/
Chapter 80: If Things Stayed the Same, She Would Definitely Be Pregnant
With Arisa, Aina, and Sakuna-san, I bid farewell to our sweet, sweet spring break, and my final year of high school began.
Well, assuming I don’t have to repeat a year, I should be able to graduate high school without any issues. It’s actually quite challenging for me to score low on tests, given that I always have two overly competent teachers by my side, so I don’t think I have any problems.
“
Fuwah.”
Nevertheless, it’s natural to feel sleepy in the morning after a long break from school.
It’s not today, but I can’t help but wonder if I’ll truly feel the excitement of having new underclassmen when the entrance ceremony arrives.
“Good morning, Hayato-kun.”
“Good morning!”
“Good morning, both of you.”
It’s been a while since I met up with Arisa and Aina at our meeting spot. For me, we spent about 90% of our break together, so being together has been the norm..
Perhaps it’s a luxury to have them by my side at all times.
“Today, we’re third-year students.”
“That’s right. It would be nice if we could all be in the same class for our final year.”
Ah, I see. Now that she mentions it, we’ll be assigned to new classes because we’ve moved up a grade.
The anticipation of finding out who will be in the new class will have to wait until we arrive at school, but as Arisa said, I hope we end up in the same class.
“Well then.”
“Shall we go?”
With my arms interlocked from both sides, the three of us happily began walking together.
Well, at this point, I don’t feel any embarrassment being with the two of them, and I have no intention of rejecting this gesture in the slightest.
However, they still release their hold on my arm as we approach the school, showing their consideration in their own way.
“It’s been so long since we’ve seen students like this
 It really feels nostalgic, doesn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“For us, though, each other’s naked bodies are more ingrained in our mindsâ™Ș”
Well, that might
 actually be true. While it’s not like we were constantly exposed, my memories of spring break are filled with moments spent with them.
“You’re not wrong at all.”
“Hahahaâ™Ș”
That’s how blissful and radiant those days were.
“Good morning, Shinjo-san.”
“Good morning.”
“Good morning, Aina!”
“Good morning~!”
As always, the two of them are popular enough to receive greetings from many people.
We exchange nostalgic faces and words as we enter the school building and glance at the class roster posted near the shoe lockers.
“
Ah.”
“This is it!”
“Yay!”
The three of us are in the same class.
My friends who have been together with me until now are also in the same class, so it’s the first time that everyone is truly gathered together.
It seemed too perfect for a surprise in our final year of high school, but I’m grateful and will surely enjoy being in this class.
“Let’s go to the classroom.”
“Okay.”
“Yeah.”
We headed towards the third-year classroom instead of the second-year one we used before.
I’ve felt this way since middle school, but it feels refreshing to change classrooms when moving up a grade.
As we entered the classroom together, some of our friends were there, but there were also others who weren’t, as expected.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we’ll be sitting next to each other.”
Seat assignments are usually in alphabetical order, so it can’t be helped.
Nevertheless, as soon as we placed our bags on our seats, the three of us quickly gathered together.
“It’s the best since we don’t have to move classrooms anymore. Now I can come to your side during breaks, Hayato-kunâ™Ș”
“Yeah, it’s true. Let’s have a great year together, starting from now.”
“Yeah.”
Although I’ve already gotten used to it, I wonder if we still attract attention. While thinking about such things, my friends also enter the classroom together.
“Good morning, Hayato.”
“Hey.”
“It’s amazing that we’re all in the same class now.”
“Definitely.”
We laughed and said hello to each other.
Until the morning assembly began, I spent time with my friends, while Arisa and Aina gathered with the girls they were close with.
“
Hey, look.”
“What is it?”
I felt a tap on my shoulder and followed my friend’s pointing finger.
There, I saw Arisa and Aina engaged in a lively conversation with other girls, but there was also a guy talking to them.
He probably wanted to be friendly or maybe he had ulterior motives
 I think it’s likely the latter. Once again, I was reminded of their popularity and how high it was.
“They truly are beautiful sisters. He probably never had a chance to interact before since they were in different classes, so he’s taking advantage of this opportunity to approach them.”
“Yeah, but
”
“
They’re not responding at all, huh? They’re completely ignoring him.”
Arisa and Aina only briefly glanced in his direction but didn’t respond.
The other girls around them, mostly on their side, firmly and subtly used their hands to ward off any approaching guys, treating them as intruders.
“Once high school is over, it’s a two-way choice between going to university or finding a job, and the possibility of not being able to see each other becomes overwhelmingly high. So, he probably wants to get closer, even just a little bit, I’m sure of it.”
Indeed, if I were in his shoes, I might understand that feeling as well.
However, whether it’s because I’m dating them or not, I can also see it as a futile endeavor and think he should just stop

Well, that doesn’t mean I’m going to let this feeling go to my head.
“Oh, I haven’t seen Hayato’s serious face in a while.”
“Yeah, what’re you thinking? Well, I can guess even if you don’t tell me,”
If you can guess, then don’t ask.
After that, the guy seemed to give up and returned to his seat with drooping shoulders, while the two of them came back to us.
“Hayato-kun, it’s half-day today. What should we do?”
“Mom won’t be back until evening, so why don’t you come to our place and have dinner?”
“Okay, sounds good.”
Well, despite everything, it seemed that even as third-year students, our way of spending time together wouldn’t change much.
So, now that I’ll be spending time with Arisa, Aina, and the others in our new class, I wonder if there have been any changes for Kanade
 It might be a good idea to give her a call tonight and see how she’s doing.
“I envy.”
“Yeah.”
We laughed awkwardly at my friends, who were giving us a piercing look.
Since we’re not involved in club activities, our high school’s opening ceremony day ends, as Aina mentioned, around midday.
“Well then, that’s it for today. We have the entrance ceremony coming up, so don’t cause any trouble at the beginning of the new term, okay?”
With that, our new homeroom teacher jokingly mentioned it, and the day came to an end.
I packed my belongings and was about to leave the classroom with Arisa and Aina when we were called out by a voice.
“Shinjo-san, let’s go have lunch and maybe karaoke with everyone from the new class!”
The guy was only looking at Arisa and Aina, completely ignoring me who was standing beside them.
I’m already used to this kind of situation, and it doesn’t particularly bother me, but it’s true that it doesn’t feel good.
“I think Arisa and Aina already said they’re not interested? Aren’t you being too persistent?”
One of Arisa and Aina’s friends said that, but it seems like he’s not giving up easily.
However, just as if to put an end to his persistence, the two of them almost simultaneously spoke up.
“Sorry, we have something important to do.”
“We have an important errand.”
With those words, as if to say that’s the end of the conversation, they turned their backs on him and used their eyes to signal me to leave quickly.
We headed straight to the Shinjo house without stopping anywhere, and I watched Aina, who said she would cook today, standing in the kitchen with Arisa.
“Hmm
”
Amidst that, Arisa placed her hand on her chin as if she was troubled by something.
When I asked her what was wrong, she said something like this.
“Well
 I was comparing myself when I first met Hayato-kun to me now.”
“Huh?”
I wonder what she meant by that.
“The me from back then
 No, Aina and I, we wanted to drown Hayato-kun in our love. We’ve talked about this before, and you know how heavy our feelings were, right?”
“Well, yeah.”
Of course, I know.
In general terms, their love was undoubtedly heavy.
But from my perspective, their love for me was comforting
 It made me want to immerse myself in that love forever.
“We wanted to keep your heart no matter what, and we wanted you to sink into the swamp of love that we provided. It was undeniably a heavy kind of love, but now that I’m in a relationship with Hayato-kun, I realize how much it has changed.”
“I see.”
Indeed, the dimness I felt back then has subsided, and now, not only from Arisa and Aina but also from Sakuna-san, I receive pure and honest love. And in response to that, I feel the same way, but I truly don’t feel that dimness from back then anymore.
“I
 can’t help but feel a little nostalgic for the weight I felt back then.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Nodding, Arisa pointed her index finger at Aina.
“?”
Aina, who was making a delicious rolled omelet, tilted her head curiously. But as Arisa gazed at Aina like that, she said the following.
“Both Aina and I are the type to dash forward once we’ve made up our minds. If Aina had been running full speed ahead in that state back then, she would have definitely ended up pregnant.”
“
”
That
 is scary.
After reconsidering, I concluded that maybe the present is better after all.