Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/2912051604232886910
The next day.
Morning.
When I opened the door to my room, I found two small rice balls waiting there.
“…Who left these?”
I picked them up, tilting my head in confusion.
They were still slightly warm.
◆
My third day of school.
It happened the moment I opened the classroom door.
“…He’s here.”
“He’s at school again.”
“How can you even show up after doing something like that?”
“I can’t believe it.”
They probably thought they were whispering.
But their voices reached Shunta’s ears clearly.
No one even tried to hide it.
They were saying it loud enough for him to hear.
“…………”
Shunta said nothing and headed to his seat.
(Are these guys elementary schoolers?)
(How much longer is this dream going to last……)
(……Is this really not a dream?)
Just then.
Clatter.
The classroom door swung open.
“……Good morning.”
Accompanied by a listless voice, Kana Kawaguchi walked into the classroom.
“Good morning, Kana!”
“You look cute again today!”
The atmosphere in the classroom changed in an instant.
The gazes that had been fixed on Shunta just a moment ago all turned toward Kana at once.
(…She really is popular, isn’t she?)
Our eyes met for just a split second.
But she immediately looked away.
That was all.
◆
(…Kikuchi yesterday)
As Kana sat down at her desk, she was thinking back on what had happened yesterday.
Shunta Kikuchi, whom she’d seen at her part-time job.
More humble than anyone else.
More earnest than anyone else.
He didn’t seem at all like the “violent guy” she’d heard about at school.
(Was it just yesterday?)
(Or… has he really changed?)
“Hey, Kana? Are you listening?”
“…Huh?”
She finally looked up.
“I said ‘good morning.’”
“Oh, sorry.”
Kana gave a small laugh to cover it up.
Then, another girl whispered.
“Come to think of it, didn’t he show up at your part-time job, Kana?”
“That’s so awful.”
“Be careful.”
Kana glanced briefly in Shunta’s direction.
“…Yeah.”
That was all she said.
(Just a little longer… I’ll watch him.)
◆
Recess.
Shunta stood up and left the classroom.
A few minutes later.
Just as he was returning to the classroom—
“Eek!”
Kumiko, who had been walking and laughing with her friends, bumped into Shunta with a thud.
The handouts she was holding scattered across the floor.
“Ah…!”
She clearly hadn’t been looking where she was going.
No matter how you looked at it, Kumiko was clearly at fault.
But Shunta didn’t say a word.
He crouched down and picked up the scattered handouts one by one.
“Here.”
He handed them to Kumiko.
“Sorry. I wasn’t paying attention either.”
(I really don’t want any trouble…)
He bowed his head first.
Kumiko froze instinctively.
“Huh…?”
It was at that very moment.
“Tch, gross.”
“Don’t come to school.”
“You’re causing trouble for someone again.”
Laughter erupted from all over the classroom.
Even though she was the one who’d been bumped into.
(I’m never dealing with these guys again…)
Not a single person asked Kumiko, “Are you okay?”
Kumiko couldn’t say anything either; she could only manage a vague smile.
Shunta returned to his seat as if nothing had happened.
He opened his textbook and quietly began preparing for the next class.
Kana, who had been watching him, spoke up.
“…That just now.”
Noticing her voice, the students around her turned their gaze toward Kana one after another.
“Huh?”
“Kana?”
Kana looked at Kumiko.
“That was because Kumiko bumped into him, right?”
“But…”
Kumiko stumbled over her words.
“It’s fine if you don’t like him.”
Kana said matter-of-factly.
“But it’s not right to blame him for everything bad that happens.”
No one could argue with that.
Kumiko stared at Shunta’s back and lowered her head slightly.
“…I’m sorry.”
Her voice was very soft.
Shunta didn’t hear it.
But Kana was the only one who heard that quiet apology.
Kana looked at Shunta once more.
He was quietly reading his textbook, completely unaware of anything.
He wasn’t angry.
He wasn’t blaming her.
He wasn’t talking back.
(……It really is different.)
(It’s not just yesterday.)
(It’s exactly the same at school, too.)
The doubt that had sprung up in her heart could no longer be dismissed as mere unease.
◆
After school.
“Kana, you’re off from your part-time job today, right?”
“Let’s go to karaoke.”
“Let’s all hang out!”
At the classroom exit.
Three boys block Kana’s path.
Kana smiled awkwardly.
“Sorry. I have plans today—”
“That again?”
“Just hang out with us for a little while.”
One step.
Another step.
Her escape route is gradually being cut off.
(……This is such a hassle.)
Just then.
Shunta, who was passing by the back of the classroom, noticed what was happening.
He paused for just a moment.
He hesitated slightly.
(……I’ll return the favor.)
Shunta quietly took out his phone.
He opened the LINE group chat for his part-time job.
After checking a message that had just come in from the manager, he approached Kana.
“Kawaguchi san.”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward her.
“A message from the manager.”
He held his phone up slightly.
“He said we might be short-staffed today, so he’d like to talk to you if you can make it.”
“Huh…?”
Kana looked at the screen.
Sure enough, she had received a notification from the manager.
However, the message was completely different.
“Please confirm next week’s shift.”
“Please reply.”
That was all.
But the guys couldn’t see the screen.
“It’s not urgent, but maybe I should reply just in case.”
The guys grimaced.
“What’s up with that?”
“A part-time job?”
“Oh, well.”
One of them shrugged.
“I’ll invite you guys another time.”
The three of them walked right out of the classroom.
It grew quiet.
Kana looked at Shunta.
“…About just now.”
“Sorry.”
Shunta gave a wry smile.
“It was only half a lie.”
“The manager did contact me. But it wasn’t urgent.”
“She seemed like she was in a bind.”
After a brief pause, Shunta continued.
“Sorry for acting on my own.”
He apologized again.
With just those words, Shunta started walking away.
Kana couldn’t bring herself to call him back.
◆
The hallway.
Her phone vibrated.
LINE—Shunta Kikuchi.
“That was none of my business earlier.”
“Sorry.”
Kana stared at the screen.
Yesterday.
The way he looked at her part-time job.
The classroom today.
When he bumped into her.
And now.
It all started to make sense.
(……No.)
(He really is different from the Shunta Kikuchi I’d heard about at school.)
She opened the reply screen.
“Thank you.”
She typed that.
Her finger paused.
She deleted it.
She typed the words again.
“You saved me.”
She deleted it again.
She closed the screen.
(……What should I say in reply?)
Something deep inside her chest fluttered slightly.
“That day, I thought you were a total jerk.”
But—
“…Can I really judge you based on just one day?”
She clutched her phone tightly.
She opened the reply screen once more.
“Thank you.”
She typed it.
She placed her finger on the send button—and paused.
She couldn’t just pretend that day never happened.
She still didn’t know.
So.
(……I’ll just wait a little longer.)
In the end, Kana quietly closed her phone without sending those words.
–
–
If you enjoy our content, feel free to donate, Thank you in advance !