V2Ch12: Discomfort in Everyday Life

Translator: Soafp

---

I woke up early in the morning.

It is not so early for a high school student on a weekday, and if I don’t get ready and leave the house within the next 20 minutes, I will be late.

In short, I overslept.

But it was no use.

I couldn’t sleep at all last night.

The next day is school, and it’s hard to get up because I didn’t sleep until late at night. I’m seriously thinking about taking the day off.

—The reason why I couldn’t sleep last night is simple.

…………

…………

I was playing games until late at night.

Mai was with me, so we were too absorbed in the game, and when we realized it, we were up at an absurd hour.

But of course, because of the distance, we live in separate houses from each other.

“Ry-Ryosuke! Haven’t you woken up yet?!”

Mom noticed the unusual situation and came to wake me up. She is now resuming her night shift, but when she came back she was in a panic because I was still at home.

“M-mom…… let me sleep a little longer…….”

“…… how long?”

“Eh……Ah…..3 hours or so……?”

“Come now! Ryosuke!”

My mom got mad at me. I contemplate that I can’t stick around any longer, give up, and get out of bed.

Mom was looking at me happily.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, I’m just …… happy”

“…..I see”

I know what she is trying to say.

Five months ago, I was hospitalized after being tortured by my father and classmates.

However, I collapsed in the courtyard of the hospital where my mother was taken, and my condition has changed since I woke up.

Of course, it has changed for the better.

However, even now, I still feel pain in ordinary moments in my daily life, and sometimes I suddenly stiffen and can’t move.

But I am able to stand my ground because of everyone’s support. I must continue to be grateful to everyone around me.

The doctor told me that I would be suffering from the symptoms for a while.

However, when I looked it up, I found that many people suffer from this disease for the rest of their lives.

I heard that it is really difficult to recover completely.

But some people, like me, can get relief from the symptoms after a few years or by chance.

In this case, I think it was because of living away from my father and changing schools, although it is said that I was released from the stress I had been carrying around.

—-I ate a sandwich that was in the fridge.

My mom always prepares these sandwiches the day before her night shift, and they are the most delicious sandwiches I’ve ever tasted.

As I ate my breakfast, I turned on the TV.

[Today’s guest on “Ohayo TV” was that charismatic actress who’s popularity is soaring! The charismatic actress —–san is here!]

“…………?”

Suddenly there is noise on the TV, and the name of the …… actress is not heard. Moreover, the camera switched to show a space where no one was present.…… Aren’t they supposed to show the guests at times like this?

Is it a broadcast accident?

Well, I’m not really interested, so it’s okay, right?

—-Pii

“……Ah.”

Mom turned off the TV.

I guess she wanted me to eat my dinner as soon as possible.

I did as I was urged, finished my sandwich in a hurry, and left the house. Incidentally, Mai, who was playing the game with me, also overslept, and we both arrive at school just in time to be late.

---

“Did you see last night’s Partan Nouveau?”

“I did, I did! —-was in it! She’s only one year older than us, but she’s so beautiful!”

“And she’s famous for being a bro-con, so I envy her brother! I’m the same sex as her, but I wish I had an older sister like her~”

The girls sitting next to me are talking about TV.

I was reminded once again that even among people of the same age, men and women watch different kinds of TV.

I couldn’t understand what they were talking about at all.

“….Hmm? What’s wrong, Usui-kun?”

“N-nothing …… I was just thinking about something.”

Usui-kun, who was talking with me, suddenly became quiet. When I asked him what was wrong, he responded by waving his hand and saying that it was nothing.

After that, we enjoyed our conversation together as usual. I think it would have been more fun if Mai was seated near me, nevertheless, I wouldn’t be lonely if Usui-kun was with me.

“Yamamoto-kun! Did you see the movie last night?”

“Yes, it was very interesting. But I wish I had seen it before the second movie.”

“Right!”

The boys sitting in front of me called out to me…… and I was able to talk back to them in a normal way.

What to say, what not to say, and what the other person might enjoy…… various information comes to mind in the back of my brain.

“───Yamamoto-kun! You got a perfect grade in math, right~? Can you help me study a little?”

“Kana Tanaka, was it? I’ve been studying with Mai for a while now…… so if someone else is with me, it might disrupt my pace………I think I can help you with the parts that might be on the test, if that’s all you want to know.”

“T-Thank you……(I knew you and Nakazato-san were dating……I was shocked because I was secretly aiming for you…….)”

In this way, I do not accept requests without any hesitation, and when it is impossible, I gently decline with my true feelings so that the other person does not feel bad.

There are only a few months left of high school life.

But I enjoyed the school festival, and my last year is not so bad.

“Yamamoto-kun is such an easy person to talk to!”

“He used to be kind of hard to get to know, but now he’s got a good vibe and is very friendly.”

“And he’s good-looking, too!”

“That’s right! But I can’t get rid of the mysterious atmosphere he had before!”

“And he’s devoted to Nakazato-san, which is also very admirable.”

“Kana went to hang Kona just now.”

“Stupid……… How can you beat such a cute girl?”

“That’s the real deal.”

─ ─ The girls in the class talk about Ryosuke.

He had changed his mood a few months ago and was gaining popularity among the girls.

But more than that, the boys liked him because he was easy to talk to, funny, and most importantly, he was popular for the way he cared for Mai on a daily basis.

He kept a good distance from the other girls and did not flirt with Mai.

Such an attitude gave him the impression of a good young man.

Gradually, the old Ryosuke is returning.

Mai was not jealous of the girls who were talking about Ryosuke, but rather looked at him proudly.

She is always happy that Ryosuke is so highly regarded by those around him….. and she is always happy in her heart that “the person I love is so great.”

Then, after school after a day of classes,…… a few boys gathered around Ryosuke.

“Yamamoto-kun! Wanna go out for ramen today?”

He made friends besides Usui and Mai.

School was no longer a place that Ryosuke disliked.

The school life that used to be a hell, where he broke down many times and worried about dying many times, was a painful place to spend his days.

That kind of person is no longer with him.

Now Ryosuke is definitely enjoying his life as a normal, fulfilling high school student.

“Ryosuke, I don’t care, just go!”

Mai pushed him back as he was worried about the invitation. It was obvious that he was worried because he had an appointment to go home with Mai, so he did so. She wanted him to prioritize his relationship with his friend because she and Ryosuke could always meet …….

“…Then, I will be going”

Ryosuke, by the way, has recovered to the point where he can play without Mai and Usui.

Taking in Mai’s kindness, Ryosuke spends a good time with his friends.

---

After finishing my ramen, I went home immediately.

Then I sat down on a chair in my room and rubbed my stomach.

“…Ah, I have a stomach ache.”

I can’t deny that I ate too much.

To be honest, I feel like I was forced to eat. They asked me many times about my relationship with Mai, and I didn’t …… dislike it. They are fun people to talk to.

“…………Haa”

—I looked out the window.

……Well, it’s not a particularly interesting view.

I don’t have the time to sit idly and stare out the window……I have too many things I want to do.

I want to play my favorite games and talk with Mai, Usui-kun, and the rest of the class via e-mail. I also want to eat various foods and go to various places.

“Like for now—“

I had an uncontrollable craving for dessert, so I went to a nearby convenience store and bought some ice cream. My legs are very light …… and I couldn’t even move towards the convenience store because I was worried about the eyes around me, but now I don’t have to worry about that one bit.

“………….”

That made me so happy that it brought tears to my eyes.

Before I know it, I was crying…… I can really taste the ice cream.

This is the only thing that makes me happy.

“………… again.”

I stopped by the magazine section of the bookstore and found a magazine with the cover painted black.

It’s a bad-taste magazine that I’ve been seeing a lot lately,…… and it doesn’t intrigue me at all. I don’t want to bring it up with my friends, and for some reason, the people around me don’t inquire about this bizarrely designed magazine either.

“Ah! ➖➖➖ is on the cover!”

One junior high school girl picked up the magazine and began to read it slowly. I hurried away from the place without saying anything.

I don’t know why I hurried away, but I felt an irresistible urge to leave after hearing her words.

─ ─ I went straight home and returned to my room, where Mai was sitting on my bed playing a game.

It was before 20:00, but we lived next door to each other in the same apartment, so there was no problem. Above all, the fact that tomorrow was my day off was a big deal.

“……I think I’ll play a game too then.”

I sat down next to Mai and started playing the same game.

“Did you like the ramen?”

“Yes, it was delicious! The half-boiled egg and the soft chashu pork really whetted my appetite.”

“Hehehe …… pretend to be a gourmet, right?”

“Pretend……… Oh, I lost again.”

“Arara, you’ve been swallowed by the wave of inflation!”

“Damn,……, what’s with the increased damage and multi-stage damage, while I’ve been quitting for a bit…..I’ll definitely pay for it and get stronger!”

“I’ll tell Rinka-san if you do that, okay?”

“……That’s not fair.”

Then we played for about an hour and then I saw Mai off to the neighbor’s house. When my mom works nights, I’m alone, so I’m lonely. Mai’s dad and mom say I can come over for the night, but I have to grow up, so I refuse.

I’ve made my own decision, so I have to make sure I don’t feel lonely.

Besides, if I’m negative, ‘that guy’ will come.

………

………

Who is that person?

Either I can’t remember, or I don’t know from the beginning. …… Either way, I think it has something to do with the loss I’ve been feeling lately.

I’m forgetting something important …… probably.

But I can’t remember and I’m not forcing myself to remember.

I don’t know if it’s beneficial or detrimental.

I really don’t know what it is.

Even if I recover, my life will be like this…… full of things I don’t understand, and I’ll never be able to break out of my freak frame of reference.

But—

I can sleep soundly when I need to.

I think that’s a big improvement.

That’s all I need for now.

…… I close my eyelids and drift off to sleep.

---

“Do you want to see Nagisa?”

“……Yes.”

It was early February when I would soon graduate from high school.

I had always had good grades and passed the school of my choice. To my delight, Mai is also attending the same university. I heard that she studied hard because there was a gap between her academic ability and mine…well, I taught her 90% of what she learned.

And perhaps because I have more room in my heart,……, I’ve made up my mind to settle things that have been on my mind for a long time.

One of them included ‘talking to Nagisa’. So I figured that on the day my mom was going to see her, I’d ask her to take me along.

I’m not running away anymore.

I can’t keep running away from my only sister just because I’m not related to her.

And it’s essential for me to move on. The only way I can really grow is to face it……