Chapter 196No, It's Not A Date
[Do you guys want to see it? Should I take a picture of it? Should I take a picture of it?]
[Stop it!]
[Don't you dare!]
[That's disgusting.]
Their concerns eventually turned into insults, and I told them that I was fine, with the feeling that I wouldn't hesitate to provide evidence. From the start, I was caught out. As usual, the insults from the girls really offended me. I felt like the drug effect had worn off in an instant. Ouch ouch ouch ouch...
As if they wanted to corner me, photos of my friends enjoying the Cultural Festival disbanding party were sent to the class chat group on my smartphone screen. I'm glad that they had a good time. I'm glad that I didn't make everyone feel depressed because of me. I mean, I'm a little sad, but instead of just photos, could you guys send me a video too... ...at least so I can feel the atmosphere.
"...Huh...?"
I was on the bed, and in my bedroom, it was quiet, and still, in contrast to the crowds depicted by the photos. While lying on my back and listening intently, I could hear the sound of a car passing somewhere in the distance. I gently placed my right hand that was holding my smartphone on the bed, so as not to accidentally take out my left hand. I wonder why this happened....
"...Um."
My smartphone started vibrating even though the class chat group on my smartphone screen was still open. Did someone call me...?
I raised my forearm, which strangely seemed to defy gravity, and turned my gaze to the screen of my smartphone.
"...!? Natsuka buhu-!?" (TL Note: Actually: "Natsukawa!?", truncated due to surprise.)
Surprised by the name that appeared on the screen, I let go of my smartphone from my hand. It fell right on the tip of my nose and scattered stardust in my field of vision. I see... ...Is this what's called a bad day? I finally came to terms with it. I was the mastermind behind all this...
"N-Nafuhawa..." (TL: Originally: "N-Natsukawa...", again this is because of the shock.)
I don't wonder why she called me. Come to think of it, even back then, when I was still clinging to her, she was so worried about me that she went out of her way to find out from Yamazaki where my home address was and visit me. That's the pure kindness of the Natsukawa I know.
I managed to lift my upper body using only my abdominal muscles while holding my nose, I picked up my smartphone and ran my fingers across the screen.
"H-Hello — Eh?"
Natsukawa's beautiful face appeared on my smartphone screen as I had just started picking up the call and was about to bring my smartphone to my ear. I screamed out loud as I saw the unexpected video call. I hurriedly held my phone in front of me and my right hand turned into a bloody selfie stick. On my smartphone screen, I could see Natsukawa with a worried expression on her face.
"─How are you?"
[That's my line!]
[Sad news:] Natsukawa is angry.
No matter what I think, I did use the wrong line. ...But I couldn't think of the right answer either. The best answer would be "What can I do for you?", or I thought "What's wrong and why are you calling me?", but I could only imagine Natsukawa being angry. I probably don't have time right now...
"I'm sorry, did I make you worry?"
[Yeah, ...you make me worry! When I went back to the classroom, you weren't there, and then a senpai I didn't recognize took your luggage... ...and said that you were on your way to the hospital...]
"..."
I can see my eyebrows drooping. After all, Natsukawa is Natsukawa. A kind, caring, and cute girl. She's so perfect that I almost doubt my reality. In fact, it's possible that I've been in VRMMO* for three years. I made an idealized existence like hers seem sad. I hesitated and hesitated about what to tell her again, and moreover, I didn't think I could tell her the story as it was.
(TL Note: This is a reference to the LN/Manga/Anime series: Sword Art Online. VRMMO stands for Virtual Reality Massively Multiplayer Online, which is a virtual reality multiplayer video game capable of supporting hundreds or thousands of players simultaneously.)
[...Are you okay?]
Staring at me from the screen of her smartphone, Natsukawa stared slightly down the camera position. When I feel like being stared at like that, it makes me sad. I couldn't help but turn my gaze away from her, even though I wasn't making direct eye contact with her.
[Hey, let me take a closer look.]
"Oh, yeah...?"
I was a bit annoyed and was in a hurry to show my hand again. Is it something she should see that much? What part of my face does she look at often? ...I'm curious about her point of view regarding this examination. I'll focus on that next time. I wonder how she would react if I suddenly put on a satisfied face...
[Kya...!]
"...!"
As my heart pounded at the thought of that dangerous thing, someone behind her hugged Natsukawa on the other side of her smartphone screen tightly. Her smartphone vibrated and the video on my smartphone screen was interrupted. I couldn't see the culprit's face, but it turned out to be Ashida. It's Ashida, isn't it? At least if she wasn't a girl, I'm sure that I would have fainted by now. Come on...!
[I caught the culprit who monopolized Sajocchi!]
[K-Kei! ...! M-Monopolizing him... ...it's...!]
[Hello—, Sajocchi. Are you okay...? Why are you stroking your chest?]
[Oh, that hand of yours...!]
My whole being was relieved that the hug between these two best friends was over. I'm not sure what happened to the other girls, but at least I was relieved that it wasn't sexual harassment forced on me by those b*stards. However, my relief was short-lived, because they saw my left hand, which was wrapped in a bandage. But fortunately it was on the back of my hand.
"No, you see, this is exactly like the one I posted in the class chat group. I messed up while cleaning up after myself during the Cultural Festival."
[Your hand was accidentally punctured?]
"Yeah, yeah, the tool is this big, then tap." (TL Note: Tap: Sound effect of being punctured.)
[Ugh...]
The two of them must have been imagining the moment of my injury, and immediately after muttering, they closed their eyes, and made faces as if they were trying to endure it. I'm sorry for making you worry, my babies. Now I can kiss the screen of my smarphone. ...No, there's no need, I don't want to create a new dark history in my life.
(TL Note: His harem vibe is starting to come out.)
[Um, are you sure that you're okay? Aren't there any side effects or something...?"]
"I'm not too sure, though."
[I see...]
[I wish you a speedy recovery!]
"Yeah, I hope so..."
I still felt embarrassed for making them worry so much. I told them that I'm fine right now, and I won't disturb the two of them who are enjoying the disbanding party. I wanted them to enjoy the party as much as I was.
"Thank you, okay. You guys are at the karaoke bar right now, right? I'm sorry if I interrupted your fun, okay?"
[Eh? Wait.]
"You can't chat with me all the time, okay. So Ashida, please send me the video of Natsukawa singing."
[Eh? Who recorded that earlier?]
[W-Wait a second! I'm being recorded! Hey!]
"Kukuku!"
Ashida, had moved away from Natsukawa and disappeared from my smartphone screen. Ashida seemed to have returned to the karaoke room before Natsukawa realized. Natsukawa, who was unable to catch up with her, gave up trying to hold her back, then she sighed and glared at me with a troubled look.
[You seem to have a lot of free time.]
"I'm sorry, okay."
[Gosh...]
Natsukawa blushed and averted her eyes, probably recalling the fact that she had been recorded singing. I see, she was singing, ...I wish I could listen their singing live, ...I'm really sorry that I had to get injured like this.
[...Will you be able to go to school later?]
"I'm already feeling better. So I can go to school later, I can go. Perhaps."
[It's because you're so optimistic, though...]
How many times have I seen her stunned face like this? I'm sure that I'm already comparable to Airi-chan. I feel that her expression has softened since this call first started. It seems that I was finally able to reconfirm her through this video call.
"Please tell everyone that I'm fine. It would be more reassuring if Natsukawa or Ashida send my regards."
[Yeah... W-Wait a second. ...Do you want me to tell everyone that I just called Wataru...?]
"Yeah, please do me a favor. I don't want you to take me seriously."
[Um, yeah..., it's true, I don't take you seriously either. ─ Oh, yeah, about Ichinose-san...]
"U-Um? Ichinose-san?"
I unconsciously asked the name that suddenly came out of Natsukawa's mouth. As her former senpai at her part-time job, as her spiritual father and as the guardian spirit that replaced her big bro, I couldn't help but worry about her. I wonder if Ichinose-san is also singing at the karaoke bar. ...I'd like to listen her too.
[Ichinose-san..., she didn't come to this disbanding party.]
"Oh, is that so?"
[She said she has a part-time job...]
Shirai-san and Okamocchan will try to get her to join them by all means. ...But I don't think she likes noisy places like karaoke bars. It's not hard to imagine that she'd be reluctant to come. Is it still too early for Ichinose-san to come to a noisy place like this... ...um? Ichinose-san, huh?
"...Oh."
[...?]
"Tomorrow, this weekend, I got a date promise with Ichinose-san."
[Wh-What!? A date?]
"No, you remember, we were going bookshelf shopping together. That time, Ashida said that she wanted to come with you too."
[Oh...]
Bookshelf, shopping, date, um... ...it might be a bit difficult with the current condition of my left hand. The possibility that I can go to school later, is also based on the assumption that I'll get plenty of rest tomorrow. I felt uncomfortable with my sore left hand to Ichinose-san all day, and I could see a scene where I would make her worry.
[...I see. So that's why Ichinose-san was looking for Wataru this afternoon...]
"Eh?"
[Hey... ...Wataru. You should call Ichinose-san later, too! Ootsuki-sensei was explaining about your condition this afternoon and she was acting a bit strange...]
"O-Oh, yeah... Okay, I see."
[Don't forget about it, okay?]
Ichinose-san, huh...? ...Of course, it seems that she'll be even more worried than usual, if she finds out that I was injured and rushed to the hospital. I should apologize to her properly, including for the fact that tomorrow's date will be difficult.
[I-I mean it...]
"Hmm?"
[Wh-Why did you bother calling it a "date"? It's just "going together", because you're just going to shop for bookshelf and nothing else, right?]
"Uh."
I-I guess you could say that, ...No, no, a boy and a girl who know each other very well, going out together in casual clothes on the weekend. There's no mistaking it, it's definitely a date. I didn't call it like that in front of her because Ichinose-san would show a slightly shy expression and hide her face to look cute. I'm sure it's not just because she's cute.
(TL Note: The MC awares that he's already making some girl blush.)
[A-Are there any other things you guys want to do!?]
"I-I didn't plan anything! We're going out together, a boy and a girl, so it can already be called a date!"
[You're just going out to play, right!? It's like you're just going shopping together, am I right?]
"O-Of course it can already be called a "date", you know!?"
[First of all, a date is not based on "that kind of relationship". C-Could it be that you have misunderstood?]
"Oh, how dare you..."
N-No, there's no need to continue...! No need to continue this conversation, Ms. Natsukawa! You've thrust the sharp naginata called reality into this boy's innocence! And saying that in front of the boy you rejected yourself is too much. Why are you so much more emotional like this than when you rejected my confession...?
"I-It doesn't matter what you call it, though... I can't go out for a date tomorrow either... ...because I'm injured and it's D-1. Whether it's a date or not, the point is that I can't go with her tomorrow..."
[Oh, hey, wait a minute. Don't say those weird swear words.]
Hey, I'm a naughty boy who once made a girl who was trying to be independent, kneel down and I'm a disgusting boy who called hanging out with this girl a "date". This is the punishment I deserve. My left hand was trembling.
"Please tell Ashida that I don't go — You two go shopping together."
[I didn't go that far...]
"I don't know if I can postpone it, but maybe next time. I'll discuss this with Ichinose-san."
[Eh...? Does that mean we'll be going out together again next time too?]
"No, I already rejected her for my own reasons, so I should make up for it, right? So, if she says "just the two of us" is enough, that's how it will be."
[I-I see...]
If I'm not mistaken, Ichinose-san's reason for taking me shopping together was 'Because I can't talk to the salesperson if I go alone.'. ...And now that I think about it, it really didn't seem like a date. ...As long as it was an acquaintance of hers, not necessarily me, she probably would have invited them. ...Ugh...
[Earlier... ...it's not just Ichinose-san who...]
"Yeah, then, we call it a day. Natsukawa and the others please enjoy the disbanding party. See you guys at school the day after tomorrow."
[Eh, wait... Wait—.]
Toot. (TL Note: The sound of the phone call was disconnected.)
Author's Note: Examination/Inspection?
TL Note: Author teased us again about the future love rivalry? 🤔 I think so!
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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