21. Happiness of the one being left out
“Wa, wait… please wait…!”
“!”
I looked back. I saw Inatomi-senapi made a small fist on her chest and stood up. Next to her, Shinomiya-senpai looks at her with a surprised face.
And,
“…. Ah, I forgot.”
“?? Hey, senpai? I heard it you know.”
Shinomiya-senpai muttered in a low voice. She accidentally put in a tsukkomi. [TN: ‘Tsukomi’ is, when you play a straight man role in a comedy duo]
Inatomi-senpai looked up at Shinomiya-senpai with a hateful eyes. And somehow, it seemed that she have something to tell me.
Well, if Shinomiya-senpai just wanted to scold me, there no need to bring Inatomi-senpai along. Furthermore, she even went around the first-year classroom looking for me in the first place…… Alright.
“Well, see you again then.”
“No, no, wait a minute!”
I was caught by Shinomiya-senpai who flew away to my direction when I tried to get out of the Student guidance room.
Hehe, I got caught.
But the fact that Shinomiya-senpai caught me instead of tried stop me was so her.
“Hey…! Even though you saw it, why are you trying to leave?!”
“Eh? But Sen～pai～, weren’t you closed the talk already～?” [TN: He said this in a bit of annoying way]
“No! The main topic was not a sermon to you! And, Stop talking that way!”
Well, I was just joking about leaving the room, so I went back to my seat quietly.
Seeing that, Inatomi-senpai looked relieved.
To be honest, I felt good to have my joke replied. After all, Shinomiya-senpai wasn’t the type who make a joke.
“The main topic?”
“Yeah. That’s why Yuyu is here too.”
Looking toward Inatomi-senpai at the words of Shinomiya-senpai, I thought she would be scared of me again. But, she looked back at me with strangely determined eyes even though her body was shaking.
“Yuyu has always been concerned about refusing your kindness, so she wants to apologize for that and said thank you.”
“Thank you…? But, I didn’t actually help her though?”
“Well, don’t say that. Just listen to her first.”
I gave up my shoulders and turned to Inatomi-senpai again. Seeing her being so cute, I feel healed, but I was nervous when I thought that all of the eyes was on me.
Still, when I thought that Inatomi-senpai putting up great courage just for giving me some words, somehow the evil within me disappeared. Well, that’s good….. Yeah, Inatomi-senpai is a kind of people when even if you see her from a far, you will get fluffy.
“Ah, ehmm, that… at that time… I’m sorry for rejecting Sajou-kun’s kindness.”
“Okay.”
“A-And… Thank you for offering your help to me, who seems troubled carrying stuff…!”
“… Ah, yeah.”
Inatomi-senpai squeezed her courage to said the words. When I replied to her, She made a bright expression that seemed like she just made an accomplishment.
What is this ‘creature’ called huh? Is she planning to kill me in agony?
… But, I really can’t think anything evil to her.
“Like this, I will do my best to cure the weakness of men!”
“…”
…….Huh?
There was something that cooled down in me. I know that she can’t help but hate men, but what about that statement? I found that the way I looked at Inatomi-senpai changed a lot.
….Damn, it was dangerous, the evil within me almost make me say what I thought. Seriously, that’s not what I want to say.
“…Yeah, just like that.”
“Yes!…..Eh..?”
“Thank you for taking the trouble just to say that. If there’s an opportunity for us to meet again, I’ll be in your care at that time. Well then.”
“What’s so sudden?… Oh, well, unless you do something bad around again, there’ll be no such of an opportunity.”
“That’s right, then until someday.”
Now let’s go back to the classroom. Let’s go back and look at Natsukawa from the corner (hobby). The man who stick to one’s believe, compromises for it, and continues to enjoy it quietly in the corner, Yeah, that is me now.
Breaking the “normal” shell is enough when I find what I really want to do. Until then, I don’t care about the efforts of someone I don’t really know.
So please, do it like you wish.
◆
Two girls are breathing the outside air while walking outside from the doorway. The Schoolyard is in front part of school. If you turned left before it, you could see the wall, where Wataru was standing for a while.
To chase after Aika Natsukawa, Wataru entered a private school, Kouetsu High School. It is a preparatory school with a big gate and a gorgeous school flag.
The two girls stood in front of the Schoolyard and looked at the huge gate from the inside.
“Yuyu, It’s summer. The outside is starting to get not so refreshing.”
“Yes… That’s right…”
“… Yuyu?”
Two people who had met a junior boy student until a while ago. After saying what they wanted to convey to Wataru, the lunch break time for Rin Shinomiya and Yuyu Inatomi were───almost over.
“What’s with the sudden excitement? You’re certainly not good with men… you see, it’s just by chance that he’s a junior, who’re even though a bit cheeky, he’s not violent.”
“Yes… Compared to other guys, for sure he’s like that.”
As Rin said, Wataru Sajou is a junior. At first. Yuyu was worried whether to apologize to Wataru or not, but when she heard that he was a junior, she decided to apologize to him. After she actually met him, and he had a light conversation with Rin, the chairman of the discipline committee, she thought that he was not a bad person.
“But… I might have said something that made him angry…”
“What? Something that makes him angry?”
Rin rebuked Yuyu’s words, frowned and made a doubtful face. Yuyu’s words seemed strange because she didn’t feel any discomfort at that time.
“I don’t think you said anything strange at that time, and I didn’t think Sajou was angry either…”
“Well, that’s right. It may have looked like that to Rin.”
“HM…?”
Yuyu kept her eyes on him as much as possible, trying to suppress her weakness toward men and have a sincere attitude toward junior. That’s why Yuyu didn’t think that he forgave her and received her gratitude in that air.
“I don’t know how to say, but… that, Sajou-kun … he was looking at me very boringly.”
“What…? Was he…?”
Yuyu was never afraid to say harsh word. Rather, by taking such an attitude, she could be excused when she talk to a male student with a bare minimum of communication.
However, Yuyu felt terribly cold to be seen with such an eye immediately after she said positive words.
“Ah, hmmm… I’m sure it’s just my misunderstanding. After all, he was on good terms with Rin.”
“That’s right..”
Rin thougt, ‘After all, that’s just Yuyu’ perspective’. She didn’t think that Wataru Sajou was bored. After all, she asks Wataru to listen to her concern and find out how to improve it. She was happy with the result, so she thought that he must be not a bad person.
However, it was the words that Yuyu, who was longing for herself, said. Rin can’t just stayed quiet and stood on the sideline.
“Yuyu, it’s – gonna – be- okay. After all, you are cute “
“W-What is that?”
Rin hugged Yuyu from behind and patted her. She implemented the new method that she have recently learned after realizing that she was the one that stand in higher position. She though that, she just need to give a push and then leave the rest to her reliable friends.
After some time, Yuyu had a smile on her face.
◆
Let’s start from small things.
As the old man said, it seems that what I should look at is someone that’s close in qualities with me.
I wasted my time trying to reach the one that was too sour and sweet for my heart.
I don’t think it was wrong, only if I was prepared with what my come.
Well… I’m sure… I’m still trying to reach for something that seems reachable but not.
“… Ah! Sajo-chi Sajo-chi!”
“…?”
When I entered the classroom, Ashida, who noticed me, called me in a low voice….. I don’t know what she want, but I’ll listen.
“That, look at that…!”
“? ….What is…?!”
Ashida pointed somewhere. Following that, Natsukawa was talking with several schoolgirls in a friendly manner. Moreover, the girls she talked to was not a vulgar girl of the class. She was talking to ordinary, so ordinary cute girls. Is it red rice day?
“Huhu… Way to go, Natsukawa.”
“Why you sound like her dad… Ah, you got ‘Zackey’.” [TN: ‘Zakey’ is a snack in japan. it’s a chocolate wafer]
“Yamazaki, I’ll kill you.”
“Hey, Sajo-chi, you’re not in a position to complain about it.”
Ugh… I say anything about it. Even Yamazaki, who is in front of many female students and is not smart enough, will not cause a strange imitation that the boys of basketball club like to do (Prejudice). So, Let’s overlook him for this time. After all what’s important right now is ‘The Great Production Strategy of Natsukawa’…!
Well, to be honest, I didn’t really do anything…
“By the way, Ashida. You’re not going to have lunch with Natsukawa?”
“Well, I plan to do that. I’m waiting for the right time, I’ve already send her the signal through eye contact, so for now, it’s okay!”
“Ho… I see.”
Natsukawa’s face with stunned eyes comes to mind. I think it would be better for Ashida to be always on the side of Natsukawa… that way, it’s easier for people around her to talk to her.
… But, it’s exactly like what I expected. Natsukawa looks good in being in the center of people. To be honest, She was not supposed to care about me, who is ‘normal’ in every way, from the beginning…
“Why don’t you ask Ashida to come too? Leave the house-siting to me.”
“What are you protecting …”
Ashida sent out assaults the students surrounding Natsukawa. Then everyone, including Natsukawa, laughed and the classroom was full of peaceful atmosphere. What an air full of happiness for me, the Producer. I feel like I can eat two cups of rice (normal).
Look at it from the corner and it can be seen as a peaceful classroom background. Even the bland sweet bread, which was the left over from the cafeteria, was also taste more delicious…. Yes, that’s right, I’m having my late lunch.
Even for me, that corner where Natsukawa was located, I can see that area somewhat glittering and looked so fluffy. Seeing that scene, I thought, ‘Just as I felt uncomfortable when I was on the side of my sister and her surroundings. Would I feel uncomfortable too, if I was standing around there?’….
But the figure of Natsukawa that I saw was what I wanted.
…Looking at it from a distance, I felt that something like a hangnail in my heart was peeling off.
21. Happiness of the one being left out
“Wa, wait… please wait…!”
“!”
I looked back. I saw Inatomi-senapi made a small fist on her chest and stood up. Next to her, Shinomiya-senpai looks at her with a surprised face.
And,
“…. Ah, I forgot.”
“?? Hey, senpai? I heard it you know.”
Shinomiya-senpai muttered in a low voice. She accidentally put in a tsukkomi. [TN: ‘Tsukomi’ is, when you play a straight man role in a comedy duo]
Inatomi-senpai looked up at Shinomiya-senpai with a hateful eyes. And somehow, it seemed that she have something to tell me.
Well, if Shinomiya-senpai just wanted to scold me, there no need to bring Inatomi-senpai along. Furthermore, she even went around the first-year classroom looking for me in the first place…… Alright.
“Well, see you again then.”
“No, no, wait a minute!”
I was caught by Shinomiya-senpai who flew away to my direction when I tried to get out of the Student guidance room.
Hehe, I got caught.
But the fact that Shinomiya-senpai caught me instead of tried stop me was so her.
“Hey…! Even though you saw it, why are you trying to leave?!”
“Eh? But Sen～pai～, weren’t you closed the talk already～?” [TN: He said this in a bit of annoying way]
“No! The main topic was not a sermon to you! And, Stop talking that way!”
Well, I was just joking about leaving the room, so I went back to my seat quietly.
Seeing that, Inatomi-senpai looked relieved.
To be honest, I felt good to have my joke replied. After all, Shinomiya-senpai wasn’t the type who make a joke.
“The main topic?”
“Yeah. That’s why Yuyu is here too.”
Looking toward Inatomi-senpai at the words of Shinomiya-senpai, I thought she would be scared of me again. But, she looked back at me with strangely determined eyes even though her body was shaking.
“Yuyu has always been concerned about refusing your kindness, so she wants to apologize for that and said thank you.”
“Thank you…? But, I didn’t actually help her though?”
“Well, don’t say that. Just listen to her first.”
I gave up my shoulders and turned to Inatomi-senpai again. Seeing her being so cute, I feel healed, but I was nervous when I thought that all of the eyes was on me.
Still, when I thought that Inatomi-senpai putting up great courage just for giving me some words, somehow the evil within me disappeared. Well, that’s good….. Yeah, Inatomi-senpai is a kind of people when even if you see her from a far, you will get fluffy.
“Ah, ehmm, that… at that time… I’m sorry for rejecting Sajou-kun’s kindness.”
“Okay.”
“A-And… Thank you for offering your help to me, who seems troubled carrying stuff…!”
“… Ah, yeah.”
Inatomi-senpai squeezed her courage to said the words. When I replied to her, She made a bright expression that seemed like she just made an accomplishment.
What is this ‘creature’ called huh? Is she planning to kill me in agony?
… But, I really can’t think anything evil to her.
“Like this, I will do my best to cure the weakness of men!”
“…”
…….Huh?
There was something that cooled down in me. I know that she can’t help but hate men, but what about that statement? I found that the way I looked at Inatomi-senpai changed a lot.
….Damn, it was dangerous, the evil within me almost make me say what I thought. Seriously, that’s not what I want to say.
“…Yeah, just like that.”
“Yes!…..Eh..?”
“Thank you for taking the trouble just to say that. If there’s an opportunity for us to meet again, I’ll be in your care at that time. Well then.”
“What’s so sudden?… Oh, well, unless you do something bad around again, there’ll be no such of an opportunity.”
“That’s right, then until someday.”
Now let’s go back to the classroom. Let’s go back and look at Natsukawa from the corner (hobby). The man who stick to one’s believe, compromises for it, and continues to enjoy it quietly in the corner, Yeah, that is me now.
Breaking the “normal” shell is enough when I find what I really want to do. Until then, I don’t care about the efforts of someone I don’t really know.
So please, do it like you wish.
◆
Two girls are breathing the outside air while walking outside from the doorway. The Schoolyard is in front part of school. If you turned left before it, you could see the wall, where Wataru was standing for a while.
To chase after Aika Natsukawa, Wataru entered a private school, Kouetsu High School. It is a preparatory school with a big gate and a gorgeous school flag.
The two girls stood in front of the Schoolyard and looked at the huge gate from the inside.
“Yuyu, It’s summer. The outside is starting to get not so refreshing.”
“Yes… That’s right…”
“… Yuyu?”
Two people who had met a junior boy student until a while ago. After saying what they wanted to convey to Wataru, the lunch break time for Rin Shinomiya and Yuyu Inatomi were───almost over.
“What’s with the sudden excitement? You’re certainly not good with men… you see, it’s just by chance that he’s a junior, who’re even though a bit cheeky, he’s not violent.”
“Yes… Compared to other guys, for sure he’s like that.”
As Rin said, Wataru Sajou is a junior. At first. Yuyu was worried whether to apologize to Wataru or not, but when she heard that he was a junior, she decided to apologize to him. After she actually met him, and he had a light conversation with Rin, the chairman of the discipline committee, she thought that he was not a bad person.
“But… I might have said something that made him angry…”
“What? Something that makes him angry?”
Rin rebuked Yuyu’s words, frowned and made a doubtful face. Yuyu’s words seemed strange because she didn’t feel any discomfort at that time.
“I don’t think you said anything strange at that time, and I didn’t think Sajou was angry either…”
“Well, that’s right. It may have looked like that to Rin.”
“HM…?”
Yuyu kept her eyes on him as much as possible, trying to suppress her weakness toward men and have a sincere attitude toward junior. That’s why Yuyu didn’t think that he forgave her and received her gratitude in that air.
“I don’t know how to say, but… that, Sajou-kun … he was looking at me very boringly.”
“What…? Was he…?”
Yuyu was never afraid to say harsh word. Rather, by taking such an attitude, she could be excused when she talk to a male student with a bare minimum of communication.
However, Yuyu felt terribly cold to be seen with such an eye immediately after she said positive words.
“Ah, hmmm… I’m sure it’s just my misunderstanding. After all, he was on good terms with Rin.”
“That’s right..”
Rin thougt, ‘After all, that’s just Yuyu’ perspective’. She didn’t think that Wataru Sajou was bored. After all, she asks Wataru to listen to her concern and find out how to improve it. She was happy with the result, so she thought that he must be not a bad person.
However, it was the words that Yuyu, who was longing for herself, said. Rin can’t just stayed quiet and stood on the sideline.
“Yuyu, it’s – gonna – be- okay. After all, you are cute “
“W-What is that?”
Rin hugged Yuyu from behind and patted her. She implemented the new method that she have recently learned after realizing that she was the one that stand in higher position. She though that, she just need to give a push and then leave the rest to her reliable friends.
After some time, Yuyu had a smile on her face.
◆
Let’s start from small things.
As the old man said, it seems that what I should look at is someone that’s close in qualities with me.
I wasted my time trying to reach the one that was too sour and sweet for my heart.
I don’t think it was wrong, only if I was prepared with what my come.
Well… I’m sure… I’m still trying to reach for something that seems reachable but not.
“… Ah! Sajo-chi Sajo-chi!”
“…?”
When I entered the classroom, Ashida, who noticed me, called me in a low voice….. I don’t know what she want, but I’ll listen.
“That, look at that…!”
“? ….What is…?!”
Ashida pointed somewhere. Following that, Natsukawa was talking with several schoolgirls in a friendly manner. Moreover, the girls she talked to was not a vulgar girl of the class. She was talking to ordinary, so ordinary cute girls. Is it red rice day?
“Huhu… Way to go, Natsukawa.”
“Why you sound like her dad… Ah, you got ‘Zackey’.” [TN: ‘Zakey’ is a snack in japan. it’s a chocolate wafer]
“Yamazaki, I’ll kill you.”
“Hey, Sajo-chi, you’re not in a position to complain about it.”
Ugh… I say anything about it. Even Yamazaki, who is in front of many female students and is not smart enough, will not cause a strange imitation that the boys of basketball club like to do (Prejudice). So, Let’s overlook him for this time. After all what’s important right now is ‘The Great Production Strategy of Natsukawa’…!
Well, to be honest, I didn’t really do anything…
“By the way, Ashida. You’re not going to have lunch with Natsukawa?”
“Well, I plan to do that. I’m waiting for the right time, I’ve already send her the signal through eye contact, so for now, it’s okay!”
“Ho… I see.”
Natsukawa’s face with stunned eyes comes to mind. I think it would be better for Ashida to be always on the side of Natsukawa… that way, it’s easier for people around her to talk to her.
… But, it’s exactly like what I expected. Natsukawa looks good in being in the center of people. To be honest, She was not supposed to care about me, who is ‘normal’ in every way, from the beginning…
“Why don’t you ask Ashida to come too? Leave the house-siting to me.”
“What are you protecting …”
Ashida sent out assaults the students surrounding Natsukawa. Then everyone, including Natsukawa, laughed and the classroom was full of peaceful atmosphere. What an air full of happiness for me, the Producer. I feel like I can eat two cups of rice (normal).
Look at it from the corner and it can be seen as a peaceful classroom background. Even the bland sweet bread, which was the left over from the cafeteria, was also taste more delicious…. Yes, that’s right, I’m having my late lunch.
Even for me, that corner where Natsukawa was located, I can see that area somewhat glittering and looked so fluffy. Seeing that scene, I thought, ‘Just as I felt uncomfortable when I was on the side of my sister and her surroundings. Would I feel uncomfortable too, if I was standing around there?’….
But the figure of Natsukawa that I saw was what I wanted.
…Looking at it from a distance, I felt that something like a hangnail in my heart was peeling off.
