BXBX NOVEL Chapter 18: Self-Study
Chapter 18: Self-Study
The third period of that day was self-study because the teacher was off with a short notice, or something.
As soon as a teacher, who was teaching a class next to mine, informed us that our teacher was going to be absent, various conversations popped up in the classroom, which had been quiet at first.
Some students started to read manga or play with their cell phones, and others started to move their seats, and then the room started to become more and more quiet.
In the midst of all this, Yuuki was sitting in the corner of the room with earphones stretched out from the music players in his hands to his ears, propped up on his desk.
He got his earphones as a new year’s gift.
As Yuuki was listening to the music and was about to fall asleep, he was suddenly tapped on the shoulder.
“What are you listening to?”
When he looked up languidly, as expected, Yui was looking at him with a slight tilt of her head.
She was sitting sideways in her chair, leaning back and forth.
The seat itself was already a little closer to Yuuki’s side, which was a bit of a concern for him.
Yuuki replied honestly without a care in the world.
“Mozart.”
“Eh, classical? Do you play any instruments, Yuuki-kun? Do you come from a musical family?”
“No, not really. I just had it at home and I was curious to see what was so great about it.”
“…That’s a pattern that happens a lot. Do you have a grudge against the great man?”
Maybe I’m just a guy who can’t be bothered to find out for myself.
I can’t deny that I simply have too much time on my hands.
“So what’s the big deal?”
“No idea. It just makes me sleepy, which is good.”
“That’s no good.”
“Then, good night,” when Yuuki tried to close his hands and put his head down,
“Ja-jan!!”
Or something like that, but I ignored it.
“Hey, look, look, look.”
It was noisy, so I had no choice but to raise my head.
Then, Yui showed me something that looked like a notepad while flipping through it.
It seems that there are various writings on it, but I don’t understand what it is.
“What is that?”
“An oki notebook. I wanted to make you laugh, Yuuki-kun.”
Huh? However, Yui didn’t care and flipped through her notebook and began reading it out.
“The principal’s wig was blown away by a strong wind. What was hidden?”
Yui glanced at Yuuki’s face.
Immediately, I returned my gaze to the memo.
“A bamboo copter.”
I glanced at it again.
Apparently, it’s a self-contained comedy where you read out the title and the answer yourself.
“…and you want me to laugh at it?”
“Of course we’ll see what happens now. The order of these things is important. You start out with a certain kind of story, to get at least some sympathy.”
“No, that was out of the blue, wasn’t it?”
“And then there’s 4 or 5 percent of that, which is just random stuff. In the middle of that, you have a cover story, and then an unrealistic, empty story. But if you say it out of the blue, people will be disappointed.”
I didn’t even listen to her and she started lecturing me like she was good at it.
It seems to be based on a good theory, but I’m not sure it’s true.
“Okay, next~.”
“You’re laughing at yourself.”
“Read it, read it, read your story.”
“The principal’s wig has been blown off by a strong wind. What was hidden?”
“Ah, seasoned nori.”
Yui exhales while holding her mouth with her hand.
In contrast, Yuuki still has a straight face.
“No, I don’t know what that means.”
“You know what I mean. It’s like they insured it when it was taken. And it’s seasoned right? Sometimes you can have white rice when there’s an emergency.”
“I see.”
“Stop admiring me and laugh.”
“Try it, Yuuki-kun.”
“Sure….”
“The principal’s wig has been blown off by a strong wind. What could it be hiding?”
After reading out the subject, Yui sends me an expectant look.
“A blood-stained weapon.”
“What, how come it’s dark? Ha~”
She sighed with a pitiful look on her face.
I answered her for her terrible recklessness, but I don’t think she deserves this treatment.
“I don’t like dark jokes.”
“No, it’s a matter of whether you like it or not?”
“Next, next.”
“Just read the answers all at once. It’s a pain.”
It’s not much fun to read every single subject and it takes up so much time.
Yui seemed a little dissatisfied, but then she looked at her notes again, grinning to herself.
“Mainspring.”
“That’s normal.”
“Baseball.”
“A hidden ball?”
“Curry in the microwave!”
“Where did you write that down?”
“Resignation letter.”
“You’d have to resign from the company if they found out about the wig.”
“Bamboo copter.”
“That’s the first thing you said.”
“Love.”
“That’s a cop-out.”
“A bloody weapon.”
“That’s what I said.”
“Vanity.”
“Okay, that’s it.”
It turns out that when she started using people’s stories, she doesn’t seem to come up with anything significant anymore.
But for some reason, Yui closes her notes with a look of accomplishment.
“A vain weapon … turned wig. I got the answer.”
“That’s not what comedy is about, is it? I mean, what was that pompous lecture you gave me earlier?”
“Did you enjoy it?”
“Ummm…”
Naturally a difficult face.
Then, Yui looked a bit troubled.
“It’s just that… I want to see you smile.”
“I don’t see why… what’s the benefit of making me laugh.”
“Because you’re cute when you laugh, Yuuki-kun.”
And then Yui smiled at me.
I’m not sure if that kind of person mastered the smile, or if it’s the looseness of her eyes and the rise of the corners of her mouth, but it’s close to perfect.
“If you say so, I think it’s cute when Yui smiles too.”
“Eh?”
For a moment, Yui’s mouth twitches.
And then, suddenly, she put her hands on both cheeks and started to hold them down firmly.
“…What are you doing?”
“This? Home Alone. The Munch’s Cry.”
“What?”
“It doesn’t work? It’s not working.”
“What?”
Yui paused in a strange pose and exhaled slowly with a huff.
And when she finally let go of her face, she returned to her straight face.
“I mean, even when I’m not smiling, it’s still cute. Yui-chan is cute even when she’s normal.”
“Oh, I see. But you’re kind, Yui.”
“Hai?”
“You’ve been thinking a lot about entertaining me, haven’t you?”
When I say that, the straight face she was trying to put on begins to disintegrate.
This time, she looks away, her face blushing slightly as she looks away.
“Well, maybe it’d be better to smile…”
“I see. Well, it wasn’t funny at all.”
“Alright, I’ll take that challenge!”
Yui stood up gingerly and began to shake Yuuki’s desk.
But soon after, the girl sitting in front of me who was the class rep got angry, saying, “Takatsuki-san, keep quiet!”