Chapter 158Whose is She?
It was time for the lunch break, so I took out the lunchbox I bought at the convenience store from my bag. As I got up from my seat and looked at Ichinose-san, I noticed a sharp look from in front of me.
I-It's hard to go...
Ashida sat on her seat, facing the front, facing me with her eyes half-closed. She didn't seem to like me very much because I didn't come with her, even though the two of us (Ichinose-san and I) had planned to have lunch outside during our lunch break on this pleasant day. As proof, Ashida sent me tons of Moai 🗿 emojis through her message. What kind of emotional expression is that? The fact that they were emojis instead of stickers made it seem serious. Gosh... ...Ashida's face gradually became more and more like she had been chiseled.
I couldn't turn my head to the right. I wonder how Natsukawa looked at me sitting right in front of her... A disgusted look? Is she looking at me with a disgusted look? Eh, Natsukawa looked at me with a disgusted look. Isn't that rare? I guess I have no choice but to turn my head to the right this time...?
—One glance only.
"..."
Wh-What's with that jealous and stern look...!?
I-It's so cute...! Although I've met her shocked face many times, this is the first time I've seen her give this kind of look...! Even I, an expert in the Natsukawa division, can't compare to this. I don't care about two-dimensional moe characters, who don't have a gaze like this! You in real life are the best!
"...What's wrong?"
"Heh!? Oh, no... ...I-It's nothing, never mind."
"...I see."
Gosh... ...What the heck is this...? ...How come I feel more excited than when someone treats me well? Don't people usually get hurt when they are treated badly? Did Big Sis train me mentally too well? A little mental damage is like a massage for me...? ...What the heck is this? Isn't that more suitable for a comedian...?
Although I did have a feeling of wanting something, I didn't want to put her in a bad mood unnecessarily. I wanted to rush straight to Ichinose-san and just get out of this classroom. If I let myself stay here too long, Ashida will start looking like a Moai 🗿.
"Oh — Hey!"
"Eh, Wh-What's wrong?"
"Well... ...Would it be okay if we all had lunch together?"
"Together — huh? Does that mean Ichinose-san, me, Natsukawa, and Ashida?"
"Y-Yeah..."
"..."
Together... —...Together... —Together...
It echoed in my head. Of course, it was voiced by Natsukawa. What's more, it wasn't imaginary, but it was directed at me. What if this was a soundproof room with no one in it? I'd probably be so happy that I'd be screaming, jumping up and down for joy, and crashing into the ceiling. On top of that, Natsukawa had started to show less disgust for me lately, and that was bad.
...Calm down. Just don't get too used to it. Even if Natsukawa doesn't mean any harm, it could be a trap. That's how a b*stard boy creates misunderstandings. Be a wise boy. I might get burned if I just nodded my head without thinking about it.
I tried to control the rising tension inside me and thought like a level-headed boy to stay calm.
First of all, there's Ichinose-san. I think she's getting used to serving customers from her part-time job experience, but that's just because she's in "work mode" and her shyness hasn't changed, I think. I don't think Natsukawa and Ashida would have said "No" if I had asked her first if they could join us, but they might not have been so positive about it...
Especially Ashida. She's not so loud that she makes others uncomfortable, but she's a cheerful person and gives off a positive impression. Ichinose-san probably knows that too, so I think she'll feel uncomfortable just being around Ashida. I wonder if she won't get used to me unless she gets involved in something else like her part-time job...
"Okay... ...I'll ask her first."
"I-I see..."
♦
"I'm already hungry~, my stomach kept rumbling during class."
"Eh—? I can't hear the sound of your stomach."
"Really? That's good, then."
"U-Um..."
As I rushed towards Ichinose-san's seat, she was already surrounded by Shirai-san and Okamocchan. Ichinose-san passed her words between the two of them as if to say something. I think I came too late for this... ...Even if I wait for her, Ichinose-san doesn't seem to come to me, and it seems like the two of them always come to her early. Dad almost cried because he currently has a friend who is very familiar with him like that — Eh, I'm not his dad, right?
Although it's said that when three girls get together, it's considered a gathering, I could feel the calmness of the three of them. Both Shirai-san and Okamocchan are the type of girls who laugh, and Ichinose-san is a very graceful girl and always smiling or keeping her mouth shut. No, I think it's a nice atmosphere... ...Honestly, I'm starting to feel that this is much better than her having lunch with me. I mean, please invite me here too.
"Eh? Sajou-kun?"
"Oh..."
"Oh— ...How about you girls stop first for today?"
"! N-No...!"
From a distance, Ichinose-san got up from her seat vigorously. Well, her movements are quite agile, and the experience she gained from her part-time job seems to be paying off. The day when I can afford to give her a part-time job training course is coming soon. First Form — Time card slash!
"E-Eh? What's wrong?"
"I have an appointment with Ichinose-san to have lunch together."
"Eh? I haven't heard anything about that?"
"We're sorry."
Okamocchan didn't seem to believe me, and I couldn't help but apologize to them (on Ichinose-san's behalf). I guess Okamocchan wanted Ichinose-san to be close to her... ...Okamocchan begged Ichinose-san to be her friend every day, but if she suddenly pulled Ichinose-san aside, I didn't care even if she complained to me. It reminds me of when I was in elementary school, every day when I was doing my homework, I once collected the remnants of an eraser and managed to make a beautiful eraser, then Big Sis threw it outside and yelled at me. When I tried to hit her, she slammed me into the ceiling and made me cry.
"Eh~, you can't. Mina-chan is mine, you know!?"
"No, she's mine."
"Eh?"
"Eh? Oh, I-I see...?"
She's mine!!! I also get annoyed when people say 'She's mine'. I don't think of her as mine, but the length of our relationship and how much she relies on me varies. Not as much as my opponents, Okamocchan and Shirai-san, who are Ichinose-san's friends, but when it comes to the matter of "who's closer to her?", I still feel we can't compromise on that.
"Well, I'll give her back to you girls soon, anyway. Why don't you set us free for today? Look, Sasaki seems to be free today, you know."
"Y-Yeah."
"Then, should we go now, Ichinose-san...? ...Ichinose-san?"
"Y-Yeayh..."
Eh... ...Is something wrong?
I had often seen Ichinose-san's flushed and agitated face in front of the customers back in the early days when we first met, so I pulled her hand and moved her a little farther away in the same way as I did back then. This sometimes happens in places I don't quite understand, so I let her calm down for a while.
"Are you okay? Ichinose-san?"
"Y-Yeah..."
I waited for Ichinose-san, who was trying to calm herself down with her hand placed on her chest. I wonder if there was ever a scene that made her so nervous... I don't want to hear it even if I ask her suddenly, so I'll wait for her until she calms down.
♦
"Ichinose-san, have you decided where we'll have lunch today...?"
"Oh... ...Um, in the reference room of the library..."
"The library... ...Oh, Ichinose-san is already a member of the Library Committee now, huh? I mean, aren't there any other Library Committee members from other classes there? Are we allowed to eat and drink there?"
"Um... ...We should be allowed to eat in the reference room... There is a senpai there, but she also brought someone close to her there..."
"I-I see..."
When I asked Ichinose-san, who seemed to have calmed down, she seemed to have decided on a place to eat. It was more secluded than I expected, so I couldn't hide my anxiety. Judging from Ichinose-san's demeanor, I'm guessing that this senpai of hers might be asking out her same-gender friend, even though she's close to her... If she suddenly invited someone of the opposite gender, wouldn't that be a bit of a different story?
"Oh, Um... ...You see, Ichinose-san."
"?"
"Um... ...I know you probably asked me there because there's something you want to talk to me about and confide in me. But, is it okay if I bring two other people with us too? If it's something that both of them don't want to hear, I'll tell them both, "Maybe, next time"."
"Eh... ...Um, who are those two?"
"Natsukawa and Ashida..."
"..."
Ichinose-san remained silent with her mouth half open. It's not like the two of them would do anything wrong, but it still feels very awkward. Was it a bad thing? Maybe it's the devil's work that Ichinose-san had to bring two other people with her, people she wasn't used to talking to, when we were supposed to just have lunch together, alone.
I don't think the library's reference room would be big enough to accommodate that many people, so I guess I should decline their requests. Come to think of it, the room was too small for me, a boy, to be alone and accompanied by three girls, so I was quite claustrophobic.
"Oh—... ...I guess the two of us are enough—"
"I-It's okay, though."
"Eh?"
"I-I also... want to talk to them once in a while..."
"Eh?"
Eh...? I-Ichinose-san wants to talk to both Natsukawa and Ashida? Did Ichinose-san voluntarily say that she wanted to talk to people she had never talked to before...? Does that mean we should prepare brown rice? I should also buy some sesame salt...!
"O-Okay. I'll tell them both."
"Y-Yeah..."
Ichinose-san... ...you've grown up... I almost started crying. I was worried that when we were in different classes in the second year, she might continue to read books alone all the time like before, but if it's like this, I don't have to worry anymore. I think you're getting used to Okamocchan and Shirai-san little by little, so I feel relieved.
"Natsukawa! Ichinose-san told me that it's okay if I bring you two with us — Natsukawa?"
"..."
When I got Ichinose-san's permission, I came back to Natsukawa, then Natsukawa turned her face slightly away from me with a slightly swollen face. When I looked out the window, she looked rather angry. She seemed to be in a bad mood. Ashida, who was right beside her, was holding her face as if she too had made a mistake.
"Eh? Ashida, did you fight with Natsukawa? You'd better apologize to her right away."
"Sajocchi... ...We've heard everything, okay?"
"Eh? Oh..."
...Oh?
TL Note: This chapter is the first chapter of the Seventh part/volume of the Web Novel version.
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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