Kenkyo, Kenjitsu o Motto ni Ikite Orimasu Chapter 63

First, on Valentines in Japan, women are supposed to give chocolates to guys. Sometimes it’s out of courtesy (obligatory chocolates/giri choco) and sometimes an expensive or homemade one for the person you actually like (forrealz chocolates/honmei choco). It’s also not too weird to give them to friends as a sign of affection (friend-chocolates/tomochoco).Don’t ask why. It’s some marketing thing, like how people buy diamond rings for weddings now. Shimazaki Touson is the pen-name of Shimazaki Haruki, a Japanese author, active in the Meiji, Taishou and early Shouwa periods of Japan. He began his career as a romantic poet, but went on to establish himself as a major proponent of naturalism in Japanese fiction.First LoveWhen I saw you under the apple tree

I thought you were the flower
In the flower comb you wore in front

 

When you gently extended your soft white hand

It was the very first time I loved someone
With the pale red of the autumn fruit

When my sigh unknowingly

I drank of your passion
From the cup of my tender love

The narrow, natural path

Who first trod this path?

You asked, you lovely, I thought

Taken from the Columbia Anthology of Modern Japanese Literature

Now that Aira-sama and Yurie-sama had gained entry into the schools they wanted to join, all that was left was waiting for their graduation.

I heard from Aira-sama that Yurie-sama was spending more time around him out of consideration.

I wonder if he’s going to start writing poems again. Maybe I should teach him flower divination.
Ah, and I also know a good matchmaker shrine, okay? The fortunes are really accurate. You should go too, Kaburagi-sama.

Speaking of poems, Class Rep made no progress at all despite his daring show of his love.

I really don’t get how this guy’s criteria for embarrassment…

Apparently he actually wanted Miharu-chan to realise his feelings through that poem.

If you were in the same class and were close to begin with, then sure, maybe, but considering the situation she’d be a total narcissist if she thought it was her.

Not only that, but apparently he was too embarrassed to give it to her, so he came and asked me to do it instead. Just how much of a maiden are you.

In the end, for some reason I ended up giving it to Miharu-chan as a friend-chocolate. She was surprised at the sudden gift, but I was troubled too, okay. I just gave an obviously passion-filled chocolate to a girl I’m not even that close with. What if she misunderstands me and weird rumours spread.

Miharu-chan looked at me with understanding and nodded, “Try your best next year, okay?” in a completely unnecessary consolation.

And now Miharu-chan thinks I like someone!

I’m getting the feelings that he’s transforming further and further into a maiden. I wonder if I can start treating him like a girlfriend already.

One day, I received a bit of news from Serika-chan about Tsuruhana-san.

“Tsuruhana-san got ear piercings.”

“Eh-”

Piercings in middle school!? What a delinquent!
Isn’t that forbidden by the school regulations? Ah, well, I guess a drill-hair like me can’t speak.

“Some of the other girls have gotten piercings too.”

“Unbelievable. It’s unacceptable.”

Kikuno-chan and the other girls started joining in too.

Dyed hair is basically banned. But well, I hear some girls secretly use just a tiny bit so that it looks natural.

But piercings, huhh. I wonder if they’d even do it for a middle schooler without their parents consent. Does that mean her parents are fine with it?

If that’s the case then she’s really bold. Leaving perms and dyes aside, a lot of traditional families frown upon piercings. Okaasama told me that she wouldn’t allow it either.

Serika-chan and the others began a sneaky discussion about whether or not to tattle on them.
I really hope they’d stop. Our group has weak points like my curled hair too.

“Let us watch them for a little longer. I do not think it would be a good idea for us to inform the teachers.”

I somehow managed to calm everyone down, but maybe things are going to get even more heated once we become third years.
Gosh, I’d hate that. For some reason people think of me oddly highly, but I’m actually the first to run when it comes to a cat fight. Girls are scary.

While all this was happening, I heard that Kaburagi attended the high school graduation ceremony with lilies (yuri).

But lilies, huh. Could it be that he saw the time Oniisama brought me uraras, and actually really liked it?

Leaving Oniisama aside, perhaps Kaburagi should become Imari-sama’s disciple or something.
The other day, Imari-sama came over for the first time in the while, and he gave me some boxed flowers.

Boxed preserved flowers. Super stylish. Great for Valentine’s and Christmas.

So stylish! As expected of Imari-sama!
Kaburagi, apparently men can’t stick to just bouquets, like a one trick dog!

Around the time cherry blossoms began to fall in full bloom, we all advanced into third years.

Chapter end