I’m Back in the First Grade of Elementary School, so I’m Going to Live Well

Chapter 35

Overconsciousness

Translated by Green Cake
Edited by Green Cake

“Thank you so much for all your help yesterday and today.”

The sun had already set.

In front of the entrance, Mizui-san bowed deeply to my mother.

My sister is holed up in her room, while my father is taking the car out of the garage to take Mizui-san home.

“Please come and visit us again anytime.”

“Yes, I’d love to.”

Mom and Mizui-san laugh at each other.

Mom, aren’t you getting to know Mizui-san better than me?

It’s not that I’m jealous or anything, but…

“The car is ready.”

Dad tells Mizui-san from the driver’s seat of the car parked in the dimly lit driveway in front of the house.

“Thank you very much for your help.”

She bows her head again and heads towards the car.

“Ah, I’m coming with you.”

Since she’s here as my friend, it’s only natural to see her off until the end.

So Mizui-san and I sat in the back seat side by side.

“Okay, let’s go!”

After confirming that Mizui-san and I had fastened our seatbelts, Dad stepped on the gas pedal and drove forward down the road.

We proceeded through the dimly lit streets, relying only on the lights of the car and the street lamps.

He was driving more carefully than usual, partly because he was carrying someone’s daughter.

“――Thank you, Sho-kun.”

“For what?”

“For letting me stay, for reading the picture book with me, and for everything.”

It was a thank you for everything yesterday and today.

She said that, but she didn’t really need to say it.

Because the past two days have been very fulfilling for me.

Studying and exercising during the holidays is not so bad, but spending two days with friends like this was also a meaningful way to spend my time.

There was a lot of noise, but I can say now that it was fun all the same.

“Thank you, too.”

So it is I who should be thanking her.

“It was fun to spend time with you, Mizui-san.”

“…… Really?”

“There’s no reason to lie.”

“――Yes, I guess so.”

Her face, flickering with the passing streetlights, looked somewhat happy.

……………

I’ve been thinking about this for the past two days, or ever since I started sharing secrets with her.

――What am I to her?

Is she a friend or a companion with whom I share secrets?

To be honest, I can’t help but think that we are more than that.

Her behavior towards me is clearly out of the realm of friends.

There are so many things that come to mind, such as excessive skinship and clinging.

Call me self-conscious, but I sometimes wonder if Mizui-san likes me.

But I don’t know enough about girls, or first graders for that matter, to make that determination.

I said that it was beyond the scope of friends, but that was just the words of someone who had been a loner until now.

It’s also possible that this level of skinship is normal, even if I don’t feel like it.

This is an interaction between first graders who have yet to establish their personal space.

It may be excessive from an adult’s point of view, but from a child’s point of view, it may be normal or mild.

There’s a difference between adult holding hands and a child holding hands.

Maybe I’m being too self-conscious.

And even if my self-consciousness were true, I wouldn’t take it seriously.

It’s just elementary school love.

It’s just a passing fancy.

In the future, when I grow up, it will just be one of those funny stories about my first love, “I liked that girl back then, didn’t I?”

I’m not going to take her fondness seriously, just as no father would take his daughter’s statement, “I’m going to marry my dad,” seriously.

…… Well, first of all, maybe not.

――The relationship between me and Mizui-san is friends.

I, for one, have concluded that.