CH 20

By the way, this manuscript that Sayaka gave me.

Seriously, there’s no way this could be real, right?

No matter how often I look back on this, the characters almost look like Todo and me.

T-they switched bodies.

Could it be that Sayaka is…

I think Sayaka knows more about what was going on between him and me than Karen.

No, it’s not true.　

It’s a lie, right?

They are not stupid or crazy women. Instead, they are clever.

And yet, why does she seem to affirm such an impossible event?

I mean, why did she have to go this far?

“Hmm? What are you sneaking around under the desk for? Sota.”

“Huh? Ohh! Don’t surprise me! What is it, Tokia?”

This guy always surprises me with his sudden and unexpected appearances.

Seriously, you’re trying to be sneaky, aren’t you?

“What’s with that reaction? There’s something fishy about you…Let me see it.”

“Huh? No, you can’t. It’s privacy!”

Seriously, What is this guy doing? It’s impossible to show this.

“Is it that, uh, that kind of thing? “

“Ah, that kind of thing? Uh, that might be it. Or rather, yes, it’s that kind of thing. That’s why I can’t show you.”

“Well, if that’s the case, I forgive you. Right, Rem.”

Thank God. I didn’t know Hosono would cover me.

So today’s the day.

“Hey, Sota. What genre? Uh… perhaps”.

“No, don’t ask. It’s an area where you shouldn’t ask.”

“Damn… You depraved, naive boy.”

This hunchbacked school-ditching demon, Hosono…

He’s not a bad guy, but he has a little habit.

He’s what’s called a ‘strong peculiarity’ person.

He often makes me cringe when he says something.

(癖が強いっ, Kuse ga tsuyo i, strong peculiarity, used when you want to say something like ‘a nasty/weird guy’, but you want to express it in a gentle manner, often used to describe a person who has an uneven mood or strange behavior)

“Shut up, Rem.”

“I ain’t gonna shut up!”

He’s called Rem because he resembles Rem, a Shinigami in a famous manga, Death Note.

I don’t know why, but he seems to like this nickname.

He has a strong habit of using peculiar words…

I wonder, how do people think about me when they always see me with these two guys?

I’m curious, but I don’t really care if it’s positive or negative because they are not bad guys.

No one is interested in us, to begin with.

Yeah, no.

“Hey, Sota and Rem.”

“What? What is it, Tokia?”

And again, with the snapping of the fingers…

“It’s almost time for a field trip. “

Ah, that’s right. Fall field trip.

“If we three guys decide to be together in one group, I wonder what will happen to the girl’s side of our group?”

“Geez, as far as I can remember, there were 3 men and 3 women in a group of 6. This is not good. And it’s our long homeroom today. The teacher said we can choose any combination. I could only see a cruel future for us.”

What’s the matter?

Both Tokia and Hosono suddenly look gloomy and mumble something.

“Let’s just be quiet and avoid the responsibility… “

“Human rights violation… “

Seriously, what’s going on?

What the hell? What happened? Hey.

What happened to your earlier bravado?

You’re both so listless, without exaggeration, you look like you’re going to turn to sand and fly away with the wind.

“Hey, Tokia! Rem! Are you okay?”

Uh? Why are you looking like the real Shinigami?

“By the way, why are you okay, Sota?…”

“That’s right. You’re usually on our side, too…”

Our side?

Oh, I see. That’s what you mean.

I get it now.

I got it, but what is this? This is strange.

I’m sure I’d have felt the same way as these guys before.

Yeah. I would have been like them before.

But I don’t know why. I’m okay with being passed around to another group now, and I don’t think I’d feel anything even if they said something to me.

Uh?

Nevermind.

After all, it doesn’t matter what happens.

But a field trip?

一Where were we going?

Hmm? But, I don’t understand why the boys and girls need to be in the same group…