On Tuesday, during a break in the rainy season, Takagi complained about the smell of disinfectant wafting into the classroom.
The wind chimes vendor at the shrine halfway up the mountain added a batch of new azure-colored glass chimes to the hemp rope, and Nishikata was lucky enough to grab a half-price yakisoba bun at the school convenience store.
On Wednesday, in the science preparation room, Shouko and Tsuna discussed the process of cicada molting, and the girl changed their neckties to a sheer material.
Ajitani accidentally knocked over the paint prepared by Yuki and apologized profusely.
On Thursday evening, a sudden thunderstorm struck, wetting three of the festival lanterns. Yaeko, who was out, rushed into a convenience store to take shelter from the rain because she didn't have an umbrella.
On Friday, accompanied by the sound of cicadas, the first semester of the first year of high school concluded as Tsuna submitted his test paper.
"Shouko, I'll miss you during the summer vacation." The gray-haired girl waved goodbye to Shouko reluctantly and left the classroom.
Tsuna and Nishikata leaned against the railing in the corridor outside, watching the reluctant goodbyes among the girls in the classroom, their hearts unmoved.
"Miyamura, a few days ago, Pokémon officially released a preview. 'Pokémon Let's Go! Pikachu/Eevee' will be released in mid-November. Are you interested in getting it?"
"Let's see, no rush." Tsuna felt the breeze on his cheek. "There's also 'Sword and Shield' coming out in mid-November next year."
He thought of the black-haired loli who had taken over the handheld console he bought not long ago, and he felt a bit reluctant.
"'Sword and Shield'...? Is that also a Pokémon series? How do you know?" Nishikata looked at him in disbelief.
"Inside information."
Tsuna chuckled, leaving that remark, and the topic ended there. Both of them looked back at the 'certain someone' they cared about in the classroom.
Not long after, Shouko and her two friends walked out of the classroom.
"Sorry to keep you two waiting."
Shouko handed Tsuna the small candy someone had just given her, her earlier reluctance completely gone.
"Let's go."
The two quickened their pace to catch up with the three who didn't want to be third wheels. Shouko started playfully bickering with Takagi and Ajitani again, while Tsuna and Nishikata continued discussing recent games and manga.
The summer daylight stretched in the cicada's song, and the heat rising from the road gradually crept past their ankles.
The convenience store's air conditioning hummed all day, and the wind chimes on the shrine's eaves swayed in the twilight.
As the blue light of the vending machine just came on, the sound of fireworks blooming in the distance blended into the evening breeze.
The first day of summer vacation.
"Shouko, I'm going to Futaba Publishing first. Should I come back and then go with you to meet the offline commissioner?"
Tsuna walked to the living room entrance, turning back to look at Shouko, who was sprawled ungracefully on the sofa.
"I want to go too." Shouko blinked her big eyes at him.
"I have serious business to discuss…"
"I'll be back soon."
"Alright, but don't run around then." Tsuna finally couldn't stand her direct gaze and chose to compromise.
Upon hearing this, Shouko immediately sprang from the sofa to stand before him, patting her bouncing chest and repeatedly assuring him:
"Don't worry, I'm not Yuzuru. I'll go chat with Jun and wait for you."
"..."
Tsuna and Shouko told Shizuka from the Uzaki family and then got on the motorcycle. Because he was also carrying Shouko, safety was the priority.
It took over thirty minutes to reach the Futaba Publishing building. Shouko looked at the surrounding tall buildings and the mostly lifeless workers, and for a moment, she truly didn't know what to say.
She only felt that with seven or eight years still to go, these things should be far from her.
"Let's go."
"Mm-hm."
Tsuna locked the motorcycle, took her hand, and led her into the Futaba Publishing building under the curious gaze of the security guard.
"Ding…"
The elevator stopped on the 4th floor. As Tsuna and Shouko stepped out, they saw the old security guard fanning himself and enjoying the cool air at the entrance of Futaba Publishing.
Shouko politely greeted him and then walked with Tsuna towards Jun's workstation.
Over the past six months, she had visited Futaba Publishing several times, discussing the design of promotional posters and book covers as the illustrator for 'Anohana'.
At the time, she had wondered if this elderly security guard, being so old, was truly effective at guarding the entrance.
Then Tsuna explained the old man's hidden identity to her, and she understood. Simply put, his spouse had passed away early, and he had nothing to do.
"What a pity…" The old man muttered softly and no longer looked at their retreating figures.
He had initially thought to himself if he could set up his granddaughter and Tsuna, and although there was a seven or eight-year age gap between them, he didn't see any problem with it.
But it was just a thought; he chose not to interfere with his son's and granddaughter's ideas, leaving it purely to fate.
——————————
"Jun, have 'they' arrived?" Tsuna pulled over an empty chair for Shouko to sit down.
"Ten more minutes. You can wait in the conference room first; I'll bring them in later." Jun raised a finger and pointed to the closed glass door on the far left.
"Then Shouko, you—"
Before he could finish, Jun seemed to guess his meaning and waved her hand casually:
"It's fine if you let Shouko come with you. The initial stage is just a chat; they won't go all out right away."
"Alright."
Tsuna nodded and, following her instructions, walked into the empty conference room with Shouko to wait.
He had visited Futaba Publishing no less than twenty times over the past six months. He knew many of Jun's colleagues, but there was one Crew Cut Guy who seemed to have a strong animosity towards him.
It made him feel a bit bewildered, but he didn't pay much attention to it. Over this period, he had also realized that no one knew his author identity or family background.
That was quite good.
"Knock knock knock…!"
"Please come in."
As his words fell, the glass door at the entrance was pushed open by Jun, and a man and a girl followed her in.
"This is…"
The Crew Cut Guy in a black suit hesitated for a moment when he saw Tsuna. The girl with wavy hair beside him subtly nudged him, and he snapped back to attention:
"This is the author of 'We Still Don't Know the Name of the Flower We Saw That Day,' Teacher Miyamura, correct…?"
He snapped back to attention, but he was still surprised.
He knew that the people at Futaba Publishing wouldn't joke with him at this time, so the young boy holding hands with him was really Teacher Miyamura…
Tsuna appropriately shook hands with both of them and then walked to the conference table and sat down. Shouko also imitated him, clumsily shaking hands and greeting them.
During the previous ten minutes, Tsuna had explained to her in detail the procedures for shaking hands and greeting…
She just hadn't expected that the mental rehearsal and the actual practice would be completely different.
"Haha…" The Crew Cut Guy walked to the opposite side of Tsuna and sat down. "I never expected Teacher Miyamura to be so young. I used to believe those people online who said Teacher Miyamura was a middle-aged person in their thirties or forties."
At the same time, he silently breathed a sigh of relief. He felt that such a young person should be easy to deal with, and he estimated that the other party's age was definitely under 20.
Tsuna maintained a polite smile on his face and returned a few compliments.