When I Repaired a gal's bicycle, she became attached to me V1 Chapter 2

Chapter 2

☆☆☆

I’ll admit, I was pretty conflicted. The guy I was just starting to think was kinda cute turned out to be my first love, who I’d only planned on thanking. Then again, was I really just going to thank him if Kou-chan had grown up to be hot? Or, if Kousei and Kou-chan were different people, would I have just left it at “kinda cute”?

But I’m over all that now. I love who he was and who he is now. The boy I loved grew up into a cool guy without losing his kindness or sincerity, and I fell for him all over again. That’s all. He was my destiny, simple as that. My instincts found him even when I didn’t know his name.

I stopped overthinking and let out a long sigh. It’s been a good half-hour since I got home, dodged Mom’s interrogation, and flopped onto my back on the bed.

“Kou-chan… Kousei.”

How many times have I said his name already?

“Kutsuzawa… Seika.”

Idiot! Am I an idiot!? We’re not even dating yet, so I should save the sleep-talking for when I’m actually asleep.

But still. If we get married and live together, I’ll get to see that gentle smile of his whenever I want. I’ll get to hear his calming yet heart-pounding voice all the time. I can do without the warlords, but I bet it’d be fun to have his random jokes popping up out of nowhere.

“Seriously, calm down. Thinking about marriage already is way too much.”

Then again, I guess I am an intense girl. I chased after him for eight years, which is way beyond just tailing him home last week. I was already a full-blown stalker.

“Would it be annoying if I called him? His Line message still isn’t marked as read… He’s not getting sick of me, is he?”

Says the one who left him on read.

But I can’thelp it.

“Maybe my message was too harsh!? I kinda wrote it in our group’s usual style… That must be why he hasn’t even read it.”

Ugh, why won’t he read it?

“Ah! He read it!”

After two minutes of being practically glued to my phone, a green speech bubble popped up. It’s here!

“I look forward to getting along with you, too. Also, I think it would cause confusion at school, so I’d appreciate it if you’d refrain from interacting with me.”

“Gah!?”

I let out a seriously weird noise. For real? Right, of course, that makes sense. I’d forgotten. For the record, this was what I sent him:

“Sooo sorry for leaving you on read. Don’t hold it against me, and let’s be friends, ’kay? Thx~. Also, we’re gonna hang out a ton at school, so be ready, ’kay?”

“Wait, isn’t this kinda harsh?”

If I can’t even talk to him at school, how are we supposed to get closer? It’d be annoying to ask him out every single weekend, plus I have photoshoots and stuff.

Confess now? No, no way, no way. I can’t see that working out at all.

The only good thing I’ve done for Kousei is… treat him to Hanakara Udon, I guess? Everything else has been a disaster… accidentally uploading that video to my work account, blurting things out at school, stalking him, taking pics without asking.

And the final nail in the coffin was me blowing up at the end of our date. But I couldn’t help it! The moment I was so moved I was about to cry, thinking I finally found you!, he said it like I was just an afterthought. And I get it now. I was jealous of that Meguru girl. I mean, I still am.

Still, from Kousei’s perspective, it must have made zero sense. I apologized and he forgave me, but that’s totally different from him actually liking me, right?

Argh, but still. He said that at the end, so there’s a chance, right? There has to be. Because at the end…

“I’m glad we could meet again.”

“Nghhhh~~”

I press my face into my pillow and flail around like a madwoman. If I don’t, I feel like I’m going to just run off somewhere. Nah, not just somewhere. I’d make a beeline for the Kutsuzawa Workshop.

“Ah, I wish I’d recorded that. No, wait. If I could listen to that whenever I wanted, I’d literally die.”

Just thinking about it now makes my face unbelievably hot.

“And besides, I can’t think of any good ideas. Not being able to talk to him at school is pure torture.”

No, no, I’m not the kind of girl who gives up this easily. Kousei said so himself. I should just push forward.

“Just you wait. Don’t underestimate eight years of dedication.”

First things first, tomorrow morning.

Forty minutes before the first bell, I arrived in front of the Kutsuzawa Workshop. I had to wake up way earlier than usual, but there was no way I was skimping on my makeup. Since I didn’t know what time Kousei usually left, I had to give myself a decent buffer to lie in wait. I could have just asked him on Line last night, but I really wanted to surprise him.

About ten minutes later, the front door opened, and I peeked out from behind a utility pole. If I jumped out and it was a family member, I’d die of embarrassment. Gotta make sure it’s him…

Okay. It’s Kousei. Just seeing his face makes my heart pound, but I’ll just chalk that up to the surprise I’m about to spring on him.

And so. Three, two, one, go!

“Whoa!”

Kousei’s sleepy eyes shot wide open. Ahaha, total success.

“You’re so jumpy.”

“Of course I’d be jumpy… Good morning, Seika-san.”

My heart leaped when he suddenly smiled softly and said my name.

“Y-Yeah. Morning, Kousei.”

Just saying his name, “Kousei,” made my heart pound again. Whoops. He’s giving me a weird look.

“Well, you know, it just hit me again that I get to go to school with that Kou-chan.”

Half excuse, half truth. Kousei gave a small nod.

“Well, we were in the same class before, so.”

What a dry reply. Hmph.

“I mean it’s the first time since I found out you were Kou-chan.”

I pushed my bike to keep up with Kousei, who had started walking. Last time, he didn’t really wait for me, so I had to walk a little faster. But today, he was matching my pace. A smile spread across my face.

“You always leave around this time?”

“Yes, at this exact time. Will you be doing this from now on?”

“Yup,” I replied instantly. Kousei gave a wry smile.

“Is it… a bother?”

“No, I don’t think so. Besides, we can’t talk at school.”

My relief was short-lived as he hammered the point home. Hmph.

“Hey, can’t we just drop that? If we just confidently announce that we’re, uh, friends, I think it’ll work out, you know? They only pick on us because we’re being all secretive.”

I almost said lovers. Getting way ahead of myself.

“But, Kinoko…” Kousei said, his voice laced with worry.

“As for Kinoko, if he says anything, I’ll shut him down.”

“Huh? But what if your friendship falls apart…?”

“Huh? Me, friends with that guy?”

You’ve got to be kidding. He’s nothing but a creep with obvious ulterior motives.

“You’re not?”

“Nope. Impossible. Gross.”

The fact that Kousei thought for even a second that we were friends is a shock. I wanna sue that guy for damages.

“So, now that that’s settled, can I talk to you at school?”

“No. Let’s not.”

“Aww.”

“S-Speaking of which, what happened with the wood carving request?”

Oh, he changed the subject. Tch. Fine, I’ll back down for now.

“Hmm. About that, you said you were going to make me a recovery gift, too, and I feel bad asking for two, so one is fine.”

“Ah, is that so…”

Huh? He looks a little disappointed? Oh, I get it.

“Hehe.”

“W-What is it?”

“Nothing, just thinking about how much you really love making things.”

I thought I was being considerate, but for Kousei, the more he can make, the happier he is.

“Well, yeah. If you take crafting away from me, there’s nothing left.”

“That’s not true.” That’s the one thing that isn’t. “Kousei, you just don’t realize it, but you have a ton of good qualities.”

This bike I’m pushing is a perfect example. It works because Kousei helped me when I was in trouble, with zero ulterior motives.

“Ah, thank you. That makes me happy.” He looked a little taken aback, but he didn’t seem displeased.

“Your face is red, you know?” I couldn’t help but tease him, and Kousei’s face turned an even deeper shade of red as he looked down. “Hehe. Well then, I guess you can make the other wood carving when you have some free time.”

“…Okay.”

He’s still blushing. So cute.

★★★

We split up a little before the school gate and went through separately. My homeroom teacher, a chubby woman, was standing there with a cheerful face. Must be her turn for greeting duty. Teachers have it rough.

“Good morning.”

“Yes, good morning.”

I walk past. Then, an energetic greeting rings out from behind me.

“Gooood moooorning~”

It’s Seika-san. She sounds like an elementary schooler. I can’t help but look back and see her poking our teacher’s three-layered belly. She’s being scolded with a “Hey, stop that,” but the teacher is smiling. It’s amazing, having the kind of personality that can get away with that.

When I get to the classroom, I make eye contact with Dougochi-san, who’s already here. She gives me a satisfied nod. She probably heard from Seika-san yesterday that we made up.

What should I do? She did me a huge favor. If she hadn’t given me the address, we’d probably still be on bad terms. I should thank her in person, but…

“Kutsuzawa-kun, morning. Chika, ’sup.”

Seika-san greeted me as she slipped past. She headed straight for Dougochi-san’s desk, and I gave them both a small bow.

A simple greeting is fine, right? I look around. No one’s looking, so it seems okay. I let out a sigh, feeling pathetic for having to be so cautious.

I know. It’s my own weakness. Like Seika-san said, if I just faced it head-on, it probably wouldn’t be a big deal. Who becomes friends with whom is their own business. If someone says something, I can just say, “It’s none of your business,” and they won’t have a comeback.

But I can’t. I don’t have the guts. It’s a harsh reminder of just how pathetic I am. If this is how it’s going to be, maybe it’s better to be alone. The thought alone is tempting.

But I can’t do that. She came to thank me after eight long years. It’s okay, she won’t betray me. She’s different from them. I can trust her. I want to trust her.

“I’m glad we could meet again.” I meant it with all my heart.

I worked on some drafting during break and half-listened to the lectures, and before I knew it, school was over. I came to school with Seika-san, but I assume she’ll head home with Dougochi-san after chatting for a bit. In that case, I’ll just quietly fade out. I’m good at that. Just as I thought that and started to stand up, I got a Line notification.

“Wait for me at the bike racks. I’ll come a bit later so we don’t leave at the same time.”

I looked up from my phone and saw Seika-san smile at me. Um… looks like I don’t have a choice. I did as she said and headed to the bike racks first. There were still quite a few bikes left. Well, some of them probably belong to students in clubs, so they won’t be back for a while.

“Ah, this is Seika-san’s.”

A familiar, well-used bicycle. Well, I’m bored while I wait. Maybe I’ll check the chain. Just as I thought that and crouched down beside the bike to touch the rear wheel.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh?”

I looked up from my crouched position to see that mushroom-haired guy… Miya-something. Up close, his sharp features and poofy hair looked mismatched. He really did look like a mushroom.

“You’re Kutsuzawa, right? That’s Mizoguchi’s bike. What are you doing touching it?”

Ah, I see. He thinks I’m trying to mess with Seika-san’s bike.

“Her chain came off before, so I fixed it…”

I couldn’t think of the words “follow-up check,” so I trailed off. Introverts can’t just talk on the spot.

But my hesitation must have been a bad move, because Miya-something’s face grew stern, his cheeks flushing slightly.

“What’s that supposed to mean? She relied on you once, and now you’re getting full of yourself and meddling where you’re not wanted?”

“…”

What should I do? It’s hard to argue. She didn’t ask me to, and objectively, calling it meddling isn’t entirely wrong.

“Stop following her around. If people think she’s hanging out with a gloomy guy like you, it’ll ruin Mizoguchi’s reputation.”

Reputation. I know firsthand that the idea of everyone being equal is just a pretty lie. But does my existence really bring Seika-san down? The beautiful gyaru at the top of the social ladder and the quietest introvert in class. It’s definitely an unbalanced pair.

I stood up straight. Being surprisingly tall, I now looked down on him. For a moment, he flinched. He was slender, and it didn’t look like he could lift any of the heavy equipment at our workshop. The thought made me feel a little better. My uncle once told me to work out, and now I get why. Introverts get looked down on. But if you’re stronger, you have a bit more composure. I see.

“Miyawaki.”

“It’s Miyasaka.”

“Ah, sorry.”

“…What?”

“I’m leaving.”

“O-Okay.”

That was all I said before walking out of the school gate without a backward glance. I turned the first corner and leaned against a utility pole.

“That took way too much energy.”

My own cowardice is pathetic. I’m lucky I’ve trained my body, but my mind is still painfully weak.

Maybe I should just go home…

And then, my phone rang.

“Kousei, where are you~?”

The message came with a crying Shiba Inu sticker, and a small chuckle escaped me. Well, I can’t just leave her.

“There were still people around, so I left. I’m waiting just around the corner.”

I replied and waited for her to arrive.

Eventually, Seika-san arrived on her bike, and we headed home together.

“Were there still a lot of people?”

“Yes… there were.” It was really only Miyasaka, though.

“I’m sorry to ask, but from now on, when we go home together, could we meet up around that corner instead?”

I was a little surprised at myself. After getting dragged into something so troublesome, I thought I’d suggest we stop going home together. But the idea didn’t even cross my mind. It’s not just Seika-san; I guess I also feel a precious connection in our reunion after eight years.

“Hmph. Well, can’t be helped. A promise is a promise.”

“Yes. Thank you.” I’m relieved she agreed so easily.

“So, where to?”

It seems going out is a given. I guess this makes up for not talking at school. She’s clinging to me like a puppy.

“There are probably a lot of people we know near the station.”

“Yeah. And it’s a detour for both of us.” Our houses are to the east of the school, and the station is to the west.

“Kidding, but I’d kinda like to go to your place, Kousei.”

“Hmm, not today. My room is a total mess.”

“Oh, really?”

“The thing I’m making right now is pretty big.”

“I see… It’s not Nobunaga, is it?”

“No, no, it’s not like I only make Nobunaga.”

“True. My bad.”

“Right now, I’m making Azuchi Castle from a reproduction diagram.”

“So it is Nobunaga.”

“Hahaha. Well, let’s stay outside today. Let’s see…”

Where would a gyaru want to go? I can’t think of anything. Before I could even groan, Seika-san threw me a lifeline.

“Then can I decide?”

“Yes, please.”

“Alright, then follow me!”

Seika-san hopped on the bike she’d been pushing and started riding ahead at a speed I could keep up with. She led me to a supermarket near her apartment building. It was a local chain, but it was pretty run-down. Ah, I remember now. It used to be a different supermarket that went out of business, and this one moved into the empty building.

“It’s a hidden gem, right? No high schoolers here.”

True. Over 90% of the customers seemed to be housewives.

“Let’s buy something and go to the eat-in corner.”

I got black tea, Seika-san got oolong tea, and we shared a bag of snacks. Seika-san paid, saying it was to make up for all the trouble she’d caused. I tried to refuse, of course, but I backed down to avoid an argument.

The eat-in corner was also deserted, except for an old man reading a horse racing newspaper with a serious expression. When we pulled out our chairs, they made a loud scraping sound that startled him, but Seika-san didn’t seem to notice. As expected of her. I wish I could be the kind of person who doesn’t worry so much about what others think.

Still… the sight of a full-on gyaru sitting with an introvert in the corner of a run-down supermarket feels incredibly out of place.

“Do you come here often?”

“Well, it’s close, about a one-minute walk. And it’s cheap. Soon, they’ll start putting discount stickers on the side dishes.”

Even more of a “real life” vibe. But then again, gyarus have lives too, so of course they’d care about that stuff.

“Ah… are you maybe disillusioned?”

“Why would I be?”

“I was wondering if I seemed like an old lady, you know, with the whole ‘sense of reality’ thing.”

“Well, everyone’s living their own life, so it’s perfectly normal to be grounded in reality, isn’t it?”

“R-Right. Good.” For some reason, she seemed relieved. “Once, for a reader model job, I had to do a ‘what’s in my bag’ feature, and my electronics store point card was in my wallet. I didn’t mean for it to be in the shot, but it was. Then someone replied on Twista, like, ‘You don’t buy things online? The fact that you save up points on a card like that is kind of a turn-off.’”

“Ah.”

“I’m not a princess, you know? Like, do you even get what a reader model is?”

I’m not too familiar with it either, but my understanding is that unlike professional models, they share information from a normal person’s perspective. But then again, people won’t always understand the concept, no matter the genre. Or maybe, even if they do, they end up idolizing them. And, I hate to say it, but it could have been one of Seika-san’s haters.

“So when you said that, Kousei, I was so relieved. I can handle it from strangers, but if I disillusioned you, I…”

“You…?”

“Ah, no, well, you know. R-Right. Let’s eat some snacks.”

Looking flustered, Seika-san opened the bag of snacks. They were the classic potato chips, loved by everyone. We each took a few with disposable chopsticks.

“But still, it was an amazing coincidence, wasn’t it? To think a classmate from eight years ago was in the same class. And Dougochi-san was also in the same class for a bit in second grade, right? Sorry, but I don’t remember her since we never really talked.”

“I know, right? I even went to our old school to look for clues about Kou-chan. But I only knew your nickname, and our homeroom teacher from back then had quit. They said they couldn’t tell me much because of privacy laws, and they started looking at me funny when I pressed them.”

Ah, so her bull-in-a-china-shop routine struck again at our old elementary school. It’s so like Seika-san to charge in with only the nickname “Kou-chan” as information.

“In the end, I couldn’t find anything and had pretty much given up. But seriously, to think you were in the same classroom… It’s truly… uh, yeah… yeah.”

Um.

“We were lucky?” “It was fate, you know?”

Our voices overlapped. What did she just say? They blended so perfectly that I couldn’t make out her words at all. I was about to ask, but she started stuffing her face with chips with a pouty look, making it impossible to press her.

☆☆☆

It’s 5 PM. We had six periods today, so we should have had plenty of time, but it flew by. Kousei is a good listener, he says funny things, he’s mostly agreeable, and he’s super easy to talk to.

This is bad. He’s cool, he’s my soulmate, and we have great chemistry. And it’s a huge plus that he doesn’t have some weird ideal for me. Well, he doesn’t know much about my job and isn’t interested in social media, so he hasn’t seen me getting all this attention, which is probably part of it. I don’t care about my work account, but I do want him to be interested in my private one.

And then, just when I thought it was time to wrap things up, I asked him if he wanted to go somewhere tomorrow.

“I have a product delivery tomorrow, so I can’t.”

“Aw, I see. That’s a shame.”

I mean, we talked so much today and it’s still not enough. People describe love as a swamp, and now I totally get it. I’m sinking deeper and deeper.

“Is it furniture or something?”

Maybe there’s a chance if he finishes in the morning.

“Yeah. Furniture and… my own creations.”

“Oh. So stuff you made sells too, Kousei?”

Honestly, I thought he only made Sengoku warlords. Or maybe some enthusiast was buying them.

“Want to see?”

He fiddled with his phone and held it out to me. When I took it, his body heat lingered on it, and my heart pounded. I’m such a creep.

As I thought that, I looked at the screen… and everything else vanished.

“It’s beautiful…”

It was a scene from the porthole of a sunken ship, looking out into an emerald green sea. Sharks and fish swam by, and a coral reef was visible. In the foreground was the ship’s interior, with a desk covered in barnacles and rusty machinery.

It was a lonely scene, but it was so beautiful. Is this what they call the beauty of ruins? And, right. It’s all fake. I thought it was a real photo, but the texture is different. It was obviously his work, but for a second, I forgot even that. That’s how captivated I was.

“Amazing… You can make something like this.”

“Swipe to the next photo.”

I did as he said, sliding my finger across the screen. A small “ah” escaped my lips.

“It’s lit up…”

The once ruined space was now glowing. A lantern inside the ship cast a faint light, making the emerald green outside shine.

“I want to see this from the other side.”

“Okay. Let me see it.”

When I handed him the phone, I stretched out my fingers and touched his. It was almost unconscious. He apologized with an “Ah, sorry,” snapping me back to reality. “No, I’m sorry,” I said, handing him the phone again.

While Kousei was looking for the image, I gently cupped my fingertips that had touched his with my other hand. Why did I do that? The answer is simple. I wanted to touch them. After seeing such a powerful world, I wanted to touch the fingertips that created it.

“This is it. The other side.”

I looked at the phone he handed back, and it showed the full view of the sunken ship from the sea.

The texture of the decaying wood was so realistic, it looked real. Moss-like stuff grew on it, glowing beautifully.

“It’s my take on a fantasy landscape,” Kousei added with a laugh. “I didn’t get too hung up on the realistic details, like whether wood would actually stay so beautiful underwater, or what that moss is supposed to be.”

Don’t worry, I wouldn’t say anything so unrefined about something so beautiful.

“Wow. It’s really beautiful. Amazing.” My vocabulary is so lame. But when you’re truly moved, words just fail you.

“I really like emerald green.”

“Oh… It is a beautiful color.”

“How about you, Seika-san?”

“I like silver!”

“Ah, right. Your hair color.”

Kousei’s gaze shifted to my hair. I lifted a strand and asked, “What do you think? Of this color?”

It felt like a natural question.

“I think it’s a great color. It suits you.”

Yes! I pumped my fist inwardly.

“Oh, right. For the recovery gift, how about a diorama like this?”

“Huh? You’re giving me this!?”

“No. This one has already been sold.”

“Oh, right. This was for sale. And you’re delivering it tomorrow.” Right, that was the original topic. I got too excited by its beauty and forgot.

“So it’ll be different from this one, but I was thinking of making a diorama. What do you think?”

“Yeah, yeah! I can’t be picky since I’m the one receiving it, but I love beautiful things like this, so I’m happy.”

“Got it. Then please wait for it.”

He had such a gentle smile. It overlapped with the one he gave me eight years ago when he said, “Wait for me for a week,” and I sank deeper into the swamp.

The next day, Saturday. I had a strategy meeting with Chika on the phone. You could also say I was just bored because Kousei couldn’t hang out.

“And so, he’s making me this beautiful diorama for my recovery gift.”

“Yeah, yeah. Good for you.”

“Why so cold?”

“That’s like the third time you’ve told me that.”

For real? Did I really say it that many times?

“Look, if you like him that much, just confess.”

“Huh!? No, that’s… still iffy… From your perspective, Chika, what are my chances?”

“Like, 5%.”

Are you a demon? Why would you push your best friend to go for a 5% chance?

“…That’s harsh. So it’s really not looking good, huh?”

“Well, yeah… Kutsuzawa-kun was working at his desk the whole break yesterday. You kept sneaking glances at him, but you didn’t even make eye contact once, right?”

“Yup.”

I honestly thought our eyes would meet at least once. But he was totally focused. Well, his serious expression was cool too, though.

“But, but, he’s making me a recovery gift.”

“Honestly, from what you’ve said, it sounds like an excuse to make something. Like, he just genuinely likes seeing people happy with his creations.”

Ah, that… yeah. I felt that too.

“Besides, right now, you don’t have a lot of qualities that would make him like you, do you?”

“Don’t say that.”

“Unauthorized video on Twista, stalking, taking pictures without permission. If you were a guy, you’d be arrested, you know? Honestly, Kutsuzawa-kun might just be putting up with it because he’s timid. He might be thinking, ‘This girl is a definite no,’ deep down.”

“Noooooo.”

“Ugh, cringe.”

That was a possibility I had actually considered.

“And the final blow was that one-woman drama you pulled. I think that was a pretty big shock for Kutsuzawa-kun. I mean… I told you not to blow up, but you went and did it anyway. He can’t keep up with that, especially a quiet guy like him. You should have gotten to know him better and found out more subtly.”

“…Yeah. That’s why I apologized.”

“And he was the one who approached you to make up, right? Well, that was partly my doing, though.”

“Yeah. I regret that part, too.”

“…Can I be honest?”

“Yes.”

“You have to start by being friends. No doubt about it. Let’s start by turning that negative into a zero, at least.”

“Yes.”

So that’s how it looks from an outsider’s perspective, huh? Kinda depressing. But I brought this on myself.

★★★

Sunday.

After the furniture and other items were delivered yesterday, my mind was completely occupied with the diorama I was making.

Seika-san liked that sunken ship, so maybe she’s into that kind of fantastical stuff.

Seeing the look on her face when she praised it as “beautiful,” I had the very ordinary thought that she really is a girl, after all. I’d always had this vague image that a full-on gyaru like her wouldn’t be into a nerdy, indoor hobby that involves such fiddly little things.

But that’s just prejudice. Even if they’re gyarus and dress similarly, no two people are the same. Of course there are people like Seika-san who appreciate the things I make. Conversely, even among people who look like total introverts, there are probably some who don’t get the appeal of dioramas at all.

Besides, Seika-san has been familiar with figures since she was a child, and she even wanted one of my wood carvings. And yet, I still find myself getting caught up in stereotypes based on her appearance or the fact that she’s a gyaru. Looks really do have a bigger impact than I thought.

Thinking about it, I honestly still haven’t quite wrapped my head around the fact that a plain guy like me is getting attention from such a beautiful gyaru, even if it’s because we knew each other back then. In reality… there are probably people who think Seika-san’s status drops just by being with me.

It was while I was lost in such thoughts that the doorbell rang with a ding-dong. It’s Sunday, and my parents and sister are out, which meant, as much of a pain as it was, I had to get it. I went downstairs and pressed the talk button on the intercom. The person on the monitor was… someone I had half-expected.

“Um, I’m a classmate of Kousei-kun’s. My name is Mizoguchi.”

“Seika-san, it’s me. I’m coming now.”

As I headed for the entrance, I had a feeling that I wouldn’t be getting much work done today. A little while ago, I might have found that annoying, but now, I didn’t mind.

When I opened the door, it was indeed Seika-san, not a mistake or a phantom. She was wearing a black off-the-shoulder T-shirt and denim shorts. As stylish as ever. Completely out of my league.

“I came over.”

“Ah, yes. You could’ve just sent a Line.”

“Well, you surprised me the other day, so I was like, is it my turn now!?”

I don’t think that’s how it works, though.

“Um… Please, come in for now.”

I led her into the living room and had her sit on the sofa. I took a bottle of tea from the fridge and poured some into my own glass. Remembering Seika-san had enjoyed a lychee soft drink before, I poured that into a guest glass for her.

When I placed it on the table, her face lit up.

“Ooh, my favorite. You totally remembered from last time, huh?”

“Yeah, you were chugging it down, so I thought maybe.”

“Ooh, you get a lot of points for that~”

“Hahaha.”

While I was laughing, Seika-san downed the drink in one go, just like before. It must have been pretty hot outside.

“Can I have some of your tea, too?”

“Yes, of course.”

Just as I stood up to pour some into another glass, Seika-san’s hand shot out, took my half-empty glass, and put it straight to her lips.

“Thanks.”

She said, returning it. About two mouthfuls were gone, and a faint red lipstick stain marked the rim. Seika-san definitely drank from it.

I couldn’t help but stare at her face. Did she not realize? Or is an indirect kiss no big deal to her? I continued to stare for about ten seconds. Eventually, Seika-san turned her whole body away. Even from behind, I could see that her earlobes were bright red.

“Don’t look at me~”

Her weak voice made my own face flush with embarrassment. So she tried to tease me, but she was more innocent than she expected, huh? Realizing it only after doing it was so like Seika-san.

“S-so. I’m going to drink this, okay?”

There was no way I could just throw it away. That would be wasteful and rude. In fact, I should have been quicker on the uptake and just drunk it nonchalantly, pretending nothing had happened.

Well, it’s too late for regrets. I have to do it. I drank from the opposite side of where her lipstick mark was.

“…”

Before I knew it, our eyes met perfectly as she had turned to face me again. Her face was still a little red, a teasing grin playing on her lips.

I downed it in one go.

“Please don’t look at me~”

I ended up letting out the same kind of weak protest she did.

After we’d calmed down, the conversation naturally turned to brainstorming ideas for the wood carving. Seika-san said,

“You really don’t have to push yourself, okay? The recovery gift alone was more than enough.”

But since I have the chance, I want to make it. When I told her that, she replied with a “Just as I thought…” which I didn’t really get.

Well, anyway, she started thinking again about what she wanted.

“I think an animal would be a safe bet. They’re cute.”

“Well, that’s pretty standard.”

You can’t go wrong with them, and they’re what I get asked to make the most often.

“But a dog or a cat is… kinda, y’know.”

While sticking to the standard, she doesn’t want something too common. Perhaps she’s at that difficult age.

“Oh, I know!”

“Did you think of something?”

“You know, um, I can’t remember the name, but… it’s a white, fluffy bird.”

Seika-san closed her eyes, rubbing the bridge of her nose.

“Shima…”

“…”

“No, that’s not it. Naga…?”

Hmm.

“Are you thinking of an island exile?”

“It’s not an island exile, no matter how you look at it. I told you it’s a bird.”

A sharp retort came back instantly.

“But Emperor Go-Toba…”

“Emperor Go-Toba is not a bird.”

“…!?”

“Don’t give me that ‘scales falling from your eyes’ look.”

“But it’s white and fluffy.”

“I’m not talking about ghosts either.”

So that’s a no-go. I was in the mood to make a boat or something.

Yeah, well… I guess it’s time to get serious.

“It’s a long-tailed tit, right?”

“Yes, that’s it! Wait, you were totally messing with me, weren’t you?”

I let out a forced “ahaha” to gloss it over.

“I think I can make it. It might be difficult to get the fluffy texture right, but I’ve carved a sparrow before.”

It should be similar enough.

“For real!? They’re so cute, I’ve been thinking about buying some merch of them for a while.”

If you’ve had your eye on it for that long, you’d think you’d at least remember their name.

“Well, I’ll give it a try then. The workshop’s free today, anyway.”

And so, it was decided. I went to my room to get my carving tools and a pattern, met up with Seika-san who was waiting in the living room, and we headed to the workshop.

From that point on, Seika-san was quiet. She watched the tabletop scroll saw with fascination, her eyes widening when I turned it on. Then, she sat on a chair, watching my hands with a serious expression as I carved the finer details. Although, for some reason, I felt her gaze on my face from time to time.

As I continued working, the main body was completed relatively quickly. All that’s left is to paint it white, but…

“Shall we call it a day for now?”

“Eh? Why?”

“Well… you must be bored watching me work all this time, right?”

“Not at all, though?” Seika-san said with a puzzled look.

“I didn’t get to see you making something for me eight years ago.”

Hearing that makes me feel rather shy, but also a little emotional. Still, I’m not used to having people watch me work, so being stared at makes it a bit hard to concentrate. And besides, towards the end…

“I don’t know, maybe it’s just my imagination, but it felt like you were looking at me more often.”

“Huh!? I-I wasn’t, I wasn’t lookin’!”

“R-really?”

Was I just being self-conscious? But with Seika-san, she has a prior offense. She didn’t go as far as filming me this time, though. Maybe she has a hobby of observing introverts when they’re concentrating.

“…You have a bit of a strange taste, don’t you, Seika-san?”

“I don’t want to hear that from you, of all people. And how did you even come to that conclusion?”

Seika-san looked displeased, but she seemed to pull herself together quickly.

“Hey, let me see it up close.”

She came so close that our bodies were almost touching and peered at the finished product. Right now, it just looks like a small, round bird; you probably couldn’t tell it apart from other small birds without the color.

“Whoa, it’s cute! Amazing! This is, like, super well-made!” Seika-san’s voice was filled with delight as she compared it with a photo she had searched for on her phone.

“Huh? But the tail? It’s a bit short.”

“The tail feathers, you mean. I made it shorter, which is a bit of a shame, but I was thinking about where you’d place it.”

This is where the creative process has its advantages. It’s flexible.

“Oh, thanks. My room’s small, so that’s a big help.”

She seems to like it.

“Alright then, I’ll finish painting this and give it to you tomorrow.”

“Okay! Oh, right. About the payment.”

“Ah…”

Did she say she was going to pay? No, I think it was something about her owing me one. Oh well.

“We can sort it out tomorrow when I give you the actual thing.”

“You sure?”

If by some chance I mess up the painting, there’s no way I can accept money for it. And honestly, taking money from a classmate feels a bit weird, but if I’m the only one holding back, our relationship might get strained. Besides, she’s the one who told me not to sell my skills short, so I’ll take her up on her offer.

“Oh, and hey. If you have any more collections like this, will you show them to me?”

“Eh?”

“I was just thinking I could use a few more small things in my room.”

I see. If that’s the case…

Across from the Kutsuzawa Workshop, there’s another building of ours, a shop for the general public that deals mainly in original furniture. It’s closed on Wednesdays and every other Sunday. Today is one of its days off, meaning the shop is empty.

“Come on in.”

I unlocked the employee entrance and invited Seika-san inside. When we entered the showroom, she let out a cry of delight, “Whoa~”

“The smell of wood is amazing. There’s so much furniture.”

“Well, it is a furniture store.”

Seika-san restlessly looked around the shop, which was lined with basic wooden items.

“Which ones did you make, Kousei?” she asked.

I led her to a section a little further in, where I have a corner for my creations.

“It’s this way.”

“Whoa~”

Seika-san approached as if dancing, looking at the dioramas, chairs, stuffed animals, and other products.

“The diorama is amazing!” In front of the diorama of our town, she got super excited finding buildings she knew.

“This chair is incredible! It’s shaped like a flower petal! So cute!” She sat on the designer chair and took a picture.

“The stuffed animals are so cute! You can make stuff like this too?!” In the stuffed animal corner, she held up a product in both hands as if offering it to the heavens, checking the workmanship.

“…”

In the corner with the wood-carved Sengoku warlords, she fell silent.

Seika-san quietly passed by that section and returned to the stuffed animal corner.

“Hey, hey. How much is this one?” she said, pointing to a red Shiba Inu stuffed animal.

“Are you buying it?”

“Yeah!”

“A little while ago, with the wood carving, weren’t you hesitant about dogs and cats?”

“Shiba Inus are an exception.”

Apparently, it’s her favorite dog breed.

“…In that case, you can have the white and black ones too, for 1000 yen.”

“So cheap!? Really? Are you sure you’re not pushing yourself?”

“It doesn’t cost that much to make, and since you can find similar ones mass-produced, they don’t sell very well.”

“Is that so?”

“As a set of three, that Mori Motonari over there with the three arrows sticking out of his butt sells better.”

“What the heck are you making? And don’t you dare call that a set product.” Seika-san glanced back at the warlord corner, half-annoyed. Except for Motonari, the shelves were quite empty.

“Whoa, looking closely, they’re actually selling pretty well…”

Well, they are unusual. We even have customers from overseas who buy them as souvenirs. For the most part, the works we display are serious and respectable.

“How about it? Starting to want one after all?”

“Not happening. You’d probably try to palm off Nobunaga or Yoshimoto on me, right?”

“You can have both, you know?”

“I’m telling you I don’t want either of them.”

That’s a shame. Oh well, she’s buying the Shiba Inu set in addition to the long-tailed tit, so I’m more than grateful as it is.

“Oh, but are original stuffed animals possible?”

“Like, a custom order?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“We do that for furniture, but this is the first time I’ve been asked for a stuffed animal.”

“Can’t you do it?”

“Ah, no, it’s fine. As long as it’s not super difficult or large.”

“Can you do people? Oh, and I don’t mean a Sengoku warlord, okay?”

“Ah, I have patterns for that, so it’s surprisingly easy.”

“Really? Then, hey, you should make Kousei, m’kay?”

“Okay. Hmm? You mean, I’m the one making it?”

As I asked, I felt a strong sense of dissonance. In this context, would she really specify me as the creator? She didn’t have to say it; it was obvious I’d be the one making it.

Seika-san then gave a slightly bashful smile.

“I want Kousei to make Kousei.”

She rephrased. I pondered for a moment, surrounded by woodwork. N-no, no, no.

“Whaat!? So you do have a hobby of collecting small items.”

“I do not. What even is that?”

“Then what do you mean?”

It’s nothing to brag about, but my face is about average. I don’t think it’s something people would enjoy looking at.

“Well… it’s unusual to have a stuffed animal of a friend, right? I was thinking of asking Chika and the others for permission next time and commissioning more. For now, let’s start with Kousei.”

“I see. So eventually you want one of all your friends.”

She’s a big spender, a big spender. But still, it’s nice to know she properly includes me in her friend category. It’s a bit embarrassing, but I’m grateful.

“How much would a custom order be?”

“Ah. That’s tough, it’s like I’m putting a price on myself.”

“True. Then how about an hourly pay?”

“Let’s go with that.”

After some discussion, we agreed on 1200 yen per hour. The same condition would apply to the long-tailed tit from earlier.

Seika-san had a reservation at the hair salon from four o’clock, so we parted ways for the day.

☆☆☆

Aaargh… I really did it now. I want to believe it’ll be okay, but when you think about it normally, someone who wants a stuffed animal of their friend is a little, no, very weird, right?

Aaaaah...He must think I’m such a weirdo. Then again, is it too late for that now? Starting with secretly filming him, then getting pissed for no reason, and now being all clingy. What’s wrong with me? It’s like I’m not myself when I’m in front of Kousei.This is so depressing. So depressing… but. In any case, my request went through, so it’s confirmed that I’ll be getting a handmade Kousei-plushie made by Kousei himself. Haaah~ When I get it, I’ll hug it to sleep every day. The long-tailed tit is coming too, my room’s going to be so cute. Hehehe.

“Seika-chan, what’s up with you today?”

My usual hairdresser, Hikawa-san, asked me timidly.

“Eh? What do you mean?”

“You’re making all sorts of faces, you know?”

She pointed at the mirror in front of me, her expression a little taken aback.

“Eh, seriously? Was it that obvious?”

“Could it be you’ve got a crush on someone?”

She hit the nail on the head, and I fell silent for a moment. To an experienced adult woman like her, that alone was enough to give me away.

“No way!? For real? Seika-chan the ‘Heart of Ice’?”

First Bakiver, now Heart of Ice, I’m surrounded by rude people. But well, yeah. I never even imagined I’d fall for someone this much myself.

No… that’s a lie. I think, from the moment I came here looking for my first love, I was dreaming of a development like this.

Thinking back on it now, saying I just wanted to thank him was a self-defense mechanism of my heart. I had no idea what kind of person he’d grown up to be. What if he’d turned into the worst kind of guy? What if he’d gotten handsome but already had a girlfriend? If I went to see him with all this first-love excitement and that happened, it would probably hurt like hell. So it was a precaution I took unconsciously.

But I didn’t need to worry about any of that. The serious look on his face when he’s making things is super cool and I’m captivated by it, he forgave me even when I went wild, and he complimented not just my looks but my personality too. Haaah~ This is bad. I can’t handle it.

“Um. Hello~?”

“Ah! Uh, what were we talking about?”

“Well, I was just wondering what he’s like. The guy who captured Seika-chan’s heart.”

“Ah~ he’s probably not what you’re imagining, Hikawa-san. He’s a quiet person, I guess.”

“For real!? Oh, but, I can kinda see that. Like, I didn’t think you’d date a playboy, Seika-chan. Your view on love is much more solid than your appearance suggests.”

Hikawa-san looked like she knew everything, even though she’s only done my hair twice since I came here. Well, she does follow me on Twista, so she knows bits and pieces of my personality.

Right now is the so-called waiting time after coloring. Maybe she has nothing to do, or maybe she’s just concerned about me, but she’s being quite chatty. No, I think she’s the type who just genuinely likes hearing other people’s love stories. Then again, most girls are like that.

“How did it start?”

“Hmm, directly, I guess it was when he helped me when I was in trouble. But we’d actually met a long time ago.”

“Eh? Really? I heard you moved here for high school.”

“Ah, actually, I lived in Sawamigawa until I was in the lower grades of elementary school.”

I was in and out of the hospital so much I don’t really know much about Sawamigawa, so I try not to bring it up. Even if people ask me about my hometown, I only have the knowledge of a first-timer, which makes it awkward for the person who asked.

“And, the boy I liked back then turned out to be him, sort of.”

As I said that, Hikawa-san squealed “Kyaa~”. Apparently, the other hairdressers and customers around us were also eavesdropping, and they let out similar high-pitched squeals.

“Wait, wait, so you had a fateful reunion with your first love!? That’s crazy! It’s like a drama!”

Well, about half of it was the result of my stalking, so it’s not as beautiful as a drama. But being in the same class, and the circumstances that led to us being able to talk… maybe it’s the red string of fate. No, that’s so embarrassing.

“Oh, could it be that the emerald green is for him?”

“…Yeah. He said it was his favorite color.”

I came here today to get emerald green mesh highlights in my ash-gray hair.

“Aww~, Seika-chan, you’re too cute!! I’m a girl and I’m seriously swooning over here.”

Ugh, maybe I should have just brushed it off vaguely.

In the end, I was teased relentlessly until I left the hair salon.

The next day, Monday. Usually, the beginning of the week is depressing, but I was so giddy I could tell myself. Will he notice? Will he like it? With a mix of anxiety and anticipation, I fiddled with the ends of my hair at my usual spot, the utility pole near the Kutsuzawa Workshop. Just then, the door opened.

“I’m off~”

Kousei came out.

“Mornin’!”

I greeted him without missing a beat. Whoa, my voice was way too loud. It almost cracked.

Kousei turned to look at me. A soft smile appeared on his face as he was about to greet me back… but then his eyes went to my hair. His mouth formed an ‘O’.

“That color…”

Yes. He noticed right away.

“Heheh, how’s it look? Pretty, right?”

Now, it’s just a matter of whether he likes it or not…

“Yes! It’s very pretty!”

“…!?”

Eh, whoa, so direct. For real.

His hand reached out. He wants to touch my hair. The moment I realized that, my heart gave a loud thump. My lips trembled. He’s going to touch me. Just as I thought that, Kousei seemed to come to his senses and pulled his hand back. But before I had time to be disappointed,

“It’s really pretty, Seika-san.”

He said, with a gentle smile, looking straight into my eyes. My emotions are in a traffic jam. My face is as hot as when I have the flu. This is bad, bad, bad, bad, bad. I turned around almost reflexively.

“Eh? S-Seika-san?”

“Hold on a sec. I can’t right now.”

I couldn’t let the worried Kousei see my face right now. I mean, you should praise me just for not rolling around on the ground in agony.

Suddenly,

“Seika-san, what happened to your bike?”

Kousei suddenly changed the subject. Oh, right. He’s worried that we’ll be late if we take too long. But he can’t see the bike in question. He’s so kind, as always.

“…You’re walking, Kousei. So I thought, maybe I’m fine with it too. I’ll buy a new one another time anyway.”

“Ah, that might be for the best.”

He said, deeply.

“It’ll be too late if something happens.”

So kind, again.

“…You’re worried about me?”

“Of course. I am.”

I see, he’s worried about me. I see, I see.

“Well then, shall we go? Walking together like this.”

I started walking, pushed forward by my own unusually cheerful voice. I can’t stop grinning. It doesn’t look like I’ll be able to turn around anytime soon.

Haaah~

Still, I’m glad I didn’t cheap out and just get extensions. The skills of apro are no joke, they don’t charge that much for nothing. Good job, Hikawa-san.

Come to think of it, it’s not worth it at all, is it? Spending no small amount of time and money just to have the boy you like tell you you’re “pretty.” And yet, I can pay that just for that one thing. Ah, so this is love. People from all times and places have said it. That it’s unreasonable, that the one who falls in love loses. But just as many have also said this. That the world shines, that your heart is enriched, that it’s the happiness of a lifetime.

I get both sides so much. Ah, I really do love Kousei. This time we’re spending walking together is pure happiness, but it hurts to think that we won’t be able to talk once we get to school.

“By the way, Seika-san, it’s finished.”

“Eh!? Huh!? W-what is!?”

I was deep in my own world, becoming like a poet, when he suddenly called out to me from behind, making me freak out completely. When I turned around, Kousei had his hand slightly raised in apology. No, it’s my fault for being in my own world while we’re walking to school together.

“How do I put this, I have very mixed feelings about it, but my stuffed animal.”

Kousei handed me a paper bag he was carrying separately from his school bag. I had been wondering what was inside, but I never expected it to be a Kousei-plushie.

“For real!? That was fast! It’s already done?”

“Yeah. I wanted to make it yesterday. If it had been delayed until today, I think I would have died a little if my parents saw me in the middle of making myself while I was at school.”

“Ah, ahaha.”

I see, that would be awkward. I wonder if I was being inconsiderate by rushing him. But it also means his skills are so great he can make it in such a short time if he hurries.

For now. I’m itching to see it. I put my hand inside the paper bag. I felt a fluffy texture in my palm. When I pulled it out,

“Aha, it’s cute!”

It was a stuffed animal that captured Kousei’s features well. The aquiline nose and sleepy eyes were reproduced with a high degree of accuracy. Right, Kousei kinda has a bird-like face. It’s cute, and I like it, though.

“You know, it felt complicated, like I was recreating my own complex.”

Kousei had a distant look in his eyes, but I was completely satisfied. As per his own declaration, I bought it for 3000 yen, for the two and a half hours it took to make. By the way, the actual bird, the long-tailed tit, is being kept in Kousei’s room. Well, it’s delicately made, so carrying it around would be scary. So, I’ll be picking that up on the way home from school.

During lunch break, after eating bento with Chika in the courtyard as usual, we took a short rest. I told her about my exchange with Kousei this morning and showed her the stuffed animal he made for me.

“Heeh, he’s pretty good, isn’t he?”

“Amazing, right? He really captured his features.”

Though he himself wasn’t too happy about it.

“So, are you really gonna have him make one of me? It’s not just an excuse?”

“Mhm. Well, it’s a good opportunity.”

It would be scary if my feelings were exposed if I only had him make Kousei’s and nothing else. Besides…

“You really are a lifesaver, there’s no doubt about that… I’m grateful.”

It was a total coincidence, but Chika moved around the same time I was transferred to a new hospital and school, and she ended up in the same class at my new school. Even after my illness got better and I could go to school, I was feeling down thinking, “I have to start all over again,” and then such a stroke of luck happened. We were bound to become best friends. From there, we chose the same middle and high schools. Chika is from Yokonaka, so her commute is a bit of a pain now, though.

So that’s why she’s a lifesaver. In complete contrast to Kousei, who supported me even when he was far away, she’s the one who’s always by my side without any strain.

Chika waved her hand in front of her face as if it was stuffy.

“That’s such a cheesy line… and haven’t you been acting a little out of character lately?”

She’s right. I know I am….

AroundKousei, I turn into a spoiled brat, and my mood swings are all over the place. I find myself getting sentimental about the smallest things.

“Well… this whole thing has given me a chance to really think back on the past, you know?”

“I guess that’s bound to happen when you reunite with your first love.”

“And when I did, I realized I am where I am today because so many people supported me. Honestly, you saved me too, Chika.”

“…”

“Thanks. Seriously.”

“You’ve said that a few times since elementary school,” Chika said, tucking a strand of hair that had fallen onto her cheek behind her ear, a hint of annoyance in the gesture. “I just hang out with you ’cause we get along. It’s not something you need to thank me for.”

“…But, well, I guess I stick around because I don’t think that part of you is so bad. I’m sure Kutsuzawa-kun gets it, at least a little, right? He was happy you took such good care of that figure, wasn’t he?”

“Yeah, but… is that really true? It was important to me, so of course I handled it with care. That’s not something he needs to thank me for.”

When I voiced my doubts, Chika laughed. “You’re saying the exact same thing I just did.”

She’s right. I didn’t even realize. Even if you do something just because you want to, the other person can still be grateful for it.

“Well… I did joke before that he might see you as a total lost cause, but…”

Please don’t gouge out my heart for fun.

“In reality, I bet he’s watching you closely, seeing how loyal you are. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have come all the way to your house to pick you up right after you snapped at him, would he?”

Is that really true? I wonder…

“So as long as you don’t lose that wonderful part of yourself, I’m sure you’ll be fine. Good luck, okay? You’re completely head-over-heels for him, right?”

Chika’s encouragement, though delivered with a touch of embarrassment, meant the world to me. She really is my best friend.

“…Yeah. Thanks.”

I was embarrassed too, but I made sure she knew how grateful I was.

After school, I was on foot again. I walked out the school gate at a leisurely pace, turned left, and waited at the next corner. About two minutes later, Kousei caught up.

He glanced around, making sure no one was watching, before quickly joining me. He didn’t need to worry; everyone else in our class either heads toward the new residential area in the south or to the station in the west. Only Kousei and I walk toward the old part of town in the east. After starting high school, I’d often wished I lived closer, but now I couldn’t be more grateful for this prime location.

“Kousei, look, look!”

I took the Kousei plushie out of its paper bag. I’d decorated the felt hair with a little hairpin.

“W-Wow.”

“Eh? Isn’t it cute?”

“Do you really expect me to agree with that?”

Ah, right. Good point.

“You know, I talked to Chika today, and she gave me her official permission for the plushie project. So, you should make one of her for me when you have time.”

“Hah. Are you serious about completing your entire friend collection?”

“Heheh. She’s a cash cow, a real cash cow.”

“Ahaha. Just don’t overdo it, okay? Even with your reader model work.”

“Yeah, well, I actually get some ad revenue from YuruTube, too.”

“Whoa, seriously? That’s amazing. What kind of videos do you make?”

“Makeup and fashion tutorials. It’s basically an extension of my modeling work. The audience is pretty much the same. But since they can donate directly, some of them even say things like, ‘Thanks for streaming.’ I’m the one who’s seriously grateful.”

“Huh… So, let me get this straight. A bunch of girls are donating to their favorite gyaru… and all that money ends up in an introvert’s pocket?”

When he put it that way, we both burst out laughing at how absurd it sounded.

After that, as we’d arranged that morning, I took the long-tailed tit plushie from him, and we parted ways for the day.

★★★

Next weekend is one of the worst events of the whole school year: the sports festival. As such, today’s long homeroom was dedicated to selecting members for the executive committee. Being exempted from competing was a tempting offer, but the long hours of commitment leading up to the event were a huge turn-off. I was about 80% inclined to avoid it, but…

“…”

From my seat, I could see that mushroom haircut bobbing around as its owner tried to gauge Seika-san’s movements from behind. He was probably scheming to get into the same mixed-gender event as her. If Seika-san and I ended up in the same event again, he might cause some kind of weird trouble. Just imagining it was a pain.

“The committee at our school is a piece of cake, you know,” our homeroom teacher, Oota-sensei, announced. “The student council and teachers handle all the meetings and negotiations. We’re really just the behind-the-scenes staff.”

Those words were the final push I needed. Mustering my courage, I slowly raised my hand.

As I did, I glanced at Seika-san’s back. I’m sorry. You might have been thinking of joining the same event as me to support me. But I’m not going to participate in the competitions. It’s better to avoid making waves. Still, I feel a bit weird about this, as if I’m just trying to appease Miyasaka.

“Ah, for the boys… Kutsuzawa-kun, how about you?”

“…Yes.”

A small weight lifted off my shoulders. But my relief was short-lived.

“And for the girls… Mizoguchi-san.”

!?!?!?!?

Startled, I whipped my head around to look at Seika-san. She was facing forward, her back perfectly straight, one hand raised high in a no-look volunteer. Her reflexes, decisiveness, and ability to take action were on a completely different level from a typical introvert’s. There wasn’t a hint of hesitation. Just what you’d expect from someone at the top of the class food chain.

…No, that’s not it. You were supposed to read the room here!

Then, Seika-san turned to me and grinned cheerfully. Her smile seemed to say, “Leave it to me!” but it was a catastrophic failure in communication. Miyasaka was staring at her profile, completely dumbfounded.

“It doesn’t look like we have any other volunteers, so it’s decided. You two will be on the committee. I’m counting on you.”

“Yes!” Seika-san replied energetically.

I felt like I was going to faint.

And just like that, we became members of the sports festival executive committee.

The rest of homeroom was spent deciding participants for each event. The teacher handled all the arrangements smoothly, so we didn’t have to do a thing. It seemed we really were just behind-the-scenes staff, which was a relief.

When homeroom ended, it was, of course, time for after-school activities. A crowd immediately gathered around Seika-san, who had made such a surprising choice.

“Seika, isn’t that a waste? With your athletic skills, you could have been the star of the show.”

Those were Sonoda-san’s words, but since all the girls around her were nodding, it seemed to be the general consensus. But Seika-san just waved a hand in front of her face.

“It’s fine. I don’t really care about being the star.”

She said it with a tone of genuine disinterest.

“Besides, the teacher made it sound pretty easy, so I figured I’d give it a shot. I’ve never actually been on a committee like this before. It’s all about the experience, right?”

That seemed to be her official reason. But, if I wasn’t being too conceited, I think the real reason was that she wanted to be in the same position as me so we could hang out and she could support me. Looking back, being paired with a girl I’d barely spoken to might have been hell. So, in a way, Seika-san saved me. However, some people were clearly not happy about it.

“…”

Miyasaka stormed out of the classroom with a sour look on his face. The door slammed shut with an unusually loud bang, causing several girls to frown in annoyance. It seemed the mushroom himself wasn’t particularly popular. It was a genuine relief to know that even if I became his enemy, I probably wouldn’t lose my standing in the class. Not that I had any intention of antagonizing him in the first place.

“K-Kutsuzawa-kun.”

“Eh?”

Seika-san spoke to me, and for a moment, I was taken aback.

“Let’s go to the committee meeting.”

Ah, right. A perfectly valid reason for us to talk openly just fell into our laps.

Today’s meeting was just an ice-breaking session, with committee members from all grades and classes gathering to decide on their respective tasks.

We left the classroom together. We walked down the hallway in silence for a while, and it was only when we reached the stairs that Seika-san finally spoke.

“Well, that was a surprise. If you were planning on joining the committee, you should’ve told me.”

“…”

I wasn’t sure how to reply. She has a point. Depending on how you look at it, I kind of blindsided her.

“…Could it be that you didn’t want to be with me? Like, you were trying to avoid me?”

It wouldn’t be strange for her to take it that way. I hadn’t considered that possibility at all. I quickly shook my head.

“That’s not it! I just… if I hang out with you too much at school, it might damage your reputation, or your status, or something…”

I was completely flustered. Seeing Seika-san’s expression grow increasingly stern, I finally realized I’d said something incredibly stupid.

“Did someone tell you?”

“Um, well…”

“I knew it. Someone told you. Who was it?”

“…”

I’d messed up. I could have easily imagined this would happen if she found out, which is why I’d intended to keep it to myself.

“It was Miyasaka, wasn’t it? Seriously, that guy is nothing but trouble.”

“…”

“I’m going to go find him and give him a piece of my mind.”

“Ah, wait a minute! Please wait.”

That would be a huge problem. It would look like I’d tattled on him to Seika-san, which would be extremely awkward. I grabbed her hand and pulled her back. As she lost her balance, I instinctively caught her in an embrace. Surprised, she turned her head, her face much closer than I’d expected.

“Ah…”

A small sound escaped her half-opened lips, her cheeks faintly flushed.

“S-Sorry!”

I quickly pulled away.

“Look, um… Right, the committee meeting! We’re going to be late!”

Though I was still flustered, I managed to change the subject.

“Y-Yeah.”

She was cradling the hand I had grabbed with her other one. Did I hurt her? I might haveused too much power in the moment. Just as I was about to apologize again, I heard the cheerful shouts of a sports club from beyond the hallway window. It was probably their pre-practice cheer. Which meant…

“We’re really going to be late. Let’s hurry.”

We rushed to the meeting room.

“And with that, we’re done for today.” The committee chairperson’s brief farewell marked the end of a meeting so anticlimactic it was almost disappointing. I don’t think even ten minutes had passed. It seemed the third-years, like the chairperson, would handle the difficult tasks like speeches, and the student council and teachers would deal with the parents on the day of the event. Our main job as underlings was basically just the setup on the day itself. We also had to create a booklet for each grade, but a motivated committee member from another class had volunteered for that. We just had to bind the printed pages and distribute them. Other than that, we had to help with setup and take turns doing some kind of play-by-play commentary.

“…”

“You look pretty down.”

“Well, yeah.”

I hadn’t heard anything about being forced to do commentary. What part of this was “a piece of cake”? Or maybe it just wasn’t a big deal for outgoing people. In fact, Seika-san seemed completely unfazed.

“Well, it really is easy, isn’t it? There are way too many committee members, though. This is a college prep school, and we have final exams right after the sports festival, so maybe they’re trying to spread out the burden.”

“Maybe… that’s it.”

“What’s wrong? Are you seriously that bummed out? You hate the idea of doing commentary that much?”

“In my book, a microphone performance is well outside the definition of ‘behind-the-scenes work.’ I feel like I’ve been deceived.”

From now on, I’d be taking whatever Oota-sensei says with a massive grain of salt.

“If you hate it that much, I can do it for you.”

“No, that’s…”

It was a kind offer, but after making a point of trying to go my own way, it would be too selfish of me to accept. It would be irresponsible.

“…I’ll do my best. I was thinking of studying up on it a little.”

Things like proper pronunciation, tips for speaking smoothly… and mental techniques to not get nervous.

“Oh. In that case, shall we go to the library? I’ll go with you.”

“Yes! Thank you very much.”

“Hehe.”

“What is it?”

“Oh, nothing. I was just wondering what happened to all that talk about status and reputation.”

“Ah…”

Come to think of it, she was right. I’d slipped back into the mindset I have when we meet outside of school. The fact that the go-home club members had already left and most other students were at their club activities, leaving the hallways empty, was probably a big factor. Still, it felt strange to be able to talk to her so normally at school.

“I’ve said something similar before, but… it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. I want to talk to you, and you want to talk to me. No one has the right to stop that. I think you should just talk to me openly.”

It was, as always, a sound argument. And the reason I couldn’t do it hadn’t changed at all… In the end, it was just my own weakness. That’s all there was to it.

“…………Well, for now, we have the official reason of committee work, so we can talk as much as we want.”

There was a pause where it felt like she was holding back so many other words. My chest tightened. It felt like I had just pushed away an affectionate puppy.

“Ah, um! It’s not that I dislike being with you or talking to you, Seika-san! Just like you said, I should just talk to you openly… but I…”

As I looked down, my shoulders slumped. Seika-san gently stroked my back.

☆☆☆

The library was deserted. A lone library committee member sat at the counter, but there didn’t seem to be any other students around. Exams were still a while away, and the third-years preparing for their entrance exams were probably at cram school.

“…Is it okay if we talk a little? It seems like no one’s here, and we’ll keep our voices down.”

When I asked the librarian, they gave a quiet nod of approval. Kousei also gave a small bow as we passed by and we claimed the seats in the very back. Leaving our bags, we ventured into the forest of books. We found how-to books on vocalization and tips for speaking into a microphone relatively quickly. There didn’t seem to be many, however, so I pulled the only two from the shelf and we returned to our seats.

I flipped through the pages.

“I bet you’d find more detailed stuff online for something like this.”

“Yeah. These don’t seem to be very specialized books.”

We live in an age where you can find anything with a quick search, but it’s generally better to consult proper books for specialized fields. However, for simple introductory guides like these, the knowledge they contained probably wasn’t much different from what was on the internet.

“I mean, it’s not like your articulation is bad or your voice is hard to hear, Kousei.”

It’s probably a mental thing. He likely feels that if he doesn’t take some countermeasures, he’ll be crushed by anxiety on the day of the festival.

“…Oh! It says here that using news anchors as a model is a quick way to improve.”

I pointed to a sentence that had caught my eye.

“Well, when you think about it, they’re the voice professionals we hear the most often.”

“I see. The news.”

Kousei took his smartphone out of his bag. He glanced around, and after confirming that there was really no one else, he started tapping on the screen.

“Want me to lend you my earphones?”

“Eh? Are you sure?”

“Yep.”

After replying, I started to feel as embarrassed as I did during our indirect kiss. My everyday earphones… in Kousei’s ear. Seriously, am I a total pervert?

I pulled the earphones out of their case and carefully wiped the eartips with a wet wipe. I’d die if there was any earwax on them.

“Thank you.”

Kousei took one of the earphones, a puzzled look on his face. He was probably waiting for the other one, but…

“Let’s listen together.”

It was a little embarrassing, but I made the suggestion anyway. I thought I had mustered a fair bit of courage, but Kousei was still just staring at me blankly. You dense idiot!

“Hey, wait.”

I ignored him, pulled my chair closer until our shoulders were touching, and plugged the jack into his smartphone. He finally seemed to understand my intention. With a bashful look, he put the earbud in his left ear. I put the other one in my right. This was something I’d always wanted to do once I got a crush on someone. Sharing earphones.

I could feel the warmth of his body against my shoulder. Kousei’s surprisingly muscular frame was firm, and my heart began to pound.

He tapped the play button on a news video.

“Regarding the three faction executives newly suspected of involvement in the Sakuminto Party’s illegal donation scandal…”

I’d much rather be listening to my favorite ballads together, but I guess this can’t be helped today.

“Theopposition plans torigorously pursue the matter of responsibility…”

Still, this was kind of a downer. But Kousei was listening with a rather serious expression, probably trying to absorb things like intonation and pacing.

Eventually, the video ended. Kousei nodded with a solemn face. Did he get something out of it?

“How was it?”

“I still think they have a responsibility to explain themselves to the public.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

Wow, he’s surprisingly impressionable.

★★★

Two days later, after school, we worked on the booklets. It was a simple task, really—just folding a few printed pages from that enthusiastic committee member into a booklet and stapling them together. We finished in less than thirty minutes. With that, the only committee work left was the setup and commentary on the day of the event.

In the time leading up to the festival, I did everything I could to prepare. I carefully observed the way news anchors spoke, secretly practiced my vocalizations in my room, and so on. It might have all just been to calm my own nerves, though.

By the way, I finished the plushie I had promised to make for Douguchi-san and gave it to her during one of the preparation periods. It seemed not just Seika-san, but she herself had to check the quality, because she just stared at me in the classroom with an indescribable expression afterward.

As I spent my days like that, the day of the sports festival finally arrived.

I woke up earlier than usual that morning and went to school with Seika-san. About half of the committee members had already gathered. We started working at the scheduled time. The girls drew lines on the field with lime powder and set up colored cones. The boys worked together to assemble tents from steel pipes.

“You’re Kutsuzawa-kun, right? You’re really good at this.”

A third-year senpai praised me, but to be honest, it was more that the others were so clumsy it was frightening.

The girls must have finished their work, because they were watching us while taking a break. Without realizing it, I had become the center of attention.

“K-Kutsuzawa-kun’s family owns a workshop, so he’s used to this kind of thing. Isn’t he amazing?”

For some reason, Seika-san was boasting on my behalf.

“Oh, I see. I was just thinking he’s surprisingly well-built.”

The other girls praised me in impressed tones, which was somehow embarrassing. And actually, my family does woodworking; I rarely handle steel pipes.

“Could you get me two swivel couplers?”

“S-Swivel?”

“The clamps that spin around.”

It seemed faster to get them myself, so I grabbed two from the tool bag and returned. I attached them where the pipes intersected and quickly fastened them with the impact driver I’d brought from home.

“Could someone hold this side?”

“…Ah, I’ll do it!”

Again, for some reason, Seika-san volunteered, assisting me without giving anyone else a chance. The setup was supposed to be the boys’ job… but oh well.

“Hey, Mizoguchi-san has been… for a while now…”

“Yeah. I wonder if there’s a chance.”

“No, it’s more than a chance. Look at the way she’s looking at Kutsuzawa-kun.”

“Ah. That is… yeah. That looks serious.”

“I can kind of see why, though. He seems like a quiet guy, but he’s actually a hands-on type. That gap is so moe.”

“If they’re still hanging out after the sports festival, then it has to be true love, right?”

A group of girls were whispering amongst themselves. After a moment, they started squealing.

“Hmm? What’s that about?”

I asked Seika-san, who was holding the pipe next to me, but she just replied with a bright red face, “I-I don’t know,” so I didn’t pay it any more mind.

“Great work, everyone!”

The chairperson’s voice was cheerful; he seemed pleased that we’d finished the setup ahead of schedule. The teachers treated us to ice-cold barley tea, and I felt instantly revived.

“Well, you’re the MVP, Kutsuzawa-kun.”

Oota-sensei lightly massaged my shoulders as I sat on a pipe chair. It tickled. I didn’t really do anything that amazing.

“Since you did such a great job and we finished early, I’ll give you a smaller part for the commentary.”

Wow, lucky. I guess most people think sitting and doing commentary is easier than physical labor like setting up. Everyone’s different. Or maybe the teacher just noticed it wasn’t my strong suit.

“Oh, the students will be arriving soon. I have to go guide the parents who are coming. See you later!”

The teacher ran off, their plump body swaying. In a way, being a teacher might be the toughest job of all. They had to prepare the barley tea and everything the day before, come in at the same time as us on the day of the event, and even after our work was done, the main event was just starting for them.

…Still, it felt strange to be in a position to greet the arriving students. I wonder if the teachers on greeting duty always see things from this perspective.

“Alright. Let’s head to the classroom, too.”

Seika-san took Oota-sensei’s place and lightly massaged my shoulder. It tickled again, and when I laughed, she laughed happily too.

In the morning, all the first-year committee members were just waiting around in the tent we had set up. You could say we were savoring the advantage of having finished our duties early. In other words…

“It’s boring, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

…that’s what it came down to. We were supposed to guide any injured students to the health committee’s station, but so far, no one had gotten injured.

“But still, Kutsuzawa-kun, you’re really amazing at that kind of work.”

“You think so? It’s probably just that not many people our age have handled those kinds of materials before, so it just looks that way.”

“Yeah, and that’s what’s so amazing about it.”

Seika-san lightly tapped my knee. In response to our casual interaction…

“…I’ve been wondering, are you two close?”

One of the girls who had been whispering rumors earlier cautiously approached us. I think she was a committee member from the next class, Class 3.

“Eh? Ah—”

Seika-san looked at me, her eyes asking, What should we do?

I decided to take the lead. “Our houses are close, so we sometimes walk to and from school together.”

“And she sometimes commissions work from my family’s workshop.”

“Ah, I see.”

I wasn’t lying. But in reality, we were a little more… a little more what, exactly? I guess you could say we were on more familiar terms.

“B-But…”

The committee member from Class 3 was about to press further, but then…

“Kutsuzawa-kun, it’s your turn for the commentary. You only have to do this one event. It’s a relay, so it’ll be easy.”

Another committee member called out to me, and the conversation fizzled out. It was good timing, but apart from that, I was incredibly nervous. I moved to the seat with the stand microphone and sat down, my throat suddenly dry.

“N-N-Next up is… the first-year inter-class relay.”

I can do this. Perfect. Now, when the first runners are all lined up, I just have to say something like, “And now, it’s about to begin.” Then, when the starting pistol goes off, “And all the runners are off at once.”

And then… um, um…

“Kousei.”

“Ah…”

Before I knew it, Seika-san was sitting next to me, gently holding my hand. Just that simple touch made me feel strangely calm.

☆☆☆

Jeez. He was so cool and captivating during the setup, but now he’s a nervous wreck over a little commentary. Well, I guess it’s better that he has some weaknesses; it gives me more room to score points.

“Calm down.” “No one’s expecting professional-level commentary from an amateur. Let’s just take it easy.”

“Y-Yes.”

I felt the tension drain from Kousei’s hand as I held it. I think he’ll be okay now.

“Deep breaths, deep breaths.”

“Hoo, haa.”

“Alright!”

I checked the field and switched the microphone back on. Kousei also looked out at the grounds and…

“The first runners are in position.”

He announced the situation in a much calmer voice than before.

All the runners held their batons, tensed their legs, and then…

–BANG!

At the sound of the pistol, they all shot forward.

From there, Kousei calmly provided commentary as needed. It wasn’t a horse race, so he couldn’t talk constantly, but he properly conveyed the situation during baton handoffs and whenever runners overtook each other. All even-numbered classes were red, and odd-numbered classes were white. Which meant our Class 2 was on the red team. But Kousei wasn’t blatantly biased in his commentary; I think he managed to be fairly impartial.

And then, the race was over. Unfortunately, our class lost by a narrow margin.

“The winner is first-year Class 3, earning points for the white team. A tough loss for Class 2, but the red team is still in the lead overall. Let’s keep that momentum going!”

That was pretty dry. And a little political. I should have had him listen to some more heartwarming news.

Kousei switched off the microphone and let out a long sigh.

“Good work. You did great.”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

Our hands, which had been joined the whole time, were damp with Kousei’s sweat. But the feeling of being able to support him wasn’t bad at all.

The relay was the last event of the morning, so we were officially released. It was lunchtime.

“Kousei, let’s eat together.”

“What about your mom?”

“She couldn’t make it because of her part-time job. I’m already in high school, so I told her it’s fine. What about your family?”

“Same for us. My dad’s at work, and my mom’s tending the shop… What about Douguchi-san and Sonoda-san?”

“Ah, Chika and Ria’s parents are here. It’d be rude to intrude.”

Well, I know Chika’s parents, so it’s not like I couldn’t join them, but there was no reason to.

So, in the end, it was just Kousei and me eating together. The other committee members all seemed to have someone to eat with, whether it was family or friends, and they had all left the tent. We had the place to ourselves.

“Hah~ I can finally relax.”

I put my bento on the long table. Kousei had a relaxed expression on his face, too. I was happy that he seemed so at ease when it was just the two of us.

“Shall we eat?”

“Yep.”

We opened our bento boxes at the same time. Ugh, stuffed green peppers. Kousei’s was… oh, stir-fried pork with ginger, broccoli salad, tamagoyaki, and fried oysters.

“Would you like to try some?”

“Eh?”

Did I look that hungry? Ugh, damn it.

“Did you make this, Kousei?”

“Yes.”

“Wow, that’s amazing.”

I feel like a beggar, but I really want to try Kousei’s handmade cooking. Is there a smooth way to do this? Ah, I know.

“Let’s trade side dishes.”

“Sure… By the way, who made yours?”

“My mommy.”

Damn it. Kousei is just too good at everything. Crafts, cooking, and he was a beast during the setup. He’s clearly got higher specs than the average guy our age.

Well, I guess I’ll have to get better at cooking, too. I want to make him a homemade meal next time.

“I kind of feel bad for your mom.”

“No, no, not at all! My mom will be thrilled.”

She probably thinks Kousei is helping her daughter out.

“Are you sure? Then, may I have this stuffed green pepper?”

Sweet! He’s taking the green peppers I hate. What a godsend. I agreed without a second thought, and in exchange, I got the stir-fried pork.

“Yeah, this is good. You’re a good cook, y’know?”

“Thank you very much.”

“But, well, after this, I just have to commentate the basketball game in the afternoon and then I’m done, huh.”

“Yes, please do your best.”

“Mmm. I’ll just wing it.”

“…”

“Hm? What’s up?”

“No… It’s just, Seika-san, I was thinking that you couldn’t participate in the events because you were keeping me company.”

“Eh? Ah, it’s nothing.”

“…You finally got better, after all. I thought maybe this was a chance for you to sweat it out and have a youthful time with Dougochi-san and the others.”

This Kousei guy, poking at his fried oyster with the tip of his chopsticks, looking all lonely… Ain’t he cute, dammit.

“Look, okay? Sharing earphones with you, helping with the setup, this is also what you’d call youth… Don’t make me say embarrassing stuff. You’re my, f-friend, too, y’know?”

“Seika-san…”

“Besides, when do you think I recovered from my illness? I participated with Chika and the others in elementary and middle school. Geez. But well… thanks for worrying about me.”

I feel like I’m the only one saying embarrassing things. This one-sided love thing is so unfair.

“I see… It’s already been eight years, huh.”

But just having him smile at me so fondly like this makes methink it’s all okay. It really is unfair.

In the afternoon session, I breezed through the commentary for two basketball games, and finally, my job was done. Like Kousei, I became a spectator from the high ground. While the two of us were munching on the gummies Kousei had brought, watching the young’uns give their all…

“Our class is in deep trouble, ain’t it?”

“We’ve completely become a burden, haven’t we.”

We narrowly lost in basketball, too. It felt like we were missing one person to back up Chika and Ria. Baseball was a crushing defeat. Some scrub named Miyasaka gave up a three-run homer to the shogi club.

“Next is the mixed-gender three-legged race, right?”

“Yeah. If they don’t get at least second place and earn some points here, it’s not gonna be good.”

When it’s all over, it’ll be like, “First year, class two were the ones to blame.”

“Who’s participating?”

Kousei flipped through the pamphlet and looked at the relevant section. He had a dubious look on his face.

“It’s Miyasaka and Hamamura-san.”

“Ah…”

It might be over. Miyasaka’s a mushroom, and Hamamura-san is from the manga research club, right? Not someone you’d praise for being athletic.

“W-well, there are still other events besides the three-legged race.”

Kousei nonchalantly gave up on them too. Well, can’t be helped. That guy who was acting all tough is seriously useless.

“Ah, we’re out of gummies.”

“Sorry, I ate the last one.”

“It’s fine. I still have more.”

Kousei said that and took out a new package of gummies from his bag. How many did he bring? Is this a field trip?

Just then.

“Seika! Kutsuzawa-kun!”

Suddenly, Chika burst into the committee tent.

“Gummies?”

“Gummies!? Ah, yeah. I’ll have one.”

Kousei picked one up and handed it to Chika. Eh, did she really come here just to eat gummies? What an amazing sense of smell.

“That’s not why I’m here! Someone’s injured! Hamamura-san, who was supposed to be in the next event, fell and twisted her ankle!”

“Eh!?”

“For real!?”

At this completely unexpected news, both Kousei and I shot to our feet.

“Did you contact the health committee?”

“Oota-sensei was there too, so she’s probably already on her way to the nurse’s office through them.”

“I see, so Hamamura-san should be okay for now.”

I felt a little relieved.

“But, what’s going to happen with the next event? Are we forfeiting?”

Chika’s words made me furrow my brows again. Hmmm, it starts in about ten minutes. There’s no way she’ll recover in such a short time. But man, our win rate has been bad enough to call us the main culprits, and if we forfeit, we’ll be dead last. That’s gotta be bad.

And at that moment.

“Just so you know, in situations like this, the sports festival committee members can participate as substitutes.”

A third-year committee president, probably called over by one of the members, joined us in our tent and explained.

“In this case, that’d be Mizoguchi-san and Kutsuzawa-kun from class two. Well, it seems only the girl was injured, so either Mizoguchi-san pairs with the uninjured guy, or Kutsu—”

“I’ll pair up with Kutsuzawa-kun!”

It was practically the only choice. But the crucial person, Kousei, looked surprised.

“But I haven’t even practiced… and I’m not good at sports.”

Hey, I haven’t practiced at all either!

Just then, Chika provided some backup.

“Kutsuzawa-kun, you say that, but think about what’ll happen if you refuse. Are you okay with Seika getting a mushroom hairstyle from pairing up with Miyasaka?”

It’s contagious?

“Th-that would be a problem. I’d have no choice but to ban her from the workshop.”

He’s that strict about it?

“…Understood. I’ll… I’ll pair up with M-Mizoguchi-san.”

He was convinced just like that!?

Chika gave me a thumbs-up behind her back where only I could see. I can’t be purely happy about this, but thanks.

So, Kousei and I rushed out of the tent together. When we got to our class’s meeting spot, Oota-sensei greeted us with a solemn expression.

“You two are substituting?”

“Yup.”

“It’s sudden, so I don’t think anyone would blame you if you forfeited.”

“Nah, but. Our class has been dragging everyone down so far, right?”

The moment I said that so bluntly, my classmates looked down awkwardly.

“Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to be sarcastic or anything… It’s just that losing without putting up a fight would be a bad look.”

After I said that, Miyasaka stepped forward with what looked like a happy expression.

“Mizoguchi said it herself, so let’s just take her up on her offer, everyone.”

His voice was a little excited as he spoke to our classmates.

“So, yeah, let’s do this. Let’s do our best.”

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

“What are you talking about? I’m pairing with Kutsuzawa-kun.”

Miyasaka stared blankly for a moment, but he seemed to quickly come to his senses.

“No, no, that’s weird.”

He snapped at me.

“What is? The only weird thing here is your haircut.”

Chika’s sharp comeback made Miyasaka flinch. He quickly brushed his bangs apart. Nah, the bangs aren’t the problem.

“Hey, but listen. I’ve been practicing. If we’re talking about our chances of winning, pairing with me is the right choice.”

Miyasaka looked back at our classmates. It seemed opinions were divided between the faction that thought he had a point, the group that didn’t care, and the gyaru group that was on my side.

Just then, Oota-sensei clapped her hands and intervened.

“Okay, okay, the three of you discuss it and decide. But you don’t have much time, okay?”

She said, pointing to a spot a little away from our classmates. Reluctantly, we moved. Once we were far enough away, Miyasaka immediately opened his mouth.

“…Hey Kutsuzawa, you’re not exactly confident either, right? Don’t you think it’d be better for me and Mizoguchi to do it, since I’ve actually practiced?”

“Well…”

Dammit. This guy is targeting the timid Kousei. I immediately jumped in to support him.

“You. First of all, whose fault is it that our class is in this mess?”

“Hey, it’s not just my fault.”

“True. But it’s also your fault, isn’t it? Seven runs in baseball, seven.”

“…”

“With that pathetic performance, where are you getting all this confidence from?”

“Well, for baseball… I wasn’t taking it seriously.”

“…You volunteered to be the fourth batter and the starting pitcher, and you weren’t trying? Who the hell do you think you are? So you ditch baseball but want to pick up the three-legged race? What gives you the right to pick and choose which events you try in?”

Miyasaka looked down, abashed.

“Should I take a guess? You gave up seven runs even when you were serious, so now you’re trying to act like you weren’t trying your best, right? So then. If I pair with you and we don’t do well, am I going to get dragged into that act too? I want no part of something that lame.”

“No, that’s—”

“By the way, the Kutsuzawa-kun you’re looking down on, he worked his butt off on the commentary he’s not good at. He listened to the news, practiced, and came here today. Even then, he was stumbling over his words at first. But he never gave up, got salty, or acted like he wasn’t trying, did he?”

As I rattled all that off at once, he shot back.

“…Wh-why are you taking the side of a plain, gloomy loner like him?”

He must have realized he was losing the argument, so he tried to change the subject.

“You really can only see what’s on the surface, can’t you? So what if he’s quiet? So what if he wears normal clothes? Are you so amazing for dressing up and only caring about your face? You know… Kutsuzawa-kun makes super interesting things, like Sengoku warlords, and he’s already making money as a craftsman. He even pays for materials out of his own pocket to make toys for kids in orphanages.”

“…”

“Kutsuzawa-kun, who keeps working hard and earnestly does things for others, is way above me or you, who only have what we were born with.”

I glanced at Kousei. He looked back at me with something like admiration in his eyes. Like how I used to look at Kururu-chan when I was a kid. I couldn’t help but chuckle, “Hehe.”

“So, that’s why I’m pairing with Kutsuzawa-kun. It’s decided.”

I stated it firmly. I was done here. I gave Kousei a pat on the back, and we returned to the rest of the class together.

“Oota-sensei.”

“Hm. All decided?”

“Yeah. We’re going with the original plan, me and Kutsuzawa-kun.”

“I see. Got it.”

Hearing that report, half of my classmates looked surprised, and the other half looked like they understood. The former probably thought I’d choose a partner based on looks alone. Basically, the ones who don’t know me well. On the other hand, the kids who know me even a little seemed to have expected it.

“…”

Miyasaka looked down and escaped into the school building. He’ll probably kill time in the bathroom or somewhere. Luckily, he doesn’t have any more events, so it won’t be a problem if he doesn’t come back at all.

Then, Oota-sensei clapped her hands again to get everyone’s attention.

“It’s three minutes to the start, so hurry. The other classes are already lined up over there.”

She pointed repeatedly toward the field, her arm jiggling.

“Crap! Let’s go! K-Kutsuzawa-kun.”

Dammit. That mushroom wasted so much of our time that we didn’t evenget to practice.

★★★

I tied the red string for the event, securing Seika-san’s and my legs tightly together. It’ll probably loosen a bit while we run, but for now, they’re pressed close. We put our arms around each other’s shoulders, our sides touching. It’s a bit late to be thinking this, but mixed-gender events should probably stop after middle school. It’s not really appropriate for high school students of the opposite gender to be this close. While trying to push the feeling of her soft body out of my mind,

“Seika-san.”

I call out to her.

“Eh? Ah, wh-what?”

For some reason, Seika-san, who had been staring blankly with a slightly red face, answered in a fluster.

“Um, about before. Thank you. That was something I should have handled myself.”

“Ah, yeah.”

He was talking about Miyasaka. I left it all to Seika-san.

“It’s fine. It was beefing with him anyway.”

“But. Still, I’m nothing but grateful.”

“Ah, ahaha.”

Seika-san laughed vaguely. Is she a little embarrassed? But.

“I was really… happy.”

I told her my feelings clearly. It was my honest truth.

“…”

“…”

Before the silence could drag on,

“Class two~ get to your positions~”

The gym teacher’s voice snapped us out of it. Right, we were about to compete. We did a little test run, calling out “One, two, one, two,” as we walked to the line. Good, we can move surprisingly well.

“Okay? I’m pretty sure at least one other class will get anxious and trip, so if we think of it as a brisk walk, don’t fall, and don’t get too far behind the leaders, I think we can beat the team that falls.”

I mostly agree with Seika-san’s plan. If we try to run carelessly, our lack of practice and coordination will probably make us the ones who fall. Especially me, while my strength and reflexes are one thing, I have no athletic sense or stamina, so I’d literally drag her down.

So I had no objections.

“Yes, let’s go with that.”

“First, we’ll start with our tied legs on ‘one’. At a walking pace. Once we get into a rhythm, we’ll speed up a bit to a race walk.”

“Okay.”

“Let’s take it easy. We’re a last-minute team, so as long as we don’t get last place, people will say it was better than forfeiting.”

Yeah, it’s probably better to go into this with that mindset.

Just as our strategy meeting ended…

“On your marks~”

The gym teacher’s clear voice prompted the runners to get ready. I took a small, deep breath.

“Get set.”

—BANG!

“Let’s go! One.”

“Two.”

““One.””

““Two.””

The start was smooth. One team stumbled right from the start, trying to run. I glanced at them from the corner of my eye, but didn’t break our pace.

““One.””

““Two.””

““One.””

““Two.””

We found our rhythm. Ahead of us are three pairs, six backs. One team fell at the start, and one is probably about tied with us. We can do this. We might actually be able to do this.

““One!””

““Two!””

“One!!”

“T-two.”

We’re about to catch up to one of the teams in the lead group. They’re on the white team, so I definitely want to pass them.

“You can do it—! Kutsuzawa-ku—n, Seika—!”

That was Sonoda-san’s voice.

“You can do it—! Kill ’em—!”

That was Dougochi-san’s voice. Hey, ‘kill ’em’ is a bit much.

And as if pushed on by their cheers, Seika-san’s pace picked up, and I gradually started to fall behind…

“Ah!?”

A sudden feeling of braking. By the time I realized I was out of sync with Seika-san’s stride, her body was already falling forward.

“Seika-san!”

Before she could hit the ground, I put my free leg forward and planted it firmly. I stretched out my arm to support the front of Seika-san’s body. I desperately kept my extended leg from slipping on the ground. Then, using my arm strength, I pulled Seika-san’s body back. Once I saw she was stable, I brought my legs back together.

Somehow. I somehow managed to keep her from falling.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah. Thanks.”

Our faces were closer than I thought. This event, it’s really not okay for high school boys and girls to be this close.

But we didn’t have time for awkwardness.

“Seika—! They’re coming up from behind—!”

Dougochi-san’s loud voice made us face forward again. I wanted to look back and check, but even that was a waste of time.

“Sorry. I got carried away and sped up too much. Let’s stick to the original plan and stay steady.”

I nod in response. It seems my stamina just can’t keep up with Seika-san.

““One.””

““Two.””

““One.””

““Two.””

From then on, we proceeded while maintaining a brisk walking speed as planned. We probably won’t be able to catch up to the top group anymore, but we’re not being caught by the bottom group either. And just like that,

““One-two, one!””

Together, we crossed the finish line with our tied legs.

We continued on to where the finishers were gathered, and an official handed us a flag. It had a “4” written on it.

“W-we did it… right? This is good, right?”

“Of course. We had zero practice, you know? Fourth place is more than enough. We saved the class’s honor, right?”

“Yeah… I’m glad.”

It was worth the effort. Seika-san held out a fist, so I bumped it with mine.

After that, all the programs finished without any more surprise incidents. By the way, the final result was that our Red Team beat the White Team in the overall score. It was incredibly close, though, so if we hadn’t earned those points in the three-legged race, the result would have been reversed. That fact made me a little proud. Well, looking at the big picture, our class was still dragging everyone down, though.

And then, the closing ceremony. Standing in the class line, I zoned out, letting the committee president’s speech and the principal’s ‘precious’ words wash over me.

It wasn’t that I was getting sentimental, but…

This is thefirst time in my life I’m at a closing ceremony for a sports festival with a relatively positive impression. It seems the sense of accomplishment from having done my part is greater than the relief of it finally being over.

I studied for the commentary by listening to the news, but in reality, Seika-san holding my hand was the most effective. We all worked on the setup, and I was relied on a little. Seika-san went mushroom hunting for me when I stayed quiet to avoid trouble. In the end, I was even roped into an event I hadn’t planned for, but I didn’t even mind that. I even got to taste the joy of contributing to a victory. And above all, it was a little fun. When I’m with her, I can be more positive about all sorts of things.

I glanced over at Seika-san in the girls’ line. It seemed she was looking this way too, and our eyes met. She gave me a bashful smile and a small wave. She’s kinda cute.

“Ahem, therefore. This is not simply about the visible wins and losses, but about fostering the spirit of ‘Jita-Kyoei’ from judo, that is to say…”

The principal said something similar at an assembly once. I wonder if he likes judo. Well, I’ll probably loop a few more times anyway, so I’ll just close my eyes and rest a bit. I woke up early today.

☆☆☆

The sutra-like speech finally ended, and the ceremony was over. Our homeroom teacher, Oota-sensei, gave a brief explanation of the upcoming schedule, and we were dismissed. Basically, since we used up Saturday for the sports festival, we’d get next Monday off in exchange.

“Good work, everyone. See you on Tuesday.”

At the teacher’s words, the classmates began to disperse in twos and threes. I searched for Kousei among them. Ah, there he is. I quickly typed out a message.

Let’s go home together. I’ll wait at the usual corner.

Sent.

Kousei noticed the message right away and checked his phone. He looked around, found me, and then shook his head from side to side. Eh? Does that mean no? Kousei made a complicated face and pointed towards the school gate. Then he started walking.

“Eh? Eh?”

What does he mean? Does he want me to follow? I didn’t really get it, but I hurried after Kousei.

Soon, we passed through the school gate and turned left… Just as I was about to catch up to Kousei’s back,

“Kousei. Good work today.”

“Kou-chan, good work.”

Two voices called out. For some reason, Kousei himself cried out “Eh!?” in surprise. So he wasn’t meeting them?

Looking past Kousei’s back, I saw a young woman and a slender boy. He was so feminine that if he weren’t wearing a boy’s uniform, I might have mistaken his gender. Or rather, he was at the level where you’d think he was a girl in boy’s clothes.

“And who is this?”

The woman’s gaze met mine over Kousei’s shoulder. Kousei moved his head around busily,

“This is my classmate, Seika-san. Mizoguchi Seika-san.”

He introduced me to the mysterious woman. Then he turned back to me.

“And, these two… the woman is my older sister.”

His… older sister? I was seriously relieved.

“That middle schooler is my cousin, Meguru.”

Meguru… Megu… Eeeeeh!?

While I was frozen in shock,

“U-um! What’s your relationship with Kou-chan, Mizoguchi-san?”

A preemptive strike!? This pretty boy, no… the boy was observing my face so intensely it felt like he was trying to burn a hole through it.

“Wh-what kind of relationship, you ask?”

“You don’t have any improper intentions, do you? If you do…”

Improper!? Does wanting to get into that kind of relationship count as improper? And, this must be that Meguru kid he mentioned. He was a boy. Kousei had said “a kid named Meguru” back then, so I just assumed it was a girl. It’s misleading… but I guess with his looks, I can see why he’d use “kid.”

“Meguru? You should stop.”

His sister stopped him. But she was also staring at my face. Being Kousei’s sister, she had the exact same aquiline nose, but her eyes were sharper than his, giving her a more intense gaze. Could it be… they think I’m a so-called delinquent because of my appearance?

“Nee-san, Meguru. She’s not like that, so it’s okay. She’s also a customer of ours.”

When Kousei mediated, his sister’s expression changed to one of “oh, I see,” and she visibly lowered her guard.

“A long time ago, I made and sent her a figure, and we happened to meet again. Since then, she seems to have taken a liking to the things I make. She just bought a stuffed animal and a wood carving the other day.”

“Oh, is that so? Thank you for your purchase.”

“Y-you’re welcome?”

I’m not sure why, but I’m glad I went to the shop that day.

“…”

Meguru-kun? He’s still piercing me with a strong gaze. This might be the first time a guy has looked at me with such wary eyes.

“Meguru, thanks. But it’s really okay. It’s not like I’m being threatened or forced to say this.”

Threatened? Eh? Was I that suspicious? Isn’t that a little toocautious?

“I’m sorry, Seika-san. There are… some circumstances.”

After hesitating a little, Kousei ended up being vague. Ah, this is a topic he doesn’t want me to get into. Honestly, I’m super curious, and I’m about to get jealous of the fact that he has this understanding with his sister and cousin that I’m not privy to… but I haven’t told him the details of why I moved either, so we’re even. Ah, but I’m so curious. Maybe he was bullied by a gyaru in the past, or something?

“Um, we have a memorial service to get to today. I thought it would be weird to talk about it on LINE. I was hoping we could walk to a place where we could talk alone, but I had no idea my sister and cousin would be waiting.”

Ah, so when he shook his head, he meant he couldn’t hang out because of the memorial service. And he really wasn’t meeting up with these two.

“That’s because you didn’t tell us about the sports festival, right?”

“That’s right. If I’d known, I would have come to cheer you on.”

“That’s exactly why I didn’t tell you.”

Besides, he was working behind the scenes, so it’s not like he had a chance to shine anyway.

“I’ll talk to you two later, so go on home ahead of me.”

“Ehh, but I came all this way to pick you up, big brother~”

“I’ll make it up to you later.”

At Kousei’s serious tone, the two reluctantly nodded. As they were leaving, only Meguru gave me one last, meaningful glance.

Kousei and I stopped there and decided to talk for a bit.

“I’m sorry things got weird.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“The reason I wanted you to come with me even though I don’t have time is because I wanted to thank you again.”

“Eh?”

“To have someone in my class who would fight for me. That was unthinkable back in April. Thank you so much.”

Kousei smiled, looking a little embarrassed. His face was cute.

“Mhm. Well, I was pissed off too.”

“Also. During the commentary, you held my hand. That really helped me calm down.”

Ah, that was cute too. The way he looked at me was like a lost child who’d found their parent.

“Well, that’s because you studied on your own, right? I just literally lent a hand to help you get the results of your work.”

“You think so? Then maybe I should thank the Sakumintou party too.”

“I think we can skip that.”

“Eh?”

We both laughed.

Now that we ended on a good note, I brought up the topic that had been bothering me.

“…But hey, that Meguru kid is a boy, huh?”

“Yes. Huh? Did I tell you about Meguru?”

He forgot. That was one of the things that triggered my blunder at the mall.

And it’s not like everything is completely cleared up yet. If the reason for his wariness is those “circumstances” Kousei mentioned, that’s fine, but it bothers me that he was so much more on guard than his sister. C-could it be, he’s into… that? He has such a cute face, after all.

“K-Kousei, you’re attracted to girls, right?”

“Eh!? What’s this all of a sudden?”

“Just answer me.”

“Well, yes. I am, but…”

“I see, I see. Okay.”

“What is it, really?”

Kousei had a look on his face like he had no idea what was going on, but I was, for one, relieved.

Previous          ToC          Next