Chapter 6: On The Train


TL: Akabane


***


The time was 7:32.


I was on the usual rapid train that leaves Takatori Station, the nearest station from my house, at 7:30.


There were not that many people on the train.


There were mainly office workers in suits or college students in dull clothes.


There are many high schools along this line, and it seems that high school students basically take the train before this one, because at this time of the day they are too late to catch the morning extracurricular time of any high school.


My classmate who was my good friend in middle school told me this.


Incidentally, our school doesn't have morning extracurricular activities.


It seems that they don't want to distract the students from concentrating on the daytime classes by coming early in the morning.


It's true that a person can only concentrate for a limited amount of time in a day.


The school would be happier if they could concentrate in their important classes during the day.


It would also be nice for us, students, not to have to come early in the morning.


Well, leaving such morning extracurricular talk aside, the fact that there are few people on the train means that there are seats available.


This train has long seats with the backs to the windows.


I sat between a fat man in a suit and a woman in her 30's with heavy makeup.


I am basically physically weak.


At school, I rarely move from my seat, and at home I just sit around and watch anime.


Therefore, if there is a seat available on the train, I try to sit down.


When I sat down, I could smell the sweat from the man on my right and the tang of perfume from the woman on my left.


Neither smell was very pleasant to smell, but after a few seconds I got used to it and didn't notice anything.


I took out my wireless earphones and put them in my ears.


They are expensive, costing more than 30,000 yen.


My sister, who is a college student and has already earned a lot of money, bought them for me as a gift for entering high school.


It was when the opening song of my favorite anime was playing on the earphones.


The back of my neck suddenly felt hot. At the same time, a shadow formed on the floor in front of me.


The strong sunlight was streaming in from the back window of the train.


Come to think of it, the rainy season has already ended.


The season will soon be summer.


I don't dislike train time, but I don't like this moment.


Of course, that because it's hot.


For a sweaty person like me, it's my natural enemy.


"Oh, God."


Then, the woman sitting next to me on my left got annoyed, got up from her seat, and leaned over near the door on the opposite side, where she was not exposed to the sun.


It seemed she wanted to get away from the sun, even if she had to stand up.


Let's just hope it wasn't because she hates the smell of the high school student next to her (me).


Certainly, from a tanning perspective, women would be quite uncomfortable in this sun.


In fact, some of the women sitting on my side were running away from the sun, just like the woman I mentioned earlier.


I wanted to move too, but I couldn't because I was afraid that people around me would think, "Why do you, a man, care about the sun?"


Besides, the woman next to me was gone, which gave me a lot of leeway.


With this comfort level, I could manage to stand the sun.


I leaned slightly to my left and read a manga on a free app to pass the time.


If I were in "invincible mode," I would be able to watch whatever I really wanted to watch here, whether it be a novel or an anime, but that's not possible here.


I can't do that here, because the guy next to me might be watching me.


Oh, that's right.


Why don't I just go into "invincible mode" the next time I go to school?


That way, I can do my hobby activities with all my might even on this train.


Yeah, that sounds good.


While I was thinking about this and looking at my phone, I saw someone pass in front of me.


I was looking at the screen of my phone, but I think she was wearing our school uniform.


I naturally looked up and turned my eyes to the person, and at that moment, the person sat down on the seat next to my left.


I froze when I saw that person.


She had beautiful white, fine skin with no spots, wrinkles, or pimples, shiny jet-black hair that reached almost to her mid-back, and a well-defined face with a high nose and wide-open eyes.


She is over 170 cm tall and has a model-like style.


She was a perfect beauty that all girls should admire.


In fact, high school girls and old men in the same train were glancing at her right now.


I knew her.


After all, she is my first love, Yuna Tendo.


Let me tell you a little about the past.


She and I had been together since elementary school, but I didn't recognize her until junior high school.


She was already famous at school for her looks, and we were sitting next to each other in the same class.


I was attracted to her smile and kind personality and immediately fell in love with her.


However, a boy in my class spread the word, and everyone looked at me like, "Know your place."


Even Tendo looked at me with a wary eye, and I decided to give up on this idea.


I wasn't even qualified to love anyone.


I haven't spoken to Tendo since then, but I met her again at the entrance ceremony of my high school.


To my surprise, she was also in our high school.


I don't know why she chose this high school far from her hometown.


I don't think it's anything to ask.


From her point of view, I am a creepy guy who has been liking her without knowing my status.


So I don't think I'll get involved with her just because we went to high school together, and I don't think I'll ever revive the feelings I had for her.


However, when I do occasionally pass her in the hallway, she stares at me.


I am sure she is still wary of me.


And now, Tendo is sitting next to me.


Why?　Doesn't she realize that I am sitting next to her?


I glance at her with a sideways glance.


She is as beautiful as ever.


Her appearance is as good as Yuki's, and depending on their taste, they may prefer Tendo's than Yuki


And I am one of them.


She was on my left, and her right shoulder touched my left shoulder for a moment.


I immediately shifted my body.


I'm not allowed to touch her.


"......"


Then, Tendo looked at me.


I can't see her directly, but I think her expressions are dissatisfied.


I sometimes feel that look, even at school.


After all, Tendo is aware of me.


Even though I know that, I just can't figure it out.


Why did she sit next to me, and why did she move and make a dissatisfied face?


I couldn't read her intentions, but I decided to move closer to the right so that our bodies wouldn't hit each other any more.


I'm sure she hates me.


"Eh?"


I was about to move my body when I felt a sensation on the left side of my body.


I didn't think it was .......


I looked at her and sure enough, Tendo was leaning over my body with her eyes closed.


Immediately, I felt my body heat up.


That's right, she is a girl who once I fell in love with.


And she's a pretty girl.


The tension began to be released from my body as sweat.


I could feel the hateful stares from people around me, mostly guys.


What should I do?


To be honest, I can't hold it at this rate.


If we continue like this, I will start sweating like I'm in a sauna, and my face will turn red like a boiled egg.


In other words, I have no choice but to wake Tendo up, but that makes me nervous.


I was nervous about this, because I was the lowest in the caste, and it wasn't a trick that I, the lowest in the caste, could do right away.


I can talk to people when they talk to me, but I'm not very good at talking to people first.


In order to keep my mind in order, I'm going to wake up Tendo after a count of 10 more seconds.


10, 9, 8....


I start counting in my mind.


7, 6, 5, 4....


But still, Tendo smells good.


I think it was the smell of perfume, but it was natural and not unpleasant at all.


3, 2....


And then, at the last second.


"Oh, I can't do it anymore!"


With a voice like that, Tendo suddenly stood up and walked away from me at a fast walk.


She seemed to be moving to another wagon.


Her face and ears were red like a boiled egg.


"Huh?"


What does she mean?


She can't do it anymore?


Does that mean she's been holding back ......?


Ah?


I look at my shadow on the floor in front of me.


Is the sunlight this strong?


But she should knew that before she sat down.


There is a pattern that was stronger than Tendo had imagined, and there is something more likely.


That a 30's woman with thick makeup prayed when she sat down.


Oh, maybe ...... what Tendo said earlier is....


The smell of the classmate next to her is too much! Is that what you mean?!



PREV | NEXT