Vol 6 Chapter 8 (1/2)

Chapter 8: Stirred Up Girlfriend's Sister Has Had Enough Mayhem

The next day around noon.

Today I went with Kaoru to eat lunch in the cafeteria because I woke up late and didn’t have enough time to make a bento. This is something that we haven’t done in a long time.

”Eita, are you not feeling well?”

Kaoru anxiously asked as I gave a huge sneeze.

”It's not a big deal. However, I'm awfully sleepy today.”

Because I took some medicine this morning, I didn't feel that bad from my cold. But I kept yawning non-stop, perhaps as a side-effect of the medicine.

As we walked in the hallway leading to the cafeteria, we ran into Hime who was carrying a carton of milk and a ham sandwich and walking from the opposite end.

”Hime!”

I waved and called out her name, but Hime looked frightened and stopped in her tracks, lowering her shoulders.

I saw how frightened she was, and felt a little hurt.

”A-Are you coming to club activities today? I'm going, so how about we go together?”

”......”

”Fuyuumi's also really worried about you, okay? It seems like the business with our school's anniversary isn't figured out yet, so Hime…”

I didn't even finish, and Hime rushed past us towards the cla.s.srooms without even picking up her head.

”That girl. I had no idea she could run so fast.”

Kaoru said as he stared at the silhouette of Hime's back.

I didn't know where to put the hand that I raised, so I used it to scratch my head.

”She seems kind of fretful.”

”.....It's my fault….”

As soon as I thought about what happened at the the school gates yesterday, I could feel cold sweat.

What was Hime thinking when she saw us like that? A fake boyfriend and a fake girlfriend so fondly holding hands and walking along. Honestly speaking, I would have also been bewildered by it. Although I didn't mean it, I felt burdened as if I had deceived her for a second time.

I was sudden, but Kaoru gently patted my back.

”Today's lunch is on me.”

”......Thanks.”

This kind of purposeful sympathy had an incredible curing effect.

”I…… might as well become gay.”

”What's with you all of a sudden?”

”If I were gay, I wouldn't need to deal with all these girl problems. My relations.h.i.+p with Kaoru would be even better as well, haha.”

I originally meant to bring it up as a joke, but Kaoru didn't laugh.

He was just like a girl. His fair cheeks suddenly blushed red and he shyly responded:

”......If Eita's mentally prepared for this, then…..”

”Huh?”

Then Kaoru shook his head substantially.

”Never mind. Let's go. Why don't we go to the cafeteria?”

Pus.h.i.+ng my back, Kaoru started walking.

What was he about to say before he stopped?

♦

When school ended, Hime didn’t show up in the club room, again.

”Lately, it's been difficult to get everyone to show up.”

Chiwa commented lonesomely as she looked around at all the a.s.sembled members. Even though the five of us apart from Hime were here, it still didn't feel like it was the real ｢Jien-Otsu｣.

”Fuyuumi, Hime hasn't been in touch with you?”

”No. When I text her, I don't get any sort of response, so I feel like she's almost hiding from me…...”

Fuyuumi's shoulders drooped quietly.

”How did it end up like this? I thought it was already solved, but did I do something to make Himecchi hate me?”

”You did nothing. This isn't your fault. Absolutely not.”

I insisted as I tried to comfort Fuyuumi.

I also didn't know what Hime was thinking.

However, the cause of this was most likely because of Masuzu and me, since she's been strange ever since the first day of the second semester.

Masuzu was probably thinking something similar as she stood motionlessly by the window, gazing outside and seemingly thinking.

Just then.

”Now excuse me!”

The door to the clubroom was crudely opened, and a ill-mannered blond-haired blue-eyed middle school girl entered the room.

It was Masuzu's little sister, Natsukawa Mana.

Today she didn't have the bodyguard who was usually stuck by her side. Did she come here directly from school? She was still wearing her uniform.

”Wait a moment, why is there a student from another school here?”

Prompted by her role as a disciplinary committee member, Fuyuumi stood up. However, Mana didn't even glance at her as she walked towards her sister without the slightest misgivings.

Masuzu spoke with her gaze still turned out towards the window:

”What are you here for, Mana? I remember telling you that those who are not outstanding maidens cannot enter this room.”

”Then Suzu is an outstanding maiden? Don't joke around. You made Hime cry.”

Huh!? Everyone, including me, exclaimed in surprise.

Even Fuyuumi, who had never met Mana before, was equally surprised as Chiwa, who had already met her.

Masuzu finally turned her gaze towards her sister:

”You met with Akis.h.i.+no-san?”

”I just ran into her on the way home, so I dropped her off at her house. When I asked her how she doing in the car, she didn't say a word. As soon as I asked her, ｢Did something happen?｣, she burst out crying.”

Mana slammed the table and leaned forward, approaching her sister's face.

”In any case, it was Suzu's fault, right?”

Masuzu seemed to be biting back her pain with all her effort.