April 1st (Friday) – Asamura Yuuta
The funny thing about seasons is how they sneak up on you, like a shadow, only to vanish in a flash the moment you turn to look.
Before I knew it, March was gone. The Somei Yoshino cherry trees were in full bloom; the morning news had even forecasted they’d peak today. Not that I had the luxury of enjoying the pink-dusted scenery. I was on my way to campus to join the other freshmen for an English test.
A placement test.
It was designed to gauge our current abilities, and at Ichinose University, that meant sorting us into English classes based on proficiency. The exam covered everything from grammar and reading comprehension to listening.
When it was all over, I let my pencil clatter onto the desk and stretched out with a groan.
I did what I could.
Besides, with this kind of test, it was better to show your true abilities than cramming to get a higher score. The whole point of the different class levels was to ensure students could learn at an appropriate pace, feeling a sense of accomplishment without being overwhelmed.
The reason Ayase-san and I had been so diligent about using English in our daily chats and quizzing each other wasn’t for some temporary grade; it was because we genuinely believed that language proficiency would be important for our futures. We just needed a short-term goal to keep our conversational practice going.
Some great thinker once said that you decide on a destination just so you have a reason to start the journey. This test was our reason. So yeah, I gave it my all, and I planned to keep doing just that.
Leaving the university, I started the journey home.
Through the window of a swaying train, the April sky was still a pale, delicate blue. To the west, the first blush of sunset was beginning to chase the blue away, painting the horizon in shades of red. The train’s announcement called out Shibuya Station, and I stepped through the ticket gates just before the world outside was swallowed by twilight.
“I’m home,” I called out as I opened the living room door.
From the kitchen, Ayase-san’s head popped into view. She was wearing an apron, clearly in the middle of preparing dinner.
“Welcome home. How was the test?”
“It was okay, I guess,” I replied. “Definitely not as confident as I am that you’ll do great, Ayase-san. Yours is tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah. I figured there’s no point in cramming, so I’ve done my usual prep. I’ll just take it as it comes.”
“I thought the same thing, but…”
“But?”
“It still makes me want to learn a bit more English, you know?” I admitted with a sigh. “Though… I’m taking a break for today.” No matter how much you tell yourself to act casual, a test is still a test. It’s enough to make anyone tense up.
“You’ve worked hard. Congratulations!” she said, beaming. “Lucky you today, you get to be comforted a lot by me!”
Her smile was bright, but her English was… creative. For a moment, I couldn’t parse the last part of her sentence and had to slowly translate it back into Japanese in my head. Huh…? ‘To be comforted’… by Ayase-san? How exactly?
“Tonight, we’re having deluxe hand-rolled sushi dinner!” she declared proudly.
Now that was some five-star comfort, indeed.
