Shiki had expected they had only known each other for less than half a month, but after hearing these words, he realized that this Senpai-Kouhai relationship had been going on since before Haruno enrolled at St. Lukimantz Academy.
And to prove her right, Haruno gleefully begins to speak quickly and enthusiastically about her encounter with Karin.
“It was around this time last year that I ran into some bad people who were trying to force me to go somewhere with them, but Karin-senpai happened to pass by and saved me by knocking down all the bad people! I admired her so much that I decided to enter St. Lukimantz Academy!”
“I feel a little guilty for dragging you into the path of evil, you know?”
Karin pulls out a small box from her pocket and pulls out a white stick that looks like a cigarette, puts it in her mouth, and then says
“Hmm? “
She then holds out the box to Haruno and tries to recommend it to her.
Shiki, who was about to see someone drag a younger student into the path of evil right in front of him, threw away the ice-covered plastic he was holding on both his cheeks and said in a surprised voice.
“Wait-wait-wait! What the heck are you doing, Kohinata-san?!”
Shiki was in a panic while Karin was smiling and pointing a box of white sticks that looked like cigarettes at him.
“You want some too? “
“W-what do you mean?”
“I mean, I’m offering you candy cigarettes.”
” …ha? “
A stupid voice escapes from Siki’s mouth.
“You know, like a stick candy. Cocoa flavor, cola flavor. Pineapple flavor.”
“Pineapple… “
Shiki’s face turns bright red as he realizes he misunderstands.
Seeing this, Karin giggles like a child who has successfully pulled off a prank.
“A-ha-ha! It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone who fell for such a lame trick! “
“Senpai! Are you talking about me? “
Haruno raised her hand proudly for some reason, and Shiki could not help but hide his face in his hands.
Karin always had a white stick in her mouth, and while he thought that it might not be a cigarette somewhere in his mind, he also thought that it might not be impossible for the [Empress.] to have a cigarette in her mouth, even though we’re underage.
That’s why, when he saw her suddenly offering cigarettes to the junior in front of him, he tried to stop her.
( Thinking about it, the cigarette she had been putting in her mouth before in the parking lot was gone before I knew it, even though I didn’t see her throw it away… )
Shiki slumps his shoulders, realizing he has just been tricked.
Karin gives Haruno a ‘cigarette’ and then points the box of ‘cigarettes’ at him.
The design of the box looks like that of a cigarette, but if he looks closely, he can see [Candy Cigarettes] written in large letters on the front of the box.
However, it is not difficult to hide it depending on the position of the fingers holding the box, and if anything, he had a feeling that Karin had hidden it well before he revealed it to him.
Karin started to answer something he didn’t ask her.
“I don’t even want to smoke because I don’t like the smell of it.”
“But why are you eating pineapple candy cigarettes? “
“Because it’s my favorite flavor, but also because it’s kind of cool. That’s why.”
She handed him a box of pineapple candy cigarettes while giving him a rather casual answer.
“Anyway, Shiki, would you like to have one? “
Even though he twitched his face at her answer, he didn’t have the guts to refuse her, so he took one without hesitation.
As soon as he put it in his mouth, the aroma of pineapple and peppermint filled his mouth. Actually tastes pretty good, he thought.
“It’s interesting if a police officer found sees us at a time like now. Because of our appearance, we’ll be misunderstood at first sight.”
Karin says, laughing happily.
Haruno is laughing as well, but Shiki is the only one whose face is drawn even more tightly.
“Well, enough joking around, I’m going to talk about something serious… Shiki, you should take a day off from school tomorrow just to be safe. Don’t forget to get your facial injuries checked by a doctor after you return home.”
Haruno also stared at him as she said this with a serious face.
He understands this stare means that she’s trying back her adored senpai words.
“I think that would be better. If that were the case, it would be better to check it today, but it’s Sunday and my father and mother said they will be home late from the meeting.
Shiki was rather relieved at the latter part of the statement.
Even though he had been injured by helping Haruno, asking her parents to check his condition was a little awkward.
Because he doesn’t really know how bad his injury was, Shiki thinks that he should obey them since Karin is used to fighting, and Haruno is the daughter of a doctor. They probably know his condition better than him.
“I just… wonder what Kawato and the others will do to me the next day if I take a bad day off…”
“They’re the kind of loser who hides behind me and bullies me, right? Of course they won’t retaliate to you break their promise to me.”
“But Kawato-kun was really upset that I kicked him, and in the end, it was Kohinata who beat him…”
“Ah… that’s true.”
“I’m sorry… It was my fault. “
“No, no, it’s not your fault! “
Haruno apologized again and Shiki hurried to deny it. At the same time, Karin put her hand on her chin and thought for a moment before start talking again,
“It can’t be helped. Since I’m involved in this, I’ll cover your ass for a while.”
“Kohinata-san… a girl shouldn’t talk about ass so casually…”
“Ahh? Noisy-noisy. I mean, differentiating someone for being a woman or not is so old-fashioned nowadays.”
Shiki is at a loss for words when she says something like that and Karin continues.
“A-ny-way. You’re afraid of Kawato’s retaliation, aren’t you, Shiki? But I don’t have time to keep an eye on you all the time, either. That’s why…”
Karin smiles and says something that was unexpected for him.
“I’ll teach you how to fight.”
” …Yes? “
The words that escaped from Shiki’s mouth sounded ridiculously silly.
