CH 12

Chapter 12 – Clumsy Himeka

As I continued my mental unification in the park, I could gradually feel the heat on my face receding and my mind calming down.

Is everything alright now? As a test, I’m going to try again to picture Moriyama-kun yesterday.

My face got hot again.

No, no, no!

I still don’t have enough mental unity!

I closed my eyes again and went into mental unification.

Before I knew it, more than half an hour had passed.

I’ve done it again!

Even though I had decided to stay home today and wait for Moriyama-kun to contact me!

I hurried up, put on my socks and loafers and ran home.

When I entered the house, I ran into the kitchen without changing my clothes and reported to Mama about today.

“Hah~, hah~, I couldn’t ask for Moriyama-kun’s contact details, hah~ah~…” (T/N: She’s gasping for air)

“Eh!? What were you doing!”

“But, hah~, hah, I wrote him a letter, hah~ha, I gave it to him, hah, hah, I wrote my phone’s…contact details there, hah…hah…”

“Oh my, then we’ll just have to wait for his call. More importantly, you better get changed. You’ve got mud all over your skirt.”

“Y-Yes. On the way home, I went to the park to consolidate my mind.”

“Oh, my God, what were you doing? Come on, go and have a shower. Mama will watch your phone for you.”

“Yeah, okay.”

At this time, Himeka’s mother thought…

She’s usually so firm, but since yesterday, she’s turned clumsy when it comes to Moriyama-kun. I wonder if she’s okay.

◇◆◇

I didn’t hear from Moriyama-kun while I was taking a shower and eating dinner.

I was getting more and more anxious, so I decided to have a cup of tea in the kitchen and wait for Mama to call me.

“I wonder if Moriyama-kun hates me after all… No one likes a violent woman…”

“It’s okay, Himeka-chan, you’re too negative.”

“Mama is too optimistic!”

“But Moriyama-kun was so kind yesterday, and he cared about Himeka-chan, didn’t he?”

“Yeah… He was so nice and really cool.”

“Oh dear, I didn’t even hear that he was cool. But I don’t think a boy like that would be so impervious to a letter from a girl.”

“M-Mama thinks so? Right, he’ll call, won’t he?”

At that moment, the theme song from the film “Enter The Dragon” came from my phone. (T/N: Martial art movie.)

It’s my ringtone for an incoming call!

I grabbed the phone in a hurry.

“Since only the number is displayed, I can’t tell if it’s Moriyama-kun~”

“Calm down, Himeka-chan! If you don’t answer quickly, you’ll lose the call.”

“Y-Yeah. I’ll get it.”

I slided the call icon and put the phone to my ear.

“Y-Yes! T-This is…Urushi~bawa!”

Oh, my God, I can’t believe it!

“U-Um, my name is Moriyama. This is Urushibara-san’s phone number, correct?”

“T-That’s right! This is Uwu~shiba~wa!”

“Um… you don’t seem to be well, are you all right? Shall I call you back?”

“I-I-I-I’m…fine!”

I’m so nervous, I don’t know what I’m talking about.

Calm down!

Calm yourself down, Himeka!

I’ve decided what I want to talk to him about.

With the phone to my ear, I closed my eyes and unified my mind…

Alright! I’m fine now!

From then on, I talked.

I said something like “you looked really cool” at the end, but I was able to convey what I wanted to say.

“Himeka-chan, you’re missing something important. Give Mama your phone. I’ll take over.”

Then, Mama forcefully took the phone from me and she started talking to Moriyama-kun.

Right… I forgot to talk about visiting Moriyama-kun’s house to apologize.

But Mama forcefully wrapped that up too, and substituted me again…

“U-Um… I’m sorry Mama was so unreasonable…”

“No… What your mother said is perfectly normal.”

“S-So… Um…about what I wrote in the letter… Well…”

“Ah, about us being friends?”

“Hiya!”

In some ways, that was my most critical demand.

I’m not sure if we can be friends without it being mistaken as a romantic confession saying “I’ll start as a friend.”

I’m not the kind of woman who would use flirtation to get at him!

I genuinely just want to be friends with Moriyama-kun!

With these wishes in mind, I waited for Moriyama-kun’s reply.

“Um… If you’re okay with me, then… I’ll be in your care.”

“Eh!? Really!? Are you really going to be my friend?”

“Ah, um, well… Yes.”

“Thank you!!!”

Thank God~~~

I’m relieved it wasn’t mistaken for a confession.

“But I’d like to ask you one favor. I don’t want to stand out at school, so we’ll just be friends outside of school.”

“By that you mean…”

“If someone talks to me in the classroom like this morning, everyone will pay attention to me, and it’s really scary.”

“I-I see… That’s why you’re always alone…”

“Yes . I’m ashamed to say it, but I just couldn’t help but be afraid of the way people were looking at me.”

So that’s what it was all about.

Of course, Moriyama-kun has his own reasons.

I didn’t realize that until he told me.

“So I was bothering Moriyama-kun again this morning… I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine…”

But then it hit me.

“Ah! But it’s okay if it’s not at school, right?”

“Well, I guess.”

“Then why don’t you come and visit us sometime? I’d like to apologize for the trouble I’ve caused you!”

“WHAT!? Visit Urushibara-san’s house? That’s a bit…”

“Is that no good…?”

“I-I understand… Then I’ll do that.”

“Really!? It’s a promise, okay!!!”

“Yes…”

Somehow I’m happier than when I won the competition!

Now I have a chance to get to know Moriyama-kun!

From then on, we chatted a bit and the call ended uneventfully.

When I finished the call and hugged my phone with both hands, I let out a big sigh, and Mama grinned at me.

“Moriyama-kun seems like a very serious and kind young man. I’m sure he’d be a wonderful boy in person.”

“T-That’s right! Moriyama-kun is so strong and cool that he could take my all-out kick and still stand up!”

“By the way, Himeka-chan, you turn really clumsy when it comes to Moriyama-kun. Are you sure you’re okay inviting Moriyama-kun to our house?”

“Oh, God! Don’t say that!”

Without Mama telling me, I’m aware of it.

Even if I unify my mind, just thinking about Moriyama-kun is enough to make me feel unsteady.