After exchanging contact information with Saito, I went back home for the first time in a month and a half.
“It’s so relaxing…” (Hiroto)
“Why are you talking like an old man…” (Hiroto’s mother)
“Well, well, Mari-san. It’s been a while since he’s been home, so let him relax. By the way, Hiroto-kun…what’s with the box? (Toru-san)
Toru-san was looking at the box I was holding.
“Oh… this? It was given to me by Aizawa-san’s grand-daughter, who was my roommate in the hospital room.
“Aizawa-san’s? If I recall, a lovely young lady came to visit you.” (Toru-san)
“Hiroto! When did you have such a close friend? You never told your mother?” (Hiroto’s mother)
My parents were grinning and prying at me. I thought, “Not again… ” and told them the same story I told Aizawa-san.
“Aizawa-san will be out of the hospital soon, right? Yeah, I’ll thank her for you then.”
“Thank you, Toru-san.”
When I opened the box and took out the gift, I found that it was a strawberry cake. I’ve always liked strawberry cake, so I savored it. How could she make something so delicious? She said it was for practice, but I’m sure it will be even better when the old lady leaves the hospital…
“And while you’re at it, tell her I said it was delicious.”
I asked him to leave a message and went back to my room.
By the way, I got a call from a senior asking me to come to the club room on the first day of school. It’s been a while since I’ve been to school, so I was going to drop by the club room and see what was going on, or I could drop by the hospital, depending on the results of the tests.
I spent the next few days relaxing at home until the first day of school, and the day of the new semester finally arrived.
I took my crutches, which I was getting used to, and headed to school. I was going to school with Yoichiro, who was the only one who went to the same middle school as me, and he offered to help me with my luggage, so I took him up on his offer.
Yoichiro asked me on the way to school after leaving the station.
“I don’t know either. Takuma and the others haven’t told me anything, and the other club members didn’t seem to have been told either.”
Today was the day of the opening ceremony. All club activities are closed due to the general meeting of the presidents from each club and the general meeting of the advisors. This is an important day for the athletic clubs, and the results of the meeting will determine the use and occupancy of the grounds and gym for the semester. Unlike in private schools, this was a matter of life and death for us public school students.
When Yoichiro and I entered the classroom for the first time in a long time, we found boys already opening their textbooks and girls reading novels… it was so quiet that I wanted to say that this was indeed a special moment for each grade.
“It’s a great way to get to know your fellow students,” the principal said.
“Good morning. Yoshizumi-kun, I heard you were in the hospital, is your leg okay?”
Her name was Chiaki Takahashi. She’s a semi-tall, slit-eyed girl who looks quiet at first glance, but she’s the class president who says whatever she wants to say.
“Oh… good morning Takahashi-san. I’m fine now, but I’m going to go to the hospital today and get some tests done.” (Hiroto)
“Yes. That’s good. I think you’re going to be okay.”
“Yeah? What?”
“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.”
Without understanding what she meant, Takahashi-san went back to her seat. Then, “Good morning! and two boys came into the classroom with great excitement.
“Yo! Yoshizumi! You had a tough month!”
“Good morning. Looks like you hurt your foot.”
“Good morning. Long time no see, Ando and Sanada.” (Hiroto)
The cheerful one is Ando from the soccer team, and the other one is Sanada from the tennis team. These two are the only boys who belong to the sports club besides me and Yoichiro, and the four of us often talk together in the classroom.
The bell rang and the homeroom teacher, Mr. Suzuki, who is also the head of the grade, came in.
She was giving a briefing, but I was thinking about my schedule for the day and didn’t pay any attention to what she said.