I've just realized that there are probably a number of users on this site who watch English-dubbed anime. Would make sense then that the inclusion of a few Japanese words makes the story confusing to read. Obviously I've always favoured subtitles, which explains my preference for leaving several bits of colloquial Japanese unchanged.

That being said, I don't expect to make any major changes when I go back and edit the previous chapters. How would you localize something like 'Ara ara ara' ? I'm actually really curious as to how the dubs handle this.

Hmm. Well, without further ado, here is Chapter 4.

[~ Iroha POV ~]

"Well then, take it easy, young ones~"

Saying that, Okaa-san left my room.

So now, I was left alone with Senpai.

…There seems to be a bit of tension.

"How should I put it… your mother is pretty amazing, huh."

"…I'm sorry."

Really, for having such a meddlesome mother, I'm truly sorry.

After that, we remained seated in awkward silence.

… It would seem both of us had yet to fully recover from the psychological attack that was our surprise reunion.

For the time being, I should say something!

Thinking that, I looked up at Senpai's face,

"… what's with that suspicious blushing? That's gross."

Saying such a thing at the sight of him looking so unsettled, I was successfully able to calm down a bit.

"No, that's because, well, you know…"

"What was that, even after all this time you're still trying to increase your appeal? 'You and I are close enough to know what I mean', that sort of mutual understanding? I still haven't prepared my heart for such things, sorry, please try again some other time."

"Just how many times have I been rejected by you by now… this actually feels nostalgic…"

Saying so, Senpai smiled wryly.

"…well, anyway, it's just that I'm not accustomed to such situations. Apart from Komachi, I've almost never entered a woman's room before."

What a sweet reason.

Hm hm, so Senpai had almost never been inside a girl's room…

Wait. Almost?

"By 'almost', does that mean that you have been to a girl's room a few times before?"

There might have been a bit of jealousy mixed into my voice.

"Ah, that is, I've been to Yukinoshita's and Yuigahama's rooms before."

…Well, I suppose I can let it pass if it's just those two.

"At any rate, it's been a while since I last saw you in casual clothes, Isshiki… they seem to look pretty good on you?"

"Fuehh?"

Just as I had started to lower my defenses, Senpai suddenly launched this kind of surprise attack.

Really, isn't he the one who's always being sly?

"Th-thanks for the compliment…"

"O, ou."

The room fell into silence once more.

Actually, why was Senpai in my room again?

...Ah, yes, he was supposed to be teaching me.

"Le, lesson! Let's start the lesson, Senpai!"

"A-ah, that's right."

Thus, it was with this kind of awkward atmosphere that our first lesson began.

Once the class had started, the feeling from before quickly dissipated.

Well, it's because I'm very sincere in wanting to attend Senpai's university.

There's no way I could allow myself to get distracted during such precious study time.

And, in the blink of an eye, sixty minutes had passed.

"Yosh, well done. It's been an hour, so we'll be taking a five-minute break."

As the class progressed, Senpai and I had become a bit more relaxed.

"Roger that! At any rate, you seem pretty used to teaching, Senpai."

I meant it, he really is a very good teacher.

Whenever I couldn't understand a question, Senpai was able to easily, with a few questions of his own, accurately assess what the issue was and rephrase it to me in a way simple enough to understand.

And if I encountered a problem I really could not solve, he would very carefully and thoroughly explain the solution to me.

Just how he had acquired such a skill?

"I often tutored Komachi at home, you see. I can't even remember exactly how many nights I spent staying up to help prepare her for the end-of-term exams. Well… it's alright because she's cute."

He closed his eyes and nodded in self-satisfaction.

"Uwaaa, siscon…

Incidentally, Senpai, why are you working as a tutor?"

I asked curiously, on a more serious note.

"Well, you see, my damn father decided to drastically reduce the amount of money he'd transfer. Without this work my life would have seriously been in danger, you know?"

"Ah, ahaha, so there had been such a reason.

…

Hmm? Transfer? Does that mean Senpai is currently living alone?"

"Ever since I entered university."

"How are you handling your meals?"

"Before, I had been planning to live on ramen, but now, even that sort of thing has become a luxury. These days I just survive by eating whatever's cheap enough."

I'm getting kind of worried for him...

"That sort of diet will definitely damage your body in the future... please wait for a moment."

Saying so, I got up and headed towards the living room.

So, in this chapter we had the first 'rejection'. Could probably have been executed better. Meh.

There's been some confusion as to whether this is my own fanfic based on someone else's idea, or a translation: Let's just say that it's an unsolicited translation that's done very liberally. Hur hurr.

If you don't know what a siscon is, look it up. I think it's a fairly common term in anime/manga though.

The next chapter has a bit of dinner table talk!