Shiho Shimotsuki, Second Year, Class 1, Number 14.
Kotaro Nakayama, Second Year, Class 3, Number 23.
No matter how many times I check, she and I were in different classes.
“Guga!”
Shiho, who was next to me, must have noticed it too.
Leaning against the wall with an amused cry, she had a face drained of life.
“It’s over. God must be really mischievous… probably looks like an eight-year-old girl. Watching us, who are probably despairing by now, and laughing conceitedly, ‘Hahaha! I won’t grant wishes for five yen offerings!’… If I think like that, I can’t help but find it cute and forgive.”
She seemed shocked too, but she was quite composed.
She had a comical way of feeling down.
Maybe I’m feeling more down than Shiho.
“Hmm! But Azu-nyan is in the same class as me… so it’s still okay, right? Good, I’ll appoint her as ‘the one who takes care of me’ later. I’m sure Azu-nyan will say, ‘I’m happy to be with Shiho Nee-chan♪ I love you, nee-chan!'”
I doubt she would say such a thing. I could have responded with those words before.
But no matter how hard I try, I can’t lift my mood…
Unlike Shiho’s comical reaction, I’ve been silent all along.
“…Huh? Kotaro-kun, what’s wrong?”
Shiho must have noticed that something was off with me.
She turned her gaze towards me, then widened her eyes in surprise.
“A-are you feeling unwell? Your complexion looks really bad…”
I must have looked really bad.
“It’s not that… I just…”
I tried to quickly regain my composure, but switching emotions wasn’t easy.
I must be shocked more than I realize by the fact that we’re in different classes.
“Maybe… you’re surprised that we’re in different classes?”
I nodded slightly at Shiho’s words.
Then she stared at me with wide eyes.
“I don’t like it either, you know? But, whether we’re in the same class or not, it won’t change much since I’m not that talkative in class anyway. Of course, I’d be happier if we were in the same class. So, I’m not not upset about it, just so you know.”
It’s unusual for her to say such things politely… but then she abruptly said.
“But just because we’re in different classes doesn’t mean you and I will drift apart.”
The reason Shiho isn’t too down is that.
So she seems to not understand my feelings well.
“Just because we’re in different classes, it doesn’t mean our relationship will deteriorate—I believe that, that’s why I’m not as upset as you are.”
Those words… they’re absolutely true.
Shiho’s reaction is normal, while mine is abnormal. She looked at me with a difficult expression due to my excessive attitude.
“No, that’s not it. Kotaro-kun, you don’t seem down… you sound like you’re scared of something.”
She tilted her head as if listening carefully.
I did feel fear.
I’m anxious about how things have taken a turn due to being in different classes.
But Shiho couldn’t relate to that.
“Somehow, you don’t seem like yourself right now.”
As if someone is contaminating my thoughts.
That I’m not myself—she said.
