We discovered that both studied at the same school, but let’s get out of the house first.
After confirming that both had their own keys, I locked the doors.
After locking, we descended from the stairs. I walked behind Saeki, following while looking at her back. The apartment’s stairway wasn’t so narrow that we couldn’t walk side by side. Even so, since my steps were heavy, I fell behind her. Opposite to me, Saeki’s steps were light, she even skipped down the stairs.
After leaving the apartment, I stopped… Alright.
Saeki turned back to look at me.
“Yumizuki, you aren’t coming?”
“You want to come to school with me? Really?”
I asked, as if to reconfirm.
“Why not? We come from the same place, why split up?”
This is correct.
However, in this situation, I couldn’t agree.
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“I’m sorry, you should go alone, I will go alone by myself.”
“Eh~~, why? Oh, Yumizuki, don’t tell me you are embarrassed of going with a girl to school?”
“Let your imaginations run wild.”
I passed Saeki, who was grinning wild, and hurried my steps.
“Ah, wait for me, you’re too cold!”
She hurriedly chased me, seeing that, I also increased my speed.
“I’m not exactly a kind person.”
“That can’t be the case!”
“…”
Why do you look like you know me perfectly well?
“If I was in a different school as Saeki then going together would be no problem. But it’s a different story if we’re in the same school. You should not walk so close to me.”
“Hey, why?”
Saeki stubbornly asked.
“It’s for the best.”
“I don’t understand.”
Saeki’s voice sounded sad, and seemed further away.
I stopped my steps, and turned around. She was startled, but also stopped. Our distance had actually increased.
“I’ll repeat myself. Don’t walk so close to me.”
I said, and didn’t wait for Saeki’s answer, nor did I see her reactions. I turned around and continued forward.
_______
Mizunomori private high.
This was a famous private highschool in Japan; a lot of students graduating here would be admitted to famous universities, public or private, every year.
I was admitted here last year. I could more or less catch up with the studies. But most of my troubles stemmed from other issues. Most of these issues are personnel, especially one in particular. This spring, the issue with living alone could be considered as solved, but there’s that one thorn that’s infinitely harder to solve.
Seeing the school’s gate, the surrounding grew more and more noisy. At the gate, the class sheet is being handed out. The students receiving it looked either happy, or sad that they were in, or not in the same class with their friends.
I got one for myself.
Starting the second year, classes will be divided into natural science majors and social studies majors. I chose the natural science major, which only takes up 3 out of 8 classes in the year group. I was assigned into class 1, year 2.
“Let’s see who’s in my year…”
“Yumizuki”
While I was looking at the class list, I heard someone call my name. I raised my head, and met someone wearing glasses, looking feeble.
“Yagami.”
Yagami Hiro.
He was my classmate last year.
“We’re in the same class this year.”
“That so.”
When I found my name in the list, I also saw his name nearby, so it seemed we would be classmates again this year.
“And me too.”
Takizawa barged in, with a smile on his face.
“Out of the boys, it seemed we’re the only ones in this class.”
There weren’t a lot of people choosing the natural science class in the first place, not to mention being split 3 ways, so this seemed likely.
“Within the girls, there’s Suzume, and…”
“Yagami”
Takizawa intercepted Yagami’s words.
“Ah, erm, I’m sorry…”
Yagami said, and wiped his glasses as a means to hide his flusterness.
“Takizawa, you don’t need to worry about me. And Yagami, it’s already the past.”
The name Yagami was about to say and got stopped by Takizawa.
…was Horyu Miyuki.
It’s a name of a beautiful girl, attracting all gazes, and it’s a name with a special meaning to me last year.
“Yes, let’s go into the classroom.”
I pulled the two to the shoe lockers.
________
The first day of the new semester, there was only the ceremony and the looooooonnng home room period.
Two periods passed by without any extra problems, and I returned home when noon was nearing, and found that Saeki hadn’t returned.
I came into my room to change, and turned on the coffee machine. It took 15 minutes for a cup of coffee, and while I was waiting, I sat on the incline chair in the living room.
Right after that, Saeki returned.
“I’m back~~”
“So you’re back.”
She passed the living room, and on reaching her room, she turned around to stare at me with sad eyes, then came into her room.
“…”
That is…
Saeki appeared again, having changed to her everyday short skirt, and plopped down on her chair.
Silence ensued.
She pouted, looking mad. And she is definitely mad. If she kept making this expression, she would look a lot less cute. However, if you look in another angle, this gesture in itself is quite cute.
Finally, she used her arms to wrap around her knees, and spun around with the chair, just like a child making a tantrum.
“Saeki.”
“…”
“I can see it if you do that while wearing a short skirt.”
“I’m letting you see it.”
“…”
“Just kidding.”
She dropped her legs and looked at me.
“Something bad happened at school?”
“Not at school, but before it.”
“…”
“Hey, you have a reason… for this, right?”
She leaned over the table and asked me.
“Reason?”
“This morning. You were very cold, Yumizuki.”
Hearing her question, I sighed.
“Of course I do.”
But that’s as much as I’m willing to say, and shut my mouth.
Silence again ensued.
“You don’t want to talk to me about it?”
“I don’t”
I told her.
It’s nothing interesting, makes no difference if one knows about it or not.
“Long story short, I can’t act kind with any girls at school in front of others.”
“Even me?”
“Even you.”
“Understood.”
Even saying so, Saeki’s gaze seemed angry. I didn’t know how to explain it to her, so I dropped the subject.
Finally, Saeki leaned on her chair, as if giving up, then suddenly standing up.
“Then it’s fine if it’s in our home, right?”
“What’s fine?”
“Treating me kindly.”
Her voice still sounded angry. She said so suddenly, making me flustered.
Right then, I remembered about the coffee machine.
“Saeki, do you want some coffee?”
It should be finished.
“I don’t want it bitter.”
“Then let me add milk.”
Her childish act made me relax my face a bit.
I stood up, and made some coffee for this room sharing friend of mine.