The Fourth Class Is Modern Chinese (Continued)

I said that, but I wasn't very confident either. They were both probably healthy... Maybe a little sick, but only personality-wise... probably. I wasn't very confident, though.

She nodded in agreement, then nodded again with emphasis.

"Then they're birds of a feather..."

"Feather?"

"It refers to badgers and raccoon dogs. Mainly badgers, though there are various interpretations depending on the era and region."

"Oh..."

I nodded, wondering, What even is a badger...? It sounded like a bear, but she said it was a raccoon dog...

Note: The Japanese kanji for badger is written as "hole bear."

"Speaking of unrelated things, raccoon dogs are really cute."

I said the thought that had popped into my head, and she furrowed her brow with a grave expression.

"Then using raccoon dogs as an analogy is inappropriate... Isshiki is very cute, but he's, um..."

"You're hesitating way too much!"

As though attending a funeral, she silently lowered her gaze and slowly shook her head. Then she suddenly looked up with an exceptionally gentle smile and continued as if counseling a child.

"Let's not talk about this. It's really not good to badmouth people when they aren't around. Right?"

"It's not okay when they are around either! Yukino and that shut-in guy are numb to it, so it's fine! And I wasn't trying to badmouth anyone!?"

If I were going to badmouth someone, I had plenty to say! I kept that thought to myself.

But she showed no sign of stopping. She clapped her hands, as if she had thought of something else. Raising a finger, she wore a proud, self-satisfied grin.

"Ah, then how about 'accomplices'?"

"You're treating them like criminals!? ...But it does kind of fit."

I could easily imagine him complaining while still being spun around happily, and her smiling all the