Chapter 53: Sora, the Reader

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Translator: Soafp

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As Ginji fiddled with the love letter—flipping it over, holding it up to the light, trying various things—Sora stood nearby, sweating bullets.

“P-Probably just a prank, right…?”

“Could be.”

With that, Ginji slipped the envelope into his pocket.

“You're not going to read it!?”

“I will. But there are too many people here. I figured I'd take a look under the stairs or something. You can head to class first if you want.”

“…No.”

Sora clung to him, a gloomy aura practically thudding off her like a dark fog.

“If it's a real love letter, it'd be a shame if other people saw it. And if it's just a prank, well—I'm the only one who'll be embarrassed.”

“…Okay. But if anyone tries to mess with you, I won't forgive them.”

“Don't make that scary face. You look better with that dumb expression you usually have.”

As Ginji patted her on the head, Sora—though still sulking—started to crack a small smile. Isn't she way too easy? Ginji thought, a bit worried. Sora looked back at him again and again as she finally entered the classroom. Ginji watched her go before heading to the space under the stairs and opening the envelope.

[From the moment I first saw you, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I'll be waiting for you after school in the art room.]

It read. A classic love letter. The handwriting was angular and neat, almost like it was printed. Someone who wrote like this was probably extremely serious too.

“No name… So my popularity phase has finally arrived, huh? …Yeah, right. So what do I do with this?”

He let out a sigh, pulled out his phone, and tapped on it while walking off the landing with a bored expression.

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Meanwhile, Sora had her face planted on her desk, radiating a gloomy aura. Normally, with Ginji around as a wall, no boys would approach her, but now that he was gone, you’d think someone might take the chance. But of course, when the opportunity actually came, high school boys didn't have the nerve to act. Part of them had only been trying because they expected Ginji to stop them.

As Sora lay there, Aika sat down in front of her, her usual followers keeping a bit of distance. The whole classroom had gone quiet, everyone's attention subtly turned toward the two of them. The noise from the other classes sounded louder in comparison.

“My, Sora. You look terribly down. Did something happen?”

Sora slowly raised her head and sat up straight.

“…Aika-chan, what happened to your morning greeting duty?”

“I cut it short today. No real reason. …Is Momoi-kun not here? You seem lonely.”

Aika smirked triumphantly as she said that. But Sora's reaction wasn't what she expected.

“…Thank goodness.”

Sora stared at her for a few seconds, then let out a huge breath of relief and collapsed face-down on the desk again.

“…That didn't make any sense.”

“Really? Ginji will probably be back before homeroom starts.”

Still lying down, Sora answered calmly. Aika's brow twitched, but she couldn't raise her voice in front of the class.

“Excuse me, Takagi-san? Don't you think that attitude is a bit rude when Shiki-san is talking to you?”

Unable to bear it, one of Aika's followers snapped at her. But Sora just ignored her and closed her eyes.

Figuring that approach wouldn't work, the girls started to surround her and form a wall—but then two boys walked over.

“Uh, Sora-chan, are you feeling okay?”

“Y-Yeah, you don't look too great…”

“Yamada-kun and… Murakami-kun? Um, I'm fine.”

Sora tilted her head as she answered, and the two visibly tensed up. The languid expression on her face gave her a different kind of charm, an odd sort of allure that wasn't usually there.

“Hey, you two—can't you see Shiki-san is still talking!?”

A sharp-eyed girl snapped at them, and the boys quickly backed away. But then Sora stood up.

“Sora?”

Ignoring Aika's call, Sora walked over to Ginji's desk and flopped down on it just like she had on her own. That put her right in the space the boys had been occupying, and the girls found it harder to approach. The boys, meanwhile, were unsure how to interact with her sitting there. A few of them nodded silently to themselves.

Then, a few minutes before homeroom, Ginji walked into the classroom. He saw Sora at his desk and the rest of the class divided—some familiar boys, Shiki and her entourage, and even a few boys aligned with Shiki—clearly drawn into camps. And they were all staring at him.

“……”

Ginji walked over to his seat and traced a line down Sora's back with his finger.

“Hyawaaah!!”

Sora jumped up with a shriek, breaking the tension in the classroom. Laughing, Ginji reclaimed his seat.

“Wh-What the heck!? I made a weird noise!”

“Sorry, sorry, you just looked way too defenseless.”

“Ugh… So, how'd it go?”

Sora asked, looking away slightly. Ginji sighed deeply before answering.

“Well…”

“Ginji, um—”

“Sora. It's fine.”

Ginji cut her off. Sora sensed something from his expression and fell silent.

“After all, my popularity phase is here. Man, I'm so flattered. Ow!”

“……”

As Ginji put on a ridiculous show, Sora silently returned to her own desk, not forgetting to kick him in the shin as she walked away.

Back at her seat, Aika, who had been watching their exchange, stood up with a satisfied expression. She leaned in and whispered into Sora's ear, her long hair swaying.

“Your knight seems a little dense, doesn't he?”

And with that, she walked off. Sora let out a sigh.

“He really is.”

Now then, she thought. How should I make him pay for doting on someone else? Watching Ginji watching Aika, Sora silently vowed to teach him a lesson.