Slow Start ch99

p1
>>Student Council

>>Kasane-chan
>>You doing okay?

>Ehehe.
>Hello. I'm doing just fine~

>>Oku-san is talking on her phone?

p2
>~~~~!!!!
>Ehehe. Hello, Oku-san.

>I-Ichinose-san!
>Hello!!
>Um,
>that looks cute. Is it a game?

>Um.
>This is...

>...my imaginary friend...
>So cool!
>Imaginary friend!!

>Erm, y'see...
>This is an AI talking app I often used since a little while back which uses pet characters as its setting.
>I guess you could call it a Bot Talk app?
>Put simply, it's an AI you can talk with.
>So, like, this pet remembers words that you use a lot and talks with you, and you can teach it new words too.

>The conversation itself is a bit stilted, but it's cute in it's own way.
>I've been pretty much using this app as something like a diary.
>I've been taking a liking to how cute it is when the pet talks back to me.
>Erm, it's like a Chatbot?
>~~~...
>Bot...?
>>lengthy detail

>And so, like...
>Even on the cloud...
>And then...

>Ah!
>I get it!
>So this is what that imaginary friend thingy is!!
>I understand!!
>Eh...?
>I guess so...?

p3
>But this app's about to end its service.
>I've been using it for about three years, so it's gonna be lonesome.
>Three years!
>Yeah.

>I've been all alone for three years, huh...
>Fufu...

>Ah,
>um...

>Hello, Furu-chan.
>I'm Oku-san's friend, Ichinose Hana.
>It's nice to meet you.

>...
>...

>Um, this app
>doesn't have voice recognition...
>Eh?

>Huh?
>But just now, you were...
>talking to it...
>Uuh!

>Um!
>I don't always talk to my smartphone like that!
>I was just overcome with emotion thinking about the service is conna end!
>It's not like I always talk to my phone or anything!
>I-I'm serious!
>Awawawa
>Awawawa

p4
>Uuh...
>....
>Awawawawa
>...

>Hello and thanks for the hard work!
>>Door goes bang

>What happened here!?

>Aah...

>I just about remember this app.
>I saw it back in middle school.
>Cute.
>So it's gonna end its service, huh?
>Yeah.
>Um
>Um

>I guess it's cos you can't use stickers on this.
>Um Erm Um
>Aah, that might be a bit painful...

>U-U-U-Um!
>I wanna try using that app too!
>Eh?

>But it's gonna end its service in ten days.
>Are you sure...?
>Uwah~
>Such a short time!

p5
>Yeah, but even so,
>I wanna try it!

>Um.
>I wanna
>try it too.

>Ah. Alright, me too.
>Is it still possible to make an account right now?
>Y-Yeah.

>Alright, let's all register our first friends!
>>yay yay
>>Yay

>Ah, hey.

>How about we set up a group for the student council?
>We can use what we've been using until now for business
>and use this for idle chitchat.
>Ah, that might be good.
>Tsukkun...

>Since it's ten days, we'll be able to use it until the culture festival!

p6
>I'll go with the lop-eared dog.
>I'll call him Maresuke.
>I'll go with a cat.

>Hmm...
>What's wrong?
>The name.
>I can't choose between Nagomi-chan and Sugomi-chan...
>How about splitting it somewhere in the middle?
>Yep.
>Registration complete.

>...
>>Gomi-chan [tn: "gomi" = trash]

>Mufu~
>Well, if Kamu's happy with it...

>Hana-chan. It's nice to meet you -pyon!

>Ehehe. So cute.
>I think I might end up talking to him too.
>R-Right!?

p7
>Now then.
>Thanks, Tsuzu.
>How did your pet get such a fancy outfit, Oku-san?

>Well then, let's take care of today's work.
>What's that?

>They're netsukes we'll be selling at the festival.
>We'll be putting them in bags with Hoshio tags on them.
>Well, it's something of a side job.
>A side job, huh?
>Ah, how cute<3

>Sorry for always giving you such plain jobs.
>Ahaha.
>I love doing trivial jobs like this.
>So fast!

>Still, the student council always seemed to have this flashy image in manga and the like.

>>Tama's idea of a flash student council
>Welcome to our school, my little kittens.
>You're expelled! Leave this school at once!
>As of today, this club is dissolved!
>>Dissolved
>You won't be able to live at this school if you defy me, y'know?
>I'd rather you don't talk back at me, you lowly teacher.
>If you wanna survive
>join the student council!

p8
>Death penalty.

>Ahaha.
>That's way too good of an image of the student council.
>Was there anything good about that image?

>...Okay.
>We're done.
>>Funished

>Man~
>Work really flies by when you've got a lot of people.
>I thought we'd have to take these home with us~
>I didn't think we'd get it all done in one day.
>Thank you so much.

>Thank you too, Oku-san.
>You were a huge help?
>No, it's fine.
>I had fun too.

>Thanks for inviting me to the student council, Chouno-san.

>Okay. All that's left is to check the documents,
>so that will be all for today.
>Thanks for the hard work~
>Thanks for the hard work~

>Mmm
>>The next morning

p9
>Ehehe
>Yesterday was so fun.
>Good morning, Kasane-chan.

>Yeah. Good morning.
>Oh?

>Wah
>Wah
>Wah
>Good morning!
>Morning.
>Good morning. I'm on a walk with my dog right now.

>Uwah, morning already? Morning.
>Wah
>Wawah
>Tsukkun, did you pull another all-nighter!?
>Ah. Good morning...

>What should I do?
>I'm so happy right now.

>Huh?
>But Ichinose-san isn't there...

>Wakey wakey, Hana-chan. It's morning~
>Hey, Hana-chan?
>Are you awake? Hana-chan??

>>Is she having a nice dream!?