CH 23

Title: A Brave Mealworm and a Mocking Rose

After school ended.

I couldn’t concentrate on class after Shirona said she wanted to talk alone. There was no way I could. I couldn’t even remember if the current history teacher had hair or not.

When asked if they wanted to talk alone, 90% of high school boys would think of a confession. The remaining 10% can take energy pills. Online shopping.

While I was cleaning the classroom, I was terrified that my destiny was just around the corner. It didn’t help that Makoto doesn’t know what I’m going through, but I really wished he would stop playing Harry Potter with a broom between his legs. Come on, we’re already in high school and you have no shame.

Suddenly, a question arose in my mind.

Why was I afraid of a confession from Shirona?

Of course, it wasn’t a given that she’ll confess, and it’s completely just my prediction. But I’m gonna head to the Rose Garden under the assumption that I’ll be confessed to. And that’s what I’m afraid of.

Shirona is cute. She must be popular because she has a personality that would make you want to protect her. She asked me for advice once when she was confessed to. In the end, Shirona ended up refusing, but since she’s going to confess, she must still be going as a likable girl. I’m not wrong in my perception.

It’s not like I don’t like Shirona, but why am I so eager to avoid her? I should be happy. But in my mind, I’m clouded with ‘fear’.

So I hope I’m wrong.

I want it to be an irresponsible assumption.

My phone rang.

I went out to the hallway to check my phone screen as I was cleaning my classroom. It was Arina.

“Hello, this is the Algerian Embassy.”

‘Is the mealworm absent?’

“What?”

‘I heard he has a pseudonym, but his real name is Mealworm. I wonder if you have any idea of who he is.’

“The mealworm is hiding.”

‘So he got eaten by a swallow.’

“Did you sign up for a data plan just to curse at me?”

‘Oh, quiet down. You’re going to the Rose Garden, aren’t you? I’ve cleaned it up for you.’

“Wait really? You’re a lot smarter than I thought you were.”

During the call, I casually glanced at the students passing by and saw a student I knew well holding a phone to her ear.

“If you’re already near, just come straight to me…”

‘I’m cutting it off.’

Arina shamelessly walked up and faced me.

“I’m not going in today. Have fun.”

“That sounds weird, so please stop.”

“Get going, Mealworm. I’ll take care of any cleaning, so go.”

“Eh, are you serious? That Arina would sacrifice herself for someone else?”

“Come on, get going. You can’t keep contaminating the class. I want everyone who has your virus exterminated.”

“I’m a creature that spits out poison, huh? You’re better at spitting poison than I am.”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll kill you.”

“I’m going, I’m going. Stop making a fist.”

Taking the broom from me, Arina walked into my class. Surprisingly, my classmates were staring. Arina seemed to enjoy the reaction neatly, and began to seriously sweep, “I wonder where to sweep” she said. I wish she could always be that energetic. It’s much more glorious than just focusing on her book.

Reluctantly, I headed to the Rose Garden, not wanting to ruin her behavior.

The floor the Rose Garden was on was quiet.

The root of the reason for the quietness is the declining birth rate. The number of students was decreasing every year, so unnecessary space was increasing at the same time. Still, the school still has more than seven hundred students, so it’s still a school that continues to exist. Even so, unneeded floors are being built up like ruins. The word ‘skeleton’ is appropriate.

I usually stay away from these floors. Occasionally, the bathroom is crowded, and I’ll head up here. There’s no one else who uses it anyways. It’s safe to say that this floor is only used by me and Arina.

I arrived at the Rose Garden and took a breath.

I wonder if Shirona was already there. But I can’t pull away anymore.

I put my hand on the sliding door and opened it.

It wasn’t Shirona that I saw, but a Rose Garden with even more flowers.

“I thought you said you took it down!”

There were preserved flowers everywhere. There have been many of them before, but now the Rose Garden’s in full bloom.

I was so distracted by the flowers that I didn’t notice the paper on the desk until later.

It was written on A4 paper.

[Anniversaries are supposed to be spectacular, right?]

It was written in a flat font.

It’s Arina. She’s enjoying herself quite a bit. I’m sure she’s gloating while cleaning up right now.

I shoved the paper in my pocket and sat down. I’ll just leave it at that for now. There’s no place to hide the flowers, and the atmosphere would become chaotic if she came in while I was cleaning them up. Let’s just accept it.

I waited for a few minutes.

A small knock caused my calm heartbeat to quicken once more.

“Come in.”

I peered fearfully at her face through the sliding door. It was Shirona.

“Uwaa. It’s amazing. So many flowers.”

“I didn’t know either. It was like this.”

“It’s beautiful. Is that for decoration?”

“Eh, isn’t this a living flower?!”

I am sorry, Shirona-san. I know everything. I wonder why this flower is dead and why it’s here.

I don’t seem to be good at lying. It makes me uncomfortable.

“Are your club activities okay?”

“Yeah. Just a little bit.”

Just a little bit. A story that ends with a little bit.

“Yeah, right. So what’s the story?”

My mouth is too nervous to speak. My hands were starting to get damp.

I was so embarrassed that I was getting caught up in the feeling that reality was diminishing.

Shirona was silent, as if she was having trouble speaking. It must have only been a few seconds of silence. But to me, it felt long.

She looked me in the eye. I almost looked away. But I don’t.

Shirona was reflected in my eyes more delicately than usual. The ends of her hair and her irises don’t look like the Shirona that I knew. Even if I knew it was a part of my imagination, I was conscious of it.

Slowly, her mouth opens and her white teeth peek out.

“A kouhai[1] in the tennis club wants to confess to Arina-san.”

I grandly fell off of my chair.

I didn’t know about that.

Notes:

[1] Junior, underclassman, opposite of a senpai