"Shouko, are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
Grandma Ito, who had just come out of the washroom, noticed Shouko tiptoeing and couldn't help but feel worried and puzzled.
"Ah…" Shouko waved her hand hurriedly. "Grandma, I'm fine."
At first, she didn't think much of it, but now she felt that if she made any big movements, the buttons could pop open at any moment…
Under Grandma Ito's silent gaze, after a moment of hesitation, Shouko chose to confess honestly.
Grandma Ito was a little surprised after hearing it and glanced at her granddaughter's plump 'little face.' "Do you want to take a day off today?"
"No need." Shouko shook her head. "Grandma, don't worry. As long as I don't do strenuous exercise today, it'll be fine."
Grandma Ito confirmed repeatedly that she wasn't feeling unwell before preparing breakfast and the bento with her.
By the dining table, Yaeko frowned, staring at Shouko's busy back in the kitchen. Just as she was about to go forward and ask, she was stopped by Grandma Ito, who also explained the reason to her.
Afterward, Yaeko no longer paid attention. She had thought about letting Shouko wear her clothes for a day, but it was just a thought.
She knew without thinking that Shouko would refuse.
Meanwhile, Yuzuru, beside her, hadn't heard a word and was still nodding like a pecking chick.
"Yuzuru, did you stay up late again last night?"
Seeing her change from nodding to shaking her head in denial, Yaeko lectured her a few times, sighed silently, and stopped talking, quietly eating her breakfast.
"I'm leaving!"
"Shouko, be careful on the road."
"Click…"
Everything was ready. Shouko, who had changed her shoes in the entrance, responded to the three people inside the house, then closed the front door and walked towards Miyamura.
"Shouko, are you feeling unwell anywhere?"
Tsuna, who had just come out of the bathroom, immediately noticed Shouko's abnormality. Without much thought, he asked directly.
Shouko, who had just finished explaining the reason to Shizuka in the living room, paused her words. Unlike Grandma Ito and Shizuka, she couldn't say it at all to Tsuna…
She had originally thought she could hide it, but unexpectedly, they almost noticed the abnormality at first glance.
"Shouko is fine. Dry your hair and go eat breakfast quickly, be careful not to be late."
Under Shizuka's urging, he didn't suspect much. It wasn't until the two of them left that he asked again.
However, Shouko brushed him off with a random excuse; the truth was too hard to say…
The two walked into the classroom and returned to their seats, and only then did Tsuna dispel some of his doubts.
Soon after, Ajitani and two others entered the classroom. Tsuna also took advantage of the ten minutes before class to take a nap on his desk.
From observing her since they left the house, he found that Shouko had no abnormalities except for walking a bit tiptoeing. And her 'that' had just come not long ago, so he naturally ruled that out.
Now that Takagi and another person were with Shouko, he had nothing to worry about.
The white sneakers of students on their morning run rolled over dew-kissed cherry blossoms. The morning class bell hadn't completely faded, but the formation for the break-time exercises was already askew from the sun.
The plum pit from the bento box at lunchtime stuck to the corner of the desk. At two in the afternoon, the electric fan whirred behind dusty curtains, and cicada chirps fell with the chalk dust from the blackboard eraser.
The homework notebook hadn't been opened again after the third period. Boys in the back row propped up textbooks and dozed off, and the ramune soda bottles newly stocked in the convenience store's freezer clinked loudly.
————————
"Dong… dong… dong…!"
As the class bell rang, Shouko raised her hand to wipe away invisible sweat from her forehead. She would be free after one more class.
Throughout the day, although she hadn't moved much, and Tsuna had cleaned her bento box at noon, she couldn't stand how uncomfortably tight that thing was…
For today's club activities, she had also asked for leave from the Art Club president, and at the same time, explained the reason for her absence to Ajitani and Takagi.
After Ajitani learned that she was taking leave, she also decisively asked the president for leave, stating that she would accompany Shouko to buy something after school.
"Clap, clap, clap…"
Nanase-sensei on the podium saw that the students below couldn't contain their faintly restless hearts because the class bell had rung, and she clapped the podium forcefully.
"I'm going to make an announcement, it will be quick." Ignoring the students' complaints, Nanase-sensei continued:
"Teacher Yulu is on leave today, so your tutoring class next period will be changed to physical education. Remember to gather at the gymnasium."
The complaints turned into cheers as her words fell.
Tsuna, at his seat, seemed to hear the sound of breaking glass, but he dismissed it as an auditory hallucination.
Nanase-sensei raised her hand and pressed it down. "Don't be happy too soon. Next physical education class is your monthly physical fitness test, it's not for you to play!"
With that, she closed her textbook and, ignoring the changing expressions of the students below, swiftly walked out of the classroom.
"Sho… Shouko-chan…" Ajitani slowly turned her head, only to see a shattered Shouko, overly happy about the news…
Physical fitness tests were different from normal physical education classes. During regular PE, the PE teacher would usually let her rest, or at the very least, just do warm-up exercises.
But she also had to participate in the physical fitness test. Although the 1500-meter endurance run and 50-meter sprint were excluded, she had to test for the rest…
Such as standing long jump, shuttle run, sit-and-reach, sit-ups, etc…
She wouldn't dare to gamble on those buttons…
"Shouko, you look a bit pale. Do you want me to go to the infirmary with you?"
At this moment, Tsuna's voice pulled Shouko back from her wild thoughts.
"I… I'm fine, no need to worry."
Tsuna didn't speak but reached out and placed his hand on her forehead. Shouko didn't resist, silently feeling Tsuna's concern.
"Not hot either…"
Tsuna mumbled softly, withdrew his hand, and after repeatedly confirming that she had no problems, followed them downstairs to the changing room.
"Shouko, why don't you ask the teacher for leave later?" Takagi took off her school uniform and suggested to Shouko, who was looking troubled.
As the temperature rose, the school uniform had now been changed to the summer one, which was only a thin layer.
Shouko, who was about to put on her gym uniform, paused, hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook her head. "I'll just move gently then, it should be fine."
As she spoke, she tugged at that small piece of clothing, adjusting its position, while the previous spot still bore red marks from being constricted.
Ajitani, standing beside her, didn't speak. Her hands easily covered her own, her gaze fixed intently on Shouko.
For a moment, she felt a little envious. She was even thinking that if she were to ambush Shouko now, Shouko probably… likely… wouldn't get angry…
Among her friends, there were even some who were older than Shouko-chan, but she didn't dare to casually touch them, fearing they would get angry…
But Shouko was her best friend… she shouldn't get angry… right…?
Besides, she was also helping Miyamura check it out in advance, hmm… that's right! That's how it is!
Thinking this, Ajitani pulled back her thoughts. While Shouko was still chatting with Takagi, she quietly walked behind Shouko, revealing a mischievous smile.