Chapter 76 - Boot Camp Begins
...
"Good morning!" Azusa, of all people, chirps.
"Good morning, Azusa. You look chipper today." Hanako says, happily.
"Of course. It's important to start the day off well." The silverette says. "Let's not waste time. We have to brush our teeth, shower, and get changed into fresh uniforms."
"Ugh, Azusa..." Hifumi whines from her bed. "Just ten more minutes..."
"Hnnnngh... Morning already?" Koharu asks, wincing as her eyes take in the sunlight seeping in from the window.
"Come on Hifumi. Koharu. It's time to wake up." Azusa says.
"Ugh... Fine." The blonde groans.
"I'm up already." Koharu says, sleepily, staggering to her feet.
"I think our little Hifumi had a long night last night. It might take her a while to get out of bed." The taller pinkette observes.
"It could be mental fatigue related to her responsibilities as club president." Azusa theorizes. "Should we allow her to rest for longer than usual?"
"W-Wait. Where am I? How did we get here?" The former JTF member asks, looking around.
"Good morning, Koharu. Come on, we need to hurry or breakfast will get cold." Azusa smiles.
"Wait, what?" The tiny pinkette asks.
"The showers are this way. I'll help you wash, so follow me." The silverette continues.
"H-Hold on a second. Why...?" Koharu asks, confused, before squealing as Azusa all but picks her up, rushing towards the showers.
"Aw. It looks like they're going to be bath time buddies after all." Hanako smiles.
"Wh-WHAAAAAT?!" Koharu screams down the hall. "W-Wait. I can do that by myself! You don't have to undress me! Th-That's cold! AAAH! You're getting shampoo in my eyes!"
"The fuck was that?" Their Sensei asks, appearing in front of their bedroom with a worried expression on his face.
"Ah, just sweet skinship~" Hanako says with a teasing grin.
"I... I'm not even gonna ask." The adult man groans.
After breakfast- which Koharu mostly spent warily eyeballing Azusa-, we reconvened in a classroom.
"Sorry for the wait. Is everyone ready to get started?" Hifumi asks the girls.
"I am~!" Hanako replies.
"Hmm." Azusa says with a nod.
Koharu doesn't respond, only sniffling and muttering, "...She saw everything... I've been exposed..."
"I was also without clothes. It's standard procedure. What's the problem?" The transfer student asks, confused.
"Th-That's not the point!" Koharu argues. "You're incorrigible! Don't you understand how to be gentle with someone...?"
"Would you like me to wash you next time, Koharu?" Hanako asks, innocently.
"That's even worse! Anyone but you!" Koharu shrieks.
"Oh? What about me?" I ask from my desk, unable to resist teasing the tiny girl.
"I take it back. Anyone but you and Sensei!" Koharu reiterates, earning a laugh from Hanako and I.
"Guys, settle down..." The blonde pleads, her hair still a mess from oversleeping. She even has a cow lick. "I need your attention!" She declares.
Everyone quiets down.
"Make Up Work Club boot camp officially begins today." Hifumi begins. "We have a very long road ahead of us, and it will be easy for us to get discouraged... but think about it! We know what we must do! The only solution is for each of us to pass next week's exam!"
As she says this, Hanako's smile strains. "Right."
Azusa hums in agreement.
"O-Okay." Koharu adds.
"That's why we're going to take a mock exam starting right now!" Hifumi declares.
"Mock exam?" Azusa deflates.
"Well, this is sudden." Hanako says.
"I'll say! Why should we have to do that?!" Koharu asks.
"Because our futures are on the line." The blonde says. "We need to know where we all stand before we begin studying for the second exam!"
"It's a solid idea." I add. "By figuring out what y'all are having trouble with, you can focus on bettering yourselves in that regard."
"Yes! To that end, I spent last night preparing this." The blonde says, pulling some papers out of her bag. "I made my own exams based on the questions and answer keys from last year's exams! Sensei was able to get these for us and helped me last night. It should give each of us an idea on how we'd score on the real exam if we were to take it right now."
She says I helped her, but it was mostly Arona behind the scenes.
"We'll each have one hour. Max score is one-hundred points with the minimum passing grade being a sixty." Hifumi explains. "It's the same as a real exam. And I'm going to take it with all of you, of course."
A few minutes later, the girls sit themselves down in desks.
"You four ready?" I ask. "You can leave the room when you're done, if you want."
Soon, they got to work.
"All right, Sensei, we're ready. Let us know our scores." Hifumi says, roughly an hour and a half after starting their exam.
"All right." I say, looking over the papers. "Hifumi got sixty-eight, Azusa thirty-three, Koharu fifteen, and Hanako four. All in all, an improvement for all of you, even if it's not by much."
"Hmm." Azusa hums.
Koharu blushes.
"Well..." Hanako says.
Hifumi remains silent, looking worried, before sighing. "I was afraid of this. It's not looking good if we don't turn things around... We're going to have to study nonstop if we have any hope of us each scoring sixty points by next week!" She declares. "Koharu and Azusa have to take the first-year exam, so I'm pairing you two up." She says, causing the two aforementioned girls to blink in surprise. "It will be up to me and Hanako to assist you. Didn't you have high grades your first year, Hanako?"
"Well, I did, but..." Hanako says, awkwardly.
"Don't worry. Sensei and I will track your scores and figure out why you've been struggling. We can do this together!" The blonde says, determined, while Hanako remains silent with a strained look on her face. "I want us to take mock exams like this from time to time moving forward." The blonde continues. "I'm not going to allow us to fail We're going to pass. We have our goal, so let's keep working hard to achieve it!"
'Goddamn...' I think to myself. For a supposedly average girl, she's good at these kinds of things.
'There's no time to sit around feeling sorry for myself.' Hifumi thinks to herself. "I have to do this! This is how I can help!'
"Very well. I'll follow your lead." Azusa says, smiling.
"I-If I have to." Koharu adds.
"I'm amazed at how your prepared this for us in so little time." Hanako compliments.
"Thanks, but I couldn't have done it without Sensei." Hifumi says, a bit embarrassed.
"Ah." The busty pinkette says, looking at me with a smile. "I should have known this was your touch."
"I just did what I have to do. I don't want you girls to fail, either." I say, seriously. "Not 'cause it's my job, but because I want to do it."
"Oh, and it's not like I only prepared hard work for all of us. I also have prizes ready to award good grades on pop quizzes." Hifumi adds. "Let's see here..." She then reaches into the large bag she brought with her.
"I was wondering what that duffel bag was for." I muse.
Hifumi then pulls out a bunch of stuffed animals from her bag... Stuffed animals of Peroro characters. Including that 1984 owl.
"Ta-da! Whoever gets the highest score will be awarded with some Momo Friends merch!" Hifumi proudly declares.
"Hang on, ain't that the ice cream Peroro you worked so hard to get? Back over at Abydos?" I ask, looking at the tiny and familiar Peroro.
"A-Actually..." Hifumi says, awkwardly. "I managed to find another one of these about a month ago..."
"Oh, Jesus..." I groan, shaking my head.
"Momo... Friends?" Hanako asks, slowly.
"Plushes?" Koharu asks, also confused.
Azusa jolts in surprise at seeing the plushes.
"Hifumi's a big fan of 'em." I explain.
"Y-Yeah, they're really popular lately. Surely you all have seen them." Hifumi explains.
"Nope. I think it's my first time." The taller pinkette says, apologetic.
"What?!" The blonde shouts.
"What is this one supposed to be? A pig? A hippo?" Koharu asks, poking a...
"I think it's a quokka." I say, unsure.
"No, not that one's over there!" Hifumi shouts, pointing at the brown thing. "Peroro is a bird! Look, here are the wings! And the beak!" She shouts, pointing here and there.
Koharu suddenly gains a death-glare, like she wants the plush to combust. "His eyes are annoying-looking. His name is weird too."
"What?! I mean, sure, not everyone has to like Peroro, but look at all of his cute qualities..." Hifumi says, looking crushed.
"Oh, now I remember. You have this Peroro on your bag and phone case, don't you?" Hanako asks.
"And her hairclips. And I'm pretty sure the white uniform with yellow bow is supposed to look like Peroro." I point out, monotone.
"Yes, that's it. It's the one that has its tongue hanging out, drooling like it's begging for something, right?" Hanako asks, innocently.
"What?! Peroro has never done anything like that!" The blonde shouts, indignant.
"All the more reason to be prohibited." Koharu says, darkly.
"C-Come on, don't be like that..." Hifumi pleads while Azusa attempts to control her breathing.
"Azusa?" Hifumi asks.
"Cu..." Azusa says, shaking like she's gonna explode.
"Cu...?" Hifumi asks.
"So cute!" Azusa shouts, with a smile. A big smile. Her expression is one of pure joy like no other I've seen.
"The fuck...?" I mutter, wide-eyed.
""?!"" Hifumi and Koharu jolt in surprise, though the former has a smile on her face.
"My, my~" Hanako says, surprised as well.
"I've never seen anything so cute!" The transfer student coos, practically running around as she observes the plushies. "What is this round and fluffy-looking creature? A bird, you said? His eyes... I can't read his expression at all! I can't tell what he's thinking, if anything!"
"Azusa...? You're starting to scare me." The busty pinkette admits, thrown for a loop.
"There's nothing to be afraid of!" Hifumi argues. "She understands Peroro's cuteness! That's something worth celebrating!"
"What?!" The tiny pinkette shouts.
"And what is this long one called?" Azusa asks, still moving at a hundred miles an hour. "Is it a salamander...? No, a giraffe perhaps? It looks like I could wear it as a scarf!"
"That's Wavecat." Hifumi happily explains. "He's always doing a wave dance. And he did happen to get a neck pillow version recently..."
"And this? This tiny one?" Azusa asks, looking at the... owl...
"That's Mister Nicolai! He always gets bullied for saying philosophical things!" The blonde explains. "I also have a copy of Nicolai's Beyond Good and Evil, the first edition! Let me know if you'd like to read it later!"
Now they have Nietzsche books?! What the fuck is WRONG with this franchise?! I thought this was supposed to be for kids!
"That sounds amazing! And you're giving these away! I can pick!" Azusa asks, a big smile on her face as she runs over to Hifumi, causing the blonde to lean back.
"Uh... yeah! You'll be able to pick whichever one you want!" The blonde says.
Hanako looks awkward and Koharu looks confused.
The silverette sighs. "You leave me with no choice. With incentives like these, my only option is to score high marks." She looks at Hifumi, with strong determination. "Congratulations, Hifumi. You've successfully motivated your soldier. I'll complete this mission at any cost, and those strange fluffy-looking things will be turned over to my custody."
"I'll be rooting for you. Good luck!" Hifumi cheers, before happily giggling.
"I can't tell who's having more fun right now- Azusa or Hifumi." Hanako says with an easygoing smile.
"I'm just glad to see y'all gettin' along." I say, smiling at the newfound bond. "It's sweet."
"It's creepy..." Koharu corrects, still eyeing the two plush-loving girls warily. I just chuckle at her words.
The four girls continued to study until evening, Azusa being the one who put in more effort than anyone.
"Question, Koharu." Azusa asks.
"Wha...? Why me?" The aforementioned girl asks, confused.
"Becuase we're studying the same material. I have a question about this problem." The silverette says, moving over to the other girl.
"O-Okay." Koharu says, moving over to Azusa. "Wait! I do know this one! For this... you need to draw an auxiliary line from the bottom at a right angle. Like this!"
I smile as the tiny pinkette begins explaining things to Azusa. To the side, I see Hanako watching them and smiling as well.
"Okay, so this triangle and this triangle are proportional to each other, right?" Koharu asks, earning a nod from Azusa. "Look here, see?"
"Oh. Now I get it." Azusa says, eyes widening a bit. "Thank you for the help." She smiles. "I'd expect nothing less from one of the Justice Task Force's elite."
Koharu jolts at Azusa's compliment, blushing all the while. "R-Right! I'm glad you agree. Feel free to ask for my help anytime you come across something you don't know. I'd be happy to help you." She smiles, happily. I think that might be the first truly happy smile I've seen from her.
"Sure. I owe you." The transfer student nods.
"Well, well." Hanako smiles at the exchange. "They're getting along nicely, aren't they? It must be because they grew so close once they established a skinship~"
"Wh-What did you just say?!" Koharu shrieks from Hanako's words ruining the moment. "That has nothing to do with it!"
"I didn't mean to seem biased. I can help you wash as well, Hanako." Azusa offers.
"U-Um..." Hifumi awkwardly says while I let out a chuckle.
"Oh. There was another question I wanted to ask you, Koharu." Azusa says, changing the subject.
"Is it this one? This problem is a little..." The former JTF member cringes.
"Do you not know the solution either?" Azusa asks.
"H-Huh?! No!" The tiny girl denies. "But I'm sure I saw this in the reference book. Wait here." She then bends down and begins to rummage through her bag. "Where did it go?" She grumbles. "I know it's in here somewhere... Here!" She says, holding a book out.
A book that has the silhouette of a man and a woman kissing.
And has 'R-18 ADULT ONLY' at the top right.
Azusa looks at the book confused.
Hifumi blushes a bright crimson.
Hanako, of all people, gapes her mouth in surprise.
It seems that in her haste, she grabbed the wrong book... somehow.
"This textbook has the answer?" The silverette asks, skeptical.
"Yeah, this is the one!" Koharu says, proud.
"That ain't a textbook, Koharu." I deadpan.
"Huh?" The tiny pinkette asks, confused.
"That's some tasty-looking smut you're hauling around." Hanako teases with a smile.
Steam literally shoots from Koharu's ears as her face turns redder than I thought was possible, her cat-like eyes reappearing.
"AAAAAH! WH-WHY IS THAT HERE?!" The tiny girl shrieks.
"I didn't know you read this kind of stuff." Hanako says, as Koharu attempts to hide the book behind her back. "No use hiding it, little missy. It says 'Adult Only' right there on the cover."
"Th-This isn't what it looks like! It's not mine! It's not mine!" Koharu vehemently denies.
"Who do you think you're fooling? I know erotica when I see it- especially the kind that's a little... harder than usual." Hanako says with a smirk, before looking serious- despite blushing brightly. "This is the good stuff! The kind you can't find at Trinity- rare throughout all of Kivotos! The kind of steamy, raunchy, titillating goodness that leaves you screaming and throwing rationality right out the window!"
"Damn, must be some good porn if it's got YOUR seal of approval, Hanako." I muse, smiling.
"Oh? Are you interesting in this stuff, Sensei?" The busty girl teases.
"Nah, not really my cup 'o tea. But... you HAVE piqued my interest." I admit.
She then turns back to Koharu, who shrinks under the other pinkette's green eyes. "Why do you of all people have something like this in your possession? Surely it's against school rules, yes?"
"N-No... I mean yes! I told you it's d-definitely not mine..." Koharu denies, totally lying as her heart speeds up.
"But it was in your bag, wasn't it?" Hanako asks, continuing her relentless attack upon the tiny girl. "And you brought it alllll the way to boot camp. Seems like you couldn't leave home without it. Who would've guessed that the stubborn and prudish Koharu could be so naughty?" She pauses, likely realizing something, before growing a devious smile. "Actually, now that I think about it, I don't blame you. We ARE going to be at boot camp for quite a while."
Tears well up in Koharu's pink eyes as she screams, "IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" with all of her might.
Azusa still just looks confused, poor thing.
"Hanako..." Hifumi says, warily.
"I think you went too far, Hanako." I say, seriously.
"S-Sorry." The taller pinkette wilts under my gaze. "I was just so excited to have someone I could relate to."
But Koharu is drying her eyes with her sleeve and sniffling. After a moment, she explains. "I-I-It's not mine. It's ju-just something I confiscated while doing Justice Task Force wo-work."
"And you accidentally brought it?" I ask, eliciting a nod from the tiny girl.
"Yes. Managing confiscated goods is part of my duties." Koharu says with a sniffle.
"So that's what happened." Hanako muses. "I have heard rumors that the basement of the old library is filled with stacks of forbidden books. No doubt that some of it was confiscated by the Justice Task Force."
"I wouldn't be surprised if Ui reads that stuff, too." I comment.
"Ui?" Hifumi asks.
"The head librarian over there. She's a total shut-in, though. Me and a member of the Sisterhood I met had to ask her for a favor not too long before our club began." I explain. "Come to think of it, Hinata mentioned that book was confiscated from you, Hanako."
"Which one?" Hanako asks.
"...The fact you don't know which book it was worries me." I deadpan. "It was the kamasutra."
"HUH?!" Koharu shrieks, face red again.
"S-Seriously...?" The blonde asks.
"Ah, yes. That." Hanako awkwardly smiles, before turning serious and looking at Koharu. "Still, isn't this a conundrum? You could get in serious trouble for carrying this around now that you're a member of the Make Up Work Club."
Koharu sniffles again. "It was an honest mistake. I forgot to turn it over..."
"Maybe you should return it before anyone notices it's missing." Hifumi suggests.
"Can't you sneak back into the JTF headquarters?" The taller pinkette asks.
"Now?" Koharu asks.
"I'll go with ya. They won't question me." I offer.
"Are you serious, Sensei?" The tiny pinkette asks.
"It wouldn't have said anything if I wasn't." I say, serious.
"That sounds like a wonderful idea. You're a lot less likely to get on Hasumi's bad side if Sensei's with you." Hanako says, before grinning. "By the way, can you bring back the sequel when you return this one?"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT!" Koharu shouts, face red.
"Pfft." I snicker, before getting up. "Well, it's getting late, we should probably go ahead and go over there."
"Oh. Y-Yes." Koharu says, standing up as well.
"You three don't get up to any fuckery." I say. "Lookin' at you, Hanako."
"Whatever do you mean, Sensei?" Hanako says, innocently.
"After knowing what you read, I've got ma' EYE on you." I joke, widening one of my eyes as far as I can, earning a smile from the four girls.
A few minutes later, the pair of Koharu and I walk through the streets, lit by the evening sun.
After walking in silence for a while, she suddenly speaks up. "J-Just to clarify, this really was all one big misunderstanding!"
I look down at her. "What was?"
"Th-That... book. I'm usually better about hiding it." She pauses, realizing her mistake. "I-I mean, I don't carry it with me."
"Koharu, I don't give a damn what you read. So long as you like it and DON'T GET CAUGHT, go wild." I say, honestly.
Koharu stops walking for a moment, staring at me in shock. "What are you trying to say?! That breaking the rules is fine as long as you don't get caught?!" I nod. "You're supposed to be an adult! A sensei! Indecency is forbidden! You're going to be sentenced to death! Death!"
"After a life of people around me not giving a damn about rules and laws, why should I?" I ask, causing her to pause in thought. "Besides..." I smirk. "Wouldn't you get the same punishment?"
She stills once more. "I-I... I made an honest mistake! It doesn't count!"
"If you say so." I shrug.
"I DO say so! Are you mocking me?!" She asks, upset.
"Koharu." I say, seriously. "Don't let anyone else give you flak for being yourself."
"H-Huh?" She asks, confused.
"Didn't I tell ya before, about trying to be better than the current you? Well add on to that: don't force yourself to be something you aren't." I say. "Being yourself will make you a lot happier in life than constantly trying to be someone you aren't. There's nothing wrong with bettering yourself, but you should strive to be a better version of you, not of someone else."
Koharu remains silent for a while, deep in thought as she stares at me with a surprised gaze. "I-I don't know what you're talking about." She huffs, still trying to deny my words, albeit half-heartedly. I smile at her as she continues. "But... I know you're trying to look out for me." She then lets out a "Hmph!" and averts her gaze from me.
I chuckle a bit.
"Okay! I'll share an important secret with you in return!" She declares.
"Secret? Where's this comin' from?" I ask, a bit confused.
She walks up to me. "The truth is... I'm a spy who was sent to monitor the Make Up Work Club's progress."
"O... kay?" I half say, half ask.
"Simply put, I'm carrying out a secret mission. I'm putting on an act and am not really such an idiot!" She says.
"Uh-huh." I say, crossing my arms. "And who sent ya?"
"Wh-Who sent me...?" She asks, taken aback by my response.
"Of course. If you're a spy, you hafta be working for someone." I reason.
"Oh, right. It's, um... Hasumi!" She says. "That's right! Hasumi is the powerful vice president of Trinity's Justice Task Force!" She pauses. "A-And right above her is... President Tsurugi! She's backing it!"
"...You don't say." I deadpan.
"I-It's because President Tsurugi is so brilliant!" She argues. "It's like she can see a thousand moves ahead! She's a master of the pen and sword! Or, so I've heard. I haven't been allowed to see her that many times... but I know it's true! Now do you get it? I didn't end up in the Make Up Work Club because I'm actually bad at studying! I'm actually an amazing spy who is carrying out an important undercover mission!"
"Sure, Koharu. Sure." I say. "But I can tell when someone's lying, y'know?"
She stills. "How?"
"I can hear people's heartbeats if I focus. They usually speed up when lying." I say, causing her to still again. "Although, are you sure it's okay to blow your cover like this?" I ask.
She stills more violently, face red. "Y-You wouldn't expose my secret, would you, Sensei? I told you because I know I can trust you!"
"Then I'll just have to live up to your trust and keep your little mission a secret." I smile. "Now c'mon, we should keep movin'."
A few minutes later, at the contraband room.
Koharu sighs in relief. "It's done. I put it back where it's supposed to be. Thank goodness it's over. Now we can-"
Her words are cut off by the door opening because of...
"Koharu?" Hasumi asks.
"H-Hasumi?!" The tiny girl yells.
"And Sensei is with you too." The taller girl realizes.
"Yo." I say with a lazy wave.
"Shouldn't you both be at the annex for boot camp?" Hasumi asks. "You're not permitted to return to the Justice Task Force until your grades are above passing."
"I know that, but the thing is, um..." Koharu stammers.
"She wanted to grab a book to help her and her friends study." I say, causing Koharu to look at me in surprise.
"I see. Of course. That's a perfectly valid reason to visit." Hasumi says.
"Y-Yeah." Koharu says, playing along.
"It's excellent timing actually. There's something I've been needing to discuss with you." The blackette says.
"What? With m-me...?" The pinkette asks.
"My apologies, but could you give us a moment of privacy, Sensei?" Hasumi asks. "This is an important matter that is for Justice Task Force ears only."
"That makes twice we've seen each other after so long and twice you're running me off right away." I joke.
"W-Well, that's..." Hasumi says, suddenly sounding very self-conscious. Koharu looks at her senior in shock, she likely never saw Hasumi like that.
"I'm just messin' with ya. But seriously, I'll wait outside, but we need to hang out again sometime." I say, serious.
"I'd like that." The blackette smiles. "And... sorry, Sensei."
I then walked outside and sat next to the door, listening in on their conversation.
"Please keep studying hard, Koharu." Hasumi says, sincerely. "Don't lose sight of your goal."
"But... I don't think I can do it..." Koharu says, quietly. "How am I supposed to cram all of this in and get my grades up? I'm not cut out for this..."
"There's no other choice! It must be done!" Hasumi, of all people, shouts. I hear the short girl let out a fearful squeak. "Forgive me for raising my voice, but the only way you'll be able to stay with us is by passing your exams. If not for me, then do it for Sensei and all the effort that's been made to help us. Okay?"
Hasumi... Geez, now I feel bad for not talkin' to her for this long.
"All right. I'll try." The pinkette says.
As I hear her walking towards the door, I move away and act natural.
Koharu comes out a moment later. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Sensei."
"You seem... determined." I observe.
Her eyes widen a bit. "Yes. Hasumi gave me some advice. Let's head back now."
I smile and nod.
We come back to find Hifumi missing.
"Oh, back already?" Hanako asks.
"Yup. Where's Hifumi?" I ask, but my question is answered as she appears, clad in her tracksuit.
"Ahhh! I feel so much better!" The blonde says, happily.
"Showered already? It's still early." Azusa comments.
"Are you forgetting? Hifumi slept in for so long this morning that she didn't get a chance to take a shower." The busty girl points out.
"H-Hey! You don't have to say it out loud... It's embarrassing." Hifumi grumbles.
"You only slept in because you were up late last night preparing our mock exam. You aren't the one who should be ashamed." Azusa says, a bit sad. "If anything, I regret letting you down after all of your effort. Let me know if you would like to sleep in tomorrow as well. I'd more than happy to help you wash up in the morning to save time."
"Wh-What?!" Hifumi shouts, face red, earning a chuckle from me. "Tha-That's okay, I think I'll manage!"
"She can wash herself! She's not a child!" Koharu argues.
"I know. I'm simply trying to be efficient." Azusa reasons. "There are several advantages to bathing together, such as water conservation."
"She has a good point, but it's not like we have a luxurious bathhouse where we can all spread out and get to know each other better." Hanako says. "Oh, I know! What if instead we all went skinny dipping in the pool next time? It'll be just as good as a bathhouse."
"That doesn't make sense at all! Prohibited! Completely prohibited!" Koharu snaps.
"I don't particularly mind, but what advantage would there be?" Azusa asks, innocent as always. "Swimsuits are required for the school pool."
"Think about how liberating it would feel... and how much fun it would be~!" Hanako says, giggling.
"Enjoyment?" Azusa asks with a slight tilt of the head. "I hadn't considered that. And it would be... liberating, you said?"
"Of course. Lots of things in the world exist purely for enjoyment." I point out. "Like fancy restaurants. Their food gives the same caloric intake as, let's say some rice, which would cost next to nothing. But the fancy restaurant's food would cost hundreds- if not thousands- of times more, just because it tastes better."
"Truly?" Azusa asks, surprised.
I chuckle. "Remind me to take ya to an amusement park after all 'o this is said and done."
"Oh? Are you planning on taking us through the Tunnel of Love?" Hanako asks, a teasing grin on her face.
"Stop corrupting her! Stop, stop, stop, stop!" Koharu roars, face sporting her cat eyes and blush, pointing at Hanako. "You're nothing but a degenerate and corrupter! Trinity already has enough perverts running around!"
"Really?" Hanako asks, surprised. "I had you pegged for the type that would totally be into skinny dipping. Was I wrong?"
"What gave you that idea?!" Koharu shouts. "Pools require swimsuits! It's justice, and anything else is deserving of the death penalty!"
"Hmm... In that case..." Hanako smirks, before walking over to Koharu- who recoils a bit- and whispers, "The bikini I was wearing at the pool yesterday..." Where is she going with this...?
"What are you whispering about?!" Koharu shouts.
"Would that really count as a swimsuit?" Hanako innocently asks.
"?!" Koharu violently stills, face bright red, coming to a horrible realization. "I-If it wasn't a swimsuit, the-then what was it...?" She asks, cautiously.
"I figured that might be the case." I groan, somewhat playing along. I actually don't know if it was a bikini or her underwear.
"It's funny how many different types of lingerie there are these days. Some of them can easily pass as a swimsuit at first glance~" Hanako purrs.
"?!" Koharu violently stills again, face red and aghast. "A-Are you saying THAT'S what it was?! Don't tell me you...!"
"Goodness. Why are you shaking so much?" The busty pinkette asks, with an innocent smile. "So what if it wasn't a swimsuit? How would that change the experience we shared, Koharu?"
"H-Huh?" Koharu asks, flabbergasted.
"What's the difference between a swimsuit and underwear to begin with?" Hanako asks, sounding philosophical. "Waterproofing? Body protection? Design? The exposed areas? They're no different from the outside looking in, right? And that's why you believed me when I said it was a swimsuit, didn't you?"
Koharu looks at Hanako, no longer blushing and shaking, but now listening to Hanako with rapt attention and confusion. Even Hifumi and Azusa listen diligently, intrigued by the discussion.
"What if I turned it around and said it really just was my bra and panties? How could that be proven, either?" Hanako continues. "What's the point in being told a truth that you can't trust or prove for yourself?"
"You make a good point, Hanako." I say, seriously. "Perception is reality, after all." The taller pinkette smiles in agreement.
"S-Stop talking in circles! Which is it?!" Koharu snaps.
Hanako giggles. "It actually was a bathing suit. Sorry, it's just so fun teasing you. I can't help myself~"
"Y-You just wanted to tease me the whole time?!" Koharu shouts, indignant.
"Now I understand, Hanako was alluding to the fifth koan." Azusa says.
Hanako stills, looking at Azusa in surprise.
"Ugh, that." I groan, causing Hanako to look at me in surprise as well.
"The fifth... what? What are you two talking about?" Hifumi asks, completely lost.
"It's something I've heard about in passing- Kivotos' seven koans that date back to ancient times. I believe she was referring to the fifth one." Azusa explains.
"Can we prove that anyone has ever reached paradise?" I quote.
"Exactly." Azusa nods. "It's a rhetorical question meant to ponder the existence of paradise if no one alive has even seen it."
"I'm surprise you two knew that." Hanako says, still shocked.
"I heard it in passing too." I shrug.
"That would mean..." Hanako muses, before looking very serious. "Azusa, Sensei! Have either of you met Seia before?"
My eyes narrow. Azusa, almost unnoticeably flinches.
"Seia?" Koharu asks.
"You mean Seia from the Tea Party, don't you?" Hifumi asks, somberly.
"No. As I said, it's just something I've heard in passing." Azusa deflects.
"Same here." I say, not wanting to give away that freaky dream.
Hanako doesn't look like she believes either of us. "That's right, you were a transfer student. So if you didn't hear it at Trinity... 'Vanitas vanitatum'... And another academy..."
Seems she's figured it out. Hanako really IS sharp.
"Forget I said anything." The taller pinkette says, smiling. "It's already getting pretty late, so we should get some sleep."
"W-Wait, what about that koan thingy?" Koharu asks. "What's the answer?"
"There ain't an answer." I say, catching everyone off guard. "Or, at least there isn't a definitive answer. You have to come up with your own answer."
"Oh? And what did you come up with, Sensei?" Azusa asks, intently curious.
I sigh. "If no one alive has seen paradise, that means those in paradise remain there, not wanting to leave. If someone has left paradise and returned to our world, it wasn't paradise at all- or at least, not one to them. As for what I think?" I ask, walking out of the room. "Paradise doesn't exist, it isn't readily available to anyone. Rather, we each have to make our own paradise, here on Earth." I turn back, smiling. "I'll just leave y'all with that. Night."
I walk back down the hall, closing their door behind me.
Hanako WAS a contender to be a part of the Tea Party. It ain't too surprising she knew Seia.
Later in the night, Hifumi came to my room again. I let her in and we sat down.
"There's something I wanted to talk to you about, Sensei." The blonde says. "It's about Hanako."
"You mean about how sharp she is, despite having failing grades?" I ask.
"Yes. I came across something when looking at last year's model answers when prepping the mock exam." She explains. "Every answer came from only one student's exams."
"Hanako's." I guess.
"Exactly." She nods. "I'm not proud of it, but I took a peek at her first-year scores as well. They were perfect. She aced even advanced classes that third-year students struggle with. She's a genius... But for some reason, her grades have completely plummeted as a second-year." She looks at me for a moment. "Why... don't you look surprised?"
"I have you girls' files, Hifumi. I already knew this." I explain, causing her eyes to widen a bit.
"Then, do you...?"
"Did you know Hanako was a top candidate for both the Sisterhood and Tea Party?" I ask, causing Hifumi to still. "My guess is... she couldn't handle the pressure."
"Pressure?" Hifumi asks, confused.
"I've seen it before. Kids with high grades are expected to keep scoring high. Then those expectations rise and rise. A lot of times, they can't keep up and end up... snapping... in one way or another." I say, grimly. "My guess is Hanako is intentionally scoring bad so she isn't pressured by others to excel at everything."
"That's... That's awful." The blonde grimaces.
"That's life." I correct. "A person can only carry so much weight before it becomes too much to bear. Unfortunately, people can't know others problems unless they tell someone about them."
"I see..."
Hifumi left my room shortly after, deep in thought.
In another section of the building, Hanako silently watches Azusa go out to patrol.
As Azusa leaves the building, she walks away from it, not around it to patrol. Her destination?
One of many run-down buildings in the ruins of Arius' former district.
"You're late." A deep, feminine voice says, showing no emotion.
Azusa remains silent, as the other person steps out from the shadows.
A blue haired girl- wearing a mask and a cap, the Arius logo emblazoned on her belt and oversized jacket and carrying an assault rifle with many different additions clipped on- walks out from the shadows.
"How are the preparations coming along?" The mysterious girl asks.
"Smoothly. All according to plan thus far." Azusa reports.
The next morning, the four girls enter the classroom.
Only to find their Sensei isn't there. All at once, their phones buzz.
'Sorry, but something came up. I'll be a bit late today. Just study by yourselves for a while, I'll be back soon.'
"Geez. What could be so important?" Koharu asks, sighing.
"Perhaps Sensei is meeting with his secret lover!" Hanako teases.
"Tha-That's not possible!" Koharu shouts, face red.
"I guess we'll just have to wait." Hifumi says, awkwardly giggling, to which Azusa nods in agreement.
AN
Boot Camp officially begins! Not a whole lot of changes from canon, save for Sensei imparting some wisdom here and here.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter and look forward to the next!