Chapter 129: Workplace Experience!
The week of periodic exams finally ended. When Monday arrived, it was time for the results, so every class was spent announcing scores, returning papers, and reviewing the answers.
Unsurprisingly, Yui's hard studying had produced a significant improvement.
After every class, she would march over to Luke's desk with her chin raised and an exaggerated swagger, resembling a bear that had just discovered honey in the forest.
Just like now.
"My modern Japanese score improved too! Those study sessions really worked."
Yui stood beside his desk once again, her chin slightly raised and her voice brimming with delight.
Luke silently looked away, making no effort to hide his disgust.
At first, he had sincerely felt happy whenever this idiot brought him good news.
However, she came over to boast every single time one of her scores improved.
It was becoming unbearably annoying.
How had this idiot even passed the high school entrance exam?
It was one of Sobu High's seven mysteries.
"If I can improve this much after only studying a little, then maybe… I'm actually a genius!"
Seeing Luke remain silent, Yui thoughtfully reached a brilliant conclusion.
"Ugh!"
Luke rubbed his aching forehead.
Few things were more irritating than an idiot proudly showing off without realizing she was an idiot.
This was one of those situations.
"All right, I understand."
Luke sighed helplessly and interrupted her.
"I don't care about the other subjects. How do you think you did in mathematics?"
He was curious about the subject she had chosen for their earlier competition.
As for Luke's chosen subject, English, his score was still not especially high. Even so, it had exceeded his usual deviation score by a considerable margin.
Mm.
Compared with Yui, he was the real genius.
The pride immediately disappeared from Yui's face.
Her eyes began wandering guiltily toward the window as she casually tried to whistle.
"Fwee, fwee…"
Perhaps because of the heat, Luke could see sweat forming along the back of her fair neck.
"The mathematics papers haven't even been returned yet. Why are you panicking? I'm only asking how you think you did."
"Ah… I'm not panicking. Why would I panic?"
Yui denied it frantically.
Then she bent closer to him and quietly asked, "U-um… Is it possible to feel completely confused during an exam but still receive a decent score?"
"Of course it is."
Luke confidently answered using himself as an example.
"That's how I felt during the English exam, but my score still surpassed my normal deviation value."
"However, that was English. With mathematics, if you don't know the answer, you probably just don't know it."
Yui's expression shifted from cloudy to sunny and then immediately into a torrential downpour.
"I-is that so…?"
The bell gradually rang.
The final lesson before lunch happened to be mathematics.
Luke was not concerned. His mathematics scores had always been excellent.
Besides returning the periodic examination papers, today also included an activity they had prepared for some time—the workplace experience.
Once lunch began, the students traveled to the workplaces they had chosen to visit.
Fortunately, Luke's group with Hikigaya Hachiman and Totsuka Saika had selected an interesting amusement park.
Hayama Hayato, Sobu High's popular star, had chosen somewhere else—probably an electronics or machinery manufacturer.
Even though he had attracted a large number of students, plenty of girls had still selected the amusement park.
Luke reached that conclusion from the group of girls chattering around Saika.
Despite belonging to their group, Totsuka had been unknowingly dragged away by the girls.
Still, cute people were naturally treated that way, so it was not much of a problem.
However…
"What's with that envious look?"
Luke nudged Hikigaya with his elbow.
Those dead fish eyes displayed the peculiar expression Luke had seen many times before.
"Oh."
Hachiman instantly returned to normal.
"Do you—"
"Hiss!"
Before Luke could hear the rest of his question, something cold pressed against his cheek, making him shudder.
"Here!"
Miura Yumiko, who had also chosen the amusement park, held a white ice pop against his face.
It was a Papico ice pop.
Each package contained two connected tubes. Luke's freezer at home held plenty of them, and he could conveniently finish both by himself.
"Aren't you going to play?"
Luke accepted the white ice pop. It carried the pleasant fragrance of Yumiko's hand cream.
He opened the seal and bit down, drawing out some of the crushed ice.
Mm. Peach flavored.
He was referring to the ice pop.
"Is there anywhere you want to go?"
After handing it over, Yumiko adjusted the strap of the shoulder bag crossing her body and questioned him.
"There is…"
Luke glanced at Yuigahama Yui and Ebina Hina, who had predictably followed her.
The moment Hina saw Luke standing beside Hachiman, she fell into the same dazed state she had shown after learning about their group assignment.
Drool formed at her mouth, steam rose from her head, and she repeatedly muttered words like "pairing."
Luke stared speechlessly at the ice pop.
'Maybe I should freeze this solid and hit her over the head with it.'
"Ugh…"
Unable to contain the heat inside her any longer, Hina suddenly shut down in the hot weather and fainted with a hiss.
She fell stiffly against Yui's shoulder.
"Hurry up and decide~ I still want to play some more."
Yumiko urged Luke while working smoothly with Yui as though they had practiced this many times.
They placed Hina on a nearby wooden bench.
Yui pressed a cold wet wipe against her forehead, while Yumiko used a tissue to clean the blood beneath her nose.
At that moment, Saika finally escaped the girls who had surrounded him.
"Luke, Hachiman… Sorry. I got separated from the group for a while."
Saika stood before them, panting in his usual athletic clothes.
"Mm~ It's fine."
Hachiman hurriedly turned his face away.
Saika glanced at Yumiko beside them and asked, "Have you decided which attraction to visit?"
"Since we came to an amusement park, we obviously have to ride the bumper cars!"
Luke declared confidently.
Unfortunately, this park did not have go-karts. Otherwise, he would unquestionably have voted for those.
"Eh? Shouldn't we ride the Ferris wheel?"
Yumiko looked puzzled.
"If you want a private date, we can do that during the holidays."
Luke, who was slightly afraid of heights, pulled her closer and whispered.
"Besides, the bumper cars allow two people in each car."
"Who said I wanted a private date?!"
Just as Luke expected, Yumiko kicked him.
"Bumper cars?"
Saika looked genuinely interested in such a masculine attraction, then turned toward Hachiman.
As usual, Hachiman showed no particular opinion.
"Mm. Anything is fine with me."
"Then bumper cars it is!"
...
(Don't forget to vote, review, and leave a comment below! :D The more you vote, the more chapters I upload.)
...
Read more chapters(25+):
patréon.com/U22
(Note: Replace "é" with "e" on your web browser.)