Chapter 110: How Long Should I Grow My Hair?

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Translator: Soafp

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The time leading up to the exams flew by, and finally, it was the morning of the big day. For the past week, Ginji had been studying with Sora's help, and now he stood at their usual meeting spot, gazing up at the blue sky. Though it was still morning, the summer sun was already blazing overhead.

“Sorry to keep you waiting!”

Sora approached, carrying a stacked lunchbox. Between art practice and studying for tests (most of which meant making custom practice materials for Ginji), it had been a fairly busy week for her. Yet she showed no signs of fatigue—if anything, she seemed to be getting more and more energetic each day. Her hair, slightly longer than when they first met, swayed as she walked toward Ginji with a warm, friendly smile.

“Hey, good morning. So today's the start of the tests, huh?”

“Let's aim for the top ten!”

“You worked so hard with me… I got this.”

In truth, Ginji was slightly nervous—not getting into the top ten would make him feel like he'd let Sora down, even though she'd never say something like that. Whether she realized his tension or not, Sora nodded confidently.

“You'll do great, Ginji.”

“What about you? You pretty much just helped me the whole time.”

“Hmm? Well, scoring 100 in every subject might come down to luck.”

“…You're serious?”

Ginji was left speechless by Sora's casual assumption that she'd ace every subject. He already knew from their time together how capable she was, but it was still hard to believe so much ability could fit into such a small body.

He took the lunchbox from her and placed it in his bike basket. As he started to walk, Sora tugged lightly at the hem of his shirt.

“Do you remember our promise?”

With a smirk, Ginji tapped her forehead with his finger.

“If you get first place, I owe you a reward. I haven't forgotten.”

“Hehe. And if you get in the top ten, I'll give you a reward too!”

“Now I'm really looking forward to it. Alright, let's go.”

“Yes!”

When they arrived at school, the atmosphere was typical for exam week. Students were quietly reviewing notebooks for the day's subjects. After bumping fists for good luck, Ginji headed to his seat and folded his arms, waiting for homeroom to begin. Sora, having ranked first in the previous exams, naturally drew attention in the classroom, but most of the girls still gathered around Aika to express their hopes and encouragement.

Aika responded with her usual charm, while Mio subtly cleared space around her. In the process, Mio glanced briefly at Sora, her lips forming half-sentences that never came out before she turned her attention elsewhere.

At Ginji and Sora's high school, final exams were held over five days. Since students were dismissed earlier during this period, the two would head to Sora's house after school to review that day's tests.

“Hmm, I got the questions I needed, but those tricky applied problems were tough. I'll have to make up for it with classics and social studies tomorrow—those are my strengths.”

“Really? You've improved so much since last time. I think you're going to surprise yourself this time,” Sora said with a smile.

Despite Ginji's grimace at hearing Sora's evaluation—considering she had every single test question memorized—it seemed she had given him a fairly positive review.

“What about you?”

“Today's tests? Probably perfect scores. V for victory!”

Sora slid closer, flashing a peace sign.

“…What?”

“Praise me.”

“Your hair's gonna get messed up.”

“I'm not going out again today, so it's fine.”

With that, Sora gently rested her head on Ginji's shoulder. Smiling wryly, Ginji began stroking her hair.

He tousled it playfully, then gently ran his fingers through it.

“Your hair's gotten longer.”

“I've been trimming it while letting it grow, so it's taking a while. What length do you like, Ginji?”

She looked up at him, eyes gleaming with curiosity. Ginji scratched his cheek, slightly flustered.

“Uh… well… You've been getting cuter by the day, so honestly… I can't even picture it.”

“Hmph, that's not much of an answer, but I'll take it as a compliment. I'll grow it out just enough so it doesn't get in the way of drawing. But when I cut it again, you get to pick the length.”

“Me? I don't know if I can do that…”

When he said that, Sora leaned in close, her face right by his ear. Their bodies naturally pressed together, but she didn't seem to mind as she whispered:

“Of course, until my hair grows out—and even after that—I want you to keep watching me, Ginji.”

“Sora…”

“What?”

Face flushed red, Ginji quickly pulled away from her. Sora grinned like a mischievous cat that had gotten exactly the reaction she wanted.

“That was too much. Time to study.”

“Hehe.”

With a light flick to her forehead, Ginji gave her a gentle “flick” as Sora happily rubbed the spot, smiling from ear to ear.