Hina didn't resume the conversation about her past after the interruption, and seeing that a considerable amount of time had passed since we went up, we went back down to see how those three boys had prepared the class.
If it's open, that is.
The uncertainty didn't torment me for long. Two figures outside the classroom caught my attention; they were the boys who had been making the final preparations earlier. One was missing.
Behind him, the door was open.
"I reckon we'll be able to get in," Otsuki assumed.
"We can ask, so as not to cause any misunderstandings."
And indeed, it was now possible to enter.
I missed Otsuki's very brief interaction when he asked because I was paying more attention to the people who were passing through that same hallway.
One of them glanced at me for a second. The typical look you give when you look at someone you didn't mean to look at.
But were you sure he didn't want to look at me?
Otsuki and Hina were already going into the classroom; I couldn't be left behind. I expected Otsuki to grab my uniform sleeve so I wouldn't sneak out, but oh well.
"Whoaaa, there are like… an exaggerated amount of gems…"
"At first glance I'd say there are about fifty... are there any faces? Even if they're all common stones, together they must be worth something."
"…"
There were gems of almost every color in the classroom, all very small due to their variety, along with the other boy from the group of three who was missing. He was also the one who brought all the gems.
He was wearing a suit. Excessively refined.
And I was reading a manga…
"…Ah, uh, welcome!"
When he realized that the people who came in were not his friends, he put down the book he was carrying on the chair he had been using and approached our group.
I see where this is going .
Otsuki and Hina thought the same thing. Who knows what was going through Tsukiyomi's head? He half-hid behind Otsuki when the boy approached.
"Would you like me to give you a short tour of the classroom?"
He clasped his hands together with a small clap, assuming a formal and serious posture. As serious as a fifteen-year-old boy can be, really.
"Wouldn't it take too long with so much to see?" Hina asked.
"It would only be for the most interesting ones. It's fine if you watch the rest on your own."
"I'd prefer to go on my own, but thank you."
"…"
Otsuki wasn't too keen on the idea, and Tsukiyomi didn't need to say anything for me to know she didn't like it either. I agreed with them; I prefer to go it alone.
Hina was a little disappointed, and then,
"Yes, I would like that."
"Perfect! If the rest don't want to, no problem."
Otsuki nodded. I stood beside her, as did Tsukiyomi, without saying a word. I had the feeling that people were watching me from behind, but I was too afraid to find out if it was true or not.
I convinced myself that I was hallucinating.
Having given the poor boy a chance, she went with him to pay attention to his presentation.
Luckily, he is a kind person to everyone except Otsuki.
It would demotivate the boy to start the day being rejected in something he has put so much effort into.
It wasn't the first time he had been alone with Otsuki and Tsukiyomi.
"And she said she wouldn't abandon us... What a bad friend. All to play the saint. She could treat me like that too."
"Would you treat her like that back?"
"Does she deserve it?"
Don't look at me so confused, or I'll think you're serious.
Putting Otsuki's complaints aside, we now had a whole class to watch.
The way it was organized wasn't a simple exhibition. If you entered from one side, you had to walk the entire way to the exit, passing by all the gems. You could also be a jerk and walk right back, but not many people are going to do that.
They were arranged in a small glass box, on top of a cushion of the same size. In front of them was a piece of cardboard the size of a sheet of paper with their name, education, and a few other details about it.
It's clear we're not going to read everything, but the fact that they've done this for all the precious stones here is impressive.
I've put in much more effort than I expected.
And I haven't helped at all.
Better. It's not that I'm interested in helping, and I don't feel bad about it.
[Benitoite,] put up one of the signs.
Did they name a gemstone Benito? It had a blue sheen that really caught my eye. In fact, this whole section was full of bluish minerals. There was also lapis lazuli next to it, which I thought would be a flat blue, but it had spots… gold? gray? I couldn't say.
"This one is cool."
Otsuki went ahead a little, and Tsukiyomi followed the trail. They went to a mineral deposit that was slightly larger than the others.
"What is it?" I asked Otsuki as I approached.
"Bismuth, it says."
It had a beautiful rainbow glow.
"Hey, do you like rainbows?" I decided to tease her a little, for a change. And while I was at it, I got to see where this girl's boundaries lay.
"…"
"Don't ignore me…"
"Oh, sorry, it was such a bad joke that I didn't catch it. Could you repeat it?"
"Of course, since you're used to Hina humiliating you all the time."
"She's the one who ends up badly hurt."
"If you've heard what I said, it means it was a good joke."
"…"
This whole messing with people thing isn't my style. Not because I can't be witty, but because I don't like getting nasty looks afterward. Tsukiyomi wasn't going to help me get back on good terms.
I'd better refrain from doing things like that. I'm better off keeping quiet.
Consequently, my eyes stopped looking at her, staring down. One might say at the minerals, but more to avoid looking at her or anyone else. Perhaps at the table.
They really did have all kinds of stones. Of course, it wasn't anything like a ruby or a diamond; most people didn't even know what those were. The guy was showing Hina some of the ones we saw at the beginning. More than a tour, they seemed to be having a conversation.
Hina is a very social person.
Anyone who belongs to a club must be a social person. Especially someone who volunteers to do someone else's work.
It reminded me of someone else who was also unique and social. But at the same time, they weren't even comparable.
"…"
Without realizing it, I had wandered a little way from Otsuki and Tsukiyomi. The latter started talking to her about a pink stone she had seen.
I hadn't spoken until we parted ways.
That's what Hina said earlier.
I let Tsukiyomi talk for a while and went off on my own.
I started looking at everything on the tables. I got to the green gem section. Green isn't a color I'm particularly passionate about, but there were some interesting rocks, to say the least.
[Variscite,] placed on a cardboard, a gem of a solid and deep green.
[Fluorite,] was next to it. Lighter green, but still somewhat condensed.
[Phosphophyllite,] what a strange name . It was even clearer than before, almost transparent. Looks… ¿cute?
Nothing that interests me too much, I stand by my words.
When I saw that Tsukiyomi wasn't saying anything else, I joined them as if I had never left.
"Ah, I thought you had run away."
"Why would I do that?" I replied, feigning annoyance.
"Because it's something you would do."
So before going in you left me behind because you forgot to check on me?
He has little faith in me.
I lowered my voice a little when I added something, not out of embarrassment or because I was depressed, but so that the boy wouldn't hear us.
"Isn't this kind of boring?"
"I don't know, I find it entertaining. It's better than I expected."
I failed to understand her reasoning. We were just looking at colored stones.
For once I wanted to speak in a low voice of my own volition, and Tsukiyomi heard me. If I had any pride, I'd be shattered.
"…Me too, I-i'm liking it."
"We won."
"Is everything a competition for you?"
"A bad habit I have from someone."
Don't look directly at Hina, it's very obvious.
Since I was very bored, and Otsuki and Tsukiyomi were in another world, I created my own method of distraction.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 20XX-20XX cultural festival program! In this channel, we'll be watching various classes, and whatever the tadpoles teaching them have prepared for the festival, and we'll be rating them out of ten!
I give my class a seven out of ten. It's hard work, but I'm bored. That's why I'm doing this.
It was seven and not six because I felt bad about disparaging their work just like that.
My suffering was short-lived. Not only did Hina finish her tour after a few minutes, but just as she returned, we left the class.