After school, Hashimoto appeared as Yuuko and I were about to go to Komori’s house.

“Natsumi, I want to go home together as well.”

When I looked at Yuuko, she nodded.

Since she was okay with it, then going together with him should be fine.

Just to be sure, I tried to confirm about his relationship with Komori.

“Hashimoto-kun, we are going to Gla.s.ses-kun’s house. You….. never bullied him, right?”

Yuuko supplemented my question.

“She’s talking about Komori-kun.”

“Aah, that guy.” Said Hashimoto as he began to ponder.

“Komori….. is the one you usually call Wallet-kun, right? You changed it to Gla.s.ses-kun now? In my case, since Noriko used that guy just like she used me when she get provoked, I never bullied him. And besides, he might die if I hit him.”

“Hmm. I see. Nice physique you have there. Hashimoto-kun, are you interested in martial arts? Like Karate for example.”

“Karate? Isn’t Karate weak? They’d be done if someone throw them down. Not interested.”

What did you say? Even though you yourself get defeated by my slender arms using that very Karate! Don’t go off running your mouth if you don’t know anything!

“What’s wrong Nacchan? Your face’s scary.”

Not good. I have to calm down. I’m an adult. How could something like this make me angry? It’s just some brat’s nonsense. I have to regain my composure.

“I-It’s nothing, Yuuko-chan. Don’t worry about it. By the way, in Karate, gloves is not used. So those people on TV who fight in close combat, they’re prohibited from using moves like hand thrust or elbow strike. Attacking the opponent’s eyes or crotch are prohibited as well. Karate is a martial art, not a sport, so they can’t display their true power in most cases.”

“Hee, Natsumi know a lot about martial art, huh. Yesterday you even took a good punch.”

“Well, I’ve been practicing since elementary school after all. I can even do something like this.”

I leaped on the spot, and did a front kick to break a tree branch 20 cm above my head. Hashimoto’s eyeball jumped out, and he clapped. Fufufu. How was that? Aren’t you surprised? Don’t make fun of a Karate pract.i.tioner!

“Can you do it once more? Once again of that just now!”

Huh? What, he realized the charm of Karate now? Well, no choice, I’ll do just that then.

But suddenly, Yuuko grabbed my hand and shook her head.

“Nacchan, don’t do it. We are on the street, and your panties could be seen.”

Grr. HASHIMOTO! This idiot! So his objective is to see my panties!

I struck Hashimoto’s head.

“That hurts….. I mean, isn’t it normal for a guy to be wanting to see the panties of the girl he likes?”

“YOU FOOL! It’s embara.s.sing for a girl if her panties is seen! Go disappear and reflect on yourself!”

“Natsumi sure is strict…..”

“Look now, Nacchan. Your speech turned rough once again. You have to pay attention.”

Hashimoto look at me and grinned.

“Heeh….. Natsumi, you should reflect on yourself instead of finding other people’s fault.”

THIS RASCAL! Are you a kid or what!? Ugh, calm down, me. You’re not on the same level with this kid 20 years younger than yourself.

I clenched my fists and controlled my anger.

I pressed the intercom that was attached to the gate of Komori’s mansion.

[ Excuse me, may I know who you are? ]

“Ah, my name is Oono, I’m Komori-kun’s cla.s.smate. Since Komori-kun was absent today, we were worried and decided to visit.”

[ Oh, my! Please come in! ]

The door was unlocked automatically, and we entered the mansion.

“I wonder if that was Gla.s.ses-kun’s mother? Somehow, she’s really fired up?”

“If Natsumi come to my house, I’m sure my mother will be like that as well.”

“For some reason I don’t want to go your house, Hashimoto-kun.”

“Whyyy…..? You can drink juice as much as you want in my house, you know?”

The color of Yuuko’s eyes suddenly changed. Her breathing got wild as she grabbed Hashimoto’s arm.

“Really? I can drink as much juice as I want?”

“Y-Yeah. I only said it for Natsumi though…..”

“Why? If you’re that stingy, Nacchan will hate you, you know!? Or perhaps, it’ll be fine if I come with Nacchan? Hey, answer me!”

Hashimoto was being shaken up. While Yuuko is a good girl, her eyes changed when it come to food.

We arrived in front of the door with nameplate number 301 which had Komori written on it, I pressed the bell and the entranceway opened.

“Oh, there are three of you, even! Please come in!”

The one who appeared, Komori’s mother, quickly pulled me into the corridor. I was slightly bewildered and took off my shoes in a haste before pa.s.sing it to Yuuko in the rear.

“For that kid to have his friends coming over! Moreover, two of them are girls! I’m so happy!”

With her, we cut through the living room and went straight to our destination.

“Shinichi, your friends have come to visit.”

“Tell them to go home! I don’t want to meet them!”

“What are you saying, Shinichi! A young lady this beautiful is coming to visit you, you know!”

Komori seems to be terribly hurt by what I said. How troubling.

No choice but to come again later, huh?

Thinking of that, I turned to Yuuko and Hashimoto. They also make a troubled expression.

“Meeting him now would be impossible, I guess. Let’s just apologize and go home.”

Seeing both of them nodded, I stood in front of the door.

“This is me, Natsumi. I’m sorry for being inconsiderate yesterday. Umm, it’s okay if you don’t want to talk to me, but please come to school. It’ll be a waste if your attendance suffered just because of me. Well then, I’m going home.”

Just as I separated from the door and lowered my head to Komori’s mother, intending to leave, the door was opened with a clank.

What appeared was Komori in a sweatshirt. Unlike his usual timid self, he looked at me in a straightforward manner.

“Come in. Since you already took the trouble of coming here, at least drink a tea first.”

“Is this really fine?”

“Yeah. Come in.”

We entered the 8-tatami room with a bed, a desk, and a bookshelf in it.

The top of the bookshelf was decorated by a lot of action figures.

So Komori has this kind of hobby, huh?

Beside the bed there was a 32-inch TV, and below it there were a recording device and several game console.

“Awesome! Isn’t this PP4? And this is Saraan! Uoh. You even have 2DO!”

Yuuko leaked out a sigh when she saw the action figures, while Hashimoto was holding an air gun and feeling it.

“Aah, geez! Don’t touch it as you please!”

“Komori my boy, isn’t this fine?”

I understand Hashimoto’s feelings.

For a boy, Komori’s room is a pile of treasures.

Yuuko took a manga out of the bookshelf and started flipping through it before suddenly letting out a shriek.

“Stop! Don’t read that!”

When I picked up the book Yuuko dropped, Komori hastily s.n.a.t.c.hed it and hide it behind his back.

A-ha. So it was something lewd, huh?

Contrary to his docile look, he’s a pervert.

“Stop doing these things already! You didn’t come here for that, did you?”

Ah, that’s right. I came here to apologize. Completely forgot about that.

I lowered my head to Komori who was sitting on the bed.

“Gla.s.ses-kun, so it’s like this. I’m sorry for being inconsiderate yesterday. It was my fault for thoughtlessly telling you to be strong. Even though when you’re being bullied, you didn’t retaliate, and still come to school properly. Compared to me who instantly retaliate, you’re amazing, Gla.s.ses-kun.”

Komori watched me motionlessly and bit his lips.

“Even I understand that going on like this is bad. It’s not just one or two times that I get to be made fun of and have my money get taken! But, I’m afraid. When I thought about getting hit, I couldn’t help but be afraid! What could’ve I done with this body? Please, tell me! What should I do? What should I do to be strong!”

Komori shed his tears.

Right, of course the person being bullied is the one who feel bitter the most.

He was struggling and suffering, enduring without anyone supporting him.

I hugged Komori tightly. His tears fell into my blazer, making it wet.

“Gla.s.ses-kun. It was tough, huh. It was painful, huh. You can cry if you want to. As much as you like.”

Komori was weeping while I caressed his head.

He was like myself in the past. Everyone disliked me, even my parents and siblings were no exception.

I didn’t know what to do, and could only grieve, crying everyday.

That was in my primary school period. I haven’t meet Karate back then.

So right now, his pain and bitter feelings, I really understand it.

After 10 minutes, Komori had finally calmed down.

I lifted his head and scooped his tears.

“Please listen to my story, even for just a bit.

“You know, among my acquaintances there’s someone who’s ugly, and everyone disliked him. His neighbors looked like they want to scream upon seeing him, and even his parents as well as siblings didn’t like him.

“When he was a child, he always wondered why he was disliked and ridiculed, as he didn’t even do something wrong. However, it was only at the upper grades of primary school that he finally understood. It was because of his own ugly face.

“As a result, he often thought that maybe it was better for his unsightly self to die.

“But, his life changed ever since he met a certain person.

“He also got to know Karate. And so, his self that never had any dream finally had something to obsess and pursue wholeheartedly in the form of Karate.

“His strength grew way beyond average, and he had a determination. Even though his outward appearance was awful, he has to be a wonderful person inside. A man among men, or so he said.

“Albeit he never did has a success with women, he was able to make male friends in the end.”

Tears were streaming down my cheeks. My chest tightened hard from the pain. And my feeling of wanting to help Komori soared.

“Is he….. Natsumi-san’s Onii-san?”

“No. He’s not, but he was someone I’m really close to.”

“Was?”

“Right. When saving a child from a fire in a building, his feet got broken and his head got hit by something, killing him. Ahahaha. Wasn’t that stupid?”

I grabbed Komori’s face with my hands.

Then, I quietly brought my face near.

Eh? What am I trying to do?

I wonder why? It’s strange. It’s like I’m not really myself.

Komori closed his eyes and pushed out his mouth.

I was taken aback and realized something.

Could it be….. I’m trying to kiss him?

What am I thinking? Isn’t the other party a man?

No, currently I’m a woman. So, this is just normal?

But, it’s not like I like Komori or anything.

A cheer up-kiss then?

Not good. What am I thinking?

I shook my head and stopped Komori’s lips with my finger.

Komori thought that he was going to be kissed, so now his face turned red, and his breathing got rough.

Before releasing my finger, I looked at the direction of Yuuko and Hashimoto and mouthed a ‘be quiet’ to them. Then, I finally released my finger.

“How is it? Are you cheered up now? Today is special, you know.”

As Komori nodded, blood started to spill from his nose.

I pa.s.sed him the box of tissue that was in the room.

A sound of knocking was heard from the door, followed with Komori’s mother coming in with coffees and cakes on hand.

“Truly, thank you very much. Please come by often.”

Her eyes were red. It seems she was eavesdropping earlier.

We ate the cakes. Afterwards, the four of us played games excitedly.

After returning home, I absentmindedly thought as I lie on the bed.

Just what was the mysterious feeling I got in Komori’s house?

That time, I tried to kiss Komori although I don’t even like him.

When I saw the crestfallen Komori, somehow I got a heartrending impulse to encourage him.

Were it the previous me, I would’ve just vigorously smack him on the head and tell him to cheer up.

I fell asleep as I was drown in the endless explanations I conjured.

PP4 = PS4, 2DO = 2DS, but what does Saraan (サラーン) is supposed to be?