
âYeah.â\n\n
Besides, Iâm worried about having Enami-san do it. She might be a surprisingly bad cook. I have a feeling that she might just say, âWell, whateverâ and throw the seasoning all over the food.\n\n
âThenâŠIâll be relying on you.â\n
âSure.â\n\n
I donât know what the results will be. Maybe sheâll wish I wasnât here.\n\n
Still, I had a feeling that there was a role that only I could play.\n\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide">\nTN: atleast he is giving some thought to Fujisaki...\n\n