Shinji:“I was just wondering why she's always alone.”
Kensuke and Touji stop leaning forward and return to an upright position.
Toji:“?”
Kensuke:“?”
Toji:“Hmmm, come to think of it, she hasn't made any friends since she transferred here in first year.”
Reichu: Just so you aren't confused as to what “first year” is… “Azrael”, author of the (in)famous I am a Japanese School Teacher, describes Japanese middle school levels as follows:
The grade levels are ichinensei, ninensei, and sannensei. Translated this just means “1st years”, “2nd years”, and “3rd years”, and it's equivalent to American 7-9th grades. So the kids are about 12-15 years old.
Well, that explains why Toji mentions “the 7th grade” in ADV's translation.
Kensuke folds his arms.
Kensuke:“I dunno why, but she’s kinda hard to approach.”