Slow Start ch140

p1
>>Why the long face, Miki-chan...?

>...

>What's wrong?
>Nee-san.
>Food!
>Food!

>Hannen-san hasn't replied to my text since two days ago.
>She normally replies right away.
>>Immediate Response
>Yeah, Hiroe-san does normally do that.
>I'm grateful for that...

>Hmm.
>Maybe she's sleeping?
>She replies immediately even on days off...
>I'm getting worried.
>Hmm.

p3
>Just when I thought it had gotten warmer, it's snowing again.
>It's gonna be like this for a while.

>Morning.
>>Fluffy...
>Wow.

>That looks warm, Kamu-chan.
>Yep.
>My family makes me wear this the moment they detect even slightly cold weather.
>You can't let your guard down.

>That's love.
>Sure is.
>Yep.
>Love is warm.

>Hahi hahi

>Eh? Hiroe-san?
>Yeah.
>Mikki said she hasn't heard from her.
>Hah~
>Could you try sending her a text?

>I don't normally text her since I can just see her in person, but okay.

>...
>It didn't get marked as read.

p4
>Come to think of it, she didn't answer when I went over to visit yesterday...
>I figured she had just gone to prep school.
>Given how lax she is, I always forget that Hannen-onee-san is taking entrance exams.
>Yep.
>She's an exam warrior.

>>Student Council
>Hannen-san?

>I haven't seen her at prep school lately.
>Eh?

>So basically there's nobody who's heard from Hannen-san recently?
>I'm getting kinda worried.

>>Virus
>Hrmm
>Hrmm

>Eep!

>I-I'm gonna go check up on her!
>Should we come along to?
>No, I'll be fine!

>I'll bring a sasamata with me just in case!
>Yaah!!

p5
>Eh?
>Yah~
>Gyah~

>Tah~
>Sorya~

>I'll be fine!
>Eh...?
>You'll be fine...?
>Ah, I see...
>That's good then.

>Well,
>you can leave the student council work to us!
>Yep.
>Fear not.
>Call us if anything happens, okay?
>Yeah, thanks!

>Hiroe-san!

>Hiroe-san, are you there?
>Hiroe-san?

p6
>Shion-chan!
>Hana-chan.
>What's wrong?

>Aaah,
>Um, y'see!

>Please
>lend me your master key!!!
>Eh?

>Hannen-san?
>Hiroe-san!!

>...

>Hiroe-san!
>Ah...
>Hana-chan...?

p7
>What's up...?
>Um,
>you didn't reply to my text
>so I thought something might have happened...

>Aah.

>It's out of battery...
>Sorry, Hana-chan.
>Eh?
>I-It's fine.
>Are you okay,
>Hannen-san?

>I've just been spacing out this whole time.
>No big deal...
>That's all well and good,
>but you're gonna catch a cold if you space out in such a chilly room.

>Are you eating properly?
>Ah...
>>Air conditioner

>Oh yeah, I haven't eaten anything in the last two days...
>Geez!
>You'll wreck your body!

>I'll fix you up something warm.
>I-
>I'm very grate-
>ful.

>Hana-chan.

p8
>Please look after Hannen-san.
>R-
>Right.

>...
>...

>Erm,
>um,
>Hiroe-san...?
>...

>...
>I'm sorry for worrying you.
>Don't be...

>...I'm
>scared of the snow.
>Eh?

>When the snow piles up,
>I'm reminded of when I was buried in snow on the day of my exams.
>I became hopelessly scared of the outdoors,
>and couldn't sleep no matter what I tried.

>It was like this last year too.
>I just curled up in my room by myself.

>But then spring came
>and I met you, Hana-chan.

p9
>Eiko-san, Tamate-san, Kamuri-san.
>I met all of you.
>It was so fun

>that I had completely forgotten
>about the winter
>and the snow.

>Hiroe-san...
>It really was fun.
>It really...

>Hiroe-san?

>Hana-chan?
>Shion-chan.

>It seems Hiroe-san fell asleep...
>Ehehe...
>Oh my.
>Fufu.

>...Nng

p10
>Fufu.
>Good morning.
>Miss Manager...
>Since you have the chance, eat something and get some rest.

>I-I'm so grateful.
>I think we'll eat ours here too.
>I'll fetch some plates.
>Ah, me too.
>I'll help...
>Don't worry.

>...
>Hiroe-san?
>...Just now,
>I was sleeping...?
>I fell asleep...?

>Fu

>I haven't had a sleep that peaceful in a while.
>Maybe it's because you were with me, Hana-chan.
>Haha
>Hiroe-san...

>I'm here!
>Wah!

>I'll always be here.
>If it lets you sleep peacefully, Hiroe-san,
>I'll always be here!
>H-Hana-chan.

>...

>Hana-chan's here, so I'm sure Hannen-san will be fine!