Chapter 251. [Going To School By School Bus]

 

“Off I go~”

 

I announce to Angu Ogu and leave the house.

 

It’s been arranged for the Secret Service to drive me to the school bus pickup location.

 

《Would you like me to take you all the way to school?》

 

《Hmm, I might consider it for a while since I’ve already applied. But let’s try using it for a bit.》

 

I exchange words with the Secret Service woman driving the car.

 

There are three main ways to commute to high school.

 

1. Drive yourself.

 

Not just using bicycles or scooters. But also cars.

 

In America, in many states, you can get a driver’s license at 16.

 

Especially the so-called ‘learner’s permit’ is just a paper test, and it seems pretty easy to get.

 

“No, isn’t driving at that age too early?”

 

I think from a Japanese perspective, but you can’t go anywhere without a car in America.

 

There’s a sense of necessity driving it, too.

 

2. Get a ride from parents or others in a private car.

 

There are various reasons for choosing this option.

 

Because it’s too early in the morning to get up due to having to pick up a lot of people on the school bus, or because the school bus isn’t cool.

 

“No, it’s not like I think that way!”

 

I should be explaining private cars, but the conversation keeps turning to the drawbacks of the school bus.

 

That part is due to my middle school English teacher who explained the commuting methods.

 

By the way, just before classes start, all these cars line up at the school gate. It’s a sight people wouldn’t see in Japan, where walking to school is the norm.

 

3. And finally, the much-criticized school bus from earlier.

 

Its distinctive feature is the bright yellow body, and it’s the commuting method I chose.

 

Well, to be precise, there weren’t any other options.

 

Who could have expected to have a personal escort and chauffeur?

 

《Um, but is it difficult to provide security on a school bus?》

 

《It’s okay, don’t worry. By the way, we also discreetly watch over inside the school. So relax and enjoy your high school life.》

 

《Understood.》

 

《Oh, we’ve arrived while talking. Oh, the school bus just arrived too.》

 

《Yes, thank you for the ride. Off I go.》

 

《Yes, have a good day.》

 

The yellow bus stood out even from a distance.

 

I get out of the car driven by the Secret Service and head towards the school bus.

 

“It looks even bigger up close.”

 

Naturally, I end up staring wide-eyed upwards.

 

After all, its height is more than twice my current height.

 

I heard that seats get placed high up to prevent children from directly experiencing impact in case of accidents.

 

Also, the body of the bus gets reinforced with black metal bars on the sides.

 

“…Huh?”

 

As I gaze, a yellow bar extends in front of the bus with a whirr.

 

It’s like a railroad crossing gate. A ‘crossing arm’.

 

Is it because the front is hard to see due to the high height?

 

They must be doing it to prevent children from passing through there.

 

“It’s like… they really take care of children a lot, or rather, it’s excessive.”

 

Looking around, I saw not just the school bus. But all the cars including those on the opposite lane were stopped.

 

Everyone was waiting for me to board.

 

“I feel uneasy. But I guess in America, this is ‘just right’.”

 

Feeling bad for keeping everyone waiting, I quicken my pace.

 

I run to the school bus and get on.

 

《Thank you, driver. I look forward to riding with you from today.》

 

《Ah, yes, nice to meet you. Uh, hey, are you sure you’re on the right bus? Do you know where this bus is headed?》

 

《Huh? It’s going to high school, right?》

 

《Oh, uh, yeah, it is… Well, as long as you know, it’s fine. Please sit wherever you like.》

 

《……?》

 

I was oddly surprised by the driver.

 

I tilt my head and shift my gaze towards the seats.

 

“Oh.”

 

I finally figured out the reason, albeit late.

 

Other students, as well as passengers, all look at me with surprise or curiosity.

 

And, they had grown unbelievably well.

 

Are you guys really high schoolers like me, with that ‘appearance’!?

 

“Um, nice to meet you…”

 

I manage to greet despite feeling overwhelmed.

 

Greetings are important. It says so in the American guidebooks.

 

Suddenly, the bus became lively with a “Wow!” spreading inside it.

 

Words started flying.

 

“Hey, hey! Isn’t that a tiny girl getting on!?”

 

“So cute! What grade are you!?”

 

“Are you skipping grades?”

 

“The kindergarten bus isn’t here, you know?”

 

I’m not that small, am I!?

 

Even though we’re in the same age group!?

 

I want to argue, but the difference in physique is so apparent that I can’t blame them for thinking that way.

 

The boys all look like football players, and all the girls are curvy.

 

No, not everyone is like that, of course.

 

But there was enough pressure to make it seem that way.

 

“Oh, right.”

 

America is like this.

 

Everything is big. Including people’s bodies.

 

《Hey, come over here~. Let’s chat together~!》

 

“Um, well…”

 

“Kyaa! You’re getting cuter and cuter, so tiny~!”

 

I got surrounded by the curvy girls.

 

H-Help me, Angu Ogu~!

 

At this moment, I longed for Angu Ogu’s slender body like never before.