Chapter 6 – Bewilderment

　With the way things have been going, even I can predict.
　When I open the front door, that guy is there yet again.
　Same as yesterday.
　No, I have a feeling he’s ‘sparkling’ more than yesterday.
　Did he power up? How come?

It’s such a huge difference from his grim expression yesterday that I can only feel fear.
　What should I do if there’s flowers placed above Ei-kun’s desk[1] when I enter the cla.s.sroom today…!

“… Haa.”
“Kii, g’morning.”
“Can you please stop this already?”

　Did he acc.u.mulate some sort of weird exp and levelled up?
　Or does he have some item that recovers his mental energy?
　Otherwise, it’s strange.
　His head’s strange.

“Shall we hold hands?”
“Sure enough, something’s wrong with your head, huh.”

　‘Is there something wrong with you?’ I won’t ask that.
　It’s something I already know. It’s enough that I affirm it.
　When I let my guard down, his hand reaches out and tries to grab mine.

“Ah, ouch.”

　Whack, I smack his hand off.
　Why are you trying to grab my hand so naturally!
　I can’t be negligent for even a moment.
　How many hands had that hand held?
　d.a.m.n soiled hand, come back after cleansing it with the spring water from the peak of a sacred mountain!

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()

　Sheesh, how long are you going to follow me around for…

　During the short rest periods, during noon break.
　And now, even after school…
　He’s always there.
　I’ve an inkling that the frequency he clings to me is increasing.
　It seems like he’ll eventually end up joining me for cla.s.s too.
　Perhaps, the favourability rating of the other capturable characters are MAXed, and there’s only me left for his harem to be completed.

“Wait a sec, Aoi!”

Being stopped when climbing down the stairs.
　The one being stopped isn’t me, but the sc.u.m following me around. However, I unconsciously reacted and my feet ended up stopping too.

　The origin of the voice came from the top of the stairs.
　A second-year like that guy, his tsundere cla.s.smate with outstanding athleticism, Nekoyashiki Midori.
　Green, straight and long hair with yellow-green eyes.
　She’s a capturable character whose favourability rating increases easily on Wednesdays.

　I’ve not pa.s.sed her the ‘Letter of Awakening’ yet.
　I wanted to pa.s.s it to her yesterday, but there wasn’t any time to because I was desperately escaping from that guy.

　Her eyebrows are raised and her expression is full of anger.

“Why didn’t you come yesterday!”
“That’s…”

　After awkwardly averting his gaze from Midori, he looked over in my direction in a dispirited manner.
　… Oi, why the heck are you looking here!?
　Isn’t that like saying I’m the cause!

“… So you were the one leading Aoi around, huh!”
　See, it really turned out like this!

“That’s incorrect!”
“I’m sorry, Midori. Kii didn’t do anything wrong at all. It’s my fault!”

　That’s right, it’s all your fault!
　Actually, insinuating it’s me and then protecting me… are you doing it on purpose?
　Nah, you’re probably not thinking at all!

“I don’t need this so please go on ahead!”

　I’ll even hand him over in a gift wrap[2].
　I pushed the sc.u.m’s back and presented him.
　Alright, go over there, shoo shoo.

“…”

　The expression on Midori’s face changes.

　… Ah, this is bad.

　Staring intently at me with a solemn face is honestly scary.
　It’s scarier than if she behaves angrily.
　I understand that I stepped on some landmine.
　I honestly don’t need something like the sc.u.m, so I handed him over with a ‘I don’t need this’, but now that I think about it clearly, if something like that is done to someone…

　I’m an incredibly terrible woman.
　『I don’t need such a man so I’ll give him to you』, doesn’t that sound just like a villainess on high horse!

“Seriously, you…!”

　Using her outstanding athleticism, Midori bolt from the stairs and draws closer.
　I’m pressed by that pressure and…

　――Ah.

　I back away, completely forgetting that I’m on the stairs.
　I realise it when I lose my footing… it’s already too late.
　My body has already stiffened…
　It’s no use; I’ll fall.
　I make the mental preparation and gather strength in my body, but… huh?

　Impacts that aren’t painful exists in the world, but is this how it’s like?
　The impact is really too weak, though…
　The floor isn’t even hard; in fact, it’s soft.

　… Soft?
　When I open the eyes that I reflexively closed, I see…

“Kii. Are you okay?”

A handsome face, one that used to make my heart throb painfully simply at the sight of it, entered my eyes.
　But now…

“YIKESSS!”

　I feel pained in a different way.
　Too close! Scary!
　Suppressing the rising gooseb.u.mps, I jump back in a panic.

　Kagurazaka Mamoru lays stretched out at the bottom of the stairs.
　It seems that this guy acted as a cushion and shielded me.

“Ah, I am sorry! Are you hurt…”

I reflexively distanced myself but…
　It wasn’t an att.i.tude one should take towards a person who saved her.
　… I wonder if he’s okay.

“Aoi! Are you okay!?”

　I attempted to check if he’s injured but Midori ran over, pushed me away, and knelt near that guy.
　She supported him as he tried to get up, and fussed over him.
　… So it seems I don’t have to make an appearance here.

　Midori appears terribly anxious as she worried over him.
　More than him, Midori’s the one who seems much less composed.

“I’m okay so don’t worry, Midori.”
“B-but… it’s because I jumped down and pressured that girl that… I am sorry…”
“I’m really okay. So don’t worry.”

　Being spoken to gently by that guy, Midori finally started crying.
　The tear glands are more easily stimulated when one is being treated gently, huh.
　Yep yep, I understand but…… Erm, can I leave already?
　A nice ambience rose from the crying bishoujo and the ikemen who’s stroking her head and comforting her.
　… Y’all sure are lost in your own world!?

“Sheesh, Midori. It’s not like I’m hurt…… ow.”

Huh…?
　He seems to be appealing that he isn’t hurt so as to not worry Midori, but his expression stiffened for an instant when he shifted his right foot.

“I’m glad Aoi isn’t hurt.”

　Looks like Midori didn’t realise it, but I think he’s sweating abnormally.
　Perhaps, his foot hurts?
　I wonder if it’s sprained?

“Are you okay, Kii?”
“Ah, yes…”

　Rather than me, you’re the one who doesn’t seem okay.
　But if I say that, Midori will get worried.
　Since the injured person himself is trying to hide it, it isn’t something I can voice out.

“S-sorry. Both of you. I need to go to the toilet, so…”

　Saying that, he started walking in the toilet’s direction hastily.
　He appears to be enduring it, but if I look carefully, he’s walking while being mindful of his right foot.

“… I’ll go back home with Aoi so I’m going to grab my bag.”

　Shooting a gaze that says『So you better not steal a march, alright』, Midori left.
　Good grief, what should I do?

　For the time being, let’s see how that guy is doing.

　I prepared myself for a chase when I headed in the direction of the toilet, but that guy is in the immediate vicinity, standing unmoving with his hand on the wall.
　… It looks painful.

“Is your foot okay?”
“… Kii, you found out?”
“Yes. … You were acting cool.”

　Even his face that gave a bitter laugh in reply, showed a lack of composure.

“You know, even though it was unintentional, Midori had once caused her friend to get injured. Hence, she has this side of her where she tends to blame herself a lot…”
“… Is that so.”

　I know about that from my knowledge of the game.
　In Midori’s middle school days, a tiny prank that she set up for her childhood friend, a boy, caused a huge incident.
　It was an unfortunate accident, but he became badly injured.
　Although his injury healed, there were still after effects on his foot. It became difficult for him to fulfill his dream as a short distance runner in track-and-field.
　With regards to that, he was working hard to overcome it on his own, but it wasn’t so for Midori.
　Midori who was also a track-and-field runner like him… quitted with the intention of atoning.
　That angered him, and created a gap between the two.

　Her memory from that time probably resurfaced.
　Perhaps that was why she was so fl.u.s.tered.

　That guy appear relieved when I tell him Midori isn’t here. He crouches down on the spot.

“Let’s go to the infirmary.”
“It’s okay. Midori’s coming back, right? She’ll be worried if I go to the infirmary.”

　While I think that it’s wonderful to take such a stance of not worrying girls…
　I would have probably fallen in love all over again if I didn’t knew he’s sc.u.m.

　… I liked this side of him, huh.
　Geez, I don’t really want to recall though.

“I’ll go get a compress and come back, so please wait here.”

　I saw his lips move, saying『I don’t need it』, but I’m ignoring that.
　Besides, it’s my fault that he’s injured.
　I obtain a compress and return to that guy in a hurry so that I will have time to put it on him before Midori returns.

　His ankle is sprained; it’s slightly swollen.
　It doesn’t seem that serious but sprains can’t be judged visually.

“Please treat it properly at home, alright.”
“Thank you, Kii.”
“That should be my line. Thank you very much for saving me.”
“I’m glad Kii isn’t hurt.”

　When he gives me that smile I used to like so much, an indescribable fuzziness spread in my chest.
　… Perhaps, I didn’t hate this smile.
　Even though he’s unforgivable… and I must hate it.

“If someone is going to get hurt because of me, it is better if I am the one who is hurt. That is why, please do not do it ever again. It is none of your business.”

　… Somewhat unpleasant huh.
　The me who can only say things like this.
　What an uncute girl I am.

“To prefer being hurt yourself, Kii sure is kind.”
“….”

　What is this guy saying?
　If he speaks this way in addition to saving me…
　When I direct my gaze at him, he is still smiling gently.
　… I wonder I’m getting poisoned by this smile?
　What an idiot I am.
　So much so that it’s astonishing.

“You, who paid attention to not make Midori-senpai uneasy… were a little, wonderful.”

　I unconsciously voice it out.
　Even though I did not intend to say something like that.

“…”

　He has a surprised expression on.
　It becomes awkward as I look at that expression.

“I’m happy. It’s been awhile since Kii smiled.”
“… Eh?”

　Just now, I… smiled?
　If that’s so, it means my guard was down.
　That’s a bad indication.
　… I have to, build more walls.

“Hey, Kii. As expected, I want to be with Kii more. I want to see more of Kii’s smiles. I want to get to know Kii better, and I also want Kii to know me better… will you watch over me?”
“… Such a thing”

　『Of course I’ll reject.』

I intended to say that, but…

“…”

　The words won’t come out.
　The smile reflecting in my eyes right now is trying to break down something in me.
　… If I had heard these words earlier, I would probably have answered『Yes』.

　However… regretfully, the current me is unable to say that.
　Because I am stubborn.
　Even if that is something that will worsen as time goes by and constrict my neck.

　That’s why, more and more, I want you to get a taste of it.
　Of exactly how hurt I was.
　Work harder and harder to attract my attention――.

　…Eh?

　…Wrong, wrong wrong, just now, I… was thinking about something.
　Something like that is… wrong, I have to hate him.
　Even though it’s best to not get involved, to be wanting him to attract my attention, that’s absurd.

“Please don’t bother with me!”

　Midori-senpai’s footsteps are drawing nearer.
　Let’s go home first.
　I’ll go back and reset.
　So that I can properly hate him tomorrow too.