Chapter 57Invitation
Although I managed to overcome the problem of my cold this summer and recovered in the spirit of reuniting with Natsukawa, I struggled mightily to catch up with some subjects, so my suffering was still not completely over. Math was really bad...
As I approached lunchtime with half of my spirit about to come out of my mouth in a state of exhaustion, I suddenly regained consciousness after being jolted violently behind me. It seems that Ashida, who was sitting behind me, kicked the bottom of my seat. Hey, don't laugh at me like that, Ashida. I won't lend you my notebook... -Hey, why are you so strong!? Why are you so stubborn about wanting me to lend you my notebook!?
I said 'Gyaa' and got a 'shut up' reply from a baseball boy near me, and suddenly realized that I hadn't bought lunch yet. Ashida hugged my notebook with a sigh and stood up with a coin in her hand.
By the time I left the classroom, the girls carrying very mini lunchboxes had already eaten their lunches in rows in their respective groups. The largest group, made up of normies, surrounded Natsukawa — Natsukawa, for some reason, I began to see her as a teacher.
I told Ashida that "I'll buy some random thing today", and went to the cafeteria. I bought some rare sweet buns at a stall on the corner, paid the bill, and looked for an affordable place to eat lunch. I didn't want to eat outdoors in this kind of heat...
"Ah, here!"
"Eh?"
It's been hot lately, so I tried to take shelter in another corner of the cafeteria──but I ran into the members of the Inatomi Appreciation Club (temporary name) instead. I mean, whenever I find a place, I'm always quickly spotted by them. I found myself sitting with them... and I don't mind that much, you know? I smell something good right now. But you know, look at the stares of everyone around us...
"Um, ..., you girls dragged me in for a reason, right? Otherwise, how would you girls get involved with me to this extent, I guess..."
"Eh, you think so?"
Yeah, don't you think so, Inatomi-senpai...?
Across the wall, I was made to sit on one of the four benches, with my other side blocked by Mita-senpai, making it impossible for me to escape. Inatomi-senpai, who was sitting across from me, smiled at me, wondering what I was eating. The first time I met her, I guess it must have been difficult..., but we didn't even talk much, so why was she looking at me with such glitter?
"How did you get such a good impression of her...? Did you use some kind of paid item?"
"It's not fair, Sajou."
"I doubt you'll understand what I'm saying?"
Inatomi-senpai's childhood friend, Mita-senpai, narrowed her eyes in envy. Shinomiya-senpai also complained, but her face said, "What are paid items anyway?" If I could buy such items in real life, I would have bought them, no matter how expensive they were. I would have bought them even if I had to pay in installments.
"I heard from Rin-san. Is your fever okay now?"
"Yeah, I'm fine now."
I was almost fine, but I took two days off from school to take care of myself. I rested and played games, hehe.
I couldn't hide my confusion at the petite senpai who was chuckling about how happy she was looking at me. She was wiggling her red ribbon and it was so cute, but what should I do? Should I look down? The two people next to me and the one across me were looking at me like I was crazy. I don't want to die, so can you stop smiling at me so easily?
"Mmm! Now, I have a reason why I bothered to drag you here. I wanted to talk to you earlier, but unfortunately, you got sick."
"Huh...?"
Perhaps switching to serious mode, Shinomiya-senpai began to exude the same vibes of the President of the Disciplinary Committee as when we first met. Instantly, the atmosphere turned into a job interview, you know? I'm scared, I just want to leave here as soon as possible.
"I'll just get to the point — Why don't you join the Disciplinary Committee?"
"Huh...?"
Unexpectedly, a strange voice came out of me. I looked at the other three at the unexpected suggestion. Mita-senpai stared at Inatomi-senpai and was mesmerized, while the petite senpai I talking about smiled contentedly without looking anywhere. Hey, hey, aren't you guys interested? I want to go to that realm too, you know?
"I'm not very interested in that organization."
"My term will end this fall, but when I was asked to attract members to the Disciplinary Committee, we still lacked enough male kouhai. There are quite a few girls, but I feel like they're just there for fun."
"Ah, and you can see there are some ulterior motives. They see the Disciplinary Committee as the symbol of status."
Are you ignoring my indirect message of rejection? At the very least, can you not give me a tsukkomi? It's still good that it's not too smooth, but I'm starting to feel uncomfortable. I'm not sure if it's fair that Mita-senpai is joining in on this conversation, especially at a time like this... Minimum-senpai, I'm being treated like this because you're looking at me so happily!
So, does that mean you're sure you're gonna let me join? It's only been three months since I enrolled in this high school, so I don't feel appropriate to do it, but it seems that this high school will be full of events in the second semester. Once the School Culture Festival starts and the weather gets colder, the high school will be busy with these two things, but the students in club activities and the committee will be even busier. It's a hassle, and what's more, the Discipline Committee will be a heavy load of work.
"It was at that moment that your face appeared in my mind. As Kaede's younger brother, I can trust you, and I want you to support the Discipline Committee like you did when you gave me some advice."
"But it starts in the second semester, doesn't it?"
"Ah, yeah, so I want you to think about that from now on. The Disciplinary Committee wants you to join."
Ugh, that was such a passionate love call...! Has there ever been a time when I was so desired? Deep down, my love-hungry inner self started saying, "If you guys insist, ....!" Well, if you want it that badly, I'll accept it...
"Please to be with you, Sajou-ku..."
"Eeeh...?"
"Kya...!"
Just as I was about to give in to the feeling of not wanting to bother to avoid more trouble, Inatomi-senpai, who was sitting across me, suddenly bent down and shook my hand. I was so surprised that I unintentionally let out a strange loud and withdrew my hand. Soon after, Inatomi-senpai smiled understandingly and looked sad.
"Sajou... ...you b*stard."
"Hey... ...you."
"Uh, ouch... ouch... ouch — Ah?"
"Eh? Sajou-kun...!"
Two senpai-s who turned into Hannya* within seconds. I was too scared to explain myself and immediately grabbed Inatomi-senpai's hand. I wrapped my hand around hers and when I felt a soft little touch, I realized that I had poured oil into the fire.
(TL Note: Hannya is a mask used in Japanese Noh theater, representing a jealous female demon.)
"Ah, no, this...!"
"S-Sajou-kun, ...Y-You're so strong..."
"Sajou..."
"Grrrr..."
Shinomiya-senpai's voice seemed to hold a grudge. Mita-senpai became a Kempo master and began to improve her Kung Fu skills. The atmosphere started to get tense. Eh? Uh, Is it allowed for a member of the Disciplinary Committee to do this kind of thing?
"U-Um! I still feel dizzy, so-."
I never thought that the day would come when I would be head-locked and leg-kicked by two female senpai-s at the same time.
♦
"Your mouth was opened."
"...The beauty bureau."
"What is this all of a sudden!?"
There was still a bit of lingering pain, tension in the neck, and a lingering soft sensation on the side of my head. The latter in particular did not disappear easily even after I returned to the classroom. Mita-senpai... ...I'll never be able to forget it. The happiness of that soft sensation alone outweighs the pain.
As I recalled the events of a few minutes ago, Natsukawa passed in front of me and called out to me. I was so dumbfounded, and I unconsciously said something strange. She looked at me with a very surprised look, and I almost fell in love with her again. I was already falling in love with her.
"Wh-What do you mean, 'the beauty bureau' from just now!?"
Sorry, I'm just letting out some random things.
Natsukawa was very angry. Despite that, she was still a bit concerned about me because I'd been sick for a while. I think she's overreacting because I just have a common cold, but even if I who fell unconscious and got sick excessively because of a common cold say so, there's no persuasive power in it. Also, please don't say 'I'll hold you' to me, a guy, while I'm cleaning. Yamazaki will look at me with a smirk on his face, and I'll be mentally drained as well.
"Ah, I mean... ...that you're that pretty?"
"What does that mean...?"
Natsukawa put her hands on her waist and turned around in a huff. I couldn't help but notice her "I can't take it anymore" expression, it was a good one. This was the first time I saw Natsukawa in her summer uniform, and I couldn't help but notice her white skin that stretched from the short sleeves of her shirt. I couldn't stop my heart from pounding. Pounding? Oh no, did I catch a cold again...?
"You, this..."
As I acted suspiciously and couldn't avoid her gaze, Natsukawa approached me, staring at my stool with a dumbfounded expression.
"Wh-What...?"
"You..., why is your hair a bit messy?"
"Ah...?"
Is my hair a bit messy? Because my head has been locked by Mita-senpai - Mita-senpai... ...that soft sensation... ... hehe... ...Oh, man, I'm sure I'll get arrested just because of my current facial expression. I can't show this expression to Natsukawa. I'll look down while smoothing my hair to distract her.
"Ah, never mind, just keep quiet."
"Heh...?"
As I straightened my hair with a hand comb, Natsukawa held my hair with both hands in a voice that seemed to say she was annoyed. I wondered if my hair was still messed up, and she held it back as if to pat me in several places. After my hair was organized, she let go of my hair with a satisfied voice while saying, "Okay".
"Alright, it's done."
"Ah, yeah. That."
"What?"
...Uh, is it a normal feeling? What, don't you think there's something wrong with it? We're a boy and a girl. Aren't we at an age where we're more worried about touching each other? If that's the case, is it okay to ask her to do that every day? No, of course, it's no good. Natsukawa is not the type of girl to sell her body so easily like that. If she doesn't have a strong defense, I might not like her.
"5,000 yen, is that okay?"
"I don't need that."
Uh, it's free! ...? Are you sure? So you're the type of girl who does that unconsciously? That's how girls are! Maybe she was too influenced by Ashida! She's the kind of girl who likes to eat and attracted boys unconsciously! I'm not going to wash my hair today, d*mmit!
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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