Chapter 9: Exchange and Café


TL: Akabane


***


"Takarada, how was your call?"


"Uh, no, it was about the career chart."


It was 12:55 when I returned to the classroom after the call from Miyako-sensei.


With five minutes left, the fifth period class would begin.


Chihaya, sitting next to me, looked at me with interest as I took my seat.


Miyako-sensei had made her voice audible to the entire classroom when she called me out, so most of my classmates, including him, knew that I had been called out.


"Is it really that much to ask for at this time of the year?　It's almost the whole lunch break. I guess I have to think about my career path pretty carefully."


"Well, uh, yeah, there's a little bit of chit-chat and such ......."


"Chat? Are you that close with Miya-chan?"


I had forgotten.


Miyako-sensei was extremely popular among the students.


In fact, at Chihaya's words, several of the male students around us glanced over at us.


"Oh, um, actually, when I was on my way..."


I was about to say that Godo had come ...... but at that moment I felt a murderous shiver run through my body.


I looked at Godo, who was staring at me with an aura of "Don't ever talk about me!"


"No, it's nothing. It's just that Sensei was a little angry with me."


I quickly corrected it.


"......Hmm."


He looked somewhat suspicious, but there was no further pursuit from Chihaya.


Godo, who was looking at me, raised her nose as if to say, "Good job," and removed her gaze from me.


For the time being, it seems that Godo's mood was maintained.


But why did Godo do that?


She didn't want to tell everyone that she had met with Miyako-sensei?


Well, it's not something I would think about.


But still, I wonder what happened during the lunch break.


I put my right elbow on the desk and looked outside.


From my seat, I can see the school field, and there are boys playing soccer on the field, just before lunchtime.


I thought to myself, "This looks like an elementary school student's lunch break," just like anyone else.


I recited Miyako-sensei's words from the lunch break one more time in my head.


--- "The exchange meeting was initiated by Saki's desire to get to know the first-year students better. I've given permission to the other teachers, so all we have to do is plan the event, but we're short on staff. I'd really like Takarada to help me out."


The rough job description she gave me after this was that it seems to be a chore for preparation and that there will be no overt activities.


If that's the case, there is no need to stand out, and I would be happy to participate, but I don't want to do it if I can.


I don't want to get involved with Godo.


I feel like she doesn't like me.


However, if I am threatened with grades, I have no choice but to participate.


I'll just have to manage to do some inconspicuous behind-the-scenes work.


However, the details of this work haven't yet been disclosed to me.


I will hear about it again tomorrow after school. If the workload is too much, I will decline.


Suddenly, I look at the field again.


The boys were still happily playing soccer.


Then the bell rang, signaling the beginning of fifth period class.


On the field, they were rushing back to the school building with an impatient look on their faces.


"How nice ......."


I couldn't help but mutter to myself as I looked at them, who were probably enjoying playing soccer, forgetting about the time.


I quickly checked my surroundings, but was relieved to see that no one seemed to have heard me.


I actually don't mind playing soccer.


But I've had enough of actually playing it.


***


[What are you going to do after school today?]


After school, I received this message from Yuki.


"Would you like to go to that café?" I guess that's what she was proposing.


It's annoying because it was yesterday, but if I don't go today, I'll have to go tomorrow anyway.


It's better to get this sort of thing over with as soon as possible.


[I understand. But if we go together, it will cause trouble for Yuki, so let's meet at the café.]


The first thing that comes to mind is the rumor about Yuki that Chihaya told me this morning.


[......It's okay, I'm fine with it. We're friends, after all.]


However, I received an unexpected response.


I'm sure she'll be in trouble. If there are any strange rumors about me, I'll be in trouble.


[Well, if you don't like it, I won't do it. We'll meet there, right? I'm going home after talking to my friends, so I'll be there around 17:00.]


The message seemed to be a bit grumpy, like a business communication, but I felt that sending a bad message would only add fuel to the fire, so I simply returned it.


[I understand. I'll probably get there sooner than you.]


Thus, I was to meet Yuki again after school today.


***


"Welcome. I'm glad you came again today."


It's just before 17:00.


I arrived at the cafe "Logy."


The master looks at me with the same soft smile as before.


He has a black-covered paperback book in his hand, which he closes with a snap.


I decided to sit at the same counter as before, but when I checked the distance between the seats, they were still quite close.


Today, Tendo thinks I stink on the train.


If Yuki thinks so too, then other girls will definitely talk about it, and I will have a black history as a person who smells bad.


"There's one more person coming, so can we have a table?"


"Sure."


I decided to sit at a table where I could sit face to face and get some distance from Yuki.


"Is the same girlfriend coming as before?"


"...... Yes."


I felt a little embarrassed as the master smiled an amused smile that didn't match his smart, gentleman-like appearance.


I'm sure I'm mistaken about a lot of things.


We are not in a romantic relationship.


We are just friends.


And I'm sure this is just another one of Yuki's punishment games, so in reality we're not even friends.


"Did you want order a café au lait?"


The master seems to remember what I ordered before.


He is a master of great maturity to remember such an "invisible man" like me.


"Yes. Thank you"


As soon as I answered, the wooden door was opened with a loud click.


"Excuse me! Ah, Takarada!"


That person, Yuki, entered the store with her usual smile.


Especially when she saw me, she had a big smile on her face like she was about to burst.


If she could smile like this at someone like me, I wonder how much she would smile at someone she really likes.


I suddenly thought about that.


"Ah ......?"


Then, Yuki stood in front of the door as if confused.


I wondered if she had forgotten something.


If so, you can go get it without worrying about keeping me waiting.


If you want, you can forget about my business too.


"Um, well, were you sitting there before, Takarada?"


It seems she was wondering why I was sitting at a table.


"I thought it would be better if it was spacious. I decided to sit at this table today."


I'm not sure if it's because I stink, but...


"No, no, you don't have to worry about that. Let's sit at the counter."


Yuki takes a seat at the counter and asks me to come sit next to her.


Why?


From Yuki's point of view, it would be better to have a larger seat.


"No, let's have table seating today."


I say, and she looks at me with a dissatisfied look on her face, like there is an octopus in her mouth.


I don't understand.


I don't understand Yuki's thoughts at all.


"...... You don't want to be that close to me?"


She stares at me with teary eyes and a superior look.


Why would she do that?


Isn't that too cunning?


If it's a question of whether I want to be near you or not, I do. ......


She smells good though.......


"...... Please come over here quickly."


She said as if rushing me who is struggling.


After all, she still has a pretty face that looks like she's about to cry.


How much easier it would be if I could say no at this point.


I'm very weak against pushing.


"I understand."


In the end, I sat down next to Yuki.


At that moment, Yuki smiled with the innocence of a child who has just been given a toy.


"......Fufu, thank you!"


She looks awfully happy.


Is it so good that I'm next to her?


No, I'm sure this is part of the punishment game.


"......As expected, it smelled good."


"......"


"Ah, Master, one iced tea, please!"


I thought I heard some amazing words, but it must have been my imagination.


Because I am supposed to smell bad.


After that, I talked for about an hour with Yuki, who seemed to be having more fun than usual, and then we decided to break up.


I was so glad to see her laughing and listening to my uninteresting story.


And Yuki's stories were also interesting, and even though it was only the second day, I was beginning to think that I was enjoying our conversations.


As I was leaving, I wished I could talk with her a little longer, but I quickly put that thought out of my mind.


I'm not qualified to wish for such a thing because I'm incompetent and useless.



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