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Chapter 27 - Current relationship
The morning's second grade competition was over and there was no one to cheer us on anymore, so Iori and I were in the shade of a tree in a relatively unpopular corner. I crouched down and Iori leaned against the tree beside me. And I was lost in my thoughts.
Why? How could this happen?
When I closed my eyes, all I could think of was Kota's smile as he said 'good luck'.
...I don’t know. How could this happen?
I expressed my feelings to... Kota... a week ago. I cried all day that day and the next day I went to get my hair cut, which was much longer before. That was a week ago.
"...What happened?"
"I don't need to tell you."
"I don't understand."
Iori replied to what I said with a mumble, and rubbed my head again.
After apologizing, what Kota told me was that we were classmates. Classmates are a weak relationship.
Strangers, acquaintances, classmates, friends, ... childhood friends. There are many different words to describe a relationship, but what do classmates mean to Kota...? No, to be more precise, Kota's relationship with his classmates was weak. Even now, I think the only person Kota is talking to, apart from me, is Momoyama-kun...
... I'm glad to be able to talk to him and laugh together. But… I'm not qualified to be friends with Kota. However, Kota provoked me emotionally. If we could be friends again, nothing would make me happier than that. But I have to keep my distance... But if Kota wants to be friends with me again, no, but...
My mind keeps going round and round.
"What does classmates mean?"
“People in the same class.”
"I didn't mean that."
“No, I know, I know… but I didn't expect it to be like that either…”
Iori has helped me a lot and in remedial too, so I gave a thorough explanation of what had happened. Besides, I also told her that I gave up.
"What should I do?"
“Hmmm… you don't have to worry too much, do you?”
"But..."
"He likes talking to you, doesn't he?"
“...”
It's a bit embarrassing to say that. But it's actually true, so I nodded my head.
"Then it's fine. Kashiwagi-kun didn't talk to you out of necessity."
I think that might be true. I don't think that he pushes himself when he smiles so kindly and speaks so well.
The same old smile. A smile I haven't seen in a long time, a smile I've been missing for a long time. How many times have I seen him in the last week? When I saw that smile, my face became red and hot. This makes me happy and I wish I could spend all my time like this. My feelings of love are growing bigger and bigger.
“If you suddenly stay away now, that is no difference to what you did before, isn't it?”
"That's right..."
For the past week, I couldn't stop feeling happy whenever Kota spoke to me. At the same time, there was confusion. I thought that from now on we would just be classmates and if we did talk, it would be just a formality. However, in reality, when we meet in the morning, we greet each other, have small talk and even ask how I am. I said something like how many times he smiled at me before……, eleven times. I remember it correctly.
I'm happy, but...
+×+×+×+
In the end, it was time for a lunch break with no satisfactory answer to the question of what to do.
"Ah, it's time for lunch break."
Iori says that and checks on the field, the competition isn't over yet. Maybe they're a little late.
“Iori, did you bring bento? Want to eat in the classroom?”
"Yes. The competition doesn't seem to be over yet, but let's have an early lunch.”
We left the place together and headed for the classroom while chatting.
It...? It is...
In the hallway leading to the classroom on my way there, my body stiffens at the sight of a figure coming from in front of me and I get a little hot.
"It? Kashiwagi-kun."
"What’s the matter with him?"
"?"
Kota walking from the front looked a little weird. Iori didn't seem to notice, but he was a little weird.
"Ah."
“Tsu...”
I faintly hear Kota notice us and raising his voice, and my body jolts.
Then Kota walked towards us.
“Good job, Kana. Igarashi-san too.”
"Oh, yes. Good work..."
"Good afternoon. What's wrong, Kashiwagi-kun? You want to go to the cafeteria?”
This is a detour to the cafeteria from our classroom.
“No, it's not like that… Kana… sorry!”
Kota said, putting his hands together in front of his face.
"Eh...? What, what's wrong?
“Well, how should I explain it…”
——Ting
That sound came from the phone in Kota's pocket.
"Oh, sorry."
Kota then checked his phone.
"Oh, I have to go..."
"Oh, yes."
"Really, I'm sorry!"
Then Kota left quickly...
"What has happened...?"
"What’s wrong...?"
The two of us nodded our heads lightly and headed for the classroom. When we got to the front of the classroom, the inside of the classroom was very noisy.
...? What happened?
I opened the door. Then all eyes in the classroom were on me. There were four boys and six girls. There weren't many, because the lunch break had just begun. But even though Iori was also there, I could see that their eyes were clearly on me.
"There's rumors about you!"
Eeee....?
Translator: Janaka