Winter break is the only thing left after the test is over.
Today, I was borrowing a book at Saito’s house, when something caught my attention and I asked her about it.
[Thanks for the book… By the way, do you have any plans for winter break?]
[No, not really. I don’t have anything planned in particular and I’m just going to read books at home]
I had a feeling it’ll be like that, and I was right.
Being just as expected, I wryly smiled at the way she spends her time.
[I don’t have many friends to play with, and I refuse invitations from boys, so I can’t help it]
She is very cold and wary, so it was easy to imagine that the boys who had invited her with faint hope were cut down quickly.
I don’t know how I can ask her out. I don’t think I’ll be able to recover if I were to be cut down like that.
[…Do they really want to spend time with me?]
[Well, I guess they’re trying to close the distance between you and them]
[I’m not interested in dating…]
I felt bad for the people who tried asking her out. If they heard that, they’d be in tears.
[I had a feeling that might be the case, but you don’t have any interest at all?]
[No, I don’t. I can’t imagine dating with people who have ulterior motives]
There are only a few people who can continuely ask her out with her cold attitude.
If they really liked her, they would have second thoughts about her if they heard her response.
As a result of being categorized, maybe the ones who talk to her are considered as bad guys in her eyes.
[…Well, there are people who recognize you properly and invite you out, so don’t be too dismissive. You know who doesn’t have ulterior motives, right?]
[Yeah, I know what you mean. You’re different, right? You didn’t seem to be interested in me from the start]
[Well…]
I’ve had an urge to pat her head a few times, but it’s more of an urge to pet a small and cute animal. I have no desire to do anything else to her.
If I had any ulterior motives, she would’ve noticed right away, and ignored me.
She marked me as a safe person, so she stayed with me. If I show any form of ill intent, she’ll be gone in no time.
I wasn’t particularly interested in having a girlfriend, and it’s a matter of life and death if I wasn’t allowed to borrow more books. So I don’t want to change our current relationship.
[That’s why I trust you]
[Well, thanks]
I’m not unhappy with her perception that I am a harmless man, but I’m not sure how I should feel as a man.
[…So, I’ve been wondering, do you have any plans?]
[No, not at all. I’ll just stay at home like you]
[Then why did you ask?]
[No, I was wondering how we’re going to be borrowing and lending books. Since we aren’t going to meet up at school, is there a temporary solution for the time being?]
I’ve always been an indoor person and don’t bother to go out if I don’t have to.
I’d love to read the series, but it’s too much trouble going out to get it.
[I see, that’s right…]
At my question, she blinked her eyes and I think she lowered her eyebrows just slightly.
[…. That’s fine, but… would you like to spend some time with me at my place?]
[Haa?]
She was thinking of something, and said something outrageous.
I look at her, but she looks indifferent and unconcerned.
[I said, would you like to spend some time with me at my place]
[No, I heard what you said but…]
As expected, my ears didn’t hear wrong, I’m still a healthy high school student. Rather, I want to know how she got that crazy idea.
[You can read all the books at my house, and you don’t have to bring them back]
Well, that’s true.
If it’s her house, there’s a lot of books, and if I’m there, I can read a lot of them. It would be worth going out, but…
[No, but, you know…]
Yes, she’s a girl. If we had been the same gender, I would accept no hesitation, but this is the opposite gender.
I know she suggested this because she trusts me.
I’m not exactly conscious of it, and I’m not planning on doing anything weird, but the idea of a boy and a girl spending time in the same room is kind of awkward.
[Are you sure? You can read all you want…]
She said something attractive, as if she’s teasing me about it.
If she says that to me, it’ll make it harder to decide.
[…I’d like to talk some more about my impressions]
We had exchanged our impressions of books in the past, but since we were outside, we couldn’t talk for very long. I guess we’re both book lovers and wanted to talk more about them.
When she lowered her eyebrows and expressed her desire in a small voice, there was no way I could refuse. I had a lot on my mind, but when she said that, I had no choice but to nod.
[… Okay. I’ll do it]
[Yes, I understand]
Her mouth relaxed at my reply, and her eyes lit up.
She smiled and turned away casually, and it was kind of hard to look at her directly.
Winter break is the only thing left after the test is over.
Today, I was borrowing a book at Saito’s house, when something caught my attention and I asked her about it.
[Thanks for the book… By the way, do you have any plans for winter break?]
[No, not really. I don’t have anything planned in particular and I’m just going to read books at home]
I had a feeling it’ll be like that, and I was right.
Being just as expected, I wryly smiled at the way she spends her time.
[I don’t have many friends to play with, and I refuse invitations from boys, so I can’t help it]
She is very cold and wary, so it was easy to imagine that the boys who had invited her with faint hope were cut down quickly.
I don’t know how I can ask her out. I don’t think I’ll be able to recover if I were to be cut down like that.
[…Do they really want to spend time with me?]
[Well, I guess they’re trying to close the distance between you and them]
[I’m not interested in dating…]
I felt bad for the people who tried asking her out. If they heard that, they’d be in tears.
[I had a feeling that might be the case, but you don’t have any interest at all?]
[No, I don’t. I can’t imagine dating with people who have ulterior motives]
There are only a few people who can continuely ask her out with her cold attitude.
If they really liked her, they would have second thoughts about her if they heard her response.
As a result of being categorized, maybe the ones who talk to her are considered as bad guys in her eyes.
[…Well, there are people who recognize you properly and invite you out, so don’t be too dismissive. You know who doesn’t have ulterior motives, right?]
[Yeah, I know what you mean. You’re different, right? You didn’t seem to be interested in me from the start]
[Well…]
I’ve had an urge to pat her head a few times, but it’s more of an urge to pet a small and cute animal. I have no desire to do anything else to her.
If I had any ulterior motives, she would’ve noticed right away, and ignored me.
She marked me as a safe person, so she stayed with me. If I show any form of ill intent, she’ll be gone in no time.
I wasn’t particularly interested in having a girlfriend, and it’s a matter of life and death if I wasn’t allowed to borrow more books. So I don’t want to change our current relationship.
[That’s why I trust you]
[Well, thanks]
I’m not unhappy with her perception that I am a harmless man, but I’m not sure how I should feel as a man.
[…So, I’ve been wondering, do you have any plans?]
[No, not at all. I’ll just stay at home like you]
[Then why did you ask?]
[No, I was wondering how we’re going to be borrowing and lending books. Since we aren’t going to meet up at school, is there a temporary solution for the time being?]
I’ve always been an indoor person and don’t bother to go out if I don’t have to.
I’d love to read the series, but it’s too much trouble going out to get it.
[I see, that’s right…]
At my question, she blinked her eyes and I think she lowered her eyebrows just slightly.
[…. That’s fine, but… would you like to spend some time with me at my place?]
[Haa?]
She was thinking of something, and said something outrageous.
I look at her, but she looks indifferent and unconcerned.
[I said, would you like to spend some time with me at my place]
[No, I heard what you said but…]
As expected, my ears didn’t hear wrong, I’m still a healthy high school student. Rather, I want to know how she got that crazy idea.
[You can read all the books at my house, and you don’t have to bring them back]
Well, that’s true.
If it’s her house, there’s a lot of books, and if I’m there, I can read a lot of them. It would be worth going out, but…
[No, but, you know…]
Yes, she’s a girl. If we had been the same gender, I would accept no hesitation, but this is the opposite gender.
I know she suggested this because she trusts me.
I’m not exactly conscious of it, and I’m not planning on doing anything weird, but the idea of a boy and a girl spending time in the same room is kind of awkward.
[Are you sure? You can read all you want…]
She said something attractive, as if she’s teasing me about it.
If she says that to me, it’ll make it harder to decide.
[…I’d like to talk some more about my impressions]
We had exchanged our impressions of books in the past, but since we were outside, we couldn’t talk for very long. I guess we’re both book lovers and wanted to talk more about them.
When she lowered her eyebrows and expressed her desire in a small voice, there was no way I could refuse. I had a lot on my mind, but when she said that, I had no choice but to nod.
[… Okay. I’ll do it]
[Yes, I understand]
Her mouth relaxed at my reply, and her eyes lit up.
She smiled and turned away casually, and it was kind of hard to look at her directly.
