The Fourth Class Is Modern Chinese (Continued)

Suppose a perfect interview score was one hundred points. Even if you gave the most perfect answer in a voice too quiet to hear because you were too timid, you could only get thirty points... Right? My math wasn't very good!

Anyway, Taishi Kawasaki was a lively, cheerful, straightforward boy. He had no need to worry about his interview.

Still, there was one thing that bothered me.

I cleared my throat and pointed at Taishi.

"That said, you need to change the way you speak. Use proper polite language with me."

"Don't worry! I only talk like this when I'm talking to my brother!"

Taishi clenched his fist and grinned at me... Huh? Did that mean he didn't respect me? He was looking down on me, wasn't he...?

It felt like I'd wasted my time encouraging him and giving him advice, so I waved him away.

"That's about it. Go home. Hurry up and go home."

"Okay! Thank you!"

However, Taishi didn't take my attitude to heart and bowed deeply. Well, all right, he knew how to thank people properly, so I'd pretend the earlier thing never happened... I was so easy to win over. Hachiman's little brother was seriously way too easy to win over.

Then Taishi raised one finger, lowered his voice, and asked me:

"C-can I ask one more question? There's something I want to ask you..."

"Another question..."

Was this guy Mr. Ukyo or something...? Just when people thought he was finally done asking questions and lowered their guard, he'd bring up something that struck right at the heart of the matter. I wouldn't fall for it.

Note: Refers to Ukyo Sugishita from the Japanese drama Partners, whose catchphrases included, "May I ask you one question?"

"Ask your sister about school stuff."

I answered impatiently, but