The End of First Semester

The only obstacle left for the first semester was the final exams. The study period was the last week of June, and the exams were held in the first week of July. As aforementioned, the Environmental club didn't suspend their activities during the study period, so the members used that time to study; all except me.

Personally, I didn't like to study in groups. I excelled more alone, where I could listen to instrumental piano and not have to talk to anyone. I knew Rossi-chan preferred that method too, but her altruist personality found herself tutoring Mitoma-kun and Natsu-chan in the clubroom. That wasn't bad news at all, since we – even the club president – knew of her anxiety, she was able to freely express herself to them, and they could respond in better ways than I ever could.

"Planning on going home again after this, Verano-kun?"

I turned to Rossi-chan, who was crouching before the butterfly weed shrubs. Her palms laid over her kneecaps that she brought to her chest, and she looked up at me with a broad smile.
"Mhm. Just like that flower there, I'm goin' to be in solitary. I've been stuydin' hard, maybe this time I won't be perfectly average."

"I seem to remember you creating a new meaning for this flower, so you won't be in solitary. Isn't that right? Fufu."
She stood up and patted away the dirt from her clothes.

"I seem to remember sayin' that wasn't the final version. Not only that, but you later said you wouldn't accept anythin' from me other than the final version. Honestly, you're such a stickler."

We began walking back towards the clubroom. She furrowed her brows and pouted in an angry, but not serious, manner.

"Don't make me seem picky!"
She pounced on my back and gave me devastating punches that could knock a man out cold... Just kidding, she just lightly tapped my shoulder blades.
"I said that because...well, it wouldn't be as special if I accepted every version you made... S-So, I only want to accept...the best kind."

I took a step to the side in order for her to catch up next to me. Looking into her rubies revealed her embarrassment, but the fact that she told me despite how she'd felt gave away how serious she was about it.
"Who knows when the 'best kind' will even arrive. I don't necessarily have the gift of suddenly makin' good poems after spendin' months failin' and failin'. You'll have to be patient."

"How about if I help you? After all, your poem will be about flowers, and no one knows them like I do! I can think of a meaning for it, and you can turn that into a poem. Doesn't that sound better than having to do both? We can trial and error our way to fame!"

"I see... Wait, fame? Are you goin' to sell my poem for profit? You should be payin' me commission then."

"Hey look, I see Hanamaru-chan!"
She turned away from me, completely dodging my halfwitted joke. She ran towards her bestest friend.
"Hanamaru-chan!! Catch me!"

"Oi, Yuri-chan!? Wait, wait, this pail's still got water!"
Natsu-chan knew how the situation would end.

As I caught up to the giggling girls, who were now drenched with water, I pondered Rossi-chan's offer. I had to think of what she really meant by it, since the last time she offered something she didn't even want it to come to fruition.

Work together on the poem? The first step would be to come up with a new meanin' for the butterfly weed. I doubt even she could do it quickly, or else she would've already done so. I-I'm not against the idea of workin' together...but I'm kind of nervous to work on somethin' with a girl again...

I took off my school's summer uniform vest and gave it to Rossi-chan to replace her soaked one. The three of us entered the clubroom where Mitoma-kun and Hanayo-senpai were already studying math formulas and scientific equations.

"Haha, lil' sis! Ya're soaking wet!" shouted Hanayo-senpai. "Yu-chan, did you throw 'er into a river?"

"Oi, shut up Hanayo-sis! There's still some water left inside for ya if ya keep laughing!"

Mitoma-kun chipped in his two cents.
"I expected them to be black under the shirt, but I didn't know you liked the color yellow so much, Dumbmaru."
He blinked many times to highlight his eyes.

Not that I looked, but I knew he was talking about the largely-rounded clothing that seeped through the drenched white dress shirt. Natsu-chan, much like Rossi-chan when she's embarrassed, had her face burning pink. However, unlike Rossi-chan, she bit back with ferocity instead of adorableness.

"Hah?! My eyes are up here, ya'know! Guess I can't say I'm shocked that ya're staring, since this is the first bra yer eyes have ever seen, Atsu-idiot."

The room filled with oohs and aahs as the two continued to exchange remarks about each other being more of a virgin and pervert than the other, though the three of us spectating knew they were both equally the same in that aspect. I put away the watering pails while Rossi-chan equipped a towel around her body and sat on the tatami mat.

"So, what do you say, Verano-kun? Wanna work on the poem together?"

I knelt adjacent to her. I wasn't planning on staying very long since our activities were over, but I did answer her question.
"Sure, let's do it."

She looked rather amazed. Her head tilted to her left, but a smile also rose because of it.
"You really have strayed away from your old mindset."

"I'd be lyin' if I said it's completely gone. It's impossible to get rid of somethin' that's stuck with me for a year, even more so when it's somethin' that's turned me into a socially awkward shut-in. That can't be fixed in the span of a month."

"Then let's change that."

It was my turn to look amazed, though I was also confused by what she insinuated.
"Change...what?"

She scooted herself closer to me, shifting her hips like a penguin waddling.
"You're a socially awkward shut-in, but you're more social now, correct? This room is filled with people who are your friends. Since we've started solving the 'socially awkward' part, we can also solve the 'shut-in' part! And I know exactly how!"

I had also known how, but at the time I wish I didn't. She maneuvered herself even closer to me, leaning in and resting her chin on my shoulder; I tilted my head away to give her some room. She used her hand to part my hair on that side, revealing my ear as she cupped her mouth to it.

She whispered, "Let's hang out this summer break. All of us together, or, since we'll be working on the poem, maybe just the two of us. I think it's a good idea, but if you want to do it, then rank above average on the exam. Fufu."

I had never had greater motivation to place just barely in the top half of the school.

The first week of July arrived, and final exams spanned from Wednesday to Friday. For Monday and Tuesday, everyone studied like normal. I was worried about Rossi-chan's mental state, so we spent a little longer in the flower garden talking about her issues. It seemed to me that she was feeling better than the midterms and – I could only assume – middle school exams.

When Wednesday finished, Rossi-chan suggested another form of pastime that could soothe her temporary fragile mentality and also akin to silence. We sat side-by-side on the inside of the garden and she rested her head on my shoulder. In her left ear was an earbud, and in my right ear was the other half. She had a playlist called "Where Do The Flowers Grow?" and it had over a day's worth of nature-sounding music.

The flowers grew in gardens. We were in a garden. She must've been so fatigued that she fell asleep on my arm, which I didn't mind. I stared at my natural surroundings, and pondered. Before, I pondered the past, but at that moment, I pondered the future.

Summer...together. It should be fun, right? I'll do my best.

Thursday ended the same.
Friday ended the same.
There was only one week of the first semester. The largest hurdle in my life so far was behind me, and now I had a finish line to move forward towards.