Chapter 162Sensitive
The day before the Cultural Festival started, there were no classes and this day was focused on being a preparation day for the Cultural Festival. Although our class, Class 1-C, used our classroom to prepare for the riddle competition, the whole school was used for the Cultural Festival. All students and school members worked together to move the benches and tables to the gymnasium and other locations.
"The Drama Club are really amazing. They can create a stage."
"Usually, they don't have an Art Director like those in television stations. They have to set up everything themselves, including lights and microphones, to play a role."
I learned about the situation of the Drama Club when I helped out with the Cultural Festival Executive Committee. Even though it was the middle of fall, the boys forgot how cold it was for a short time, as most of the tasks involved transporting things. Although we had completed most of our tasks, but when we returned to the classroom, the students, including me, flopped and rolled on the floor while wearing their black T-shirts.
"I think it's rather refreshing when I see Sajocchi in black..."
"Don't say that to me as if I were black."
"Dark Sajocchi."
"Hmm, it's been a while since you've been a bit bored, hasn't it?"
As I leaned against the wall because I was too tired to pay attention to the girls, Ashida, who was wearing her fall uniform and yellow knitted fabric, came over to me and started making small talk to me without any effort. She thrust her finger into my hip while saying something that didn't really matter. Over there, there was Hashimoto, the Manager of the Baseball Club, handing a hand towel to Yasuda, who was also a member of the Baseball Club, who was tired and spreading romantic vibes while saying, "Good job!". Hey, this is so creepy, oh!
Natsukawa was away at the Cultural Festival Executive Committee meeting and I, who wasn't a member like her, was left here to do preparatory work for my class. There's Ishiguro-paisen, the Prince of the Daytime Drama World, so there shouldn't be any problems. No, in fact, Gou-senpai does seem to have that kind of appearance... ...He does look like he could play a good detective, but he also looks like he could play a villain, he does look like he's a strict person, but he also looks like he could have an affair with the hostess.
Ashida (often) complains to me about lack of Natsukawa's ingredients. You little...! Of course I'm sure that I still don't have enough either...! That's good, isn't it, for you, if Natsukawa were here, you'd probably jump straight to her! Whereas I can only replenish my energy supply with the scent left after Natsukawa passed by...!
Although I think it's crazy, my faith seems to have made Ashida nervous. Ever since the two of us talked about Natsukawa's birthday, Ashida hasn't asked me about birthday gifts at all. I can't forget the look on her face back then. That girl must have kept it a secret because it was a taboo. Is that okay? Please feel free to use my opinion as a reference.
"Hey, look, look! When you press this button, the buzzer will ring and sound like 'ping-pong'! Isn't that great?"
"Oh. What's that? It's like a liftable hat with a question mark when connected."
"It can be lifted, but the force of the force will separate the entire hat from your head. I attached a neck strap and tried it out, and it turned out to be disgusting so I took it off."
"That's really scary."
The number of participants in the riddle competition was limited to five at a time, so the participants were assumed to be kids who came to our high school. Hurting someone's neck in a riddle contest would be the only big problem. That's right, you did the right thing to let it go.
"Then, I will ask Sajocchi a question."
"Why are you saying that all of a sudden?"
Ashida suddenly want to ask a question while we were sitting around, after we had finished our tasks first. Actually, this was the latest trend in my class. Girls in particular had the task of preparing riddles, so they had a large supply of them. I've probably answered at least 20 questions in the past few days, and my mind is definitely feeling soft and flexible right now.
"What kind of event is it that requires you to kiss a thousand times?"
"K-K-K-K-Kiss a thousand times...?"
"No, you're too nervous. Don't look at me with those shocked eyes, you're scaring me."
No, I must have been too surprised by the question before I even thought of the answer. I felt so nervous. This was a surprise event even for ItteQ*. Even the person who enlivened this Cultural Festival the most would give the response, "Eh!!?", we'll know it when we see it. I know that's a very dangerous leading question.
(TL Note: ItteQ is a variety and quiz show on NTV, one of the television series in Japan).
"...Is this in America?"
"No, it's a riddle. There's no location or anything like that. It's not like an event at the American Club or something."
While I don't think it is possible in Japan, it is possible in the United States of America, where the possibilities are endless. That country would expand as far as possible if it were possible by human power.
"A thousand times... ...A thousand times... ...A thousand times? Kiss a thousand times?"
Gosh... ...Usually I can think of something a bit smarter, but I was so nervous that I couldn't think of anything clearly. I imagined her lips pressed together that looked like a wrung-out rag with a screw in it.
"Alright, here's a hint. What else is count as a kiss but that?"
"A peck on the lips?"
"Eh, you're disgusting."
"Why, though?"
Aren't you the one asking me that? Eh? A kiss when translated linguistically is a peck on the lips, right? Or, in European terms, baiser? I'm not wrong with that, am I? There's no reason for me to be called disgusting, right? That's Ashida's way of greeting me, right?
Calm down. A peck on the lips, baiser... ...a thousand times. Eh, it was done a thousand times? No, the frequency was so unreasonable that I couldn't think straight. Even a kisser guy would give up halfway through. I think my lips will turn black from too many kisses.
"Give me another hint."
"Eh, do you need more? This question is pretty easy even for a kid."
Don't tell the kids that this was an event where they were required to kiss them a thousand times. What if they believed that this was not just a riddle, but that it actually existed in the real world? From Natsukawa's point of view, this is definitely a riddle that should not be done. No, wait a minute, if you were a Sister Infinity - or Sisty for short — on Natsukawa's level, she might expect help from Airi-chan. Yes, I want her to do that.
"Th-Then... ...what kind of sound is heard and produced when we kiss?"
"What does a kiss... ...sounds like?"
Eh, what does a kiss sound like... ...I was thinking of something like gently touching each other. It's not like we can't produce sound with a kiss of that level? You just said that kissing can produce sound...? ...I can only think of something that can be described clearly. Eh? Am I the only one with a heart like an adult? Am I already an adult...?
"Hey, what's with that rather shy look and face? And there's something that makes me feel a bit embarrassed too! I was just giving you hints!"
"So, then, according to your hints, what kind of kiss makes a sound?"
"Hu-Huh? That's not what I meant. You're such a pervert, Sajocchi!"
"No, no, Ashida said that first, didn't you?"
"Sound effects! It's just sound effects! How can a riddle be so realistic?"
"You should have said that from the start, I would have imagined things!"
"Stop that! I'm imagining it too!"
Even though we were just friends who often joked around with each other, it was still a normal thing for a boy and a girl to do, and whatever made this awkward was still awkward. I mean, even though we sometimes talked about our views on love in a cocky way, we didn't have much tolerance for it. I've never seen Ashida wave her hand like this before.
Let's get back to the question... ...Sound effects, sound effects, huh? A thousand times... ...Oh, I get it now.
"That's it, the answer is 'lottery'*. Because you said the sound effect of kissing a thousand times."
(TL Note: Lottery: Chūsenkai, Kiss a thousand times: Kisu senkai, Chū: Kiss sound effect.)
"Exactly. Sajocchi must have a dirty mind, huh?"
"I was even more surprised that Ashida was more innocent than I thought. Your face got so red from blushing."
"Shut up!"
As I tried to provoke her, Ashida ran away from next to me, probably because she didn't want me to see her face again.
It was rather thrilling to see Ashida, who had the image of being a tough girl in a Sports Club and also a top girl, turn out to be so shy. Maybe I feel that I'm a bit like the S* type. Aren't I too innocent for an unattractive guy to be an S type?
(TL Note: You know, there's an S type, an M type, and so on.)
♦
"...Have you done anything to Kei?"
"I don't remember doing anything to her."
In the afternoon, the Cultural Festival Executive Committee meeting seemed to be over, and Natsukawa returned to classroom to tell me that the work we had been working on had finally been completed. She felt a bit more refreshed, as she had been a bit confused and disturbed by the fact that they had to part ways in the middle of the Cultural Festival. But more than that, Natsukawa and I talked about how we had been (the following is omitted).
After talking for a while, Natsukawa began to look around her. This gesture is a common one. She often did this when she was looking around for Ashida when she wasn't in her seat or something. I was jealous of her, but I also wanted to be looked for by Natsukawa.
I also became curious, and looked around me to look for her. Ashida would usually smell Natsukawa's scent. — Her normal deviant routine was to jump towards Natsukawa when she sensed signs of her presence. Personally, I do envy her, but on the other hand, I don't mind Ashida taking a more drastic approach. What about me!? I want to see something stronger! I want to see it too!
As I searched for her by looking around me, to my surprise, I immediately found her. Ashida, who was glaring at me with a triangular mouth while sitting on the teacher's desk that would be used as the MC's desk, noticed me and tried to stay away from me. If she was going to get away from me, that meant she couldn't get close to Natsukawa who was right in front of me.
Natsukawa sensed something and started questioning me while poking my stomach with the tip of the clear file she was holding. It's really bad that someone is looking at me with curiosity and suspicion from the front like that — Oh, it hurts, it hurts more than I thought, oh...!
"Ashida gave me a strange hint to a riddle earlier, and when I teased her, she sulked, you know?"
"Didn't you do anything to her?"
"Ouch, oh!"
Natsukawa's hand attacking me intensified, probably because she felt sad that Ashida didn't greet her. The tip of the clear beam pierced my T-shirt and it hurt. I never thought that there would come a time when Natsukawa would hurt me like this. Be patient, me... ...don't make my voice loud... ...If I shout for joy and feel happy in this situation, my meager feelings of joy will skyrocket and fall to the bottom of the Earth...!
"...You two have been having fun together without me, huh."
"..."
Natsukawa turned her head away and muttered. Her voice was so quiet that if it wasn't for me being nearby, I would have missed it. I don't know what I should say to reply to the words she said to me with such a sullen look on her face. Do you think it would be more appropriate if I didn't reply? After all, girls are so hard to understand... ...I never thought that I would make two girls sulk in such a short time.
"Then, I have a question for you, Natsukawa."
"Eh?"
"What event requires us to kiss a thousand times?"
"...Eh!? K-K-K-K-Ki...?
"...Heh?"
This question had quite an impact, to the point that it surprised me as well. Based on Ashida's standard that said there should be nothing for me to be worry about, so I even said so to Natsukawa, but she was surprised, but her face became redder than I thought and she started to feel panic.
"Wh-What the heck are you talking about...? ...Gosh!"
"Eh, wait a minute!"
She pushed and pressed against my chest, as if she was pressing a clear file against my body. In such a short time, all I could think of was Natsukawa running out of the classroom while fanning her face.
"...Eh?"
I hadn't even given her any hints. But still, it seemed to be a very stimulating riddle for Natsukawa. I think I now understand why it was removed from the list of riddle questions to be used in tomorrow's competition.
When I looked over at Ashida, she was staring at me blankly, as if to say, "Serves you right!".
Author's Note:
[Ashida?]: "Bleh!"
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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