CH 61

8 HOURS AGO 3 COMMENTS

Translator: Soafp

Boarding a bus for a school event.

It’s an act I don’t like very much. In elementary school and junior high school, I was either reading a book or just looking at the scenery outside.

Students are crammed into a world even smaller than the classroom.

Anri and I were the last students to board the bus.

The stares from our classmates pierced us. ……In the past, I hated the way they looked at me.

I pretended I didn’t care, but really I felt isolated, lonely, sad and I hated it…….

Me and Anri are still holding hands.

For some reason, Sensei’s words from earlier remain in my mind. Being honest with myself, huh.

I had never thought about that before.

When I was in junior high school, I thought that life was a very boring existence.

Maybe it was at that forest school that I started writing novels.

It was awful in junior high school. Looking back now, I think I got over with it. I turned away from my classmates. I didn’t face them.

Sitting in front of my classmates, my eyes met theirs.

When I look properly, I see that no one is looking at us like we’re idiots.

On the contrary, some of them are waving at us and saying hello.

“Osuu, Shinjo, you’re late!　I mean, it’s been since the last day of school!　How are you?　You’re sitting next to me, right?　Let’s play a boardgame!”

Yamada holds up a board game in his hand. …… You brought that thing?　This guy is an idiot.

Really an idiot……

What a joke. This is a normal interaction between classmates.

I wonder how long it took me to get here.

Without Anri, I would have remained in the dark for a long time. I would never have opened my heart to anyone.

Anri whispered to me.

“Makoto, I’m next to Tanaka-san, …… so we can be together when we have arrived.”

“No, that’s not necessary. Yamada, come here for a minute.”

Naturally, Yamada was a little taken aback when I approached him over.

“Eh, oh, did I do something wrong!? A-are you having a grudge against me when I made a fool of myself quite some time ago!?”

I sigh lightly and approach Yamada. Then I grab Yamada by the collar and make him stand up.

“…… Switch seats with Anri. Then you can sit with Tanaka-san, okay?”

Yamada nodded, a little embarrassed to hear my words. His feet were already heading toward Tanaka.

“O-ou!　I-It’s not that I’m happy about it!　I get sick really easily, I’m better off in the front!　Nothing to be done, Tanaka!　Neighbour, let’s do it”

Tanaka-san is small and shrinking. Still, she looked happy.

People around them looked at them warmly.

“Anri, those guys aren’t dating yet?”

“Yes, it looks like it. Ah, it looks like the teacher is going to check the attendance, so we’ll have to sit down too!”

We too put away our baggage and sit down next to each other.

The bus became quiet as the teacher began to check the attendance.

It was like a classroom.

The attendance check was over and the bus started to leave.

I noticed that Saito-san, who was sitting in front of me, was standing half-standing with her face turned toward me.

Compared to before, she looked much calmer. I wonder how long they haven’t spoken?

By the way, Haruka told me that Saito-san and Miyazaki denied the bad rumors about me.

Even though no one asked them to do so.

“Shinjo-kun, I don’t think you can speak for others from Miyu’s point of view~. You and Shinozuka-san are super close! I’m glad…….Make sure you make each other happy.”

“W-We’re not dating!”

Anri screams in a small voice beside me, her face turning red.

If it had been me before, I would have ignored the conversation. I don’t think I would have sensed the change in Saito-san’s tone. Saito-san is taking a step back from us. She is trying to build a wall between us.

I thought I would never get involved with Saito-san again.

But that’s not the way to move forward.

It’s different from Nanako’s time. It’s different from Haruka’s time.

When I remember what happened with Saito-san, my heart is filled with a burden.

I really enjoyed the time we spent in that library in junior high school.

So I was very shocked that she didn’t believe me, and it still haunts me.

I know it wasn’t as long as Miyazaki, but she was the one who smiled and spent time with me at that time when no one believed me.

When I was unable to respond, Saito-san smiled bitterly, as if she was annoyed with me.

It’s no wonder she blames herself. I can’t help but feel that I am to blame.

“Ehehe, I’m sorry for interrupting you. Miyu is going to move over there.”

“Saito-san.”

“S-Shinjo-kun?”

Inside the bus, classmates are making noise.

When I called Saito-san’s name, a nostalgic memory flashed back into my mind.

She calls me Shinjo-kun, and the memory of that time in the library pierces my heart.

It hurts, it hurts so much. Peaceful days are overturned in an instant, and I am looked upon with fear by the very people I tried to protect. I was bombarded with unjustified words from students I didn’t even know well.

I was scared. I thought if I closed my heart, I wouldn’t feel a thing.

–Why didn’t you deny it back then?

Those words were meaningless.

Because we were immature children.

I am not the only one who has been hurt. How cold did I make Saito-san feel when we entered this school?　Whatever the reason, she tried to approach me when I was sulking. I coldly rejected her.

“Saito-san.”

I call Saito-san’s name again.

“Eh, y-yes.”

“Saito-san ……do you still like books, even now?”

“Yeah, …… I like it.”

“I see.”

An atmosphere and pause that only Saito-san and I could understand. It’s as if we’ve gone back in time.

I hadn’t seen Saito-san properly until now.

I thought of her as someone who was not there, even though we were in the same class.

–I just didn’t have the courage.

Let it be engraved in my heart. Look her in the eye and talk to her. I spent time with Anri, so I understand.

I know how worried you were about me. How much regret and guilt you felt.

[“Shinjo-kun, this book is very interesting, please read it!　Let me know what you think when you’re done.”]

The last words I exchanged with Saito-san in junior high school.

I thought Saito-san had changed since then.

But the weepy, anxious, bookish girl in front of me was …… the Saito-san of that time.

“———I’ll tell you what I think of that book …… next time.”

I looked Saito-san in the eye and said.

I don’t expect to get through. It was a terribly long time ago.

But Saito-san’s eyes were about to spill large tears.

“But Miyu can’t……, I can’t get involved …… anymore.”

Anri takes out a handkerchief and hands it to Saito-san.

Classmates around us are making a lot of noise, not caring about us. No, they’re taking care not to mind us.

“I don’t know anything anymore. …….. But I’m fine now.”

She looks strongly at Anri. She smiles softly at back.

Anri is my precious beloved one, who has healed me and cared for me so much.

It’s different from the past. Nothing is too late—-.