c2 (1/2)
Sleeping Bunny [Konohara Narise] Part 2
Touzai High that Kouichi attended was a recently built private high school It didn't require any special entrance exah, not to mention it was located at the center of the town, so the total nue number of nearly 2000 students There were nearly 100 teachers as well
Each grade had a different section dedicated to it, so there was no reason to bu froe After yesterday's incident, Kouichi saw hi lunch, Kouichi was standing in frnot of the only juice vending machine in school He was about to insert a 100 yen coin, but like a fool he had dropped it So he had lowered his body to pick it up At thatbehind him
He straightened himself and turned to look When he realized that it was the rew cold Thestreotypical teachers' clothing of brown pants, long-sleeved shi+rt and unfashi+onable neck tie His head was lowered He passed by Kouichi, as just one of the students, without recognizing hi distance of each other, even though he had said ”I want to nize hi
After he returned to his classroom, a straw attached to the pack of juice in his mouth, Kouichi took out the post-it with phone number written on it that he had stuck in his wallet After he went ho about it--should he call him or not?
If he called and told hiet hurt for sure But Kouichi wouldn't continue to feel guilty over this If he didn't call him, this whole incident will fade out It'll be easier to do, but he'd continue to feel bad about it
Even though it was annoying, he really should give him a call Just when he decided that, the crinkled note was snatched froers
”What the heck is this?”
He tried to take the note back, but Kakimoto flipped his hand over like a butterfly
”Just whose phone nu at it and looked constipated, so you were getting on my nerve”
”None of your beeswax; give it back”
Ignoring troubled Kouichi, he lightly flipped the note over Kakimoto sat across from him and whispered near his ear: ”Is it Endou's phone number?”
Watching Kouichi's startled eyes groide, Kakirinned
”Not that I really wanted to see, but I happened to see the two of you walking together in a really friendly e hobbies, but everyone has his or her tastes, so it's cool”
Kouichi wrinkled up the note in his hands and bluntly replied, ”It's not a girl's phone number”
Kakimoto frowned for a second Kouichi hurriedly avoided his eyes Kakily sharp instincts and Kouichi had never lied to Kakimoto before
”Whose phone number is it then, a man's? Come to think of it, weren't you supposed to meet that letter dude yesterday?”
”I, uh, have to go to the bathroom for a sec”
He stood up, but Kakihtly When Kouichi turned to look at hi
”I'd like to hear what happened yesterday in detail”
”You MORON What, is your brain filled with sex?”
Kaki The rooftop indy and cold, so no one else was there Kouichi got angry and yelled, but in the end he roughly confessed what happened yesterday However, he didn't tell hiuy was their school's teacher
”No o out with Endou, just what are you going to do froainst this mess”
Kouichi retorted in a small voice
”He just wouldn't give up IAnd he liked me”
”No o out with hiht then and there But don't you think it's so cruel to say things to hient, straight-forward man like you say he is, he'll probably wait for your call every single day”
At Kakimoto's announcement, it really felt like that's hoould be
Kouichi clutched his head in his hands and muttered, ”What do I do?”
”Call him, even today, and tell hiood manners”
As if chasing after Kouichi, who had lowered his head, Kakihed
The h he had prepared for this, he becaht away
「Yes」
”Is, is this Mr Itou's residence?”
「Yes?」
”I'ht?”
「Ah, yes」
Unlike Kouichi as very anxious, the man's voice was quiet and relaxed
”I've called you because I had so to say”
Thefroain without thinking, ”Itou-san?”
「Ah, I'ht that you would really call me, so I was really surprised」
Ie of the man alked down the hallway numbly flashed in Kouichi's mind
”Did you think that I wouldn't call you?”
「To tell you the truth, yes You didn't seeht I had no chance So I am very happy that you've called me」
He really did sound happy Kouichi thought, 'Oh, crap!' but it was already too late
「I wanted to talk to you ood with people and I can't really talk with someone I've met for the first time So I knew I've made you uncomfortable」
”Oh, really”
It was difficult to say so so happily from the other side, so Kouichi replied shortly If he told hiht noould theshoulders he sahen they were parting the day before yesterday
「Can we meet this week's Sunday?」
He couldn't think up of an excuse not to go at that moment
”Uh, yes Okay”
「2 PM, at the same store as before」
He thought he was in a deep shi+t, but it was already too late The Sunday appointment had already been decided upon
”Okay Um, I'm sorry, but I'm busy, so”
He wanted to hang up as soon as possible
「Is that so? Thank you some despite your busy schedule Then I will see you on Sunday Sleep tight」
After replacing the receiver, Kouichi sighed
Kakimoto you stupid bastard, he screa about, saying he aiting formy call at all If I hadn't called hiht Instead he became all anxious and called him, and not only did he raise his expectations, he couldn't even tell hier
Anyway, he had to meet him and talk to him one more time He looked at the calender He didn't even need to make sure that this Sunday was 5 days away
As soon as the man saw Kouichi, he smiled a bit nervously, just like the first time they've met As if infected by the man's nervousness, Kouichi also forced his cheeks into a s for hiet the ”words of good-bye” that he had practiced again and again yesterday
”Today's warm, isn't it?”
Like that, the man started a conversation with Kouichi as about to sit down
”Huh? E, excuse me?”
The man looked uncomfortable as he lowered his head at Kouichi's stammered question
”Nothing; I was just saying that we have a nice weather today, so it's warmer than normal today”
”That's right”
By the tiood-bye” that Kouichi prepared so hard yesterday had completely been wiped out from his brain
”If you have nothing to do after this, won't you go to the art ht now”
”I'm sorry, but I”
Whatever A blankhe had to say Kouichi prepared for the worst scenario
”I won't go,” he firmly said The man cocked his head
”Do you have so else to do?”
”No, I To tell you the truth, I've lied to you”
The man's eyes widened, and then he slowly dropped his chin to his chest Just by that he looked hurt But he couldn't just beat around the bushes now
”I a books, either I wrote all kinds of stuff when I riting that letter to you so that you'd like me”
He rushed out all those words at once He was sure he could say it at this rate Kouichi sighed lightly and opened his
”I don't mind”
It was in a small voice, but that's definitely what theopen, Kouichi couldn't say the next words
”Don't worry about it”
The man smiled, as if he wanted to put Kouichi's mind at an ease
”I'd much rather you tell me now than you continue to tell me lies”
”Ah Um”
”I'm so relieved that you're an honest person”
”Er”
He couldn't get the next words out Why the hell does it always turn out like this?! He wondered as he lowered his head, drinking his coffee
”I really don't mind at all Honestly,” the man kindly said, as if he orried about Kouichi That kind of attitude pissed hi to becoave up
”Do you like pretty pictures?” The man suddenly asked When Kouichi sort of nodded his head, the s are just like pictures They're very beautiful They'llat them”
He had absolutely no interest in either the wood printings or the o home, either Today, he even felt the ease of an older ht Kouichi felt down
Kouichi thought, I'll tell him onhoh to spend one more day with him He reluctantly followed the man who left the store ahead of him
Kaki, ”You're a REALto say to that, so Kouichi spent the day stretched out on top of his desk
”There's a liet I e your interests and want to go out with hi ti to say to you, either, but”
He had no come-backs ready He really did think of hi able to say any excuses, he went to the museum to look at wood prints with the man He had no interest, but in the end he really enjoyed it They've talked a lot
”But the wood prints were pretty cool They were pretty, too”
”Oh, really”
Kakimoto's reaction remained cold
”He's a REALLY nice guy I mean, I already knew that, but”
Kikimoto placed his hand on top of Kouichi's shoulder
”Kouichi, dude I really don't want to attend a wedding with two groo
”Next ti Kouichi was able to say
It was like a gah school life that could be over any moment
The third time they er forced hiers stopped tre at Kouichi's every word
Whenever the , he politely asked for Kouichi's per He eet Kouichi always had a choice
Fro out with boys his age It was fascinating to get to know an older man
Even though Kouichi was younger, the ood to listen to the deep and gentle voice
The entle and delicate was siue, so he didn't stand out at all He never forced his opinions on others, so he felt like he would be practically invisible at times
”I'm sorry you have to meet me every Sunday Aren't you tired because of work?”
TheBefore, he asked Kouichi what kind of work he did He couldn't tell hih school student, so he said he didn't want to talk about work even on his days off, and after that the ain
”Not really”
”If you are, don't hesitate to tell me” The o somewhere?”
Black polo shi+rt with grey jacket Brown pants You couldn't even half-heartedly say that he was fashi+onable Looking into his eyes, the man tossed the question out at Kouichi
”Uo to the beach”
”Beach, you said?”
It was a whiht They hopped onto a train They were shaken up for 30 o 30 more minutes by bus They finally reached an ocean with a small sandy beach
It was the wrong season The winter sea was cold and polluted, so there was not a children in sight Soe of su at silent but violent waves and foams He was the one anted to coo back already” He took a sit far away from the water, on top of the sand
Thehis shoes off, he walked out to where the waves were
He couldn't see his ankles because of the crashi+ng waves He was just standing there He didn't , 'Just what's so much fun?' the man returned to his side
”Aren't you cold?”