The Delinquent Shimizu-san Sitting Next to Me Has Dyed Her Hair Black - Volume 2 Epilogue

Epilogue

Shimizu-san and the Starry Sky

 

“Huh? You’re leaving before we even start stargazing?”

 

Ai-san’s voice of surprise echoes through the clubroom.

 

“Yes, I apologize. It’s getting dark, and I don’t want to send Teruno home alone.”

“Then why not go home after we’re done with the stargazing? Teruno-chan wants to see the stars on the school rooftop with Onii-chan too, right?”

“Y-yes.”

“Ai, don’t pressure her too much. You’re making Teruno-chan uncomfortable.”

“But we went to all this trouble to prepare…”

“I’m sorry…”

“No, no, it’s not Teruno-chan’s fault.”

 

Just as the atmosphere in the clubroom becomes solemn, there’s a sudden knock at the door.

 

“May I come in?”

“Huh? Yes, please come in.”

“Excuse me.”

“Yuasa-sensei.”

 

The person who entered the clubroom was Yuasa-sensei, the homeroom teacher for Shimizu-san, Seto-san, and me, as well as the advisor for the Astronomy Club.

 

“All five of you are here… Wait, who are you? You’re not one of my students, are you?”

“Um, well…”

 

Caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the teacher, Teruno becomes flustered.

 

“I’ll explain this.”

“Alright. Let’s talk in the hallway so as not to intimidate her.”

“Yes.”

 

And so, Yuasa-sensei and Yousuke-san step out into the hallway.

 

“Oh, right. It’s already that time, isn’t it?”

“Do you think Yousuke-san will be okay?”

“Don’t worry, if it’s Yousuke, he’ll explain things well to the teacher.”

 

It seems that Ai-san has complete trust in Yousuke-san.

 

“Well, it’s a hundred times better than if Ai were to explain it.”

“True that.”

“You guys could have a little more faith in me, you know?”

“Hmph.”

“Did you just snort at me!?”

“Either way, in the end, we’ll have to follow whatever the teacher says.”

“That’s true.”

 

What if our stargazing plans get canceled?

Just as I’m contemplating this, Yousuke-san returns to the clubroom.

 

“Welcome back, Yousuke. How did it go?”

“I’m back. I was only asked about what happened from the time I arrived at school until now. Yuasa-sensei said he has something to take care of but will be back a bit later.”

“Is that so? Do you think we’ll be able to go stargazing?”

“I don’t think you need to worry about that. Yuasa-sensei said he’d be back in time for the stargazing.”

 

Hearing Yousuke-san’s words, I feel relieved.

It’s good that everyone’s hard work for the midterm exams didn’t go to waste.

 

“Onii-chan, I’m sorry… You were looking forward to this, and it might be ruined because of me…”

 

Teruno seems to feel guilty as if it’s her fault that I might not be able to join the stargazing.

I pat her drooping head.

 

“Don’t worry about it. Thanks to everyone in the Astronomy Club, I’ve had more than enough fun today.”

“Hondō…”

“Excuse me, coming in.”

 

After a few knocks, Yuasa-sensei’s voice came from the other side of the door.

 

“Come in.”

 

Yuasa-sensei entered the clubroom with his usual gentle expression.

 

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“That’s fine, but what about the stargazing?”

“Before that, is it okay if I ask you something, Hondō-kun?”

“Y-Yes.”

 

I was a bit flustered as I was suddenly called upon.

 

“Do you want to go stargazing with everyone?”

“Uh, I do want to, but I have to take Teruno home…”

“What I’m asking is simply whether you want to go stargazing with everyone or not?”

 

I don’t understand the intention behind Yuasa-sensei’s question, but if it’s a simple yes-or-no choice, there’s only one option.

 

“…I want to go stargazing.”

“That’s good, then.”

“Huh?”

“I spoke with Hondō-kun’s father on the phone a moment ago, and under the condition that I drive Teruno-chan home, he agreed to let both Hondō-kun and Teruno-chan go stargazing.”

 

So that’s why he was leaving earlier.

 

“…is it okay for me to go too?”

“Technically, it’s against the rules. But there aren’t any other students or teachers around today, and as long as everyone keeps it a secret, it won’t be a problem. So let’s go stargazing secretly together.”

“Yuasa-sensei…”

“Sensei, you’re surprisingly mischievous.”

“Getting called that by the Student Council Vice-President of our school is a bit funny. Normally, I wouldn’t go this far.”

“Thank you, Yuasa-sensei.”

“I didn’t expect to be thanked by Student Council President Sakata for breaking the rules. Ah, I promised Hondō-kun’s father that I would get Teruno-chan home as soon as possible, so let’s go to the rooftop right away for stargazing.”

” “Yes!” “

 

***

 

“Wow! This is the school rooftop I’ve dreamed of seeing at night!”

 

A few minutes after leaving the clubroom, we set foot on the school rooftop.

 

“I’ve been to the door leading to the rooftop before, but it feels different actually being up here.”

 

Given that we’re in a part of the school that’s usually off-limits, both Ai-san and Yousuke-san seem more excited than usual.

 

“Hey, you guys haven’t forgotten the purpose of today, have you? We’re supposed to be stargazing.”

“Shimizu-san is right.”

 

Shimizu-san and Seto-san seem more composed than the two senpai.

 

“Alright, it’s time for stargazing. Feel free to do as you please, but don’t get too close to the fence as it’s dangerous.”

“Yes!”

 

I look up at the night sky.

If not for the city lights, perhaps even more stars would be visible.

Still, there were countless stars scattered across the sky.

 

“I feel like it’s been a while since I’ve looked at the night sky like this.”

 

Before I knew it, Yuasa-sensei was standing next to me.

There was something I wanted to ask him.

 

“Why did you go to the extent of calling my father to get permission for stargazing?”

“That’s because everyone in the Astronomy Club has been working hard. I knew you all did well on your midterm exams for the sake of stargazing. I wanted to help you enjoy the fruits of your labor. Plus, Hondō-kun, you’re one of my valued students.”

“…Thank you very much.”

“You don’t have to thank me. Anyway, enjoy the stargazing since you finally get to participate with your sister.”

“Yes!”

“Let me give you this as well.”

 

I take what Yuasa-sensei pulls from his pocket.

It appears to be the key to the rooftop.

 

“I’ve had enough of the starry sky for now, so I’ll head back to the clubroom. Please take care of everything else.”

 

With that, Yuasa-sensei left.

 

***

 

Shimizu’s POV

 

(Looking at it again, this is surprisingly beautiful.)

 

When was the last time I looked at the night sky just to see the stars?

While pondering this, a sudden jolt ran through my back.

Reflexively turning around, Ai was standing there.

 

“What are you daydreaming about, Kei-san? It’s already nighttime!”

“Let me look at the stars in peace.”

“I would love to let you do that, but haven’t you forgotten today’s goal?”

“That is…”

 

My goal for today was to create unforgettable memories with Hondō.

 

“If things continue this way, we’ll just end up looking at stars.”

“What do you suggest then?”

“Leave that to me. I remember the promise we made during the midterm exams. I’ll have everyone except Daiki-kun go back to the clubroom little by little. Eventually, it’ll just be you and Daiki-kun alone.”

“Won’t Hondō notice something’s up if we do that?”

“Don’t worry! Daiki-kun seems engrossed in stargazing.”

 

Glancing towards Hondō, it was true; he was simply gazing at the sky alone, not talking to anyone.

 

“Aren’t you giving up something yourself?”

“What do you mean?”

“Don’t play dumb. Don’t you want to be alone with Yousuke?”

 

Since Ai and Yousuke are graduating from the Astronomy Club after this semester, they’d want to make the most of these rare opportunities.

 

“Well, sure, I wouldn’t mind a romantic moment with Yousuke on the rooftop at night. But I also want to support Kei’s love life. I’ve seen how hard you’ve worked since you became a sophomore.”

“Don’t regret this later.”

“I won’t regret it, not at all. Besides, I plan on making moves on Yousuke from now on.”

“…thank you…”

“Eh? Could you say that again? ‘Thank’ what?”

“You definitely heard me if you can say that much!”

“I’m just kidding, just kidding. Now that you’ve thanked me, I’ll fulfill the request, so think about what you’ll do when you’re alone with Daiki-kun.”

 

With that, Ai walked away from me.

 

“…What should I even talk about when it’s just the two of us?”

 

I dazedly said so to myself.

 

***

 

“Hey, Hondō.”

“Yes?”

 

Looking around, I noticed that the number of people had decreased.

Actually, aside from me, only Shimizu-san remained.

While I was gazing at the stars, everyone else seemed to have gone somewhere.

 

“Shimizu-san, do you know where everyone else went?”

“They said they were going back to the clubroom.”

“Is that so? I didn’t even notice.”

“Do you have the key to the rooftop?”

“Yeah, I got it from Yuasa-sensei.”

 

I took the key out of my pocket and showed it to Shimizu-san.

 

“Then it’s fine.”

 

With that, Shimizu-san shifted her gaze to the night sky.

Or so I thought, then she turned her head back towards me again.

 

“I can’t help but notice your gaze.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

 

Shimizu-san had been looking at the night sky, but it seemed I was too obvious when I stared at her profile.

 

“You don’t need to apologize. Did you want to say something?”

 

I was staring absentmindedly, so there was nothing I wanted to say…uh, there is something still needed to be said.

 

“Thank you for finding Teruno and being with me earlier.”

“…I was just returning the favor. Don’t worry about it.”

“Shimizu-san is kind.”

“Why would you say that?”

 

Shimizu-san shifted her gaze from the night sky to me.

 

“Because you tried not to make me feel burdened, right?”

“That’s just your interpretation.”

“Is that so? Even so, Shimizu-san’s kindness always helps me.”

“…say whatever you want.”

 

Shimizu-san looked back at the night sky, so I decided to do the same.

 

“We’ve had a lot of experiences since joining the Astronomy Club, haven’t we?”

“Have we?”

“Yeah. Sharing our thoughts about anime and studying hard for midterms. You also started changing your hairstyle every day after joining the Astronomy Club, right?”

“Forget about that.”

 

For some reason, that seemed like a topic Shimizu-san didn’t want to touch on.

 

“I didn’t plan on joining any clubs when I started high school, but now I’m glad I joined the Astronomy Club.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Thank you.”

“Why are you thanking me? Ai was the one who invited you, and you’re the one who decided to join the Astronomy Club.”

“That’s true, but I had fun in the Astronomy Club because of you, Shimizu-san.”

“Ha?”

“If I were the only one who had joined the Astronomy Club, I think I would have felt hesitant around everyone else. The reason I could be myself in the club was because you were always there, Shimizu-san.”

“You’re saying something like that without any embarrassment…”

 

I didn’t think I was saying anything to be embarrassed about.

 

“How about you, Shimizu-san? Did you enjoy being in the Astronomy Club?”

“Well…”

“Well?”

“I-I guess it was a little fun. It was always noisy, though.”

“That’s good to hear.”

 

I felt relieved that it wasn’t just me who had a good time.

Somehow, I’m happy that Shimizu-san and I could share enjoyable moments.

What is this feeling?

Will the day come when I understand it?

 

“I enjoy the time I spend with everyone in the Astronomy Club, but I think I might also like these moments when it’s just the two of us, Shimizu-san.”

 

Ah, what I was thinking just came right out of my mouth.

Silence filled the space that was just between us.

I thought maybe the reason for the lack of sound was because there was no wind today.

 

“Shimizu-san? It’s a bit sad if you’re going to completely ignore me…”

“Me too…”

 

My eyes involuntarily shifted toward Shimizu-san, eager to hear the rest of her sentence.

 

“…I never dislike the time I spend with you, either.”

 

Though her face was dim and hard to see, I could tell she was looking straight at me.

I felt my heart beat faster than before. It’s good that it’s nighttime; otherwise, Shimizu-san would have noticed my face turning bright red.

 

“Shimizu-san…”

“Don’t get the wrong idea! I just said I don’t dislike it, okay!? I don’t mean anything by it!”

“I-I understand…”

 

What do I even understand?

In fact, I feel like I don’t understand anything at all.

 

After that, we sat in silence, maintaining a distance that was not too close but also not too far and stared at the night sky until Ai-san came to get us.

 

 

“Thank you.”

“Why are you thanking me? Ai was the one who invited you, and you’re the one who decided to join the Astronomy Club.”

“That’s true, but I had fun in the Astronomy Club because of you, Shimizu-san.”

“Ha?”

“If I were the only one who had joined the Astronomy Club, I think I would have felt hesitant around everyone else. The reason I could be myself in the club was because you were always there, Shimizu-san.”

“You’re saying something like that without any embarrassment…”

 

I didn’t think I was saying anything to be embarrassed about.

 

“How about you, Shimizu-san? Did you enjoy being in the Astronomy Club?”

“Well…”

“Well?”

“I-I guess it was a little fun. It was always noisy, though.”

“That’s good to hear.”

 

I felt relieved that it wasn’t just me who had a good time.

Somehow, I’m happy that Shimizu-san and I could share enjoyable moments.

What is this feeling?

Will the day come when I understand it?

 

“I enjoy the time I spend with everyone in the Astronomy Club, but I think I might also like these moments when it’s just the two of us, Shimizu-san.”

 

Ah, what I was thinking just came right out of my mouth.

Silence filled the space that was just between us.

I thought maybe the reason for the lack of sound was because there was no wind today.

 

“Shimizu-san? It’s a bit sad if you’re going to completely ignore me…”

“Me too…”

 

My eyes involuntarily shifted toward Shimizu-san, eager to hear the rest of her sentence.

 

“…I never dislike the time I spend with you, either.”

 

Though her face was dim and hard to see, I could tell she was looking straight at me.

I felt my heart beat faster than before. It’s good that it’s nighttime; otherwise, Shimizu-san would have noticed my face turning bright red.

 

“Shimizu-san…”

“Don’t get the wrong idea! I just said I don’t dislike it, okay!? I don’t mean anything by it!”

“I-I understand…”

 

What do I even understand?

In fact, I feel like I don’t understand anything at all.

 

After that, we sat in silence, maintaining a distance that was not too close but also not too far and stared at the night sky until Ai-san came to get us.

 

 

***

TL: Hiraeth