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The Garage

Mahoro...!

HoukaOh, Mahoro-san. Good work today.

MahoroY-Yeah...! Good work today...!

HoukaIs something the matter...? You keep looking around rather anxiously.

MahoroOh, yeah... It is because of my horoscope...!

HoukaYour horoscope?

MahoroYeah... I always watch the horoscope segment on the morning news. Cancer was ranked last today...

MahoroIt said, "You may be distracted today! Watch out for unexpected injuries!"

HoukaSo that is why you are walking so carefully.

MahoroYeah... I cannot stop thinking about it.

MahoroI brought my lucky item too, just in case. It said stationery, so... Look, my pencil case.

HoukaMy. It is packed full of pens.

MahoroI brought every pen we had at home... And there are still two more pencil cases there...

HoukaI see. That does sound rather burdensome.

MahoroUgh... Are you the type to believe in horoscopes, Houka-chan?

HoukaLet me see... There are 365 days in a year, so with twelve zodiac signs, each one will be ranked last about one twelfth of the time...

HoukaI feel there would be no end to it if one worried about that every time.

MahoroHaha, I guess so.

HoukaBesides, if you checked a different horoscope, I am sure it would give you a different result.

MahoroYeah... I know I should not take it too seriously, but...

MahoroI start worrying that something really might happen...

HoukaHehe. You have such a gentle heart, Mahoro-san.

MahoroDo I...?

HoukaThen why not think of it this way?

HoukaRather than treating last place as something bad, simply think of it as the ordinary state of things.

HoukaThat way, your horoscope is always ordinary or better. See? There is nothing to worry about.

MahoroI-I see...

MahoroYou can be pretty levelheaded sometimes, Houka-chan. "Dry" might make it sound mean, though.

HoukaOh my, do you think so?

HoukaI do not feel that I am consciously trying to be any particular way...

HoukaIf I had to say, perhaps it is that I try not to expect too much.

MahoroExpect too much...?

HoukaYes. I believe life has a way of hurting us when we expect too much from it.

HoukaIt is only natural for nothing to happen. If something good does, then that is a lucky surprise... That is about the right balance, I think.

MahoroThat is so grown-up...! I get excited about things all the time, and I want to keep feeling that way~

HoukaHehe... It is not easy to change the way one thinks.

HoukaI think that is perfectly fine for you, Mahoro-san♪ Horoscopes can be fun little spices in everyday life, after all.

MahoroYeah, thank you! I will try not to worry so much about the result!

HoukaOf course. I shall be wishing, in my own small way, for a good turn of fortune to come your way, Mahoro-san♪