CH 58

Academy Ghost Commotion (6)

It was my first time seeing senior hold back his tears.

“What are you thinking about?”

While I was spacing out, Leto waved his hand in front of my face. Coming to senses, I realised that the class had just ended. The students were leaving the classroom one by one and heading towards the cafeteria.

It was lunchtime. After getting up from my seat, I packed my books and stationary, and recalled what happened last night. Senior Jimbo, who had never openly expressed his feelings, rested his head on my shoulder and remained still.

Senior, who exhaled deeply and revealed his raw emotions, raised his head a few minutes later and returned to his dorm with a conflicted expression. Looking at senior’s back, I didn’t know what to say, so I simply kept my lips shut.

“What happened?”

“Oh, nothing.”

Leto looked at me suspiciously. I smiled and headed to the cafeteria with him. Amidst the crowd of students, I filled my plate with sausages. And as I was looking around to find empty seats, I noticed Senior Jimbo’s face sitting with his friends in the distance.

He was listening to his friends with a more thoughtful face than usual.

“Huh, I don’t see any strawberry jam.”

Leto came up to me with an empty tray.

“They must have eaten it all. I’ll just have to wait until a new batch comes out.”

He said with a frown.

“Oh, then I’ll look for a seat first.”

“I’ll bring plenty of it. Even your share.”

He didn’t have to. After nodding my head, I shifted my gaze back to Senior Jimbo. Feeling my gaze, he immediately raised his head and looked at me. Our eyes met. I hurriedly tried to avoid it, but it was already too late, so I had no choice but to approach him.

Then, it wasn’t Senior Jimbo who greeted me, but the friends beside him.

“Huh? Isn’t that your junior?”

“Jimbo’s precious junior!”

Unlike those who greeted me, Senior Jimbo and I were embarrassed.

“Are you looking for a seat?”

Senior Jimbo asked.

“Ah, yes.”

“Then, we’ll take our leave.”

As he rose from his seat, his friends also picked up their trays. I couldn’t say anything to Senior Jimbo’s movement of getting up so quickly, as if he had just finished eating. I was about to sit down on the empty seat after saying thank you, but Senior Jimbo patted me. When I turned my head to ask what’s wrong, he placed his hand on my head and pursed his lips. Was there something he wanted to say?

“Hey……”

“……?”

“Do you want to come along with me again today? For the pocket watch.”

“Are you going to find it?”

“There’s no way I won’t.”

In other words, he meant to see his father.

“I- I can help anytime!”

“Then, if you may. The time is the same as yesterday.”

At my words, only then did he grinned and removed his hand from my head before leaving. Did he need a little support to see his father? I was relieved by Senior Jimbo’s behaviour of approaching first, unlike yesterday. It was then. I felt a stinging gaze from somewhere.

When I turned around, I found Leto standing in front of the jam. He was staring at me with a dissatisfied gaze, as if he witnessed my conversation with Senior Jimbo. When the jam came out just in time, Leto roughly scooped a large spoonful of jam before approaching me. His stride was oddly frightening. 

“……Here, eat.”

He served me a spoonful of jam. He didn’t particularly complain about anything else, but the expression on his face wasn’t good either.

“I didn’t talk much.”

When I said that while feeling like I had to make an excuse for some reason, Leto glanced at me.

“Okay.”

“……What?”

“You can chat more.”

What’s with this all of a sudden?

“Because it wouldn’t be considered cool if I cared about every little detail.”

“…Cool, why cool?”

Since when did he care about that? While I was mumbling to myself, Leto stared at me as if he noticed my thoughts and stole my sausage.

“Are you coming to watch the training today?”

“Should I go?”

“……If you come, that Rezy or Reze guy will bother you. So don’t come.”

As soon as he mentioned Reze, his expression immediately wrinkled. I guess just imagining him already made him annoyed.

“Can’t I still go?”

“Are you only going to look at me?”

Huh?

“How do I only look at you?”

“If you will only look at me, come, otherwise don’t.”

“Then, I won’t go today since I’ll just disturb you.”

Leto looked at me as if he wanted to refute before scooping a spoonful of jam and placing it into his mouth. As the mere sight of it was giving me goosebumps, Leto’s lips twitched.

“If there’s something you want to say, say it.”

When I said that, Leto exhaled.

“Your heart didn’t turn cold for me, did it?”

His cautious words left me in daze, then I burst into laughter. At my expression, Leto hid his blush as though he was ashamed.

“No, it didn’t.”

I spoke more firmly than ever. He looked at my face, then the corners of his mouth twitched upon recognising my sincerity. It was an expression of trying to hold back his smile that was about to come out naturally.

“Okay, then I’ll let it slide.”

“What?”

“Being friendly with that Nimbo or Jimbo.”

Oh, so he was still thinking about that. I smiled brightly at Leto.

“Thank you, Leah!”

“But don’t be too close.”

……I guess it’s already too late. Even so, I answered appropriately to appease Leto’s mood.

“Mhmm, I’ll try.”

Perhaps it was already too late.

＊  ＊  ＊

Please do not repost. Read only at Dropped Inks.

It was evening again and I stood in front of the library as promised. Yesterday, Senior Jimbo came first, but today I was a little faster. Senior, who showed up late after his training, hurriedly shook his wet hair and ran to me.

“Did you wait long?”

“No, I just got here too.”

“Sorry.”

The sight of senior apologising to me didn’t look so good. I was agonising on what to say, but I thought it would be better to enter the library first, so I tried to move my steps. But Senior Jimbo caught me. Senior, who carefully grabbed my collar, seemed to still need some time. When I stared at senior, who avoided my gaze, I noticed his hair that had not been dried yet.

“Do you want me to dry your hair?”

“What?”

“I’ll dry it for you. Go sit on that bench.”

When I nudged him on the back, he swiftly took a seat. After casting the wind magic with the magic circle, I carefully touched and dried senior’s hair like before. Senior’s face, which had been tense at first, gradually began to relax. He closed his eyes and enjoyed my touch.

Specifically for senior, I used my flexible hands to give him a scalp massage. Senior quietly received my massage and smiled.

“Why are you laughing?”

When I asked, senior, who had been tilting his head back, opened his eyes. Once again, senior’s clear eyes met mine. There was a gust of wind. Senior’s eyes, which were void of any laughter and were staring at me with a serious look, were so intense that I swallowed my saliva without realising. The movement of my hands that touched senior’s head also stopped after reading the atmosphere.

“Because I’m relieved.”

“Oh……”

“When I’m with you, I feel strangely calm. It puts my mind at ease.”

“That’s what everyone says.”

Senior burst into laughter at my words.

“But the truth is, it’s also scary.”

“Me?”

“No, I meant going to the library.”

Oh, I nodded.

“Do you want me to tell you something funny? I’m good at that. Embarrassing myself and making people laugh.”

“I don’t want you to embarrass yourself, so make me laugh.”

“Then I’ll teach you a magic trick that can make your thumb disappear.”

I held my thumb with my other hand in front of senior, and the moment I released it, I folded my thumb inwardly.

“How is it? Isn’t it incredible?”

What am I doing? I just hurriedly did whatever came into mind, but I think I really screwed it up.

“…….”

“…….”

“Please just forget it.”

“Pft– Hahaha!”

When I mumbled, senior suddenly burst into laughter. W-What? Was it successful? Senior laughed, ruffled my hair and looked at me with a warm smile.

“I thought you were going to do something grand, but what was that?”

“Are you disappointed?”

“No. Your facial expression was funny.”

The smile still remained on his face.

“I don’t have the confidence to meet my father. The man who threw away his life to make the life of my mother and I comfortable.”

“You still miss him, right?”

“…Yes. But, I’m also scared.”

At Senior Jimbo’s words, I held my hand out.

“What is it?”

“Let’s go together. If you’re scared, I’ll hold your hand.”

“You’re treating me like a kid.”

“Truth is, I’m scared. The thought of meeting a ghost in that dark place makes me shudder. So hold onto me.”

Senior looked at the outstretched hand in front of him and immediately placed his hand on it. He got up, gripping my hand tightly, and looked up at the library, the place we were supposed to enter.

“Don’t let go.”

“I’m a scaredy-cat. I won’t let go until you do.”

“You’ve been talking informally since earlier.”

“Because I’m scared.”

“It’s okay if you’re scared.”

“Then, should we leave?”

When I asked, senior shook his head.

“Let’s just go.”

We finally went inside the library.