Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16817139558660048790/episodes/16818093076486603237
After parting ways with Sasaoka, I went to the reference room as instructed by the teacher.
On the desks in the reference room, there were piles and piles of handouts, textbooks, reference books, and other materials in disarray.
Fed up with the sheer volume of books, I slowly began to put them away.
I picked up the piles of books and put them back on the empty shelves.
The top of the shelves were out of reach, so I climbed up on a small stepladder that was just there and straddled the top and inserted the books into the shelves.
“like …….huh”
As I was putting some of the books away, Sakai’s words from earlier came to mind.
The serious look on Sakai’s face at that time. That was the look of someone who really likes Fujibayashi.
To fall in love with someone is a wonderful and precious thing in itself.
But I don’t really know what that feels like.
I have never had time to think about other people, much less the opposite gender.
Only recently have I been busy working for someone else. But it’s not because I like them, it’s just because I feel like it.
I just happened to be on the side of the destiny that could be changed by the prediction of the future.
Therefore, I don’t have to be the one to play that role.
He can be serious in order to be united with the person he loves. I envied Sakai a little for his way of life, for being able to do that.
＊＊＊
“Ei!”
“Woah!
While I was fixing a book, I was poked in the side by a silver-haired gal who had sneaked in at some point.
The stepladder shook in surprise. I almost fell over.
“How is it? Surprised?”
“No, it’s dangerous!”
“I-I’m sorry! You were just spacing out!”
She apologized apologetically for me being angrier than she had expected.
＊＊＊
◆
A few days have passed since I consulted with Arase about Suika. Time passed without any report.
I knew that Arase was doing something, but I felt that Suika was losing her energy day by day in the classroom.
Even if I had the courage to talk to Suika, she would not talk to me, with whom she had a very limited relationship.
On the contrary, things started getting awkward with Okai-san, a classmate of Suika’s who was also close to Suika.
Then there was a day when Suika did not come to school in the morning. Okai-san seemed concerned, but said she knew nothing about it.
I was relieved to hear that she came in the afternoon, but for some reason I heard through the rumors that Arase also came at about the same time that day.
Finally, I couldn’t take it any longer and decided to find Arase and ask him about the details.
After school, I went to the classroom to look for Arase, but he was not there.
Thinking that he had already left, I went to the entrance and met Arase’s friend …… Sasaoka, who told me that Arase was cleaning in the reference room.
I somehow managed to get to the reference room, and when I looked inside, I saw that Arase had climbed up on a stepladder and was staring blankly
Seeing him like that, I felt like making fun of him for the first time in a long time, so I quietly approached him with my stealthy footsteps.
Shime-shime, you haven’t noticed, have you?
I chuckled in my heart and waited for the moment.
And then, I reached out my hand to his side and……..
“……Eh!?”
As if he knew it was coming, Arase grabbed my right hand without looking at me.
“Hey!? Watch out!?”
“Kyaaa!”
On the contrary, I was surprised and tried to withdraw my hand. However, Arase’s hand was gripping me tighter than I expected, so I started to pull, and Arase let out a frantic voice.
“Ouch……”
“I-I’m sorry. Is everything alright?”
“Yeah, I’m fine—…?!”
In front of me was the face of Arase. The black eyes are so beautiful that they seem to suck me in.
And immediately embarrassed, I turn my face away.
Wait a minute, what do you mean! Why is Arase in front of me!?
My head was in turmoil, not knowing what I was going through.
Then I quickly realized that I was being pushed down by Arase.
After that, my brain panicked even more.
“M-move, ……!”
“Ugh!”
I pushed away Arase that was covering me. Unfortunately, it hit him in the face.
“Haaaahaahaa……”
I’m breathing hard. The face is also hot, and the heart is racing. I had never been pushed down by a man before, so I felt like I was dying of embarrassment.
“!!”
It’s not like me. I noticed that, and after I regulated my breathing a little bit, I pretended to be normal as if nothing was wrong.
“What? Did you want to do me?”
“Are you in a rush?”
“N-No, it’s just your imagination! You’re the one who got off on saying that, aren’t you?”
“You pushed me away. It hurt.”
“Of course I would be surprised if your face was suddenly right in front of me.”
“Sorry ……, Fujibayashi did this to me, right?”
“I-I’m sorry about that.”
It certainly wasn’t something you would do to someone on a stepladder. I get angry and reflect a little.
But I don’t think he’d find me!
“More importantly, what do you want from me?”
“Ah yeah!! I wanted to ask you what happened to Suika!”
“Ah, that’s it. I’m glad you asked. I’m going to play basketball at the next ball game.”
“…..What are you talking about?”
“It’s about cheering up Suika. I have a favor to ask of Fujibayashi.”
“What is it? A favor?”
“…………”
“Pukuku ……”
I was so amused by Arase’s silence that I started to blow up a little.
I knew it was funny to make fun of him. A few minutes ago, I was feeling a little weird, but I knew it was just my imagination!
“I’m sorry. So, what’s your request?”
“Yeah, can I give your contact information to my classmate?”
“Ha ……?”
“The guy I switched with at the ball game wants to know Fujibayashi’s contact information. He asked me because I talk to you a lot.”
“I don’t understand …….”
To be honest, I’m not going to give out my contact information to someone I don’t know. What’s the point of me giving out my contact information to someone I don’t know?
“I don’t want to force you to do anything, but he’s a nice guy. He helped me out of trouble this time as well. …… No?”
Even if he said that…….
Arase is in trouble if I refuse to help him.
“If I don’t give him my contact information, won’t he be like the guy who couldn’t keep his word?”
“He said it would be fine if you couldn’t …… but since he granted my wish, I’d like to grant his wish if I can.”
Arase apparently needs my help. Well, it seems that I can refuse.
“Hmmm… ……”
“What’s with that face ……?”
The fact that I have the upper hand in this situation makes my cheeks relax.
“Then, I don’t mind.”
“Really?!”
“But I have a condition.”
“ …… conditions again……”
Arase is drooping.
“You owe me one, don’t you? If anything happens to me, you have to listen to me.”
“…… as much as I can.”
“Nishishi, I’ll think about it!”
I was so happy with this promise that I headed out of the reference room and turned around.
“Then, that was a promise. Bye bye!”
“Won’t you help me, ……?”
I thought I heard something behind me, but I returned home in a good mood.
I forgot to ask specifically about Suika after all,…….
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