110 Eriri and Shirou
In the car, the two girls were still butting heads.
Eriri flicked her twin-tails, her blue eyes glaring straight at the hairband girl beside her: "Say, with you always keeping that gloomy expression, can you really handle this exchange event properly?
If someone tries talking to you and you just stab them back with words, the whole event will get awkward and cold.
How embarrassing would that be? Honestly, the school really didn't think this through, sending a gloomy, sharp-tongued loner like you!"
Kasumigaoka Utaha remained unmoved, her wine-red eyes calmly meeting the blonde girl's, though her words were merciless. "I may be introverted, but for the sake of writing, I've read at least over a hundred works of world literature. On the other hand, the school only thought about the fact that Sawamura-san has British blood, completely ignoring that you're actually the kind of deadweight who might even fail her English exams.
Just imagining Sensei assigning you to represent us in discussions with the foreign side is hilarious. A blonde, half-breed loser."
"Who are you calling a loser?! Uuu..." Eriri shrank her neck, trembling slightly, clearly shaken. Yes, in this round of black-and-gold confrontation, the blonde was defeated.
"...What do I do?" Eriri looked to the boy for help. "Don't ask me. If you can just perform well in your specialty, then it should be fine. After all, even pure-bloods who grow up abroad sometimes can't speak their mother tongue." Shirou said helplessly. "See! Exactly! Even if I have British nationality, being bad at English isn't shameful at all! You hear that?!" Eriri snapped her head back toward the hairband senpai, smugly declaring. "...I'm genuinely worried about your future, Sawamura-san." Kasumigaoka Utaha sighed, covering her face. "What the heck." Eriri muttered in annoyance.
It seemed Shirou hadn't been wrong before — this girl really was a hopeless case. Still, as long as she had her skills as the representative of the art club at the international high school, and with the protection of her parents, it probably wouldn't be a problem.
By now, the car had left the small road outside the school and entered the main highway.
"By the way, Sensei, where exactly are we going? And what about the others?" Shirou asked the woman beside him. "Mm, we're going to the international junior high branch school, run by the same board of directors. Normally, it operates independently, but during exchange events, they join with us. So now we're heading over there for a meeting.
As for the other students, they're being taken there by the Sensei in charge." Hiratsuka Shizuka explained, tapping her fingers on the steering wheel as though greeting her beloved car.
"So, it's confirmed that you'll be leading the group, Sensei?" Kasumigaoka Utaha asked, having caught on to the key point. "Isn't it great? Be happy! I'll take you sightseeing and to eat delicious food too!" Hiratsuka laughed heartily.
No, I want to get out right now… Shirou thought, but saying it out loud might cause a disaster, so he wisely kept silent.
"Sightseeing and food, whatever... Sensei, just don't make me talk to foreigners in English." Eriri pleaded as if seeing a savior. "No, you're the daughter of a British diplomat, for heaven's sake." Senpai quipped. "Unfortunately, it's not just up to me. Anyway! Buckle up, let's head out full speed!"
Hiratsuka's eyes gleamed, stretching her wrists and rolling her ankles, looking ready — all she needed was a paper cup of water on the dashboard, and she could conquer Mount Akina. "Sensei… please don't start speeding now. If the traffic police stop us, with three students in the car, the consequences will be very serious." Shirou warned coldly. "Ugh… fine, I just wanted to go a little faster." Hiratsuka deflated, shoulders sagging. "There's still enough time. Please drive safely." Shirou said. "Got it, got it! Are you my mom or something?!" Hiratsuka complained.
After the car drove steadily for dozens of kilometers, they arrived at the international junior high branch school on the other side of Chiba.
Hiratsuka handed over her Sensei's ID, and after confirmation, the guard let them through. She parked the car, and then Shirou, Eriri, and the senpai were brought to the school's meeting room.
By then, quite a few students had already gathered there. "You three just find a seat. I'll go say hello to the other Senseis." Hiratsuka casually dismissed them.
"..." Eriri and the senpai exchanged glances and instantly switched to their "public" personas.
Eriri became the blonde, twin-tailed noble young lady, while the senpai turned into the quiet literary maiden. In tacit agreement, they sat on opposite sides, keeping a delicate distance. Looking back, they could still clearly see each other.
Shirou had been thinking of sitting nearby, but— "Shoo, shoo!" Eriri secretly waved her hand, driving him away in distaste, whispering: "Don't sit here. I'll come to your house in a few days. We'll talk then."
"Can't you just say whatever it is to my face right now?" Shirou frowned at her. Coming from a commoner background, he really couldn't understand this young lady's temperament.
Sawamura Spencer Eriri's father was a British diplomat, and her mother seemed to come from a prestigious family as well. In a constitutional monarchy like Britain, diplomats sent abroad — aside from some exceptions — were usually those with some ties to the royal family.
If one mentioned the surname Spencer to a British person, the first thought would probably be Princess Diana, mother of Princes William and Harry, followed by her brother, the Earl Spencer. As a member of that family, in a sense, Eriri could be considered a cousin of the future King of England.
Though Eriri's father struck Shirou as oddly open-minded, his mannerisms and bearing were undeniably those of high nobility. So Eriri was also raised by aristocratic standards — rather than being placed into elite schools through power and wealth, she was instead enrolled in ordinary schools to "appear approachable."
That was how Shirou and Eriri came to cross paths, growing up in the same neighborhood. S
he was a somewhat sickly half-blood girl whom Shirou couldn't just ignore, until one day in elementary school when they were teased after being drawn together under a "couple's umbrella," and their relationship was cut short.
In middle school, Eriri's health worsened, and she frequently had to take absences.
As an old classmate living nearby, Shirou was asked by their Sensei to deliver notes to her. At the time, Shirou tried persuading Eriri to exercise and strengthen her body, instead of relying on anime and games as her only way of curing loneliness and gloom.
But Eriri truly loved otaku culture — one could even say she was passionate about it — and she blew up at him. She grabbed things and threw them at him, driving him out of the Sawamura house and forbidding him from coming again.
After that, Shirou only left the notes with Eriri's mother.
Her mother, Sayuri, was very warm and often invited him over as a guest. But as Eriri's health improved, Shirou no longer had to bring notes, and from then on, though they attended the same high school, they rarely saw each other.
Read ahead (60 chapters) by supporting me on buymeacoffee.com/varietl