c16 (1/2)

Act 1: ‘I have a Friend’.

“Hey s.h.i.+dou. I have something to talk to you about…is it fine?”

The prettiest girl in cla.s.s spoke to me as she looked up, and I guess it’s a lie to say that my heart didn’t flutter as a result.

To be honest, I felt like a born winner when I was invited by her, with those bashful eyes, to a corner of the cla.s.sroom.

But that was not the case.

“Erm, s.h.i.+dou–you’re very familiar with Sugimiya, right?”

I’ve been called a blockhead for 15 years, but even I understood immediately once I heard her say this.

My good friend—Haruki Sugimiya, is, and I repeat, really a boy.

His face really was not manly in any way. To be honest, he was rather effeminate.

His body shape was not hunky in any way. To be honest, it was pet.i.te.

However, his actions and att.i.tude were straightforward, blunt in his words, and honest in his att.i.tude. Without a doubt, he had a model flair of a real man.

It is a critical moments, a month into my life as a high school student, where we start to gather in our cliques. Thus, Haruka, who did not belong to any clique, but had somehow managed to be beyond them–well, he’s really dazzling.

So dazzling that the prettiest girl in our cla.s.s, Yuuri Fujieda, could not hide her interest.

“Erm, if possible…do you mind telling me more about him? Like what Sugimiya likes…if he has any siblings, his favorite foods, music preferences and so on?”

Yuuri Fujieda completely discarded her usual matured, caring appearance, and had become a young girl who was completely in love. She continued to fire one question after another at me.

It’ll be great if that expression of hers is for my sake–the amount of time it took me to snap out of this thought…yeah, was about a few seconds.

“No need for the Sugimiya–just call him Haruka.”

“Eh?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Just leave it all to me–Hey Haruka! Fujieda looks like she wants to be friends with you!”

“Eh? Erm–wait, I’m still–”

I grab Fujieda by her arm while she’s trying to retreat, and pulled her over.

That haruka’s grinning away, probably sensing that something’s strange as he watched Fujieda and me to approach.

I leave the duo to talk it out, and return to my seat. While the noon break was still bustling, I watched the duo alone, forlornly.

Even though it’s the role of Cupid, I’ll take it without any complains.

It’s my fault for being that guy’s ‘friend’ after all.

It was the day after the entrance ceremony ended, the noon break of the first day of cla.s.ses.

“Hey, the guy down there–you’re s.h.i.+dou, right? Mind getting some bread for us?”

I heard my name called by someone who rolled his tongue, and I turned back to look.

The ones calling me were three boys. They were close together, their chairs turned around as they sat relaxedly.

So-someone spoke to me!

To be honest, I really felt as though I was in a pinch in this cla.s.sroom, where I have no acquaintance. I really envy those guys with the social skills make friends on the second day of school.

“He-hey, you listening?”

To me, they were saviors, creating chances for me to talk to me. Looking at their eyes, it looks like they’re glowing!!

“Hey, sorry, mind getting some bread for us? The three of us.”

One of them said, and the other two added “Ah, I want curry bread”. “Melon bread for me, and coffee milk”.

Am I–asked to be their gopher?

I was confidently asked to do something by my good friends to do something, and there was only response I should have. I smiled, and nodded,

I was about to start running with hope, but at this moment–I was stopped by a boy who suddenly appeared.

“Mind waiting for a while? As a cla.s.smate and a friend, I can’t let this slide.”

Talking to us with an astounding voice was that guy–Haruka Sugimiya.

“Hey? Who are you? I’m talking to s.h.i.+dou, not to you.”

The guy was angry that Sugimiya just interrupted, so he retorted with a crude att.i.tude.

He stood up, and looked was tall and powerful.

Sugimiya didn’t back down, and stared back intently at his opponent despite the difference in height.

This faceoff continued for a few seconds.

And the first to look away and click his tongue so loudly was the guy who wanted me to buy bread.

“Hey–Yokoyama. Mind getting us some bread?”

He turned aside to ask another cla.s.smate, and never bothered to look at Sugimiya and me.

Sugimiya–ah whatever, let’s not be so unfamiliar now, so I’ll call him Haruka–turned to look at me, and showed me that signature wry smile of his.

“Well, about this, I don’t know, but I guess it’s just ordering people around.”

“Ordering people…? What do you me?”

To be honest, regarding what Haruka was talking about, I didn’t really understand back then.

I guess I was showing an idiotic face back then.

Haruka laughed. If my memory serves me correct, this was the first time I saw his smiling face.

“–I don’t like to be labelled as being too matured, but if I have to say, they were really bad in middle school. Looks like they’re trying to find some lackeys in this cla.s.s.”

“Eh?”

Again, I showed my typical idiotic face.

I never thought of such a possibility before. If they’re friends, I’ll go buy one or two buns. That was the only stupid thing I could think of.

“But speaking of which–looks like you’re the only one who got baited like that.”

He narrowed his eyes in a teasing manner as he looked to a corner of the cla.s.sroom–right when that cla.s.smate called Yokoyama refused them, saying ‘Don’t wanna’.

“Seriously…you’re too kind.”

I was touched.

That was the first time I spoke with haruka–but it was Haruka who saved me when I was about to be bullied and ordered around.

“Just doing what I should as a cla.s.smate.”

Haruka shrugged.

I could tell that he wasn’t trying to be humble, but that he had such conviction and qualities, heartfelt thoughts.

“Seriously…you’re quite manly.”

And so, I immediately wors.h.i.+pped this man known as Haruka Sugimiya.

“Eh? Ma-manly?”

“From now on, you’re my friend!”

I grabbed Haruka’s hand firmly.

“Fr-friend?”

His eyes widened.

“You don’t like it? No can do?”

“No…that’s not it. Actually, I should be asking you to be my friend instead.”

And so, Haruka and I became ‘bosom friends’ on that day.

Haruka and Fujieda appear to be having fun chatting.

Haruka’s talking with his unique manner of staring at someone directly, sometimes showing a gentle smile as he talks to Fujieda.

The initial tension Fujieda had vanished completely, and she’s giving a ringing chuckle.

I do find it amiss that he’s showing such a face to the smile of the prettiest girl in our girl.

Hm, well, anyway–

If that guy’s happy, I’ll be happy too.

He’s a ‘bosom friend’ of mine after all.

Act 2: 3 Minutes, Boy Meets Girl

It’s a certain Sunday sunset.

I was sitting on a bench at the plaza in front of a train station.

Whenever the minute hand on the clock tower ticked, another layer of wrinkle appear on my face as I fold my arms.

There’s a reason why I’m fuming.

–That Haruka hasn’t arrived.

Both the clock on the tower and the watch on my wrist are showing 2.42pm.

He’s the one who invited me out, and yet he’s 42 minutes late. How irresponsible is he anyway?

He fails as a friend.

Fail! Faaiilll! FFFAAAAIIILLLL!!!

That bosom friend of mine, Haruka, has been nagging about my clothes recently.

My clothes are untidy, too old, or something, or that my clothes don’t match me, that there’s someone who actually wears a T-s.h.i.+rt with the words ‘Underground Man’, unbelievable words anyway.

I can just wear anything I want! Are you my mom or my girlfriend? That was what I retorted back then

–“Fine, then just choose”.

If it’s clothes Haruka chose, I’ll just wear what he thinks fits me, and he won’t be able to say anything. I did leave it to him to decide.

Boy am I smart.

And because of that, I promised Haruka that I’ll go shopping for clothes with him today, and I’m waiting for Haruka to arrive. That was supposed to be the case…

But that Haruka’s really slow.

Ah, now that I mention it, I kinda realize something. I think I was the one who proposed this idea, not Haruka. Shouldn’t I be the one who fail as a friend? I’ll reflect on it a little, no, a lot. I should do so as a friend.

Alright, better not ask.

I guess he’ll forgive me for putting that unjust label. Same goes for me in that I have to forgive him even though he’s late for so long.

In any case, we’re ‘bosom friends’ after all.

My dead serious, silent face breaks into a giggle, and I guess the mother who’s about to walk in front of me pulls her kid away, maintaining a distance of 5m.

I pat my face back into a ‘normal’ expression, and continue to wait for Haruka’s arrival.

Again, I check the watch. It’s now 2.45pm. I then decide that I won’t pay attention to the time anymore.

I stop myself from feeling anxious, return back to being calm, and look around the plaza.

At that moment, I see a girl running on the plaza, dressed in a white one-piece dress.

Something seems strange here. Why is that girl running so hard…?

That long, silky hair’s swaying with the wind as she dashed forward. She’s a pretty girl who’s basically kicking at her skirt–well, that’s already an eye-catching sight. Like me, there are a few onlookers staring at the girl.

She continues to run down the plaza, looking back at times, turning her head left, and then right at times. Right when I’m wondering when she’ll run by me–she starts to look straight forward.

And for some reason, she’s looking straight at me.

“Save me!”

“Eh? –ah!”

I’m being asked for help by a pretty girl who’s panting and sweating furiously–

And what I can force out from my throat is just an embarra.s.sing shout.

“I’m being chased–”

Her eyes are showing uneasiness and fear, flickering with hope and antic.i.p.ation from time to time.

There’s a girl in a white dress basked in the sunlight of May, and her body is glittering with light. On top of that slender body of hers is some nice, long black hair. I don’t know what anyone else will think, but this is my current ideal. The ideal pretty girl in my heart.

And right now, she’s looking at me, only at me.

Is there any boy who’ll say no in such an instance? No–the answer is definitely no.

“Leave it to me!”

I immediately get onto my feet in exuberance.

The girl immediately gives me a smile, and it’s telling me that’s enough. In any case, whoever she’s running from, no matter how tough the journey will be, I don’t know, but with her smile, that’s enough.

This unworthy Ryuusei s.h.i.+dou.

Shall die for your sake.

A group of black clothed men entered the plaza.

They’re probably chasing after this girl, I guess. Dozens of them are dressed in black suits, wearing black gla.s.ses, looking around. At the same time, a few of them are locked in on our position.

I grab the girl’s hand, and begin to run.

Her little hand is so slender it’s shocking, and I grab it, trying my best not to hurt her while I made sure not to let go, and begin to run.

We run from the plaza to the first level of the train station.

Both of us pa.s.s through a stall in the food market selling radish and cabbages. And by the time we see the black-suited pursuers, we’ve already pa.s.sed through the shop, running out of the gla.s.s door on the other side. Then, we again pa.s.s through the floor of another food stall.

I’m not running away without a plan.

If I’m just running away, I’ll get caught. To shake them off, I need a ‘strategy’.

I lead the girl along to a ‘certain place’ only I knew, a place I used to play in.

“Oh–isn’t this Ryu? It’s been a while. Haven’t seen you for quite some time. Did something happen?”

This shop that sells takoyaki, taiyaki and other stuff is a shop I used to patron often. The boss would often sell me 120 Yen taiyaki when I only had 100 yen to pay.

But this isn’t the time to greet the aunt.

“Oh~ you brought a girl along too? Ryu brought a girl along too–!”

Auntie’s teasing voice becomes distant, and we stop at a dead end.

“We got nowhere to go!”