Chapter 21 Seafood Rice Bowl: This is the meaning of friendship, isn't it?
It seemed like things had returned to normal; after school, Akina Amaho would go straight home and wouldn't go to the volleyball club with them.
However, at noon, she would have lunch with the twins on the rooftop, and she seemed much more relaxed.
Just like she said, acknowledge that they are friends.
He also talked more about his own life during his conversation.
She talked about how she sometimes accidentally spilled paint, getting it all over her hands, or how she would excitedly point to something interesting and say that it could also be used as material.
When Miyaji heard these words, he would laugh and then say without any politeness that Miyayu had stolen his pudding again yesterday.
Miya Yu would then pout and say that Miyaji stole 200 yen from her this morning to buy rice balls.
Of course, in the end, the two of them would often end up fighting again.
At first, Akina tried to stop them, but after realizing she couldn't, she could only sit silently by and watch them fight until they were done, her face and body bearing bruises.
They wouldn't have fought before... but since returning to their previous state, the two of them seem to have let loose.
Akina could only sigh. She had gotten into the habit of carrying band-aids and the like with her, and she gave them to the two of them.
All signs indicate that they have grown closer to each other.
At noon today, Akina Ama once again went up to the rooftop alone.
She held her lunchbox, staring blankly at the distant sky.
Gong You's voice came from behind: "Why does it feel like Tian Sui is always so fast?"
He arrived a little earlier than Miyaji today, sat down next to Amaho Akina, and opened his lunchbox.
"Hmm... because I sometimes carry a lot of things when I study art, and to avoid getting tired, I walk faster, and over time I learned to do that?"
Akina Amazu tilted her head, unsure if that was the reason.
Gong You thought about the easel that Tian Suimingna had placed in the living room, and the many paints on the floor. Then he imagined the scene of Tian Suimingna carrying those things, and suddenly felt a chill.
"Tian Sui, could it be that you actually have great stamina?"
"No, not really. My stamina isn't that great." Akina Amaho shook her head.
She is well aware of her physical condition.
There are many people who don't like exercising, and she is one of them.
Aside from the brief exercise of handling art supplies, her arms and legs often feel sore, but that's only temporary.
I usually just carry a small bag and a lightweight drawing board, so it's not tiring at all.
However, she does walk very fast when she's rushing to do something like sketching.
After all, sometimes the lighting changes if you arrive too late.
Although she knew this was not good... if she had to face the art exam in the future, her current physical strength would not be enough.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Gong You's words.
"Speaking of which, Tian Sui, now that we're friends, shouldn't I be able to call you by your first name?"
Gong You narrowed his eyes. It would feel a little strange to continue calling her Tian Sui.
He knew he should be a little more polite, so he didn't call out his name directly, but asked first.
Hmph, and besides, that idiot Osamu hasn't arrived yet. If I call out Amaho Akina's name first, he'll be dumbfounded!
Although they had only known each other for half a month at most.
But on the other hand, since you've been friends for half a month, how can you still call each other by our surnames?
Akina Amane was taken aback, clearly not expecting this question either.
"Then just call me Mina. I don't really care about how I'm addressed."
Upon closer examination, Gong You's words were not wrong, so she nodded and agreed.
She had already started calling them by their names, so she decided to return the favor and let them call her by her own name as well.
Before Gong You could speak, Gong Zhi walked up the stairs.
He walked over and sat down on the other side, sighing.
"In physics class today, the teacher threw a piece of chalk at me, and I don't know why."
He spoke with a listless expression and sighed.
"Ah, I remember that teacher really hated students who daydreamed in class." Akina Amami shrugged.
She had some impression of that teacher.
Although I don't teach their class, I came here once or twice when I was a substitute teacher.
“Idiot Zhi must have been daydreaming in class,” Gong You mocked.
"Don't you ever get distracted in his class? His lectures are so boring."
Gong Zhi snorted coldly.
I just space out because I'm so bored. I don't really understand what I'm saying anyway, so I might as well think about something else.
Gong You's expression stiffened: "If that's the case, then that's indeed the case..."
“I didn’t get distracted during his class.”
At that moment, Akina Amako suddenly interjected.
“He came to my class twice before to substitute teach.”
She briefly explained why the teacher had appeared.
"Huh—Minna has never fallen asleep in his class?" Miya Yu was incredulous.
Gong Zhi, upon hearing that Gong You had changed his form of address, glanced at him subtly.
Gong You slightly raised his chin; now it was his turn to be proud.
This time, he turned the tables.
"Yes, although his lectures are boring, as long as you pay attention to the key points and take notes, you can skip his other long-winded explanations."
Akina Amako nodded, still a little regretful that she couldn't show them the notebook.
"Minna must have taken very careful notes."
Miyaji then smoothly called out Amaho Akina's name.
Akina Amako also did not notice anything unusual.
After Gong You inquired, she now considered calling her by her name to be normal and naturally didn't find it strange.
Gong Zhi raised an eyebrow at Gong You.
Gong You glared at him fiercely.
Amamiya sensed this undercurrent, though she didn't know why the two of them seemed to be at odds again.
She just glanced at them helplessly, and then continued talking about the topic.
"Yes, I take notes in every class."
"I can't even imagine... If I have to listen attentively in class and take notes, I might as well practice serving a hundred more times."
Gong You sighed, looking very weak.
He really couldn't imagine himself taking notes seriously.
"By the way, final exams are coming up soon, right? Mina, can you tutor me?"
He suddenly raised his head, and Amako Akina leaned back slightly, a little startled.
If she wasn't mistaken, Gong You's eyes were practically sparkling with excitement; he was clearly very much looking forward to it.
Akina Amaho's voice sounded a little stiff: "But... there's still about a month until the final exams, right?"
The final exams are around December 20th.
It's still late November.
"Yeah, with your terrible memory, you probably can only memorize the key points by cramming five days before the exam."
Gong Zhi's score on the last exam was a full five points higher than Gong You's.
Of course, it didn't pass either.
"How are you any better than me? I don't want to be called trash by trash."
Gong Zhi snorted coldly.
Gong You clenched his fists, looking like he could strike Gong Zhi at any moment.
Miyaji, equally unwilling to be outdone, clenched his fist.
Seeing the battle between the two women heating up again, Akina Amane sighed.
She gently patted their shoulders: "Alright, let's eat quickly, or our lunch break will be over."
Miya Yu and Miyaji both trembled slightly, probably because they didn't expect Amaho Akina to suddenly pat them on the shoulder.
The two of them quieted down, opened their lunchboxes, and began to eat.
Akina Amaho nodded in satisfaction and opened her own lunchbox to begin eating.
Gong You ate very quickly this time, thinking that he could still have a few more words to say after finishing his meal.
After finishing his meal, he couldn't wait to speak.
"Speaking of which, why did Mina transfer schools? You could draw really well here, right?"
He was still very confused about the transfer.
Personally, I don't want Akina to transfer schools, because then she won't be able to see him every day.
Even if Amaho Akina leaves, she will definitely reply to his messages every day.
"Yuu, you'll definitely learn better skills at the school in Tokyo."
Gong Zhi rolled his eyes without any politeness.
“Yes, because I love painting, I want to go to Tokyo.” Akina Amaho nodded.
“Yu-kun, you must love volleyball too, right? I think it’s similar to that feeling of passion.” She said, turning to look at Yu.
She understood, of course, that others might not accept the fact that she had transferred schools.
Just like the short-lived friendships I had in elementary and junior high school, most of them eventually faded away.
Over time, those memories of friendship will fade, but the sense of loss and melancholy that comes with parting, when you tell yourself that you may never contact her again, will always linger in your heart.
Akina Amane could understand, since the child didn't have a cell phone and her address wasn't fixed, making it troublesome to contact her by mail or cell phone.
But I still feel disappointed.
“I know some people won’t understand my choice,” Amako Akina sighed.
She lowered her eyes slightly, her expression looking somewhat disappointed.
Even though she had already made up her mind and decided not to care anymore, she subconsciously felt disappointed when she heard the question.
Gong Zhi glared at Gong You, indicating that he had misspoke.
Gong You was also a little flustered. He could tell, of course, that Tian Suiming was upset because of what he had just said.
But for a moment he didn’t know whether to apologize or what, so he could only turn to Miyaji for help.
Gong Zhi shook his head, thinking to himself, "I guess I still need to take action myself."
He cleared his throat: "Minnai, of course I can understand your choice."
Akina Amane paused for a moment, then looked up at Miyaji.
“If it’s to pursue your dreams, whatever you do, Mina, I will support you,” Miyaji said.
"Because dreams are very important to a person," he said, as if he had thought of something.
Yes, it's important to him too.
It must be equally important to Gong You.
"Asking that question just now was definitely a moment of impulsiveness on my part."
Gong You pursed his lips, but still awkwardly offered an apology.
Because he didn't know how to say it.
"However, if it's my kind of love for volleyball, then I would support you going to Tokyo, Mina."
This statement is very serious.
He knew how important volleyball was to him, and naturally understood how important painting was to Akina Amasui.
What kind of passion does she have?
Akina Amaho pursed her lips, then chuckled softly.
She nodded heavily, and for some reason, she felt her eyes getting slightly moist.
This was probably the first time someone had affirmed my dream like this.
Her parents weren't very supportive of her pursuing art, but she insisted on studying fine arts, so they gave her the money and let her do as she pleased.
Her junior high school classmates would look at her manuscript paper with amazement, then shake their heads, saying that they only regarded art as a hobby and did not understand why Akina Amami was so passionate about drawing.
Some relatives would click their tongues when they saw her paintings, saying that doing art is very expensive and there's no guarantee of success.
Instead of wasting time on this, you might as well study hard and do something else in the future, or take over your parents' business.
And now, she finally heard two voices supporting her without any reason.
This is probably the meaning of friendship.
She said, "Thank you."
At that moment, her smile was so clear and radiant that Gong You and Gong Zhi were both stunned for a second.
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