Tsubaki woke up around the usual time, briefly dressed up and went down the stairs, by the time she arrived at the dining area, her family has already been there.
Both of her parents have finished eating their breakfast, putting aside her father who is about to go to work, her mother is the same as always being an early riser and then she greeted them, "Good Morning"
dainingu de wa sudeni ryōshin ga chōshoku o tabeteori , shukkin suru chichioya wa tomokaku hahaoya wa aikawarazu hayaokidana to tsubaki wa omoitsutsu , asa no aisatsu o kuchi ni shita .
Hearing her morning greetings, her father who was at the time reading an English newspaper, and her mother who was about to drink a cup of black tea, looked at her way and greeted her back.
One of the servants pulled the chair and as soon as Tsubaki sat down, she listens as the servant tell her the menu for today's breakfast.
"Which one would you prefer? Bread or rice?"
"Rice and please don't forget the natto** and I want a sunny side up with the eggwhites crisp and the yolk half-cooked please"
"And garnished with bacon right? Then please wait for a moment."
Every morning it's the same menu that Tsubaki asks for that's why the servant has long been used to it. Tsubaki who just said what she'll be having for breakfast has eagerly been waiting for it as she asks when will it be served.
And then her mother who was still in the middle of eating breakfast, took a napkin and wipe her mouth, glanced at Tsubaki, and asked, "It seems like you'll bring along some bouquet for today's graduation. Is there some upperclassman that you were closed with?"
"Eh, eh. Last year during the Star Festival there was a senpai who collapsed due to anemia and I ended up helping her reached the waiting room. Though we've only exchanged a few greetings, besides giving a bouquet is just proper etiquette."
"Oh my, anemia? Was she alright afterward?"
"It seems like her body has always been frail but since it's not like she has any grave illness so she's doing fine now. I also heard that she was able to recover immediately after that."
My mother who's been worriedly listening to me seemed to have sighed in relief after hearing what I've said.
She did answer on the things her mother asked but decided that there's no need to tell her anything else, such as the relationship between Kuze and Mio's relationship.
After the graduation ceremony, Tsubaki gave a bouquet to Kuze and Nikaidou. They do exchange simple greeting when they meet at the corridor but there was no need to deepen their relationship, so it's really just her following the social norms.
It's not a good idea for her to be on friendly terms with someone who has connections with Mio's mother, that's why her relationship with Kuze is only on an acquaintance level.
Then her Father who was drinking an after-meal coffee folded the English paper he's been reading and placed it down.
Since spring break until yesterday, he's been on an official business trip and upon seeing Tsubaki wearing her uniform after being promoted to fifth grade, he started to reminiscence about the past.
"Tsubaki-chan is finally in fifth grade. Time sure flies fast."
"Really and you used to be so small. A child's growth is really fast"
Her Father smiled after feeling deeply moved and then her mother also joined in with her father as they started talking about the past.
Tsubaki is feared and hated by most students of their grade but she didn't care since her plan is moving smoothly.
She really wanted to talk with Todou but because her followers are always around, she can't talk to her alone besides the latter doesn't like her so it might be impossible for just the two of them to talk together.
The enemy of your enemy is your friend, she can already see that it would be quite troublesome if Mio and Todou join forces together to deal with her.
Though personally, Tsubaki really wanted to become friends with Todou, and if only Mio isn't around, she'd be long friends with the latter. She truly feels regret that she wasn't able to do so.
Thinking about what she should do from hereon, breakfast has finally been served, but unbeknownst to Tsubaki who's eating with impeccable manners, two people were wondering what she's been thinking about.
After eating breakfast, Tsubaki finished up her morning routine (playing a bit with Sumire), and then she boarded the car and headed to school.
She greeted Anna and Kyousuke who was a little late, walked beside him until they've reached the classroom and just like always, she took her classes.
As soon as her afternoon classes ended, she headed to that secret spot and after a long time, she ate some snacks with Saeki.
"It seems like Asahina-san's reputation is quite bad. I did hear all sorts of rumors but, like what are your sources? Just listening to them and it's already obvious that they're all baseless."
"Truly. But for me, as long as there are people who understand me then I don't really mind."
"Is that so? But it is such a waste since you are kind-hearted person, Asahina-san"
I feel bad about Saeki who's feeling bad about her situation, but Tsubaki isn't really a kind-hearted person just like what he describes her.
Generally, she can only be kind towards the people she has a good impression and her likes-dislikes towards a person are on the stronger side. So she doesn't even want to bother having even a superficial relationship with people she doesn't like.
Tsubaki thought to herself as she grabbed a snack from the small bag and as she was about to tear it open, she heard a voice call out to her from the shadows.
"...What are you doing there?"
Tsubaki's hand froze, and even Saeki was frozen on the spot and then with stiff motions, she turned her body over and looked at the direction of the owner of the voice.
"...Yahoo, Kyou-chan."
And there was Kyousuke who just returned from his afternoon studies, standing there under the shadows of a tree.
Kyousuke can only fixedly stare at the spread-out view in front of him. He just caught her in the act of eating commoners snacks so he's probably quite surprised.
Tsubaki immediately tear open the snack she was holding in her hand, took it out, and thought to herself, 'There's no more time to waste, now's the time!' and then she inches forward, step-by-step towards the still bewildered Kyousuke.
As soon as she's in front of him, Tsubaki grabbed Kyousuke's cheeks and forced his mouth to open and swiftly placed in the snack she was holding and closed the latter's mouth.
"ssso oooi !!!!"
"oooo ogooo!!"
Kyousuke strongly resisted but it was a futile struggle since Tsubaki did not let go of his cheeks.
Tsubaki immediately retrieved the remaining snack that she wasn't able to fit in Kyousuke's mouth and then with her left hand she forcefully closed the latter's mouth.
"Aaah! Asahina-san!! What have you done to Mizushima-kun!"
"It's alright Saeki-kun! Just leave it to me!"
"Leave it to you? But Mizushima-kun who's busily chewing is glaring hard at us!? Even though he's fiercely staring at us, he's still earnestly chewing so it's a lot scarier" (Eunie: rolfmao)
Just like Saeki said, Kyousuke is glaring hard at Tsubaki with a scary expression. But Tsubaki has no plan of letting him go until he swallows everything.
After awhile Kyousuke's chewing finally stopped and after confirming that he has properly swallowed it, Tsubaki finally removed her hand from Kyousuke's mouth.
Of course, Tsubaki is scared of the scowling Kyousuke so she unnaturally looks away.
"...Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"Nothing."
Tsubaki rolled her sleeve and then presented her arm to Kyousuke and then Kyousuke grabbed her wrist and with his other free hand, he made a peace sign and raised it.
"Wai..! You! That's the one where it hurts badly! It's that thing where it will remove a mark!! Wait, wai...!" And before Tsubaki can finish her sentence, with all his strength Kyousuke struck her wrist.
"Ah!"
Tsubaki cried out, thankfully there wasn't anyone around so no one heard the echoes of her cries.
"It hurts! It extremely hurts!"
"It's just desserts"
He was probably already satisfied after smacking her once so he let goes of her hand, seeing her hand freed, Tsubaki looked down as she poked the red spot left on her wrist as she complains to Kyousuke.
And when she looked behind her, Tsubaki saw Saeki offering his arm to Kyousuke with his sleeves rolled up.
"Uh..umm! I'm the one at fault since I made Asahina-san eat them!"
"Nah, it's obvious that the one at fault right now is this girl. Forcing my mouth open and thrusting the snack inside my mouth that's why I hit her. You didn't do anything wrong so there's no need for that"
"Kyou-chan please control your strength next time. Don't you know that you should be gentler with girls!"
"No, you should be more ladylike and you should repent a little"
In response to Kyousuke's rebuke, Tsubaki remained quiet as she looked at his way and smiled as she gives a thumbs-up. Seeing her like that, Kyousuke can only be astounded as he sighed.
And Saeki can only gape at them as he listens to their conversation.
"...Could it be Asahina-san's that was the real you?"
"Fu-mu? So How is it? My perfect ojou-sama camouflage?"
"It was so perfect that I still can't comprehend what's going on."
"I know right? Right? See Kyou-chan? As expected of me."
And when she looked towards Kyousuke, he can only shake his head and mutter, "She's an idiot. This girl is truly an idiot." While Tsubaki looked at Kyousuke and wonder, what is troubling him.
"Why did you easily let it slip! Are you an idiot?!" Kyousuke scolded her in a loud voice, upon seeing how she easily showed her true nature which she has been single-mindedly hiding for so long.
But Tsubaki didn't pay heed at his scoldings and with a refreshing smile on her face she said, "Kyou-chan you might not believe it but Saeki and I have an agreement and we've been at it for almost a year already that's why I have a certain degree of trust with Saeki-kun and I also have dirt on him so it's alright."
"Dirt?"
I can somehow see a question mark floating on top of his head and just when I was about to explain it, Saeki beat me to it and started, explaining. "...I've been secretly eating here since way before to finish up the snacks produced by Father's company and while I was eating them Asahina-san found me. I asked her not to tell anyone and she promised not to in exchange, I'll give her some snacks I got that's why we sometimes eat here. That's the dirt she has on me."
"I see. But I feel like Tsubaki just wanted to eat them."
As expected of my cousin. We've been together for a while now so he knows me well.
And then Saeki who has been quietly listening to our bantering looked up and said, "Umm, Mizushima-kun I know you might think this is selfish of me but..."
"It's not like I plan on telling anyone. Rather what merit will it give me if I did? It's not like your eating in a forbidden place or causing trouble for others. So there's no need to kick up a fuss over something like that."
"And since Kyou-chan is already an accomplice" Hearing Tsubaki's teasing voice, Kyousuke looked at her and said, "Really, you..."
"You ate it right? You, swallowed it right? The moment you ate the same thing as us, then that makes you an accomplice~"
"Want me to tell this to Uncle and Aunty?"
"I'm extremely sorry"
If there is a carpet right now, then she would have shown a magnificent and perfectly executed jumping dogeza** but too bad, they're outside right now with all sort of rocks and pebbles around it will definitely hurt her, so she has to compromise with a 90-degree bow, to show her utmost sincerity to Kyousuke.
But Kyousuke isn't convinced with her sincerity as she apologized since all sort of things has happened already and due to his experience in the past and learned a lot so, although he is reluctant but still decided to let her go.
"So then when's your next gathering?"
"If you say, 'Let me in with you, Tsubaki-sama' then I'll tell you"
"So you really do want me to tell it to Uncle, Aunty, and Sumire?"
"It depends on the goodwill Saeki-kun" After hearing an immediate reply from Tsubaki, Kyousuke looked over at Saeki.
"Hmm~hmm. So you liked them"
"I just thought it would be fine to try some"
'Do, don't misunderstand!' Is what I can hear from Kyousuke when I filtered him out. (Eunie: tsun-tsundere Kyousuke is heeere!!)
"Next time do it in the classroom. I'm sure Yakumo has long known about this so let's bring her as well."
"Aye sir!"
"Eh!? Yakumo-san also knows!?"
He probably didn't expect for Anna to know about it as well thus Saeki became a lot more flustered. Seeing him like that, Tsubaki can't help but feel a little bit guilty towards him.
Whatsmore, Kyousuke will definitely strike up a conversation with Saeki tomorrow and so all Tsubaki can do is pray for Saeki in her heart, 'My condolences Saeki'
It wasn't allowed in the school rules for two students to monopolized a room that's why Tsubaki and Saeki couldn't meet in a classroom. And the reason why normally Tsubaki doesn't talk with Saeki isn't only because the latter is against it but it's also due to the baseless rumors going around her and she didn't want it to affect him.
Because now, if Kyousuke talks with Saeki then Tsubaki will be freely able to converse with the latter in public, that's why she's thankful for it.
"And Tsubaki, stop with the 'Kyou-chan'"
"Okay Kyousuke"
Tsubaki didn't bother wasting time and without any reserve, she just went and call him by his name.
"Why don't you at least feint as if you're troubled by it!"
Kyousuke couldn't help but rebut, after seeing how Tsubaki was able to drop all formalities and call him on a first-name basis. Seeing Kyousuke's tsukkomi, Tsubaki concluded to herself that Kyousuke falls under the tsukkomi category/ straight-man act
(eunie: **rebuttal/ in a manzai/comedy show/duo/stand-up comedy there's always the boke= the comical part and tsukkomi = straight-man.)
For Tsubaki who's always doing the boke part, to see the growth of
Tsubaki's heart is filled to the brim with happiness as she sees the growth of a straight-man act/tsukkomi
Tsubaki woke up around the usual time, briefly dressed up and went down the stairs, by the time she arrived at the dining area, her family has already been there.
Both of her parents have finished eating their breakfast, putting aside her father who is about to go to work, her mother is the same as always being an early riser and then she greeted them, "Good Morning"
dainingu de wa sudeni ryōshin ga chōshoku o tabeteori , shukkin suru chichioya wa tomokaku hahaoya wa aikawarazu hayaokidana to tsubaki wa omoitsutsu , asa no aisatsu o kuchi ni shita .
Hearing her morning greetings, her father who was at the time reading an English newspaper, and her mother who was about to drink a cup of black tea, looked at her way and greeted her back.
One of the servants pulled the chair and as soon as Tsubaki sat down, she listens as the servant tell her the menu for today's breakfast.
"Which one would you prefer? Bread or rice?"
"Rice and please don't forget the natto** and I want a sunny side up with the eggwhites crisp and the yolk half-cooked please"
"And garnished with bacon right? Then please wait for a moment."
Every morning it's the same menu that Tsubaki asks for that's why the servant has long been used to it. Tsubaki who just said what she'll be having for breakfast has eagerly been waiting for it as she asks when will it be served.
And then her mother who was still in the middle of eating breakfast, took a napkin and wipe her mouth, glanced at Tsubaki, and asked, "It seems like you'll bring along some bouquet for today's graduation. Is there some upperclassman that you were closed with?"
"Eh, eh. Last year during the Star Festival there was a senpai who collapsed due to anemia and I ended up helping her reached the waiting room. Though we've only exchanged a few greetings, besides giving a bouquet is just proper etiquette."
"Oh my, anemia? Was she alright afterward?"
"It seems like her body has always been frail but since it's not like she has any grave illness so she's doing fine now. I also heard that she was able to recover immediately after that."
My mother who's been worriedly listening to me seemed to have sighed in relief after hearing what I've said.
She did answer on the things her mother asked but decided that there's no need to tell her anything else, such as the relationship between Kuze and Mio's relationship.
After the graduation ceremony, Tsubaki gave a bouquet to Kuze and Nikaidou. They do exchange simple greeting when they meet at the corridor but there was no need to deepen their relationship, so it's really just her following the social norms.
It's not a good idea for her to be on friendly terms with someone who has connections with Mio's mother, that's why her relationship with Kuze is only on an acquaintance level.
Then her Father who was drinking an after-meal coffee folded the English paper he's been reading and placed it down.
Since spring break until yesterday, he's been on an official business trip and upon seeing Tsubaki wearing her uniform after being promoted to fifth grade, he started to reminiscence about the past.
"Tsubaki-chan is finally in fifth grade. Time sure flies fast."
"Really and you used to be so small. A child's growth is really fast"
Her Father smiled after feeling deeply moved and then her mother also joined in with her father as they started talking about the past.
Tsubaki is feared and hated by most students of their grade but she didn't care since her plan is moving smoothly.
She really wanted to talk with Todou but because her followers are always around, she can't talk to her alone besides the latter doesn't like her so it might be impossible for just the two of them to talk together.
The enemy of your enemy is your friend, she can already see that it would be quite troublesome if Mio and Todou join forces together to deal with her.
Though personally, Tsubaki really wanted to become friends with Todou, and if only Mio isn't around, she'd be long friends with the latter. She truly feels regret that she wasn't able to do so.
Thinking about what she should do from hereon, breakfast has finally been served, but unbeknownst to Tsubaki who's eating with impeccable manners, two people were wondering what she's been thinking about.
After eating breakfast, Tsubaki finished up her morning routine (playing a bit with Sumire), and then she boarded the car and headed to school.
She greeted Anna and Kyousuke who was a little late, walked beside him until they've reached the classroom and just like always, she took her classes.
As soon as her afternoon classes ended, she headed to that secret spot and after a long time, she ate some snacks with Saeki.
"It seems like Asahina-san's reputation is quite bad. I did hear all sorts of rumors but, like what are your sources? Just listening to them and it's already obvious that they're all baseless."
"Truly. But for me, as long as there are people who understand me then I don't really mind."
"Is that so? But it is such a waste since you are kind-hearted person, Asahina-san"
I feel bad about Saeki who's feeling bad about her situation, but Tsubaki isn't really a kind-hearted person just like what he describes her.
Generally, she can only be kind towards the people she has a good impression and her likes-dislikes towards a person are on the stronger side. So she doesn't even want to bother having even a superficial relationship with people she doesn't like.
Tsubaki thought to herself as she grabbed a snack from the small bag and as she was about to tear it open, she heard a voice call out to her from the shadows.
"...What are you doing there?"
Tsubaki's hand froze, and even Saeki was frozen on the spot and then with stiff motions, she turned her body over and looked at the direction of the owner of the voice.
"...Yahoo, Kyou-chan."
And there was Kyousuke who just returned from his afternoon studies, standing there under the shadows of a tree.
Kyousuke can only fixedly stare at the spread-out view in front of him. He just caught her in the act of eating commoners snacks so he's probably quite surprised.
Tsubaki immediately tear open the snack she was holding in her hand, took it out, and thought to herself, 'There's no more time to waste, now's the time!' and then she inches forward, step-by-step towards the still bewildered Kyousuke.
As soon as she's in front of him, Tsubaki grabbed Kyousuke's cheeks and forced his mouth to open and swiftly placed in the snack she was holding and closed the latter's mouth.
"ssso oooi !!!!"
"oooo ogooo!!"
Kyousuke strongly resisted but it was a futile struggle since Tsubaki did not let go of his cheeks.
Tsubaki immediately retrieved the remaining snack that she wasn't able to fit in Kyousuke's mouth and then with her left hand she forcefully closed the latter's mouth.
"Aaah! Asahina-san!! What have you done to Mizushima-kun!"
"It's alright Saeki-kun! Just leave it to me!"
"Leave it to you? But Mizushima-kun who's busily chewing is glaring hard at us!? Even though he's fiercely staring at us, he's still earnestly chewing so it's a lot scarier" (Eunie: rolfmao)
Just like Saeki said, Kyousuke is glaring hard at Tsubaki with a scary expression. But Tsubaki has no plan of letting him go until he swallows everything.
After awhile Kyousuke's chewing finally stopped and after confirming that he has properly swallowed it, Tsubaki finally removed her hand from Kyousuke's mouth.
Of course, Tsubaki is scared of the scowling Kyousuke so she unnaturally looks away.
"...Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"Nothing."
Tsubaki rolled her sleeve and then presented her arm to Kyousuke and then Kyousuke grabbed her wrist and with his other free hand, he made a peace sign and raised it.
"Wai..! You! That's the one where it hurts badly! It's that thing where it will remove a mark!! Wait, wai...!" And before Tsubaki can finish her sentence, with all his strength Kyousuke struck her wrist.
"Ah!"
Tsubaki cried out, thankfully there wasn't anyone around so no one heard the echoes of her cries.
"It hurts! It extremely hurts!"
"It's just desserts"
He was probably already satisfied after smacking her once so he let goes of her hand, seeing her hand freed, Tsubaki looked down as she poked the red spot left on her wrist as she complains to Kyousuke.
And when she looked behind her, Tsubaki saw Saeki offering his arm to Kyousuke with his sleeves rolled up.
"Uh..umm! I'm the one at fault since I made Asahina-san eat them!"
"Nah, it's obvious that the one at fault right now is this girl. Forcing my mouth open and thrusting the snack inside my mouth that's why I hit her. You didn't do anything wrong so there's no need for that"
"Kyou-chan please control your strength next time. Don't you know that you should be gentler with girls!"
"No, you should be more ladylike and you should repent a little"
In response to Kyousuke's rebuke, Tsubaki remained quiet as she looked at his way and smiled as she gives a thumbs-up. Seeing her like that, Kyousuke can only be astounded as he sighed.
And Saeki can only gape at them as he listens to their conversation.
"...Could it be Asahina-san's that was the real you?"
"Fu-mu? So How is it? My perfect ojou-sama camouflage?"
"It was so perfect that I still can't comprehend what's going on."
"I know right? Right? See Kyou-chan? As expected of me."
And when she looked towards Kyousuke, he can only shake his head and mutter, "She's an idiot. This girl is truly an idiot." While Tsubaki looked at Kyousuke and wonder, what is troubling him.
"Why did you easily let it slip! Are you an idiot?!" Kyousuke scolded her in a loud voice, upon seeing how she easily showed her true nature which she has been single-mindedly hiding for so long.
But Tsubaki didn't pay heed at his scoldings and with a refreshing smile on her face she said, "Kyou-chan you might not believe it but Saeki and I have an agreement and we've been at it for almost a year already that's why I have a certain degree of trust with Saeki-kun and I also have dirt on him so it's alright."
"Dirt?"
I can somehow see a question mark floating on top of his head and just when I was about to explain it, Saeki beat me to it and started, explaining. "...I've been secretly eating here since way before to finish up the snacks produced by Father's company and while I was eating them Asahina-san found me. I asked her not to tell anyone and she promised not to in exchange, I'll give her some snacks I got that's why we sometimes eat here. That's the dirt she has on me."
"I see. But I feel like Tsubaki just wanted to eat them."
As expected of my cousin. We've been together for a while now so he knows me well.
And then Saeki who has been quietly listening to our bantering looked up and said, "Umm, Mizushima-kun I know you might think this is selfish of me but..."
"It's not like I plan on telling anyone. Rather what merit will it give me if I did? It's not like your eating in a forbidden place or causing trouble for others. So there's no need to kick up a fuss over something like that."
"And since Kyou-chan is already an accomplice" Hearing Tsubaki's teasing voice, Kyousuke looked at her and said, "Really, you..."
"You ate it right? You, swallowed it right? The moment you ate the same thing as us, then that makes you an accomplice~"
"Want me to tell this to Uncle and Aunty?"
"I'm extremely sorry"
If there is a carpet right now, then she would have shown a magnificent and perfectly executed jumping dogeza** but too bad, they're outside right now with all sort of rocks and pebbles around it will definitely hurt her, so she has to compromise with a 90-degree bow, to show her utmost sincerity to Kyousuke.
But Kyousuke isn't convinced with her sincerity as she apologized since all sort of things has happened already and due to his experience in the past and learned a lot so, although he is reluctant but still decided to let her go.
"So then when's your next gathering?"
"If you say, 'Let me in with you, Tsubaki-sama' then I'll tell you"
"So you really do want me to tell it to Uncle, Aunty, and Sumire?"
"It depends on the goodwill Saeki-kun" After hearing an immediate reply from Tsubaki, Kyousuke looked over at Saeki.
"Hmm~hmm. So you liked them"
"I just thought it would be fine to try some"
'Do, don't misunderstand!' Is what I can hear from Kyousuke when I filtered him out. (Eunie: tsun-tsundere Kyousuke is heeere!!)
"Next time do it in the classroom. I'm sure Yakumo has long known about this so let's bring her as well."
"Aye sir!"
"Eh!? Yakumo-san also knows!?"
He probably didn't expect for Anna to know about it as well thus Saeki became a lot more flustered. Seeing him like that, Tsubaki can't help but feel a little bit guilty towards him.
Whatsmore, Kyousuke will definitely strike up a conversation with Saeki tomorrow and so all Tsubaki can do is pray for Saeki in her heart, 'My condolences Saeki'
It wasn't allowed in the school rules for two students to monopolized a room that's why Tsubaki and Saeki couldn't meet in a classroom. And the reason why normally Tsubaki doesn't talk with Saeki isn't only because the latter is against it but it's also due to the baseless rumors going around her and she didn't want it to affect him.
Because now, if Kyousuke talks with Saeki then Tsubaki will be freely able to converse with the latter in public, that's why she's thankful for it.
"And Tsubaki, stop with the 'Kyou-chan'"
"Okay Kyousuke"
Tsubaki didn't bother wasting time and without any reserve, she just went and call him by his name.
"Why don't you at least feint as if you're troubled by it!"
Kyousuke couldn't help but rebut, after seeing how Tsubaki was able to drop all formalities and call him on a first-name basis. Seeing Kyousuke's tsukkomi, Tsubaki concluded to herself that Kyousuke falls under the tsukkomi category/ straight-man act
(eunie: **rebuttal/ in a manzai/comedy show/duo/stand-up comedy there's always the boke= the comical part and tsukkomi = straight-man.)
For Tsubaki who's always doing the boke part, to see the growth of
Tsubaki's heart is filled to the brim with happiness as she sees the growth of a straight-man act/tsukkomi
