第78話 忍び寄る金色の影
新学年最初の試験を乗り越え、校外学習当日。
テストから解放され、遠足気分で横浜に訪れた生徒の顔は明るい。
午前のプログラムは全体行動で資料館巡りと学習の色が強いが、それでも生活圏から離れた校外の街並みに皆のテンションは高まっていた。
朝陽も資料館には興味がないが、午後の自由行動は楽しみにしていた。
班分けで親しい友人とは離れてしまったものの、話し合いの結果行きたい場所に行けることになったので文句はない。
それに、最後の一時間は千昭や日菜美、冬華がいる班と合流することになっている。その事を思えば、自然と気分が上がっていった。
そして、校外学習とは別に上機嫌な男が一人。
「いやー、テストの点がいいと気楽に遊べて最高だな!」
「テストの点が悪くても気楽に遊んでただろ」
「少しは気にしてたって。ほんの少しは」
資料館に向かう間、朝陽と一緒に歩いていた千昭が嬉々として口を開く。
「マジで、平均点なんて久々に取ったわ」
「順位も去年と比べて大幅アップしてたな」
「もしかしたら俺、天才かも知れない......」
「冗談だって、天才じゃなくて秀才ってな」
秀才かはさて置き、千昭が努力したのは間違いない。ただ、褒めると今以上に調子に乗るので朝陽は呆れ顔で応じた。
少し前を冬華と歩く日菜美も点数と順位を大きく伸ばし、二人揃ってバカを卒業。残念ながら人前でのイチャイチャは変わらないので、今後もバカップルと呼ばれ続けるはずだ。
「朝陽は目指せ、氷室さん越え」
「それは目標が高すぎる」
今回も学年一位に輝いた冬華を超えるには、全科目で満点に近い点数を取る必要がある。
得意科目を今以上に伸ばすのはもちろん、苦手科目を克服するのは簡単にはいかない。
朝陽にとっての苦手科目は数学と英語であり、毎回のテストでそれなりの成績に収まる原因だった。
去年、他でもない冬華に教えてもらったお陰で基礎固めは成功したが、それでも上位陣と肩を並べるには及ばない。
「数学と英語で九十点台とか取れる気がしない」
「でも、今回英語の点数高かったよな?」
「それは......」
ふと、朝陽の頭にクラスメイトの顔が浮かんだ。
「かーがーみっ!」
後ろから明るく弾む声で名前を呼ばれ、朝陽が振り向く。
金色の長い髪が最初に目に入り、すぐに声の主が明日香だと認識できた。
「げ、宮本」
「げって何よ吉川!」
「列崩すなって言われたろ。ほら、後ろに戻れ」
「いーじゃん、少しくらい!」
千昭の言う通り、資料館までは集合場所に着いた順で列を組んで歩くことになっている。
しかし、後ろのほうにいたはずの明日香は聞く耳を持たなかったらしい。
やいやいと言い合う千昭と明日香に挟まれ、小さく朝陽はため息をつく。
「噂をすればなんとやら......」
「えっ、もしかして私の話してたの!?」
「正確には今からしようとしてた」
興味津々といった様子で金色の髪が近づく。
朝陽に横にぴったりと着いた明日香は、「なになに!」と話の先を促した。
「中間試験の英語、宮本に教えてもらったとこが出題されて点とれたって話」
「おー、それは良かったね! 私も教えた甲斐があったよー」
まるで自分のことのように喜ぶ明日香に、千昭が目を細めて首を傾げる。
「宮本って最近、朝陽と一緒にいること多いよな」
その指摘に明日香は一瞬ピクッと反応して、それからいつもの笑顔を浮かべた。
「そうかな、普通じゃない? ねー、火神」
「あれ、火神も!?」
思えば、テスト週間から今日まで朝陽は明日香とよく話すようになった。
それは朝陽から、というわけではなく明日香から近づいてくる印象だ。
「でもさ、友達だし別にいいじゃんね」
ニコリ、と笑う明日香。
その瞳は有無を言わせない迫力がある。
「火神と私は仲良しってことで!」
結局、ふんわりとした結論に落ち着き、朝陽も千昭も異論を唱えない。
「そういや、山田はいいのかよ」
「一番仲いい友達だろ」
「あー......そうだね」
肯定した明日香は長い長い列の前を見据えた。
背が高い龍馬のいつにも増して爽やかな笑顔が目立つ。その隣には日菜美を挟んで、楽しそうに微笑む冬華がいた。
「......あそこまで行くのはちょっと遠いかな」
弱々しい明日香の言葉に千昭はそれ以上何も言わなかった。
そうして三人で資料館までの道を歩く間、何度か後ろを振り返る冬華と目が合った。その度に何故だかぎこちない笑顔を浮かべる冬華との距離がゆっくりと開く。
「お前ら、後ろが混むから立ち止まるなよー」
見知らぬ都会の道なりに、担任の竹内先生の呑気な声が響いた。
Ch 78
After overcoming the first exam of the new school year, the day of the school trip arrived.
The students' faces were bright as they arrived at Yokohama, free from tests and in the mood to play.
The morning schedule was a tour of the museum for learning, but everyone was still excited since they were in a different place than normal.
Asahi was not interested in the museum either, but he was looking forward to the free time in the afternoon.
Although he was separated from his closest friends, they were able to go together as a result of the discussion, so he was not complaining.
Besides, he would meet up with Chiaki, Hinami, and Fuyuka for the last hour. Thinking about this, his mood naturally lifted.
And there was one man who was in a good mood but not because of the school trip.
"Man, it feels great to have a good score on the test and play without worry!"
"You're still gonna play carefree, even if your score is bad."
"I was worried, just a little."
Chiaki, who had been walking with Asahi on the way to the museum, opened his mouth happily.
"Seriously, I haven't had an average score in a long time."
"Your rankings also went up quite a lot compared to last year.
"Maybe I'm a genius..."
"I'm kidding. I'm not a genius, but a prodigy."
Whether he was a prodigy or not, there was no doubt that Chiaki had made an effort. However, if he praised him, he would get even more cocky than he already was, so Asahi responded with a dumbfounded look on his face.
Hinami, who walked a little ahead along with Fuyuka, also improved her score and ranking significantly, and so they both graduated from being idiots. Unfortunately, their PDA had not changed a bit, so they would continue being lovebirds.
"Asahi, aim to surpass Himuro-san."
"That's too high of a goal."
In order to surpass Fuyuka, who was again ranked first in the entire grade, he needed to get close to a perfect score in all subjects.
It was not easy to improve your strong subjects more than you already have, much less your weaker subjects.
For Asahi, his weakest subjects were Mathematics and English, which caused him to get a reasonable grade in every test.
Thanks to Fuyuka, who taught him last year, he succeeded in building a solid foundation, but even so, he was still nowhere close to being on par with the top students.
"I don't think I can get a ninety in Math and English."
"But your score in English this time is pretty high, right?"
"That's..."
Suddenly, the face of a classmate popped into Asahi's head.
"Ka~ga~mi!"
Asahi turned around after a bright, lively voice called his name from behind.
Her long golden hair was the first thing he noticed, and he immediately recognized the voice as Asuka's.
"Ugh, Miyamoto."
"What do you mean by that, Yoshikawa?"
"They told you not to break the line, right? Hurry and get back in line."
"Come on, just a little!"
Chiaki was right, they were supposed to walk to the museum in a line as they arrived at the assembly place.
But Asuka, who was supposed to be in the back, apparently didn't listen.
Sandwiched between Chiaki and Asuka, who were both yelling at each other, Asahi sighed softly.
"Speak of the devil..."
"Eh, you're talking about me?"
"To be exact, I'm about to."
A golden-haired girl approached him with a curious look on her face.
Asuka, who was standing perfectly beside Asahi, urged him to go on.
"It's about how I got a good score in English thanks to your teaching."
"Oh, that's great! It was worth teaching you, then!"
Asuka was as happy as if it were her who got the score, and Chiaki tilted his head with narrowed eyes.
"You've been around Asahi a lot, haven't you, Miyamoto?"
Asuka jerked for a moment and then showed her smile as usual.
"Is it? Isn't that normal? Right, Kagami?"
"Eh? You, too!?"
Thinking about it, from test week to today, Asahi often talked with Asuka.
Asuka gave the impression that she was approaching Asahi.
"But we're friends, so what's the big deal?"
Asuka soon followed the words with a smile.
Her eyes were so powerful that he couldn't say no to them.
"I guess it's safe to say that me and Kagami are good friends!
In the end, they settled on a fluffy conclusion, and neither Asahi nor Chiaki raised any objections.
"Oh yeah, are you fine leaving Yamada alone?"
"Isn't he your best pal?"
"Ah... I guess so."
Asuka affirmed and looked ahead at the long, long line of people.
Ryoma's ever-so-fresh smile stood out. Next to him was Fuyuka with Hinami clinging onto her, who were smiling happily.
"...It's a little far to go over there."
Chiaki didn't say anything more in response to Asuka's ephemeral words.
As the three of them walked along the path to the museum, Asahi's eyes met Fuyuka's as he looked back several times. Each time, the distance between him and Fuyuka, who for some reason had an awkward smile on her face, slowly widened.
"You guys, don't stop because it's going to get crowded back there!"
Their homeroom teacher, Takeuchi-sensei's drunken voice echoed through the streets of the strange city.
How To Melt the Ice Lady
【コミカライズ連載中】氷の令嬢の溶かし方　～クールで素っ気ないお隣さんがデレるとめちゃくちゃ可愛い件～
https://www.novelupdates.com/series/how-to-melt-the-ice-lady/
Comedy Romance School Life Slice of Life
Adapted to Manga Beautiful Female Lead Caring Protagonist Cooking Cute Story Famous Parents Kind Love Interests Kuudere Male Protagonist Modern Day Popular Love Interests
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2567fv/
高峰 翔