Sun

On the weekend before our trip, I was at home, doing nothing. Lately, I haven't been able to laze around like this, with our club activities and all. I have been practicing reading lines with emotions, and my mentor is Nume from 1-B. I don't know how we could communicate properly, since I can't talk to girls, and she's too shy herself. I remember an instance where we couldn't start because no one was speaking…

"So, Takaiyama, I want you to practice your speech and pronunciation with Asahaka-san." Nariyuki was serious in giving orders.

"Ok." This is troublesome, and tiring. Why do I have to do this again?

"Tell me if you have any concerns later. If I have time, I'll also help." Nariyuki then went to talk with the other members regarding the story they want to use.

"…" Nume is quiet. We were sitting on the far side of the room so they wouldn't hear us as much.

"…" I can't talk to her.

"…"

"…"

"…"

"…" We've been sitting around for almost an hour. Why does she look so nervous?

"Ah…" She tried to speak! You can do it, Nume!

"Hm..?" I have no choice but to depend on you to start this conversation.

"Um…"

"Hm…?" Come on, already!

"Well... um, should we… start now… Takaiyama…-senpai?" She finally did it!

"Sure…" Let's get it on. I think we both want to get this over with.

"Ok guys, I think that's it for today. Let's meet up again tomorrow." Nariyuki called out to everyone. We haven't even started, though…

"Um…"

"Hm…?" Are we back here again?

"See you… tomorrow… Senpai." Nume suddenly stood up and ran outside the room. Everyone looked at me as if I did something. I wonder if they thought she confessed to me and I rejected her.

---

Now that I think about it, it seems that I can talk with Hiroisora better than the other members, except for Nariyuki. Maybe because I get to see them longer in class than the others, which is during club only?

As I was pondering my situation, someone knocked at the door of my room.

"Come in."

"Hey, Onii-chan." It's Uryou. I wonder what he wants. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"There's someone standing outside our house. Do you know who that is?"

"What are you talking about?" I stood up from my bed and looked outside the window. I couldn't see who was there. "I'll go check outside to see who it is." Who could this be at this late in the evening?

"Be careful. It might be one of your stalkers who want to get their revenge on you."

"Shut up!"

I went outside our house to see who it was. I barely saw someone standing near a lamp post, since it was somewhat dark. I slowly walked towards that person.

"Who's there? Do we know you?"

"Yes."

"Who are you, then?" That person walked towards me. Out of the shadows, it was… "Elizabeth-san?"

"Yes."

"What are you doing here!?" Come to think of it, how come I can talk to her easily when she's a girl?

"It must be my butler uniform. Some say I look manly in this."

"You just read my mind again!"

"You were talking aloud."

"No, I wasn't! Oh, enough of this. We had this conversation already."

"Ok." What's with her reactions? She is totally weird.

"So, why are you here? Did you come to take our house already?"

"No. I was just making sure you were doing your mission."

"Well, I have. What's the rush, anyway? I thought I had until graduation."

"I just wanted to give you advice, to ensure success."

"What happened to not meddling with my actions?"

"You're so slow, I'm not sure I approached the right guy." She's clearly insulting me, right?

"Then pick someone else then!" Please?

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"From my observation, you're the only boy who Kari-sama keeps talking to. I think that's progress in itself. Although, you're still slow. My confidence is wavering."

"I think that's just coincidence since were in the same club. And it's not like I wanted to do this, so stop complaining. Anyway, what advice were you going to give?" I guess if she's helping, I have no reason to turn her down.

"During your class trip…"

"Yeah?"

"Please use protection."

What the hell?! She's on the same level as Jirai!

---

If there is one thing that is sure in this world, it's that Elizabeth-san is a weirdo. When I got back to my room, I received a text message… from Elizabeth-san.

"I expect great results from your trip." That surely has put some pressure. Wait, there's more to the message… "Just not a positive result… in a pregnancy test." She better hope my hormones don't act up on me, then. Hahaha. As if.

The next day was a Sunday. It's starting to get hot, since summer is very near. Even though I'm not doing anything, I feel so hot. Maybe I should buy some ice cream?

I decided to go to the convenience store. It was in the afternoon, so it was hot outside. After a few steps outside our house, I immediately regretted my decision. It's so hot out here! What's more, I've been to 3 convenience stores, and they're all out of ice cream. What is happening here?! I'm pretty far from my house now. If I turn back now and go home empty handed, I would've just wasted my time. I decided to go further until I complete my mission.

When I reached the 4th store, it was all or nothing. I'm too tired to go farther than here. I entered the store and braced myself… for disappointment. While I was walking along an aisle, I heard some boxes fell from the next aisle. I checked to see what happened.

"Hey, a-are you ok?" I saw a girl picking up boxes. I went closer to help her. "L-let me help y-you with that." I picked up a box. It said '100% accurate Pregnancy Test!' What the?! I looked at the girl. "H-Hiroisora?" No wonder I can talk to her. And what is with this cryptic scenario?!

"Oh. Takaiyama-kun. What are you doing here?" She had that typical smile on her. "Isn't this far from your house?"

"Wha-what are you buying?" Seriously.

"Oh this. They fell when I bumped into them. I'll feel bad if I don't pick them up."

"I-I see. Hehehe…" If guys from my school see us in this place, holding this, I can't imagine the uproar this will cause. Hopefully I won't have to buy this in the near future…

After that, I went on to buy ice cream. Luckily, there were some popsicles left. Going outside wasn't such a complete waste. While I was at the counter, Hiroisora stood behind me as she was waiting in line. She had all this toiletries and stuff.

"Um, w-what are all those for?" I asked her as I turned around after paying.

"This? It's for our school trip. We're staying there for three days, right? Hehe." Crap. I forgot about that. I don't have enough money on me. I used most of it on the ice cream… "Have you finished packing your stuff?" She asked with a smile.

"Yeah… Well no. I-I haven't started yet." Now I'm really ashamed, since I admitted I haven't prepared anything yet.

"Really? Aren't you going to buy some stuff now?"

"Haha... Well, y-you see, I don't have enough… on me. I used it all up on the… ice cream." Now I feel like a total loser.

"Is that so? Here. I can lend you some money; you can pay me back tomorrow."

"Y-you don't need to! I-I can just go outside again later-"

"If you can do it now, you do it. Right?" I can't believe she's lecturing me. "Hehehe. Just take it."

"O-ok… Thanks." She's a caring person, that's for sure. If she really wanted, she can have any guy and that person will be the luckiest guy alive. I wonder what happened to her to keep on rejecting and avoiding guys... Well, except for me. "I'll take it; b-but I have one condition."

"Wh-what is it?" Her face became somewhat concerned because of what I said.

"I-it's nothing serious. I, I just want to return the favour…"

She waited for me to pick up some stuff and she then paid for it. When we left the store, I pointed to a nearby park and we went there for some shade.

"Here." I handed her a popsicle.

"What is this?"

"Um, a popsicle?"

"Hahaha." She laughed genuinely.

"Hehe, th-this is for lending me some money."

"Oh, but don't forget, you still have to return the money, ok?" She was teasing me, I think.

"O-of course!"

"Hehehe. Don't be so serious, I was just kidding. Well, I have to go now, see you at school."

She left while eating the popsicle. She's such a nice girl, doing her own shopping. Wait, doesn't she have a maid/butler to do this kind of stuff for her? Wow, now I'm even more impressed. Or is it just because Elizabeth-san is lazy? Yeah. It's both.

---

When I got back home, I went back to my room. I thought I should pack my things, after being lectured by Hiroisora and all. Haha.

It's good that I can talk to her now. I still can't talk straight, but at least I've improved. It feels like I've accomplished my goal in joining the Theatre club. At this rate, I don't have to perform in a play at all. Hahaha.

"Onii-chan." Uryou shouted from outside my room.

"What?"

"You're laughing while you're all alone. Are you going crazy from rejecting all those girls and now regretting it?"

"Why, you! Come here!" I opened the door to strangle him, but he was already running down the stairs. Hmm… I don't think I was laughing aloud. What if… Elizabeth-san is saying the truth that I say my thoughts aloud? No, maybe it's some kind of telepathic powers? I have super powers! Bwahaha… Nah, it must be the heat. Everyone turns crazy when it's hot.

---

The next day, our homeroom teacher was giving us final reminders before our trip on the following day. Mostly, it was just do's and don'ts, and what the itinerary is. Yup, I'm excited to go on this trip. We are going to a greenhouse.

After homeroom, we were dismissed. There was no club activity for us second years so we can focus on preparing for tomorrow's trip.

"Hey, Takaiyama."

"What's up, Jirai?" He looked serious.

"During this trip…"

"You're going to confess to Hiroisora?"

"H-How did you know? You can read minds?!" Wow, I do have telepathy. And the fact that he's easy to predict.

"Good luck, then." As I'm sure a lot of other guys are thinking the same thing.