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Chapter 3 ā First Year High School\nVolume 2\n<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide">\n\nEven though we were in different classes, the girl I got along with the most was Fujisaki.\n
There was no need to be self-conscious when talking to her. When we passed each other in the hallway, we would chat lightly. When the results of the midterm test came back, we would talk about what was difficult.\n
Seeing how close we were, some people even suspected that we were dating. Some of them blatantly asked me if I was. I denied it every time, but there were times when they didnāt believe me.\n
I was happy with the relationship as it was. I couldnāt see myself ever going out with anybody. I thought I didnāt deserve it.\n
Then, one day, that happened.\n\n
āI heard that a guy named Ando from Class A confessed his feelings to Fujisaki-san.ā\n
Saito was the one who told me the news. Heās always talking about two-dimensional stuff, but heās always keen on this kind of stuff as well.\n
I replied, pretending to be as unconcerned as possible.\n
āI see. I didnāt know that.ā\n
āSurprisingly, the reaction is weakā¦ā\n
āReally?ćWell, something like that could happen with Fujisaki, couldnāt it?ā\n
Iāve never talked to this Ando fellow before. But I knew that he was the Ace of the tennis club. I donāt know how he and Fujisaki were getting along, but I had no reason to care.\n
āSo, how did it go?ā\n
Saito smirked at Shindoās question.\n
āHe got rejected it seems.ā\n
āOf course he did. I mean, thereās a boyfriend here.ā\n
āItās not like thatā¦ But thatās surprising. I heard Ando is popular with girls.ā\n
Ando and Fujisaki are very popular. I guess thatās why the story is spreading like this.\n
I donāt know who spread the word, but I noticed that the matter had become a well-known fact.\n\n
āI heard you know.ā\n
I mentioned this to Fujisaki on a day when I had to work for the library committee.\n
Fujisaki looked around and\n
āYeahā¦.ā\n
She replied without energy.\n
It seems she doesnāt want to talk about it much. Of course, she doesnāt. Iām sure she was asked a lot of questions by others about it. Perhaps they even made her feel uncomfortable.\n
Just as I was about to say āSorry, it was nothing.ā, Fujisaki followed up and said,\n
āHow much did you hear?ā\n
I answered honestly. I know when, where, and even how she said no. Apparently, Ando himself, who was rejected, has been talking about it. Heās not really trying to make Fujisaki look bad. Heās just being light-hearted about it, but it must be very annoying for Fujisaki.\n
āā¦ So itās spreading to the other classes that much, huh?ā\n
āProbably through the tennis club. There are a lot of noisy guys in our tennis club.ā\n
āIām somewhat sorry about thatā¦ā\n
āNo, why is Fujisaki apologizing? Fujisaki is more of a victim.ā\n
He confessed to her, so she had no choice but to answer him. There was nothing wrong with that.\n
āActually, I went to an all-girls school until junior high school. I didnāt really know much about this kind of thingā¦ Does confessing or being confessed to normally become so well known?ā\n
I assured her that it does not.\n
āWhen you start going out with someone, people will know because itās natural. If the confession fails, itās usually kept between the two of the people involved.ā\n
āThatās the case, rightā¦ā\n
Maybe she even got a few unpleasant looks.\n
For example, from the girls who like Ando. From their point of view, Fujisaki might seem annoying. No matter what they think in their hearts, they usually donāt act on it. However, with such large publicity, there might be at least one person who does.\n
āAre you okay?ā\n
I asked worriedly, but Fujisaki smiled and said it was okay.\n
āIām grateful that there was someone who said they liked me. Besides, Iām sure everyone will forget about it someday.ā\n
āI guess soā¦ā\n \n
But I could tell from Fujisakiās expression that something had happened. But I had a feeling that she wouldnāt tell me even if I asked her.\n \n
I didnāt talk about the confession anymore.\n\n
āA week later.\n
I witnessed it by accident.\n
Morning. When I arrived at the school gate, I saw Fujisakiās back.\n
It was a little early, so few students had arrived as of yet. I walked up to her to talk to her.\n
It was then.\n
Karan~, a sound was heard.\n
Something rolled on the floor of the entrance. Fujisaki picked it up from where it lay on the floor, still holding her indoor shoes.\n
It looked like a pushpin.\n
I closed my mouth that I had opened to greet her involuntarily.\n
After placing her indoor shoes on the floor, Fujisaki put down her bag and took out a case of sorts from inside. She opened the lid of the case and turned the shoes upside down.\n
There was a jarajra~ sound.\n
I was shocked.\n
It was definitely a pushpin. Apparently, it was in her shoe. And judging from Fujisakiās response, it was not just once or twice.\n
After removing the pins, she checked to see if there were any left and put on her shoes.\n
Then Fujisaki left without noticing me.\n
I couldnāt chase after her. If I were in Fujisakiās position, I wouldnāt want her to see me like this.\n
āItās okay.\n
I thought back to Fujisakiās face when she said that.\n
I guess she was holding it all in by herself. I felt frustrated that I hadnāt been able to recognize it sooner.\n\n
I stood there for a while until the rest of the students arrived at school.\n\n
<hr class="wp-block-separator is-style-wide">\nTN: Bullying is just unpleasent. \n\n