Source
https://ncode.syosetu.com/n4533ij/22/
I ran with a momentum that cut through the spring morning air. I regretted my attitude last night, which was a bit too much, and was trying to change my mind. I still haven’t looked at my phone since I woke up this morning, which seems like an unnecessary manifestation of my own feelings. The phone in my pocket swayed resentfully with the speed at which I was running.
I was running at top speed, something I hadn’t done recently. Yuisa san, who was strolling with Kontarou, could not even return a proper greeting. Even though her face looked a little sad as she passed me, I couldn’t stop now.
I slowed down and took a picture of the passing scene, coming a little farther than usual.
In one of the two photos I took, a Japanese egret was spreading its wings beyond a cherry blossom branch that was beginning to align its leaf buds with the branch, and in the other, I saw myself, sweating.
I send the photo with a good morning stamp.
Then I started running again.
“Good morning, Hisanobu.”
“Good morning Rinen. Aren’t you running late today?”
“……, Hisanobu, you’re sweating. Here’s a towel.”
“Thank you. this?”
“Yeah, Hisanobu, you said hi to me this morning.”
“We’ve been passing each other all morning lately.”
“I’m so glad. Do you have plans tomorrow?”
“I’m working tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday. I told you that yesterday.”
“I see. But will you be home for dinner?”
“Of course I am.”
“Miss.”
Just as Rinen was about to open her mouth, the driver who was picking her up and dropping her off interrupted us. Rinen was a little peeved, but as if resigned to the fact that she had no choice, she said, “See you later,” and got into the car easily.
The car drives off quietly, without any discovery of my words or actions.
I wipe the sweat off my face with the towel I received and return home to put it in the laundry basket.
“Miss, huh?”
I muttered, my voice echoing hollowly.
As soon as I cycled onward, I saw a girl sitting on the saddle of her bicycle, fiddling with her phone, waiting for someone. Her flashy blonde hair shone in the morning sun.
For some reason, Yuisa san, whom I passed earlier today, was there. Even though we were passing each other on the street, we were not on our way to school, so what was going on? Was she waiting for me?
“Yuisa san, good morning.”
“Good morning, Hisa-kun! I was surprised just now! You were too early! Kontarou was so surprised that he jumped up and down.”
“Sorry, sorry. I was trying to run a little too hard, so I couldn’t stop.”
“Oh, that happens sometimes, doesn’t it? I once tried to run as fast as I could with Kontarou.”
“Right? Yuisa san, if you are already going to school, would you like to go with me?”
“I’m going! Ah, your tie is slanted!”
Yuisa san quickly fixed my necktie. Oh, I guess I was feeling a little uncomfortable and my tie was a little crooked. Her slender fingers gently touch the tie, running her silky fingertips along it.
Straightening, she nodded her head in satisfaction at me.
“done! You look cool!”
“T-thank you.”
It was embarrassing to hear her say that without a trace of a smile, with her girly gal-like appearance and her cheerful smile that had been on full blast since this morning. She didn’t seem to mind my attitude and started pedaling her bicycle. I hurriedly started cycling alongside her.
As we were pleasantly riding along the road with few people, my conversation with Yuisa san was mainly about her part-time job. She told me that even though they don’t serve alcohol, many people use the restaurant in the evenings, but that the atmosphere is nice and not noisy like a chain restaurant.
“I’m too happy to get sweets once in a while,”
“I think the girls would be happy. I wonder if my sister would be happy too.”
“They are handmade and delicious. I’m sure she’ll be happy!”
Since I received her endorsement, I decide that if I ever get one, I will get one for my sister. If I can buy some to-go, I might even buy some. I don’t want to spend the money from my part-time job on souvenirs for my sister and others, so I have to be careful about the amount I can buy.
When I went to school with Yuisa-san to the classroom, I saw Ageha, her brown hair half-up, reading a book with a dignified aura. What book are you reading today?
The bright voice of Yuisa, who is the first to open her mouth, echoes through the classroom. A male student in the classroom who was pretending to be asleep twitched, but seemed to continue pretending to be asleep.
“A-chan, ohayo~!”
“Good morning, Yuisa-san and Hisanobu-san. Yuisa san, you are up early today, aren’t you?”
“Good morning, Ageha. I’m here today because Yuisa-san happened to be with me today. I’m also earlier than usual, right?”
“It’s true. No wonder I read so few pages today.”
“Well, getting up early is the best of all worlds,”
“Yuisa san, you are always early when you walk Kontarou, aren’t you?”
“Yes, but I come to school much slower.”
“I’m sure that’s the case. What are you doing at home?”
“Well, I simply take a shower after my walk and put my makeup back on, so it takes me a little longer.”
As the girls were getting excited, I noticed a notification on my phone and started up the app. I thought I was going to get an angry mark, but all I got was a quick comment about her impression of the photo I sent her this morning.
[Good morning. But this is not the picture you were talking about, is it?]
I read the words as if she was gnawing at me, and closed the app. Ageha was looking at me at that moment.
“Hisanobu-san, what’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh no, it’s nothing.”
I was still in the same state of blankness when morning homeroom arrived, and Ageha was terribly worried.
First period is basic chemistry. I forgot to pick it up even though I was told not to forget it due to the teacher preparing the handouts. I was the one who told Ageha that I would pick them up before morning homeroom.
The chemistry teacher came in at the wrong time and gave me and Ageha a miffed look as we rushed out of the room. He is a difficult teacher. The class started a few minutes late, and I bowed to him. It was my fault, but Ageha was bowing too.
“You didn’t forget last time, but it’s first period, isn’t it? Next time, don’t forget.”
“”Yes, I’m sorry.””
It was my fault, but I made Ageha apologize too. It was so embarrassing that I didn’t think I had taken proper notes on the content of the first period class.
First period ends. Hanaten, sitting next to me, patted me on the back to encourage me.
“Hey, hey, hey, you’re too depressed about that mistake you made earlier! Even the teacher wasn’t mad at you.”
“Oh, yeah. But, hey..a little bit”
“Hisanobu-san, I’ve been chatting too much with you. So I’m with you. If you don’t mind, let’s look back on today so we don’t forget.”
The word “shameless” was lost in my mouth, unable to be uttered. This is not the way it should be. Ageha’s gentle voice comforts me, and soon she opens the schedule book in which she is writing down her notes. She preferred to write in her notebook by hand. I was just jotting down miscellaneous thoughts in the notes app I kept on my phone.
“You’ve been summoned to lunch today by teacher.”
“Ah, that leaked out. Thanks.”
“Fufu, Hisanobu-san is also careless.”
I was about to make a mistake twice in one day. Ageha shows her own schedule book and laughs softly. I take her point and write it down in my notebook so I don’t forget.
Her notebook, like those used by adults, is in calendar form. She had no notes about her classes, but her other schedules were beautifully written. It was also neatly written that I was to prepare a printout for first period, and it was written next to “Hisanobu”. It must have been the note I had said I would do.
I had not made a note of the work I had entrusted to her. But she never takes care of things like that.
“Thank you, Ageha.”
“No, I am glad I could be of help to Hisanobu-san.”
My classmates are around me now. Feeling so ugly, I decided to talk to Ageha when I was alone with her.
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