Slow Start ch22

p79
>Doesn't the voice in my electronic English dictionary sound a bit weird?
>Woah.
>That's a dignified old man in there.

>I think the old guy's name is Gohei-san.
>He's Japanese?

>His favorite food is gohei mochi.
>Candy.
>Thanks.
>Gohei-san sure is devoted to his character, huh?

>"I like gohei rice cake"
>Gohei rice cake!!

p80
>Why'd you go with this electronic dictionary?
>Well
>This was the only one that had the lexicon I wanted.

>So that's how you chose it, huh.
>I chose mine for its voice!

>*This is a mental image.
>Desk
>Apple
>Dog
>Pen

>Super cute!
>Cute is fine, but you need to do something about that lexicon.
>Why pick one for middle school level vocabulary?

>Ah, I know.

>Wanna hit the ice-cream shop on the way home today?
>I hear they've got a new parfait in.
>Parfait.
>Ah, sorry. Today's no good for me.

>I promised my little sister that I'd meet up with her and go look at reference books.
>Ah, too bad.
>Parfait.

>Ah, I know.
>Why don't you guys come with us?
>I'll treat you to a parfait.
>Kya! I'm in!
>That sounds delicious in more ways that one!!
>Parfait.

p81
>The parfait aside, I'm really looking forward to meeting Sister Juice-chan!
>Today's avocado soup was wonderful!
>Please don't say "sister juice" to the person herself.

>You said your sister was a middle school senior, right?
>Yeah.
>That's why she's taking entrance exams.

>Entrance exams.

>Then
>wouldn't having a former middle school ronin like me around be a bad omen?

>What if she breathes in the same air as me and gets infected with the ronin curse?
>The results would be terrible.

>M-
>My air...
>Hana-chan?

>Eek! Hana-chan!!!

>Why were you holding your breath?
>I
>I was just practising...

p82
>Oh.

>Looks like she's close by.
>She said she'll be waiting by the school gate.
>Well then, let's go.

>Ah,
>crap.

>I left Gohei-san behind.
>Mind going on without me?
>Ah, sure.

>Oh my.

>That's my old middle school uniform.
>That might be the little sister.

>Alright then.
>Let's go say hello.
>Eh, no.
>We should wait for Eiko-chan to get back.

>It might scare her if some strangers came talking to her so suddenly.
>That's just you, Hana-chan.

p83
>Eh?
>Kamuri-chan!?

>E-
>Eiko...

>Yes.
>I'm Eiko.

>Eeeeeh?

p84
>J-J-J-Just now, Kamu-chan called the little sister Eiko-chan!
>But Eiko-chan is Eiko-chan.
>Eiko-chan is...

>Huh?
>Could it be that the Eiko-chan we know was an imposter all this time!?
>Eeeeeeeeeeeeh!?

>Sorry to have kept you wainting.

>I've found you, faker!!!
>Chyoeeeeei
>Calm down, Tamate-chan.
>Just what happened in the last few minutes?

>Erm.

>This is my little sister, Mikki.
>No, it's Miki.
>I'm pleased to make your acquaintance.

>So why exactly did you imply that I was a fake Eiko?
>Yes,
>well about that.

>I thought that was the correct way to introduce myself given the time and place.
>Yeah
>that's probably wrong.
>I see.
>I will learn from this.

p85
>And you too, Kamuri.

>How did you mistake Mikki for me?
>Hmm...

>She looked just like
>how you did in elementary school...
>Ah...
>Do I look that childish?
>That's kind of a shock.

>No, not that. It's the hairstyle.
>Yep.
>Come to think of it, you were quite tall back then, Nee-san.

>Also.
>Hm?

>Around this time last year
>I saw Eiko.

>E-
>Eiko.

p86
>Eiko
>Eiko
>Eiko

>U-
>Um
>Yes?
>Ah.
>That's right.
>Um...

>Yes.
>Hoshio Girl's High.
>Yes, that school.

>"Hoshio Girl's High"

>Hoshio
>Girl's High

p87
>What I saw back then...
>I thought i was Eiko in middle school...
>That was Mikki.

>It was me?
>Yeah, probably.
>It was different from the pictures of Eiko in middle school.
>Ah.
>So that's why you were acting strangely back then.

>But then when you entered high school, you seemed uneasy when you saw me, right?
>Yep.

>I thought it was
>one of those high school debut things.
>Ahaha.
>The heck is that?

>Incidentally

>Hey,
>Kamuri?

>Did you take this school's exams without fully knowing if I'd even be here?
>Uh

>When I heard the school's name back then
>that was the only clue I had.
>...Honestly.

p88
>You shouldn't pick a school just based on its name, y'know?
>What were you planning on doing if I weren't here?
>Given how shy you are around strangers...
>Uh
>I...

>It would work out somehow...
>Ahaha..
>Somehow, huh...

>And
>it did.

>Wah.

>Y'know
>I've been wanting...
>to see you for so long.
>I wanted to see you.
>...Yeah.

>I'm so glad I could see you.
>Yeah.
>To properly meet you.
>Yeah.

p89
>Kamuri.
>Thanks.
>?

>That's supposed to be my line.
>Eh?
>It's mine, isn't it?

>No.
>It's mine.
>Aha.

>Uuuh, what a lovely story.!
>Yes.
>I will learn from this.
>Learn what from it?

>But weren't you on one of those escalator schools that go from kindergarten, Kamu-chan?

>You must've really talked the talk with your parents so they'd let you take the exams, huh?
>Yep.

>when I said Eiko might be there
>they quickly approved of it.
>Eh?

>They said "do your best out there".
>Seriously, Kamuri, what does your family think of me?

p90
>And are you holding your breath again, Hana-chan?

>Th-
>The air...
>The air.

>You mean to say that when you become a high school student, you must abide by the simple idiom of reading the air of your peers.

>[You expressed it with your actions.]
>I will learn from this.
>Y-
>You're wrong...

>Still, I was more surprised that Kamuri hadn't changed at all since elementary school.
>You said that before, Eiko.
>Do I really look that way?
>Yeah.

>I thought it was just the embodiment
>of what I was longing for.

>Ahaha.
>That hurts.
>Kya