Feeling a bit thirsty, the two went to the school's vending machine to buy water, taking the opportunity to stretch their stiff bodies.
It was around two o'clock in the afternoon, and quite a few people were still active in the school.
Tanaka Masao couldn't help but exclaim.
"It feels a bit strange to be walking around campus at this time."
"Strange? Elaborate."
Yukinoshita Yukino was curious about what Tanaka Masao meant by 'strange'.
"You see, normally at this time in the afternoon, we're either in class or not at school at all, so we never get the chance to walk around campus.
Now that we are, it's a completely new experience, like seeing an unknown side of others."
Hearing Tanaka Masao's words, Yukinoshita Yukino took a step to the side, a hint of disdain on her face.
"I just feel like what Tanaka-kin said is a bit off."
For some reason, she recalled the first time Kashi visited, and she had shown a tenderness that was unlike her usual cold demeanor.
At that time, Tanaka Masao, with a silly grin (see cover for details), had said to her in a low voice.
"Yukinoshita Classmate can make such expressions; she's really cute."
Tanaka Masao: Is that my image? Yukinoshita Classmate, don't just imagine things, hey!
After a pause, as if to carefully consider it, Yukinoshita Yukino continued.
"Although your words are a bit strange, you're not wrong; the campus now feels more relaxed and free."
Tanaka Masao suggested.
"Then how about we take a good walk around the campus together? We might discover many campus scenes we haven't seen before."
Yukinoshita Yukino was a little tempted; she was also curious about what unique things she might discover on campus.
Although she was looking forward to it internally, she maintained a calm exterior.
"I'm a bit tired from cleaning just now, so let's treat this as a relaxing walk."
Arriving at the vending machine, they each bought a bottle of water and then set off on their campus exploration.
They adopted a 'proximity' principle and began to explore the building where the Service Club was located.
The first three floors were the teachers' offices.
Having just finished exams, in contrast to the relaxed students, this was the busiest time for all teachers, except for Physical Education Teachers and art teachers.
Almost every teacher had a large stack of test papers in front of them.
In the offices, the teachers were all [calm and composed], [pleasant and amiable] as they graded the test papers.
"Bastard, I've explained this question no less than three times, and not a single word was changed. It's a sure-fire freebie, and they still got it wrong! Let me see who this guy is."
"What kind of handwriting is this? My dog writes better than him! All wrong, all wrong!"
"Revision, this revision has gone into their pig brains! All of you, go take the make-up exam."
"Did this test paper participate in a war? Why is it so dirty? Points deducted! Points deducted!"
The offices were simply too lively.
Tanaka Masao and Yukinoshita Yukino considered themselves people who enjoyed quiet, so they didn't go closer.
As they passed Hiratsuka Shizuka's office, they could clearly see her scratching her head and irritably grading papers, as if she was trying hard to endure something.
If they looked closely, the ashtray on her desk was already full of cigarette butts.
The two tacitly made no sound and quickly left.
Hiratsuka Shizuka, who was grading papers, turned her head as if sensing something, looking outside the office, but found nothing.
"I always feel like I missed something."
She turned back to continue grading papers, complaining.
"It would be great if I had two laborers right now."
Their wise choice allowed Tanaka Masao and Yukinoshita Yukino to successfully escape the fate of being laborers.
The two made their way to the fourth floor, and only then did the surroundings quiet down.
Tanaka Masao let out a breath.
"The offices after exams are truly hell."
Yukinoshita Yukino nodded in agreement.
"If I were a teacher, I'd also get a headache seeing many bad test papers."
"However, the students will soon suffer."
Tanaka Masao showed a schadenfreude expression.
"You mean when the results come out?"
"Hehe, exactly. When the results come out, the teachers' accumulated resentment from grading papers will be well released. If they're lucky, they might even get to walk around campus with their parents."
Yukinoshita Yukino thought back, and it did seem to be the case.
But she herself had never experienced it.
"Then aren't you worried about yourself?"
"Of course not."
Tanaka Masao was quite confident.
"I'm confident I'll get a good score this time and make great progress."
"Hmm, after all, for Tanaka-kin, there's no room for regression, is there?"
The two walked around the fourth floor as they talked.
"These classrooms all exude a sense of mystery, but unfortunately, there are no keys, so we can only peek through the windows."
At this moment, Tanaka Masao was standing by the window of a classroom, looking inside.
"Ah, Yukinoshita Classmate, what do you think might be in that cabinet?"
Yukinoshita Yukino looked in the direction Tanaka Masao was pointing.
These classrooms were not empty; most of them had been converted into storage rooms, filled with some desks and cabinets.
The Service Club's predecessor was also like this.
After just one glance, Yukinoshita Yukino lost interest and casually said.
"Most likely it's empty, or it contains some useless junk.
Another possibility is that it stores some potentially useful teaching supplies, and one day when a teacher suddenly remembers them, they might be brought out into the light of day."
Listening to Yukinoshita Yukino's logical and correct analysis, Tanaka Masao wagged his finger.
"Tsk tsk tsk, Yukinoshita Classmate, you really have no dreams."
"Dreams? What dreams?"
Yukinoshita Yukino was a bit puzzled, waiting for Tanaka Masao to continue.
"For example, because no one has used it for so long, it's been transformed into a secret alien base, and they hide here every day, observing every move of humanity.
Or perhaps there's a legendary sword hidden here, and obtaining it could make one a hero or summon heroic spirits."
Yukinoshita Yukino blinked and said with a somewhat helpless tone.
"Tanaka-kin, that's not a dream, that's a fantasy, isn't it?"
"But if you think of it that way, wouldn't an originally ordinary classroom become very interesting?"
"It wouldn't be interesting. It's best to just let it be a normal storage room."
After exploring the fourth floor and finding nothing new, the two did not go to the fifth floor, as that place was far too familiar to them.
They went directly outside the office building.