CH 10

Chapter 10: A promise

The classroom was in an uproar.

Haruki Nikaido is the flower of high mountains, and her actions are the focus of everyone’s attention. (T/N: Last chapter, I used “Flower of Takamine” which literally means flower of high mountains/stake. I wonder which is better)

Haruki herself had acted as she should have, and she knew the consequences.

The fact that she talked to a boy without any particular reason was a special thing that would cause a lot of speculation towards her.

[Nikaido-san and the transfer student?]

[Is it probably…she likes him?]

[No way, he’s a transfer student, so I guess they have their own business, I guess!]

I can hear their curious, whispering voices and also (sense/see?) their jealous glances

I’m now the center of attention. There’s no way for me to run.

Both Haruki and I understand it.

[Etto… Uhh…. That’s… that…]

[Haa… Nikaido…]

Even so, Haruki said [that] with a cool face as before. That’s exactly what it is.

But from the side, it was more like Hayato was being blamed for why he didn’t understand.

But I could tell that Haruki made a mistake, so I decided to try my best to cover her up.

(Speaking of which)

It reminds me of something that once happened.

When I was a kid, Haruki was walking up the wooden fence that separated the farm with the field, and it suddenly broke down.

Thanks to the help of the adults who were working there, the sheep didn’t run away and we were saved.

The wooden fence was rotten, so Haruki was neither blamed nor injured, fortunately. But in the times she had done something wrong, just like now, she’d keep saying “That thing, that thing… that thing was like that..”

Although she tried to put on a clear face, I could see that the present Haruki was reacting the exact same way as the Haruki back then. Even her eyes that seemed to ask for help were the same as back then.

(Honestly…)

I laughed for a bit and tried to think about what to say.

[Ah… that thing. I’m the one who was asked to do the flowerbed this morning]

[Oh yes, that’s it! I want to finish it as early as possible, Are you free now?]

[I understand]

[Ah also, bring your bag please]

[Ok]

It was a spur-of-the-moment improvisation.

However, with this, I succeeded in changing the situation into one where I needed her to help 

After that, my classmates began to lose interest and said, [Oh I see] and [That’s right].

Haruki quickly left the classroom as if to deceive me. After that, I let out a sigh of relief. Mori-san seemed to be grinning.

[Way to go, transfer student]

[Haha, shut up]

◇◇◇

After that, I went to a small, empty room, in the old school building.

It was about a quarter size of my classroom, the room itself is long but narrow with wooden flooring. It also looks a bit old.

However, the floor was dust free and showed signs of having been well maintained.

[Here?]

[A secret base. This area is only used for storage, so no one ever comes here]

[It’s a bit too empty to be called a base]

[That’s true, how about we bring something here next time. You can also call this a shelter]

[A shelter?]

I’m not sure if it’s because nobody is around, but Haruki was in the bratty mode that she  was in her room the other day.

She doesn’t care about skirts and  sits cross-legged. But she seemed hesitant to take off her socks.

(I can’t show this Haruki to everyone in the classroom)

I held my temples as I looked around.

A small, empty, boarded-up room.

It was a lonely place for a secret base.

A refuge to get away from the hustle and bustle.

A room with no furniture or anything in it, just windows.

[How did you find this place?]

[I accidentally found it. Look, there’s a key too]

[Are you serious? This is fine?]

[As long as we didn’t get caught, yes. Anyway, why don’t you sit down, Hayato?]

[Geez]

I’m not sure what to do, but I guess I’ll just do what she says for now.

[Well? What kind of idea did you come up with this time?]

[Ah, Uhm. I don’t understand what you’re talking about]

Haruki groaned while giving me a crisp reply. She seems hesitant about something.

She was the one who invited me earlier.

Even though she was in her ‘school mode’, she made a careless act. However, her eyes left an impression on me.

I guess she had something to tell me.

[Promise me you won’t laugh]

[That’s something for me to decide]

[If you laugh, you owe me one]

[Ah]

Haruki’s sharp eyes were staring at me.

I turned around and decided to hear her out.

[Honestly, I’ve always dreamed of having lunch… with my friends…]

[Huh?]

Involuntarily, a stupid voice came out.

Haruki, who misunderstood it, lifted her eyebrows and protested.

[Mou! It’s a really important thing for me! You see, that’s why… I’m having trouble asking them out… that’s why I’m alone, so…]

[…]

The last part of the word almost disappeared.

It’s easy to imagine what Haruki said.

The scene in the classroom up to the point that she used this room as her personal shelter. I’m pretty sure that was the case.

It hurts when I imagined that she has been alone in this room for lunch.

(Honestly, what a troublesome girl)

I scratched my head and pulled out my lunch box from my bag.

[I see… then, your dreams will come true everyday, from now on]

[Hayato…]

[Is it different?]

[Nah, it’s no different. Well then, this is a loan from me!]

[It’s too cheap for a loan]

[Ahaha, well, multiply it by 10!]

[Well then, If there’s no particular business, we will be here at noon. How about you promise me that?]

[A promise… I see, A promise…Yes, it’s a promise, Hayato! ]

[Oh, Ok then]

Haruki’s eyes fluttered as I looked at her, but then she turned around and smiled innocently just like a child. Perhaps it’s because she couldn’t control her emotions that she held my hands so close, causing our foreheads to almost stick together.

(Too, too close!)

The fact that she’s a beautiful girl is a fact that I had to admit.

If Haruki got close with her big smile that she would never show to others, I couldn’t help but feel nervous..

I felt a bit frustrated that she didn’t know what I was going through.

[Back off]

[Ah, sorry, sorry]

I pushed Haruki away and bluntly held out my little finger of my right hand.

I was aware that I was doing something childish.

[Promise?]

[Yes, I promise! Ehe~]

Our pinkies entwined. Now, we shared another small, secret promise. After that, a small laughter spilled out from both of us.

Another memory was born between the two of us, just like that time…

TL: Hyou