Source
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n5042hw/15/
This morning, as always this morning, I paired up, closed the shaky lock, and headed off to school.
I heard that all the nearby nursery schools were full and Saara had to slip into one.
Therefore, the Ayado family, who always drove her to and from preschool, was too far away for her to return home on foot.
It was an impossible distance, especially for a kindergartener, so even though Saara sometimes came to the Iida house, I had never been to the Ayado house.
“Iida san’s place is always helping me out…….”
“Noo, it’s fine~!”
I remember the Ayado family’s beautiful mother used to bow down to our mother at the door.
As for me, I was just having a good time with a really good friend, but I guess it was helpful for Ayado’s parents, who often worked late into the night.
I see, this is what Mom was talking about when she said the other day that she was grateful.
But that said, I used to think she was a boy.
If I apply it in today’s terms, it’s like being a princess of the school, and I alone had the princess of the school to myself every day.
…… now? Now, well, ……Saara’s coming to our house. ……
The duplicate key makes a clinking sound.
I had never had a girlfriend, let alone a female friend, and I couldn’t imagine a girl’s room.
There was an unknown space beyond, and it was the room of Princess Saara, the most popular girl in the school, and I was the only one with access to it.
She won’t know if I go in, and since I’ve given the key, it’s almost official.
But of course I will lose something important if I go in. Of course, I have no intention of going in.
No, but …… still, I thought it was a girl’s room, my childhood friend’s room, which I always thought was a guy’s room.
(Aaah moouu…… will I ever get used to this situation?)
With my back to the quiet room, which is probably empty, I head to the class where Saara is waiting for me.
◇
However, when I arrived at the classroom, I found that Saara had not arrived at school.
A few of the other classmates glanced over to see Saara’s desk and took their seats.
These are the students who usually talk to Saara.
“Oh, she hasn’t come in yet?”
Sato san, who talks more than anyone else in the class, starts to talk to me.
“She’s not here.”
“Hmmm, you’re always early. Do you know why?”
“Hmm. I can’t think of any …… reason. I think she got too wet yesterday, or maybe she has a cold.”
Sato san looked back and forth between me and her desk a few times, then tilted her head slightly and went back to her seat.
Homeroom started and the homeroom teacher looked from the teaching table to Saara’s seat.
“Ayado is off today. She said she suddenly got a fever in the morning. It’s still chilly out, so everyone be careful.”
At the homeroom teacher’s words, several students in sight turn and look at the empty seats.
I look over there, but I don’t see Saara.
However, the classroom will still be running without Saara.
Everyone chats with their close classmates or checks their own textbooks.
I’m …… well, alone as usual.
“Oh, math class is about to start! What’s the matter, Ayado’s off?”
“Ayado san has a fever.”
“Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to do it then.”
Every teacher mentioned Saara once, and Sato san answered and the class started.
Although the classroom was quiet during class, the class without the left neighbor seemed much quieter than usual.
◇
After school, when most of my classmates had already left for club activities and there were only a few of us left.
There were two boys in front of the class door that I didn’t see very often.
That tie is from …… the first year.
At this school, we separate grades by the color and pattern of the tie.
The tie with lines on a blue base is the color of us second-years, the green one is first-years, and the red one is third-years. The third year has a red base.
When the third year graduates, the new first year students wear red ties, and so on.
It is, after all, this person, Sato san, who calls out to the first-year students who are staring at the classroom.
“It’s you, junior. What can I do for you?”
“Oh, um, I’d like to speak to Ayado senpai…….”
“Saara’s off~”
“What? Even though I’m next!”
With those words, I knew exactly what kind of guys these juniors were.
“Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Uh, yes. ……”
I turn to the one of the two who didn’t speak.
I’m a little bigger than him, so I’ll stay away so I don’t intimidate him too much.
“You there, you called Ayado san to the back of the warehouse yesterday, is that correct?”
“What? No, how do you know?”
“We meet because we’re …… classmates and I’m at least in the club. I see her leave after school, and I’ve been in his club activities.”
I am not lying.
Everyone in the club knows that she came to the handball club soaking wet.
“But if you missed yesterday, ……”
“I’m not your parent or teacher, but …… I’ll tell you something.”
I guess these guys don’t know what they’re talking about.
I let out a sigh and gave my answer.
“If you can’t be considerate at a time like that, people won’t like you, and the girls might share that topic with each other. I won’t go around talking about you, and I’m sure Ayado san won’t, but ……”
I looked at Sato san.
“What? You think I’m going to tell on you?”
“Regarding Watanabe-senpai…”
“I told the president and baseball manager, who were the pinnacle of the school, about it before I transferred to Saara! Tehe.”
“And, well, there are people like this.”
Sato san fluttered her hand to the two pale juniors.
“Watanabe senpai tried to harm Saara chi, so I got serious about it, but if I keep spreading bad rumors, people will hate me.”
Certainly, no matter how sociable Sato san is, Saara would not like it as a friend if she were to fall into anyone’s clutches.
Besides, there is no one here who should make that judgment.
“I’m sure there are other girls who know about Princess Saara’s situation besides me, so you’ll have to live with my reputation from there on out. I’ll give you a break.”
The two juniors nodded their heads in frantic wiggles.
I tried not to scare them, but you’ve scared them more than enough, Sato-san. ……
“Well, Saara chi is so guarded that she has already turned down the captain of the soccer team, the captain of the basketball team, and a number of seniors, so I think she’s going for girls, right?”
Sato san fluttered her hand and both of them nodded their heads in agreement.
Well, no one would think that he could get an OK after hearing what she just said.
“By the way, can I ask you a question?”
“Um, yes.”
“Why has Ayado san suddenly become so popular? I don’t know because I haven’t seen her in person.”
Hearing these words, one of the juniors who was going to confess today spoke.
“When she came to the soccer team, she looked so beautiful in her uniform–“
“Aah.”
“–and as it was, I decided to try out for the overhead shot.”
You’re too conspicuous, Princess Saara.
No wonder she’s famous.
I really didn’t think Ayato, who was eating rice balls in our house, would make it this far.
“There’s a lot of talk among the athletic department about where she’s going to join.”
“That makes sense. ……”
“Why don’t the seniors know about it?”
“I guess that’s why she never talks about her activities.”
In response to my reply, the juniors said to each other, “I knew she is awesome”
I’m not sure if they’re bad guys or not, so I’ll let them go around here.
Besides.
“Oh, Iida kun, do you have club activities?”
“I’m going home.”
“Okay, see you tomorrow.”
I had plans today.
I waved goodbye to Sato san, who looked at me strangely happy and smiled, and then I took out my phone and opened the chat application.
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