Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093087122434729/episodes/16818622174084791770
Ever since I was old enough to understand things, people have always said I was a strange child.
I wasn’t interested in anime or manga that girls usually like, or even fashion.
I spent my days running around outside, covered in mud and sweat, living according to my curiosity.
But I didn’t think that would be acceptable once I reached elementary school.
“Hey, Tsuzurisato san, what kind of clothes do you like?”
“Um, well… that… oh! Skirts! Cute skirts!”
My classmates had already entered puberty. I couldn’t keep up with their conversations anymore, so I ended up spending more time alone.
Everyone’s interests were in clothes, makeup, and boys.
Gradually, I talked to people less and less. I guess I was just a nuisance because I couldn’t keep up with the conversations.
“Tsuzurisato-san is weird, isn’t she?”
“Yeah, she’s kind of… childish.”
I felt like I was left behind by the world.
Everyone else was growing up steadily, but I was still a child.
So I decided to hide it.
I pretended not to care about the things I liked and the things that interested me, and went along with what my classmates were talking about.
I thought I would live like that forever.
That cramped world changed when I joined the newspaper club on a whim and met a senior member.
The newspaper club, which was established a few years after the school was founded, had only five third-year students and one first-year student, me.
In other words, once the third-year students graduated, I would be able to use the spacious club room all by myself. That’s why I joined the club.
That senior kept talking to me.
“You know, a camera is the only magic in this world that can stop time. Isn’t that amazing!?”
Saying that, the senior two years my senior, looking through the lens, seemed so young and cheerful that I couldn’t believe she was older than me.
At first, I didn’t like that senior very much.
She seemed to have no worries and enjoyed everything she did, which was annoying to me.
A few days after joining the club,
I asked her once.
“What’s so fun about taking pictures and writing articles?”
“Hmm, I’ve never really thought about it. Because, you don’t need a reason to like something, right?”
“Girls don’t usually like cameras. And writing articles…”
“Tsuzurisato, let me tell you something. What does ‘normal’ even mean? It has no meaning. All that matters is whether you like it or not.”
It’s just a nice thing to say. Because it’s painful when people don’t understand you.
“But…”
I opened my mouth to argue, but before I could say anything, my senior smiled sweetly.
“what do you like? Tell me. What do you like?”
From there, a year passed. It felt both short and long.
The senior graduated, leaving me and many other things behind at this school.
＊＊＊
By the time I finished recounting everything that had happened since joining the newspaper club and up until now, over an hour had passed since I entered
“Thank you for listening to me. That’s all I have to say for myself.”
With that, she gently placed the camera on the desk. It was as if she were offering it to me.
“So, you did that to carry on your senior’s wishes and keep the newspaper club alive?”
Shiramine still couldn’t forgive her. She tried to control herself as much as possible, but her voice was more tense than usual.
“…I wanted to do that too, if possible. But I guess there’s nothing I can do about the club being disbanded.”
“What? Then why did you do that?”
“The club is being disbanded because I couldn’t recruit any new members. In other words, it’s my own fault.”
I could tell that she was looking down and clutching her skirt tightly.
“What I couldn’t forgive was… the articles that my seniors and their seniors had worked so hard to create being discarded. I wanted to stop that… no matter what it took.”
“…There must have been other ways to do it.”
“Yeah, I know. I really hate myself for being so stupid.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
As Shiramine said, Tsuzurisato’s actions were despicable. It was something she should never have done, and it only made her more of a target for the student council.
But at the same time, I felt sorry for her.
That’s because she was the only member of the newspaper club, and she had to protect what her seniors had built up until now.
And there was no one left to be angry at her for her actions, which she had committed in desperation, unable to see anything else around her.
“…I’ll go get some coffee.”
I got up from my seat to go to the drink bar. Then, Shiramine, who was sitting next to me, also got up.
“I’ll go too.”
“Okay. Is there anything you need, Kazekawa and Tsuzurisato?”
“I’m fine.”
“I’m fine too.”
“I see.”
I made my way through the seats and headed for the drink server near the cash register.
After hearing her story, my honest reaction was…
“That’s heavy…”
That’s all I could say.
Honestly, if it was something like, “The club’s being disbanded!? You’ve got to be kidding me! If that’s the case, I’ll expose the scandal!”… I wouldn’t have felt anything, but for some reason, I found myself sympathizing with her
“Senpai. Just to be sure, you’re not thinking of doing something about it, are you?”
“G-gulp…”
Shiramine seemed to see right through me.
However, there are some things I can’t compromise on.
“Is it wrong to want to do something about it?”
I put my mug on the server and pressed the café au lait button. The air conditioner was a little strong, so I made it hot.
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing, but that person…”
“Not me, the president. I haven’t suffered any significant damage.”
It doesn’t matter if I’m rumored to be dating a beautiful senior. …As a friend, it’s a bit of a problem, but I’ll just have to accept it for now. Once it’s proven to be false, everyone will just say, “Yeah, I knew it.”
“So, if Tsuzurisato can properly apologize to the president, I’ll take care of it.”
Fortunately, I already have a solution in mind.
I can’t protect the newspaper club, but there may be one way to allow Tsuzurisato to continue writing articles and remove the burden on both of their shoulders.
“What are you going to do?”
“It’s no big deal. I’m thinking of using my connections a little.”
I hate to rely on others, but I have no choice at this point.
Sensing my desire to sigh, Shiramine gently grabs my sleeve.
“Is there anything I can do to help? I don’t want to help that person, but I want to help you…”
My heart skipped a beat. No, no, misunderstandings are not good.
I repeated the Systema breathing technique I learned on YouTube the other day a few times to regain my composure.
“T-then, will you go out with me this Saturday?”
“!? You want me to go out with you?”
Shiramine suddenly panicked and shook the glass of apple juice she had just poured.
“Um, well, that’s not quite right.”
“It’s okay! I understand! Saturday, right? Yes! I’ll definitely go, no matter what!”
Where did that motivation come from?
After that, we received countless apologies, and we parted ways.
And on the way home, I called a certain person.
“Hello, nee san. I have someone I’d like you to introduce me to.”
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