Matcha Lattes & Cherry Blossoms ~4~

Checking in at school was designed to be a simple process. In theory, just a single fingerprint or four-digit passcode should be efficient. Very old fashioned, but Principle Ayame loved tradition, to the point that she even wanted teachers to do a roll call with pen to paper. Most teachers just ticked the names to save time. When any questions were asked, teachers would just say those students forgot to tap in and out.

There was never any large crews, but all students had to be at least two metres apart, and face masks were mandatory in every class except sports. The masks could come off during breaks.

Asuna Ayame Academy schooled a thousand students, Yuzuko thought by now they would have at least better ways of registering at school. Standing in one of the many lines, Yuzuko said to Sakura, "I wish we could tap into school with our phone. It would be so much easier."

"Apparently it's too expensive and hard!" Sakura said.

“Expensive?” Yuzuko laughed. It was most likely an excuse for the principle’s love for the old fashion ways. “My friend in Iceland built a PC out of Coca Cola cans. And my grandfather could easily build a clock-in app for them.”

When it was Yuzuko's turn to clock in, she chose to type the PIN number: 6669.

Thank you for clocking in, Sakura Kanagawa.

Sakura mumbled, "Yuzuko... you clocked me in."

Shrugging her shoulders, she clocked in again using a tap on her left index finger. "You always forget your pin, and you say your fingerprint doesn't always work."

"Maybe it's forgotten me."

"No it hasn't," Yuzuko said, wiping the screen ready for the next person to register. "I bet the IT students could create something better than this."

"Oh well," Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "At least I'm actually on time."

Yuzuko glared at her. "At least you're actually here."

"I know my attendance isn't good," Sakura admitted, lowering her head. "But I've had it hard at home. On top of that they're talking about putting me down another year!"

"Again?"

"It's been nice spending the year with you, but I don't want to stay in school forever!"

"Do your homework and studies."

Sakura sighed. "I would. If I wasn't working all the time."

"Sakura!" Yuzuko's hands trembled. Her open mouth had attracted the attention of other students rustling in the queue as whispering amongst themselves.

Sakura took her eyes off her own phone and glanced at Yuzuko's screen. "Who's messaged you." She gasped. "No way. Lavender Unicorn's texted you?"

Yuzuko held her hand on her chest. Flustered, she would have been in the floor had it not been for Sakura behind her.

Yuzuko: Hi Lavender, I love your videos. I watch them everyday and I feel more confident about myself since subscribing to your channel. I signed the petition for YouTube to monetise you again. You teach all of us how to be beautiful and embrace our flaws. It's a wonderful thing.

Lavender: Oh wow, thank you so much. Thank you for helping my channel flourish. It's been hard since they demonetised my videos but they've been monetised again thanks to adoring fans such as yourself.

"You're so lucky," Sakura said, following Yuzuko on their way to class. "Lavender has millions of subscribers."

"She always has time for her fans," Yuzuko said, popping her phone in her pocket. "That's why I love her."

Sakura jumped in front of her. With a persistent giggle, she clutched on her chest. "You love her for her famous gigantic breasts."

Rolling her eyes, Yuzuko took a seat by the window. "Why do you have to make a scene?"