Vol 1 Chapter 2 (2/2)
”I' them”
A small smile from Natsukawa debunked by theory
”I'”
She repeated with a doubt-unsparing tone
”Mmm, then that would be very troublesome”
”Why?”
”The Earth will be destroyed because of the third world war”
”I-If it will, then so be it”
Natsukawa replied casually
”Any world where it's acceptable to suspect your class them, deserves to be destroyed”
”The world gets destroyed because of me?!”
Becoest sinner, I don't think I'm up for it
”Sorry I was thinking too much”
”Very well I like honest people”
Natsukawa s toyed around in her hands
”Speaking of which, e originally talking about?”
”We were at why I needed to make a fake confession to you”
”It's a long story—” With this opening, Natsukawa dived directly into the subject, ”There are always ht?”
”If it's rumors about the nuit numbers, then yes”
”For your information, I have been confessed a total of 58 times in two months”
”That's almost once a day”
That was just like the scenario of a a
”It may sound like a luxurious problele day boys from other classes and seniors will surround and watch aroundless ru comes from this”
”You don't have friends? Mates from middle school?”
”Nope Since the age of seven I have been living overseas Returning home only happened recently in March”
Is that so? That sure is a difficult situation to be in
”Why don't you just give the OK to somebody?”
”And ould this 'somebody' be?”
”Just pick one fro to you As soon as you becoirlfriend, the other people will automatically back off, won't they?”
”Fuu”
Natsukainced her eyes, literally sparkling
”Boyfriend and girlfriend?”
As if spitting alien objects that accidentally entered her mouth, Natsukawa said:
”Why do I have to be on the sa love as thetribute every Christ 'hohohohahaha' like idiots I see no reason, which leaves ? Why the hell do people kill because of emotional disputes then? Why are there soa divorce as soon as they marry? Why are there always children abandoned by parents?”
A dim flame burned within the crystal clear eyes of Natsukawa
”You should understand, Kidou-kun Love is not such a perfect thing to have —at least not everyone can unconditionally praise If you want to be in love, by all '? 'Love irl of my dreams this summer'? Waste of time To ious cult Except that this religion is called 'Love' —it's the worst religion on Earth!”
Natsukawa's spiteful tongue, I've had heard that before, but this one seeenuine hatred towards romance
Scary
”Oh, I get it”
Wiping off the sweat on my palm to my trousers, I nodded and concluded
”For that reason you 'confessed' to ht?”
Natsukawa's expressions seemed to calm down
”As expected of the top student of our grade, learning so quickly saving both of us time”
In short, this means:
If sheconfessions will finally come to an end But since Natsukawa doesn't want any love, she sought out a person willing to act as her boyfriend —end of story
”But, why me?”
”Because you're just like ers, ”I quickly noticed how little interest you show in love too I could even say hatred When talking to friends, you quickly change the subject when it's in the red area Even your responses becoue and hasty Isn't that so? I haven't sat next to you for such a long period of time for no reason”
”You, you are quite observant”
”In the beginning I just thought you were gay”
”[]”
I take back my words Observant my ass
”Which is why I officially make a request to you, Kidou-kun Please become my 'boyfriend'”
H now
As an anti-romance myself, it couldn't be more suitable to be her boyfriend
Yet
”I refuse”
Natsukawa slightly tilted her head
”It's only boyfriend in name, all you need to do is to escort me home each day Since we both walk in the same direction, it shouldn't be too much trouble”
”Wrong The other ossip I may even be called out and be beaten up by your fans”
”You really knoorry It'll make you bald, you know?”
”Perfect I've been collecting hair tonic and wig coes”
Always thinking of the worst possible case - Kidou's way of doing things
”—We may be more alike than you think”
Natsukawa smirked
This smile was different fro to it
”Y-You're afraid of balding as well?!”
”No, I meant how both of us like to worry I've also had my worries if this 'boyfriend'Fake request was rejected These things are hard to say If rumors were spread around carelessly”
”Who do you take s”
”Of course I believe in you Just that as sooes according to plan which is why, Kidou-kun”
Natsukawa suddenly brought her face close Her breathing was even closer
Those two blue eyes looked atmy entire body
”To become a candidate for 'boyfriend'Fake, other than the factor that they have to be uninterested in romance, there is another important criteria Do you knohat that could be?”
”What is it?”
Her sweet shampoo scent made my nose a little bit itchy
I was feeling dizzy
”Kidou-kun, the other criteria is that —he must be someone ill never betray me There is no one but Kidou-kun who is able to fulfill these requirements; thus, I will not let Kidou-kun escape that easily Kidou-kun”
Although quiet as a whisper, her extraordinary face
Natsukawa took a small step backwards and faced htly di
”What's in that dirty notebook?”
Natsukawa didn't reply, but opened the notebook and started reading instead
”April, 21st Sunday Sunny I went to 'Iloves, but was told by a worker with an unbelievable expression they don't have any The product selection of this shop is so incomplete Or maybe they're out of stock because it's too popular? I want to buy them as soon as possible, then run as hard as I can on the chilly streets”
”Huh?”
What's up with her? Suddenly reading all this stuff
Fingerless gloves? Those gloves without fabric for the fingers?
Is there anyone who still wants that kind of thing?
”April, 22nd Monday Today a sudden downpour cah I had my umbrella with me, I still came home all wet I like rain, it can cleanse all the dirty sins[7] on my body”
Nonono, a cold is all you'd get Besides, 'cleanse all the dirty sins on my body' smile, who do you think you are?
”April, 23rd Tuesday Cloudy Onfirecrackers on your body?' I replied: 'Then how do you plan to respond to those 'out of control terrorists'-attack?' Chias completely refuted by my words Women are so shallow”
Bwhahahaaaa, du about a terrorist attack, why don't you first worry about your brain! Besides, how are firecrackers going to repel terrorists? Can't you see that Chiwa is wordless from your stupidity—
”Hey ISN'T THAT MY NOTEBOOK—[8]?!”
Natsukawa turned around and smiled
”Correct This is Kidou-kun's diary from middle school”
”HOW DID YOU GET YOUR HANDS ON IT—?!”
”Bought it from the old bookstore in front of the station ¥525 (tax incl)”
”Impossible!”
”It's true The diary was inside the 'Illustrated Animals Encyclopedia (special ver)'-box The shop keeper was fairly old, I' placed on the shelves”
—Certainly, I did place rade school But that box should be stored safely inside ht now
Wait, is that so?
Maybe I accidentally sold it along with the ani the second-hand book sale?
Nonononono, that's impossible I removed the animal book out of the box back then But, eh?
”Refusing to e to do, Kidou-kun”
But the diary Natsukaaving in front of me was unmistakably mine
”Quite the child during middle school? It's drastically different from the top student you are now Or perhaps deep inside you're still the same?”
”Give Give it back!”
”Unlikely”
Natsukawa turned around swiftly
”Hurry and give it back! There's a lot of bad things inside that diary!”
”Rest assured I have already scanned everything and stored it inside my computer”
”Huuuuuuuuuuuuh?!”
”Though, security such as all necessary antivirus and firewalls are installed, there's still a chance it could be accidentally leaked out The internet world is very scary I've heard that when uploaded to the internet, so will last there forever”
I knelt down on my knees
They say your sights turn black when in despair Looked like it's real
In front of my eyes it was pitch black
Over
My life is all over—
”Then, I'd like to hear you answer again”
As the absolute do voice came down from the skies
”Kidou Eita-kun, will you by my 'boyfriend'?”
”D-Demon!”
”Ah, there see with my ears Could this be the premonition of a computer virus attack?”
”Yesyesyesyesyesyesyesyes! I'll do it! I agree to become Natsukawa-san's 'boyfriend'!”
”Then from now on please call me Masuzu[9]”
Masuzu slyly winked
She looked so adorable How enraging
”Let's go hoain tomorrow I love you, Eita-kun~”
◊
Back then, when ht and I was still in a common fa high school, had a cos
Wanted to attract attention
Wanted to be different from other people
In general, I liked some minute (I personally think aweso in an extraordinary life', showing off all sorts of weird postures copied froas
Later on, I heard that this is the so called 'Eighth Grade Syndrome'[10]
The me different from other people?
An unusual me?
How foolish
You have no idea how valuable it was to be average
Being able to eat an average e family—
You have no idea
◊
Back ho I did was to turn the cupboard inside out
”Gone”
The illustrated anione
All the Indian elephants, the white palone
Whichthe truth—
”AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH—”
And so began the intriguing 'boyfriend-girlfriend' relationshi+p between Natsukawa Masuzu and me
Post-Chapter Extra
Masuzu: ”Speaking of which, did you loves in the end?”
Eita: ”I loves”
Masuzu: ”Ohhh”
Eita: ”Then used a red marker and wrote the word 'ANNIHILATE'[11] on the knuckles”
Masuzu: ”Ohhhhhhhh”
Translator notes and references
Ju ”people that are well accomplished in their social life”
Juuards the entrance or the inner shrine of many japanese shi+nto shrines [1]
Juh, can h at Eita's denseness
Jump up↑ This is a fourth wall joke, where Masuzu takes the roll of the narrator and Eita's latter ”butting in”
Jump up↑ Tsukkomi: Tsukkomi is a part of ”manzai” or stand-up comedy, where one acts the part of the fool (boke) and the tsukkomi corrects him [2]
Jump up↑ Called Fundoshi+ [3]
Jump up↑ Sins are called ”Ore no Karma” here, probably a pun of ”Ore no Cosmos” of Kurumada's work
Jump up↑ From here on in the series referred to as ”Note”
Ju each other by their first na very close in japan
Ju in a phase where they think to live in a dark world or sirade
Jump up↑ Annihilate: It's a wordplay, he wrote ”destroy” (滅) on one hand and ”ether as 滅殺 they become ”annihilate”