“This is…” Unable to grasp if this was reality or a dream, I looked between the home invader that slowly began to look like a goddess, and the goods she brought me. I wanted to confirm if she really made those when I felt a faint warmth run through my left hand. “This is…” “N-Natsukawa…?” She didn’t raise my hand or anything, but just gently wrapped both her hands around my left one, looking down at it with a painful expression. Since the medical treatment I got was not something out of the ordinary, even a total bystander could tell that this was serious business. But her gaze made it feel like my skin was healing at a much faster rate. “…Does it hurt?” “Well…painkillers don’t completely remove it, yeah.” “…You’re so clumsy.” “Right? Can’t believe myself sometimes.” I’m sorry for calling you an invader. You are a goddess. I will follow you for the rest of my life. That’s right, I’ll put up shrines for you in my room. And I will offer these rice balls each living day, so give me your divine power, I will create a constellation in the stars for you. Be happy, all of you bastards born in October. “…I’m sorry.” “Huh?” “Take care.”
“Wait, Natsukawa?!” She grabbed the empty bag and quickly left my room. Unable to stop her, I heard the sounds of her stomping down the stairs. With all this suddenly happening, I couldn’t keep up. “…’I’m sorry’?” Is it about her frantically denying the whole date thing? But despite that, her expression and tone of voice sure seemed…fickle and vain. I don’t think it would be enough to make her feel this way…What did she apologize for? ‘…I’m sorry. Right now…I’m not interested in love or anything like that.’ “…Yet again, huh?” How many times have I been told those words? How many times did I force Natsukawa to show such a pained expression? Shaking, changing, moving hearts…Understanding one thing, another mystery deepens. Suffering this injury for someone else’s sake…it was completely useless to see through the fall sky.
Chapter 9 Onitsuka Tamao The day off school finished, returning the students to our regular school life. After a whole day had passed, I had gotten used to not being able to use my left hand, and I realized that, if I put my focus on it, I could handle myself with just my dominant hand. It’s important that my left hand gets some good rest. Mom was even kind enough to drive me to school, letting me off a bit of a distance away from the school gate. Because of this injury, I felt like I was living life in easy mode, so Natsukawa saying I took this too lightly might have been not far off. I swiftly got out of the car, as the other Kouetsu students nearby started whispering. In fact, I was the top celebrity of the school—Well, you knew that wasn’t the case, right? “Big Sis…You’re standing out.” “I’m not doing this because I want to.” Of course, all the attention was focused on the 49th Kouetsu High School student council vice president. Think about it…Walking down a short path with virtually no danger, there’s a regular high school boy, with a beast right behind him. For a person living in peaceful Japan, this sight must be horrifying. My knees would definitely give out. If I had to compare it, it would be like the demon chasing after Momotaro, having sworn revenge. Not only would I rather walk to school than be taken by car, but I could really go without this companion. I feel like she might suck the life out of me. No amount of makeup can fix that face. “Come on, let’s go.”
“…” The boys looked at me in awe and dread, whereas the girls cheered in joy. Big Sis ignored both of these as she walked on ahead. She seemed like she didn’t care much but then rushed straight through the crowd. Make a path, the true messiah has arrived. A faint whirlwind tickled my cheek. “…You doing okay?” “Should be fine.” “You’re not just saying stuff, are you?” “I’m not, I’m not. I’m okay.” Big Sis turned around to glare at me. I can’t tell if she’s worried about me or angry. And since the day had barely started, I genuinely didn’t know what challenges waited ahead. But just when I thought she was in a bad mood again, her expression changed into a sour face. “…Sorry.” “What?” “All because I asked something weird of you.” “Oh, geez. Forget about that already.” “…Okay.” Even now, we have a complicated relationship. More accurately, our thoughts and opinions simply don’t line up. But Big Sis can’t accept that, and the whole incident on the way back home only accelerated that. And she blames herself for this injury, thinking that she and her allies inadvertently caused it. There came the fissure of anger and opposition, regret and reflection. She seems to be shaking left and right between those two.
“Do you have your painkillers and extra bandages?” “Sure do,” I answered Big Sis’s question, who asked this without even turning around. Seems like she thinks of me as some loser who can’t even take care of the injury he caused himself. But who am I to talk? I stabbed my own hand with sewing scissors like an idiot. “What about the documents for the next sports festival and the outline for the next student council election?” “Why would I have that?” “Just kidding.” What is this woman saying? She made it sound so natural, I struggled to realize she was actually joking. Or what, is she planning on making me her errand boy until the day she retires from the student council? “Why are we even walking all the way to the school gate?” “Because this place is unnecessarily large, I guess?” ““…Sigh.”” That exchange rarely enough made it feel like we were actually related by blood for once. But it was quite the sight to see the alwayshealthy Big Sis sighing like that. Usually, she looks like she’s constantly on her period. As I spewed some evil comments at her in my mind, a shadow appeared from beside us, the silhouette looking dignified and confident. On their arm, I could see a bandage that read ‘Public morals.’ “Hey, you miserable twins.”
The voice I heard cut through air like a box cutter, emitting confidence and pride. Looking over, Shinomiya-senpai stood next to the school gate with crossed arms, looking at us. “Just when I was happy to see you getting along while coming to school, you start sighing wildly. Just looking at you is sapping me off all my energy.” “Oh, Rin. Carry me to the classroom.” “What a violent accusation coming from the alleged public morals committee president, Shinomiya-senpai. If you just take Big Sis with you, I’ll pretend I didn’t hear a thing.” “What…is this? Why do I feel so annoyed?” Even Shinomiya-senpai was at her wit’s end once the trouble children arrived. Please, won’t you just accept my request? What I need right now is a reliable but sassy Onee-san. Not a gorilla Onee-san. “I swear…You’re supposed to be the student council’s vice president. Aren’t you a bit too listless now that the cultural festival has ended?” “That’s right, vice president! Don’t go around terrifying your surroundings with that aggressive aura of yours. Do your own job.” I joined in. “You little…” “Hey, don’t use me as a shield!” “Eeek…!” Normally, you would call this a meat shield, but with Shinomiyasenpai in front of me, she was more like an iron wall. Right now, I might even be able to defeat Big Sis—or so I foolishly assumed, but
Shinomiya-senpai grabbed my necktie and pulled me in front of Big Sis. Glared at by two warriors of destruction, I folded. “I mean…the cultural festival is over, and you’ll be handling the sports festival. We’re just gonna run our eyes through the documents and give our sign of approval.” “That may be true, but…Wait, that’s not the point. I’m speaking in terms of being a model for the students, and…Hm?” I was still in a defensive stance, protecting my face with both my hands, when Shinomiya-senpai suddenly grabbed my left wrist. She ran her gaze along the back of my hand to the palm, as the color of her eyes changed. “Y-You’re gravely injured! Just what in the world happened?!” “Um…?” Judging from that reaction, she didn’t know about my injury. I glanced over at Big Sis, who crossed her arms and shook her head in silence. Guess she didn’t tell her. “Well, the thing is…” “I’ll explain everything. You go on ahead.” “R-Right…” I wanted to explain everything when Big Sis grabbed my shoulder and pulled me away, pushing me past the school gate. I could tell I had no room to argue. And Shinomiya-senpai gave Big Sis a stern gaze. “…Then I’ll be going.” The two of them were facing each other, not allowing any intervention. Even though I was at the center of it all, I was treated like an outsider. Will Big Sis tell her the truth, or will she use an excuse like
I did? I just closed my eyes and walked away. Until I reached the shoe lockers, I decided not to look at Shinomiya-senpai. * Looking at the clock hanging above the blackboard, I realized that it was about the same time I would usually get to school. Since I knew I’d get escorted to school by car, I left later than usual, so that probably matched up now. “…?” I didn’t know if it was just my imagination, but even though a lot of students had arrived already, the mood was awfully gloomy and heavier than usual. Is that…because of my injury? No, that can’t be the case. I’m not the center of attention or anything like that. “Hey…Hey, Yamazaki.” “Oh, Sajou! I heard you got injured. Why are you coming to school like this?” “Why shouldn’t I?” A group of people had built in the back, leaning against the lockers, so I called out to Yamazaki. He even read the mood and kept his voice down a bit. Since he’s made a high school debut like me, he knows how to read the mood. I just wish he’d act this way around girls, too. He’d be popular. “Why’s the classroom so calm this morning?” “Ah…Well…Check out the girls sitting at their desks.” “Hm…?” I looked around, realizing that a lot of the girls were already sitting at their desks. And the selection gave me really bad vibes. That’s
Shirai-san, Okamocchan…Ah. “…Did you realize?” “Wh-Where’s Sasaki…?” “Came to school with Saitou-san and then up and left with her somewhere.” “Yikes…” “And when the moody makers in class are down in the dumps, the mood of the whole class tanks.” “That bastard Sasaki…” Hearing Iwata and Yamazaki talk with each other, I couldn’t help but grumble to myself. That’s right. Yuki-chan and Saitou-san weren’t the only girls who had a crush on Sasaki…I was once again reminded of his influence as I looked around in the classroom, when Ichinose-san turned around and our eyes met. A faint “Ah” came from her mouth, I could tell. She stood up, looking like she was panicking, as she carefully walked over. “U-Um…!” “Morning, Ichinose-san.” “Good morning…!” “Sorry for making you worry.” “Ahhh…!” I waved my left hand with the bandage at her. She stared at me, grew pale, and then forcefully stopped my hand from moving. It must have been too impactful of a scenery, as she seemed frantic.
“Y-You can’t do that…!” “Sorry, sorry.” She grabbed my sleeve with all her might, showing how serious she was. The almond eyes appearing from below her bangs shook greatly. This is hard to watch. Influence, control…In a way, this is the same as with Sasaki. “Yikes, I can almost feel your pain there.” “Like some middle-schooler syndrome.” “Hey, stop that. I’m super conscious of it,” I grumbled. “Keh heh heh…” This bastard just says whatever he wants. And actually, the pain doesn’t even matter if I have to deal with this abuse. I’ll be throwing the same words at you once you get hurt, I swear. “…Aren’t you worried about Sajou-kun?” I was making vicious plans for the future, when Ichinose-san turned toward the two boys. She seemed oddly infuriated at them acting like it was none of their business. That’s right! Tell them! “Huh? I mean…” “He’s not gonna die, right?” “Wha…” Boys be boys, I guess? *
Heading to my seat, I saw that Natsukawa had yet to arrive. Instead, I checked over at Ashida talking with an unexpected individual. “Yo, what a weird match-up.” “Ah, Sajocchi! Good mor—Oh.” “…Are you okay?” Standing next to Ashida was our class rep Iihoshi-san. She’s like a hidden normie, clearly voicing her likes and dislikes. She’s the person who made the class group, and she’s got the guts to speak against girls she doesn’t like, so she can be a bit scary. From what I heard, she is also the one who set up the whole party. “Should be fine. I’m standing here, after all.” “I see…Well, if you say that.” “But still, be careful, Sajou-kun.” “Aye. I will burn it into my heart.” “Very well.” “What kind of relationship is unfolding in front of me right now?” Subconsciously, I struck a pose like a military recruit, saluting with a straight back. Weird, I don’t see any future where I could win against Iihoshi-san. If we ever had to fight, I would probably get beaten up by her fans. And after she nodded, she returned to her seat. Watching her off, I placed my belongings on my desk. Man, that was heavy… “What were you talking about with her?” “Hm? Confirming the cause, I guess.” “The cause?”
“Mm.” “…Ah.” Ashida moved her chin to make me look at Okamocchan. She sat still on her seat, staring down at her desk. I guess girls will be girls. And Iihoshi-san must be wanting to do something about this. “Well…We can’t avoid this path. And some scars only heal with time.” “Experienced, eh?” “My scars haven’t healed…” “Little attached baby.” “Oh shut up.” Don’t underestimate me, I went through my own share of shit. If we kept more of a distance, I might be able to get over her, but the distance between us right now won’t let me forget. She’s still trying to be friends with me despite everything. And if she even goes so far as to touch me, I can feel my tail wagging. “Oh yeah, Natsukawa isn’t here yet, right?” “Exactly! I haven’t seen her for a day, so I need my Aichi vitamins quickly.” “You’re one to talk.” She gave me a sharp gaze…Wait, is she planning on keeping Natsukawa all to herself?! “I bet you met her yesterday, didn’t you?”
“Why would you bet on that? Who do you take me for? I’m not chasing after her or anything, okay?” Well, I was never that bad to begin with. I just followed her while she was aware of it…Man, I was a pain to deal with. Wouldn’t want to imagine Big Sis’s face. “Ah, speak of the devil.” Suddenly, Ashida’s face lit up. I followed her gaze, seeing Natsukawa enter the classroom. Run right now! You’re gonna get attacked! “Aichi, good morning! You’re later than usual!” “Eeek?! H-Hey…” Ashida shot up and leaped at Natsukawa. Her tail began aggressively wagging like she was a golden retriever, clinging to her arm. But she failed to reach inside Natsukawa’s skirt, so she failed. “Morning, Natsukawa.” “Ah…Um…Morning.” I greeted her myself, as she returned a somewhat awkward response. This atmosphere…It’s the same as with Shirai-san and Okamocchan? No way…! Is Natsukawa also depressed because of Sasaki? No, that’s impossible. She never had an expression like Saitousan did. Not in front of me either. I never saw a face like hers. I imagined the worst-case scenario for a moment, as my heart raced for all the wrong reasons, when Natsukawa called out to me. “Did you…leave your house earlier than usual?” “Hm? Nope, I got here by car today, so I left later.” “Ah…Right, I see. With that injury, that makes sense…”
“…?” There’s something wrong with Natsukawa. Did she just…sigh? Because she’s talking to me? Aw man, that’s a shock. It can’t be my fault, right? Did something bad happen to her? “…Is your hand okay?” “No worries. I’m letting it rest properly.” “Yeah…I think that’s better.” “What about you, Aichi? You seem a bit down today.” “Huh? N-No, not at all.” “Hmmmm…?” “Wh-What…?” While still clinging to Natsukawa, Ashida closely observed her face. You’re too close! One wrong move, and…and…If you did that in front of me, my brain would melt…or would it be lit on fire? Keep going! Keep going! “Well, this time, it was out of your control.” “Wh-What do you mean…?” “Nothing at all?” “Kei…!” “?” …? I feel extremely left out right about now. I’ve got no clue what they are talking about. There could be something about Natsukawa that I fail to realize but Ashida’s got her figured out…? Where is the
difference between us…?! I know, I’ll just leave this to her. Sometimes, it’s better not to overstep your boundaries to invade other people’s privacy. I think it might be territory that has no space for a man, so I’ll just leave Natsukawa alone until she’s better. “I’m counting on you, Ashida. I know when to leave the stage, after all.” “Nope, you clearly got the wrong idea. And I bet you were thinking about something gross.” “Can’t you be a bit more considerate of your words? I’m injured. A bit of kindness wouldn’t hurt.” I’m using my injury as a handicap for my opponent…Very useful, indeed. I’ll make anybody who needs to start shit shut up with this very technique. I can tell that me being depressed will negatively impact my injury and the pain I feel. So, I’m definitely not using this as a pretense or anything. I’m just trying to heal with this boring method. “That’s right! You gotta be kind to the people who are injured!” “?!” “?!” I sat on my chair when a sudden and soft sensation enveloped my head. Something akin to perfume with the sweet and sour scent of citrus tickled my nose. I remember the name when we were together with our relatives and everyone was drinking and sitting in a room for hours. This scent is… “Y-You are…!” “When Sajocchi got taken to the hospital…”
Looking at the direction the two were facing, paired with their reaction, I finally realized that someone was currently clinging to me. I looked up and down, seeing a short skirt, with long and slender legs that would make you fall for the person in a heartbeat. What is this… heaven? “…I-Is that…Onitsuka-senpai?” “Correct! Well done! How’d you know?” “Your voice…and the scent of your perfume.” As expected, the person clinging to my head was the gal I met at the infirmary just the other day—Onitsuka-senpai. And on the way home, I think Big Sis called her “Tamao,” too…I feel like I heard that before… “Smells good, right?” “Mm…Ah, wait!” The grip on my head grew stronger, as my face was pressed against her stomach. It seems like she doesn’t even see a junior two years younger than her as a member of the opposite sex. Is she just trying to tickle a bashful reaction out of me? But even so, this is a bit much… Maybe because she’s an ex-gal? “Yep…Yep…Just as I thought.” “H-Hold on! What are you doing?!” Natsukawa roared. “I’m just being nice to him…To Kaede’s adorable little bro!” “Y-You know his sister…?” “She’s one of my best friends!”
While embracing me, she touched my uniform. It’s the same thing Ashida does when clinging to Natsukawa. The “Indulging in someone’s scent,” I think. I…I see? So this is what it feels to be the one getting touched all over…? I understand why Natsukawa pretended to dislike it only to blush a bit…Gosh, stop it already… (More)! “And you, too…! How long are you going to sit still like that…!” “Ah…! E-Excuse me! I think this is enough!” “You perverted, Sajocchi. Deviant.” “Urk…!” Crap, I completely gave in to my desires…! Even though I wasn’t the one taking the initiative for the hugging, Natsukawa and Ashida gave me deadly stares, then there’s Okamocchan in front of me still with a broken heart, as well as everyone else in the classroom being on edge. Flirting around like this is bad…! I need to get away from her as quickly as possible! “Huh? Nah, don’t wanna.” Geez, if you’re that adamant on it, then I’ll have to…Huh? Wait, what? But before I could voice my doubts, she pressed her body on me with even greater force. Being the “Younger brother of a classmate” says that anybody involved would immediately lose their caution and rationality. Shinomiya-senpai has taught me enough. That’s why I figured she’d greet me if we met in the hallway, maybe she’d tease me here and there…but even if she does not see me as a man, this is a bit much, no? On the contrary, it would almost make me get the wrong idea that she has feelings for me. But of course, barely any time has passed since we first met. I highly doubt she would fall for me when all she ever saw of me was groaning and suffering from the pain. Who would even develop feelings because of that? This better not be some trap set up because she despises Big Sis…
“Wh-Why…?!” “Huh? Just because?” “Wha…?!” The soft sensation and warmth made my head tingle. White eyes of contempt, paired with a beauty’s sharp gaze glaring at me. From the boys in the distance came waves of hostility. Um, is this hell? “So…Like, seriously now.” “Whoops! Was I a bit too careful? My bad!” “I mean…I don’t mind.” I realized that the situation was getting worse, so I asked her to actually let go of me. And once I did, she listened and did as she was told. She took a step back, but the scent of her perfume still drifted around me in the air. I would have fanned my hand through the air a bit, but I definitely can’t do that with the person in front of me. “So…Onitsuka-senpai?” “Tamao is fine. Repeat after me! Ta-Ma-O-senpai!” “No, um…That’s a bit sudden. Could I just…?” “Yeah, what’s up?” “Could you relax a bit?” Onitsuka-senpai stood in front of me, having just moved away. Yet, she seemed close to clinging to me once again. I could swear I saw a tail wagging behind her, just like when Ashida spots Natsukawa. Her arms seemed itchy, too. Just what is she getting so excited over? “You’re a bit too…close. It’s not normal.”
“Th-That’s right!” “This is a bit more than just bold…” “? I mean, you’re Kaede’s little bro!” Even Ashida who always got touchy-feely showed her discontent at this situation. Yet, Onitsuka-senpai did not even understand what she did. Normally, you wouldn’t cling to someone just because they are a friend’s younger brother. Maybe if it was a pet…I mean, I was pretending to be a shepherd during the cultural festival, but still… “That might be true…But I am also a man.” “I know that?” I…highly doubted that. Gals have unlimited possibilities to them, after all. I can’t tell what process is running in her mind to reach a conclusion. I don’t think she’s doing this just to tease me. She must have a reason. “I came here to seduce you.” “Why the hell?” Met with such a baffling response, I forgot to keep my polite facade up. I mean, that’s just scary. She came here to win me over? That makes the hug extremely calculative. She used her body to her advantage. She came here to fight. It’s a honey trap. I don’t know if it was subconscious or not, but I feel like I’m not gonna find my answer soon. How would me being Big Sis’s little brother make a random girl fall for me? Where’s the syllogism? Where’s the “step” in hop step? This is more like skip at this point. “So, did you fall for me? Did I manage to seduce you?” “I did not (but seriously almost did) fall for you.”
“Mhm, so close! I can tell I almost got you to the good part.” “Ack…N-Not at all, no.” “Hey, Sajocchi.” “So simple…” I knew that the entire hug was highly calculated. And the goal was to make me wall for her, apparently…Hah, she really is looking down on me. I almost fell into her web of lies. I mean, not like I was already stuck in the web of another woman. Plus, the scent of citrus all over my body probably acted as web threads all the same. She’s not marking me, is she? “And what would you do after making me fall for you?” “Hm? We’d start dating, duh.” “Huh?” “Huh?” She didn’t intend on squeezing me dry of my money to then throw me away like a used toy? She’d actually start a relationship? Is she okay with that? I’m not as “passionate” as Big Sis, nor am I as hot as Sasaki. “S-So then?” “We’re gonna flirt around like crazy! And then we’re happy.” “…” “Wa. Ta. Ru.” “Ah…?!”
That was dangerous! The reason she wanted to win me over was so simple yet perfect, I almost fell in love with her…! But, I won’t be deceived! She must be hiding the real reason she’s doing this. So… should I ask that ? The forbidden question? If that isn’t clear, then we won’t be getting anywhere. “So, do you…like me?” “? Nope.” “Wha…Are you serious…?! God damn it…!” “S-Sajocchi…!” My right fist bit into my knee. A bit more, and I could have done the same with my left hand. But the pain didn’t matter. My face…it feels so hot…Oh god…But at the very least, I now know where I was at. She’s an evil gal who enjoys teasing the younger brother of her best friend. And she’ll use whatever weapon necessary to win over the person of her interest, probably calling nerds and otakus gross cockroaches behind their backs. With that decided, let’s go home, boys. “…So? Why would you want me to fall for you?” “Because I can pick up a distinct lack of affection here.” “……” “Wataru’s…pale as snow…” I see. This is what it feels like to be led around the nose by a woman. I feel like I’ve grown up compared to five minutes ago. Man, I really feel like getting the boys together for some SmashBros right now. “Haha! I guess we’re short on time for some major progress. Looking for a job’s rough, so I was hoping to get myself a boyfriend who can
spoil me a bit.” Shortly after Onitsuka-senpai uttered those words, Natsukawa shot up like a bullet. “F-For that reason…?! Even though you don’t even like him…” “That doesn’t matter. We’re not gonna get married day one, so as long as we’re okay with it and have fun, that’s good enough.” “Th-That’s…” This love…might not be half bad. It really does feel like a normie’s love, though. Not to mention that she’s a gal plus normie. I had no idea Big Sis had a friend like. I thought she just had Shinomiya-senpai. But that aside, Natsukawa struggled to find any words at Onitsuka-senpai’s rebuttal. Knowing the pure and innocent Natsukawa, she probably sees her ideal as the boy and girl slowly getting closer, falling in love with each other, confessing to each other, and then starting to date. And that’s not wrong…It’s just not realistic—But because Natsukawa is like, I always… “Well, to each their own, right?” “Ah! So you get it, little bro?” “But that’s why she’s fine thinking this way. The whole “You shouldn’t be dating if you don’t have any romantic feelings.” All she has to do is find someone with the same values, grow her bond with them, and then start a relationship that works perfectly for both of them. If they are fine with it and happy, then I think that’s just as great.” “Ah…” “Phew, talk about showing off.”
Don’t look at me with that glitter in your eyes…It didn’t get through to her at all, huh? How can she be so strong? What even is this stat sheet she has? She talked about looking for a job and all that, but should we really let her roam free in society? I feel like she’s gonna make it to the top by sheer will. I’m guessing her idea of love has a severe sophistry attached to it. I don’t think normies like her would give relationships too much of a thought, anyway. If they’re met with two choices, they’ll nonchalantly check out this, then maybe that…so and so forth. But, that’s fine. If she’s happy like that. “Ahaha…I see, I see. Makes sense.” “?” “You’re a lot more mature than I thought…Little bro.” “Gonna fall for me?” “Almost.” “Wha…?!” No way, for real? Wooo, I’m getting excited! …Yeah, just kidding. She probably just randomly responded on a whim. You won’t deceive me like this. She’s about as dangerous as Yuki-chan. No way she’d ever fall for me. Coming from the person who’s held feelings for one person for years now. “…I’ll leave it at this for today.” “…!” I could tell she was finally satisfied with whatever she was doing. And I couldn’t let that chance slip. The atmosphere in the classroom was getting bad, so this was the time for her to head back.
“Time’s passed on, so I’m guessing Big Sis is looking for you right about now.” “Keep this a secret from Kaede, ‘kay?” “I don’t know, I’m not good at keeping secrets.” But of course, I had to tell Big Sis about this. I don’t know what sort of relationship they had, but I needed some way to grab the reins. “Then I guess I have to bribe you~” “Hm? What are you—” “Ah…!” My view suddenly was blocked to the left. I closed my eyes, when a soft sensation touched my eyelid. Opening my eyes again, I saw Onitsuka-senpai’s lips just moving away from me. “Keep your left hand still, yeah? Stay woke out there.” “…” “Catch you on the flip side~” The scent of citrus slowly grew distant. Without being bothered by all this attention, Onitsuka-senpai just trotted out of the classroom. I didn’t even know what to say, making me forget even the pain in my left hand. “…What was…Huh?” I returned to my senses as I felt a bubble inside my own mouth popping. I used the tip of my left hand to touch my eyelid, but only felt my thin skin. There was no warmth left over. “…Huh?”
The first kiss I had ever received from a woman…was on my left eyelid. But with it being so abrupt and everything, the feeling of it really had happened didn’t set in. If anything, it made me tremble in fear that she didn’t even choose a proper location. Is this what an expert in love does? “…” “Um, well, Sajocchi?” “Wh-Why are you looking over here…?” The two girls were just as bewildered as me. I looked over at them to ask for help in analyzing what had just happened. Instead, Natsukawa grumbled at me like she was in a bad mood. It seems like even the two of them were at a loss for words. And after thinking about it for a moment, I spoke up. “What…did she mean by woke?” “…Who knows.” “…” The chaotic cultural festival ended, bringing us back to regularly scheduled programming. Yet, this regular morning was so impulsive, embarrassing, and confusing—Making me wonder where the high school life I always dreamed of ran off to.
Chapter 9.5 Extra 1: That Much? “…” First period was about modern society. The sound of chalk hitting the blackboard filled the otherwise quiet classroom. At the front stood the teacher with their textbook open, talking to no end, and we sat in the back, just copying everything, listening in dread and boredom…I wonder. I’m moving my pen across the paper like crazy, and yet I feel so bored. Isn’t there any way to get my motivation pumping? As I was scratching my head, the teacher’s hand stopped as they placed the chalk on the blackboard, flipping through the pages. Finally, I can take a bit of rest. We students use this time to check our pens or scratch our noses, checking our bangs and whatnot. I wonder what Natsukawa’s doing behind me…She’s not making a sound. I’m curious now. Isn’t there any way I could check…Okay, I know just the thing to use. I put my elbow on my desk, pretending to slack off, while using the window to my left to check the reflection of Natsukawa—Only to feel utter dread. “…Ugah?!” “Huh? Wh-What?” “What was that?” Gaaaaaaaaaah! I forgot the injury in my left hand! The pain overwhelmed me, forcing me to grasp my left hand’s wrist in pain. Since the bandage was still wrapped around my hand, it didn’t seem too bad from the outside, which made me forget all about it. I
happened to stab my own jaw right onto my palm, completely messing up. How could I be so stupid… “…You okay back there, Sajou?” “Y-Yes…” The teacher glanced at me, figuring out what must have happened. While tearing up, I somehow managed to respond. S-So embarrassing… If there was a hole around, I’d do a Lupin dive straight into it. “…Dummy.” I heard a disappointed voice from behind me. Utterly devastated, I placed my hands on my knees and sat still for the rest of the class. * Living life without your left hand? Easy! Before the day started, I was brimming with confidence, but it didn’t long before I screamed in pain for the third time because I carelessly tried to grab something with my left hand. Add the previous incident to that, I realized I kept on relying on my left hand too much subconsciously. Maybe…I was actually left-handed my whole life? “…Man…” “You seem to be struggling quite a bit, Sajocchi.” “This is just too much.” Class ended and I stared at my left hand with a sigh, when Ashida called out to me. Behind her was Natsukawa, harsh as always. At first, she was worried about me, too. When I first screamed in pain, she rushed over to check up on me. I was honestly happy about this injury… in the beginning. Because the hell had just begun. The people around stopped bothering me…Natsukawa grew annoyed at my clumsiness…
Yamazaki and the boys were all like “Trying to get attention?” I swear, I’ll let them eat my fist during the next lunch break. I showed the smile of a villain as I glared at the imaginary Yamazaki, swearing my revenge. “L-Like hell I’ll give in because of this…Don’t underestimate my persistence. I’m confident in my body’s toughness. I’ll show all of you…!” “Why are you glaring at them like that?” “If you’re not careful, you’ll only make things worse.” So said Ashida and Natsukawa, but I couldn’t let that stand. The girls are all fine and dandy, but those boys…those bastards, they will suffer. They use each chance they get to grin at me and tease me. I’m not gonna lose to them! “I’m done being laughed at by them.” “I swear…This shouldn’t be your focus right now! If you don’t stop, I’ll tell your sister!” “Huh? Um, that’s…against the rules…” “You just don’t know when to give up.” “Sniff…” “Not cute at all,” Ashida commented after watching my exchange with Natsukawa. With Natsukawa being born an older sister, she knew exactly which buttons to push to scold me. It’s a sign of her worrying about me, so I did feel happy, but I couldn’t relax just yet. After all, the promised subject arrived, the subject we only had twice this week—P.E. With the sports festival coming up, the classes will focus mostly on ball sports. Second-year students have the right to the sports grounds, so we
moved to the gym hall. Clearly, that limited us on what we could practice. Offense and defense, one step forth and one back, the match heating up…and I sat at the side of the hall because I couldn’t participate, obviously. The bastards once again laughing at me. The girls snickering at how lame I was. Trying to bear with this shame…Just thinking about this scenario made my skin crawl. I can’t let this end with just me watching. I have to participate somewhere. “…!” “Is it just me, or is Sajou getting fired up?” “I swear…Will he really be okay?” * Third period rolled around, meaning it was time for P.E. The girls headed to their designated changing room, whereas the boys did in the classroom. It’s finally time, huh? “Hey hey, Sajou? Is there really any need for you to change?” “Shouldn’t it be better for you to get some rest?” “Y-You guys…” “People with a girlfriend are to shut up.” “Ugh…” Sasaki cried to chime in and protect me from Yamazaki and Iwata grinning at me, but they shut him down faster than Natsukawa ever did with me. Seemed like that argument of theirs was highly effective as he just blushed and not uttered another word. Also, Sasaki! Since when did you turn into such a lovebird! Also also, guys with girlfriends don’t have any room to argue here!
“Don’t underestimate me. I’ll be your master referee today. Basketball, volleyball, handball, table tennis, I’ve remembered the rules of every single sport. I get to decide when you get points…and when you don’t. And I’ve just decided…that all your points won’t be counted.” “Huh?! That’s playing dirty, Sajou!” “Are you really a master referee like that?” That’s right. Even if I were to be unscathed and planned on participating in today’s class, two of the boys would be tasked to be the referees or handle other stuff. So even if an injured person like me is here, it won’t change a thing. But, I can use this to my advantage. I’ve still got hope. “…All right.” I made sure to adjust my bandage and headed to the gym hall. The girls seemed to have finished changing, too, gathering up. In the midst of that, I spotted Ichinose-san. When our eyes met, she looked at me with a worried expression and trotted over to me. Is there really any reason to be this secretive? Maybe she doesn’t want to be seen with me…? Naturally, her gaze wandered to my left hand. The season was starting to get chilly, but we high school boys still wore our regular shirts. Unlike our school uniform, this look showed my left hand much more clearly, so looking at the bandage and everything must have worried her. “S-Sajou-kun, I really think you should sit out for today…” “No worries, no worries. I’m gonna be turned into the referee, so I’m pretty much sitting out, anyway. Not gonna use my left hand.” “…”
Despite my attempt to reassure her, her worried expression did not disappear. I’m sorry, Ichinose-san…But sometimes, we men can’t back down from a fight. If I were to stay docile now, they would never let me live it down. I have to fight for my high school life. “…Ah! Hey, Wataru!” “Ack…” Following that, Natsukawa and Ashida entered the gym hall. The moment Natsukawa saw me, she immediately ran over. Yep, she’s clearly angry…I’m scared. “Why are you wearing your gym clothes?! You don’t actually intend to participate, do you?!” “W-Well, I’m not gonna move much anyway! I won’t do anything to make the injury get worse! Right, Ashida?” “Words spoken can’t be taken aback, Sajocchi.” “Oh…Okay…?” I frantically tried to make an excuse and checked over at Ashida, but she didn’t seem on my side at all. Rather, almost distracted. I could see a faint fire burning in her eyes. “…Are the girls playing volleyball?” “She’s in her own world already.” “Ugh…” Natsukawa showed a wry smile, as Ichinose-san staggered backwards, unable to face the fire coming from Ashida head-on. I’m guessing she doesn’t like all this passion and excitement you’d usually find in a club. But watching someone else be just as fired up as I led to my flame cooling down a bit. I gotta get my head into the game.
“…The boys and girls are separated, right?” “So you just sit still and watch.” “D-Don’t wanna…” “So selfish…Don’t come crying later.” “Ack…” As we were talking, more and more students entered the gym hall. And finally, the gym teacher arrived so we all gathered up. Stretches done, the boys and girls were split up. The boys got to play basketball, with the girls playing volleyball. Basketball, huh? How nice…I would have loved to participate. “Sajou, you handle the scoreboard.” “Huh…? No, um, could I be the referee—” “What are you talking about? That’d force you to run along the lines all the time. Can’t have you do that with your injury.” “Th-That’s…” “No buts. Off you go.” “Um, wait…” Y-You…! You ruined my perfect plan…! But, wait…I can still do something even if I’m only handling the scoreboard. Like cheerleaders during the world cup…So if I do it right, then—Yeah, of course that didn’t happen. “Man…”
The gym hall was split into half, the side closer to the stage set up for the boys and their basketball field, the other half being the volleyball court for the girls. I grabbed the basket with the whistles and cloth with the numbers under my arm, pushing the scoreboard from the small storage shed into the hall. Phew, that’s most of the preparations done…Wait, am I just doing the dirty work? “Thanks a bunch, Mr. Handicapped.” “Shut up.” Yamazaki swiftly evaded my kick. Folding his body, he laughed eerily as he jumped backwards. He really is wasting his face and height away by being so creepy. I don’t think he’s gonna be popular anytime soon. Under the decision of the teacher, the leading player was announced to be Yamazaki from the basketball club. He probably wants to neatly split up the boys into three groups. Which makes sense…But should he really have someone from the basketball club handle that? “Guess you couldn’t become the referee, Sajou…Kehehe.” “Ugh…!” D-Damn you…! But I can’t start a fight in front of everyone or I’ll be the lame one…Rather than messing up by stealing his role, I should focus on not messing up the scores. Wait for your chance, Sajou Wataru…! ‘U-Um, Sensei?’ ‘Hm? AH, right. Hey, Sajou!’ “Hm? Yes!” ‘Switch!’ “…What?”
* “…Sajou-kun! One’s rolling over on your end!” “G-Gotcha!” Looking in the direction the girl pointed, I saw a volleyball colored blue, yellow, and white. And I ran after it like a genuine dog. I stopped it before it rolled over onto the boys’ court and then threw it across the net. Right after, I could see a shadow jump up next to the net in the corner of my eye. “Next! Hup!” “G-Got it…Ah?!” “So close!” The ball spiked towards the ground was scooped up with a receive from another girl. I’m guessing she must not be doing much exercise daily, because her angle was off, as it flew to the side. “Sorry about that, Sajou-kun!” “No worries, no worries!” I once again ran after the next ball. Because of the weird spin it had, it did play with me for a moment, but I finally managed to capture it. This odd feeling of success had me wipe my sweat away. My new duty… was being the ball boy for the girls. One of the girls couldn’t participate and instead watched from the sidelines, so I came over to help. “Hehe, thanks, Sajou-kun.” “No biggie.”
The girl showed me a wink and stuck out her tongue. Paired with the faint sweat on her face, that youthful smile was utterly destructive. I finally realized…This is where I was always supposed to be. You bastards, go have fun at your sausage party! “Next! Hup!” “Eeek?!” “Whoa?!” Another harsh spike was rammed across the net, the girl being unable to receive it, as the ball zoomed past me. It slammed against the wall with a loud sound, the surprise making me let out a dumbfounded voice. “Sajocchi! We’re running out of balls!” “You’re just taking this too seriously! The girls can’t accept it anymore, and that’s why I have to keep running!” “Tehe. Sorry, I’m just really motivated.” Unlike the boys, the girls weren’t having a match. For the majority of the sports festival, it’ll be the third-year students participating in the matches, so any class lower than that is mostly just practicing. Now that the toss and receive practice was over, the next training was focusing on Ashida doing a spike, with the girls trying their hand at a receive, toss, and spike. From my inexperienced eye, they seem to be struggling with the receives…But Ashida also just doesn’t know how to hold back. Thanks to that, I can barely catch a break as the ball boy. “Ashida-chan…This is too tough for beginners like us!” “Kei, can you please hold back a bit…?”
I don’t blame those reactions. Seeing her body twist whenever she prepares a spike is making me shiver in terror. I mean, it’s perfect for a member of the volleyball club, but still… “Hold back…Hold back…” “Can you do it?” “Yeah…Should be fine!” I used this brief reprise to glance at the boys, as the match was heating up. Yamazaki was actually taking his role as a referee seriously. Iwata messed up his shoot and got laughed at. Sure seems fun…I would have loved to play with them. “Ichinose-san, here I go!” “Y-Yesh…” Oh, it’s Ichinose-san’s turn? I’m a bit worried if she can actually receive the ball with those slender arms. I have to watch carefully to ensure she doesn’t get hurt— “Huuup!” “Huh?!” “Ah?!” “Wha…?!” Ashida still didn’t seem used to holding back, as her spike went off to the side. It landed far away from Ichinose-san…and I guess I’m just imagining things, but the ball was heading right for me—Wait, it’s not just me cooking up things! “Sajocchi!”
“Wataru!” “Urk…?!” To stop the ball, I pushed both my arms ahead of me—No, I can’t! Any more stress on my left hand and my injury will only get worse! I have to stop it with my body…No! That just looks painful as all hell! I’m done with pain for at least another week! So then…! “…Hngh…!” I believed in my reflexes and attempted a jab with my right hand. Through that, I can at least redirect it, and—What?! Before I realized what was wrong, it was already too late. Everything turned to slow motion. The ball I should have avoided bounced off of my hand diagonally, drawing an ellipse, as it twirled ahead. Springing off from the ground in a Z curve, the ball aimed directly at my lower body—-Oh, Goddess. “XYWEUCHYWXH?!” “S-Sajocchiii?!” It felt like someone slammed a hammer right into my core. I lost all strength to keep standing, barely making it in time to slam my right arm on the ground so that I didn’t fall over completely. Since the floor of the hall was of top quality, the impact it felt mostly came back to me…And my lower body. “…! Huff…! Ah…! Ugh…!” “S-Sajocchi’s Sajocchi is dead!” I felt the urge to vomit, like I was experiencing motion sickness but 500 times worse. The pain almost made me scream, but my pride wouldn’t allow for that to happen in front of the girls. I put all my
strength into my legs to stand up again, getting on one knee while putting my right arm on my forehead to strike a pose. “Ugh…Oooo…” “Sajocchi!” Footsteps approached me. Each step made the ground vibrate ever so slightly causing an earthquake with a magnitude of 1. Please… stop…slow…Don’t come running. “Sajocchi! I’m sorry! Are you okay?!” “…” “S-Sajocchi…! Oh no, what do I do…Should I rub your back?” Please stop. Don’t touch me. Don’t shake me. Please, just leave me alone. Forget I even exist. “Or…would you rather I…” Stop! Don’t stimulate my lower body by blushing like that! Don’t get closer to me with those dazzling bare legs of yours! Don’t lean over to allow me a glance inside your shirt! And don’t look down at that place! “I…I’m okay…So…!” “Um…” I pressed my right palm ahead of me to urge her and step back. Once she did, I mustered up all the strength I had in my body to get up. I rested my body against the wall behind me, faking a smile as I recovered. “Heh…Hehehe…” “Y-You don’t have to force yourself to laugh, you know…?”
“Hehehehe…” “I’ve never seen such a forced smile on you…”
Stop meddling already. Just accept it as my regular smile. Let me keep up my facade. I don’t mind becoming your slave for the next half year. I won’t ever make fun of you again. I’ll leave all my fortune in your hands. “Huff…Huff…I’m good. Just get back.” “O-Okay…I’m sorry…” “No need to apologize…Just hold back…and keep it under control…” “O-Okay!” The girls in our class still stared at me, but I pretended to be fine. The urge to vomit slowly left my body, too. But I should still check up on my son once this class is over. More accurately, if all components were still healthy and attached. Can’t have more, or less. This one time I cannot be wrong in math. “Um…Next is Aichi!” “Y-Yeah!” In front of me, Aika entered the court as it was her turn. That’s right, I should focus on her gym clothes for now! Because of the tight fit, the line around her behind really stood out—Please don’t turn your back on me! Do that once my son is healthy again! “Huuup!” “!” All right! Nice one, Ashida! You held back just fine! Natsukawa can definitely pull off a clean receive now. I don’t need to run to her aid! “Hup…!” “Ichinose-san!”
“Waaah?!” “Kaorin!” “Hayah!” “Nice kill!” Natsukawa connected the ball beautifully, as Ichinose-san awkwardly passed it along, with Kobayashi-san jumping up and spiking it onto the opposite half of the court. Seeing this success, Ashida cheerfully raised her voice. “You did great too, Kei.” “Hehe, for real?” “Can you do that again?” “Sure!” Ah, so soothing…This is all I need. For now, I just want to watch girls being cute. And forget about the tragedy that just happened. If there happens to be a hole around, I want to go to Brazil. “…” “…Hm?” Suddenly, I saw Natsukawa looking at me with an expression like she was chewing on something unpleasant. She seemed to have remembered something, as she walked to my side like Ichinose-san usually would. N-No, please…Not now, Natsukawa-san…This is bad…I understand that I’m being picky right now, but just for today, I would prefer it if you hated my presence like usual and avoided me like the pest. Just say that I disgust you. Even I want to be alone sometimes. And with that, I mean my son wants to.
“H-Hey…” S-Stop…Don’t whisper into my ear. Can’t we do this later? You’re too close. This is illicit. The public morals committee won’t let this slide. Your warm breath is hitting me… “D-Does…your penis really hurt that much?” “?!?!?!?!?!?!” Fall of my first year as a high school student, I suffered a severe injury, unable to spend my days in peace. Despite being in the go-home club, I can not catch a break. And once again, I was the center of attention. Extra 2: Wanting To Help The cultural festival ended, and the tense, excited atmosphere inside the classroom had long vanished. The high school students had now calmed down and gotten used to their regular school life, too. However, one student sitting in the back near the hallway had returned too much to normal—Ichinose Mina, a quiet and small girl who loved reading more than anything else. “…” Recess was currently in session, and Mina took out her textbooks to prepare for the next class, as well as a novel. She opened it up and began reading through the lines. Through focusing, she became able to drown out the noises and other sounds around her, entering the world of the story—or so it should have been. “…” She couldn’t focus in the slightest. It was something she usually excelled at, but now utterly failed. But, she had a feeling as to what
could be the reason. Diagonally ahead to the left was a high school student with a brown-haired bob cut—Shirai Nonoka. She might not be on the level of Mina, but she was very docile and mature, always kind to everyone. She also enjoyed reading, but she preferred shojo manga over novels, so she’s got a wider range to work with. And there was another girl with black short hair. She sat on the opposite side of the classroom, also being like Mina in the sense she only had one boy she could put her trust in—Okamoto Aoi. She was a reader like the other two, but she also went into the shojo manga reader direction. But with these two, Mina could talk about her favorite books and the characters she loves so much. And now, these two stayed all by themselves, sitting at their desks, heads down. When the second term began, both of them were exceptionally assertive at spending time with Mina, constantly gathering at her desk, and not letting Mina read something on her own. Mina didn’t know why these two were acting like that. Ironically enough, she should be happy that she could continue reading in peace…Because this way, she could fully enjoy the world she learned about—But that wasn’t the case. “…” She couldn’t help being curious about what was going on with those two. Let alone seeming fine, they looked saddened and depressed, dropping their shoulders. At the beginning of the second term, Mina had no interest in others. So, how did she end up this way? Because she started interacting with others. The life she spent months ago was now an irregular day. And this feeling she had was similar to another precedent. … Sajou-kun . This was the name of the only boy Mina could put trust in—Sajou Wataru. When she worked part-time during the last summer break, he looked after her a lot, and they talked on the regular. Sadly, their
senior-junior relationship at work ended when the boy quit, but they’ve been getting along as classmates. Mina on the other hand continued to work and got to know more people, which meant she had less time to read. The time it took her to read a single book grew, making the list of books she still had to read grow and grow again. Sure, she did feel regret at that fact, but she also asked herself—if she wanted to return to how it was during the first time. The answer to that was a clear “Not in a million years.” It was only a small ounce of courage. A single step forward is what allowed Mina’s change to such an extent. She found out that all these memories of days that were nothing special now remained firmly in her mind. Even the memories of the cultural festival that would have normally been a dark lump now were precious experiences. She realized how important it was to stand on your own legs, to change yourself. Because that strengthened your own emotional growth. This “youth” she never understood before turned out to be something so sweet and tempting. And this…is the same… Through various experiences, it didn’t take Mina long to grasp this situation. Because Shirai Nonoka and Okamoto Aoi had already become important people to Mina. They were not strangers she could simply ignore and move on. And…there was another person. “So…Mina-chan?” “!” The third person in this group of girls greatly influenced Mina’s daily life—Saitou Mai. She had her tied into a single tail that hung down on one shoulder, emitting the air of a typical Japanese beauty, and she was another friend of Mina’s just like Shirai and Okamoto. Starting from the first term all the way to right before the cultural festival, those three basically had been inseparable. And she was also the only one who had special circumstances in this whole situation.
“Um…well…” “…” “…No, it’s nothing. I’m sorry.” “Ah…” The girl showed a hurt expression as she walked away. She always had a fickle impression on others. Whereas the other two would always run around and after Mina on the daily, she would slowly enter Mina’s life in a gentle way. And to Mina, Saitou Mai was the one she felt the closest to. And even though she had been smiling a lot more lately, there were days she had such a hurt expression. Because of that, Mina didn’t know the reason. But, she did pick up a feeling of familiarity from that expression. As an avid reader, Mina loved being by herself. That’s why she chose to stay alone and spend her time the way she wants to, and yet sometimes a contradiction slowly crept up inside of her: “Being alone is lonely.” “I hate being so pathetic,” she could hear screams inside her heart. Looking at Saitou’s expression right now, it reminded Mina of when she felt like that back then. I…want to do something. Ever since the second term began, the three of them were constantly around Mina. Yet, they all acted independently now. Mina saw them as a bother in the early days, but now they’ve become a vital part of daily life. And she had no reason to deny that now. However, there was still another problem. Just what happened…? The reason for this sudden change in situation…She tried to think about it, but realized that she knew next to nothing about the girls. She never attempted to learn more about them.
This…I’m not good enough yet. Mina knew the importance of getting back up again…so for starters, she needed information. Why are Shirai and Okamoto so devoid of any energy, and why did Saitou make that self-deprecating smile? For that, Mina had to learn more. Either by talking directly to them, or asking people close to them who could know more. She shot up from her desk, as if to raise her own motivation. * Urgh… Her current position was at her desk. Compared to the first term, Mina had gotten involved with a lot more people. However, she was still shy and introverted even after all, so she struggled to initiate a conversation with other people. She knew how important it was to muster up her courage now, but this and that were different. She cursed herself for being so naive earlier. In the end…she could only rely on her former senior. Although she didn’t want to ask an injured person like him for help. Feeling regret, she headed his way and called out to him. “U-Um…Sajou-ku—” “Phew…Huh?” “Wah!” The moment she called out to him, Wataru stood up. The timing was so awful that Mina’s words got stuck in her throat. But even so, she tried to convey her words, when— “Sorry, Ichinose-san. I gotta head to the toilet.” “Ah…”
Wataru apologized with a slight bow and then walked off. Without giving Mina a chance to stop him, he walked out of the room. And since she realized he was in a rush, she didn’t try to chase after him either. Not like she could, either. But, losing her one and only hope, Mina was at a loss. “…” “Um…Ichinose-san?” “!” “Sorry about Wataru.” “He’s so cruel!” The two who called out to Mina was the girl sitting behind Wataru— Natsukawa Aika. Together with her good friend Ashida Kei, she’s always with Wataru. She’s a beautiful girl, always sparkling, and it always made Mina freeze up when they talked. In Mina’s eyes, Aika was Wataru’s good friend, so that would make her a friend’s friend. But at the same time, she was like a stranger. Continuing the conversation without Wataru was a bit rough on her. But as Natsukawa apologized like she was speaking of a family member, Kei showed a wry smile. “Did you need something from Wataru?” Aika asked. “Maybe you wanna invite him out on a date?” “Ack…” “Hey, Kei…” Following Aika’s initial question, the representative of this class, the cheerful Kei, went on to tease Mina. And to her, Kei was an existence that she was bad at dealing with. If not for Aika reprimanding Kei, Mina might have run away at that point.
“Um, I can let him know if you’d like…?” “…” “Geez, Kei! You scared her so much she’s not even talking anymore!” “Huh?! Is it my fault?!” That was absolutely right, but also not the main reason. To Mina, even Aika was a weak point. A weakness she couldn’t defeat. Of course, she understood that the girl wasn’t a bad person in the slightest, but for introverted and shy people, logic takes second place. “…” “Okay, I got it. Kei, leave us alone.” “Wha…?! Aichi?!” “No buts!” Pushed away by Aika, Kei pretended to cry and returned to her desk. Met with this unexpected turn, Mina’s eyes opened wide. Aika must have guessed that Mina was too shy to handle this situation and took the matter into her own hands. Thanks to that, Mina came to like Aika a bit more. “So, what’s up?” “Ugh…” That being said—this still wasn’t enough. Mina didn’t know the last thing about Aika. And what scared her the most was making Aika angry without meaning to. As she was bad with expressing herself, that was a wall that almost seemed unsurmountable. She pressed one hand on her chest, trying to calm her confused heart. “Is it something…you can only talk with Wataru about?”
“…Ah…” Aika gently grasped that hand with both of hers. Even the words she told Mina were voiced with nothing but kindness. Like an older sister who allowed Mina to be selfish. It was different from Sasaki Fuuka, who would sometimes come to visit Mina at work. Then again, she was still younger than even Mina. But through this, the fear Mina had towards Aika slowly lessened, as she managed to calm down and remember her original goal. What’s most important right now is Shirai, Okamoto, and Saitou. Finding out what happened between them, and if she could find out, then it didn’t have to be Wataru. Making up her mind, Mina spoke up. “Well…Th-There’s something I’d like to ask you.” “Yeah, what’s up?” “Um…I’d rather not talk about it here…” Okamoto’s seat was awfully close to Wataru’s. At this rate, she might be able to pick up on their conversation. And with that danger looming over them, she couldn’t ask for the details here. She could ask Okamoto directly, but that brought the danger of hurting her with it, and she didn’t have the courage for that. “Okay, then let’s head somewhere else.” “Y-Yes…!” Pulled along by Aika’s hand, the two of them left the classroom. All the while being seen off by Kei’s lonely expression. * They stepped out onto the hallway, with Wataru not in sight. Mina and Aika were now facing each other.