"Your first choice is to join the Self Defense Forces and beco a soldier, and your second choice is to beco a police officer. These are your wishes, correct, Tobiichi-san?"
In the school's guidance room, the horoom teacher looked at the career survey form in her hand and asked as if confirming.
"Yes."
Sitting upright on the sofa across from her, Tobiichi Origami answered calmly.
"My~ I never expected Tobiichi-san to be so passionate and full of justice at such a young age. Is this so kind of patriotic feeling?"
"Not particularly."
"Uh... Ah——is it that? So kind of punishnt ga popular among young high school girls? You lost the ga, so you wrote this as punishnt?"
"No. I am serious."
Origami shook her head.
"I see..."
Looking at Tobiichi Origami's utterly unchanged face, the guidance counselor's eye twitched slightly, and she felt a headache coming on.
(Hah... I really do not understand what young people are thinking these days.)
Looking at the girl before her, the guidance counselor pressed the ballpoint pen against her forehead and sighed inwardly.
Tobiichi Origami.
One of the most talented girls in this school. Since entering, her exam results had always remained first in the entire year, and her national mock exam rankings had always been among the top.
On top of that, she was beautiful and good at sports. She was extrely popular in school.
To students her age, she was an unreachable flower on a high peak.
To teachers, she was an excellent student, both in character and academics.
At the sa ti, she was also a tough nut to crack.
Was wanting to beco a soldier a bad thing? Of course not.
Was there anything wrong with becoming a police officer? Of course not.
If anything, in the guidance counselor's eyes, this kind of answer was much better than students who casually wrote "higher education" or "employnt" just to get it over with.
Rather, if an ordinary student had answered this way, she would have even encouraged and praised them a little.
The problem was that when this choice was placed on the girl before her, the guidance counselor felt that it was a little... wasteful.
"Mm... Tobiichi-san. I am not saying this choice is bad. However, with your grades, you are fully capable of making a better choice. Other teachers have ntioned this to you before too, haven't they? If you are willing, the school can provide you with a recomndation slot to a top university, and we would also be willing to help pay part of the cost."
"Yes, I know. I am very grateful for the school's kindness. However, after thinking it over for a long ti, I am still more inclined toward this path."
Origami shook her head and politely refused.
"I see... Well, what the school provides is ultimately only an option. In the end, the choice is still yours."
Although she said that, reality was another matter.
At the ti, every teacher had thought Tobiichi Origami would choose to enter a famous university, and they had looked forward to her improving the school's reputation along the way.
It should have been a win-win story.
But after seeing her career survey, they imdiately felt sothing was wrong. That was why the guidance counselor had arranged this eting to persuade her to change her mind.
However, the more they spoke, the more difficult the guidance counselor felt things were.
This student appeared modest and polite on the surface, but in truth, she was far more stubborn than expected. She was unmoved by advice and temptation alike, and she cleverly brushed past so questions.
(Rather than calling this a career wish, it would be more accurate to say it is already a fixed decision in her heart.)
After helplessly complaining inwardly, the guidance counselor continued.
"Tobiichi-san, you currently live with your obaa-chan and sisters, correct?"
"Mm... correct."
Origami nodded lightly.
"Yes... Yatogami-san, if I rember correctly. Though, your surnas are different."
"...We are not blood sisters. We were only adopted by Obaa-chan after the disaster."
"I see. You really do not look alike... I'm sorry, that was rude of ."
Realizing that she had stepped on a landmine, the guidance counselor said awkwardly.
"No. It is fine."
"Cough, cough. Returning to the main topic, I would like to confirm sothing. Do your family mbers... or your guardian, know your current career wish?"
Hearing that, Origami fell silent for a mont, then shook her head.
"I told her, but we are still discussing it."
"I see. Then it would be best to discuss it properly."
Sensing Origami's slight hesitation, the guidance counselor secretly thought there was a chance, and quickly pressed forward with a sincere, elder-like tone.
"Tobiichi-san, as a teacher, and also as an adult, I suggest you do not decide your future too early. Sotis, being too independent can also make people blind and impulsive. When you look back after calming down, it is very easy to regret things. So you should discuss it more with your elders, face your own abilities properly, and make a suitable choice."
"All right... Thank you, sensei."
—————————
"Phew..."
Walking ho, Origami let out a tired breath, as if she had just finished a difficult battle.
"How troubleso..."
Although when she was called to the guidance room, Origami had vaguely understood that they wanted to discuss her future path, actually dealing with it was more troubleso than she had imagined.
Honestly, as early as one year ago, not long after entering high school, Origami had once tested the waters and told Obaa-chan that she wanted to join the Self Defense Forces or beco a police officer.
But Obaa-chan had opposed it.
Unlike the teachers, however, Obaa-chan's reason was that she thought those careers were too dangerous. She was worried Origami might get hurt, and hoped she would find a peaceful job in the future and live her life safely.
Since then, at ho, Origami had acted as if she had given up on the matter and never ntioned her wish again.
Because Origami knew that even if she said it, it would be difficult to gain Obaa-chan's approval.
Fortunately, through her efforts, she had at least avoided a ho visit, which would have been checkmate.
"I need to convince Obaa-chan before the three way eting next sester, or else..."
Trying to tell herself that, Origami felt a strange discomfort in her heart.
She did not really want to discuss this with Obaa-chan.
First, she did not want Obaa-chan, who was already busy and tired every day, to worry more because of her.
Second, she did not want to be tied down by the conservative views of an older generation.
And also——she did not want to hear soone close to her deny her thoughts and goals.
Just like a little brat who hides a test paper because she does not want to be scolded by her parents.
"How ironic...What right do I have to lecture Tohka so confidently?"
Thinking of this, Origami lowered her shoulders and showed a self-mocking smile.
——Tobiichi-san, why do you want to join the military?
(Why...?)
Trying to ask herself that question, Origami stopped walking and stood by the railing on the slope, looking at the town at the foot of the hill.
Comfortable, peaceful, ordinary——that was how Origami, and also the local people, evaluated the town they lived in.
It was neither as prosperous as a big city, nor as remote as the countryside.
There were no eye-catching highlights, but there were no inconveniences in daily life either.
It was a town that could be found anywhere. Even if outsiders ca here for sightseeing, they probably would not leave with any special impression.
Days that felt familiar. An unchanging everyday life.
Origami did not feel dissatisfied with this life. On the contrary, she treasured this life and this ti.
But precisely because of that, she could not accept everything as a matter of fact reality like other people did.
Spacequake——not long after she regained consciousness, she learned of this terrible natural disaster that had made her lose her mories and parents.
When she was hospitalized, she once secretly used the infirmary computer to search for information about disaster areas. Those hellish pictures, where one could barely tell they had once been human cities, left an impression on her that could not be erased.
Although the world said that the spacequake problem had already been solved and would never happen again, Origami could not optimistically accept that claim.
From past information, after the first wave of spacequake more than thirty years ago, there had been an interval of more than twenty years before the second wave. Now that spacequakes had disappeared for only a few short years, drawing such a conclusion was far too rash.
In Origami's eyes, the scenery before her was like a bright, colorful soap bubble. If an abnormally large spacequake occurred, it would vanish in an instant.
For a period of ti, Origami had often been tortured by that unease until she could not sleep.
One day, Origami learned that long ago, there had once been a special unit established to handle spacequake disasters. It was because of that chance that she ca up with the idea of joining the military.
(What exactly are spacequakes? Have they really disappeared? How was it done? Is there any way to respond to them? What exactly happened back then? And I... who am I?)
Origami silently clenched her fist.
In truth, she had no long-term plan or grand goal. She had made this choice simply because she wanted to know the answers.
Perhaps this really was selfish.
As Obaa-chan said, finding a stable and safe job and spending this life peacefully was indeed one kind of happy life.
Or perhaps she should listen to the teachers's advice and seriously plan for her own future. That would be good for the school, and good for herself too.
"Am I... the strange one?"
Saying that, Origami shook her head, threw away those negative thoughts, and returned ho.
"I'm ho."
As soon as she opened the door, Origami was greeted by Yoshino and Yoshinon.
"Welco... ho, Origami."
"Yo, you're back. You sure ca ho late today, Origami-chan~"
"Sothing at school delayed ... By the way, what is that sll?"
Noticing the faint burnt sll drifting through the house, Origami frowned and asked.
Hearing that, Yoshino showed a bitter smile.
"Ah... that is..."
"Tohka-chan is practicing baking bread in the kitchen. Kaguya-chan, Yuzuru-chan, and Natsumi-chan are all taste testing."
"Oh..."
Hearing that, Origami walked toward the kitchen with interest.
"H-how is it? This batch of kinako bread."
"Subtle. Although it is a little better than last ti, it is still sowhat burnt."
"Kuku——the road is harsh and distant. My kin."
"Mm... Maybe the timing for adding the kinako is wrong, and there might be a little too much butter... Sorry, Tohka. My stomach feels a bit... I'll go to the bathroom first."
"Uu——"
As soon as Origami entered the kitchen, she saw Yatogami Tohka looking depressed.
"You still have not given up, Yatogami Tohka."
"Ugh, Tobiichi Origami."
Hearing Origami's voice, Tohka instantly arched her back and said as if sulking,
"W-who would give up?! Don't look down on . I've been working hard all along. Everyone said my bread tastes better than before."
"Only 'a little', right? You are not taking polite words seriously, are you?"
Origami spoke with cold sarcasm.
Honestly, she did not truly dislike Yatogami Tohka, but for so reason, only when facing Tohka, she would unconsciously take on this thorny attitude.
While picking up a piece of blackened bread from the table and taking a bite, Origami gave a flat evaluation.
"It really is only better by 'a tiny bit.' Hopefully this is not your limit."
"Hmph! Of course it isn't! I will definitely make delicious bread, then open a bakery of my own!"
"Hmph... Is that so?"
Hearing that, Origami quietly showed a faint smile.
"W-what is it?"
"Nothing."
After lightly saying that, Origami finished the bread in one bite and added one comnt.
"Bad."
"Then don't co in!"
After being chased out of the kitchen by Tohka, Origami closed her eyes and took a long breath.
"Phew..."
After opening her eyes, Origami ca to the living room and saw Yumi wearing an apron and wiping the dining table with a cloth.
"Origami is back... Perfect timing. Dinner will be ready soon... Can you help bring the tableware over?"
"Mm. All right, Obaa-chan... But..."
After pausing for a mont, Origami finally gathered her courage and looked directly into Yumi's eyes.
"After dinner, there is sothing I want to discuss with you."
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