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Bowen Fletcher
“Hey, Tsukasa!” (Mii)
While I’m sitting, completely exhausted, on a bench in the courtyard, Miyuki sees me from a pa.s.sageway and comes running over to me in her slippers.
“Slippers are not allowed.” (Tsukasa)
“It doesn’t matter. What are you doing in a place like this?” (Mii)
Miyuki asks as she sits down next to me.
“Nothing in particular.” (Tsukasa)
It’s not as if I can tell her I gave someone a letter behind the school to refuse a confession.
“You refused his confession?” (Mii)
“How do you know?” (Tsukasa)
“Tsukasa, don"t worry so much about that.” (Mii)
“Oh…” (Tsukasa)
It’s over with. Were you jealous? Miyuki exaggeratedly shrugs her shoulders.
“Why did you refuse? Sakamoto is very popular with the 2nd year girls. He’s good looking and has a good personality. Also, he’s athletic and quite popular in cla.s.s.” (Mii)
“Why do you know that Sakamoto confessed to me?” (Tsukasa)
“Shh~! Tsukasa, you mean Sakamoto-senpai.” (Mii)
Miyuki holds her finger in front of her mouth, making me realize I was being far too loud. Hurriedly, I close my mouth and look around us. Good, there’s no one else around.
“Both of you are popular, so everyone knows about it. I think it’s going to be widely known that you’ve turned him down by tomorrow.” (Mii)
“I see. I suppose I"ve done something bad.” (Tsukasa)
So, tomorrow, he’ll be publically humiliated? Umm… When did I become popular?
“Did you want to go out with Sakamoto?” (Mii)
“No, not in the slightest.” (Tsukasa)
I vehemently deny it.
“Then it’s fine.” (Mii)
Consequently, to think I hurt him makes me feel guilty. Does that make me a hypocrite?
“Ma~ You’re taking this too seriously. I don’t think there’s anything worth worrying about, but if you let it bother you, you lose.” (Mii)
“That’s true…” (Tsukasa)
“That’s right.” (Mii)
Miyuki sticks out her chest, which emphasizes how much larger her b.r.e.a.s.t.s are than mine. I wonder if they make her shoulders stiff.
“Hey, let’s go get some juice. I’m thirsty.” (Mii)
“Alright, I feel like I might win today.” (Tsukasa)
Miyuki jumps up from the bench. I stand as well and follow her into the pa.s.sageway.
“Tsukasa, you suck at Janken. That being said, I’m going to crush you.” (Mii)
“Hey! Don’t be jealous. If you say that, I’m not going to lose either.” (Tsukasa)
“I was going to throw rock.” (Mii)
“What, why…” (Tsukasa)
“You aren’t supposed to tell me.” (Tsukasa)
“Oh...” (Mii)
Miyuki says while she shrugs her shoulders. I take off my shoes at the entrance to the hallway and go on in my socks. It can’t be helped that I’m getting my socks dirty, since It would take a long time to go around to the elevator entrance, take off my shoes, place them in the s...o...b..x, put on my slippers, and then walk down the hallway to the vending machines in front of the cafeteria.
“AH!” (Tsukasa)
I b.u.mp into someone as I round the corner. I didn’t fall, because I wasn’t running, but I did b.u.mp my nose.
“Oh, my bad. Are you hurt? …Eh? Oh, ekusukyuzu me (a mangled ‘excuse me.’)” (Hayate)
“I’m okay. I"m j.a.panese, so it’s fine to speak j.a.panese.” (Tsukasa)
When I look up, a familiar face looks at me. I stare at them open-mouthed unintentionally.
The person I b.u.mped into is Hayate. Just like the last time I saw him a year ago, he’s wearing a dark red cardigan over a cutter shirt without a tie. The shirt is untucked over the grey-checkered pants, which are worn normally. His blonde hair is a little longer than a year ago, which is likely to bring him to the attention of the disciplinary committee. Overall, he looks a little like a delinquent you might meet downtown. Oh, but the good thing is he hasn’t pierced his ear.
(TN: A cutter shirt is a long sleeved sport shirt.)
“What"s wrong? Is there something on my face?” (Hayate)
“Eh? Oh, no.” (Tsukasa)
I realize then I’ve been staring. Panicking, I turn and look away.
“Hey, I’m fine. What is it?” (Hayate)
I mutter in a hurry, trying to fix the situation. This is dangerous. I’ve been talking like Tsutomu. Why is Hayate here? Oh, that’s right. He told me on the phone. He’s finishing his 3rd year, so it’s natural for him to be here.
“It’s Tsukasa.” (Akane)
“Nyaa!” (Tsukasa)
I’m hugged by Akane, who suddenly appeared from behind Hayate, giving me no time to avoid her. Moreover, I let out a strange sound in surprise.
“You’re cute today too” (Akane)
“Oh, umm…” (Tsukasa)
As usual, she’s rubbing my cheeks. She hasn’t changed since the day of the entrance ceremony. She does this every time I run into her. Probably because she’s taller than I am, I’m picked up to the point I have tiptoe to touch the ground. Furthermore, I can’t escape, nor can I move thoughtlessly, due to feeling of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s pressed up against me.
This is annoying. What should I do? I could kick her in the shin. I think I can be forgiven for doing it, but even for a strong man, being kicked there can make you cry. Even for a tough Akane it’ll be painful.
“Hey Akane.” (Saki)
A harisen (Folded slapping fan) smacks down onto Akane"s head and a loud thwack echoes in the hallway.
“Oww!” (Akane)
Akane looks back over her shoulder with tears in her eyes while loosening her hold on m, allowing me to escape. I gasp when I look up at the girl who hit Akane with the harisen.
“Geez Akane… I’m really sorry, Akane does things without thinking about how the other person will feel, but she’s not a bad girl, so please forgive her.” (Saki)
Her eyes squint as she smiles.
“I’m Saki Ioroi, Akane’s friend.” (Saki)
Of course, I know Saki about as well as Akane. She’s a 3rd year just like Akane, and she also belongs to the same club, the entertainment department.
Saki has semi-long brown hair that is closer to a golden brown, tied up with a white ribbon. Her brown eyes are always half-closed, giving her a sleepy look. She moves more deliberately than most other people. Although she seems dull-witted, she’s always thinking about things and sometimes, she blurts out rather perceptive comments abruptly. She’s quiet, and unlike Akane, so she leaves a good impression. I think she’s normal and her habits are ordinary.
“Akane, apologize properly.” (Saki)
“I, I apologize.” (Akane)
Saki places her hand on Akane’s head and forces her to bow to me. Their relationship hasn’t seemed to have changed at all.
“Ara~ Isn’t that Miyuki-chan next to you?” (Saki)
“Yes. It"s been a while since I last saw you Ioroi-senpai.” (Mii)
Miyuki nervously greets her, because Miyuki belongs to the art club and doesn’t know them well since they are in the entertainment department.
“Long time, no see. Do you two know each other?” (Saki)
“Umm…” (Mii)
“By the way, Tsukasa’s surname is Yoshina, right? Is she a relative or something?” (Saki)
“Well, yes, umm…” (Saki)
Miyuki chokes on her reply and glances at me asking for help. It’s also meant to ask me how to explain ‘Tsukasa’ to Saki, Akane, and Hayate. No, I think her meaning is implied.
This is my problem. Miyuki has no need to explain this to them. Reaching over, I slightly pull on the bottom of her blazer. Miyuki notices and closes her mouth.
There are several students walking our way some distance away. Who cares? I would answer this even if there are others around.
“I’m Miyuki’s younger sister, Yoshina Tsukasa.” (Tsukasa)
“““Sister!?”““
The three of them say at the same time while staring at us with their eyes widened in surprise.
“Your hair and eye colors are completely different.” (Akane)
“It’s an atavistic genetic trait. I look like our grandmother.” (Tsukasa)
Akane mutters “What?” while her eyes alternately travel between my hair and eyes.
“Tsutomu-senpai has such a lovely little sister.” (Saki)
“I’ve been living apart from my family to have my illness treated until recently.” (Tsukasa)
Saki has a sad expression as she says, “So that’s how it is.” (Saki)
“Tsutomu never said a thing about you.” (Hayate)
“About that…” (Tsukasa)
This time I choke on what I’m about to say, and Miyuki pulls on my blazer.
"I"m sure our brother couldn"t talk about it. I think he felt guilty that our younger sister, Tsukasa, was fighting an illness, and she had to live apart from us.” (Mii)
Hayate looks at me with an expression of pity after Miyuki finishes; it’s the same expression Saki showed before she looked away from me… I feel like I lost something. My chest hurts. Although I couldn’t tell them the truth, I think this is still good for now.
"So, that’s how it is. I said a horrible thing without knowing anything. I’m sorry.” (Hayate)
As usual, Hayate, who doesn’t doubt people, easily believes the story. Pressing on the corner of my eye, I feel as I’m enduring something. Am I crying now?
I look up at the ceiling and then…
“I hope you have a fun high school life.” (Hayate)
Hayate tells me with a smile. I’m sure that in his mind, I had been having a terrible life while recuperating. After all, I was alone.
"I haven"t introduced myself yet. I"m Hayate Akesaka. I"m a friend of your brother.” (Hayate)
He held out his hand to me as he talks, so I take his hand and shake it. He offered his hand to me, but Hayate should not be good at dealing with women. Did you overcome this in your studies abroad? Whatever, this is a good thing. No. After all, it’s no use even if I could tell him that I was Tsutomu, because when I look, Hayate has a tense expression. I need to control myself since I’m Tsutomu’s little sister.
The shock of that strikes me like a blow to my head. I should’ve expected this reaction, but I’m more shocked than I expected to be.
“Hayate-senpai, it’s time to go.” (Saki)
Saki says while looking at the clock.
“Oh, yeah. Bye, Miyuki-chan. Tsukaschan.” (Hayate)
"See you later, Hayate-senpai. What does the president do?” (Akane)
"Can you do it, Akane? I"m fine." (Hayate)
“Eh? It"s calculating expenses or some such troublesome things.” (Akane)
I watch as Akane and Hayate walk away while arguing. From the sounds of it, it’s about who will be the next president of the entertainment department. Saki slowly followed the two of them with her head down. Miyuki and I stand there, watching the three of them until they disappeared from view.
“…Fua~ I’m tired.” (Tsukasa)
“It’s good you weren’t exposed.” (Mii)
Miyuki whispers in my ear after looking around to make sure we’re alone.
“Right. Now, it’s time to buy something to drink.” (Tsukasa)
"Tsutomu-senpai" (Saki)
I’m completely caught off guard since I just escaped a difficult situation, and I immediately look back over my shoulder. By the time I notice, it’s already too late.
“As I thought, it’s you after all.” (Saki)
It’s Saki, with her usual smile, standing there.