Volume 1 - CH 19

Volume 1, Chapter 19: True Identity

I saw that girl again on my way to school this morning. It wasn't just me who noticed her. She stared in my direction as well.

A complete stranger. When your eyes meet with someone like that, it was normal to look away. And so, I turned my head to the left and did look away. But that girl kept staring at me. What was it? Did I know her? No, that shouldn't be the case. If I knew someone that showy, I would have recognized her immediately.

Next to her was that guy. Ayano's favorite person.

...As expected, those two should be dating, right? That would mean Ayano had an unrequited love. Haha, just like me.

It was more difficult for me, though.

Then, what was up with that guy? Even though she had a girlfriend, she was still being suggestive to Ayano.

"That ticks me off."

Those words that came out of my mouth wasn't out of concern for Ayano. It was because I was frustrated instead.

It wouldn’t matter what I said. That's just how he was. That's all there was to it.

The girl still kept her gaze on me, and it was getting creepy, but I passed by them without caring too much. As I did, I heard their voices.

"Aika? Where have you been looking at since a while ago?"

Aika? It felt like I had heard that name somewhere...just where?

"I-it's nothing~. Come on! Let's go!"

Well, Aika wasn't really an uncommon name.

I thought that as I walked.

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"H-hey. Tamaki-kun."

"What is it?"

I was at my part-time job again today. Then, Hisai-san spoke to me.

"...Y-you shouldn't really be that familiar with everyone, right?"

...What was this? As you can imagine, even I would get irritated if I get asked that so persistently.

"...Why is that? Why do you want to know that?"

Annoyed and low-toned. Anyone would be as well if they get asked the same question over and over again. It just happened to be me. But I would still get annoyed.

"S-sorry! I didn't mean to make you angry..."

Wasn't she a senpai? Why was she even tiptoeing with me?

"What do you even want to know from this?"

Hisai-san was probably asking in a roundabout way. And so, I would go at it directly instead. I was that kind of person. I asked her that question.

"I-it's nothing. Really. D-don't mind it, okay?"

Snap.

Something broke inside of me.

"Enough already, please! What is it that you've been wanting to say?! If there's something, say it clearly!"

I wonder when. The last time I raised my voice like this. No, this might have been the first time. I hadn't exploded like this before.

"I-I'm sorry! I-I'll tell!"

Hisai-san, who was speaking politely for some reason, replied.

"T-that, I was just wondering if you have seen me at school..."

Seen Hisai-san?

"Seen..."

For a moment, that girl came to mind. That girl next to the guy Ayano liked.

"..."

"H-have you seen me?"

I thought it over. In front of me was Hisai-san in glasses and plain clothes. It was completely different from that girl. But then some time ago, the manager said, 'She's completely different at school. She dressed showily, had her glasses off, and her manner of speech wasn’t anything like it was right now.'

"...Maybe it was you this morning?"

I asked her that question.

"Ah, ahhhhh....I was seen...He saw me..."

What an easy-to-understand reaction. That girl I saw earlier was without a doubt, Hisai-san.

"Sure enough, that girl I met in the morning really was Hisai-san."

I was convinced and said so.

"...Yes. That is correct."

I wondered why was still speaking politely, but then she didn't.

"Please! Please don't tell Harasaki-kun!"

Harasaki was probably that guy next to Hisai-san.

"Sure."

I replied.

"Huh? R-really?"

"Yeah, really."

"T-thanks..."

"But, please answer me one thing."

When I said that, Hisai-san's face turned blue. She was wondering what I was going to ask. That was the expression on her face.

"...Why do you change yourself at school?"

After I asked her that, a short silence followed.

"...Because if I don't, then no one will love me."

The face when Hisai-san when she said that was a face I knew well.

It was a look that had given up on everything.

"Ah, ahaha. It's funny, huh. Everyone else wants to be loved for who they really are, but I try to change myself just to be loved..."

"That's not necessarily the case."

I said so clearly.

"Huh?"

"I don't have as bad of a family environment at home like Hisai-san, but I understand exactly how you feel. Is there something wrong with trying to change yourself to be loved?"

"B-but it's like I'm a fake..."

"It's fine if it's fake. Surely everyone is a fake then, right? They are afraid to expose their true selves. That's why what you're doing isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"I wonder if that's true..."

"Yeah, it is. It's normal to want to be loved."

"Tamaki-kun..."

Well, I gave up on that, though.

"...Thank you. Somehow, my heart feels a bit lighter."

"...No problem."

"Tamaki-kun?"

Right. I gave up. Maybe that's why? The reason why Hisai-san, who was working so hard, looked so bright.

"Sorry for yelling at you earlier."

"Don't apologize. Rather, thank you."

What did she mean? Why was I being thanked?

"I thought I wasn't doing something right."

...Hisai-san was a strong person.

"...Then, should we go back to work?"

"Yes!"

I was sure it wasn't my imagination that I was paid a bit more that day.