Cardfight!! Vanguard: Generations Volume 2 [Zyriot War]

- Part 10

Since Nora lived in a house that was far away from the dormitory, I needed a better way of transportation that wasn't walking. I could've taken the bus or train, but they didn't arrive until another half an hour, so I decided to ask Himeji Kazuto if I could borrow his bicycle.

Himeji was a 2nd Year and the aide of Fumio Nazuna, our dorm's manager. His most striking feature was the streak of white in his hair. I couldn't tell whether it was natural or dyed. Despite his punk looks, he was a helpful person that you could rely on.

As I went to the dorm lobby, I saw Himeji carrying a bag of rice over his shoulder. I stopped him just before he entered the dorm kitchen.

"Himeji-senpai, do you have a moment?"

"Oh, what's up kouhai? You can call me Kazu-kun y'know."

Every time I call him "Himeji", he insists that I call him "Kazu-kun", a nickname that everyone else calls him by. While I usually accept any offers to call people by their first names, for Himeji, that was impossible due to how much better his last name fit his personality.

Technically, "Himeji" was a girl's name. Considering how overbearing and clingy he was at times, it was fitting that he gets called by such a feminine name. "Kazu-kun" was just too cool for a guy like him.

"You take the bike to school, don't you?"

Every morning, I would see Himeji ride past me in a dark blue bicycle on my walk to the train station.

"Yep! It's speed and exercise wrapped up into one. Leg power, baby!"

"Is it alright if I borrow it? I need to run some errands."

"Sure, let me get it out for you."

Himeji put the sack of rice by the kitchen doorway, and signalled for me to follow him outside, where the dorm garden was. I've never been here before, but it was certainly impressive. They had a whole farm set-up.

Since it was the summer season, they were growing vegetables like cucumbers, potatoes and beetroot. Some of the 3rd Years were taking care of the field right now, but surprisingly, one of my own classmates were farming alongside them.

It was Tadokoro Yumiko, a girl from the countryside. She used to sit next to me, but Yukina swapped seats with her, around three weeks ago. Since she's a country bumpkin, Tadokoro must feel at home planting all these veggies.

"Takanori-san!"

Tadokoro, who noticed me staring at her, greeted me with a huge wave. While in class she was reserved and timid, out in the fields, she was cheerful and smiling.

We became acquaintances while we sat next to each other, as she would constantly ask me questions during English lessons due to my fluency.

"Well, you gonna keep her waiting?"

Himeji pushed my back playfully. I looked at him over my shoulder.

"Huh...?"

"That's an invitation from her to go over."

"But the bike..."

"I'll bring it over from the shed. Just go talk to your classmate. She's a good girl, that Tadokoro-chan. Ever since finding out about the garden, she's been spending a lot of time taking care of it and helping us out. It honestly puts us upperclassmen to shame."

I had no idea this side of Tadokoro existed. I knew her mainly for her natural talent in mathematics. Even if she didn't understand everything, numbers naturally came to her. She could easily rival Nora's mathematical abilities.