Chapter 15 - Going to the School with the Goddess (リア神と登校)

"Wakamiya-san, thanks for this morning."

She repeatedly called me to wake me up. It wasn't a pleasant wake-up call, but I should definitely thank her for my breakfast.

But why was she here? I thought she went to school by train. Maybe she actually went by bus?

"No, don't worry about it. I'm just being nosy," she replied with her usual flat voice. She also had a composed expression. "Tokiwagi-san, don't you think you have to say something else other than 'thank you'?

"Hm? Should I make a poem?"

"No. It's a greeting. G-r-e-e-t-i-n-g. What you should say when you meet another person in the morning. This is the basic manner, you know?"

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

Standing in front of me, Wakamiya straightened her back. Her appearance was so dignified, resembling a noble lady of a certain country.

"Good morning, Tokiwagi-san."

"Yeah, good morning."

Silence flowed between the two of us. But Wakamiya was smiling. She looked satisfied.

Now then, we had finished exchanging the greetings. So——

"See you later."

Goodbye greetings. After all, we would meet again somewhere since we didn't talk at school.

I stepped on the pedals of my bicycle to leave.

"Wait a minute."

"Ugh!?"

Wakamiya grabbed the collar of my shirt from behind. Choked, I cried plaintively.

Don't grab me so suddenly, really. She's scaring the heck out of me... I looked at Wakamiya to complain.

On the other hand, Wakamiya also looked at me with dissatisfaction.

"That's dangerous, you know?"

"Tokiwagi-san, don't you think this is too strange? Why are you going first? Are you stupid?"

Wakamiya stared at me with a slightly amazed look. Rather than angry, it's like she had a lot of things she wanted to say. However, her words had a sting in them.

"For me, avoiding to go to the school with a famous person is the only safest choice..."

"I don't understand your logic." Wakamiya frowned and pouted. "What you should do is pretty clear already, isn't it?"

"Even if it is, I belong to D-group. I don't get what you are talking about."

As a response, Wakamiya heaved a big sigh this time. She looked astounded.

"'We're heading to the same school anyway, so let's go together.' ...People will normally think like that, right?"

"No, that didn't come to my mind at all."

"...Really?"

"Well, I mean..."

Of course, I didn't think of going with her because I obviously 'ignored her so I wouldn't stand out', but more than that...

"Wakamiya-san, you go to the school by train, right?"

I went to school by bicycle, which took around one hour. Well, if I hurry, I would arrive in around forty minutes... But to be honest, going by train was a lot faster. That's why most of the people who went to my school from this area would go by train.

I could also choose the train, but I decided to go by bicycle since I could adjust to the routine very quickly. Most importantly, I could save money...

Besides, I felt down if I stayed in places where there were many people, such as trains.

"You're right. And?"

"Why do you even ask... If you go by train, then you can't go with me, can you? Or are you telling me to accompany you to the station?"

However, if I head to the station from my current location, I had to go in the opposite direction.

She could also go to school by bus from here...

Which one was it?

'Going with a girl a part of the way is an honor.'

I agree with that, but... making a detour was troublesome. Still, I wasn't in a hurry, so if she asked to go halfway with her... I guess I had no choice but to go.

"I feel bad for troubling Tokiwagi-san, so I will go on the same road."

"No way, the school is pretty far, okay? It will take around thirty minutes to walk from here!"

"Yes, it's pretty far if we go to school 'on foot'."

Then, Wakamiya smiled like a mischievous kid and sat sideways on the carrier of my bicycle.

I could feel my heart beating a little faster at her cute gesture.

"H-hey, are you suggesting that... we ride double?

"Yes. What do you think?"

"No matter what I think... we can't do that, okay? The law is getting stricter these days... it will be bad if they catch us."

"Fufufu. Tokiwagi-san surprisingly has a serious side, eh. Of course I don't mean that either." Wakamiya said. Then she murmured with a slightly disappointed face, "But it will be nice if we can do that."

Perhaps, she wanted to experience the situation that was often depicted in a shoujo manga.

The same goes for a man. Having a girlfriend sitting on the carrier while she circled her hands around the protagonist's waist and clung on him was every man's dream... It's impossible not to long for it.

Well, it's impossible now since the law didn't allow it...

"Since we're not planning to do that, can you get off?"

"I feel like Tokiwagi-san will run away once I get off."

"I-I won't do that."

My face twitched.

She completely saw through me. She's sharp...

"I don't want you to push the bicycle while I'm sitting on the carrier, so let's walk to the school together. I want to try that."

I could see it in her eyes. ...At this point, she wouldn't let me go.

"Haa, are you fine with that? It will really take a long of time..."

"Of course. It's me who suggested that. Plus, walking is good for our health."

"I see... Fine then. Just don't complain when you're tired of walking."

"I won't. I have considerable stamina."

Wakamiya showed off her thin upper arm. Even after I saw her white and beautiful arms, I wasn't convinced at all.

Rather, I was worried if it would break because it was so thin...

But she was good at sports even with this slender body, so there shouldn't be any problem.

I didn't want to admit it, but... she was probably more athletic than me. Even if I never saw her doing sports directly, that's what I could conclude from all of the rumors.

"Before we go, I'll give you this first."

Wakamiya took out a thing covered with a cloth from her bag and put it on my hands.

It was a little heavy, and the faint smell tickled my nostrils.

"A lunch box?"

"Yes. Please eat it at lunch. You can hand me the lunch box on our way home from your part-time job."

"Part-time job... you're still coming today?"

"The donuts are delicious. There's no reason for me not to go."

I didn't think the donut was so fascinating that anyone would pay frequent visits for that, though.

I sighed.

"Got it... Anyway, let's go now."

"Yes."

After Wakamiya got off the bicycle, she walked beside me.

She was humming as we walked. She seemed to be in a good mood.

I walked on the same road to school every day. Somehow, the road that usually looked empty became more colorful today.

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