Chapter 205
I Couldn't Just Let Him Go Alone Like That, Part 5
The Homeroom Session came to an end. Our homeroom teacher, Ootsuki-sensei, bemoaned the fact that she had to wear casual office clothes because the season was getting colder, but the Vice Principal gave her a stinging complaint. Being blamed by a man, Sensei left the classroom with a lot of sympathy from the students and a feeling of satisfaction.
"Ootsuki-chan, you must be among the youngest or the only child, huh?"
After six months of being Ootsuki-sensei's protégé, by this time all the students of Class 1-C had finally begun to understand how to get their homeroom teacher in a good mood. I talked to Aibe-san, who was sitting next to me while smiling wryly. I'd heard that she'd been made homeroom teacher for the first time this year after completing her duties as vice homeroom teacher and that she must be having a hard time. It reminded me of Dad who, at that time, had just changed his jobs and was busy before, when he came home, he repeatedly sipped his empty glass into his mouth without realizing it. I couldn't bear to look at him, so I poured him a drink.
During all her hard work, she would normally have a hard time dealing with her students, but Ootsuki-sensei naturally made her students pay attention to her, so I guess she did a good job of dealing with them. She was able to use her abilities as a woman in an appropriate way.
"Although we must eliminate the stress created by you, Sensei..."
"Don't say that, you're the one who's stressing us out, Sajou."
"Ugh..., yeah, th-that's probably true, huh..."
Wataru, who had just spoken lightly, was emphasized by Matsuda-kun and looked at his bandaged left hand as if he were unhappy. According to Ootsuki-sensei, one student was injured at the end of the School Cultural Festival due to negligence. I couldn't help but think that he must be feeling rather embarrassed.
"Alright, then let's both get perfect scores on the next test."
"Don't say that to me."
I scolded Wataru's big talk as if I had no sincerity. I'd heard the same line several times in the past, but I didn't feel the same enthusiasm for Wataru now as I had back then. The earnestness and straightforwardness that was once and very easy to understand was gone and I could no longer feel it, and he seemed to be slowly losing his control, which made me feel uncomfortable.
"Now...."
"Oh..."
Wataru quickly put the bag on his shoulder. Wataru, who did that without hesitation and thought, lifted the large bag on his shoulder.
"...Natsukawa?"
"T-Today, ugh..., do you have free time?"
"Oh, yeah..."
"So... ...then?"
"...Oh."
Wataru and I were in the same Go-Home Club and we often went home at the same time. We've been friends since middle school and we always go home in the same direction until halfway through. I don't need to say anything, I just need to walk beside him.
Is it my weakness that I always use the fact that I'm worried about Wataru's injury as an excuse? I did go home with him many times since the School Culture Festival, but I never directly said "Let's go home together". I couldn't help but say so indirectly, and I felt a bit guilty every time I walked beside him.
After dropping off Kei who had club activities with an annoyed and slightly smirking expression on her face, we changed our shoes and went outside to enjoy the breeze. The chill on my fingertips made me pull my hand back into the sleeve of my sweater, and I saw Wataru's unbandaged left hand walking slightly in front of me.
"Hey, your bag. Let me carry it for you."
"No, no need. You're strong too, huh... Natsukawa wants to carry my bag."
"Why are you holding back? You're injured, aren't you? It's better not to overload your hand so that your injury doesn't increase, or if you fall somewhere."
"Y-Yeah, that's true, though... ...I'm still a bit worried about how others will perceive us..."
"It's okay, never mind."
"Oh, hey, wait a minute...!"
Wataru carried his bag on his shoulder to the left of where he was injured. When I pulled the bag a bit harder, he immediately felt lighthearted. It was a cowardly way to take advantage of his weakness, but if I could help him, even if it was just a little, it didn't matter.
The bag that I received from Wataru and hugged with my arms deflated and air came out of it. It was still the same as when I touched the bag before, there were not too many things packed inside the bag.
"...As usual, huh, light."
"I left a few things that I could store in the classroom. Yeah, nothing more... ...than that."
"...?"
"...No, it's nothing."
I wish I could have been less shy because, after all, the bag wasn't that heavy. I guess the reason I retracted my words until I turned my face away was that I was still hesitant to carry this bag.
"Come on, let's go home."
"Ugh. ...Yeah, let's go."
Indeed, so many events happened after school recently. I forcefully led Wataru, who had no sense of security. How long can I continue like this? I wonder if it's okay for me to continue like this. After Wataru's injury healed, then...
"L-Long time no see, huh, Sajou-san?"
"Eh..."
It was a clear and firm voice that lifted me from my drowning thoughts. I think I had heard that tone of voice somewhere before, but it was somewhat quieter than I remembered. I looked towards the source of the voice and saw her blonde hair reflected in the landscape of the schoolyard this fall.
"Um, I'm pretty sure it's..."
"...Young Lady."
"Y-Young Lady?"
A female student who looked like a familiar young lady to me. The same as when I saw her on stage at the fashion show at the Cultural Festival earlier, her atmosphere suggested a world somewhat different from where she lived. She gave me a strong impression of sparkle, and I felt it was too presumptuous of me to describe her as an "ordinary girl".
I couldn't help but look at Wataru, who responded with a way of addressing her that wasn't contrived.
"Long time no see, huh? But isn't it better if we don't get in touch for a while...? It's for your good too."
"...Um... ...That's..."
"...?"
In response to Wataru's lighthearted reply and holding one of her hands, the winner of the Miss Kōetsu competition bowed her head.
That girl Wataru called "Young Lady" — Shinonome-Claudine Marika. When I saw her before, I was in the position of supporting her with an admiring gaze. That was not only the case for me and Kei, but also for Wataru. However, it seems that Wataru is very wary now.
Shinonome-san looked up and gave Wataru an apologetic look.
"I didn't want to... ...follow that person's words."
"..."
"..."
Wataru shrugged his shoulders. There was no joy, anger, or sadness on his face. He closed his mouth and exhaled through his nose as if to catch his breath in between this conversation. There was a moment of silence between them as they stared at each other.
The content of their conversation is indeed not something I can understand. But from Wataru's words, it seems that he told Shinonome-san that it would be better if she stayed away from Wataru. ...Come to think of it, it also sounded as if Shinonome-san was standing in the shadow of the bicycle parking lot as if she was hiding behind it.
This strange atmosphere made me feel uncomfortable and I interrupted. There was something that had been bothering my mind for a long time.
"U-Um... who is that person...?"
An old man stood diagonally behind Shinonome-san. Dressed in a charcoal gray suit with a long hem, he was silent as if merging with this scene. Surprisingly, he didn't seem to be related to Shinonome-san.
His sky-blue eyes, which had never once turned to me, were finally directed at me. For a moment I thought so, Not long after, the old man stepped in front of Shinonome-san and bowed to me.
"This is my first time meeting you, Young Lady's high school classmate. You can think of me as Young Lady's driver."
"Oh, alright. ...Um, hello."
This boy may be harmless, but he's a strange boy. I found half of my body pressed against Wataru's back. Realizing that I was using the injured guy as a shield, I hurriedly jumped back with my whole body and returned the nod.
"—I'm being supervised."
"Eh...?"
"...Supervised?"
Although I thought that I misheard something, I realized otherwise when Shinonome-san answered. This was indeed too quiet. I wonder, there's a lot of speculation about what exactly happened. I was curious, but I didn't think that it was something I could ask an outsider.
"....Is this what you call a real side supervisor in this day and age?"
"No, that kind of surveillance. It's to make sure that I don't do anything untoward again."
"..."
Of course, there were restrictions within the school grounds, but Shinonome-san... continued.
Wataru tracked his head awkwardly. I don't know what exactly happened, but as I expected, he couldn't find the words to answer that. Shinonome-san's face, which said that she was "being supervised", didn't show any sadness. She didn't seem to be lamenting her position and kept a straight face, which only confused me.
"The Shinonome family is not allowed to have unsupervised contact with Sajou-san."
"...Eh...?"
Ouch, why though, why?
What does she have to do with this matter, and why is Wataru's name being mentioned...?
Author's Note: Oh... ...Here we go again.
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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