Original Japanese text: Fumijuro Nakayama
Chinese translation: Di Shi Tian
PREFACE About the Peer Group Novels
There are three Classmate novels, originally written by Bunjuro Nakayama.
Part 1 Another Summer Vacation
(Note: I have not read the Chinese translation, so I can only translate directly from the Japanese.)
To the end of Yazi. Published in 1994, 12, 10
Part II Memories of the Stars
To the end of Kurume. Published in 1995, 12, 30
Part Three of a Summer Day to Remember Forever
Full text is complete. Published in 1997, 5, 10
This article is from the third installment of the cohort, so if you haven’t seen the first two, please find them on your own.
Five like you, but can’t say it.
（１）
It vibrated as if it were a pink ripple.
From bottom to top and back again, a slight but violent tremor.
I reached out with both hands and caught the swaying pink color. What was as beautiful as a peach bud was the tip of a young girl’s breast. The apex of the swollen breasts was heating up and erecting due to excitement. As my fingers rotated and pinched, “Ah!
“The young girl finally couldn’t help but let out a moan, what a beautiful sound.
(I, am making love to this little girl, right?!) Just as I was thinking that, the young girl’s voice turned into an ardent gasp again. This little girl, of course, is Kurumi. I, on the other hand, am bonding with fellow student Kurumi.
“Ria-kun, if you keep doing that, I’m feeling it again,… I, I’ve, ahohh…” Kurumi confided as she straddled me, looking up at me with dark eyes. But I thought that for Kurumi, a little abusive action would be even more exciting, so I wasn’t going to let her off the hook.
Grabbing the lovely cherry-red nipple with my thumb and forefinger, I rubbed it gently and then, with a quick twist of my fingertips. As if to respond to the movements of my fingers, “Yah!” Kurumi jerked up her waist and rose to the top in one breath. From the depths of her body, drops of holy water overflowed like a tidal wave, scattering in all directions. The clear spring that gushed out flowed “swish” between Kurumi’s thighs, soaking the bedsheets.
I put my hands under the armpits of Kurumi, who was swaying and about to fall, and supported her body.
Kurumi’s secret part was still spasming “beep, beep, beep”. If anyone asked the reason for the spasms, it was that Kurumi had reached her peak. If it was a man, he would have short but intense spasms when he climaxed in order to release his semen, while a girl would have long, repeated and slight spasms when she climaxed as if she was trying to squeeze something out of her.
Either way, Kurumi was now in a state of unbelievably fast beauty.
The look on the face of a girl who has climbed to the top is really cute. The expression of unbearable sadness that makes you wonder, “Are you going to cry soon?”, but it is also what fully satisfies a man’s desire to conquer.
My male doppelganger, which was wrapped tightly around Kurumi’s honey pot, finally reached the limit as well, as the feeling gradually rose amidst the unrivaled contraction of the flower lips.
I lifted my waist, and with my hands braced under Kurumi’s armpits slightly exerting force, I pushed into Kurumi’s depths from below. I can’t think anymore, all I know is to keep ramming with my split, driving a constant wedge of pleasure into the place that still hasn’t awakened from its extinction.
Uncontrollably, Kurumi let out another mournful cry.
“No, no,… no way!” Kurumi desperately shook her head, and the two braided hairs swayed from side to side with her.
The female part of Kurumi, who had climbed to the peak once again without even getting a break, was “chirping” my part to an even more intense degree than before.
“Uh-uh-uh.”
Unable to stand it any longer, I too began my final outburst.
The pure white liquid that was liberated ran towards Kurumi’s womb like a million arrows.
Thinking came to a complete standstill, as if my mind was about to crack open, it was blank. However, I still noticed Kurumi’s gentle eyes that were looking at me. When it comes to Kurumi’s words, she does have the strange habit of especially enjoying looking at my expression in that moment. Despite that, with my outburst, Kurumi’s vaginal cavity began to involuntarily clench again, and the female itself that was united with me couldn’t stop contracting sharply.
“ah, ah, ah… ah ────!” Shouting loudly as if she was about to cry out, her body vibrating, Kurumi collapsed on top of me in exhaustion, surrendering her tired body completely to me.
Since she’s just a little girl no matter what, she can’t even feel the weight of the body that’s pressed against my chest.
I wrapped my arms around her and listened to her frantic panting as she lay on top of me, and because of that I felt a great sense of satisfaction. And the two breasts pressed against my chest…
Although it’s by no means plump, it hides an amazing elasticity. While feeling to my heart’s content the soft, throbbing, soothing sensation of Kurumi’s breasts against my chest, I gently brushed the tips of Kurumi’s hair.
Kurumi’s body. It’s so warm.
No, the sweat all over their bodies, as if they were dreamily close together, in this context, should be called “hot”.
(Well, it’s hot, like it’s about to burst into flames.) “Mi-Mi-Ga-Ga-Ga” (Wow, it’s noisy. If Kurumi and I can’t be quiet for a while, you’re bothering me.) “Mi-Mi-Ga-Ga-Ga-Ga” (Ah, too noisy. Too noisy, too noisy, too noisy! It’s not only noisy, it’s also hot. It’s hot, hot, hot, hot, hot!) “Well, it’s hot, hot… it’s going to be hot.” I erected my head slightly, wiped the sweat from my face with my fist, and struggled to open my eyes.
Shook his head and cleared it a little. Realized he was in his own home, in bed in his room.
“Mi-Mi-Ga-Mi-Mi-Ga-Mi-Ga–” “I’m so stupid, of course it’s going to be hot in the summer.”
The curtains were left open and the window was open like that, plus outside the window, the enthusiastic red sun cast its light and heat unreservedly on the earth. It’s marvelous that I slept until now.
I sat up my upper body and looked around in a daze to see a bottle that had become empty when it arrived on the table.
… ah, so I see.
“…Kurumi…” This is not a dream, but a real story that happened yesterday. I was just still thinking about it until I woke up.
Last night, even after returning home, Kurumi’s figure still lingered in my mind, making it impossible for me to sleep. I had no choice but to open a large bottle of sake and drink it all in one gulp, which was the only way to put myself down.
“Um,… Kurumi,” even just saying Kurumi’s name to myself again like this made my heart start pounding again.
Anyway, I did it with Kurumi, who looks like a younger sister. Moreover, she’s super sensitive, and from the very beginning, she’s been doing something extremely intense one way or another.
(But, Kurumi, it’s okay, isn’t it?) That’s the only thing that’s been worrying me. For one thing, there was the incident with Kazuya, and for another, it was already early in the morning when Kurumi finally came home last night.
I’m afraid Kurume’s father will become furious again…
(If her father found out the real reason why Kurumi came home in the wee hours of the morning… I’m afraid he’d kill me… Well, it’s quite possible.) However, just by the fact that Kurumi’s father hasn’t stormed into my kennel with a shotgun so far, I think that maybe Kurumi has already explained it very well to her father.
…In short, I swear that I will always support Kurumi. No matter what happens, I’m determined to watch over her until she grows up to be a “good woman, a good adult.”
Sure enough, after all, Kurumi is still a bit more like a sister to me. Although the relationship with Kurumi has become very delicate, and I’m having mixed feelings right now. But, sister, cute cute, my sister.
Whether it’s as a real older brother or a lesser boyfriend… If anyone dares to make Kurumi cry, “I’ll kick her to the other side of the universe where she can’t even see the stars!” With that in mind, I realized that the room had gotten hotter since I woke up. Because lying down like this would only make it hotter and more uncomfortable. Therefore, I had to get up from the bed while stretching.
Turned on the air conditioner and I was about to close the window.
“Ah…” I saw Reiko in the yard of the house across the street, drying the laundry as usual. Unlike usual, Reiko was wearing a half-sleeved shirt and jeans, giving her a clean and bright look.
But it goes without saying that what hasn’t changed is the still radiant beauty.
But, could it be that Reiko was going to hold a washing assembly? From the covers of the cushions to the curtains, clothes were hanging in the yard as if they were full of decorations of a warship, fluttering in the wind. Reiko, who was thumping the cushions, somehow looked very happy and looked very cute.
As if noticing me standing by the window, Reiko looked upward and smiled at me as usual… but then, “Yikes!” Reiko cried out in a voice that could be heard even from here, and at the same time covered her face with her hands.
(to, what the hell happened) Followed Reiko’s fleeting glance to myself.
“Ah…?!” I also sweat in surprise.
The lower half of my body, without even a single piece of cloth to cover it, was exposed, and not only that, but the point between my femurs was standing straight up! It was in a super hardened state that could penetrate even a 5 centimeter thick steel plate.
Since the house was as hot as a steamer when the air conditioner wasn’t on, perhaps, I was that disoriented last night that I had to get naked to sleep.
(What a shame!) Flustered, he blocked that part with his hand in a completely shameful gesture.
The “male instinct” of a morning erection combined with “memories of Kurumi” made the place in such a perfect state as it is now.
It was no surprise that Reiko was taken aback by the sudden sight.
I’m so sorry.
Hurriedly pulling on my pants and briefly cleaning up, I once again stood in front of the window.
“Heh-“
Reiko looked over in the direction of my room even though she was still shy.
(So, Reiko’s husband came back and stayed until yesterday! From today, Reiko will be all alone again!) I stood on the third floor and sent a message to Reiko as usual.
I held out my index finger toward Reiko so that she could see my raised finger, that is, I asked her, “Is it a person again?” Nodding her head affirmatively while pointing toward her home and herself, Reiko similarly raised her index finger and replied, “It’s a person.” Next, pointing my finger at myself and then at Reiko’s house, I asked her, “Tonight, will it be okay to go to your house, too?” Reiko nodded affirmatively again.
Just the simple act of communicating and greeting with gestures like this makes me so happy that I can’t help but have a smile on my face.
Reiko, on the other hand, wringing her hands like a young girl, her cheeks turned red and she fled into the house. It was… so good, so very good. Reiko was really good. Not only did she have the beauty of a beautiful woman, but she also had the innocence of a young girl. It was the ideal image of a woman for a man.
(But today’s Reiko…) I felt that the atmosphere was slightly different from normal. Was it because she wasn’t wearing a kimono? I don’t think it’s because of that… I don’t think so. It’s incredible. The look on Reiko’s face today was obvious that she was very happy.
Also, she was waving and nodding graciously towards this side of the window, something that was not usually the case.
(Like this, isn’t it nice?) Having said that, Reiko and I have always met secretly in our relationship. Because Reiko is someone else’s wife, our relationship would be quite troublesome if people living in the neighborhood knew about it.
(It’s because that cold-blooded, indifferent macho husband who only cares about himself had returned home, so maybe Reiko was feeling tired… It’s very rare that I haven’t made love to Reiko properly for four whole days… Or maybe Reiko was a bit lonely… Well, tonight, definitely with Reiko!) With this firm vow in my heart, I closed the blinds. Cool air blew gently from the air-conditioner, and the room gradually became cooler.
Adding water and coffee beans to the coffee maker, I walked towards the restroom. After washing up properly, when I came back to the room, the house was already filled with a scent tinged with bitterness.
Carrying the cup into which the coffee had been poured, I bent over the side of the bed. Unintentionally, my eyes flicked to the picture standing on the nightstand.
“My parents holding me as a baby”, “My uncle Takashi and I taking me to the beach”, “Satomi and I at the middle school entrance ceremony”, and then… along with these nostalgic photos, there is an old, yellowed photo Mixed in with these nostalgic photos is an old, yellowed photo.
The one in the frame, which has faded a bit, is “Sakuragi Mai” – standing under the wisteria.
The light kimono embellished with an arrow plume pattern, the long skirt that fluttered in the wind, and the long hair tied with a ribbon, that beautiful and pure schoolgirl looked like it couldn’t possibly be anyone else but Sakuragi Mai.
However, the photos are in black and white. From the slightly grayish scenery, you can clearly feel the signs of the long years passing by. Perhaps it was taken in the Taisho era? Even at a rough estimate, it must be more than 80 years old. Therefore, it was obvious that the girl in the photo could not be Sakuragi Mai herself.
“Then, who the hell is it?” Even being asked that, I couldn’t answer. I thought maybe it was Mai’s blood relative, but of course I never confirmed it with Mai.
Actually, I got this photo four years ago, and the original owner of the photo was Satomi. He was going to use it as an antique to decorate his cafe. I think he bought it in the old bookstore district of Kanda/Jimbocho…
The moment I saw the photo, I was immediately mesmerized by the “girl standing under the wisteria”.
From Satomi, I bought the photo almost semi-forcibly and made it my personal collection.
It’s not too much to say that it was love at first sight, because the young girl in that photo was my ideal match.
…Needless to say, that was before I met Mai.
(That’s why I was so shocked when I passed by Komai at the entrance ceremony of the university, saying, “Oh, the girl in the picture really exists.”) Of course, from that day until now, Komai replaced the girl in the picture and became the real object of my desire… Although I say that, it was just an object of my desire… That’s all. Until now, basically, I’ve been happy just to talk to Komae.
(But, lately, things have been different! Not only do I get to have a hundred times more enjoyable conversations with Mai… and, and, and I’m going out with Mai, who is as remote as an eternal goddess!) I looked at the young girl in the photo, who looked exactly like Mai, and giggled like an idiot without realizing it.
I didn’t get to see Mai yesterday. It would be nice if she could come to the swimming department today. … (Okay, it’s decided. After breakfast, let’s go to school.) The summer vacation boarding school, which was already on the verge of becoming a stereotype, was once again loudly announced today.
(Smelling like sweat, I’d better take a shower before going out.) So once again, I walked towards the restroom and went into the bathroom which already had nothing in it.
Actually, that being said, cleanliness is the number one priority for me, and as a result I become quite fond of bathing. If I don’t take a shower for a day, I get an itchy feeling all over my body that I can’t stand. As the saying goes: “A man has seven enemies when he goes out”, so it would be a shame not to let myself have a good time when I’m at home.
“OHH” I had just begun to rinse off with water, having become a foamy demon with my entire body covered in bath soap and shampoo, when “DING…” the doorbell rang.
“… Huh? Another one of those pushy salesmen? Or are they the mean, scoundrels who force people to subscribe to the paper?” But it didn’t seem like either of them. Who is it? And I think if it’s a home delivery or something, it’ll be delivered again later.
“ding…” The doorbell continued to ring.
“Okay, okay, right away…” I put on my bath towel and walked towards the door while dripping water drops down.
“May I ask who that is?” I asked as I brought one eye up to the door mirror.
“I… I… I… I’m Renko…” said Kurumi as she stood there. Thanks to the lens, it looked more like a doll.
“Oops, it’s Kurumi.” Having opened the door, Kurumi immediately blushed when she saw me, who was topless.
“Yes, I’m sorry,” Kurumi said, turning around in a panic and about to leave.
“Hey, it’s okay! I was just about to go out too! Let’s… go inside first and wait a bit.” If it was yesterday, I would have been shy too. But today, since I’ve been worrying about Kurumi, there’s no reason to let her go back without even asking.
Leading Kurumi inside, I hurried to the bathroom to rinse off the remaining foam on my body.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.” After changing her clothes and returning to the room, Kurumi was sitting upright and waiting. Occasionally glancing towards this side once or twice, she immediately lowered her head again. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, and she looked loveable.
The white smock, the pink skirt, the regular braided hair, the charming freckles, all the girlish gestures and expressions,… Kurumi, who was completely outlined in fine lines, looked quite small, but very innocent.
The events of last night still seem like a dream even now. From the top of her clothes, last night’s beautiful naked body seemed to emerge vividly in her memory through her clothes.
(Kurumi’s breasts, which were small but beautiful, were very sensitive… No matter what part of her body was touched, even the slightest contact with them would cause her to react with adorable cries of desperation… Oh, no, I can’t do it!) If I keep thinking about Kurumi like this, I’m going to be in a dangerous state where I’m going to explode! It’s not right to be in heat in broad daylight. Besides, Kurumi is a pure girl, so from now on I can and must take care of her gently and protect her. Normal heart! Normal heart!
“I’m so sorry… I’ll make you tea if you want, but is coffee okay?” “It’s okay. ┅┅┅┅ Ah, don’t bother. I’m… sorry!” Smiling faintly at Kurumi, I started pouring her coffee. After adding two small spoons of sugar and a little more milk… to Kurumi’s liking, I handed her the coffee.
“Thank you. It’s… it’s delicious!” She smiled cheekily at me with the coffee in her mouth.
Since she still maintains the bright expression that she has regained since yesterday, it reassures me a little. But first it’s better to hear what I’ve been worrying about.
“So after that… nothing happened, right… like with your father or something?” It was as if the incident with Kazuya had happened shortly before morning. It certainly wasn’t unimaginable that Kurumi’s father would get angry.
What’s more, if I had known that she had been baptized by a man… (Her father would have stabbed me to death with a poof, right?) However, judging from the fact that I’ve survived until now, Kurumi has really tried this time.
“Yes. Yesterday, Ria-kun, this… that… thank you…” said Kurumi, who emerged with a subtle smile, her eyes bony, she too must have been remembering our intense lovemaking last night.
For a while, neither of them could find words to say to each other, and all they could hear was the sound of each other’s heartbeats. … I think I, too, and so did Kurumi, and both of them were picturing the same situation in their minds.
I could clearly feel the blood rushing up to my cheeks in a clamor.
Inevitably, both of us blushed at the same time in a room with only two people. The moment I noticed this, I laughed out loud in embarrassment, “Hahaha…”. Kurumi laughed out loud with a similar “giggle…”.
“Ria-kun…” Kurumi suddenly took my hand and jumped into my arms.
“Thanks. Really, thank you.” Laying her head on my chest, she narrated softly.
“After that… when I returned home… my father was angry with me again. However, I also wanted him to understand… so Father and I talked until this morning.” Kurumi said this while looking upwards into my eyes.
“As a result of that, at the end of the day, finally my father understood me…” Kurumi smiled a radiant smile.
I was also very happy to hear that, and I couldn’t help but hug her tightly abruptly.
“Great!”
Saying so, she nodded gently. Then, closing her lids silently, she offered her red lips to me.
I also immediately resumed her with my lips.
In that moment, I finally understood what tenderness meant…
With the soft feeling of the girl still lingering in his mind, the touching lips slowly parted.
“So… Kurume-sama is so happy that she’s going to insist on attending the summer vacation workshop even though she’s been up all night?” I asked, tapping the corner of Kurumi’s forehead with my finger.
“Hey, don’t. How would you know?” Of course I would understand. Kurumi’s mind was so clear that I could tell at a glance. Since her father had understood Kurumi’s thoughts, she thought, “I’ll never let you down,” right? Underneath her seemingly uninhibited appearance was a strong heart. That’s the kind of Kurume that I like best.
“But it’s not good to push yourself too hard, yo. Kurumi, if you do, you’ll keep trying desperately until you collapse, right?” Contrary to my relaxed tone, what I wanted to say was what I was really worried about. Because Kurumi looks like she’s really ready to go all out and fight to the end. If she’s determined to do it, she’ll absolutely keep going until the end.
If you think about it, aren’t Tanaka Misa or Sakuragi Mai the same kind of “serious people”? I really like and envy girls who are as passionate as they are.
Gently rubbing the top of her head, Kurumi gave a cheeky child-like grin.
“Actually, the summer vacation workshop isn’t until this afternoon. … but, just as Ria-kun said, I’ll go to bed earlier in the evening.” “That’s right… So, how about sleeping at my place in the morning? I’ll call you then. …” Hearing my suggestion, Kurumi looked around the room with a “hmmm-“.
“Is it really okay?” Said one while sticking her tongue out.
“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Even though the house is dirty and messy, it’s good to rest a little.” Before the words even left my mouth, I had already picked up Kurumi. Taking her to the bedside, I tenderly placed her on the bed. After that, closed the curtains and turned off the lights.
“Wing… that…” said Kurumi, grabbing my sleeve, “Please. Stay next to me until I fall asleep, okay?” I didn’t reply; instead, I gently took her hand and lay down beside her.
As if she was pampered, Kurumi squirmed and squeezed into my arms.
As if I was having a beautiful dream, I stroked her hair tenderly.
I don’t know if it was because it felt so good or not, but Kurumi squeezed over even further and came into close contact with me. The warm, soft sensation of… her breasts gradually made me wretched. I couldn’t remain indifferent to the vivid memories of my breasts that I had rubbed so freely last night, and my nipples that I had sucked and pinched so many times.
…without realizing it, the parting between the femurs was hot again.
Abruptly, I felt a slight vibration in Kurumi’s shoulders.
“I’m sorry.”
I’m sorry. I’m sorry, it’s shameful. But… but it’s not uncommon for me to become hard for no reason at all, and I can’t help but feel that way when I’m holding a girl I like. But even so, I felt a deep sense of male sadness. Maybe if I get older, I won’t do such a bad thing. Please hurry up and get rid of it, please.
To the discouraged me, Kurumi looked over with gentle eyes.
“It’s okay. Even I can understand. … If it was a man, it would have turned out like this, right? … And, knowing that Ria is still trying desperately to restrain herself even though she has become like this, … I, for one, feel very happy.” “Kurumi…” “Ria, I… it’s okay. If it’s for Rong, whenever… as Rong wishes… my… all… I’m willing to offer it to Rong…” Kurumi’s confession, which was almost a whisper, took me by surprise. A girl who was willing to say that to me was not something that could be found casually. Perhaps because of her bold words, Kurumi’s eyes became watery, with a lustrous sparkle in them.
(Well, Kurumi, why is it so cute?) Even though I’m almost overwhelmed by passion, I have to endure it. Because I cherish Kurumi and only want to protect her properly, so if I say I have to endure, I have to endure.
“Kurumi, thank you. But I, just being like this right now is comfortable enough… Well, don’t say anything more, go to sleep.” Kurumi looked at me with unblinking eyes.
“Wing, it’s so gentle. Because of the gentleness… I like it very much.” Speaking softly, she closed her eyes.
Silently, I continued to stroke her hair.
After a little while, “Hoo… hoo…”, Kurumi’s light breathing could be heard as she fell asleep.
I quietly left Kurumi’s side. …
Five like you, but can’t say it.
（２）
An Obasan who lives in the neighborhood looked at me with a strange expression on her face and passed me by. It wasn’t hard to understand why she had that look, she must have been shocked by the strange shape of my mouth open while walking down the street with people coming and going. Why is that, because I’m still thinking about Kurumi.
After about two hours from there, I woke up Kurumi. The two of them came outside together. Kurumi was genuinely going to a summer vacation workshop, while I was returning to school for the summer with another purpose.
“So, make sure you go to bed early today!” I said at the entrance of the apartment.
“Got it, I’ll make sure to go to bed early like you said when I get back.” Kurumi replied with great vigor as she mounted her bicycle. …and finally, said this: “I’m going… A Wing Brother.”
Smiling shyly, he waved me goodbye.
She seemed happy… a little embarrassed… what a delicate atmosphere, I thought as I watched her back go away.
(I never thought that Kurumi would call me brother or anything. …but it’s also true that for me, I’ve always treated her as a younger sister.)
Kurumi was in my class, and in fact, if you look at her birthday, she’s still my older sister by half a year, and we had a merger… but even so, she’s still my sister!
(How nice to have such a sister! And a cute one at that. For example, if she says, “Hey, brother, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on. Yes!” I’d do my best to do whatever she asked for.)
Since I don’t have a family, I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have a sister. … Some of my friends, those who have sisters, are not entirely free of people who say, “They’re not cute at all.”
What does that mean? (If it’s Kurumi, she should be the kind of “strongest beautiful sister” that would make my brother proud!) So as I walked along, I was thinking of Kurumi as my own sister… and before I knew it, I was walking with my mouth open.
When I snapped out of my contemplation, I realized that the people around me were looking at me strangely, and I was afraid that they had already taken me for a “troubled youth”. I guess I’d better concentrate a little. Uh-huh.
“Well, better have some dinner first.”
Before going to the school, I, who was planning to have lunch first, contemplated which restaurant should be the right one to go to at this time of the day.
In comparison, if there’s one place that can easily fill my empty stomach, it’s the tea store “OTIMTIM”.
But… Recently, Satomi and I, for some reason, haven’t been talking properly.
(But I did talk about it yesterday. I lost my temper over that guy and made her cry…)
Satomi seems to have something bothering her lately that makes her very sad and she can’t solve it. But I don’t know what it is. But it’s precisely because I don’t know that I’m angry.
After all this time, there should be nothing we shouldn’t know about each other… and we shouldn’t hide anything from me anymore. Satomi, what on earth are you doing that you can’t even tell me!
Why did you have to carry your troubles all by yourself and not say anything to me? The mere thought of it sent stabbing pains like pins and needles through my chest.
While thinking like this, I walked with an angry expression on my face. By the time I realized this, I was already in front of “OTIMTIM”.
“`… um…'” A little embarrassed, I hesitated to actually go in. I was afraid that if I saw Satomi, I would immediately get angry again. However, if Satomi was in the store, she would have noticed me wandering around in front of the store.
(I’m really useless! When it comes to fighting, I’ve fought with Satomi hundreds of times so far.) It’s not the first time I’ve made her cry, at least two or three times. (If it’s a case of talking too much, wouldn’t a simple apology suffice? It’s true that I was a bit harsh yesterday, and when I’m angry, my voice gets louder…)
I decided to say “I’m sorry” to Satomi and opened the store door.
Along with the cool breeze blowing over, it said, “Welcome.”
Satomi was not at the store. I was greeted by Satomi’s uncle, the owner of OTIMTIM. He was tall, but thin, and wore round glasses with silver rims. At all times, he had a gentle, affectionate smile on his face. …and he also possessed a keen sense of intuition.
“Wing, this time of day would be the lunchtime package.”
“Yes. I’ll have the Set A, please.”
While reaching for the cool water handed to me by the owner, I looked around the store unconsciously.
“Satomi,… is not here!”
Hearing my question, a shadow seemed to sweep across the boss’s face. Was I just being paranoid? … “Well, Satomi will be back in the evening, I think. She seems to have gone to school for something…”
“¡… it is!”
After lunch, I left the tea store behind with a feeling that I couldn’t let go of no matter what.
As I mentioned earlier, Satomi has already set her sights on a business program at a women’s junior college. There’s no reason for Satomi to go back to school when she’s already decided on her volunteer school!
“That guy, where the hell did he go?”
It’s hard to believe that she changed her mind temporarily and went to Yoshiko-sensei to discuss her future career instead!
Well, that’s enough already. There’s no point in rambling on about it yourself, you’ll find out when you go to school.
Following a familiar route, past the main road beside the riverbank, I walked towards the Sensei Gakuen. I just walked through the main gate and entered the campus.
“Oh, Fluffy Village, you’re late today!” The person who greeted him was the head of the swimming department – Kimura.
I looked at him in disbelief.
“Oh, today’s swimming section activity started earlier than usual, and it’s over now… but, unfortunately for Mai, she’s off today.” Kimura smiled meaningfully.
Tsking and smacking his lips at me, he said, “Speaking of which, you guy, when you were dating, you did something bad to Mai, didn’t you?”
Issued a questioning that embarrassed me.
“Bastard, asshole…,” I raised my fist and shook it at him.
…As luck would have it, I would have already kissed Mai, and such a thing is of course a secret between me and Mai. …but could it really be that it was because we both insisted on going on a date despite our objections that Sakuragi was locked up and unable to leave the house? It’s not impossible, and in that sense, I’m indirectly responsible.
Watching me become flustered, Kimura looked more and more amused.
“Hahaha, next time, tell me about the date.” Kimura laughed while escaping.
Good lord, Kimura. But on the other hand, my date with Sakuragi Mai should have been seen as a big news sensation like “The national idol is dating a guy who doesn’t look like much”. I can’t help it.
Hey–
(But, is Mai really all right? Is she really under house arrest because she angered her parents and was severely punished by being grounded? (Is… is Komae really confined to this predicament?) I’m a bit worried. I’d like to call tonight, but if I do, it’s likely that the butler will answer the phone.
“May I ask what you want with my lady?”
The mere fact of being asked such a question would bother me as to how to answer.
(It seems like a lot of work to even hang up a phone call!) Rushing to me, who was lost in thought, “Hello, Senpai!”
That’s how the girl at the training ground greeted me. She was a first-year girl in the Athletics Department… I think her name was Kazumi Inoue, and she was a junior called “Bambi the Second” with short hair and slim lines. The reason why I knew her was because she looked up to Misa, the first generation of Bambi, who was her predecessor. Misa herself didn’t have any bad feelings towards her, but thought she was a very cute junior. I’ve seen more than two or three times when the two of them, who were very close to each other, came out of school together.
“Whoa! Good afternoon! The… Athletics Department is done for the day, huh?”
I responded to her greeting. And Kazumi–
“Yes. I’m putting the finishing touches on it.”
Smiling, she replied. What a pure and lovely girl.
“Oh… So, that Misa guy is in the Athletics Department’s room, right?”
“Ah, no… Misa-senpai is… that… resting today,” she said, and for some reason Kazumi averted her eyes.
“Eh? …Misa isn’t catching a cold, is she?”
I asked.
“That… I… I don’t know… I… If I don’t leave…”
Kazumi scurried away.
(It’s a bit of an amazing feeling!) Misa, who valued her ministry’s activities more than her life, couldn’t possibly skip practice without being sick.
(What’s going on?) It’s been a bit strange lately… (That guy) standing on the roof, gazing meaninglessly at the sky… and suddenly bursting into tears for no apparent reason… seems to have been emotionally unstable!
I crossed my ten fingers and moved my wrists as I walked into the schoolhouse.
After changing my shoes at the shoe closet, I looked up and saw someone coming down the stairs.
“Ah─” Unable to help themselves, the two made a sound at the same time.
It’s “Kenji Aihara”.
I don’t want to see him, but I do have something to ask him. It’s really unlucky for him to bump into him here. There are a lot of things I want to ask him.
“Why, would some hoodlum who I’ve never even seen before attack me by name?”
“Why, would Mai’s parents know about our date the other day?”
These things must be asked of him.
As soon as he saw my face, Aihara immediately ran down the corridor in the opposite direction, intending to seek refuge in the staff room. I wasn’t going to give him that chance.
Without even giving Aihara time to touch the door handle, I chased after him like a predator chasing its prey. The terrified Aihara had no time to escape into the staff room or the health care room, so he was cornered by me in a corner of the school building. He desperately turned the handle of the emergency exit door at the end of the corridor, but unfortunately, the door was locked.
“Hey! Aihara, what are you running for?”
Hearing my murderous voice and looking at me as I approached, Aihara’s eyes had two words clearly written in them: “Cowardice”. He looked like a cunning businessman who often appeared in historical dramas.
Same hiring of thugs, same shady confidences, even the cool look after things fall apart.
“┅┅”
As if because he already knew there was nowhere to run, Aihara put on a calm demeanor. But the flickering of his eyes revealed his inner fear. He asked, “What is it, Fluffy…”
“If it was all right to beg I wouldn’t have come to you!”
At least as a matter of courtesy, I can’t just kick him in the ass without even asking. His next treatment would be determined by his own answer, and I could do something I’d always wanted to do but hadn’t. …this, the rules of the game between men.
“Those situations on the date, you messed up, didn’t you?”
When he heard this question, even though he was stupid… in fact, not only was he not stupid, he was actually quite smart. He should have known what would happen if he answered “I don’t know”.
It looked like he wasn’t going to answer. …but I was prepared to give this rotten man at least a taste of it, no matter how he answered.
“I… that kind of thing… that,” Aihara closed his mouth, knowing that it was useless. Although he looked away, his eyes, which were not stabilized due to fear, were still darting around, and his hands were moving around in his pockets as if he was looking for something. It seemed that he was planning to continue perfunctorily.
That kind of attitude is not at all what a man should be like, and it ended up making me furious.
I reached out and grabbed him by the collar, but—“Hey, what’s going on over there?”
A piercing sound like a broken gong stopped the blow I was about to deliver. Even without turning around, I knew who was coming from behind me. That voice filled with high pressure belonged to Tanita-be, the teacher of the physical education department.
The expression of Aihara in front of him quickly returned to its normal state, and a faint smile surfaced on his face.
Tanabe can be considered my natural enemy. Where I make him look bad, I don’t know. But ever since I enrolled in school, it’s become like this. It’s as if he’s hoping to give me a disciplinary action before I graduate no matter what. Whether he’s planning on suspending me or dropping me out of school, I don’t know.
In short, he was the kind of person who treated his students like sheep. He’s the kind of person who is full of character flaws, but thinks he’s a great person just because he says “I’m a teacher”. He’s known as the “Muscle Man” who has nothing but athletic ability.
Of course, he’s not really an idiot, and still has a little bit of intelligence, but it’s that which enables him to keep causing me trouble.
I… I don’t know if he was aware of my comments about him, but all in all, he saw me as a thorn in his side.
“Fluffy Village, it’s you again…”
Tanita ran over quickly and grabbed me by the shoulders. I could tell that his voice was filled with excitement, probably with the feeling that he had finally caught a criminal in flagrante delicto.
“What are you going to do in the summer vacation school, Fluffy Village?”
Though looking like a gorilla, he spoke with the annoying voice of a clinging mass.
“I’m here to discuss my path after graduation with Yoshiko-sensei.”
Hiding the anger and disgust in my heart, I replied calmly.
“Oh… you──. Si, that’s good. That’s good. It seems that my teaching was not in vain…”
Say whatever you want! Mr. Tanabe ate gyoza for lunch, right? Because your mouth stinks. Please don’t come near me again.
“But what is it that you, who have come to discuss your way out of this world, are looking for Aihara-kun? No matter how you look at it, it’s not gentle enough, is it? What’s going on, tell me, Fluffy Village!”
Rolling his eyes in disgust, Tanabe gently poked my shoulder.
I was called by my last name but not by my first name, and when I called Aihara, I added the word “Jun”.
(All the students know about this, I think.) Tanitabe going in and out of the Aihara house.
The family that donated the most to my school, the Sakuragi family, and the Aihara family, were the first and the second, and… There were a few teachers who were pandering to the Aihara family for that reason. No matter how big the problems were, with the power of money, Aihara could easily fix them. Tanitabe was a typical example of a teacher who looked up to Aihara as if he were one of his family’s dogs. Obviously, they are small, ugly human beings who “flatter their superiors and bully their inferiors”, but they always put on the face of a clergyman. That’s why I don’t like these teachers at all, even if they can learn a little bit from Yoshiko-sensei!
“Hey, what’s the matter, can’t you answer, Fluffy Village! Well, say it!”
The smug Tanabe continued to poke my shoulder as if he had won a battle, and even though it was said to be a poke, it could already be called a hit.
(It’s really irritating! Coming out to pick a fight for no reason.) In order to shut this superficial gym teacher up, I quickly moved my eyes searching.
…ah, there it is! Finally a good reason.
“Sensei, that’s because──” while saying that, I slightly moved my body to avoid the violent teacher’s punch. Tanabe, who was flashed due to a punch that missed, looked like he was suffocating, and blood rushed to his face all of a sudden.
“Fluffy, Fluffy Village…”
Before I was met with his brutality, I calmly reached out and pointed to the point between Kenji Aihara’s femurs.
“Aihara-kun’s pants zipper, it’s all the way open! I was about to remind him of this when Aihara-kun suddenly ran for some reason, and then I came after him without realizing it.”
Taninabe, who was already red in the face and was about to grab me, could only grunt “oh, uh…” when he saw where I was pointing.
In fact, Kenji Aihara hadn’t even fastened the waistband of his pants, which were in a fully open position.
Even though Tanabe has gone a little crazy trying to beat me up, there’s nothing he can do when he sees this.
“Ah, Aihara-kun,… you… that…”
Tanitabe showed a humble smile, where he haggled for Aihara’s answer. He was expecting Aihara to throw him a straw to save his life. However, Aihara did not answer him as he always did.
“Even so, the attitude should be more cordial…”
With a magnanimous look, Tanabe said to me.
Looks like it’s settled. If he had stayed out of it from the beginning, it wouldn’t have been so awkward!
…As a result, Tanabe, who had been hung out to dry by the two students, had to turn his head and walk away while saying, “That’s right, if that’s the case, then it’s fine.” His shoulders were still shaking with anger. After taking a few steps, he suddenly turned his head and said, “But, Fluffy Village, if you cause any trouble, I will definitely give you severe punishment. This is something you’ll remember well for me!”
After dropping this comment, he walked away.
Aihara also hurriedly rushed away before Tanitaibe’s back disappeared.
“Fuck!” There was no way but to watch him slip away like this. However, since we are in the same class at the same school, if we can escape once or twice, we can’t always escape, right? It’s not bad to keep him on his toes all day long, huh?
“… Then, it’s a good thing that Taneda-be is gone too…”
Peering into the staff room, Yoshiko-sensei wasn’t in the room, serving as since she wasn’t there, of course Satomi wasn’t there either.
(Ms. Yoshiko, you’re still doing home visits, aren’t you? To be honest, I was worried that she would die of heatstroke on such a hot day… The passionate Yoshiko-sensei was all about her students.) I stood in front of the picture of Ms. Yoshiko on her writing desk, which was used as a decoration, and mischievously wrote, “I love you, Ms. Yoshiko.”
of the note, and after pasting it over the photo, I walked out of the staff room.
Opened the door to the health room next door.
“Mako-san, I’m so hot──” a sweet voice came out from the house. “Hey, hey, who’s yelling for sis?”
Saito Mako-sensei, who was sitting at the table, looked back at me and said, “But speaking of which, Wing-kun has really become my brother!”
Winking at me as if she were a mischievous kitten, Mako-sensei gave a meaningful smile.
I made a meaningless “Ah, oh” sound, not knowing how to answer. Why? Because I had a bond with Mako-sensei’s younger sister, Yako-chan──Yako Saito-san. A lot of things have happened since I merged with the one I’ve always longed for, my first goddess, my first love’s sister. … but if Ako and I were to get married in the future (although it would be a dream come true) … of course, Mako-sensei would be my older sister.
(Wow, it’s all coming out. It’s all coming out. It’s finally come out. It’s definitely a revelation… it’s a complete revelation… because Aja is not the kind of person who can hide anything.) At a beautiful onsen hotel, Ako offered me her virginity, which she had been keeping for many years. Throughout the three days and two nights of the trip, Ako seemed very happy. She said, “I’m so happy,” while immersed in the hot spring, and “I’m so happy,” while eating, and she kept saying “I’m so happy” the whole time we were together.
(I’m really happy…) So when I got home, I talked a lot about the trip at home.
Of course, she wouldn’t say something like “I’ve been with Ria-kun”. But as the saying goes, “too many words can lead to mistakes”, and Yako couldn’t keep her words to herself, so when she said something, someone as perceptive as Ms. Mako wouldn’t fail to understand.
That’s why I’m being teased by Ms. Mako now, isn’t it? To be teased by a woman who has known my face from the past and is now a teacher at my school… it’s really embarrassing!
“I’m sorry,… I was hoping to come here to cool off.”
Finally defeated by Mako-sensei’s promising smile, I said in embarrassment.
“Okay, okay, no problem. I guess it’s time to show your face!”
While eating and laughing, Mako-sensei made a cup of black tea for me. I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused you, sensei.
“Wing-kun, you were just caught by Mr. Tanabe, weren’t you? …looks like he passed again!”
Mako-sensei even took out a snack to treat me while saying that.
“Ugh, yes. … as usual, it seems to have been misunderstood…”
A bitter smile appeared on my face as I replied.
Up until now, there have been several times when I’ve run into trouble with Tanita-be, and it was Mako-sensei who relieved me of the situation.
That Tanabe guy, he seems to be a little afraid of Mako-sensei. He’s not harboring any evil thoughts about Mako-sensei, is he?
“It’s better to be careful. Mr. Tanabe, who has always seen you as a thorn in his side… often makes a lot of noise during staff meetings!”
Mako-sensei reminded me of that because she cared about me. However, I didn’t have any bad deeds, and my grades were always bad, so that guy Tanabe’s proposal was rejected every time.
“It’s just the last six months, I’ll keep an eye on it.”
Mako-sensei smiled and nodded at me who answered while sipping black tea. Then, it suddenly changed to a topic that embarrassed me.
“If and when Wing gets dropped out of school, come be the owner of the pharmacy my family owns, okay?”
Ah, here we go again!
“In that case,… that… Ms. Mako…”
I didn’t have time to answer. Mako-sensei took it a step further and looked at me with tender eyes that could stop my heart, saying, “If Yako doesn’t agree, then how about being Mako-chan’s groom?”
“Ai, ai… ai… ai… ai…”
It was as if I was possessed by a magical law, and I immediately became mute. I could only open and close my mouth without making a sound. I felt like a mouse caught by a cat, being teased by Ms. Mako, but with no chance to fight back.
Mako-sensei is a very gentle, a little bit narrow-minded, and a woman with magical charms.
That being said, I’m not Mako-sensei’s toy, hu─!
Five like you, but can’t say it.
（３）
When I walked out of the school, it was already a remnant of the sun hanging diagonally in the sky.
“Ugh..! I can’t take it anymore…”
It’s been a long time since I’ve been drilled like this by Mako-sensei. …I’m just kidding, I was just helping Mako-sensei organize her files and clean the health room. (But if I had refused, it would have ended badly, I think.) And enjoying Mako-sensei’s handmade tea and delicious snacks in the cool health room was the compensation I received as a matter of course. In fact, I had wanted to move around a bit myself, and it would have been more apt to say that I was lucky to be with the beautiful Mako-sensei for an extended period of time.
And by “can’t stand it”, I mean… In fact, Ms. Mako, who was moving around the room very quickly, was wearing an ultra-short skirt. When she squatted or bent over, what you could see was her panties. Not just once, but twice, three times… And since it was the beautiful Ms. Mako, it was like an adult show just for me. My nose was about to bleed, but I had no choice but to endure it.
In order to get rid of the tempting sight that lingered in my mind, I had to work hard, such as rearranging the heavy bookcases and so on. After a lot of work, the health room looked as if it had just been built, and even the furniture was shining. … I’m sorry, that’s a bit of an overstatement, but… “It’s marvelous. It’s… it’s marvelous. After all, it’s still up to the men!”
Looking at Mako-sensei, who was gleefully looking around the room, I was also immersed in a feeling of happiness.
“If I don’t show Ria-kun some gratitude…”
“Forget about thanks and all that. Actually, I didn’t do anything…”
Scratching my head, I bid farewell to Mako-sensei and walked out of the health room. Compared to the care I usually get from Mako-sensei, what I did was really insignificant.
The meeting with the asshole Kenji and the shit Taneda-be was behind me, and with a cheerful mood, I walked up the long embankment.
The floating clouds in the air had been leaked into crimson by the setting sun.
As I watched the waning sliver of sun sinking in the west, I had the feeling of relaxing so much that I wanted to sing softly.
“É…, huh?”
Below the long embankment, a bicycle had overwhelmed a large patch of weeds, its wheels still spinning sharply. The handlebars were bent, probably because it had gone down the embankment at such a high speed. And in front of that miserable bicycle, “Misa──!”
Misa Tanaka, who had been thrown out, collapsed there.
I pretty much sprinted down the embankment with a jump to Misa’s side.
“Is everything okay?”
Holding one leg in her arms, her eyebrows furrowed in pain, Mischa said, “Rong… nothing… just… a slight fall… that’s all…”
Almost groaning, Misa replied.
(Saying “nothing happened”, sweating in pain, even the answer, wasn’t it a struggle to squeeze it out?) “Where, let me see?”
Since there’s no point in arguing with Misa, I directly put my hand on the left leg of Misa who seems to be in pain.
“Fuck, what for…”
Misa, who was obviously a bit repulsed by this, glared at me with angry eyes. Misa is also a girl of a certain age, so to have her bare legs touched by a boy she doesn’t like at all, she must have had a feeling of being defiled. … but I can only completely ignore this issue for now!
(Although it seems that there were no broken bones…) The moment it touched my thigh, “Ah, uh…”
Misha let out a bitter grunt.
(Ligament strain, I’m afraid!) In track and field, the most common injury among short-distance runners is thigh ligament strain. Indeed, if the symptoms are moderate or more, they can turn into serious cases like “ligament rupture”. Once this happens, of course, you can no longer compete.
I don’t know the extent of Misa’s symptoms, but (From the looks of it, today is by no means the first time something like this has happened.) Probably, she suddenly strained her ligaments while riding her bicycle and fell straight down the embankment. Now, I can’t even stand up, and I’m trembling due to the severe pain.
“Can’t you move? Call an ambulance, no… call a cab?”
“No!”
Misa rejected my suggestion with a harsher tone than I expected, “Doctors and all that, definitely not going to see…”
Misa turned her back. Was it because she hated the doctor, or did something else happen? But whichever it was… Since it had come to this, Misa was still adamant in her refusal, and I couldn’t help but listen to her.
“In that case, then,… I’ll take you home!”
I was about to grab Misa’s hand, but Misa drew it back and said softly, “There’s no need for that, I only stumbled lightly.” I had finally reached the limit of my patience.
“That’s enough! Can’t even move, and saying things that even you know aren’t true, well, are you just going to lie here until night, you!”
I was really angry. Although Misa and I are “friends who are always arguing”, it was the first time I shouted at her so loudly. Perhaps overwhelmed by my anger, Misa closed her mouth and turned her face away once again.
“Okay, then next…”
I reached my hands behind Misa’s back and under the bend of her legs respectively, and picked her up gently.
I guess it would be less likely to touch the hurt in her leg with a hug than a back.
“¡¡Ah!”
Misa said woefully, “It’s very, very embarrassing! Put me down…”
In my arms, Misa squirmed slightly in an attempt to resist.
“You’re-very-noisy… ah-ah-ah!”
As much as I wanted to loudly reprimand her, this was not the time to argue, and I said it in as gentle a tone as possible. Although I was also a bit hesitant as to whether I should do so, it was only hesitant because it was understandable that Misa couldn’t maintain her usual state of mind in front of me.
“┅┅”
I hugged the suddenly docile Misa like that and walked up the embankment.
The sun, which had ravaged the earth during the day, used its last strength to turn the evening sun into a dazzling golden color.
Misa and I were also completely surrounded by this golden color, and another day was coming to an end.
In the remaining light of the setting sun, the two dragged down a long shadow.
“Wing…”
Misa, who had been silent, slowly looked up.
“I’m sorry… still… still angry?”
While saying that, she sneaked a glance at my eyes with a timid expression.
Smiling at Misa, who didn’t look like her usual self, I replied, “There’s no such thing as anger. So you don’t have to worry…”
My arms around Misa tightened slightly, pressing Misa closer to my own embrace.
“Misa,… the shoulders don’t have to be so hard, just relax them a little bit more and see.”
“Umm…”
Responding directly to my request, the strength of Misa’s tense body gradually disappeared, and her original stiffness was lifted. The soft and delicate feeling coming from the relaxed Misa’s body made me clearly recognize that it was a “girl’s” body.
Perhaps because she was feeling rather shy, although I knew that we were in the afterglow of the setting sun, the blush on Misa’s cheeks was clearly different. With lowered eyebrows and watery eyes, the gentle Misa that no one had ever seen before was right in front of my eyes.
“I… I… I’m not heavy?”
Misha asked in a broken voice.
“Of course it’s not heavy,…, rather,… a little too light would be more appropriate.”
If we compare it to the bookcase in the health care room just now, Misa’s weight feels like a one-kilogram bag from a convenience store, so light, so light that one hand is enough.
…even though I said that, I broke out in a sweat. As if noticing this, Misa intended to apologize. I’ve made her worry. But more importantly than that, today’s Misa is very cute.
Misa’s home, is very close to the school. It’s the distance where you can even hear the bells for school and after school.
“Great, here it is.” I rang the doorbell in front of the house with “Tanaka” written on the doorplate.
“Ah, Ria… Thank you. This is fine… Today, Dad and Mom, they’re not home.”
Misa struggled with the intention of getting to the ground.
“Both parents are gone… you…”
“What a coincidence, the two went out on a trip today. …and tomorrow, they’ll be back.”
In other words, Misa will be the only one alone today.
“It’s not a good idea to put you here.”
I carried Mischa through the courtyard gate to the door of the room and prodded Mischa.
“Hey, get the key and open the door.”
“¿… hey?”
“Anyway, let’s get you to your room first.”
“¡¡That, that…”
Misa closed her mouth. It’s also true that there’s certainly no way for Misa to hide her confusion when she has to invite a man who isn’t her boyfriend into the house when both of her parents aren’t at home. But for me, I can’t just leave a girl who is injured and can’t move like that.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m a true gentleman… I’ll take care of Misa until she can sleep peacefully… even if you say no, it’s all for naught, so it’s better to trust me.”
Facing the overwhelmed Misa, I said gently.
“No, no, no, it’s not like that… trust or not trust or whatever… like that… that… it’s not that kind of thing. ┅┅And… in addition, to trouble you again,… I, I, I, I, I think,… Because, therefore, Wing would do that to me… to me! …Negi, didn’t you? Negi, didn’t you? Negi, didn’t you? Negi, didn’t you? Negi, didn’t even know how to do that… Negi, didn’t even, didn’t even think about…”
Flustered, Misa retrieved the key from the pocket of her pants. After two or three failed attempts, she finally inserted the key into the lock hole and managed to open the door.
“Excuse me!”
I greeted her with the proper etiquette and entered the house. Removing Misa’s shoes for her, I then picked up Misa once more and walked towards Misa’s room on the second floor.
“Just, just here.”
In fact, I didn’t need her to tell me, but I saw the sign that read “MISA” hanging on the door of the room. Even though I claim to be a gentleman, it’s not often that I get the chance to see a female student’s room. The only ones who have invited me in are Satomi and Kurumi’s rooms.
So, while my heart was pounding, I reached out and grabbed the sliding door’s ring.
However, the very moment I pulled the door open.
“Ah, ah–!”
With a sudden shriek, Misa broke out of my arms, toward the table, and just jumped over. Grabbing the decorative picture frame in her hands, she then, “Clink, dang, clatter!”
Unable to collect her feet, Misa rushed all the way inside and fell to the side of the bed with a very violent momentum. Really, what a mess!
“You, you,… aren’t stupid!”
Rushing at me who approached with the intention of helping her up, “Don’t look! Don’t… don’t look!”
Clutching the picture frame, Misa almost half-sobbed and shouted at me.
After a few moments of stunned silence, I came to my senses and turned my body in a daze of realization.
“I have my back to you now, so let’s find a place to put it away first.”
When I finished, I heard the drawer of the writing desk behind me being pulled open and something being put in.
“Already,… well?”
“Umm…”
After confirming her answer, I turned back around and picked up Misa from the ground.
“Ah, it hurts! … ah, ah-..! …”
Misa groaned. It looked like her legs were hurting even more.
“Really, since you are a girl, even if you have a favorite boy or something, it is normal. …Even if it were me, I wouldn’t laugh at you. Really, absolutely not!”
While nagging, I gently placed Misa on the bed. Straightening up and looking around the room, I saw the first aid kit sitting on the dresser.
Leaving Misa face down on her back and covering her waist and hips with the blanket, I rolled up her skirt and tried hard to adjust it so that only her thighs could be seen. But, “Ah, don’t!”
Misa timidly turned her face sideways.
“Relax your body a bit. As long as your hands don’t touch, it shouldn’t hurt, right? I’ll try my best to… not look at you.”
From an angle where I couldn’t see Misa’s panties, I sprayed a cooling mist onto Misa’s thigh. It’s a basic principle that the first day or two of a ligament strain should be spent first cooling down the strained area and warming up the affected area afterward.
Wrapping cold, wet gauze around Misa, who was cringing in pain, I straightened her skirt and rolled her over so that she was lying on her back. Finally, I folded the summer cushion and put it under her feet to secure it.
“Okay, that will do. I’m sorry that I forced myself to do it without your consent.”
Pulling a chair from beside the writing desk, I sat down on the edge of the bed.
I don’t know if it’s because of the effect of my treatment, but Misa seems to be gradually regaining her composure, and she doesn’t say a word, but just gazes at me quietly. Maybe it’s because she’s slightly hot, Misa’s cheeks are flushed, and her pupils are flashing with a wonderful luster. Today, Misa was a real woman from every angle, and even her voice was tender and delicate…
As a man, I couldn’t help but think that I had to protect her no matter what.
If I’m to be honest here, the real Misa is actually quite a lovely girl, and she’s definitely one of the top ten beautiful girls in our school. Even though Misa and I used to fight and sometimes say things that were too much, there were not many boys who were jealous of me for being able to talk to Misa’s equals. There were a few boys who were jealous of me for being able to talk to her on equal terms. Misa is a strong person who never wants to be left behind, and she always says what she wants to say, so there must have been a lot of guys who didn’t dare to say things like “I like you” to Misa.
(That’s a real pain in the ass! Because Misa is such a beautiful girl, and if she looks at me with such watery eyes…) [Isn’t it very cute? In contrast to Misa, I was getting more and more upset, and I felt a bit guilty.
“Ah… Uh… Feeling a little dry? Some juice or something…”
While scratching my face, I asked, “I’m sorry for going overboard…”
Misa didn’t answer my question, but suddenly apologized, “That photo, that’s the only thing that Wing can’t see. If Ria sees it, I’ll feel very shy…”
“Ah, it’s okay, never mind. On the contrary, the one who can make Misa fall in love must be a very good boy, right?”
Toward the still apprehensive me, Misa continued to offer her smile. Well, please stop. If I keep looking at a beautiful woman like this… I’m sure I’ll be mesmerized.
“┅┅”
Still, smiling.
Today’s Misa is frighteningly cute and overly adorable. If, from the time I met her, she had always kept the expression she has now, I’m afraid I would have become Misa’s captive a long time ago.
Misa suddenly cleared her throat with an “uh-huh” and while fidgeting with the corner of the blanket, she began, “The one I like, that person… he’s not really handsome!”
“W… well” As she began to speak openly about herself, I was immediately intrigued and listened attentively with sideways ears.
“If I were to use a character from a historical drama, it would be a bit like a wild and unruly samurai who lived in a large house and was called sir by the residents who lived around him, giving the impression that he was wild and unruly but full of enthusiasm. Yes, like Konoe Shichirou in ‘Heikan Ronin Hanayama Shichirou’, or Tamura Takahiro in ‘Running Helper’.” (Translator’s note: The titles of the period dramas are a mix-up, and I’ve never heard of either samurai before.) “Ah…!” It seems that Misa liked people with more personality.
Noticing the complicated expression on my face, Misa “poofed” at the thought of something ridiculous.
One laugh out loud.
“Nice, isn’t he? To me, he’s just the most special boy in the world.”
Misa said with a giggle, “Though, he was slow of sensation, straightforward, quick-tempered, adventurous in his behavior, brash and sloppy in his actions… and he was completely oblivious to my moods. …”
Listening to Misa’s narrative with a smile on her face, I was unknowingly but I moved my head closer to Misa.
(Hm? That doesn’t sound good! Which one is it? I don’t think there’s anyone in the school who fits the description. But even if there was, why would Misa like a guy like that?) As she looked at me with a frown on her face because she couldn’t figure it out, Misa laughed once again.
“In spite of that, that person,… I liked him very much. …because he was actually very gentle… not only gentle, but also bold and manly, and most importantly – he had his own ideals.”
Misa, whose cheeks had completely turned vermilion, raised her eyes to look at me and continued, “Really… it was that kind of fondness that I didn’t even know what to do with… I felt that I didn’t belong to myself anymore, and that as long as it was for his sake, I would do whatever I was asked to do. Even if I had to become a bad girl… If I could hear him say, ‘I like you,’ I would be happy to die right afterward. …”
I was struck by Misa’s emotional outpouring, that wholehearted love. Although, I don’t know who that person really is, I can’t help but feel a little envious of the guy who got Misa’s deep love. What a lucky boy!
“So, what do you think of him,… why don’t you say it?”
I asked next.
Misa surfaced with a surprisingly despondent smile.
“I… I can’t say… He seemed to have his own favorite girls… and… even though he didn’t realize it, he was very popular among the girls. Among them, there were girls who were more… no… there were girls who loved him as much as I did… I couldn’t have been liked by him if I hadn’t been considered as a love interest at all.”
Misa slumped her shoulders listlessly, completely unlike her usual self.
(If you really like it, wouldn’t it be nice to tell your feelings? How fortunate to be loved by Misa like that! If the two of them can connect, I think they’ll be the happiest couple in the world. Anyway, wouldn’t it be nice if I tried to make it happen?) I thought to myself.
“Well, should I… pretend not to tell him to take a look? …”
As soon as I said what I was thinking, for some reason, Misa once again smiled marvelously and replied, “No… there’s no way… if Ria… there’s no way to do that…”
“You said I couldn’t do it because…”
As much as I wanted her to tell me why that was, Misa didn’t answer that question again.
“Because now I can still stay by his side… and for me… that’s satisfying.”
Misa’s words, which were a bit like talking to herself, left me, who was searching for reasons to convince her, speechless.
Since that’s the case, there’s not much I can do about it. However, from what she said, it sounds like Misa’s “he” is someone very close to her. There’s no reason for me not to know. In that case, I’m sure I can find out who that person is if I watch Misa closely after school starts. After that, I’ll do whatever I can to make things go smoothly.
(Misa’s innocent feelings must not be left unattended.) Having made a decision in my mind, I stood up.
Turning to Misa, who had become slightly uneasy, I said, “I’ll go get my bike back… and do some shopping on the way… I expect to be back in less than an hour. In the meantime, if it’s possible, you should take the opportunity to change into the clothes you wore to bed first.”
Giving her a reassuring smile, I walked out of the room.
After dropping off my bicycle, which was still under the long embankment, for repairs, and finishing my shopping in the shopping street, when I returned to Misa’s house, I dove headfirst into the kitchen… In all, almost two hours had passed, and the hour hand was already pointing to eight o’clock.
“Whew──, I kept you waiting!”
Carrying the tray, I opened the door.
The menu for dinner was, “Stewed plaice, mountain vegetables in vinegar sauce, miso soup with clover and tofu, and a small dish of pickled vegetables” (Translator’s note: the names of the dishes were translated randomly because there were some dishes that I couldn’t find the Chinese equivalent of for a while, even though I eat a lot of such things these days. But I don’t think the difference is too far.) Since I’ve been living alone, I’m able to make simple dishes at this level.
Although Misa is still very polite, I’ll feel uneasy if I don’t take care of her until she falls asleep.
(If I don’t,) there’s no other way for Misa to do it than to just lie there in bed.
On an empty stomach, what could have been cured became incurable.
Today’s Misa is really cute as a “poor girl”. But I still want to see Misa as a “girl full of spirit”.
Running energetically, with a bright smile… nonchalantly snapping at me, arguing with me with a tone of disgust.
(Well, now that I’ve realized that Misa also has a girl’s side, I’m afraid we’ll have fewer fights in the future.) All in all, the Misa who had spirit… and who was a pure and lovely girl, was the Misa I really liked.
If Misa doesn’t get better soon,… I’ll be in a difficult position too.
Therefore, I strive for her to be able to eat a full meal and sleep comfortably!
“Well, please eat…”
I handed the tray to Misa, who was already sitting up on her upper body.
“All of this… all of it, was done by Wing?!”
“Ah, uh…”
Toward Misa, whose eyes widened in surprise, I handed over the rice again.
“Doesn’t it matter? The leg, it doesn’t hurt?”
“Well… already, it’s fine…”
Reaching for the bowl of rice as she did so, Misa nodded.
“Since the rice is very hot, please be careful… If not, blow on it, and it should be ready to eat, right?” (Translator’s note: I couldn’t find a kanji equivalent for the word “fu-fu-fu”) In fact, I was already blowing “fu-fu-fu” on her while I was saying it.
“You, you, what are you talking about! … it’s enough, something like that… let me eat by myself… stop messing around!” Mischa blushed, and her cheeks seemed to swell up all of a sudden.
That’s good. It looks like Misa is getting back in shape.
(…) Normally, I would have said something like, “You’re not saying something stupid! You’re not a child, you can eat alone… humph!” I’m sure you’d have said something like that.) From Misa, who put the plaice in her mouth, “It’s delicious…” was the compliment.
“Really… in that case, I’m relieved. Since I prefer spicier flavors, I had been worried just now if it would be a bit spicy.”
Misa, who was shooing miso soup, heard my words and turned her head.
“It’s good… If it were me, I’m afraid I wouldn’t be able to do it…”
A long sigh.
“If Ria… no, that… if a boy… seems to like a girl who can cook… I still…”
Once again, becoming uninspired. It seems that this is one of the reasons for Misa’s troubles.
“Ah, although being good at it is better than not being good at it…”
“Yes…”
“Assuming Misa, if you want to learn how to cook, won’t you become good at it soon?”
“Will it be like that?”
“I’m sure you will. Because Misa is already very busy just by participating in the ministry’s activities and studying every day… Something that has never been done before… When you first start doing it, it’s not possible to have smooth sailing right from the start, is it?”
“Ah, yes. …Well, it might be like that. I won’t know if it’s okay until I try it.”
Misa, who nodded her head with a divine expression, looked amused.
“Ah, but I’m slightly more confident in curry and rice and small snacks and stuff. …but just a little bit…”
“To be able to make two of them is very impressive. After that, don’t worry about whether or not you’ll fail, just go ahead and challenge it!”
Even though it was just a simple encouragement, Misa’s smile immediately returned as if she had “heard something good”. She must have been thinking something like, “Let’s try making some fried pasta next time”. Because, Misa is a girl who can be easily seen through. She’s cute.
After fixing dinner, cleaning up the dishes, and drinking tea for a while, I didn’t realize it was past nine o’clock.
Since I’m a guy, it wouldn’t be appropriate to stay any longer, “Then it’s almost time to go back.”
I stood up.
“Ugh… ah… wait a minute… that… it’s not easy to come here once, can we watch a movie together?”
Misa called out to me. It’s a little unsettling to be alone, isn’t it, and probably a little lonely.
Casting his eyes over the videotapes sitting in the cabinet, “Field of dreams, Lightstaff(?) , Standby me, Nell? Leon(?) Champ(?). The title of the movie I’m not sure about is “Streetlight”. I’m not sure about the movie titles.) All of Misa’s favorite movies were listed with their titles written in large, easy-to-read letters.
(Wow, aren’t these… any of them… the kind of movies that would make you cry in a movie theater?) Misa is a very tearful person, so I’m afraid that if you watch a movie like this, you’ll end up in an awkward situation where you’re both “holding hands and looking at each other with tears in your eyes”. Yes, even though I’m a guy, I have loose tear ducts.
“It’s, it’s late, and… it’s better to go back. And Mischa, since you’re injured, it’s almost time to rest. Si, go to sleep… go to sleep… go to sleep early!”
“Ugh…”
Like a small child whose demands were not being met, Misa’s mouth curved downward into a figure eight.
“Also, there’s bread and a pitcher of juice on the table, so you can get up and eat it in the morning.”
After I finished speaking, Misa didn’t answer because she was still disgruntled.
“Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, go to the hospital. Make sure you go, okay? I’ll call to make sure, and if you don’t go, I’ll be really mad!”
Properly, I said to her with a slightly stern tone.
“Eh,… I see. …” Misa nodded slightly.
That’s fine. Just as I was about to reach the door, “Ah, yes! Also… don’t go to bed without your clothes on today.” Deliberately, I turned around and said something superfluous.
“Sh… sh… sh… sh… sh… sh… sh… sh… sh… sh… sh… what? … why do you know that!”
Misa’s expression changed drastically, and the muscles in her face spasmed a little, visibly shaken.
“Hahaha… It was Misa’s mom who told me.”
“What did you say!?”
Actually, something that’s also incredible to me is that Misa’s mom and I have a very good relationship. When we meet at the supermarket at dusk, it sometimes turns into having an inuyasha meeting (?). or something. In fact, not only Misa’s mother, but also the mothers of Satomi, Kurumi, Kazuya, and others… For some reason, they all spoke very favorably of me.
Looking at Misa, who was dumbfounded, I said, “Here, it’s time to turn off the lights.”
To Misa, who still looked confused, I squeezed my eyes at her.
“Wing, you asshole! Get your ass back in there!”
As expected, the alarm clock flew over. …it wouldn’t be Misa if she didn’t do that.
I got the timing right and caught the alarm clock in a nice pose.
“Misa, then I’ll see you tomorrow…”
The lights went out with it.
Just a moment before the door to the room closed, and… in the silence, Misa’s voice came through, “Thank you… Wing, good night…”
(to be continued)
(The next part is an exciting episode with Ms. Yoshiko, so stay tuned…)