Chapter 1: A happy ending no one has ever seen part 2

Translator: Soafp

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“Cheer up, Yusuke, you are looking as difficult as ever this morning. I told you that if you have a problem, you should talk to Haruka-chan about it.”

　Haruka Kashiwagi, sitting in front of me, turned around and spoke to me. It was so abrupt that I, who was swimming in a sea of thoughts, was taken aback.

　Her communication is always abrupt.

“I’m not worried about anything, just leave me alone.”

　It is not something that one can casually talk about when it comes to one’s own destiny.

　Kashiwagi leans forward on my desk with great energy.

“You know, lately you’ve always been looking in that direction. Why?”

　I realize that my gaze is still fixed on Takase’s profile.

I hurriedly turned my face forward and said, “Why do you care?”

“Well, let me guess” Kashiwagi said, tapping her chin with her finger.

“Yes, it’s a girl, isn’t it? Of course, there is a girl you are interested in.”

What a keen sense of perception!

　The woman’s intuition is said to be amazing, and Kashiwagi is no exception.

“It’s not like that. Don’t pry into my business”

　I say with the coolest face I can muster, but Kashiwagi turns a completely deaf ear.

“Who is it?　That’s the area Yusuke seems to be interested in” she mumbles to herself as she glances around Takase’s vicinity, what about that girl, what about this girl.

　Kashiwagi is very familiar with me and calls me by my first name, “Yusuke,” but we are not that close.

Kashiwagi calls me “Yusuke” in a very familiar manner, but it is not that we are such close friends.

Not long after I entered school, she started calling me that on her own (I basically call anyone in my class by their last name without honorifics).

　In all ages and cultures, there is a certain process by which relationships deepen, but Haruka Kashiwagi does not seem to have any such concept.

“Oi, stop it, Kashiwagi. I was just looking out the window to see what the clouds were doing.”

　I checked the time and gritted my teeth. Normally, morning homeroom would have started long ago, but on days like this, the homeroom teacher never shows up, perhaps because the staff meeting is in session.

“Don’t tell me that Yusuke is also after Yuri?”

From the tone of her voice, I could tell that Kashiwagi was not joking. I tried to keep my composure and denied it, since rushing to deny it would be like admitting that it was so.

“No, it’s Yuri. Don’t hide it.”

Takase’s words contained a nuance of “I already know it”.

Takase, who has a cooperative personality, has established good relationships with many students, while Haruka Kashiwagi is the one who works with her at lunch, group assignments, and so on.

From the outside, it seems that the two of them are in good terms with each other. I had to avoid Kashiwagi from sensing what was going on in my mind.

“Cut it out, Kashiwagi. I’m telling you it’s not true.”

　There is a sense of urgency, and I can’t help but raise my voice.

“Hmm mou. I’m just saying. Don’t make a scary face like that right away. Well then, I’ll see you today!”

As if dodging a movement of my mind, Kashiwagi put her right hand to her temple like a police salute and turned around to face forward.

　This morning, too, I got the first punch.

　This kind of exchange is an everyday occurrence. It seems that in her mind, I am either an easy playmate or a physical toy to be played with.

　Haruka Kashiwagi is an idol of the H class, or rather of the school year, with her clear nose and eyes that seem to attract male attention, as well as her excellent proportions. In contrast to Takase’s Japanese beauty, Kashiwagi’s is more direct, more like a pistol.

　Kashiwagi’s lips, which take up a large space at the bottom of her face, are slightly lifted at the corners of her mouth on both sides, giving off a provocative glow. Her lips are probably the first thing that strikes the eye first on her face.

　Her two eyes are as large and round as the season’s giant peaks. Unfortunately, they are not likely to give people an intellectual impression, but they are the kind of eyes that make you feel that she never misses anything important.

The nose is an oasis, if I may say so. It stands in the center of the face, looking somewhat apologetic or as if its presence has been stifled. The strong presence of the eyes and lips makes the viewer feel at ease with the nose.

　Her chin is sharply pointed and her ears are large vertically. Her skin is glossy, and when she smiles, dimples appear on her cheeks.

　All in all, Haruka Kashiwagi is a woman so beautiful that she makes one’s backside sag.

Many people, regardless of party affiliation, national borders, or creed, would no doubt agree with this.

　Her personality is also unabashedly cheerful, and Kashiwagi has the natural gift of being able to smile and converse with anyone without hesitation. It is no wonder that she is so popular among young people of a healthy age, and four people have already confessed their love to her, only to have their confessions rejected.

　Even I, who have no interest in such gossip, hear about it, and her movements are always at the center of the class conversation.

　Rumor has it that she has her heart set on a man, and that is why she is not dating anyone.

　Kashiwagi seems to enjoy messing around with her hairstyle, and she always comes to school with some kind of twist every day to her light chestnut hair, which she says is her natural hair.

This meant that every day she wore her hair differently, and as a resident of the back seat, I felt uncomfortable because the scenery changed so frequently, but the boys loved it, and I heard them say, “I am happy to see a different Haruka-chan every day”.

　Incidentally, I think Kashiwagi looks best with a ponytail. Anyway, I don’t care.

　Kashiwagi is also a close friend of Takase, and their presence together is so strong that it is as if a lion and a tiger have teamed up.

As I looked at Kashiwagi’s back, I thought, “She still has a gorgeous body line that looks like she is in violation of the law”.

“Aah, Yusuke, have you done your English assignment yet?　No, I’m sure you’ve done it!”

　The owner of the nubile body looked back at me again as if she had just remembered.

“…Yes, yes.”

After a month of sitting behind Haruka Kashiwagi, I can usually tell what she wants from her complexion, tone of voice, and first words.

With some regret for what would have been an unkempt face, I took an English notebook from my desk and handed it to the pale Kashiwagi.

“You’ve got until third period to get it all copied.”

“Thank you!　You’re the best, Yusuke!　I love you!”

　Kashiwagi said and gave me a kiss. The way she is doing it is quite impressive.

“Good, you don’t seem to have any problems.”

　Seeing Kashiwagi’s nonchalant demeanor makes me want to say something like that. I have to work at night, so I don’t have a lot of time to spare, but it’s a task I have to complete.

“What’s that? Am I being ridiculed in some way?　It disgusts me.”

“Disgusting?　Well, then, give me back my notebook.”

“Eh ……no, I’m sorry.”

Kashiwagi laughed bitterly and quickly put my notebook away on her desk and turned forward as if nothing had happened.

　Haruka Kashiwagi, the innocent resident of the seat in front of me.

Of course, she is another girl I have already “met,” and it is not that I could not picture her face at all during the past month when I heard the words, “the ‘future you”.

　However, I had a feeling that we were not on the same wavelength as people, or that we had different directions in life.

Not everything is good if it is beautiful.

　I felt that it was not right for me to give my own seal of approval to a pretty, high-quality woman who was courted by four men as soon as she entered the school, but I also had my future at stake. I am serious in my own way.

　And the future of Haruka Kashiwagi, who spends her days energetically, does not seem to have any burdens that should be called difficult.

　With her beauty that is the envy of everyone, she will swim through the latter half of her teenage years in style, get married, have a family that is the envy of everyone, and reach the age of old age that is the envy of everyone.

　I should not be involved in such a wonderful life with a perfect score from the start of the race to the landing. She can be happy as long as she lives a normal life. The road prepared for me and Kashiwagi are different.

　Throwing a cold smile at the back in front of me, I switched my mode to classroom mode at the appearance of my homeroom teacher and announced the start of the day by ringing a large gong on my head, which had been loose from thinking about girls all morning.

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