Chapter 51: —I like you

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

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Morning.

In the refrigerator, there are five bottles of natural water lined up. I close my eyes, randomly sample (just wanted to say that), and take a big gulp.

“…This one's Crystal Geyser.”

I look at the bottom. After peeling off the sticker, I see the name written there. It's correct. My accuracy rate has been quite high recently.

“All right, let's go.”

I head out the door, under the watchful eyes of my nine brother cranes (and they've increased again). Going to school has become something I look forward to.

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――“……”“……”“……”――

There are still quite a few people who aren't used to my hair color (what do they think of me). Whether at the school gate or in the hallway. I've received a lot of stares before reaching the classroom.

To be honest, I didn't think rainbow-colored hair would be allowed in high school, but I'm grateful for the modern sense of discipline. And the school's atmosphere. There's no way the students will suddenly dye their hair rainbow colors because of me. In fact, 90% of them have black hair. If all the students suddenly turned rainbow, I'd have to take responsibility (nightmare).

The time is 8:15 AM.

I enter the classroom under those stares, from the same “front” door as yesterday.

“――Ah! It's Icchi~!”

I can't help but smile.

A cheerful voice from a girl greets me as I step through the door.

Thanks to that— I don't mind the gazes from others anymore.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning~!”

I stand in front of Hatsune-san's desk and talk while standing.

“By the way, you're not coming with Kisaragi-san?”

“I have morning practice for the basketball club~.”

“I see.”

“……Well, Ayanon tends to be quite loose with time. Probably won't manage to come together~.”

That's surprising.

But then again, she always seems to arrive just before the start time.

“Well, Kanon-chan probably handles things better…”

“Kanon-chan is probably more reliable.”

“Really…”

“Yeah. Haha, like a negative example~?”

“I-I see.”

When I liked her, I must have deified Kisaragi-san in my mind.

How foolish of me.

“……Are you concerned about Ayanon?”

“No matter how I answer, it'll sound strange.”

“……Hmm.”

She gives me a side-eye.

[――“……I want to get closer to Hatsune-san”――]

Before I said that line.

Her expression seemed a bit similar to that.

“Let's change the subject (perfect topic change).”

“Answer.”

“Uh.”

“Gee~”

Does she want to say I'm a maggot (paranoia)?

Yes! (affirmative).

Plan C. Let's just be honest.

“I… had a bit of a dream, you know, to go to school with ‘friends.'”

“Huh?”

“I asked if Kisaragi-san could come with us because… well, I thought maybe, just sometimes, Hatsune-san and I could go together…”

“!”

“I asked with faint hopes. Sorry for the strange misunderstanding.”

So embarrassing.

But it's better than causing a misunderstanding.

“――I-I can go!!”

“Huh?”

“Every Wednesday, there's no morning practice. I also want to go with Icchi…”

“Seriously? (Changed ending due to shock)”

“……Yeah.”

Could it be that I get to experience the ‘going to school with friends' event?

I can't believe it.

Just as I was thinking that, I pinched my thigh to bring myself back to reality.

Ouch!!!

I'm still alive (survival confirmed).

“……Hey, Icchi.”

“Huh?”

“Ayanon doesn't really watch movies or read manga.”

“Yeah.”

“So, if we get excited about that at lunch, Ayanon will feel left out.”

“True.”

Hatsune-san is kind. She wants to respect her best friend Kisaragi-san's time during lunch.

Of course. I don't want to interfere with those two.

“So… um, I'd like to keep those conversations for when it's just the two of us.”

“Of course, that's fine.”

“……But I have club activities, so I don't get to talk to you much.”

“Yeah.”

“I was wondering what to do… and I was troubled.”

For a moment, I didn't understand why she was thinking so much about me.

The reason for my incomprehension is probably my own ‘self-deprecation.'

Because I've always been without friends.

Because I was an uninteresting person.

Because I couldn't change.

Because the person I was was so terribly ugly.

――But now, in this classroom.

Continuing my cheap actions, consulting with the thread's residents――at this moment.

In front of me is someone who wants to talk to me this much.

“…”

“What's wrong? Icchi?”

Look ahead. Look into her eyes and speak.

Have confidence, Hajime Toumachi.

There's someone right now who――wants to see you.

“After school…”

“Huh?”

“I'll be waiting like I did yesterday.”

“What do you mean?”

“If Hatsune-san wants to talk to me, just let me know. I'll come to the station and we can go home together.”

“Eh, no way! That's too convenient for me. I'm really happy, but…”

“Don't worry about it.”

“But…”

……That's not it.

To want to go this far, I――

“I want to talk to Hatsune-san.”

The pre-bell for homeroom rings five minutes before the start, drowning out my unintended words.

“……It's already time. Well then, I'll be looking forward to it…”

“――Wait!”

“W-What?”

Please, let me go (embarrassing).

She grabs my arm to stop me.

“……Thank you, Icchi!”

With those words and a beaming smile.

It was like.

A sunflower blooming out of season.

It was so vibrant, cute, and charming.

I can't believe it was brought about by my own words.