Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817330649941556887/episodes/16817330663946770204
While taking notes on world history. I suddenly realized.
Hm. What page am I working on now?
“Hey, I’m sorry. Can I see your notes for a minute?”
“Hmm? Sure.”
“Thank you.”
The boy sitting next to me shows me some of his notes.
At the same time, I realized.
I hadn’t taken a single page of notes from my textbook.
“…..Thanks. You saved me.”
“Hmm? Oh.
I look at it and look back at my notebook and the blackboard. I hold my head in my hands.
I felt as if the gears were distorted
◆◆◆
“Souta !”
I finally react to those words, and quickly fall to my feet.
The sound of a whizzing sound passed over my head at the same time that I fell on my butt.
The ball was a soccer ball.
The fact that I was now playing soccer in gym class finally entered my brain.
I became dazed and came back to consciousness when I saw the palm of the hand that was offered to me.
I thanked him, grabbed the hand, got up, and turned around to chase the ball.
“……My bad. I’ll go take it.”
“Souta.”
However, Eiji grabbed me by the shoulder.
Yes, by Eiji.
I didn’t realize that it was Eiji who woke me up.
“I’ll go.”
His words gently cut into my chest.
My shoulders. My fist shook.
“Don’t worry. Some days are better than others.”
“I’m sorry.”
Eiji tapped me on the shoulder.
“You’re wrong, aren’t you? You know what to say in a situation like this.”
The words made me relax. The fists that had been knotted as tightly as stones were unknotted.
“I’m sure you’re right. Thank you, Eiji.”
“Yeah, my best friend. ……I’m the one who should be apologizing.”
“……?”
Eiji runs towards the ball. It seemed like he muttered something along the way.
As I was wondering what was going on, I realized that my attention had wandered from the lesson again.
I exhaled strongly. Then I slapped my cheek vigorously.
Concentrate, me.
◆◆◆
“Next up is chemistry…..that teacher ain’t so good at it, you know.”
“He’s the kind of teacher who tends to go off on tangents. And then he’d have to review the test on the spur of the moment because he couldn’t finish the test.”
After lunch, I was on my way to the chemistry classroom.
While talking with Eiji, I turned around in the corridor. Going down the stairs.
Slyly, I slipped on my feet.
“……!”
“Souta.”
It was only a moment before I felt a floating sensation. Eiji grabbed me from behind and caught me.
“Sorry, [Souta].”
The words of apology were about to spill out of my mouth when Eiji interrupted me and stopped me.
Eiji peered at me as I looked down. I noticed this and looked up.
Eiji’s eyes shot right through me.
“Don’t stay away from me today. Then, relax as much as you want. Your whole body will be weak.”
“……Eh?”
“You’ve been thinking too much since a while ago. You need to relax. You can also use the same method for your own personal use.”
Eiji gave a pleasant smile.
“Whatever happens, I’ll take care of it. You can count on me.”
“Eiji.”
“I won’t let you get hurt while my eyes are open. You can rest assured.”
He says this with his shoulders crossed. That makes me happy…
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Of course.”
I almost slipped again, but Eiji saved me.
◆◆◆
“I’m so lame.”
Today was also my day off because my father-in-law lectures me. After Eiji told me, I called my father-in-law and he said, [Get some rest. Call me again as soon as you feel better.]
I went home first today and am now lying in bed. I have to do something before Nagi comes back.
“…..Whew. Calm down.”
I meditate and admonish my brain. Don’t think about all the bad things.
That’s right. I might as well sleep for five minutes. Sleep will help me to change my mood…….
I meditate and let my mind go blank.
Soon after that, I fell asleep.
–I don’t even set my alarm.
◆◇◆
“What’s wrong, Eiji? You seem unusually depressed.”
“……I’m the most depressed I’ve ever been, you know.”
For the first time today, a sigh escapes. Feelings of remorse and remorse swirled around me, coiling around my heart.
“It’s really rare, isn’t it?”
“……Bad habit backfired on me. What do you mean ‘best friend’? What are you talking about?”
“So, is it related to Minorin? But isn’t it okay since Nagirin is there?”
“Yeah, it’ll be fine. Only Shinonome can do it. I can only do half of it.”
I feel like scratching my head right now.
I know that if I do that, the girl in front of me will stop me.
“If you think about it, it makes sense. Considering your position, there was no need to talk like that.”
“…I’ll listen.”
“Sorry, Kirika.”
I was about to let out another sigh, when Kirika covered my mouth with her hand.
“No sighing. You’ll escape happiness. I’ll make up for it.”
“….Yeah, thanks.”
I was thankful that she was right in front of me and began to tell her what I had told Souta.
◆◇◆◇◆
I woke up. A pitch-dark room. In an empty room.
“……?”
Somewhat vaguely, I feel a sense of discomfort.
But the discomfort soon faded away. Instead, I was struck by a strong sense of obligation.
“Yeah, right. I have to go to school.”
Today is a weekday. It is a day to go to school.
Today, life begins again.
◆◆◆
On the way to school. The feeling of discomfort grew even stronger.
“……?”
I reach for it again and again, and it cuts through the air.
I don’t know why I’m reaching for it. And I don’t know why I feel so uncomfortable about my hand cutting through the air.
I get on the train and open my math reference book. I was puzzling over it for a while, but there was one place that I couldn’t quite figure out.
“Hey, this place–“
As I mouthed the words, I closed my mouth to wonder who I was trying to talk to.
—kun
“Is it my…. imagination?”
From somewhere, I thought I heard a familiar voice. I looked back, but no one was there.
I felt like something was missing.
Something important, very important.
◆◆◆
“……”
I was alone on the way home. Eiji invited me to karaoke, but I declined because I wasn’t in the mood today.
I was studying while waiting for the train home, and I suddenly thought to myself.
I wondered if I liked studying this much.
No, I don’t really like studying.
Then why am I studying so much?
As I closed my vocabulary book, I thought to myself, and then I heard the train—
“……”
A shadow on the train caught my attention.
The figure was vague. But I knew.
I knew that the hole in my chest was related to her presence.
The train opened and I boarded. I headed for the car where the shadow was.
She should have been–She should have been there.
“What do you mean?”
I can’t get to her at all. There were considerably more vehicles than I had seen outside, and I couldn’t get any closer.
I looked at the current car, wondering if she might be there, and then went back to look at the car in front of it, but there was no sign of her.
I can’t find her.
No matter how far—no matter how far I go.
I keep running and running and running. She was nowhere to be seen—
“Souta kun !”
◆◇◆◆◆◆
“……ah, haa.”
Breathing is difficult.
The heart surges as if I’ve been running for a long distance, and your face. My whole body is hot.
My fingertips are numb from lack of oxygen. My vision was blurred and he could not see clearly.
“Souta kun !””
Even so, her voice–clear and dignified like a bell, certainly reached me.
“Souta kun….!”
The hand that had been wandering aimlessly was grasped and pulled close.
Just like that, I was hugged tightly—strongly.
“I’m here. I’m right here.”
Thump-thump-thump, as if something is rushing me. And the strong beating of my heart.
As if to wrap it up. A gentle thump-thump-thump sound is transmitted.
“……Nagi”
“Yes. It’s me.”
She held my hand, and her heat is transmitted to my whole body.
“……”
I regulate my breathing, which is getting rougher. I meditate, ignoring my oxygen-deprived, aching head.
I’m starting to calm down a little.
“I’m sorry.”
“What are you sorry for?”
I can’t find the words to say anything back, so I just shut down.
“What are you apologizing for? Souta kun.”
She asked me the same question twice. I couldn’t help but tighten my grip on her hand. Nagi squeezed my hand back as if she was responding to me.
I whispered to her, taking care not to shake.
“I was not feeling well today. I don’t have a cold or anything like that. I don’t know why. But I wasn’t feeling well.”
My concentration quickly wandered off, and I found myself zoned out. It was the first time that had happened to me.
“I couldn’t even go to my father-in-law after all. Even though now is the most important time. I went to sleep right after I got home and had a dream. It was a bad dream.”
“What did you dream about?”
“A dream in which Nagi was not there.”
It means one thing at the same time.
It was the everyday life before I met Nagi.
Once again, I was horrified.
“I was scared. I was afraid that if I lost my life now, I would go crazy.”
What if.
“Nagi—“
“Souta kun.”
She interrupted me and covered my lips. Even though it was a time like this, happiness was slowly seeping into my sinking heart.
Ten seconds. Thirty seconds. One minute, and that kiss was the longest kiss ever.
Nagi eventually pulled her lips away from his.
“……Souta kun.”
Nagi looked at me, breathing lightly.
“Now I’m angry. Very angry.”
That’s what she said.
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