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Despite me returning home after one month, my parent's reaction was somewhat indifferent.

They said something like 'You're already back?'

Well, my parents were like this since forever, so it doesn't really affect me. However, they seemed to have been more or less worried, for they kept asking me about my solitary journey.

I evaded my parents with any made-up story that seemed suitable, then I started working on my mountain-like amount of homework.

I called Tsurugi the first time in a long time.

I called to ask him to let me copy his homework since I was really in trouble with mine.

Unfortunately, my last ray of hope was useless. He was currently traveling, so he wasn't in town. Apparently, he returns the day after tomorrow.

In this case, I had to rely on Rin who lived close to me, but she didn't work on her homework either.

In the last day of summer vacation, which is the day after tomorrow, it seems that a homework final stage meeting will take place at Tsurugi's house. I was also invited, but I don't feel like going.

I must spend the day after tomorrow with Roll.

It's not like I made a promise or anything. I simply decided to do so.

It may be the work of my feelings of atonement.

If I spend the remaining two days doing things with Roll, I bet she'll help me with my homework. This was also my original goal, so it's perfect.

However, the reason why I tried to rely on someone other than Roll was because I wanted to be sneaky.

Roll will surely explain things patiently to me.

But what I want is the answers.

If I am to seriously challenge absolutely everything in the text book and reference book, it will take a considerable amount of time.

Simply put, I wanted to be set free from this anxiety generator by quickly copying everything I needed.

Roll will definitely help me, but she won't let me copy.

Aah, summer vacation ends in two days.

95% of my summer vacation was spent in the Basara Desert.

When thinking that the second year of high school summer vacation comes only once in a student's life, I really used my time on sad things.

Thinking about these things, I decided that I will do my homework casually, since this is nothing but something that eats up my time.

My work continued until late in the night; it was already two in the morning when I stopped.

___________

The next morning, when I woke up, I had a message on my private phone. It was from Roll.

'Shall I help you with your homework?'

This was the content.

I saw it and groaned. If she lets me copy her homework, I can finish everything in about half a day, but I don't know whether she'll agree or not.

Well, since Tsurugi is not around to help me with this, I have no other choice.

In case it looks like I won't be finis.h.i.+ng on time, Roll will have to ultimately let me copy hers. Still, I will try asking her first.

And so, I sent Roll a message saying 'Please do.'

Roll's answer was quick. It said 'Then, let's meet in my room.'; after I checked it, I prepared my stuff and left the house.

On my way to the secret base, I encountered a certain person.

Ohas.h.i.+ Hitomi. She's Tsurugi's childhood friend and the school's madonna. By the way, she's not my type.

"Kamiya-kun, it's been a while. We last saw each other at the closing ceremony. Are you going somewhere?"

"Ohas.h.i.+? Yeah, it's been a long time. I'm going somewhere to finish my homework.

Aside from this, I heard that Tsurugi is traveling. Didn't you and your family go together with them?"

"This year, our families traveled separately."

"Hmm."

I was quite sure that she was traveling together with Tsurugi, but it seems that it wasn't the case.

Tsurugi and Ohas.h.i.+'s families have a very close relations.h.i.+p, and they sometimes travel together. Every year, because of this, Rin feels left aside and complains about it but, apparently, this established practice didn't take place this year.

Kazato won't have to listen to his childhood friend's unreasonable insults this year. That's helpful.

"By the way, during the summer vacation, you traveled alone, right, Kamiya-kun? Where did you go?"

I thought that I could avoid this question until school started, but it, in fact, a.s.sailed me at this time.

I wanted to prepare a proper horror story for them, but I haven't made it up yet so I opened my mouth in order to evade the question.

"I haven't traveled that far. It's such a close place that if I were to tell you you'll feel disappointment."

"Eeh, I see. When the school starts you'll have to tell us! Sorry, I have an appointment with a friend, so I have to go. See you and good luck with your homework!"

Ohas.h.i.+ said and waved to me.

"All right. See you."

I returned the wave then Ohas.h.i.+ turned her head, her black pony-tail swinging, and left towards somewhere.

I didn't wait to see her off and I immediately started walking towards the secret base once again.

Still, Ohas.h.i.+ is quite impressive. She is kind towards everyone and this makes her very popular, but her only fault is that she's helplessly in love with Tsurugi.

Yeah, excepting the fact that she thoroughly breaks the hearts of all sorts of guys, she has nothing but good points.

Tsurugi, Ohas.h.i.+, Rin. When these three get together, for me, they become an unawarely harmful and troublesome group.

But still, it's true that these three helped me a lot.

Since our cla.s.s' central figures Tsurugi, Ohas.h.i.+ and Rin were normals, they also accepted me in their circle and I didn't feel persecuted at all inside the school.

To be more precise, Rin is not a normal, but her ability is so useless that it doesn't make much of a difference.

You often heard from other grades and cla.s.ses that normal people get bullied a lot, but now that Tsurugi, Ohas.h.i.+ and Rin are famous across the entire school for varied reasons, because stories about them being normals have spread, the bullying also stopped.

It seems that no one wants to make an enemy of these three.

Now that I've developed an ability, leaving Ohas.h.i.+ and Rin aside, I do feel somewhat sorry for Tsurugi.

It's not about my guilty conscience for killing people or the fact that I am now a member of the Anonymous, but for some reason I feel that I've betrayed him.

At this point, I can't even go to him for advice anymore……..

As I thought about these things, I arrived at the café which was the entrance to the secret base.

I pa.s.sed the usual pa.s.sword to the master, then I went to the bas.e.m.e.nt.

Comparing to the first time I came here, I can now go directly to Roll's room without losing my way.

Once I got to her front door, I knocked.

"You can come in."

Her voice could be heard from inside, and I opened the door.

Because of the air conditioning, the inside of the room was cooler than the outside, and Roll wore long sleeves. She lay down on top of the bed, watching TV.

"Morning."

"Morning. You're using too much air conditioning in this room."

Once I stepped inside the room, I placed my stuff of the table and sat down on a chair.

"I kind of feel lazy."

Roll said and turned off the TV, then she stood up.

She then sat down on a chair on the opposite side of me, and rested her elbows on the table.

"So, I'll help you with your homework. You're in trouble, aren't you?"

"I'm in very much trouble."

Saying this, I took out the text book in which I had homework left.

"Only that?"

"Yeah. I worked a lot yesterday."

"Humph. Still, you've got left the most tiresome ones."

Roll frowned a little.

Since Roll says that these problems are tiresome, maybe she'll let me copy them if I ask her.

I'm betting on this possibility.

"So, I have a favor to ask……."

I timidly opened my mouth.

"What? I won't let you copy my answers. It won't do you any good after all, s.h.i.+on."

"Can't you overlook it this time…….."

"No."

She clearly declined my request, and I clicked my tongue inside my head. There's no way she'll let me copy.

But since I betrayed Roll this whole summer vacation, I should probably just follow her rules obediently…….

At least during the last day, I really wanted to go out with Roll, even if only for a mission.

"Sigh, understood. I'll do it then.

But I really wanted to go out with you…… Maybe make some summer vacation memories or something…… After all, I haven't done even one mission with you during this whole time."

"……..Eh?"

But it can't be helped. I can't blame Tameiki-san either.

Well, I'll have many chances to go out with Roll from now on anyway, so I'll just give up for now.

"…….I'll work on it seriously. Please explain me the problems I don't understand."

I opened the text book at the first page and immediately started to solve the problems.

However, Roll placed her hand with a boom right on top of that text book.

"Wait a second."

I looked up at Roll. Doing so, I saw a conflicted expression on her face as she rubbed her chin with her other hand.

"Wh-what happened?"

I asked, and Roll took out her text book from her school bag and placed it on the table.

"…….Since it can't be helped, I'll let you copy this time."

"For real!? Eh? Why?"

"You trained continuously, s.h.i.+on, so I thought that you should have fun at least during the last vacation day.

Besides, I wanted to apologize for that wound…….."

I touched the wound on my neck. It still gives me a stinging pain from time to time. It's the scratch wound that Roll gave me.

"You shouldn't worry about this. I was also in the wrong.

I'd rather say that we should let that matter go."

"You're right……"

"But I'll gladly accept your offer. As I thought, it's really great to have a partner."

I said and laughed.

"Is-is that so?"

Without delay, I opened the text book and started copying Roll's answers.

"How should I put it, you're somewhat kind, you know that, Roll?"

Still, she becomes quite scary if you provoke her…….

"It does you no good to compliment me."

Even though she said that, her laughter felt a little awkward. Since this Roll was adorable, my motivation for finis.h.i.+ng this homework went up.

Well, I'm only copying answers though.

After that, I completed my homework as I chatted with Roll. Time pa.s.sed rather fast, and because I combined work with chatting, I only finished my homework at about 8 in the evening.

Translation: Nana