Chapter 8

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

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“I'm sorry… making you carry such a heavy girl…”

Feeling a strange softness against my back—and getting absolutely glared at by Rin—I ended up carrying Maaya all the way to the infirmary.

“It's fine. You're not heavy at all.”

A girl of this size is nothing.

More than that, what's bothering me is how tightly she's clinging to me.

Maybe she's just unconsciously tensing up because of the injury, but it feels more like she's hugging me.

On top of that, her face is too close. Every step I take makes her long hair brush against my cheek.

It was the same at karaoke… her sense of distance is still completely broken.

“Hey. You're not getting turned on or anything, are you?”

“I'm not.”

Rin shoots me another sharp glare.

I'm not thinking anything weird. I'm just confused by how close she is.

“I can't believe a word you say.”

“Believe whatever you want.”

“Then I don't believe you.”

“Suit yourself.”

“I-I'm totally fine, so don't worry…” Maaya quickly interjects, trying to calm us down.

Why is she defending me? What is she thinking?

“Maaya, I told you already—don't let your guard down around this guy. He's a delinquent.”

“Rin-chan, Reita-kun is my childhood friend.”

“Like I said, the Reita you know isn't here anymore.”

“But Reita-kun is still Reita-kun.”

“There's no way he's the same person.”

“Is that really true…?”

“Ugh… whatever. Forget it.”

Rin sighs in exasperation.

“And you—don't get any weird ideas just because Maaya trusts you!”

She gives up on convincing Maaya and turns her anger toward me instead.

Like I said, I don't plan on doing anything like that.

Win or lose memories, I've never seen my childhood friends that way. And I probably never will.

“Still… Reita-kun, you're really strong. You're carrying me so easily.”

Maaya tries to change the subject.

“You fight too much. That's why you've got dumb strength, I guess.”

“I don't fight that much.”

“‘Not that much' means you do fight. Delinquents are just hopeless.”

I don't bother denying it. She's not wrong that I'm hopeless.

“Reita-kun, fighting is bad… it's dangerous.”

“I don't go looking for fights. I just accept them when they're thrown at me.”

I'm not doing this because I want to. I just shut people up when they won't stop running their mouths.

“But still, it's not good… If you get seriously hurt again, I— I—”

Her words cut off.

At the same time, I feel something warm spread across my shoulder.

“…Huh? Why… am I…?”

Tears.

“Hey, Reita, you made her cry again.”

“Why is that my fault…?”

“It is your fault.”

I can't even argue. It probably is.

“Sorry… I just got a little emotional. Don't worry about it.”

She wipes her tears from my back.

“Anyway, please don't do dangerous things. Even if you don't remember, you're still an important childhood friend to me.”

“….”

Her gentle voice wraps around me, and something in my chest stings.

Why are you being so kind?

Get angry. Hate me. Be afraid of me.

I'm the b*****d who hurt you.

“Maaya's right. Seriously, try being a decent human being. You'll regret it if your memories come back someday.”

Even Rin looks at me with a mix of frustration and concern.

What is this…

Stop it.

If you keep doing this, I'll end up wanting to go back.

Back to how things used to be.

But I can't.

They're expecting the “old me.” But that version of me doesn't exist anywhere anymore.

If they knew that, they'd only be disappointed.

If I tell them, all it'll do is make everyone miserable.

“Hey, Reita-kun, if you don't mind, maybe next time—”

“…We're here. The infirmary.”

I cut her off.

I didn't want to hear any more.

At least… I needed a little more time to think.