Chapter 7
One day after Kana and Igarashi-san's stalking incident, I left the house earlier than usual. The reason was that I didn't want to be stalked in the morning by chance. I wonder if they want to know my weakness (I came to this conclusion yesterday after much thought), but I feel suffocated when they tail me like that.
I arrived at school about 25 minutes before class started and no one was in the classroom. I called Masaki in the morning and he said he could come to school today, which was a relief. Phew, yesterday was tough, but it looks like I'll be having a peaceful day today. Besides, tomorrow is Saturday. And then we'll jump straight into Golden Week. Then Kana and Igarashi would definitely forget about yesterday. No, maybe yesterday's stalking was forgotten. Let's hope so. It's okay, it's okay...
That's not okay. After the first and second lessons, I headed for Masaki's seat as usual, but Kana looked at me like crazy. No, next to him, Igarashi-san also glanced at us. I wonder if Masaki will notice that too? Oh, and Kana was almost late for school today.
"Hey, Kota."
"...What?"
“No, you know? Did something happen yesterday?”
“No, nothing happened, okay?”
“That sounds very suspicious...”
I know you will notice. It must be seen from my behavior. Scary, scary, scary. Did I do something suspicious?! When did I step on a landmine?! It's like I'm tearing dragon scales while playing tag on a tiger's tail?!
“Well, rather than that, yesterday's lesson—”
"No, that's not it. We must prioritize this matter.”
I can't fool him.
"You can't fool me. You must understand, right? What exactly have you done?”
“No, I am the victim in this matter.”
"Oh, that makes you sound like the culprit instead."
“I know it doesn't look like that, but I'm a really the victim here! I mean, I would never do anything to those two!”
“Surely so… So, what?”
“Eh, er, stalking, or something?”
"Ha?"
As expected the reaction would be like that. The two of them looked more like people to be stalked than stalkers. It's because of their appearance. Kana looks like Yamamoto Nadeshiko with her long black hair if she stays silent, and Igarashi-san is a beautiful girl with twin tail and a dignified aura. Whereas I have an average face and height... I'm innocent and ordinary.
“Do you know Kirishima-san?”
“E...”
"What?"
I was surprised to suddenly be asked that. I have to be honest...
"Uh, yes. Now it’s not anymore, but…… in case you were wondering, we were childhood friends…”
"Huh?!"
"What?"
“I thought you two were in middle school and you had a fight or something…”
What the hell. Actually I can still trick him.
“But if they're like that, doesn't that mean they're not close? ... Right? ... Maybe they used to date?”
I looked at Kana and Igarashi-san and they looked at me strangely, then they said something like that.
"We used to play together at home until the first grade of middle school, but in the second grade of middle school, she told me 'don't talk to me for the rest of your life'. ......I guess I never thought of dating her. I feel like she's like my little sister."
“Hah, that's something… I think it's a heavier issue between men and women…”
"Well, maybe not too heavy, but it's still a serious matter, right?"
“I don't think so, I mean, if you look closely at the way they're glancing at you, umm...”
“Why are they looking at me like that? I haven't spoken to her since she told me not to talk to her, until yesterday.”
“Oh, you talked yesterday.”
“Uh, no, I was sitting in my chair and she was talking to me. She suddenly spoke to me and I was scared, so I ran away immediately after…”
"You shouldn't run away from your childhood friend."
“No, we are not childhood friends anymore, and now we are just classmates.”
"Haven't they been chasing you for a long time, since the time we ate seafood rice, right?"
"Yeah, why?"
"That, I don't know, does she want to make peace or something?"
“No, no, no, no! …she doesn't need to do that now, it's been three years.”
"Oh yes? Well, if that's the case, then I guess I don't have to worry about that.”
He was brave enough to talk about this while being watched like that. ...I knew he was such a man.
“If you were childhood friends, then you were the reason she saw you. Well, if something's wrong, just tell me. So, show me yesterday's lesson notes."
“Hah…, so this happened only because we were childhood friends. Well, these are yesterday's lesson notes."
"Thank You."
Hmmm, ... make peace....... No, no, no. Emotions for a person fade often the less they interact. Like my friends in middle school, I didn't play with them often and I didn't have much contact with them anymore. Even Kana, when she was just distant from me, I found it hard to see her face and run, but now I can at least relate to her as a classmate. No, I just ran away yesterday, but we were chatting. I might be able to consider their intentions and talk to them. Yes. Not. If I understood their intentions well, they wouldn't be stalking me, would they? ...No, I don't think I'll be stalked if I pay attention to their intentions.
After all, it was probably same for Kana. Kana will recognize me as a classmate. I might have done something wrong somehow (I don't remember at all), and she said, “He's so annoying. He must have some kind of weakness. Oh, he is my childhood friend.” I can't imagine much, but it fits the most. Its that true...? This makes her a dangerous person. I don't think she's a strange person. Hmm..., but make peace, huh? I don't think so. Hmmm... Oh, it's possible that Kana or Igarashi-san likes Masaki and wants me, who is always by his side, to act as the intermediary. After all, Masaki was a nice guy. Well, his eyes are a bit ugly but he's more handsome than me. It was difficult for Kana and Igarashi-san because they had no connection with Masaki.
...I have no idea. That is not important. Let's wait time to tell. There's no point in dwelling on what we don't know.
“Hey, what does this mean?”
Masaki, who saw the notebook I lent him, asked me that. And I answered Masaki's question and my 20 minute break was over.
I returned to my seat just as the bell signaling the end of the 20 minute break ended. ...? The sound of sobbing was heard from the front.
... What, what's wrong? Are you okay?
Translator: Janaka