And with that feeling, the holidays were over. I returned to my daily life with my head buried in books again.
Ever since the failure at the movies, Masuzu had not been very active. I was afraid that she was planning out the next battle; but for the time being, there was peace.
Chiwa was the same, she stopped talking about Fuyuumi. Even Chiwa could probably guess the inside story, though it still looked like she wouldn't get along with her.
Hime was the complete opposite of those two, she kept urging me to 'let me see Master', 'I want to practice' and 'I want to become proficient in love'. Ah, I thought of finding an opportunity to see her in August, but probably Fuyuumi’s boyfriend (Michel) would be back by then.
And then, Fuyuumi—— as always we spoke occasionally at cram school. Even though the words she said at the movie always stuck in my thoughts, on the surface I still acted the same as before. We ate lunch together every date, and we frequently went with Kaoru to the restaurant or the coffee shop on the way home. The best parts were when we talked about studies, and I learned a few tricks about how to read modern literature. I really benefited from it.
But when we studied, Fuyuumi sometimes stared at me.
Just as if she were waiting for me to say something.
Because her expression was so obvious, I asked her many times, 'What's bothering you?' But she always answered, 'Nothing?', 'There is nothing wrong!' And then she would blush and hurriedly avert her eyes. Extremely cute. From all of our interactions, I began to grasp her good points.
—If it were myself from middle school, I probably would have misunderstood her.
'Could she possibly be in love with me?', or something like that.
But after having lived through that painful experience described in the 'Eighth Grade Notebook', I would never be mistaken again.
And that being said, she had a boyfriend — Murata - Michel - Daigoro. Sometimes I asked her, 'Have you been in contact with your boyfriend lately?', and Fuyuumi would act lovestruck when shyly replying, 'O-O-Of course?'. Maybe it was embarrassing for her— even though Kaoru would sigh each time, it probably meant he cared a lot.
Sometimes I thought that if we explained the situation to Fuyuumi and asked her for 'evidence of her boyfriend' to show to Masuzu, maybe this would make things progress faster.
It was too bad that 'Jien-Otsu' was bound to be shut down, but there were always other alternatives. Like Masuzu once said, even if we didn’t have activities as a club, it was fine if we just hung out together.
And on one leisurely day just like this—
"Eh? What is that?"
After the end of classes, I was still studying in a self-study room when I noticed there was a notebook in the drawer of the table next to me. It seemed like someone had forgotten it.
It was the same kind of notebook which I had used.
It was a B5-sized and every stationary store sold it, so it was pretty ordinary. However, even the worn condition of the cover seemed very similar, and there was neither a name nor a title written on it. If this was placed side by side with my own notebook, it would probably be able difficult to tell mine apart from this one.
I reached out, intending to bring the lost notebook to the administration office, but I accidentally tipped over my table. As a result, my pencil case and notebook both fell onto the floor.
The studying students around me all stared at me, and in my anxiety, I accidentally knocked down the tables around me.
While I bowed my head, apologized, and propped up the tables, I hurriedly cleaned up the things scattered on the floor.
Then I noticed it.
———I messed up.
I put the lost item together with my own notebook.
So troublesome…
Now I've got no choice but to look at the contents to confirm which is which.
...But it should be okay. It was impossible to leave a notebook unrelated to schoolwork in the study hall, so this isn’t some kind of privacy invasion.
I picked up the notebook, and casually flipped it open.
Just one look at the handwriting, and I immediately knew it wasn’t mine after all—
I totally lub Kidou Eita-kun————!
"Aaaahhhhhhhhh?!"
I couldn’t help but crying out loud.
This time, the eyes of everyone around me bore down on me with killing intent. I quickly closed the notebook.
—W-What was with this?
Why would they write my name?
And the 'totally lub'!
I put the notebook into by bag, and hurriedly left the study hall.
In the corner of the lobby, I sat down on a sofa. I took a deep breath to calm down my pounding heart, and re-opened the notebook.
It was clearly the large round handwriting of a girl, written like this:
Today I with Ta-kun, spoke about a ton~ton of stuff ♪
Unya Unya Unyaaan ♪
Ehehehehe… What should I do, what should I do~ w
Did I speak in a good way?
Did my face maybe get red?
He didn't think that I was a strange girl, right? (Sob)
This summer, I need to make use of that chance!
Because that promised day is almost here ♪
When I saw this, I couldn't bear it and closed the notebook.
W-What is this?
Last time it was my name. This time it is 'Ta-kun'.
Then it looks like this diary's owner has an unrequited love for this so called 'Ta-kun'.
Then that bit from before about liking me, what was that about?
"[...]"
That being said, whose notebook is this?
I'm very concerned!
Since I got to this point, how can I not confirm who the owner is so that I can give it back!
I put my hand on my chest, and after taking three big breaths, I opened the notebook again.
'This can’t be… SHIT[1]?'
Lyricist / AI ❤ FUYUUMI
Recently I’ve felt he’s very cold.
Perhaps, when he realized that I was talking with the other boys; then he turned cold.
Could this be… SHIT?
Could he be doing this for my sake… SHIT?
TONIGHT[2]! If I ask him.
MIDNIGHT[3]! He will answer like this.
'Because... you are just too cute!'
Yan ♪ Yan ♪ Yan ♪
Those guys, perhaps in reality, SHIT ❤
Maybe, it's my fault after all.
It's because I'm way too PRETTY[4], so it's my fault ❤ '
Tonight, together we'll RUN AWAY ♪
Tonight, together we'll RUN AWAY♪
"IS THIS A POEM?!"
I tsukkomi’d at the notebook with all my strength.
It was the same with Masuzu’s text message, along with that poem. Recently, I’ve been tsukkomi’ing other people’s writings.
No matter how I look at it, it is definitely a poem. It is the same as the many delusional poems I've written in my Eighth Grade Notebook. It is hard to imagine there was someone in this world who could seriously say, 'Because… you are just too cute!' If this were to be 'reality', then I might as well become an inhabitant of the 'delusional world'.
Having said that, this poem is terrible.
The word choice was extraordinarily sappy, the usage of English is just too strange. Even though 'SHIT' was written there, perhaps it was meant to be 'shitto', after all if we do assume that it is 'shit', then the literal translation is 'unchi', wouldn't that sound pretty bad[5]?
No.
Most important was a piece of information one couldn't have missed.
The author of this column had the name of 'AI ◆ FUYUUMI'.
In other words, 冬海愛衣Fuyuumi Ai.
To put in yet another way, it was her.
"...This has to be a lie, right?"
I got goosebumps all over and started to sweat terribly.
H-How can that stiff, reserved, and serious Fuyuumi, write a notebook like this?
No— No—, waitwaitwait.
This must be something from Fuyuumi’s past that she wants to forget.
In simple terms, it is the same as my Chuuni notes. It’s a notebook that seals a dark history of her middle school era.
Then I found the date on the top right corner of the page.
July, Xth 201X ❤
"WASN'T THAT YESTERDAY?!"
Ultra recent! What should I do?!
My image of 'Fuyuumi Ai' is crumbling! The Disciplinary Committee Member! Top three in the grade!
"...F-First, I should calm down."
For the time being, I took a deep breath, and collected my thoughts.
Basically, Fuyuumi is the same type of delusional person that I was in middle school. A poet, and additionally— she likes me?
No, she likes 'Ta-kun'?
Anyway, where did that Michel go?!
"What should I do...?"
How should I deal with this reality?
The best way would be to act as if nothing happened.
Just forget about all the contents of the notebook, and then put it back in the study room. That would be for the best. Even though I don’t know how I’ll act when I see Fuyuumi tomorrow, but if all I can do is smile and face her...
Right! That should be fine!
I don’t know about this notebook, and I’ve never seen it. I don’t know anything, I’ve never seen it. Don’t know. Never saw—
"———— D i d • y o u • s e e?"
I was sitting on the sofa I jumped about twenty centimeters high.
This was the first time I’ve ever experienced that a human being could jump so high from a sitting position.
This was also the first time I’ve ever seen a human being so scared that they weren’t even able to scream.
It was Fuyuumi Ai.
She had been standing in the entrance of the main hall.
I saw her shoulders rising up and down, as if she were breathless. She must have been running all the way here. It was as if she remembered that she forgot something in the classroom. Something that if someone else saw it, it would be fatal, so she ran back at full speed.
Right away I shouted:
"It wasn’t me——!"
I didn’t even know what it was, but 'it wasn’t me'. Metaphorically speaking, this was an excuse similar to the usual line a criminal would say when he had been caught red-handed while peeking, even so I couldn’t help but to shout it out!
"Did you look? Did you see it?"
"It wasn’t me!"
"The notebook is wide open! Weren’t you looking?!"
"Itwasn’tmeitwasn’tme, IT WASN'T ME!"
In the middle of this seemingly forever lasting fruitless debate, Fuyuumi rushed forward. I reflexively held the notebook away! I jumped up and ran madly, and it seemed like the floor of the lobby was about to crack open. I ran from the side opposite of the entrance into the hallway.
"That’s my younger brotheeeeeeeeer’s!"
Fuyuumi urgently cried from behind me!
"That notebook is my younger brotheeeeeeer’s!"
"Y-YOU LIAAAAAR!"
How could a little brother write notes with such sappy maidenly contents? That being said, if he said, 'I totally lub Eita-kun————!', then he would clearly be gay!
I weaved past the students gathered in front of the vending machines, and ran outside as the security guarded scolded, 'Don’t run in the hallways!' Even though it was already six o’clock, the weather was still sweltering hot and the terrible sun showed no mercy. The strength in my body soon depleted.
I ran past the sidewalk, through the bushes, and finally into a children’s playground— only then she caught up to me.
"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Fuyuumi pounced and hugged me from behind like a torpedo, and our bodies rolled on the ground together while swirling up dust.
What should I do?! I’m about to get killed!
I couldn’t help but be painfully aware of my imminent death— But Fuyuumi only hugged my body without doing anything.
Even more than that, she was motionless.
"A-Are you okay? Did you hit anything?"
I anxiously shook Fuyuumi’s shoulder.
Then—
"...Kill... me..."
"Huh?"
"Kill meeeeeeeee!"
When Fuyuumi finished hollering, she proceeded to kick, flail, and cry bitterly on the ground, just like a child.
"Kill meeeeee, just kill meeeeeeee! Delusional idiots like me should just die! Kill me, kill meeeeee!"
"[...]"
Somehow recently there was this guy who said exactly those same lines…
Feeling sympathetic, I said:
"H-Hey, Fuyuumi, calm down first."
"But you saw it. You read my disgraceful notebook, right? You saw that notebook that was full of delusions and poetry! So you should just laugh at me! That Fuyuumi Ai, who wields so much authority in the school disciplinary committee, in reality she has these elementary school delusions, it’s hilarious, right?! If you laugh, wouldn't that be fine? Just laugh as you please…!"
Fuyuumi’s eyes were overflowing with huge tears.
She knelt on the ground, completely motionless, and began to sob with her hands covering her face.
"...Fuyuumi..."
I deeply regretted reading her notebook.
Either way, I should never have looked in the first place.
How could I peek at other people’s secrets just to satisfy my own curiosity?
Haven’t I forced the worst kind of pain on her?
"I’m..."
I was about to say, 'I'm sorry', but I gave up on the thought.
If I apologized, it would only hurt Fuyuumi further.
What was needed right now weren’t those words.
Because those kinds of words—
"...I won’t laugh."
I concentrated my voice in my stomach and spoke as confidently as possible:
"Even if I’m going to be killed, I won’t laugh——!"
Fuyuumi looked up with her swollen eyes.
"I will never laugh at other people’s delusions!"
"W-Why?"
"Because I’m the same... look."
I sucked in air, and gave off a 'wuuaahhhh' scream.
Then I clenched my right fist and hissed:
"Awakeeeeeeen, Holy Dragon ClanDragon's hidden power! Burn up the parallel univeeeeeeeerse! Fate's Dark Black Flame!"
Fuyuumi’s eyes turned to small dots, and I repeatedly punched towards the sky in front of her!
"DEKUSH! DEKUSH DEKUSH DEKUUSSHUU!"
Wuaaaaaaah.
So embarrassing!
Even if I did something similar to help Chiwa in June.
But doing this in front a person I spent summer cram school with, there is so much shame - it's indescribable. Especially since we always talked about serious topics like quadratic functions and English syntax.
When Fuyuumi got to know her notebook has been seen, this must have been how she felt.
Just thinking about it, this here is nothing—
Then Fuyuumi suddenly gave a 'pfu'. She laughed.
"Hahahahahahahahahaha, fu, fufufu, FUFU, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"[...] [...]"
Did she really have to laugh that much?
"Haha, hahahaha! What is this?! DARK BLACK FLAME? The flame is even black? And that 'DEKUSH' sound effect, you’re even making them with your mouth! Since it's the sound effect of that special secret attack, you have to use your own mouth, pfu hihihihi!"
Fuyuumi’s tears had become tears from 'laughing too hard'!
"Y-You’re the same, right? I just wanted to tell you that everyone has delusions. It’s nothing strange."
"Idi—ot! Of course delusions are embarrassing! What’s with trying to act cool now, because it doesn’t work for you at all!"
"Y-You! Fuyuumi!"
I angrily grabbed Fuyuumi’s shoulder.
I thought she would resist, but I didn’t expect Fuyuumi to fall into my chest.
"...Thank you."
Fuyuumi whispered.
The scent of her shampoo, completely unlike Masuzu's, Chiwa's, and Hime’s, filled my nose.
"Hey, about that delusion."
"H-Huh?"
My voice unconsciously cracked. Wah! My heart couldn’t stop jumping, it was like Masuzu often made it, but I should've been used to it by now.
"Was that the same thing you hollered when you helped Harusaki Chiwa that time?"
"Eh?! How did you know?"
"I heard about it from Kaoru. I heard you shouted something in order to save your childhood friend."
I see, I told Kaoru about that before.
"Well, I just stirred up some trouble to get rid of the gangster who was picking on Chiwa."
"Well, you did the same thing that you did for Harusaki Chiwa, so you were willing to do it for me too—"
Fuyuumi firmly buried her face in my chest.
"F-Fuyuumi?"
"Don’t say anything."
"...Even if you say that..."
"Just don't look at it. The face I have right now..."
What did she mean by that?
Masuzu’s actions were always full of mystery, but this girl’s behavior was just as hard to understand.
Fuyuumi and me stayed in this position for a while.
To other people we must have looked like a couple holding each other. A lady who passed through the park on her way home from shopping smiled at us. It really made me angry, damn! As an 'anti-love', this was just shameful.
After a while, Fuyuumi finally raised up her face.
Her cheeks were cherry-colored, and her pupils were slightly moistened. She did look cuter than usual, and it made my heart beat faster.
File:Oreshura v03 203.jpg
"Kidou-kun, how much of that notebook did you see?"
"How much, you ask...?"
"By the time I found you, did you only manage to look at that poem?"
"...Yes, just that one."
"Really? I see."
Fuyuumi seemed relieved, but she looked somewhat disappointed. I felt she had a very complex expression when she nodded.
It would probably be better if I didn’t say I saw, 'I totally lub Eita-kun————!'.
Even if Fuyuumi really liked me, I knew she originally didn’t want me to find it out this way. Also, I didn't know how this was related to the 'Ta-kun' in the diary, so I thought it was probably for the better if I remained silent for now.
...Hm?
Ta-kun.
Why do I feel like that name sounds so nostalgic...?
"—Hey, what’s wrong, Kidou-kun?"
I suddenly came back to myself and found Fuyuumi looking up to my face.
"A-Ah, sorry. I was thinking about something."
"Mhm... Right, it’s about time you return my notebook. How long do you intend to hold onto it?"
I then realized that I was still holding onto Fuyuumi’s notebook.
"S-Sorry!"
Fuyuumi took the notebook from me and with a big sigh said:
"Sigh— The cover is a mess now, since you clenched it so hard when you ran away."
"I-I’m sorry. I really am..."
The notebook was definitely wet from sweat, and quite wrinkled. The condition was quite bad. There was no way I could just make up for it.
"Really? Do you really feel sorry?"
"Yes. Let me pay for a new notebook."
"Eh— That is all?"
"A-Also, I’ll invite you to lunch every day! If that’s not enough, I’ll add a large order of fries from the family restaurant!"
"You can forget about the potatoes... However, there is something."
Fuyuumi smiled 'fufun', and pointed at me in her usual posture and made a 'snap'.
"If it's like that, would you listen to the request I have?"
And with that feeling, the holidays were over. I returned to my daily life with my head buried in books again.
Ever since the failure at the movies, Masuzu had not been very active. I was afraid that she was planning out the next battle; but for the time being, there was peace.
Chiwa was the same, she stopped talking about Fuyuumi. Even Chiwa could probably guess the inside story, though it still looked like she wouldn't get along with her.
Hime was the complete opposite of those two, she kept urging me to 'let me see Master', 'I want to practice' and 'I want to become proficient in love'. Ah, I thought of finding an opportunity to see her in August, but probably Fuyuumi’s boyfriend (Michel) would be back by then.
And then, Fuyuumi—— as always we spoke occasionally at cram school. Even though the words she said at the movie always stuck in my thoughts, on the surface I still acted the same as before. We ate lunch together every date, and we frequently went with Kaoru to the restaurant or the coffee shop on the way home. The best parts were when we talked about studies, and I learned a few tricks about how to read modern literature. I really benefited from it.
But when we studied, Fuyuumi sometimes stared at me.
Just as if she were waiting for me to say something.
Because her expression was so obvious, I asked her many times, 'What's bothering you?' But she always answered, 'Nothing?', 'There is nothing wrong!' And then she would blush and hurriedly avert her eyes. Extremely cute. From all of our interactions, I began to grasp her good points.
—If it were myself from middle school, I probably would have misunderstood her.
'Could she possibly be in love with me?', or something like that.
But after having lived through that painful experience described in the 'Eighth Grade Notebook', I would never be mistaken again.
And that being said, she had a boyfriend — Murata - Michel - Daigoro. Sometimes I asked her, 'Have you been in contact with your boyfriend lately?', and Fuyuumi would act lovestruck when shyly replying, 'O-O-Of course?'. Maybe it was embarrassing for her— even though Kaoru would sigh each time, it probably meant he cared a lot.
Sometimes I thought that if we explained the situation to Fuyuumi and asked her for 'evidence of her boyfriend' to show to Masuzu, maybe this would make things progress faster.
It was too bad that 'Jien-Otsu' was bound to be shut down, but there were always other alternatives. Like Masuzu once said, even if we didn’t have activities as a club, it was fine if we just hung out together.
And on one leisurely day just like this—
"Eh? What is that?"
After the end of classes, I was still studying in a self-study room when I noticed there was a notebook in the drawer of the table next to me. It seemed like someone had forgotten it.
It was the same kind of notebook which I had used.
It was a B5-sized and every stationary store sold it, so it was pretty ordinary. However, even the worn condition of the cover seemed very similar, and there was neither a name nor a title written on it. If this was placed side by side with my own notebook, it would probably be able difficult to tell mine apart from this one.
I reached out, intending to bring the lost notebook to the administration office, but I accidentally tipped over my table. As a result, my pencil case and notebook both fell onto the floor.
The studying students around me all stared at me, and in my anxiety, I accidentally knocked down the tables around me.
While I bowed my head, apologized, and propped up the tables, I hurriedly cleaned up the things scattered on the floor.
Then I noticed it.
———I messed up.
I put the lost item together with my own notebook.
So troublesome…
Now I've got no choice but to look at the contents to confirm which is which.
...But it should be okay. It was impossible to leave a notebook unrelated to schoolwork in the study hall, so this isn’t some kind of privacy invasion.
I picked up the notebook, and casually flipped it open.
Just one look at the handwriting, and I immediately knew it wasn’t mine after all—
I totally lub Kidou Eita-kun————!
"Aaaahhhhhhhhh?!"
I couldn’t help but crying out loud.
This time, the eyes of everyone around me bore down on me with killing intent. I quickly closed the notebook.
—W-What was with this?
Why would they write my name?
And the 'totally lub'!
I put the notebook into by bag, and hurriedly left the study hall.
In the corner of the lobby, I sat down on a sofa. I took a deep breath to calm down my pounding heart, and re-opened the notebook.
It was clearly the large round handwriting of a girl, written like this:
Today I with Ta-kun, spoke about a ton~ton of stuff ♪
Unya Unya Unyaaan ♪
Ehehehehe… What should I do, what should I do~ w
Did I speak in a good way?
Did my face maybe get red?
He didn't think that I was a strange girl, right? (Sob)
This summer, I need to make use of that chance!
Because that promised day is almost here ♪
When I saw this, I couldn't bear it and closed the notebook.
W-What is this?
Last time it was my name. This time it is 'Ta-kun'.
Then it looks like this diary's owner has an unrequited love for this so called 'Ta-kun'.
Then that bit from before about liking me, what was that about?
"[...]"
That being said, whose notebook is this?
I'm very concerned!
Since I got to this point, how can I not confirm who the owner is so that I can give it back!
I put my hand on my chest, and after taking three big breaths, I opened the notebook again.
'This can’t be… SHIT[1]?'
Lyricist / AI ❤ FUYUUMI
Recently I’ve felt he’s very cold.
Perhaps, when he realized that I was talking with the other boys; then he turned cold.
Could this be… SHIT?
Could he be doing this for my sake… SHIT?
TONIGHT[2]! If I ask him.
MIDNIGHT[3]! He will answer like this.
'Because... you are just too cute!'
Yan ♪ Yan ♪ Yan ♪
Those guys, perhaps in reality, SHIT ❤
Maybe, it's my fault after all.
It's because I'm way too PRETTY[4], so it's my fault ❤ '
Tonight, together we'll RUN AWAY ♪
Tonight, together we'll RUN AWAY♪
"IS THIS A POEM?!"
I tsukkomi’d at the notebook with all my strength.
It was the same with Masuzu’s text message, along with that poem. Recently, I’ve been tsukkomi’ing other people’s writings.
No matter how I look at it, it is definitely a poem. It is the same as the many delusional poems I've written in my Eighth Grade Notebook. It is hard to imagine there was someone in this world who could seriously say, 'Because… you are just too cute!' If this were to be 'reality', then I might as well become an inhabitant of the 'delusional world'.
Having said that, this poem is terrible.
The word choice was extraordinarily sappy, the usage of English is just too strange. Even though 'SHIT' was written there, perhaps it was meant to be 'shitto', after all if we do assume that it is 'shit', then the literal translation is 'unchi', wouldn't that sound pretty bad[5]?
No.
Most important was a piece of information one couldn't have missed.
The author of this column had the name of 'AI ◆ FUYUUMI'.
In other words, 冬海愛衣Fuyuumi Ai.
To put in yet another way, it was her.
"...This has to be a lie, right?"
I got goosebumps all over and started to sweat terribly.
H-How can that stiff, reserved, and serious Fuyuumi, write a notebook like this?
No— No—, waitwaitwait.
This must be something from Fuyuumi’s past that she wants to forget.
In simple terms, it is the same as my Chuuni notes. It’s a notebook that seals a dark history of her middle school era.
Then I found the date on the top right corner of the page.
July, Xth 201X ❤
"WASN'T THAT YESTERDAY?!"
Ultra recent! What should I do?!
My image of 'Fuyuumi Ai' is crumbling! The Disciplinary Committee Member! Top three in the grade!
"...F-First, I should calm down."
For the time being, I took a deep breath, and collected my thoughts.
Basically, Fuyuumi is the same type of delusional person that I was in middle school. A poet, and additionally— she likes me?
No, she likes 'Ta-kun'?
Anyway, where did that Michel go?!
"What should I do...?"
How should I deal with this reality?
The best way would be to act as if nothing happened.
Just forget about all the contents of the notebook, and then put it back in the study room. That would be for the best. Even though I don’t know how I’ll act when I see Fuyuumi tomorrow, but if all I can do is smile and face her...
Right! That should be fine!
I don’t know about this notebook, and I’ve never seen it. I don’t know anything, I’ve never seen it. Don’t know. Never saw—
"———— D i d • y o u • s e e?"
I was sitting on the sofa I jumped about twenty centimeters high.
This was the first time I’ve ever experienced that a human being could jump so high from a sitting position.
This was also the first time I’ve ever seen a human being so scared that they weren’t even able to scream.
It was Fuyuumi Ai.
She had been standing in the entrance of the main hall.
I saw her shoulders rising up and down, as if she were breathless. She must have been running all the way here. It was as if she remembered that she forgot something in the classroom. Something that if someone else saw it, it would be fatal, so she ran back at full speed.
Right away I shouted:
"It wasn’t me——!"
I didn’t even know what it was, but 'it wasn’t me'. Metaphorically speaking, this was an excuse similar to the usual line a criminal would say when he had been caught red-handed while peeking, even so I couldn’t help but to shout it out!
"Did you look? Did you see it?"
"It wasn’t me!"
"The notebook is wide open! Weren’t you looking?!"
"Itwasn’tmeitwasn’tme, IT WASN'T ME!"
In the middle of this seemingly forever lasting fruitless debate, Fuyuumi rushed forward. I reflexively held the notebook away! I jumped up and ran madly, and it seemed like the floor of the lobby was about to crack open. I ran from the side opposite of the entrance into the hallway.
"That’s my younger brotheeeeeeeeer’s!"
Fuyuumi urgently cried from behind me!
"That notebook is my younger brotheeeeeeer’s!"
"Y-YOU LIAAAAAR!"
How could a little brother write notes with such sappy maidenly contents? That being said, if he said, 'I totally lub Eita-kun————!', then he would clearly be gay!
I weaved past the students gathered in front of the vending machines, and ran outside as the security guarded scolded, 'Don’t run in the hallways!' Even though it was already six o’clock, the weather was still sweltering hot and the terrible sun showed no mercy. The strength in my body soon depleted.
I ran past the sidewalk, through the bushes, and finally into a children’s playground— only then she caught up to me.
"UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Fuyuumi pounced and hugged me from behind like a torpedo, and our bodies rolled on the ground together while swirling up dust.
What should I do?! I’m about to get killed!
I couldn’t help but be painfully aware of my imminent death— But Fuyuumi only hugged my body without doing anything.
Even more than that, she was motionless.
"A-Are you okay? Did you hit anything?"
I anxiously shook Fuyuumi’s shoulder.
Then—
"...Kill... me..."
"Huh?"
"Kill meeeeeeeee!"
When Fuyuumi finished hollering, she proceeded to kick, flail, and cry bitterly on the ground, just like a child.
"Kill meeeeee, just kill meeeeeeee! Delusional idiots like me should just die! Kill me, kill meeeeee!"
"[...]"
Somehow recently there was this guy who said exactly those same lines…
Feeling sympathetic, I said:
"H-Hey, Fuyuumi, calm down first."
"But you saw it. You read my disgraceful notebook, right? You saw that notebook that was full of delusions and poetry! So you should just laugh at me! That Fuyuumi Ai, who wields so much authority in the school disciplinary committee, in reality she has these elementary school delusions, it’s hilarious, right?! If you laugh, wouldn't that be fine? Just laugh as you please…!"
Fuyuumi’s eyes were overflowing with huge tears.
She knelt on the ground, completely motionless, and began to sob with her hands covering her face.
"...Fuyuumi..."
I deeply regretted reading her notebook.
Either way, I should never have looked in the first place.
How could I peek at other people’s secrets just to satisfy my own curiosity?
Haven’t I forced the worst kind of pain on her?
"I’m..."
I was about to say, 'I'm sorry', but I gave up on the thought.
If I apologized, it would only hurt Fuyuumi further.
What was needed right now weren’t those words.
Because those kinds of words—
"...I won’t laugh."
I concentrated my voice in my stomach and spoke as confidently as possible:
"Even if I’m going to be killed, I won’t laugh——!"
Fuyuumi looked up with her swollen eyes.
"I will never laugh at other people’s delusions!"
"W-Why?"
"Because I’m the same... look."
I sucked in air, and gave off a 'wuuaahhhh' scream.
Then I clenched my right fist and hissed:
"Awakeeeeeeen, Holy Dragon ClanDragon's hidden power! Burn up the parallel univeeeeeeeerse! Fate's Dark Black Flame!"
Fuyuumi’s eyes turned to small dots, and I repeatedly punched towards the sky in front of her!
"DEKUSH! DEKUSH DEKUSH DEKUUSSHUU!"
Wuaaaaaaah.
So embarrassing!
Even if I did something similar to help Chiwa in June.
But doing this in front a person I spent summer cram school with, there is so much shame - it's indescribable. Especially since we always talked about serious topics like quadratic functions and English syntax.
When Fuyuumi got to know her notebook has been seen, this must have been how she felt.
Just thinking about it, this here is nothing—
Then Fuyuumi suddenly gave a 'pfu'. She laughed.
"Hahahahahahahahahaha, fu, fufufu, FUFU, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"[...] [...]"
Did she really have to laugh that much?
"Haha, hahahaha! What is this?! DARK BLACK FLAME? The flame is even black? And that 'DEKUSH' sound effect, you’re even making them with your mouth! Since it's the sound effect of that special secret attack, you have to use your own mouth, pfu hihihihi!"
Fuyuumi’s tears had become tears from 'laughing too hard'!
"Y-You’re the same, right? I just wanted to tell you that everyone has delusions. It’s nothing strange."
"Idi—ot! Of course delusions are embarrassing! What’s with trying to act cool now, because it doesn’t work for you at all!"
"Y-You! Fuyuumi!"
I angrily grabbed Fuyuumi’s shoulder.
I thought she would resist, but I didn’t expect Fuyuumi to fall into my chest.
"...Thank you."
Fuyuumi whispered.
The scent of her shampoo, completely unlike Masuzu's, Chiwa's, and Hime’s, filled my nose.
"Hey, about that delusion."
"H-Huh?"
My voice unconsciously cracked. Wah! My heart couldn’t stop jumping, it was like Masuzu often made it, but I should've been used to it by now.
"Was that the same thing you hollered when you helped Harusaki Chiwa that time?"
"Eh?! How did you know?"
"I heard about it from Kaoru. I heard you shouted something in order to save your childhood friend."
I see, I told Kaoru about that before.
"Well, I just stirred up some trouble to get rid of the gangster who was picking on Chiwa."
"Well, you did the same thing that you did for Harusaki Chiwa, so you were willing to do it for me too—"
Fuyuumi firmly buried her face in my chest.
"F-Fuyuumi?"
"Don’t say anything."
"...Even if you say that..."
"Just don't look at it. The face I have right now..."
What did she mean by that?
Masuzu’s actions were always full of mystery, but this girl’s behavior was just as hard to understand.
Fuyuumi and me stayed in this position for a while.
To other people we must have looked like a couple holding each other. A lady who passed through the park on her way home from shopping smiled at us. It really made me angry, damn! As an 'anti-love', this was just shameful.
After a while, Fuyuumi finally raised up her face.
Her cheeks were cherry-colored, and her pupils were slightly moistened. She did look cuter than usual, and it made my heart beat faster.
File:Oreshura v03 203.jpg
"Kidou-kun, how much of that notebook did you see?"
"How much, you ask...?"
"By the time I found you, did you only manage to look at that poem?"
"...Yes, just that one."
"Really? I see."
Fuyuumi seemed relieved, but she looked somewhat disappointed. I felt she had a very complex expression when she nodded.
It would probably be better if I didn’t say I saw, 'I totally lub Eita-kun————!'.
Even if Fuyuumi really liked me, I knew she originally didn’t want me to find it out this way. Also, I didn't know how this was related to the 'Ta-kun' in the diary, so I thought it was probably for the better if I remained silent for now.
...Hm?
Ta-kun.
Why do I feel like that name sounds so nostalgic...?
"—Hey, what’s wrong, Kidou-kun?"
I suddenly came back to myself and found Fuyuumi looking up to my face.
"A-Ah, sorry. I was thinking about something."
"Mhm... Right, it’s about time you return my notebook. How long do you intend to hold onto it?"
I then realized that I was still holding onto Fuyuumi’s notebook.
"S-Sorry!"
Fuyuumi took the notebook from me and with a big sigh said:
"Sigh— The cover is a mess now, since you clenched it so hard when you ran away."
"I-I’m sorry. I really am..."
The notebook was definitely wet from sweat, and quite wrinkled. The condition was quite bad. There was no way I could just make up for it.
"Really? Do you really feel sorry?"
"Yes. Let me pay for a new notebook."
"Eh— That is all?"
"A-Also, I’ll invite you to lunch every day! If that’s not enough, I’ll add a large order of fries from the family restaurant!"
"You can forget about the potatoes... However, there is something."
Fuyuumi smiled 'fufun', and pointed at me in her usual posture and made a 'snap'.
"If it's like that, would you listen to the request I have?"
