Chapter 2 – Don’t Call Me Lunatic!

A copy of a “light novel” was put on my desk.

--it was as if to expose me.

Then, a guy in my class shouted.

「Hey, he’s reading this!」

--it was as if to expose me.

I don’t know why he did it and I don’t want to know why. He’s someone I didn’t have much contact with to begin with. He might be a friend of mine but that’s only on my subjective opinion. In short, this “friend” is deliberately “bullying” me.

Even so, my heart was severely damaged. Especially as I hear everyone around saying “lunatic” many times. I was so tormented that I thought I might feel better if my head explodes and everyone will be sprayed with my brains and plasma.

I don’t like this, I don’t like this.

I want to disappear, disappear, I want to disappear like a crumpled tissue paper thrown in a trashcan.

In other words, I want to die.

「Stop that right now!」

A loud voice echoed in the classroom---it was a beautiful girl with long black hair who shouted.

---Scene Change---

I wake up in my bed. My room, which is an obvious otaku room in every angle, has anime posters and action figures on shelves. It is definitely stained with 2D.

However, there’s a poster on the door of my room and it’s 3D.

She has long black hair and is happily smiling. Just looking at her makes my heart beat faster and faster and makes my head feel fuzzy. So cute. So beautiful, I love you.

I tried to kiss the poster.

「Aniki, are you awake?」

「Argh!」

With my little sister’s intervention, I kissed her on the forehead. But it hurts like hell.

「What are------eh,….again? She’s your classmate, right? That’s so gross….」

「I can’t help it! I like her!」

「Y-yeah yeah. Anything is fine as long as you don’t do a crime….」

「There’s no way I’ll do….that….」

And then I remembered what I had done yesterday.

I shouted, “Let’s have sex!”. Can that be considered as a crime?....No, I think it’s okay. Kurumi-san wasn’t angry after all!

「Eh? Why did you suddenly stop talking?」

「…huh? Ah, no, nothing----」

「Lie lie lie! Seriously, to think you’ll really do something! MOTHER, aniki did, aniki finally crossed the liiiinnnneeeee!」

「No, it’s just a misunderstanding!」

I hurriedly followed my little sister downstairs.

---Scene Change---

When I arrived at the classroom that morning, I found Kurumi-san is already there.

There was no one around her as she sat alone in the corner of the classroom. It might be correct to say that she’s solitary or perhaps isolated. Her appearance, which distinctly differed from other high school students, created an unapproachable atmosphere.

Well, that doesn’t mean a thing in front of my love.

I pushed my way through the crowd of people and greeted her as she was reading on her own seat.

「Good morning! Kurumi-san!」

「……morning」

「Ahahaha, you’re so low-spirited! Good morning! Please shake my eardrums with the most beautiful voice in the world!」

「Y-you lunatic」

「You’re so harsh. Well, that’s part of you too.」

Kurumi-san looks disgusted. Having the person you love aware of your existence feels great even if she feels negative about you.

As I was chewing joy with my conversation with Kurumi-san this morning, an arm suddenly wrapped around my shoulder and began to strangle me as well. As far as I know, there’s only one person who will act murderously with me in public.

Before I managed to protest, the owner of that arm spoke.

「Hey, what are you doing?」

「Whoah, the handsome ace player of the soccer club with a perfect character who is also my friend for some reason. It’s painful so let me go!」

「Why the heck did you introduce me for, Lunati-kun?」

「….wait a minute! What the hell is that name!」

「You’re acting like a lunatic so I think it suits you.」

「How can you give your friend a nickname Lunati-kun? You should think about compliance! The ethics committee will never approve that! Right! Kurumi-san!」

「I don’t know why you’re asking me but, well, I think that a nickname derived from the word lunatic is certainly terrible. Poor Lunati-kun.」

「Then, why are you calling me that too! Darn it! I’m not like that! I’m normal! I’m a man with common sense!」

「A man with common sense doesn’t talk like that.」

The arm that was wrapping my neck released me immediately. I knew he was joking around but it’s still painful.

「Grrrrrr…..」

「Nothing will happen even if you stare at me like that. Let’s talk a bit.」

「Eh, I don’t want to.」

「Koga-san, can I borrow this guy?」

「Oi, Kirishima-kun. Why are you asking for her permi----」

「Not mine in the first place and you don’t need to return him.」

「Kurumi-san!?」

I shrugged my shoulder in shock but she did not react in any way. I was dragged by Kirishima-kun outside of the classroom. Kirishima-kun glared at me as soon as he took me to the corner of the corridor---and this place is not that used by people.

「You, seriously, what’s wrong with you?」

「? What do you mean?」

「You still have common sense yesterday but today, you are suddenly acting as if you don’t have any.」

「Can you be more specific?」

When I answered with a serious expression, Kirishima-kun became silent for a moment. His mouth is opening and closing as if trying to say the right words to say but in the end, say it directly.

「….when you spoke with Koga, don’t you feel that the atmosphere felt weird?」

「No, it’s not.」

I answered immediately and continued.

「What do you mean by “atmosphere? I’m only talking to her because I want to. No, I know that the atmosphere is certainly bad especially with the girls. They are showering my beloved Kurumi-san with disgust, mockery, hate, jealousy, and other bad emotions.」

「Then---」

「But why should I care about that? If you think that I should just go with the atmosphere and watch Kurumi-san gets hurt is the right thing to do, I’d rather be a lunatic.」

I said that indifferently. There is no point in this debate and arguing will only lead to wasted time. I said everything while looking straight at Kirishima-kun’s eyes. He gave out a long sigh, scratched his head, and said “I understand”.

「…….You understand?」

「Yeah, we’re friends after all.」

Kirishima-kun smiles at me. Yeah, we can continue being friends. Aside from Kurumi-san, he’s the only one with a good personality.

「Thank you.」

Therefore, words of gratitude are easily spilled.

When I held out my right hand, he held out his hand too and we shook hands.

「----what a touching scene. If only Lunati-kun did not suddenly told me “Let’s have sex”.」

「…….」

「Eh? What are you saying?」

「Areh? You don’t know? Yesterday, Lunati-kun said that to me after school.」

「….i-it’s because I love you! I just spoke what my heart was saying! You know what I mean, right? Kirishima-kun?」

「There’s no way I do, Lunati-kun.」

I collapsed on my knees hearing the merciless words of my friend.