"Hey, shall we go to karaoke?"
"I don't want to…" "I don't feel like it, and I don't even know if I can."
"At least think about it!"
Atsumi's proposal was rejected the second it was mentioned. Natsuki expressed her rejection completely with a discouraged expression and tone, while Hina rejected it with great sincerity.
However, they wouldn't just go home like that.
"What if we go for a drink at the cafe instead?"
She hadn't expected Natsuki to suggest going out instead of staying home to rest after the intense week of exams they'd had, and with the reaction from just now.
"That's fine with me," Atsumi replied without much hesitation. She hadn't gone out with her friends for two weeks because of all the time she'd spent studying. If it weren't for that, she would have turned her down, since she wasn't that hungry.
Natsuki glanced past Otsuki, where Hina was standing. Since they were walking single file, Otsuki largely obscured her view.
"And will you be able to come, Hina?"
"Mmm…"
She was lost in her own thoughts, ignoring Natsuki. With her eyes half-closed, anyone would think she was sleepwalking.
"Natsuki is talking to you."
"Oh."
Fortunately, a touch on her shoulder was enough to wake up the sleeping beauty, who had indeed heard the question, but didn't bother to process it.
"I don't know… Today I have to paint a sign for second grade B."
"Um, and why is that?"
As far as Atsumi and Natsuki knew, Hina was in charge of most of the classroom decorations, which consisted of cardboard cutouts. These were needed for the play they wanted to put on. She also had to prepare some of the decorations for the gardening club.
Therefore, it was a surprise to Natsuki to hear that she still had more work to do. It was a surprise to Otsuki as well, but she decided not to say anything about it.
"A friend from the club asked me to help her."
"And what about the rest of the things you had to do?"
Natsuki was mostly worried about all the work Hina was taking on. She had just finished exams and now had to prepare activities for two classes and a club.
"I've already done it."
"Huh?" Poor Natsuki was stunned by all the unexpected news. What do you mean it's already been arranged? Just last week she felt like the world was crashing down on her, she thought.
The same could be said of Atsumi, who prayed for her well-being more than once.
The girls' reaction forced Hina to elaborate.
"I haven't needed to review these past few days, so I took the opportunity to do what I was missing."
In a calm tone, Hina reminisced about what she'd been doing this week. Maybe she's a hidden genius now... No, no, impossible.
Atsumi had so little faith in her.
"So putting aside the fact that you're crazy, are you coming?"
Hina considered Otsuki's question, as Natsuki was still stunned.
"Haven't you reviewed...? I've had to spend all week reviewing... Am I dumber than Hina?" She went from being astonished to depressed in an instant, her voice more insecure than usual.
"I'll think about it, and you're the one who's crazy."
With little shamelessness, he added the second sentence as quickly as possible. He didn't hide the fact that he said it quickly from Atsumi.
"But how can you think about it if we're going soon, and you're the craziest of the crazy ones."
After reprimanding Atsumi, he returned the comment in a worse way, but with the same speed.
"Well, if I'm so crazy, I'll just go home," she concluded, covering her mouth.
"To talk to your flowers?"
"What a strange way to call me."
This was just one of the many 'fights' Hina and Atsumi often had. Atsumi always saw her mother in Hina's face and expression; they even spoke in a similar tone. But Hina was much more perceptive. She didn't want to call her mother dim-witted or stupid, but sometimes she was a little absentminded.
If my mother is an angel, Hina is Lucifer.
This relationship between them was unusual, as Natsuki was the one who got angry easily.
"Hina-chan, if you do things so quickly, then you can come with us without any problem, right?"
Speaking of Natsuki, she caught up with the girls after falling behind in shock, and is now to Hina's right. See how easily she gets angry?
Natsuki, along with her somewhat oppressive suggestion, brought her hands to Hina's long blonde hair, playing with it as if it were a cat.
"Oh, geez, fine, but please leave my hair alone."
"Aha…"
"She doesn't pay any attention to you."
Hina had no choice but to give in, risking her hair if she refused.
The girls went to a café near the station, which, being around 11:30, was relatively empty. It wasn't their first time there.
"Ahhh, it's so warm!" exclaimed Hina.
Her composure slackened to such an extent that she resembled a jelly. Inside, Atsumi and Natsuki took off their sweaters, and Hina only removed her scarf.
"Won't you get too hot in here with the sweater?" Natsuki asked.
"If I take it off, I'll be cold again."
From the way she said it, she saw it as natural not to take off her sweater inside the heated cafeteria, which indirectly must have caused the same thing.