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

Arrive at the Plaza

Translated by Green Cake
Edited by Green Cake

“I’m here!”

Released from the boredom of just walking, Rinta ran around like a dog excited to see fresh snow.

It was a 20-minute walk from the school to an outdoor plaza.

It was a weekday afternoon, so the plaza was deserted and almost entirely reserved for our class.

――There is nothing here.

There is no playground equipment, no art on display, just a large area of grass and trees, a literal plaza.

It’s a leisure facility that is unlikely to be used for anything other than field trips.

“Sunagawa-kun! Don’t go off on your own!”

“Tsk!”

Misato-sensei immediately called Rinta back to prevent the other students from copying him and scattering.

As a first grader with no leadership skills, if one of the students falls apart, the whole group will collapse in a chain reaction.

As the teacher who will be explaining the excursion, there is no greater inconvenience than that.

“Well then, I’ll tell you what to expect on the field trip. First――”

Misato-sensei spoke to the first three classes gathered in one place.

Before leaving for the field trip, she warned us about traveling on foot, and when we arrived at the plaza, she warned us about how to spend our time in the plaza.

I guess it’s most efficient to tell the kids right before the excursion starts, instead of in the classroom, since they easily forget what the teacher says.

As a sensible adult, I know how to behave without causing trouble to those around me, so I have no problem ignoring the warning signs.

However, this is the time to listen, so I’ll listen carefully.

“Sho-kun.”

I was tapped on the shoulder from behind, and I reflexively turned around.

From the way she called me, I could only think of one person who had tapped me on the shoulder.

“Mizui-san. What’s wrong?”

At the moment, there are no special rules about who can sit in one place in the order of attendance number or height, and everyone is free to sit anywhere or next to anyone.

Most of the time, however, people are divided into men and women and sit in the same order as in the earlier formation. In such a situation, it was a little unnatural for her, who had been in the back row, to walk to the front row and be mixed in with the boys.

She had come from the back row to almost the front row.

There must be some reason for Mizui-san to come here―― or maybe not… 

She would come to me for no particular reason. I think I’ve learned that in the past week.

“I just happened to be sitting near Sho-kun. Like fate♡.”

As usual, Mizui-san said.

“So there was no reason for you to talk to me.”

There was no reason after all.

…… I’m beginning to wonder if she really understands the meaning of fate these days.

You’re not thinking that fate and inevitability as near-equals, are you?

“No, I have my reasons.”

“You’re not going to say it was a coincidence, are you?”

Fate isn’t a reason, and it’s not something you can just throw around like that.

“No, no, about the lunch. I just wanted to eat with you.”

It wasn’t a coincidence, it was purely an invitation.

If that was the case, it would have been better to wait until after the conversation was over.

“I thought if I didn’t call out soon, the seats might fill up.”

“It’s not like tickets to a popular idol concert.”

Even if I sell meal tickets with me on the day, they won’t be sold. There was no need for her to go to the trouble of making a reservation.

But I was genuinely happy to receive such an invitation to eat with me.

And two of them.

“I don’t mind, but can I have Rinta with me?”

“……eh?”

She rolls her eyes at the unexpected person who jumped out of my mouth.

“No, we had promised to eat together before Mizui-san spoke to me.”

It would have been no problem to make a verbal promise on the day of the excursion, but Rinta took the trouble to make a promise to me two days in advance.

I guess he was just looking forward to the excursion itself rather than looking forward to eating with me, but for me, who didn’t have anyone in particular that I was close to other than Rinta and Mizui-san, it was a proposal I couldn’t have wished for.

The worst that could have happened would have been that I would have had to eat alone.

As for me, eating with Rinta is a blessing, but for Mizui-san, it seems to be different.

Don’t look so blatantly uncomfortable. Why are you so hostile to Rinta? Are you avenging your parents?

However, since I had promised him two days ago and he had already given me his word, I couldn’t go back now.

I can’t go back on my promise to Rinta for Mizui-san’s sake, and she may not be happy, but I have to ask her to compromise.

“…… Okay. Then let’s eat together, the three of us.”

Mizui-san, who understands this, accepts it reluctantly.

“But can I request you for one thing?”

“Request?”

“Yes, a simple request. I want you to give me some time alone with you during the excursion.”

She was right, it wasn’t a difficult request.

But she makes a sincere request with a serious face.

“Well, I don’t mind.”

Although I tilted my head at her overly serious attitude, I agreed with two words.

The field trip has just begun. There’s plenty of time.

It’s easy to request that magnitude.

“Then it’s a promise.”

She twines her pinky around mine and smiles.

I don’t want to drink a thousand needles, so I’ll keep this promise.