I Really Don't Notice

“It’s been a while since we all got together.”

After school in the ComClub room, I looked around and muttered.

Today, everyone- Kurisu-chan, Kikyouin-san, Kagurai-senpai, and Orino-san- were all present, leisurely sipping tea.

“You’re right. We’ve all been a bit busy lately, the timing never matched up.”

“We’re free to come or not if we want to, right? ‘n wait, that was the condition I joined under.”

“You may say that, but you show up quite a lot, Kikyouin.”

“Mn… Well, despite this and that, it’s convenient and a pleasant place. You can leave as much stuff as you want, and you even got a fridge when I wasn’t looking.”

“… No, girl, that’s where you’re supposed to say, ‘I-it’s not like I wanted to see you people or anything!’ you know.”

“… Yeah, yeah.”

“Kurisu-chan. Want another cup of tea?”

“Ah, I’ll take it. Thanks, Orino-senpai.”

And like that, the trifling conversation continued.

Boring and plain, it gave the feel the world was at peace… the time I liked most.

I was growing emotional as I sipped my tea when, “Come to think of it,” Kagurai-senpai changed the topic.

“Only Kagoshima’s here overly often.”

“That’s right. I think he’s here every day.”

“Isn’t it because he’s got nothing better to do?” said Kikyouin-san.

“Yeah, well, since I’ve got time, I come to study.”

“Study? Ah, come to think of it, when I swapped out with Gakuta… is the new ventriloquism act I was practicing, you were studying the whole time.”

“And when I was in the room, you came to study as well.”

Kagurai-senpai and Kikyouin-san said in wonder.

“Why is Kagoshima suddenly taking the straight and narrow?”

“No, it’s nothing like that.”

“Then what is it?”

At Kagurai-senpai’s question, I offered a perfectly level answer.

*BREAK*

“I mean, exams start tomorrow, right?”

*BREAK*

“”””………………””””

Four pairs of eyes gathered on me. Everyone blankly hung their mouth half open. After a few seconds of silence, our leader opened her mouth.

“K-K-Kagoshima. Is that… true?”

“Yes.”

It was fact, so yet another level answer.

“Granted, club activities are prohibited right before the exams, but I consulted with our faculty advisor, and had them keep the club room open as a special exception. When I told them we were going to use it for study sessions, they happily gave the OK.”

“……”

Silence fell unto the room once more.

But given the time,

“”””I forgoooottt!”””” 𝗳𝒓𝚎e𝚠𝒆𝐛𝐧𝐨v𝚎Ɩ.co𝓶

Everyone cried in unison.

“Why did you keep quiet about it!?”

“Eh? No, I thought everyone knew, and I was sure I didn’t need to go out oy my way to say it. And look, if you keep talking about tests, it just gets you more high-strung.” f𝗿e𝙚𝘸e𝐛𝚗𝐨𝙫𝚎𝙡.c𝒐𝐦

“… You’re tactful in all the wrong places… what do we do, I thought I’d finally caught up to this school’s scope…”

Kikyouin-san held her head. Beside her, Kurisu-chan was clinging onto Orino-san.

“Orino-senpai! Please teach me again!”

“… Wait Kurisu-chan. I might not have the time this time around… I haven’t finished my own stuff at all yet…”

And Orino-san turned towards me.

“Kagoshima-kun, did you properly study?”

“Yeah. I did it proper this time around. I have more confidence than usual. But Orino-san, I don’t think you have to panic, won’t you be alright?”

“Right, but I don’t even know what the test will cover… and you’re confident, right Kagoshima-kun?”

“Yeah.”

“Then I’m cramming.”

“Why?”

“I kinda don’t want to lose to you in studies.”

She had a strange pride, apparently.

While the clubroom was up in a ruckus, the lone soul whose mouth remained shut suddenly stood. That individual was probably the one panicking the most at the moment. The greatest idiot of the ComClub.

“… I hereby announce the first official club activity of the ComClub.”

Kagurai-senpai made a needlessly grand declaration.

“From here on, we’re going to pull an all-nighter study session at Kagoshima’s House.”

*BREAK*

The reason my house was selected was likely simply because it was closest to the school. Well, that being the case, it ended up that I invited four girls into the house. It might be a situation for a dance of mad delight, but as everyone was at their wit’s end, there was no time for joy or pent-up emotion.

“Yeaaah.”

In the kitchen, I turned my mind.

My room was a little narrow for five people at once, so the session was opened in the living room. Unlike our usual study sessions, no one had the time, so rather than teaching each other, it felt more like they were each persisting on their own. Only when there was something they didn’t know, would they ask someone who did.

I had relative leisure, rather, to be blunt, I had nothing left to do, so I went around to assisting everyone.

A few hours of stern studies, then came a short break.

While everyone was resting their exhausted bodies, I secretly headed to the kitchen. To make a midnight snack for everyone trying their best.

“Yeaaah.”

I turned my mind further.

“Why is the pot empty?”

Strange things happen in the world.

In an attempt to make something light they could snack on and relieve their fatigue, I randomly shoved this and that in the pot, threw in that thing and even that thing as a secret ingredient, and finished it off with that you know what, simmering it all on high heat.

Is it done yet? I thought as I opened the lid… only to find it empty. My cooking had completely vanished. What’s more, for some reason, the pot was even cleaner than it was before I used it. I wonder what happened when it let off that Thud sound.

“Is this how the author of, Who Moved my Cheese felt?”

In that case, I might be able to become a best selling author myself. I see, so when your food suddenly disappears, you’re filled with this sort of inexplicable feeling.

“Well, I guess it doesn’t matter.”

I changed gears and decided to brew some tea with tea bags. Orino-san taught me how to brew it tasty the other day, (Apparently, you’re supposed to properly read the instructions on the box. I have seen the light), so I did just that.

Putting just enough cups on the tray, I returned to the living room.

“Do you want something to drink… wait.”

I hurriedly quieted down. Gazing over the scene that expanded before my eyes, I let out a light sigh. The four of them were soundly asleep.

Kurisu-chan and Kikyouin-san and Kagurai-senpai and Orino-san.

Leaned over the table, they let out quiet breath.

“… So they fell asleep.”

My smile naturally formed.

As I watched the sleeping faces of the sound-looking four, that alone brought peace to my heart.

They all must have been tired.

With all their own circumstance as of late, it looks like they’ve been dealing with a lot. And with things solved to a certain extent, they were letting loose just a bit.

It looks like everyone was working hard where I wasn’t looking.

“……”

After leaving the tea in the kitchen, I brought enough blankets down from the second floor.

I thought I might wake them, but before four cute sleeping faces, I was unable to do something so uncouth.

I gently draped the covers over the four worn-out sleepers.

And I said this.

“Good work.”

*BREAK*

*BREAK*

…Eh, the test?

Of course, all five of us slept in, missed it, and had to take supplementary lessons together.