CH 2

It’s been a week since that sensational suspicious woman incident.

…Yes, I was absent from school for a week.

Is there someone who takes a week’s absence from school just after becoming a second-year?

A feigned illness, on top of that? My family noticed that I was faking it but didn’t say anything. I’m thankful for my kind family. Really, I want to shower them in gratitude. I’ll splurge on this year’s Mother’s and Father’s Day, so please forgive me.

After idling for a week in my room, I finally decided to go to school. Today I pointed my heavy feet towards school.

Sigh, my bag is heavy. My legs are heavy. Impossible. I’m didn’t reach school yet, but I already wanted to go home.

My feet naturally slowed down as I got closer and closer to my school.

I considered just heading back home, but I managed to hang in there and arrived at my classroom.

“Good morning! You said you caught a cold? Are you okay?”

“Good morning! I’m alright now! Super duper fine!”

“That’s a relief. I was really worried!”

“Sorry about that! Ah, thanks for calling me.”

“I was wondering how sick you were, but you’re full of energy. You were just playing hooky, weren’t you~”

“N-no I wasn’t! I had a cold!”

“Yes, yes, I’ll leave it at that.”

I was glad that my friend Ichika had initiated our conversation, but it seemed like my fake illness was out of the bag so and I denied in cold sweat.

Ignoring me Ichika said, “Here are the notes for class from when you were absent,” and handed me a notebook.

Is Ichika a god? It’s a big help.

When I exaggeratedly bowed my head and cried out “Ichika-sama!,” Ichika replied, “Twas a trifle.” Ahhh, I love that part of Ichika.

As if nothing had happened a week ago, I spent my time as usual.

I reasonably paid attention in class, had lunch and headed towards the vending machine on the first floor with Ichika to buy a drink during the lunch break.

There were always many people surrounding the vending machine. From 1st years to 3rd years. They would drink their purchased beverages on the spot and chat.

We would usually go back to the classroom straight away after buying something, but we coincidentally ran into friends from a different classroom and so we stopped to talk there.

At that time, the chattering voices of people stopped.

The normally noisy surrounding of the vending machines was wrapped in strange tranquility, and we naturally quieted down and looked around.

When we did, we saw something a little ways from us. Our gazes went to a single youth who stood there.

He who was tall had a head’s length over the others in the vicinity, and coupled with his good physique he was very conspicuous.

The person with black, swept-back hair and a deep wrinkle between his eyebrows set as default had his eyes wide open with an expression of surprise. It was rare for him to have such an expression. Even more so because he usually had a grumpy face.

And that person’s line of sight was zeroed in on me.

(Ah, ah, ababababababa!!!!)

I babbled incomprehensibly in a strange voice inside my head. I want someone to praise me for not speaking.

The person who was staring straight at me was the person who I met a week ago. The person who I was the biggest fan of in my last life and the one who I still loved most in this, Kurogane Taiga.

Uwah, I want to run away. No, let’s escape now.

Though I now had the courage to attend school after that great confession, I did not have the courage to face him after so little time.

Even if he was at school, he was one grade higher, and we had never met before so I thought it would be fine.

“Sorry Ichika. Tell the teacher that I’m going home because I feel sick.”

“Eh!? Mariko what’s wrong, so sudden!?”

I dashed in the opposite direction of where he stood before I could reply to her.

I ran to the classroom without looking back, roughly grabbed just my bag and headed for the shoebox.

What are the chances!? Why did I have to meet Taiga on the very first day of coming back to school after a week!?

No, from his perspective he might be thinking I’m a weird woman who he shouldn’t get involved with. I want him to think that too, but this was a problem of my feelings and I hadn’t prepared myself mentally about him being aware of me yet.

It’s not that I don’t want to see Taiga, you know? I’d watch him forever if I could, you know? But that was only if I was the one doing the looking, not him looking back… Oof, how selfish of me! I’m sorry!

Besides, if he told me face to face I was disgusting, I’d be finished…… 

Being told by someone you like “don’t get close to me” or “I hate you”… Oh, just thinking about it makes me teary…

I may have to quit school. That’s how influential of an existence Taiga is to me.

I hastily took off my indoor shoes and put on my loafers.

But I couldn’t wear it smoothly due to panicking, so I flipped the shoes over a few times before finally wearing them properly.

Alright! Do your best, me! I’ll go home first, then think about tomorrow!

When I rushed to the gate, my left arm was suddenly grabbed by someone.

“GYAAAAAAAAHHHH!”

Hadn’t even considering something like this, I screamed on the spot.

This was unavoidable. It felt like a ghost had appeared in front of me. Be conveyed, my thoughts.

And when I thought, Who is it!? And turned around, I screamed again.

“GYAAAAAAAAHHHH!”

“Be quiet.”

K. I’ll shut up.

I bit my lip and held back my scream.

The one grabbing my arm wasn’t a ghost or anything like that. No matter how many many many times I looked, it was Kurogane Taiga.

Urgh, my bias, my bias is holding my arm. He’s warm. Alive.

“…Why are you crying?”

“i’Mm ShoORRyyyYYyy!”

Waahhhhh, there is no fan who wouldn’t be happy when their object of adoration is holding their arm!

I can’t, I’m dying. My heart is dying. It’ll rupture.

“Please release meeeee, I will die.”

I appealed desperately but there was no sign of him releasing my arm.

Even from just a silent Taiga who continued to hold my arm and watch me, I felt like dying.

I feel like I’ll vomit from nervousness and excitement. I feel sick. But if I vomited, he’d cringe even more.

Taiga spoke to me, who was biting my lips trying to hold back my nausea.

“Do you like me?”

………? Yes? Do I like him? Eh, was the confession I made a week ago lacking?

“I like you the most in the world.”

I replied to his question immediately. With a serious expression on top of that, with the feeling, “Eh, what are you talking about? Why are you asking something so obvious?”

“…Come with me.”

After thinking for a while, Taiga pulled my arm. The destination we reached was a family restaurant that catered to high school students.

Taiga in a family restaurant…… How fresh. He’s living.

Entering the restaurant, we sat face-to-face in the inner seats.

In front of my eyes, at point-blank range… If I had a weak heart, my heart would have stopped several times already. Good thing my heart is sturdy. Good. Really good.

Ah, wait. Are we breathing the same air in the same space? The air that Taiga has breathed out is around here? You are floating around in the area? Is it okay not to pay for this? I can breathe this for free? Calm down, me. This air is delicious. No, not really like that, but this air is really delicious!

“Hey.”

“Yeesss!!!”

I was so shaken, I returned a very cheerful reply…… Just kill me now… Please return the serious atmosphere from a week ago, please. Why was I born with such a cheery brain …

See, Taiga is looking at me like I’m a weirdo… Sure I’m a weirdo, but such a gaze from my bias is harsh on me.

“…Do you want anything to eat?”

Eh, Taiga-san is so kind…… He’s a lone wolf delinquent but he’s still considerate towards such a woman like me, I’m so grateful tears are coming out.

Certainly, I knew you were a kind person because of your gentleness towards the heroine in the second half of the game? But I didn’t expect him to be kind to such a woman like this. I thought I knew everything about my bias but my knowledge was only derived from what appeared in the game; there were new things I found out after having met my bias who lived in reality. Really, learning this I’ve realized that this person is really alive. I’ve said it many times, but he is alive. It’s amazing that he’s living.

“No, just water is enough for me.”

“I’ll order it.”

“Please go right ahead, order as you like Kurogane-san… I prefer water over three regular meals.”

He couldn’t understand what I was saying, but even I couldn’t understand what I was saying. I couldn’t make normal judgments in front of my bias. What the heck was with preferring water over three regular meals, that’s news to me. It’s my first time saying it.

Taiga, who probably still pulled back from me even though I managed to restrain my vigor, said, “I see.” and called over a clerk ordering pizza. It’s pizza he said, madam. I will definitely order pizza next time I come to this family restaurant.

Ordering pizza and eating pizza, it’s like indirectly eating pizza together so it is already just as if we are eating from the same pizza.

Sorry, I said something strange again. I don’t understand either.

There was no conversation while waiting for pizza.

I only talked to him that once. Now that I couldn’t make a normal judgment, I couldn’t do something so fearsome.

My mouth was dry because of my nervousness, and there was no relationship between us so as I desperately drank my water, it all disappeared. What a fumble. What should I do

When I was thinking so, a glass of water was slid in front of me.

My sight traveling up the hand attached to the cup, I realized that Taiga had passed me his own water.

“Do you want to drink it?”

Wait, wait a moment Onii-san. That’s no good, I’ve saw it. You drank from it. If you leave such a thing in front of me and ask, “Do you want to drink it?”, the devil inside of me will rage. Of course, the answer is YES.

There is nothing other than YES. If it’s something I can take, I’ll take whatever I can get. But I should definitely get money out for this.

Deciding so, I took my wallet out of my bag and grabbed a 1000 yen bill.

“…What are you going to do with that?”

“Eh, paying for the water…”

“Are you stupid?”

“Ah, right. I’m sorry.”

So, I grabbed the 10,000 yen bill.

The water bottle with him printed on its label in my last life was worth priced at 1000 yen so I thought it was worth about that much, but with the real goods having touched, kissed and drank from it, of course 1,000 yen wouldn’t be enough. Getting that water for 10,000 yen, it’s cheap.

—Apparently, my brain still isn’t functioning normally.

Taiga grabbed my arm that grabbed the 10,000 yen bill.

“Hieeehhh!? Was 10,000 yen not enough?”

“No, you idiot. Why are you trying to pay for the water?”

“Of course I won’t think I can drink the water Kurogane-san drank for free?”

“You… I’m not such a degenerate to accept that money.”

“Eh, that means I can drink this for free?”

“What else is there?”

You must be kidding?! I can drink the water that changed into holy water the moment it touched Taiga’s lips?! 

……The real thing is amazing… I feel like I’ll cry again. 

The clerk who arrived with pizza in the middle of this looked at us with a startled face, but I purposedly ignored it.

Seeing us from the sidelines, it must look like extortion… Sorry, Taiga-san. I’ll give you the money stealthily next time.

I watched Taiga eating pizza from the corner of my eyes. My bias is eating food in order to survive. He is trying to live. I was deeply moved. I instinctively began to pray. With my hands pressed together, I prayed “amen, amen.” Oh no, this is something you’d do for the deceased. Not “amen, amen,” but “thank you, thank you.” There was no difference in the gestures though.

Well then. While saying so in my heart, I glanced at the water in front of me.

This is the water that Taiga’s lips touched. The water I drank, I’ll just give the rest it to the plants ufufufu. Taiga’s water, just by touching his lips it seemed immediately shrouded in a divine atmosphere, so I was unsure what to do with it.

Should I drink it? No, no, my heart will die. Take it home? Freeze it, and make it into a heirloom? Ah, then I want the cup too. Do they sell cups here? I’ll know if I ask a clerk.

Oh, good timing, a clerk came.

“Excuse me, is it possible to buy this cup–“Stop it.”…Nevermind. “

“My apologies,” I said as I bowed my head to the clerk, and the clerk left with a wry smile. Crap, I may not be able to come to this family restaurant anymore. I think my name is definitely on the “absolute weirdo” list.

Crestfallen, I glanced at Taiga in front of me who had finished his pizza while I was thinking about what to do with the water. He slid the empty plate to the side of the table and looked at me with a perplexed expression.

“Drink it here. Don’t try to take the cup home.”

“K.”

Damn it, why do I always spit out what I’m thinking? It’s shouldn’t be “k” there, it should be “yes.” Who do you think you’re talking to, you dimwit, it’s Taiga-sama.

But ignoring my reply magnificently, I am probably already a woman who speaks like that in Taiga’s eyes. I wanted to at least act like a graceful lady in front of the person I liked. I’m already too late in various ways.

“…I know well now that you weren’t forced by anyone to confess to me.”

“I am happy you understand.”

Ah, he thought I was forced by someone to unwillingly confess to him?

No way, that confession of my true feelings was of my own will. I’m glad that doubt was cleared up.

“I also know that you’re a dicey guy who likes me.”

“…K.”

Ah, as I thought he thinks I’m dicey. It feels like my heart was stabbed. Ouch, ouch. But I would think the same in front of someone like me and I wouldn’t want to get involved either, so I can’t say anything back. I can only stealthily clutch my heart in silence… 

“Have we ever met somewhere before?”

“No… I’ve only looked at you from afar at school…”

“Then why did you start liking me?”

“It was love at first sight.”

It’s not a lie. I fell for him ever since I first saw his illustration in my past life.

“What do you like about me?”

“Everything. I like your looks, your voice, your gestures, anything and everything is sacred.”

“Looks, hm…”

Ah, crap. Won’t this make me seem like a woman who’s just high on his looks!? No, I did start liking him from his appearance. He super fit dead center in my preferences, and the real article in front of me has the most wonderful appearance, but it feels like I’m only seeing his looks.

Ahh, but if I say I like his personality here, then he’ll wonder where I learned it from. I also want to tell him the gap moe of him liking sweet food is adorable and I love that about him, but if I do, then I’ll definitely be thought of as a stalker and he’d call the cops. “No, I learned it from a game.” I can’t say anything like that.

Really, there’s a lot I want to say, you know? Like how those words just now really hit me hard, or how I like his earnest face that pops up on occasion, or how I think his smile is cute and cool and how much I love it, or comment about when he was heading home from school with the heroine, how he nonchalantly took the side next to the road. He’s kind. He’d give the heroine what she liked, even though he liked it too. But there was no way I could tell him that.

“Yes, you’re really my type. You may think of me as a woman who only cares about looks, but you are really beautiful and cool… I think you’re wonderful to the point where it’s unbelievable there’d be anyone who WASN’T in love with you and I also think you’re a masterpiece crafted by the gods themselves. But I think you’re face is so refined, it’s like Michelangelo’s? Statue of David, people at the art museum would see you and ask, ‘Huh? Is that a work of art?’ But they would be told, ‘No, that’s a human, but he’s a living masterpiece.’ And people would assent to that, I believe you’re beautiful enough to leave your name as a record in this world.”

Ah jeez, I sure am talkative. The flood gates have been broken.

Gross? Dangerous? Stalker? Anything is fine. I just had to covey just how much I liked Taiga, and anyway, we’d only be at the same high school for one year. Moreover, he is in front of me and we are having a conversation, you know? This won’t ever happen again, right? If that was the case, then I should just hit him with all my feelings from this life and past. Yep, if I don’t tell him then I’d definitely have regrets. Just telling him is free. Yes, free.

「……。」

“Your black, swept back hair is super sexy and the crinkle between your eyebrows is the perfect shape and it’s also like a work of art, the shape of your forehead is pretty and your sharp gaze is the best, your grey eyes are as beautiful as jewels and the shape of your nose and mouth is PERFECT. At a maximum of 100 points, you the living masterpiece are 5,000. No, you cannot be measured in points and have surpassed the limits of outerspace. You are inifinity.”

“…O-oh.”

“And there is nothing to complain about with your body. No, you may think I’m a piece of trash, saying I have no complaints, but I want to tell you to the extent that I think it’s fine if you do. No complaints. Your large hands and tall height are so masculine and wonderful. The thickness of your arms, your chest, and I can’t see it but I’m sure your waistline is sublime, but I can only tell through your uniform, and the thickness of your legs is rippling with muscles, I love it. Wonderful. You are a person who is stuffed with ideals to the point where I wonder there is even more ideals than this? And I can find no fault with your voice, it’s a great voice. It’s such a good voice, I was shocked that vocal cords like this exist. Listening to it gave me chills. I’d pay money for it. As thanks for living, I’d like to pay you respects in monetary offerings daily. I want to pay a viewing fee. Please let me pay you money. “

“…”

He must be really drawn back.

I didn’t miss him leaning a little back further into his seat. I feel like crying, but it’s something I did myself! Man, it feels nice to let loose, my spirits are up. It’s getting fun!

「……。」

「……。」

「……。」

「……。」

“That expression is also wonderful. I like the fact that you have a lot of different expressions, it makes you feel really alive and I love it.

“…”

“The blood vessels on the back of the hand are also sexy. You have veins. Blood is running through your body and you are living, I am nothing less than grateful. I’ll say it again and again, thank you for being born. I’d like to affirm your whole being.”

“…”

“Also, you smell really good. A new discovery. Please tell me which cologne you use later, I will buy it. I will put it in my room and make it a heirloom. I’ll have the children of my children pay respects towards it for generations.”

“…”

“Ahhhhhhh, I’m reflected in Kurogane-san’s eyes. I can die now. Pretty, your eyes are so pretty I love them, love *sigh*. I can only sigh. There is no person in this world with such beautiful eyes. Truly, a living miracle. Thank you, I’m witnessing a miracle right before my eyes. ”

“…”

“Your collarbone is also great, are you really a high schooler? It’s really sexy, so amazingly sexy you’re like an embodiment of seduction, a Go–” “Wait.”…God. “

I was stopped in the middle of expressing myself. There were still things I wanted to say, but I felt considerably refreshed.

Taiga was holding his face with one hand, so I didn’t know what expression he was making.

Sigh. I talked quite a bit so I got thirsty, let’s drink water. ――― wait *cough*! Dimwit you dimwit,  why are you drinking this normally are you stupid are you dummy waaaaahhh what a waste I drank it while I wasn’t thinking uegh, I’m so stupid. Since I’m a girl, I was also conscious of it being an indirect kiss. I was so excited I felt like puking.

“Okay, I can clearly now see how much you like me.”

“Really? Do you really understand?”

“Yeah, so shut your mouth.”

“Yes sir, my mouth is Mi〇y.”

“…You…”

「……。」

“…I thought you were a weird woman a week ago, but I also thought you’d be more mature too.”

“…”

“But you are a weirder woman than I expected.”

Greetings, I am a woman who was classified as a weirdo by her bias. Though I am classified as a strange woman, if I’m able to remain in Taiga’s memories then I’m satisfied.

“Though you’re a woman who judges by looks…… there’s never been another woman who’s said they like me this much.”

Well, there probably aren’t many who can speak in this manner towards you. I thought it’d be fine if I died so I was able to let my true feelings run rampant.

But I think there are many girls who like Taiga. Aren’t you popular? You’re aware, right? I think there are lots of people who like you just as much as I do, they just can’t say it. There was a girl who was also a Taiga fan in my previous life. We talked about him every day, and she bought a mountain of men’s clothes with the sole reason being she thought they would look good on him. She was the type of person who showed love through her actions… She’d be a girl who financially supported her boyfriend once she got a real one. I didn’t have any money so I’d only be able to provide limited support. If I was an oil tycoon, I could buy him whatever he wanted, how regrettable…… I want to become an oil tycoon in my next life.

“But from your words……… I felt like my existence was recognized.”

-I felt like my existence was recognized-

Moreover, that line is was something that Taiga said after he told her about his upbringing and troubles, it’s not something that can casually be heard at a family restaurant! Ahh really, this line is really moving. How much did I cry because of this line in that scene…

Taiga was the second son, so he didn’t receive any love from his parents. His parents only caring for his eldest brother, he believed his being to be nonexistent, so in order to feel as if he were even a little alive he became a delinquent. He felt alive when he was fighting. He wanted his existence to be recognized everyday.

He said that line in tears, from the love that the heroine gave him and the happiness he felt from her recognizance. He wasn’t crying now but his recipient wasn’t the heroine but a mob, so this couldn’t even become a CG! But, I want to convey the greatness of this line! This is a momentous line, normally!

Ah, just remembering makes me teary… I want Taiga to be truly happy…… Taiga’s happiness is my happiness… Urgh, my tears… Please, be happy…… I don’t know who the heroine will end up with, but if it’s Taiga then please make him happy with all your might. I’ll be cheering you on in the shadows.

“You sure do cry a lot.”

A voice that seems exasperated sounded.

I’ve also noticed that my tear ducts are surprisingly weak. No, it’s because it’s Taiga that my tears fall so readily. Sorry for crying so easily. Tears were called a woman’s weapons, but if you cried this much, they wouldn’t amount to anything. In the first place, it’s a phrase that exists for beautiful ladies and was unrelated to a mob woman like me. Right, right.

“…You can speak.”

“Really, I like you so much.

“That’s what you say as soon as you open your mouth?”

Taiga smiled.

In spite of myself, I cried more and covered my mouth.

My tears won’t stop. Don’t underestimate the destructive power of a bias’ smile. It’s not across a screen like in a game, it’s real life, don’t underestimate it. Flowers will bloom worldwide. It’s at  the level parades held in gratitude are held continuously for a week.

“You really do like me.”

Saying that, Taiga wiped away my tear with his index finger.

In my shock, my time stopped, my tears stopped, and my heart stopped for a moment.

Are you trying to kill me? What is with that gentle behavior that you would normally reserve for the heroine? I’m a mob, so such thoughtless gestures are a no-go. But thank you. His beautiful finger touched my cheek. Uwah, I love him. Really, this guy is an ikemen. If someone who’s face was so impossibly your type did that to you? You’d become a tomato. A habanero is fine too. My face was dyed red to that extent.

I didn’t need to look inside a mirror to know my face was turning red. My face is hot. Someone, please bring some ice. I have a large burn on my face. My face and heart are in severe condition.

“Your face is so red.”

Hey, you. Stop using such lines meant for the heroine on rapid fire. If you use them all up on this mob, what are you going to say to the heroine? Let me record it.

Handing out words this cheaply is no good. My mob heart is strong, but it’s on the verge of death. It’s a miracle how it’s still moving.

“The world is so bright.”

“I don’t understand.”

I was in such disorder, I inadvertently said something that didn’t make sense again. Yep, the world is bright. But isn’t it a bit wrong to say that now? Taiga is laughing, but he is definitely troubled at how to react so let’s just zip my mouth now.

“Lend me your phone.”

There is no idiot who would not lend their phone to their bias if asked by them.

When I handed the phone in my pocket to Taiga, he fiddled with it and immediately returned it to me.

What did you do? No, according to novels and manga its a pattern where he was inputting his contact information into there, but I understand clearly that I’m a mob. As if there’d be such a delicious development.

“That’s my number.”

Taiga having easily said that, my heart was applauding in a standing ovation. All the people in the audience were stood with storm-like applause, tear trailing down their faces.

I also stood on the stage and waved at them with tears. Thank you, thank everyone! I got my bias’ mobile number! Thank you!

-I will never give up my phone, even if I die-

I strongly resolved myself in my heart and clasped my hands in prayer towards my phone.

Taiga told me to stop, but away from his eyes I secretly worshiped it again.