The rest of the morning proceeded as usual. Uesugi Yui didn't mention helping me again, but I could tell that she wasn't unwilling to help, just dissatisfied with my lousy excuse.
On the other hand, Uesugi Yui also knew that she couldn't mention this matter in front of her parents (Mr. and Mrs. Uesugi). If someone else who knew about it was Eiji Hayamizu, I would have been in constant fear. It goes to show how important it is to choose a reliable teammate.
After a peaceful breakfast, I bid farewell to the Uesugi couple as usual and went to school with Uesugi Yui.
"Have you come up with a good excuse, Ziongzong?"
Uesugi Yui casually brought up the matter, but I could tell that she was really concerned. Whenever Uesugi Yui spoke and deliberately avoided looking at me, I knew she cared a lot but didn't want to show it.
"I'll talk to Teacher Araki about it. You don't have to worry, Yui."
If we were in China, we could get away with excuses like having a stomachache, but that wouldn't work here because there's still the hurdle of the school clinic.
Indeed, many schools in China now have medical rooms, but the significance is different from here. The extent to which the Japanese stick to their rules is incomprehensible.
"If you try to deceive, I'll hit you when we get home, okay!"
Uesugi Yui stared into my eyes and said that. Her sharp gaze made me feel like she could instantly see through any lies I told.
But I didn't have a reason to lie. Speaking is an art, and sometimes, not saying anything is more effective than lying.
"Yeah, don't worry."
I wanted to take this opportunity to use the long-awaited "pat on the head trick" on Uesugi Yui, but before I could make a move, she quickly dodged away from me.
(Note: The "pat on the head trick" is an ancient martial arts technique lost to the world. It is rumored that using this move on a woman's head can increase affection.)
"The excuse you mentioned in my room this morning, don't use it. I... pay attention to those things."
Uesugi Yui said while awkwardly looking elsewhere.
So that's why she suddenly dodged away. But then again, even a strong and cool girl like Uesugi Yui would still feel shy talking about such topics.
In another ten years, no, just three more years, these girls who still feel shy about these things at this age will become terrifying creatures who freely engage in dirty talk with boys.
Shortly after, we arrived at school and once we entered the campus, we tacitly avoided the topic of what happened.
During lunch break, I went to the teacher's office and found Mayumi Araki.
Speaking of Mayumi Araki, from Ziongzong's memories, she was quite a special teacher.
In the current situation in Japan where the parents' association is almost dominant, her ability to maintain such a brazen approach shows her cleverness or perhaps her solid qualifications as a teacher.
And she's so young, it really makes you wonder.
But those things are not important right now. I only came to ask her for leave.
Based on her personality, she shouldn't give me a hard time about the details of taking leave... I hope.
"Araki... Big Sister?"
According to Ziongzong's memories, it seemed more appropriate to call her that rather than just "teacher." However, Mayumi Araki looked up at me with a questioning gaze.
Did I use the wrong tone?
"What's the matter?"
Mayumi Araki lowered her head again, jotting down notes in her teacher's textbook, while waiting for me to speak.
"I have something to do this afternoon and I want to leave early. Is that okay?"
"I guess it's okay, but for such a boring little thing, you come to me so seriously... You..."
Mayumi Araki stopped halfway through her sentence and fell silent. After a few seconds, she continued.
"You've become less interesting than before, Uesugi Ziongzong."Based on "Ziongzong's" memory, this was the first time Mayumi Araki had called him by the correct name since they had known each other, but for some reason he couldn't feel happy about it. Ironically, when she called him by the right name, the person inside was actually wrong. So, does that really count as being right?
It had become boring, and this description could only be relative to before, meaning that many people, including Mayumi Araki and Uesugi Yui, had noticed the difference before and after I took over the body, though to varying degrees. After all, the concept of a personality replacement is beyond the imagination of ordinary people.
Mayumi Araki didn't trouble me anymore and waved me off. Although I cared about what she said, time was pressing, so I could only save it for later. I hurriedly ran to the school gate to meet Uesugi Yui, who was anxiously staring at the teaching building, thinking that something had happened to me.
