CH 17

“…… how much is this?”

“Hmm? We’ve only just entered the entrance.”

At any rate, the climbing began, and I immediately began to feel weak.

I don’t usually exercise, so just a short walk was hard on my legs.

I had already walked several kilometers before climbing the mountain. I want to go home and lie down right now.

But aside from that, I have a troublesome task assigned to me.

It is to watch over and protect the delinquent girl – Fujibayashi. My head hurts just thinking about it.

“Haa…”

“You’ve been so depressing since a while ago. It’s a beautiful day and you’re bringing down my mood, so can you stop?”

Then, even Asagiri, who was walking nearby, complained about it.

“How can you be so energetic when you’re climbing a mountain? Are you the type of person who puts her life on the line for events, just like Sosuke?”

“Don’t compare me with him. I’m just happy to be with Nanami.”

“You’re always with her.”

“I’m just saying that I’m even more happy because of this event!”

“Ah, yeah. ……”

I knew she likes events.

I was going to say so, but decided not to because I would only get complaints.

“Mouu, Yuri chan! You can’t do that! We’re in the same group at the forest school, so we have to get along!”

“N-Nanami! T-that’s…….”

Just as if she had been caught cheating on her partner, Asagiri was dismayed. Seeing this, I chuckled a little inside. The strong attitude of Asagiri is very weak against Kurase.

“I-I can’t! He’s a pervert!”

“Ah, you say that again! You’re not being honest. ……”

“It’s not about being honest or anything like that! If Nanami hadn’t said so in the first place, I wouldn’t be in the same group with him”

Yes, I know. For some reason, me, Asagiri, and Kurase are in the same group.

The other, as you may have guessed, is Sosuke.

We are usually in a group of four and work together during this forest school.

I heard that it doesn’t matter if it’s separate for men and women or whatever, but when I was wondering what to do with the rest of the group, Kurase approached me.

The look on Asagiri’s face at that moment was already …….

Sosuke’s face was so happy that it was like heaven and earth.

The other boys looked at us with resentment.

“Ah, doesn’t it make the whole place look like a flower garden just to see them having fun together, Arase?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t understand.”

Sosuke looked at them as if he were looking at something precious and shed tears.

I wondered why Kurase was in the same group with me. Various questions remain. Thanks to this, I still feel the backward stares from the other boys in my group.

“What’s wrong, Ito-kun?”

“……, I was wondering why Kurase invited us to be in the same group.”

“Can’t you even understand that? You should be thankful for Nanami’s kindness!”

I don’t know why Asagiri is apparently so good at this, but I guess that’s how it is. That is how kind and caring Kurase is to others. Unlike someone else.

“!?”

For a moment, I felt the killing spirit and swallowed hard. Sometimes I wonder if Asagiri is really reading my mind.

Then Kurase spoke up again.

“Hmmm, that’s part of it, but …… I thought I’d like to get to know Ito-kun better!”

A superb smile was unleashed.

“!?”

“Eh !?”

“What …… you say ……?”

Likewise, both Asagiri and Sosuke froze at Kurase’s bold statement.

And immediately Asagiri glared at me. I don’t want you to be hostile all the time.

Kurase, on the other hand, was smiling and innocent, tilting her head as if she did not understand why I was being stared at by Asagiri.

I whispered to Sosuke about what she had just said.

“Kurase is a natural, isn’t she?”

“I thought so, too. That was terrible. If it were me, I would have misunderstood and jumped on her.

“….I’m glad it wasn’t you.”

Maybe that’s not what she meant.

Most boys would fall in love if they were hit with a beautiful girl’s smile like that.

The power was indeed tremendous, but since my self-esteem is not so high as to misunderstand this point, I decided to gently let it slide.

Because I would be in danger if I didn’t flush it afterwards. More pressure from Asagiri.

Unaware that I was in danger because of such a statement of her own. Kurase was so carefree that her eyes lit up when she saw the flowers and grasses growing there.

She’s really carefree

While thinking that, the usual thing come

“Hey, Nanami! Don’t go this way and that way! Watch your step!”

“Hehehe, I’m fine!”

Kurase had just rushed over to find the same beautiful blooming flower as before.

Asagiri watches Kurase with concern as she moves around innocently.

“Oh, hey, hey, look at these flowers! Aren’t they so beautiful? Huh…..?!”

“!Nanami!!?”

It was too late when Asagiri screamed.

The place, which was lightly sloped, was lightly muddy from the previous day’s rain.

Kurase’s foot was caught in the muck and she fell down.

＊＊＊

There the image was interrupted.

What a daydream I had been having, and now the future was just around the corner.

“Oh, hey, hey, look at these flowers! Aren’t they so beautiful? huh……?!”

“! Nanami!?”

“Ah, ……”

Watch out.

I quickly ran up to her, put out my hand, and pulled Kurase’s arm, which had lost its balance, and pulled her toward me.

“……!”

“……s-sorry.”

“……y-yeah.”

Unintentionally, we ended up in a hug, and our eyes met. For a moment there was awkwardness between us, but I quickly apologized and released Kurase.

“Nanami, are you okay?!”

Then Asagiri rushes over to her.

“Ah, …… yeah. Ito kun helped me out. Oh, thanks, Ito-kun.”

“……You’re welcome.”

That chilled my guts.

I peered down the incline where Kurase was supposed to tumble down.

It was not a steep slope, but Kurase would have been injured if she fell down it.

“Damn, you’re a bonus! How’d that smell?”

“What are you talking about?”

Sosuke, who came in later, asked me excitedly. I smacked him on the head.

“….wait!”

And while I was having a silly exchange with Sosuke, Asagiri, who had confirmed Kurase’s safety, came crowding toward us.

W-Would she be angry with me?

Even I thought the exchange was inappropriate. But it was Sosuke who made that comment.

Or was it just now?

Kurase is a good friend of Asagiri. Even though she usually threatens me when Kurase and I talk to each other, I hugged her, even though it was an accident. I was sure that she would make it difficult for me if things went the usual way.

As I was frowning, wondering when I would be yelled at, Asagiri’s shoulders shook.

“…… for saving Nanami. …… T-thanks.”

“Y-yeah..”

I was somewhat distracted.

I was not able to react to the blunt thank-you. Or, perhaps, I am not to be blamed in this situation.

After thanking me, Asagiri went back to Kurase.

“Mou! Nanami, you’re always blind to your surroundings! Watch out!”

“Fueee~Yuuri chan. I’m sorry… ……”

Kurase’s shoulders slumped as she got angered by Asagiri. The girls in the same class group who were nearby also gathered around and were worried about Kurase.

Then we got ourselves together again and started walking toward the checkpoint, taking care of the road.

Now, there was an ordeal that I had to face that I did not want to be forgotten, despite the trouble.

It was Fujibayashi’s case.

As luck would have it, Fujibayashi was walking outside of the three groups to which she belonged.

This was convenient for us four, who were walking right behind her.

The question was how to get in touch with Fujibayashi.

[You can put her in your group, and together you can chat, climb the mountain, and make memories of your youth.]

…… I had to get her into the group before I could even think about it.

How am I going to explain this to Sosuke and the others? What a hassle. ……

“Huh? It’s Fujibayashi-san in front of us, isn’t it? What happened to the other people in the …… group alone?”

Kurase, who had noticed Fujibayashi’s presence just as she was racking her brains, muttered.

“Don’t know. It’s not that she likes being alone, is it?”

Asagiri replied disinterestedly.

“Yuri chan, you’re talking like that again ……. You have to get along with the other girls, okay?”

“All I need is Nanami.”

“Mou…What are you going to do when I’m not here?”

“I don’t want to.”

It is like an exchange between mother and child. Kurase is too good at taking care of her. I mean, Asagiri, doesn’t her personality change too much in front of Kurase? She said, “I don’t want to.”

“What do you want to say?”

“Nothing.”

Asagiri is too sharp.

“But I’m still worried about being alone, even though I’m in another class. If she screws up like I did earlier, no one will help her.”

It’s strangely persuasive, but doesn’t it make you sad to say it?

However, Kurase has a point. The basic idea is to work as a group, but that doesn’t work if something happens or if one person goes astray.

And this is also an opportunity. I had to do what Kirihara-sensei had asked me to do, so there was no way I could miss Kurase’s words.

“Ehem. Ah, sure, I’m worried about being alone. Oh, that’s right. How about if I put her in a group with us? Then I’m sure it’ll be okay if something happens to her.”

“Hey, Arase. What’s going on all of a sudden?”

“Idiot! Read the air!”

“Eh?! What?!”

I’ve gone to all the trouble of putting on a show, and now it’s all going to waste.

“What are you thinking?”

See? Asagiri suspected me strangely.

Damn. It’s all Sosuke’s fault. ……

That’s what I thought.

“Yeah! That’s a good idea! Let’s do it!”

“……Eh, Nanami ….. serious?!”

It was the moment when my opinion came through at Kurase’s sole discretion.