IMPORTANT:
Renamed Main Protagonist: Takami to Takaomi
I wonder……, will it rain――?
“Still, I can’t believe it. Do people normally fall asleep even when somebody’s talking to them”
This man who turns around from the seat in front and talks to me is called, Katou.
His build is average, and his looks would be buried in the crowd, but perhaps it’s his schtick, he has a combed-back hairstyle for some reason.
A high school student with a combed-back hairstyle. A man who stands out from the crowd with that one characteristic. That is this fellow, Katou Akio.
He’s one of my few friends, and also the saviour who rescued me from 『that woman』 in the dream just now. If I’d continued receiving psychological damage at that rate, I’d probably be greeted with a Game Over. Thanks, Katou. I won’t ever forget my gratitude towards you. ……for all morning at least.
“So, how is it. You still can’t get a girlfriend yet?”
Humph, this fellow……
“Amagi……you, your face is decently good-looking, and you’re also tall. If you can somehow mend that slightly stoic way of talking and that unsociable personality, it feels like you’ll be popular……”
I was, however, unable to coldly deal with my grinning bad friend.
Katou is worrying about my body――no, my heart――. It’s the mundane topic of high school boys that can be found being talked about anywhere. In other words, the cliche topics like,『Did you, get a girlfriend? What do you think about that girl?』.
This fellow, he’s one of the few people who know of the troublesome baggage that I’m carrying.
Hence, he shows his concerns for me in such a manner occasionally. In no way does he say it in a roundabout way, to avoid touching the sore spot. He comes at me straight. I’m grateful for that instead.
The troublesome baggage that I’m carrying. I wonder what would be the appropriate way to describe it. Unfortunately, I can’t understand it with my meagre vocabulary and knowledge.
If I were to take that into consideration and force myself phrase it――.
『Philophobia』
That’d probably be it.
Last year――in other words, the winter during my first year in high school, I messed up. Ever since then, I became unable to attain ‘romance’ with a real girl. That’s why I escaped to my 2D bride Musashi-chan, was not what happened.
I’d like you to listen to me properly. I――love Musashi-chan!
Katou, he found out about that, and occasionally shows his concern for me since that time.
Good gracious, how grateful I am for that. I’m so happy I’m about to cry.
Hence, for such a『best friend』, I thought of informing him the truth without hiding anything as well.
“About that. Listen, Katou. Actually, yesterday, I confessed, and I got myself a bride”
I’m talking about Musashi-chan of course.
“What! You finally……is that so. At last huh. It has been a long journey”
Katou is being happy for me. He’s giving his blessing for Musashi-chan and me.
“Aah, it has been a long journey. I wonder if it has already been over a year. I mustered the courage, and handed her the ring yesterday”
I’m talking about the item from the reward from clearing the event. That’s the one and only way to get it in the scenario. Moreover, because it’s in the shape of a ring, amongst the players, they call the usage of that item『Marriage』 and the character their『Bride』.
“Nn, a year? Didn’t you say it was the summer during your first year in high school? It’s probably about nine months even if you stretch it. Or were you from the same middle school?”
“Huh? It was just before middle school graduation that I started playing around after all……, as I thought, I’ve been doing it for over a year”
“Uo, you’ve been in such a relationship since middle school!? Playing around……, furthermore do, ‘doing it’……!”
We’re not on the same page at all.
“I’m talking about a game, you know? I got married to Musashi-chan in FCO, and got myself a 2D bride yesterday”
The level cap gets released when you get married, you know. Which means I can look forward to having an overpowered bride.
“Haa, is that it. I thought for certain……”
“For certain what”
Katou stopped talking mid-sentence. Eh, wait. Isn’t it terrible to stop just as you were about to say something? ……well, I know what you want to say though.
After a while, Katou opened his mouth again.
“Speaking of Kanzaki-san……”
Huh?
“No, wait, Katou. Isn’t that segue strange? There’s no link, the conversation”
“Speaking of Kanzaki-san, yesterday――”
Ignoring me huh, is that so.
“It seems she was confessed to”
…………!?
“Hmm……”
“Hmm, you say. Are you fine with it. Or rather, aren’t you bothered?”
“You’re mistaken about something, Katou. Listen here. I mean, although we do socialise a fair bit, Mai and I aren’t like that”
And then, Katou and I look at the seat beside me. A table and a chair that await the owner of which still hasn’t arrived――Kanzaki Mai were there.
“Haa, good grief. You two……”
My bad friend……er, best friend, gave a long sigh. Don’t worry, I still haven’t forgotten my gratitude, that’s why I corrected and said best friend.
I know even if you don’t tell me. Mai is my closest female friend.
……no, let’s correct it.
My only female friend, but the distance between us can be seen to be extremely close compared to others.
Well, those who have seen such day-to-day interaction between Mai and me, gave our relationship the undesired label of a couple, or, husband and wife.
It’s a large uncalled for meddling.
“In my opinion, if it’s with Kanzaki-san, your……that. It feels like it’ll go well though”
There’s a large uncalled for meddling here as well. ……no, this fellow――Katou, is purely concerned. I guess I’ll correct it to a small uncalled for meddling.
Good grief. ……I have been, rejected by Mai once!
That’s why, for Mai and I to have something going on, is impossible.
Well, my reputation is at stake, so I won’t go out of the way to say it though――.
“Well, it’s fine. Amagi and Mai, you guys please get along in your own way”
“Katou……”
Keh……, this fellow…….
“But you know, don’t flirt too much in those seats. It may be all the way to the back, but I, who’s in the seat that’s right in front, can tell quite clearly! It’s about time for you to explode! Just you”
Kehーーーー, this fellowーーーー!
As we’re having such a meaningless conversation, lively voices were audible from the corridor’s direction. I say, but it’s not a rare sight either since it’s something that happens every morning.
“Speak of the devil……huh”
That, represents that Kanzaki Mai came to school.
She――Kanzaki Mai has a lot of friends. And other classes are no exception either, I guess it’s also something that has to do with her personality, but she greets all her friends that she passes by in the morning. That’s why as her voice approaches the classroom, it gradually becomes more audible.
And then, when that wave of greetings arrived at my Year 2 Class C, they revealed themselves at the backdoor.
“Rio-tan, Acchan, morningー”
I can hear the voices of the female students replying, ‘Morningー’. On the other hand, Katou and I…….
“……they’re saying……morning”
“yes, they are……saying morning”
We’re observing a specific spot right by the entrance.
By the corridor. It’s likely that she’s standing there, right outside the opened door. Her voice is audible, but her face isn’t visible. Let alone her face, her shoulders, as well as her legs, are also naturally covered by the wall and aren’t visible but…….
Breasts――.
Just her breasts are――.
An overwhelming presence that pushes her blouse up from within――.
Just those are――.
Peeking from the entrance――――.
As though they’re greeting『Morning』.
Gokuri. Katou and I swallowed our saliva.
“Ne, nevertheless, as I thought, they’re amazing huh. Kanzaki-san’s……those”
“We, well, yeah”
I shall frankly agree with that.
“However, I wonder exactly what the size those are. C cup……probably not. Is it D, or is it E――rather, does the concept of E cup, even exist in this world to begin with!?”
Katou says a sentence that reeks of a virgin to himself.
“G――――”
“Huh? G……eh, G for G cup!? No matter how you put it, something like that is……no, no, it might be possible――rather, don’t tell me you know!?”
Hah, that’s no good, that’s no good. I accidentally let it slip.
“Ah……ah? What are you saying, Katou. There’s no way I would, right――. G……that’s right! Just* don’t stare too much, was what I said. Even if you’re just glancing, your eyes are unexpectedly obvious, you know?”
We were staring fixedly at it just now though.
“Is, is that so. We shouldn’t do that. As gentlemen!”
“Yeah. We’re gentlemen after all!”
We suddenly take our eyes away. Well, it’s because we’re gentlemen. In the true sense, not with the word ‘perverted’1 in front of it.
Like the gentle breeze of autumn, Mai arrived at her own seat.
She puts her bag on the table. Her shoulder-length hair lightly sways.
Mai slightly twists her waist that’s slender despite that bust of hers and faces here.
Her big and beautiful eyes captivate me.
The wind that was healing me until just now, is now playing a little prank and messing her hair up slightly.
She nonchalantly fixes the hair clip that she wore only on the left side and faces here again.
When she opened her plump and soft-looking lips, Mai, who gave a smile even more refreshing than the wind, said this to me――.
“Morning, Takaomi. You’re looking gloomy as usual huh”
Kuaー, this! This, first thing in the morning!!
“Aah, morning, Mai. You’re weighty as usual”
“Huh? Where are you looking when you’re saying that, pervert”
She, who’s standing there with her hands crossed, and I, who’s elegantly relaxing in my seat; our eyes meet and produce sparks. Also, I said I’m a gentleman without the perverted, didn’t I.
“Well, well, both of you……”
Without a moment’s delay, Katou comes in to mediate.
“And also――. Goo, goo goo, good morning. Kanzaki-san”
And, Katou. Why are you nervous even though you’re just greeting Mai?
“Morningー……erm, Hattori……kun?”
“It is Katou, Kanzaki-san”
If that just now is deliberate, and it’s a joke referencing the ninja’s leader2, then Mai is also quite something though. Well, I suppose there’s no way it is. Also, it’s already been close to two months, remember Katou’s name at least.
“Ahー, that’s right, that’s right. Sorry, Kazama-kun”
“Katouuu……”
Mai!? You’re really not doing it on purpose, right!?
“Ahaha, sorry, sorry, Katou-kun. Uh-huh, morning”
Saying that; Mai went past my back and came to the window.
She places her hand on the sash and stares outside. There’s pretty much just the schoolyard underneath her eyes, but Mai was looking up at the sky. Cirrus clouds are moving calmly in the sea of blue.
While looking up at a sky like that, ever so nonchalantly, as though she’s talking to herself……or so that it only reaches me, who’s right by her side, she softly muttered.
“I wonder……, will it rain――?”
! that Mai…….
However, there’s only this much distance. It seems it reached Katou’s ears as well, and he answered her politely.
“Huh, rain? With such a bright sun, it will probably not rain?”
Also, Katou. Why are you using polite speech towards Mai?
“If you’re that worried, how about bringing a folded umbrella or something? It might――rain, after all”
I stoically reply.
“I see, it’ll rain huhー. I see, I seeー”
Really……why does she look that happy, that Mai.
It wasn’t long after that that the chime that announces the start of the morning’s short homeroom rang.
- 変態紳士(Hentai Shinshi): Perverted Gentleman. It came from a Japanese ‘meme’ that roughly translates to, ‘I’m a gentleman whose name is perverted’.
- It might be a reference between the ninjas Hattori Hanzo and Katou Danzou.
