Chapter 32: The Reason for Trying My Best

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Translator: Soafp

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“Ughhh! I don’t get it!!”

In the apartment that had finally started to feel a little familiar, I was tutoring my next-door neighbor, Shizuku Saito, in the not-so-spacious living room.

“Hey, keep it down. You’ll bother the neighbors.”

Shizuku slammed her textbook shut and collapsed onto the desk.

“Try a little harder. It’s only been about an hour.”

“Nope. If I study any more, my brain’s gonna melt.”

She was the one who asked me to help her study because exams were coming up, yet she still couldn’t stick with it.

“Saito… Shizuku, your grades aren’t exactly good, are they? At this rate, you might end up taking make-up exams.”

“Huh!? Make-up exams!? No way am I doing that!”

“Then work harder. If you studied at least three hours a day, that probably wouldn’t happen.”

“No way!”

The high school we attended wasn’t particularly low-level, but it wasn’t especially prestigious either.

Shizuku wasn’t stupid.

If I had to point out a problem, it was that she was a slow learner.

If she could just develop some persistence, she’d be able to overcome that.

“What should I do with her…”

Ignoring the sulking Shizuku, I absentmindedly worked through the problems in her textbook.

I had no intention of showing off my abilities, but the classes at my current school felt incredibly easy.

No…

Maybe this level was just right.

It’s not like I have any goals anymore.

“Man, if I just had some kind of motivation, I’d study harder…”

Whether she was talking to herself or to me, I didn’t know, but Shizuku suddenly stared straight at me.

“Motivation? Do you really need something like that?”

“Of course I do. Didn’t you have some reason for studying so hard all this time?”

“A reason, huh…”

I’ve always liked looking things up in encyclopedias and dictionaries, but…

“It’d be easier if there was some reward waiting for me.”

Why was I studying so hard in the first place…?

“Hey! Are you even listening!?”

“Huh? Ah, what was it?”

“I said rewards! If I had one, I’d work harder!”

“Alright, alright. Stop shouting. Isn’t your mom sleeping next door? The walls in this apartment are thin.”

“Huh!? Are you calling this place a dump!? How dare you say that to the manager’s daughter!”

“I never called it a dump!”

The manager of this apartment building was Shizuku’s mother, Machiko Saito.

Machiko worked in administration at a general hospital, and my mother worked there too.

“Hmph. You’re raising your voice too.”

“That’s because you—”

Talking to this girl was exhausting.

With this much energy, she could put more effort into studying.

“So? About that reward… you’re not planning to shake me down for something, are you?”

“Of course I am.”

What was she even talking about?

“You know this already, but I don’t have any money.”

Machiko knew a little about my family’s situation.

Shizuku probably knew I was poor too.

“Yeah, I know. It’s not like I’m rich either.”

“Then what do you want from me?”

“Hmmm… let’s see…”

…Wait, she hadn’t even thought about it?

“Alright then. If I avoid failing every subject on the next exams, that’ll earn me a reward.”

“Hold on. Failing is below forty points, right? At least get sixty. I won’t accept anything less.”

I had no idea what she’d demand, but I wanted her to aim a little higher.

“Huh? There’s no way I can get sixty in every subject.”

For the first time, I saw the usually confident Shizuku answer without any confidence.

“You can. If you focus and study properly.”

“N-No way… I’ve never gotten scores like that since entering high school…”

“That’s because you’re always slacking off like this, isn’t it?”

“You’re naturally smart. You wouldn’t understand…”

What was this?

She was always so aggressive and confident.

Why was she acting so weak now?

“Studying… isn’t fun…”

Watching her lower her head, memories from long ago drifted into my mind.

“Yeah… you’re right. It’s not fun.”

I remembered something from the past.

And I remembered why I had worked so hard at studying.

“Shizuku, I’ll teach you whatever you don’t understand, so just take it one step at a time, okay?”

It wasn’t anything particularly inspiring.

But I couldn’t bring myself to ignore the discouraged girl sitting in front of me.

“…Okay… I’ll try a little harder.”

She was surprisingly obedient this time.

She reopened her textbook, picked up her pen, and started studying again.

As I watched her, I found myself remembering someone else.

Back when we were little, she was bad at studying too.

But now she’d overcome that…

And she’d surpassed someone like me…

“Yamato… is something wrong? You look troubled.”

“Huh? Oh… it’s nothing.”

I wonder…

What is Aoi doing now?

She’s probably forgotten all about me and is still doing her best at whatever she’s working on.

“Yamato, I don’t understand this part.”

“Ah, that problem is—”

Thinking about everything that happened before I transferred used to fill me with darkness.

But now, after some time had passed, it felt a little different.

“Oh, right. About that reward.”

“I already told you, I don’t have any money.”

“I know. If I score sixty or higher on the test, then you’ll do whatever I say for one whole day.”

“Hm? What’s that supposed to mean? I have to follow your orders for a day?”

“That’s exactly what it means. You’ll get to be my slave. You should be honored.”

A slave…?

Just what was she planning to make me do?

I had a bad feeling about this.

“Well, do your best then.”

But I didn’t object.

“Hehe. I wonder what kind of orders I’ll give you. This is gonna be fun.”

People find motivation in different things.

Anything is fine.

Because not being able to keep trying is painful.

“Another perfect score!? You’re amazing, Yamato!”

Whenever I got a high score, she would always be happy for me.

Her smile was what drove me forward.

“What’s wrong, Yamato? Your hand stopped moving. You’re always telling me to work harder.”

“Huh? Ah… yeah. You’re right. I need to keep trying too.”

Any reason to keep trying is good enough.

Because being unable to try at all is painful.

The reason I worked so hard was because I wanted to see Aoi smile.

No…

Was that really it?

Maybe, in the end…

I just wanted the girl I liked to think I was cool.