CH 10

Saturday and Sunday are over and school has started again.

Although it has only been a few days since I started a new class, I am gradually getting used to the scenery.

I’ve been thinking, “She’s a bit of a tomboy,” or “That group over there seems to be serious”. Since I sit in the back of the class, where I can see almost the entire class, I naturally become familiar with such things.

To be honest, I don’t have much of a view of Kohinata during class.

It’s not that I’m not interested in her or anything, it’s just that behind her there are some bigger boys, so her little body is completely hidden from view.

And during breaks between classes, Kohinata is often talked to by her classmates. Often Saejima visits her during lunch break.

But since Keiichi and I talk only to the boys, we never have conversations with them. Keiichi sometimes talks to girls in class, but I usually pretend to be asleep.

So the two girls who were involved with me on holidays never talked to me once from Monday to Friday – the days when school was in session.

“By the way, the reason they didn’t talk to you is because we talked about it and decided not to.”

After finishing classes and cleaning on Friday, I was getting ready to go home before the end of the school day, when Keiichi suddenly said something like that to me.

Incidentally, I had even more cleaning to do in the cafeteria after this.

I’ll be happy to do it even after school because I can eat a delicious meal with only half an hour’s light labor.

“That’s out of the blue. What do you mean by that?”

“Because, Tomoki, even if you knew, you’d be like, ‘Do whatever you want,’ wouldn’t you? It’s smoother if I don’t tell you.”

………You know exactly what I mean.

Are you a fan of mine by any chance, Keiichi? If I get a chance, I’ll write an autograph on your forehead.

“If those two guys were to talk to Tomoki, it would be troublesome if other girls were to join them, right?”

“That’s right, of course. Kohi—that guy would be fine even if there are 10 people there. She’s easy to talk to.”

Kohinata is an exception.

I put my school bag on the desk and plopped down using it as a pillow.

The reason I did not mention their names clearly is because I thought it would be troublesome if someone asked me about them in the classroom.

I didn’t care about Saejima, but if word got out that Kohinata, the beloved character of the class, was meeting with me on her day off (while I was at work), I didn’t know where my enemies would come from.

Hearing my words, Keiichi nodded, looking somewhat impressed.

“Oh,……, I see. I think I understand why that girl is so fond of Tomoki.”

“? it’s not that she really think of it that way?”

The reason why she gave me candy was because she said it was a sign of apology, and the reason why she came to the workplace on her day off must have been because Keiichi sent her. I don’t think there’s anything to determine that she misses me.

“I have to talk to those two in a meeting overcoming your difficulties, so I ask them …… all kinds of things. Well, that’s all well and good, but Tomoki think ‘easy to talk to’ with that girl, don’t you?”

“That’s right.”

I think I’ve talked to Keiichi about that before, but I affirm it again.

To me, there is no other girl who is easier to talk to than her.

Compared to boys, it may be more difficult to communicate with girls, but it’s not hard to communicate with Kohinata. In fact, I feel comfortable with her because she is not aggressive.

I mean, don’t even bother to call it a conference on overcoming difficulties.

“The only person around her who thinks she’s easy to talk to is Tomoki, isn’t it? Normally, people who don’t talk don’t think it’s easy to talk. It’s not like she has a disease that makes it impossible for her to speak, or that she uses her phone to write, it’s just something she does out of necessity.”

I was at my part-time job and he said, [Here I am!] I wonder if it was really necessary for them to show me that they are here. ……?

Such an unimportant question comes to mind.

“Maybe those feelings of Tomoki’s are being conveyed to that girl.”

I mean, I’m sure she’s getting the message,……, I mean,…… you said that to her face. Kohinata and talking to her is calming, or something like that.

…………..When you think about it, I’m saying some pretty embarrassing things, aren’t I?

Kohinata seems to be indifferent to love and such things, so maybe I just didn’t pay much attention to it.　

“I’m not going to do anything about it, whether she gets the message or not.”

I raise my body and look at Kohinata, who is being adored by the boys and girls in front of me. The boys in the seat behind her seem to be in a different place now, and I see Kohinata moving her face up and down, side to side.

I’m not her special person, and she’s not mine.

We are just students of the same grade who happen to be in the same classroom, just a little easier to talk to. The distance between us shouldn’t be any problem.

“Don’t even try to force her to come to my part-time job. I told Saejima to ‘contribute to sales,’ but that’s a lot of money for a high school student to pay every week.”

When I said this, Keiichi folded his arms, closed his eyes, and nodded, “That’s right.”

“That was on the agenda for the overcoming my difficulties meeting, because aside from me, those two only have their parents’ allowance. They can’t go on like this.”

When in the world do these guys hold such meetings? I wonder.

“So there’s no need for you to continue,”

I said in disgust, but Keiichi seemed to have no intention of listening to me.

“Do you have any plans other than cleaning the cafeteria today? Can I go to play?”

He asked me something like that. His method of evasiveness was too crude.

I let out a sigh and replied, “No, I’m free.”

“Okay, then! Then let’s play!”

“Okay. Keiichi, you want to wait in the classroom? It’ll take half an hour as usual.”

“I’ll do that. Don’t think you’re making we wait for you.”

Keiichi says with a smile.

–Wait a minute. What did he just say?

If I’m not mistaken, it sounded like he said “we.” ……

Could it be that Keiichi wasn’t forcibly switching the subject earlier, but was simply extending the conversation? ……　Such a thought popped into my brain.

“I don’t think so, but …… you’re not going to tell me those two are coming over to my house, are you?”

I asked him that fearfully, and Keiichi lifted the corner of his mouth with a grin.