Étude of Humanity

Chapter Eight

Chihiro Itō.

A seven-year older just like Sayre, a neighbor next door, and my first friend—a childhood friend! Even though we're the same age, it seemed like he looks older than for his age, probably because of how well-mannered and spoken he is.

"I have been meaning to ask you m'lady, you really do have a liking to wearing white dresses all the time?"

"Huh? Well, yeah-yeah! I don't know why exactly, but it's like I made a personal bond with it!"

Well, I wouldn't be sharing to him how I have a dozen more of these white dresses on my closet. These dresses that reach up to my knee are just right, windy, and cozy!

We aren't in school. It's a Saturday, so I planned to visit Chihiro this morning just after I ate breakfast and took a bath. It seemed that Chihiro has done the same thing even though I after I took a bath, I last-minute told him through the phone that I'll be coming here.

It just felt like we weren't all that different—like the fact that we're next door neighbors makes Sayre think it could be more than just a coincidence.

"So Chihiro, what's you all about? Or who's Ms. Sasami all about? Tell me! Sayre's curious! We talked about this in the roof, rememby?"

He let out a laughter, "Haha I told you, I just study and study. What more could I possibly share with you?"

"Then, how do you study? And, oh! While we're at it, how do you have fun while studying?"

"You see m'lady, there exists called the Pomodoro technique. Let us imagine a scenario where I have to study in advance this one lesson in Math. I'd take twenty-five minutes work into it, then a five-minute break, then another twenty-five minute work, then the same break, until when I take a break after my third work, I get a longer break. Did you follow so far?"

"Wah... ... ... maybe! But the fun, the fun! How do you make studying fun? Doesn't all of this alone make it boring?"

"Hm... nothing to note m'lady. If I want to study, then it's just purely studying."

"No fun!"

Chihiro wasn't kidding when he proclaims he is one academically-inclined person. The word inclined is an understatement—no, he's an academic prodigy! I didn't even bother to get through his school achievements or how he's like at school with his classmates treating him the exact opposite as when my classmates treat me!

"How about you m'lady, how do you incorporate your studying, especially that you're going to school now? Your first five days of school has passed, so it should be a great time to ask."

"Me? Sayre doesn't even study or read. I just go to bed after dinner or do some of the things I like whenever I don't feel like sleeping just yet—except for homework!"

"Pardon?"

"Well, what use is it if I already know?"

Yes, the only thing that makes me want to sit down at my desk after dinner with my pencil ready at my hand was to do some homework (that's why Sayre was too excited to do some on the first day when there's not any). The books that mama and papa bought me for school remains pristine and untouched in my bag.

"Oh m'lady, you're quite complicated, haha."

Sayre doesn't know what he meant by that, so I just didn't even mind stretching that thought of his into a rabbit hole.

If it isn't obvious enough, Chihiro was still doing some of his schoolwork today on a weekend. He taught me that schoolwork isn't just homework along, but for studying in advance if any of our teachers told us to do so in the weekends.