Chapter 61 – The Eventful Plane Trip

Miharu's POV

"*giggle* Le temps s'est enfin approché. Dans quelques heures à peine...nous mettrons le pied dans l'endroit le plus merveilleux de la Terre. Un endroit proche et cher à mon cœur...et qui est l'incarnation de mon âme. LE PAYS DE LA FRANCE! JE RENTRE ENFIN CHEZ MOI AUPRÈS DE TOI, MA BIEN-AIMÉE!"

"Miharu, I don't know what you're saying, but please stop shouting like that. It's 5:30 in the morning." Nodoka scolded me.

"Whoops. Hehheh…sorry about that."

Today was the day…it was FINALLY the day! The time had finally come for me to return to France for the first time in nearly a year! It took 2 weeks for the school to reserve and plan everything and it was the longest 2 weeks of my life!

It's still rather bizarre to me that this is actually happening. To think that my friends, classmates, and even my half-sister banded together to help me see home again…it still feels like I'm inside that Dream World place we went to during Golden Week.

But I don't see Mugi's dreamy self anywhere…so this is TOTALLY REAL!

"*really loud slurp* Hah~…that's the stuff~."

"Well…you've seemed to have calmed down a little." Mugi said to me as we were sitting in one of the few open seats currently at the airport waiting for our flight. Drinking the usual 7-Eleven Slurpee.

"Hehheh…yeah, sorry about that. I was just so excited about going home again. I honestly never thought it would happen."

"Yeah, I could believe that. It has been nearly a year since you left. I would feel the same way if I were in your shoes."

"But if we're the same size in pretty much everything we got…wouldn't that mean that you're already in my shoes?" I asked with a smug look on my face.

"Don't overthink it, smartass." While Mugi responded with an exasperated one.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just having too much fun right now. The fact that you guys get to see my home." I then went silent for a bit. "*sigh* Well…most of you, at least."

"You're still bummed out that Azusa-chan couldn't come?"

"Ugh! It's just so unfair! Azusa can't come because she's a grade below us?! What kind of bullsh*t rule is that?!"

"It is unfair, but that's how it is. Only one grade can go on these school trips and for our school it's the third-years. Which is lucky for us because the rule is normally for second-years."

"Normally for second-years? So, is this one of those "third-year perks" Ritsu was talking about?"

"Well, when you put it that way…yes."

"Huh…" I then went back to drinking my Slurpee. "…I'm not really sure how to feel about that."

"No one really does." Mugi said with a sweatdrop.

*RINGTONE CHIME*

"Hey, it's Honoka. I told her about our school trip to Paris and she's asking for a souvenir."

"A souvenir, huh? I guess I can get her one. And I can get one for Azusa, too. To make up for her not coming with us."

"And I guess that leaves me with getting one for Mikuru-chan and Sumire. What would they like, I wonder…"

*Jōkyaku e no chūi jikō. 6:00-Patsu no Furansu Pari-iki wa, genzai tōjō o kaishi shite imasu. Chiketto uriba de retsu o tsukuri, kakariin ni tōjō-ken o teiji shite kudasai. 6-Ji-hatsu no Furansu Pari-iki no tōjō ga hajimarimashita. Arigatōgozaimashita. Tanoshī furaito o.*

"Everyone! Grab your things and let's head out!" One of the teachers called out.

"Well, it's finally time." Mugi said as she stood up from her seat. "I'm sure you're still excited, right?"

"Hell yeah, I am." I replied as I stood from my seat. "In just 15 hours, I'll be back in my home country after so long. Why wouldn't I be excited?"

"That's great to hear, Miharu…b-but did you just say 15 hours?"

"Yeah. That's how long a flight is from Tokyo to Paris. I timed it myself when I came down here."

"F-Fifthteen hours…I don't think some of the others will last that long…"

"And by "others" you mean Yui and Ritsu?"

Mugi didn't answer and instead placed her hand on my shoulder. Trying to keep the smile on her face…but was clearly upset.

"We're in for a flight from Hell, Miharu."

Well, sh*t…


After a long process of checking everyone's tickets and such, we all boarded the plane and began the long flight to Paris. By then, my excitement had built up again. I couldn't go back to sleep despite having to wake up at 3 in the morning just to get to the airport in Tokyo.

But speaking of sleep…nearly everyone was worried about how Ritsu and Yui would act on a 15-hour flight to another country. But the worries soon turned to relief when after just 10 minutes after take-off, they both fell asleep.

Thank God they're not morning people…

About 3 hours in, we were eating some of the airline's breakfast (which still sucked even after a year later) and holding random conversations to pass the time. With me talking to Mugi and, oddly enough, Yoko. The three of us are sitting together due to the assigned seats made earlier.

And it was around this time that Yoko asked something rather interesting from me.

"Huh? Teach you French?"

"We're going to the Love Capital of the World…it only makes sense to learn the official language of love, right?"

"Well, yeah. I get that much…but teaching you all of French in just 12 hours isn't exactly a possible thing, Yoko."

"It took me at least a month to start saying sentences properly." Mugi added.

"I don't need to learn ALL of it. Just teach me the standard ones. Like "hello", "goodbye", "thank you", and all that stuff."

"Well, I guess…"

"Why the sudden interest, Yoko? Got some other motives in mind~?" Another classmate of ours, named Eri Taki, asked in a teasing way from the row of seats behind us.

"N-No! I-I mean…k-kinda…w-well…wh-what's it to you, Eri?!"

"Please. It's obvious as all hell that you're gonna use whatever French you learn to confess to Akiyama-san. Woo her into your arms with some foreign sexy talk~ *giggle*"

"I-It's not that!" Yoko gained a huge blush on her face.

"Knock it off, Eri-chan." Mugi said. "Love isn't something to tease around with."

"I'm not trying to upset her. In fact, I actually admire you, Yoko. Still going through with this despite how Akiyama-san is."

"Huh? What do you mean "despite how she is"?" Yoko asked.

"You don't know? Akiyama-san has been talking a whole bunch of crap about people involved in that fan…"

*PINCH*

"Ow!"

"Hey, Eri…you mind if we talk for a bit?" Eri was suddenly interrupted when Mika came over and grabbed her by the ear. Pulling it down hard as she spoke in a violent tone.

"Ow~! Geez, Mika~! We're not at the volleyball court~! You don't have to be so rough with me~!"

"I ALWAYS have to be rough considering that it's you. Now, come on!"

"Gah! Mika, that's my good ear~! Let go already~! MIKAAAAAAA~!"

"Well, that happened." I said. None of us having anything else to say about what we just witnessed.

"In any case, Yoko-chan…we could probably teach you some of the basics." Mugi said. "In fact, we should probably tell everyone just to avoid any misunderstandings due to the language barrier."

"Yeah, you have a point there."

"Oh, boy! Thanks, you guys!" Yoko cheered. "This is totally gonna help in the long run!"

With what, exactly? Was Eri really right about Yoko using French to confess to Mio?

If so…she's gonna need more than the basics to deal with her…


Mika's POV

"*whine* My ear~…even while on vacation, you're still so mean to me, Mika~."

"Oh, get a grip." I said to Eri after dragging her all the way to the plane's tiny as hell bathroom. Still complaining about the pain to her ear. "I was only like…5% less forceful than I usually am."

"How the hell am I supposed to tell the difference~…?"

"*sigh* Whatever. The main issue here is you and your damn big mouth almost making it worse for me. What gives you any right to tell Yoko what's been going on involving Akiyama-san?"

"Well, neither you or Himeko are doing it. And you're both her childhood friends. I thought friends like that are supposed to look out for each other." Eri then gave me a judging look.

Oh, great. I'm being criticized by Eri of all people…

"And on top of that, the fact that you stopped me and even said "what gives you any right" makes me believe that you're siding with Akiyama-san on all of this."

"I'm not siding with her. In fact, after hearing the stuff she's actually said about the other club members, I don't really like her all that much."

Never thought someone like her would be so cold…

"Then why don't you just tell Yoko already? It doesn't look like you're even trying."

"I am trying. But…ugh! You don't know what it's like to tell your best friend that her crush hates her for her hobby! It's not as simple as telling your family that you're gay!"

"That's not simple at all…" Eri gained a sweatdrop.

"Not the point!"

*KNOCK* *KNOCK* *KNOCK*

"Hey, are you guys done in there? I really gotta go."

"S-Sorry! Coming right out!" I replied to the classmate wanting to use the bathroom. "*sigh* I was hoping we could have this conversation in private…"

"I don't know how we could with how tiny this bathroom is." Eri said. "Can you believe people actually try to have sex in here?"

"No. And I don't want to imagine it, either."

"You know, we still got 12 hours left. I wonder if some of the couples we know of would come here to release their…"

*PINCH*

"Ow~! Not my ear again~!"

"And yet, you wonder why I'm always so strict with you…" I said with an exasperated look and tone.


We headed back to our seats and played it off like nothing had happened a few minutes ago. Eri and I were actually in the same row together. So, I already had to deal with her nonsense from the get-go.

The third person we were sitting with was rather surprising. And a little bit of good luck on my end.

"Gah! Damn lag! The wi-fi on this plane SUCKS!"

"We're back…" I said to Tainaka-san while she was playing a video game on her recently-bought Switch.

"Huh? Oh, wow…I didn't know you two left. I've been dealing with this crappy wi-fi the whole time."

"What game are you playing?" Eri asked.

"Kirby's Dream Buffet. I've been playing online with a friend of mine to get all of the unlockables. I think there's like…130 of them."

"G-Geez, that much?!"

"Well, you kinda expect that from an anniversary game." I said.

Though HAL is always known for going all out when it comes to Kirby…

"So, what were you guys doing?" Tainaka-san asked. "I heard you both went into the bathroom…don't you know that people tend to have sex in there?"

"Again, I don't want to imagine it…" I gained a sweatdrop. "As for why we were in there…I just had to stop Eri from breaking Yoko's heart and sanity without a care in the world."

"It's not my fault you keep delaying the inevitable…" Eri pouted.

"Wait, you still haven't done it? Even after the stuff I've told you?"

"It's harder than it sounds, okay? I want to tell her…b-but…a-at the same time, I don't want those fantasies and that innocent-filled smile to disappear because I crushed her first-ever crush. That would be too much for me."

"Yeah…I can understand that much."

"Not to mention that every time I think about it, I get so emotional that my heart starts pounding like crazy. Just the thought of Yoko's drifty yet happy spirit getting crushed like that pisses me off. But why, though? I'm only helping a friend, right?"

Eri and Tainaka-san didn't respond and instead just stared at me with smirks on both of their faces.

"Wh-What?"

"Mika~…sounds like some other feelings are starting to bloom~. *giggle*" Eri teased.

"Wh-What are you talking about?"

"Oh, you know~…getting angry at the possibility of Akiyama-san breaking Yoko's spirit~…it totally means something right, Ritsu-san~?"

"Oh, yes, Eri~. Something is definitely about to flourish here~. *giggle*" Tainaka-san added.

"Wh-Wha…J-Just are you two implying?!" I yelled with a small blush on my face.

"Well~…" And right when they were about to answer…

*RINGTONE CHIME*

H-Hikari! *sigh* This may be one of the few times I'm grateful for her badly-times calls…

"H-Hello?" I answered my phone. Currently ignoring the two girls still smirking at me.

"Onee-chan! I need your help! It's a matter of life or death!"

"I highly doubt it, but I'll hear you out. What's the matter?"

"Help me out here. How do you measure the diameter of your clitoris?"

*THUD*

And with that, the two girls fell out of their seats from what they just heard. And the rest of the class was either choking on whatever they had in their mouths or looking at me with pure unadulterated shock because I, unfortunately, had the call on speaker.

So much for being grateful…

"H-Hikari, what the hell?! Why do you want to know that?!"

"Because! I made a bet with my friends at school on whether or not it's possible! I've got ¥7400 riding on this!"

(About $50)

"What the hell kind of bets are you making AT SCHOOL?!"

"Never mind that! Just tell me how to measure my cl*tty!"

"Wh-What makes you think I know?!"

"You took Sex Ed. last year, didn't you?"

"W-Well, yeah, but…*sigh* fine. I'll just…text it to you."

"Yay! You're the BEST, Onee-chan! And don't worry…I'll tell you the results after I finish~. *giggle*"

"Please don't." Was all I replied with before hanging up on my little sister. Letting out a huge sigh before noticing that nearly the entire plane was looking at me with the biggest "WTF" looks I've ever seen.

"S…Sorry about my sister. She's going through puberty."

I legit wanted to die at that moment.

Author's Note: The School Trip has finally begun! And while Miharu is excited to finally return home after nearly a year, Mika's still struggling to tell Yoko the truth about her crush on Mio. While having some strange feelings of her own…

I know I said no more official characters until the VERY end of the story. But…I got stuck on a specific part here and…I just picked out Eri at random. No thought went into it. She'll definitely be the last one until the end, though.

Thanks for reading. Later.