Vol 1 Chapter 4 (1/2)

A week has pa.s.sed since I went out with Len-kun.

Since that day, I haven’t shown my face at the Light Music Club for a while.

Is it a teething fever, or is it a cold…… Anyways, I ended up confined to my bed and got stuck with not leaving the house.

When I explained the situation to Meiko-sensei in a text, Len-kun contacted me right away.

Since I don’t remember giving him my address, I think he probably asked Meiko-sensei for it.

[Things are all right here, so get plenty of rest without worrying–!

Ah, I don’t need you to reply, either]

Spoiled by Len-kun’s kindness, I ended up shelving everything until the day I returned to school.

(I need to at least thank him for the rainbow quartz……)

Inside the cooler bag, there’s a cake made with fromage.

He’s said so before that he wants to eat some, and it’ll be practice for the cultural festival, so I thought it would be just the right opportunity.

(Borrowing the Home Ec room’s refrigerator, I’ll take it out just before.)

And there’s one more thing.

The Sukikirai Riajuu Strap is in my uniform’s pocket.

Of course, there’s no deep meaning.

Since he wanted it so much, it’s only because of that that I’ll let him have it.

It’s okay if we can get even, on equal footing, with this.

“Ah, Otosaki Rin……!”

After pa.s.sing through the school gate, someone called my name from behind me.

I turned around by reflex, but I regret it as soon as I see who the voice belongs to.

Haraoka-san and the others, every member of the Prince Fan Club, were gathered there.

(Argh, I’m getting glared at again……)

When I turn back ahead in a fl.u.s.ter, this time I could hear the whispering voices of the people all around me. As if I had been surrounded by an encircling net, I let out a small scream.

Among them were people I’ve never seen before as well, it seemed like first years and third years were also mixed in with them.

“Hey, is that rumour true? Was it seriously Otosaki-san who went on a date with the Prince?”

“Like, I’ve heard that someone saw the two of them walking around in front of the station……”

“So Len-kun finally got a girlfriend~”

To the words that were whispered by everyone, I quickly turn white as a sheet.

(No way, we were seen……)

We were just shopping for the club! We’re not going steady either!

I feel that I have to clear up the misunderstanding and say that, but my body won’t stop trembling.

(I just wanted to spend my days in peace and quiet……why……)

Stung by the gazes of the people around me like poisoned needles, it even brought back horrible memories.

It happened when I was in middle school.

Back then, I was even more ignorant about love than I am now, I didn’t really understand it. That’s why I was close with both boys and girls, and apparently that became a reason for them to criticize me.

Calling me things like flirt. Or everybody’s friend.

After being constantly showered by surprising words, I finally noticed.

That if I want to live in peace, I mustn’t stand out more than necessary.

That I shouldn’t carelessly get close to boys in particular.

“But it’s funny! That rumour, they obviously must’ve seen the wrong people.”

“Exactly, there’s no way Len-kun would go steady with a plain girl, right?”

Standing still while they pa.s.s by me, Haraoka-san and the others laugh as they deny it.

Getting hooked on it, other people also whispered things like “Now that you mention it….”

(I’m glad, it could’ve been worse……)

Was it really okay?

Just because the misunderstanding was cleared up here, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the rumour itself will disappear.

But, in that case……. I wonder what I should do.

I get the feeling that even if it’s the truth, repeatedly telling it to everyone will have the opposite effect.

(Is there no other method than distancing myself from Len-kun after all?)

Without reaching an answer, I headed towards the cla.s.sroom, dragging my heavy feet.

Chika worriedly asked me “Do you still have a fever?”, but I couldn’t do anything other than ambiguously laugh and shake my head.

All along during homeroom, Haraoka-san and the others’ gazes pierced through me.

Despite that, since it doesn’t seem like they want to say anything either, I unnecessarily get scared.

I felt Len-kun’s gaze from the seat beside me, but oddly, he didn’t call out to me today.

It’s possible that he sensed the mood for once.

(In any case, I shouldn’t show my face at the Light Music Club today, huh…..)

I’ll have Chika and the student council members eat the fromage cake.

When the chime rang at the end of the school day, I ran to the Home Ec room as if I were running away.

The door suddenly opened as I was moving it to the cooler bag from the refrigerator.

Thinking it was the club president, I lifted my head, but unexpected people were standing there instead in an imposing stance.

“Do you have a minute? There’s something we have to talk about.”

“……Haraoka-san……”

The usual four people were standing behind her.

Plus, there’s also a group of people who are checking in on things from the hallway.

“Getting straight to the point, are you the one who’s spreading that rumour?”

“Eh…..”

For a moment, I didn’t understand what she said.

Neglecting me as I’m dumbfounded, the people from the Fan Club keep mouthing off one after the other.

“We warned you over and over again, didn’t we? The Prince belongs to everyone, so cut it out already.”

“Did you think you could make a good match with the Prince? Aren’t you getting a little too carried away?”

“Hey, since you said Meiko-sensei invited you, we’d let it slide that you joined the Light Music Club, too.”

“Actually, the Prince is the Prince, right? Why would a girl like you……”

“To be honest, Len-kun is kind of like a loser lately.”

“Ah, I know! Even though the cool and a little s.a.d.i.s.tic prince type is what’s popular–“

(Why……? Why are they talking about Len-kun, too?)

At that moment, I spoke up in such a loud voice that I even surprised myself with it.

“Don’t speak ill about Len-kun!”

“…..Hu-huuh? Isn’t it your fault in the first place, for clinging to the Prince?”

To Haraoka-san’s counterargument, the Fan Club’s people vigorously nod in agreement, too.

This time, I was at a loss for words.

(Uhm……? When did I ever cling to Len-kun?)

It’s possible that it won’t get across to these girls, no matter how I say anything.

I wonder if they ever had any intention at all to listen to what I have to say in the first place.

“Ahaha! What an incredible reasoning that is.”

Cutting through the oppressive atmosphere, Len-kun’s well-projected voice resounded in the hallway.

(Len-kun……!?)

I realize that everyone present here is perplexed by Len-kun’s unusual behaviour.

Even Haraoka-san and the others, whose badmouthing got heard, went completely pale.

“I’m the one who wants you to cut it out already. Of course, I’m really grateful for your support of the band, and I do think that I want to live up to the expectations?”

Len-kun’s tone of voice suddenly became kind, he spoke to them while looking at their faces one by one.

Just as if he were being the MC at a concert.

“But, don’t they call this kind of thing private? Who I like, what sort of att.i.tude I have towards someone, it doesn’t concern you people, does it? It’d be great if you could drop it.”

“Bu-but! Len-kun, didn’t you go steady with Miku-senpai in middle school?”

“You still like Miku-san, don’t you!?”

What was that just now?

Miku-senpai and Len-kun, they were going steady?

“Is that story true?”

Taken aback, Haraoka-san asked the first-year who was looking at the scene from a distance.

Firmly nodding, they informed her: “I heard it from my older sister.”

After that, things were thrown into utter confusion.

But all in all, it felt like the happenings of a distant world……

By the time I realized it, I had already ran away from there.

I heard Len-kun shouting for me to stop, but I couldn’t afford to turn around.

Really, it’s kind of ridiculous.

Like between boys and girls? I ended up seriously thinking about things like that……

Like? Hate?

Len-kun said it a lot up ‘til now, didn’t he.

That was just fooling around as friends.

He even went steady with someone like Miku-san, there’s no way he’d like someone like me.

The legendary diva, and the plain girl who can play the piano a little.

You can’t even compare the two.

“I have to hurry and reach Chika.”

The cooler bag that I put the fromage cake in felt awfully heavy.

Not a week has pa.s.sed since the start of the new school term.

As usual, I can’t look at Len-kun’s face.

With the seat change, we got separated to the window side and the door side, I get the feeling that the outfield has also gotten quieter.

(But it can’t stay this way forever, can it……)

Regular cla.s.ses start tomorrow, and club activities will properly resume.

For the new song, only the lyrics and arrangement were left to be done.

It’s a little bit early, but I think that it won’t be much of a hindrance if I leave the club now.

(But, for what reason? With what sort of expression, how should I say it?)

If I trace it back to the beginning, it’s since the time we went shopping for supplies during summer vacation that I’m unable to look at Len-kun’s face. Since he gave me the rainbow quartz pendant that day.

“Ah, again…… Isn’t the Prince always yawning?”

“He was fast asleep during SHR, wasn’t he? His eyes looked red, too, I guess it’s sleep-deprivation?”

On the way back from the school a.s.sembly, the girls in the cla.s.s worriedly whispered amongst themselves.

I naturally end up listening attentively to just the parts that I’m concerned about.

“Perhaps he’s under the influence of the incident with Haraoka-san and the others’ a.s.sault……”

“That he’s going steady with Miku-san?”

“It’s just a rumour, but it looks like the Prince got dumped.”

“Eh, isn’t it still going on? That’s what I heard.”

Unable to listen any longer, I quietly left the line.

When I do so, Chika notices and runs up to me.

“Rin! Where are you going?”

“……I thought I should go to the infirmary.”

“Okay, I’ll go with you.”

“Eh! I’d feel bad about it. It’s fine, I can go on my own……”

“What are you saying, with such a pale face! I’ll go and tell the teacher, so just wait there.”

“Wait Chika, I really……”

“There’s something I want to talk about with just the two of us. Okay?”

Being told that by my best friend, I have no other choice than to nod in agreement.

As we head quietly towards the infirmary, the ‘Out of Office’ sign hung on the doork.n.o.b.

“Perfect. In the worst case, I was thinking of going somewhere else.”

“…….So it’s such an important matter.”

“Rin, don’t you get it? It’s about Kagami Len.”

Sitting down on the bed, Chika lightly patted the spot beside her.

Unable to calm down for some reason or other, I sit down leaving a bit of a bigger distance between us.

Without showing signs of being bothered by it, Chika speaks in a decisive voice.

“I won’t ask what happened. I bet it’s not something an outsider should interfere with anyways.”

“……Thanks.”

“It’s not something you need to thank. Besides, there’s something I want to saybecause I’m an outsider.”

“……Okay.”

“About Len-kun and Miku-senpai.”