The Fourth Class Is Modern Chinese (Continued)

Isshiki sighed deeply and shrugged helplessly.

"But it sounds like middle schoolers will be coming too, so we need to prepare for them."

"Prepare? What do we have to do?"

Komachi asked with a blink, and Isshiki nodded impatiently.

"Tell them what kind of school ours is, actually show them around the campus, things like that... Then there'll probably be a free question period?"

Perhaps the details had yet to be finalized. Isshiki spoke while thinking, one finger pressed to her chin.

As I listened and gave vague responses, I gradually grasped the outline of the school orientation.

The campus tour, in particular, was easy enough to imagine.

For middle schoolers, just setting foot in a high school would probably be a little event in itself. They would be thrilled. At least, if I were a middle schooler, I would be pretty excited.

Let's imagine it for a moment. Let's imagine.

—Summer vacation.

The heat was enough to roast someone alive, making steam rise from the asphalt.

The crisp crack of a metal bat carried far into the distance, while cicadas screamed loudly enough to hurt the ears.

Inside the school building, however, the atmosphere was entirely different—silent and even a little cool.

An empty school building. Quiet hallways.

A rumpled summer uniform and a thin skirt.

A cute upperclassman walked ahead of me.

During the tour, she asked why I wanted to attend this school. When I answered, "Because it's closest to my house," the upperclassman laughed in disbelief and said, "What kind of reason is that?"

And yet, just as we were about to part ways.

She lightly tugged on my sleeve and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"...I'll be waiting for you."

She whispered in my ear and smiled at me—

...Yeah, not bad. Nice. Could