CH 6

When I was in fifth or sixth grade – the boys and girls in the class I was in often clashed with each other.

I think it started over something very trivial. I think it started over something very trivial, like kicking away an eraser that had been dropped. It was a small, trivial thing.

If there was a problem in that class, it was the lack of balance among the girls.

There were quiet students and bright students. Some were quiet, some were cheerful, some were slow-paced, some were cooperative. Even if there is a bias, there must be more than a few who have these characteristics.

But the girls in my class were not like that.

They all moved in the name of justice, and they all took the initiative to speak up.

At the time, I was the so-called leader of the class, representing the opinions of the boys, and I was the target of concentrated fire from the girls.

When I tried to clear up misunderstandings among my friends, they would simply cut me down with their verbal blades without even listening to what I had to say. When they calmed down and I tried to speak, they interrupted me and again screamed for justice.

It is because of this past that I have feelings of disgust in front of more than one girl.

I met up with Keiichi, who was waiting for me in front of the bathroom with a nonchalant look on his face, and we headed to my apartment. We didn’t talk much at all, but I appreciated the silence to calm my mind.

About 10 minutes after we left the school, I was feeling somewhat calmer by the time we arrived home.

I knew he must have seen me somewhere.

I put my school bag on the study desk and sat down on the bed, and he sat cross-legged on the carpet, looking familiar.

“Well. I’m curious about it because – oh, and in case you’re wondering, I cleared up the misunderstanding with Saejima and the others while Tomoki was in the restroom.”

“Saejima ……? That girl’s name?”

“Yeah, yeah, Saejima Nono. I saw the badge on her collar.”

“That’s not important information. I don’t want anything to do with her anymore. Her power.”

I respond to Keiichi’s words with a sigh.

Yes, what she was shouting was all about her friend, Kohinata. But, I guess, the wrong button was pushed, and the result was terrible.

“As for me, I’m a little disappointed. Kohinata doesn’t talk much, so she was the easiest to talk to among the girls. But it’s impossible if she has a bodyguard named Saejima. I might get goosebumps just by looking at her.”

It’s true that I don’t like girls, but it’s also true that I want to fall in love like a normal high school student. I don’t really know what to do with myself.

Should I just go ahead and target reclusive girls or something like that if I want to be adolescent ……? Like online romance.

“Eh? What? Tomoki likes Kohinata?”

Keiichi’s eyes sparkle and he looks at me like a child who found a toy.

“I don’t think it’s the same as liking her. I think Kohinata is cute, but I feel like giving her peanuts or something. Just looking at her is soothing. So I don’t think I’d want her as a girlfriend.”

“That’s a pet, isn’t it?”

“I see–that’s an odd thing to say. But that statement is disrespectful to Kohinata.”

I’m not sure if what he said was disrespectful or not.

“Well yeah. I’m sorry, Kohinata.”

Keiichi said and bowed his head toward the balcony. I don’t know if Kohinata is actually in that direction, but I bowed my head as Keiichi did.

☆ ☆　☆　☆　☆

The next day, when I went to school with Keiichi as usual and took my seat, a male classmate came up to me.

“Hey Sugino, Karakusa. I heard you were yelled at again yesterday in the courtyard.”

“Good morning Takada. You’ve already heard about it, ……, you’ve got a quick ear as usual. But I don’t understand how you can shout so confidently about something you have no proof of.”

“Really. I can’t speak for others, but I was skeptical at first, too.”

Takada is making a cute and not-so-cute gesture.

I was in the same class with this guy last year, and he is one of the people who already understands that this whole thing is a misunderstanding.

Compared to junior high schools where local people gather, there are hardly any rumors about me in high school, but he must have heard about me by chance. As for Saejima knowing about it, I can only think of it as bad luck.

“Well, I’ll stop it if there are any strange rumors about you.”

“Haha, that’s great. But only if you feel like it.”

“Yesyes~!”

Takada then started talking with another group of boys who were having a chat. They are a very sociable race.

“What are you going to do about Kohinata? We’re in the same class.”

Keiichi suddenly thought of something and called out in a whisper.

“Nothing, I don’t mind. I don’t think Kohinata would get involved on her own, and the oni won’t complain if I don’t talk to her.”

Oni, of course, meant Saejima.

If I were seriously in love with Kohinata, the story would be different, but that’s not the case. If avoiding Kohinata would prevent Saejima from coming close to me, I would do so without hesitation.

While we were talking like that, Kohinata, who was just talking about the topic, entered the classroom with a tic-tac-toe. Both boys and girls are talking to Kohinata and smiling with satisfaction when they see her nodding. That’s the spirit of kohinata no touch.

“……….. hmm?”

I was watching this from the side when Kohinata walked past her seat to me. I thought maybe I had the wrong seat, but she stopped in front of my desk and stared into my eyes. From my sitting position, it was a rare situation for me to look up at Kohinata.

I didn’t know what she wanted to say, so I called out to her anyway.

“…… You know, Saejima gets really annoying when I get involved with you. If you’re carrying any kind of guilt, I don’t really care anymore.”

The reason for this is that Keiichi said yesterday that he had cleared up the misunderstanding, so she was probably apologizing for that or something. I heard that Saejima was crying.

Hearing my words, Kohinata gave a small nod.

“You didn’t do anything wrong in the first place,……, but if you intend to stay on good terms with Saejima, you’d better let her get over her tendency to run off the deep end. Even if you can’t stop her with words, you could at least keep her mouth shut, couldn’t you?”

Kohinata nodded again. The fact that the expression on her face never really changes makes me wonder if she really understands what’s going on, but it’s not like she’s not showing a …… reaction, so I’ll take it as a good thing for now.

“Well, I said you didn’t do anything wrong, but maybe you could have at least voiced your opinion a little bit. Unless you believed the rumors and wanted to keep me away, but from the way she…… said it, that was Saejima’s own decision, wasn’t it?”

Kohinata nodded hesitantly.

It kind of sounded like a sermon. …… I didn’t mean it that way.

I don’t think people around me can hear me because my voice is so low, but it’s also true that Kohinata has been attracting a lot of attention because she’s headed to my seat.

I scratched my head with my index finger and then spun some words to close the conversation.

“Well, so, as Saejima said yesterday, we should try not to get involved. Unless it’s absolutely necessary for a class event or something, it’s the most peaceful way for both of us to be. I’m not very good with girls who talk a lot.”

When I said this in a self-deprecating tone, Kohinata did not shake her head either vertically or horizontally. Instead, she was rummaging through her school bag.

As I looked at her, I wondered what she was doing. Then her hand immediately popped open and something spilled out of her hand.

“…… candy?”

Dropped onto my desk with a clang was a milk-flavored candy with a pink wrapper.

I look at Kohinata and she shakes her head. Candy? I nodded my head.

“Are you going to give it to me?”

She nodded her head.

“Like a token of apology?

Nodnod

“You don’t have to worry about it”

Bunbun

“Well, I’ll take it.”

Kohinata nodded again and returned to her seat, her mission accomplished. I could feel a sense of accomplishment oozing from her small back. I guess that’s just my guess.

“No wonder she’s so popular.”

I felt the protective desire that had been dormant deep inside my body was activated at once.

“I can see why Saejima wants to protect her.”

Keiichi responded to my comment with these words.

I totally agree.