Part 1
"Oi, Ryuko, what are you doing there? Are you asking to get sick, standing out here in the harsh sunlight?"
"Matsuda? You don't have to worry, I'll be fine, I brought my weapon here with me. Just go back and wait at the seats."
She said, as she took out the familiar black umbrella she always used as a fictional sword and continued standing there.
Now, it's a defensive tool against lethal, carcinogenic UV rays. Unfortunate color for sunlight though.
Realizing my attempts were futile, I heeded Ryuko's words and went back to where I was sitting.
"Hideaki-kun? Is she still unconvinced?"
"Yeah... Her mind seems to be occupied with something."
"She's a really stubborn girl... But that doesn't mean you should give up, Hideaki-kun!"
"What's that supposed to mean? Oi, are you saying something weird again?"
We're waiting at the train station right now, for that vacation Mr. Ishikawa asked me to go on. He already went the night prior to us, because it was 'urgent business', or so he said.
We'll be going to where Ryuko's childhood home was, before she moved next to my house in 8th grade.
I didn't even know we were getting new neighbors at the time...
Anyways, the 'extra visitors' I brought with me were Yui, Shinsuke and Mitsuho.
I invited Kaori too, but she declined my offer.
She said she wasn't going because it 'wasn't any of my business'.
She probably just got tired of us dragging her everywhere after the summer marathon we did together.
"Matsuda, why do you look so tense? Had a fight with her?"
I brushed off Shinsuke's brazen comment at the end and responded truthfully.
"To be honest, I'm a bit worried. My gut tells me this trip isn't gonna be all sunshine and rainbows. Even the typically hyper and lively Ryuko is wearing a somber expression."
"So you were worried about her."
"I'm worried that you asked me how I was doing. Acting compassionate is not very like you, either."
"Heh. Well, ease up. It's a summer vacation, right? Even if something unexpected does come up eventually, we have no way of knowing yet, so why bother? We'll think about it when it becomes a problem."
"Sigh. You're probably right, maybe I'm just overthinking it."
I sat there for a few minutes, mulling over the advice Shinsuke gave me.
I suppose he's right, I should just enjoy the vacation for now.
Maybe this is just one of those times Ryuko's acting out of character...
...
"Oh, Prince of Darkness, isn't that our ride, over there?"
Mitsuho was the first of us to notice the oncoming train to our station far away.
How does she have such good eyesight?! I can barely make it out with my eyes squinted.
Well, if we're going by Mitsuho's word, there is a train about to come.
I looked up to the terminal above and...
Bingo!
"That's probably it. The next train to board our station is train 3141, matching the one on our tickets. Let's get ready, then."
We then went over to where the train would pull up.
Well, there was one person missing...
"Wait, where's Ryuko? She's still standing there?"
"Sigh. I'll go get her."
This girl...
Why did she pick this time to get all melancholic?!
"Oi, Ryuko."
No response.
She's too lost in her own thoughts.
"Oi, Ryuko! Can you hear me?"
"A-Ah, Matsuda?"
What is it that she's reflecting on?
"Yes, it's me. The train is gonna turn up soon. Are you planning to go or not?"
She looks down sorrowfully.
"S-Sorry..."
Such dirty tactics...
"It's fine. Let's just go before we're late."
I then dragged Ryuko back to where we were standing.
Even then, she still kept quiet.
Shortly thereafter, the train arrived.
As I walked into our vehicle, I couldn't help but wonder...
Why was Ryuko acting like this?
...
After we got on the train, we sat as planned.
Seating arrangements are as follows.
Ryuko with Mitsuho.
Yui with Shinsuke.
And I get to sit face-to-face with the couple. Woohoo... Being the awkward third wheel again...
But my suffering aside, I thought this would be a solid move, giving the two chuunibyous of the group their own space so they could entertain each other.
But...
"Look at that out the window, Master! It's a herd of hell bovine!"
"..."
"Master?! Why aren't you saying anything?!"
The situation with Ryuko hasn't improved at all. She's still staying completely silent.
Come to think of it, she's only started to act this way since this morning.
Yui and Shinsuke seemed to immediately catch on to what was bothering me.
"There's that worried look again, Hideaki-kun."
"Sigh. You caught me red-handed. What's my sentence?"
"Matsuda, if you're so worried, you should probably go over and check up on her."
"Haizzz. What do you think I can do that chuunibyou couldn't?"
Maybe I just don't understand.
I've never had to move before, so I don't exactly know how it feels to visit a childhood home you had to say goodbye to, for one reason or another.
Maybe she's just nostalgic...
I'll know for certain what's going on when we arrive.
We're nearly there already, after all.
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YOU ARE READING
ATypical High School Life: Freshmen Year
RomanceHideaki Matsuda is a completely normal student seeking absolute normalcy in a normal high school environment. But as fate would have it, on the very first day, he met some very extraordinary people, by complete, utter coincidence. This story details...
