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Chapter 81

 

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Translator: mii

Editor: Ryuunakama

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Today was also cold.

It’s December, so of course it would be cold. Anyway, it was very cold.

It was especially cold when I went to the station on my bicycle. My ears were cold. My face was cold. I was wearing gloves, but that’s it.

「Morning.」

「Good morning, senpai.」

Kouhai-chan was waiting on the platform as usual.

When I exhaled, my breath was white.

「It’s cold.」

「It sure is cold, eh.」

I just stood, feeling Kouhai-chan’s existence until the train arrived.

When we settled to our usual position, I looked closely at Kouhai-chan’s face for the first time today.

Nn?

I wonder what. She was looking at me as well, as if wanting to say something.

Her cheeks that were slightly red were swollen. This kind of gesture would surely look cute for a beautiful woman.

「Senpai, aren’t you forgetting something?」

So she really had something to say.

But then, if I really had forgotten something, I wouldn’t remember just by you saying that, you know.

Well, it couldn’t be helped. Let’s try to remember for a moment.

「This month is December, right?」

「Yes, it’s Shiwasu, senpai.」

「I’m sure we talked about it already.」

December… December…

If we were talking about December, then what came to my mind was Christmas, but there was still a long way off. There was final exams before that, but…

Hmm.

Huh? Speaking of which, Kouhai-chan’s birthday was in December. What day was it again? Err…

I only remembered that there were only 1 and 2 on the date.

「…Your birthday, right?」

I remembered. 1212. It was December 12. Only one more week from now.

「Oh my, senpai remembered?」

「No, I forgot.」

「How heartless.」

Well, I really felt apologetic if you say that, okay.

「Sorry.」

When I apologized with a half-serious tone, Kouhai-chan giggled.

「It’s a lie. I’m not angry.」

「Isn’t that heartless?」

「Senpai is more heartless than me.」

「In the end, aren’t I heartless?」

What’s with this conversation.

「Then, it’ll be next week, huh?」

「Yes. It’s next week.」

Today was the 6th, a Wednesday. Since her birthday would be at 12th… Tuesday?

By the way, I remembered that I wrote something in my planner on Tuesday, December 12th. What was it again?

Ah.

「It’s the same day as the final test, right?」

「Yes.」

This sure is troubling, Kouhai-chan added.

Right. The final event of this semester, the final exam, would begin on December 12th, the same date as Kouhai-chan’s birthday.

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「Well, leaving that aside.」

「You are just going to leave that aside?」

I haven’t asked this before, right?

Well, I could kind of predict his answer, though.

「Senpai,『today’s question』.」

「Eh, now?」

I asked a question to senpai who was surprised at my strange timing.

「Senpai, what kind of cake do you like?」

「Prosperity.」[1. JP pun, Kouhai-chan was asking, what kind of ‘keeki’ do you like?, and senpai answered with, ‘kouKEIKI’ (Prosperity).]

He didn’t even change his expression, answering me immediately.

「I will really get angry, you know?」

「I’m just joking. Nn, maybe I prefer the simpler ones? Like cheesecake.」

「It’s really senpai-ish, huh.」

「What’s with that.」

「Nothing.」

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Kouhai-chan says that with a smile, making me unable to reply back to her with something smart.

「Senpai-ish」, huh. Am I that easy to read?

Well, but it might also mean that we were already close enough for her to know my food preferences.

「How about Kouhai-chan, what cake do you like?『Today’s question』.」

I asked her question back as usual, and I realized that this was what Kouhai-chan wanted me to ask her.

I felt like I had been too dazed recently. Before, I would be thinking a little more before saying a lot of things to Kouhai-chan.

Well, it’s fine. It’s not like this could be considered her holding my weak points.

「Nn, I wonder what…」

I put my finger on my jaw, thinking for a while.

「You said that you like pancakes before, you know?」

「Can we consider pancakes as a cake?」

「Who knows?」

In the first place, how do people define a “cake”?

「If flour is the main ingredient and it tastes sweet, you can consider it a cake, right?」

「But if that’s the case, biscuit will also get considered as a cake, senpai.」

「But they put biscuit in cheesecake, right?」

「I think we are not talking about that.」

Hmm.

「So then, how about the one with flour as the main ingredient, taste sweet, and have fluffy texture?」

「Fluffy?」

「Cakes are fluffy, right?」

I think cakes are mostly fluffy. Like shortcake, or pound cake.

「Then isn’t that just the sponge of the cake?」

「Well, it’s fine. In the end, what kind of cake does Kouhai-chan like after all?」

「Rather than a simple one, I prefer the over-the-top ones. We are eating a cake after all.」

「Hoo.」

「That’s why, maybe my favourites are shortcakes.」

Shortcake is certainly the number one with 「cake」feeling. Actually, we were also eating a shortcake on my birthday.

「I will use it as reference.」

「I have high expectations, okay?」

「Don’t.」

「Ehh, you won’t celebrate it for me, senpai?」

I don’t think I will have free time in the middle of the exam.

「I won’t.」

「Ehh.」

Her surprised face was somewhat fresh.

「Celebrating at the day is not possible. Even if I’m like this, I need good results. Let me study. 」

Kouhai-chan pouted, her expression looked relieved.

「Yeah, that’s right.」

「Can we celebrate it at the weekend?」

「Well, fine. We can take it slow after the test.」

Kouhai-chan wouldn’t look me in the eyes.

「Sorry, I know that it will be better if we can celebrate it on the day, but…」

When I apologized, she finally looked at me.

「It’s okay.」

Kouhai-chan gave me a request with a small smile.

「As an exchange, please celebrate it with me merrily, okay?」

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The things I knew about my senpai 81

It seems like senpai barely remembered my birthday.

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