Slow Start ch20

p63
>Ichinose-san.
>?

>Uh
>So, we're on day shift duty today.
>Eh?
>Would you rather handle the journal or take out the trash?
>Ah.

>I-I'm fine
>with whatever.
>I'll
>I'll leave it to you.
>Eh?
>You can just pick which you like more, y'know?

>I-In that case
>I'll go throw the journal in the trash!
>Eeeh...

p64
>What's up, Hana-chan?
>Ah, Tama-chan.
>We were talking about which jobs to take for day duty
>and I got confused due to my nervousness...
>The conversation made no sense...

>You're doing day duty with Nanae, right?
>I wouldn't have thought she'd be the type to make you nervous...
>Yeah, but
>it's my first time talking to Takanashi-san...

>Eh?
>Eh?

>E, I mean...
>It's been six months, hasn't it?

>I haven't spoken to more than half the class...
>My word!

>But it was like that in middle school too.
>If you don't talk to them, you probably never will by the time the year's over...
>Hahaha

>What do you say to that,
>Eiko-chan?
>Sorry, I don't really know.
>Hmm.
>No comment.

p65
>I mean
>these two don't understand.

>Eiko-chan
>is someone who calls the entire class by their first names.

>And Tama-chan's so cheerful
>that she can strike up a conversation with anyone without any shame.

>Kamuri-chan.
>She's shy with others, so maybe she can understand my feelings...

>Kamuri-chan!
>We have some sweets!
>I've got chocolate today, too!

>Is it good, Kamu-chan?
>Eat this too.
>So cute.
>Do you prefer caramel or chocolate?

>She's adored without even having to move an inch.
>Such is the pampered stereotype!

p66
>Hmm, that's true.
>I think it'd be good if you talked more with some of the other girls, Hana-chan.

>So here you go.
>I'm Ogano.
>I'm Otani.

>You've talked to these two a few times before, right?
>Y-
>Yeah...

>Oh yeah, back then you were recruting for track club members, right?
>How'd it go, Maho?
>Nope, a total bust.
>But it was fun.

>It's way different from how it was in middle school.
>I've still got a long way to go.
>That's not true!

>Sure, you may have had the weakest records.
>But still!

>You were the smallest and cutest on the grounds, Maho!
>...Hey, Eiko...
>Do you mind if I hit her?

>Ah, but if Kamuri-chan were to join the track team, she'd steal that title from you.
>Ahaha, what a problem. Ahaha.
>..
>Kamuri-chan.
>Do you mind if I hit her?

p67
>So how did you do, Otani-san?
>At the tournament.
>Eh?

>Ah.
>I'm the manager.
>I'm no good with athletics.
>Eh?

>You don't look it...
>Ahaha, I get that a lot.
>When you line up my athletic records, it's pretty much a flat line.
>You hadn't noticed before?

>Wh-When it comes to P.E.
>it takes all I have just worrying about myself...
>Aah...
>She's always making a face like the world's about to end...

>See?
>You're having a normal conversation.
>Ah, yeah.
>I'm shy around strangers
>but I get used to it over time...

>Kamuri's also the type to take her time with this type of thing.
>Yeah.
>But I'm fine with Hana and Tama.
>I got used to it.

>Gya, I'm so glad!
>Then you're okay with something like this too!

>Ah, Kamu-chan's bearing with it!
>Kamu-chan's cute when she's bearing with it!

p68
>I've been thinking.

>Maybe the difficulty with this kinda thing depends on the person.
>The difficulty Hana-chan has with talking to everyone in class...
>To put it in Eiko-chan terms...

>Ah
>It's about as difficult
>as getting the e-mail addresses from those office ladies over there.

>That difficult...

>Eh?
>Eiko-chan?
>Good afternoon.

>I see.
>Ahaha.
>It's not difficult at all.
>No way!
>This girl's scary!

p69
>Yeah, okay.
>That was a bad example.

>The difficulty Hana-chan has with talking to everyone in class
>to give Eiko-chan a similar hurdle with those ladies from earlier...

>I got it!
>It's about as difficult
>as asking for their birthday
>their mother's maiden name
>the name of their first pet
>and their place of birth!

>>back away
>It's like you're asking for their password...
>That's a crime...
>H-Huh?

>S-So you're saying
>me talking to everyone in class is the same as the stress of committing a crime...?
>Aaah

>Y-You got it wrong!
>Sorry, that was another bad example!

>Oh yeah, in Eiko-chan's case
>it'd be like asking what color their underwear is or how big their boobs are!
>Ah, but that might be a bit easy, huh?
>For Eiko-chan!

>>back away
>There's no way I'd do that...
>That's a crime...
>Huuuuuh?

p70
>Take care.
>>Next morning
>The sense of distance between people
>is a bit difficult for me.

>Ah.
>It's Takanashi-san.

>Ah.
>Good morning, Ichinose-san.
>Aaah
>G-G-Good morning!
>Awawawa

>Do you always arrive at this time?
>Y-Yeah.
>More or less...

>...Yeah.

>Next time for sure
>I'll be the one to say "good morning".