Chapter 33 - Smartphone Statue
In order to avoid misunderstandings, I warn you in advance. This is by no means waiting for her.
Location is my usual place. At home, on top of the sofa.
Second day of summer vacation, splendidly doing nothing.
That being said, whenever I get tired of studying and playing games, I always imitate a cushion at my usual place. Occasionally, my little sister Keyaki really sits on top of me and play mobile games, but it seems that she is not in the mood right now.
After all, I was intently gazing at the newly purchased toy.
And apparently, my little sister felt disgusted by such an image of me.
– Hey, look at him, aunt. He is like this again all day again, this person…
– Oh, Jun-kun. Becoming all like nowadays" normie all of a sudden. Is this second year high school debut? Is this second year high school debut, oh, oh!
She questioned my present state and aunt Arika gave her an answer.
Still, of those two"s responses are a bit contrastive. Opposite to the shocked glare of my little sister, aunt"s grin was even broader than usual.
And the thing which is the cause of this… ding. It made a random mechanical sound.
– …!
My body twitched by reflex.
The name of my new pal is smartphone.
A pathogen machine spread among the modern society. This way of saying might arouse some objections from various people, but it is not like I"m telling a lie. Actually, I have been infected myself and I have verified its harmful nature. I threw away both studying and playing games. Now, I only wait for this sound.
However, … wrong. This is absolutely wrong!
This is merely being obsessed with a new toy. I"ll have enough of it right away. I"ll have enough and I"ll return to the days full of games for sure…
This is not me looking forward to getting a message from that cla.s.smate of mine. Probably, no, absolutely…
– Ara, ara, Jun-kun. Is that another reply from your girlfriend~?
– It, it"s not true… She"s not my girlfriend or anything!
– Yeah, yeah. Look, there"s a message coming from that girl you"re close with and who is not your girlfriend.
Flicking the screen before even thinking with my head, I launched a popular messenger app. And the one who sent a message is… no.
Sender is not『Tachibana Karen』.
"This Sunday, who is coming to buy swimsuit together?"
It came from Hyoudou Yayoi, who often hangs out with that Tachibana.
It was just a message to everyone in the cla.s.s, it wasn"t a message to me in the first place.
I… Why did I?
Letting out a humph, I blocked the phone and dropped it shaking off the feeling resembling dullness.
These last few weeks, I have become unbearably effeminate.
To be honest, I hate such me.
Most probably, I look pitiful from the side.
And actually, my little sister is not amused in the least. Turning thoroughly befuddled, I even stopped playing games together with her, so in the end, this became my name.
– … Smartphone statue1
I thought smartphones were foolish things.
Although, in a sense, it was correct. Cause, isn"t it so? The perpetrator of me buying this useless gadget, even if there is no important matter, day after day she…
Excluding the mandatory long talk before sleep, Tachibana contacts me frequently.
In case there is a received message, it would be annoying if she thought I was waiting for it all along, so I wait for about 5 minutes before giving a reply.
But all of this is so foolish.
– But Jun-kun, how come it turned out like this? Haven"t you been refusing to listen every time I offered to buy one so far?
– That is, If I got one, even friends would inconvenience me. Just because it was abnormal up till now…
– Haa… Isn"t it dazzling. Looking back, I might even want to relive my high school days. Time like this, there won"t ever be another chance for it.
Is that how it is…?
Right now, I can only think of myself as being ill.
If I let my guard down, … grinning face of that blonde girl, who is on the other side of the network, comes into my mind. What should I call it, if is not an illness?
– Hmm… Well, I"ve decided. I"ll turn it off and this night, I"ll accompany you for the games. Keyaki, you should be satisfied with that, right?
At this moment, ding, there was another notification sound.
Reflexively, I reached out with my hand towards the phone, but Keyaki became angry with a humph!, so my hand stopped in the air. And then, I received needless support.
– Keyaki-chan. You have to let him off for this. Though, it is understandable that you"re burning with jealousy.
– Wh-, why would I be jealous or anything…
– But, you know… Keyaki-chan too… If you got a nephew, wouldn"t you want to take a look at him?
– Eh? Nephew…? Nephew…
– Every year, you could give him New Year"s gift, Keyaki-chan. Buy him a large PC and raise him into an elite otaku!
– ……Hmm. I want to meet him… maybe.
No, no! Rather, don"t give up on me.
Is that the one where you have "My Bro is dead. He"s gone!" inside you?2
Haa… I"m fed up with both my family and the smartphone. Let"s turn it off.
I pressed the power b.u.t.ton, but…… mm?
When I pressed the b.u.t.ton, there was a message from just now displayed on the screen. Just as previously, the sender is Hyoudou. But this time, my interest was drawn to the short content of the message.
"So, what about Ms. Karen? This Sunday?"
She"s going to buy a swimsuit and probably wants to invite Tachibana too.
But this Sunday, that Hyoudou is talking about, if I"m not mistaken… Just as I suddenly remembered, Tachibana Karen"s name appeared on the screen at last.
"Sorry… That day, I have plans, , "
"Ok, roger. My regards to boyfriend-kun"
And this time, there was a message delivered to me.
With a notification of a personal message from Tachibana, my heart started beating faster.
"Yo, boyfriend-kun"
… There is, nothing at all.
Yeah, I know what it is. Boyfriend-kun is just a post-evolution form if Sento-kun or something.
"Sunday date, I"m dying from antic.i.p.ation. I want to meet soon"
There is no way that blonde girl can understand my delicate heart of the loner. Understanding too little, she even sent me a selfie right after the message.
On the phone"s screen, Tachibana was displayed in her house clothes.
Her chest could be peeked at through a pink colored thin negligee.
I don"t know if she was dissatisfied with something, but she had puffed up cheeks and complaining eyes.
That idiot… Stuff like this truly reaches my chest, please stop…
"Didn"t we agree to meet on Sunday? That"s already day after tomorrow"
"I want to meet! I want to call…"
"We always talk before sleep"
"Bookworm loss is too much. Please, , "
Inside my chest, something was noisily excited.
I"m not thinking that she is cute or something. Yet, and yet, if she makes a request this way, then…
"Alright, I"ll call you right now"
"Yeah, thanks. I"ll be waiting"
However, voice from reality pulled me out of the electronics.
– Oh Jun-kun, smiling so gently… Yaaa, just what kind of girl is she! Kyaaa!
– Ugh… I… Did I make a strange face?
– Smartphone statue… was grinning a little
– … I will pay attention from now on.
– Humph… Rotten normie, Aniki has changed! ……Humph.
Having badmouthed me in a forced manner, my little sister left what happened just now behind. And as if out of consideration, with a smile on her face my aunt had her elbow on the table, propping up her chin,
– It"s Jun-kun, so I"m not worried, but… Treat her kindly, okay?
– … It truly is, not like that.
Between agitation that resembles happiness and obstinacy-like irritation. I lost the sight of my standing.
That I was previously not a guy like this, I realize it myself.
Even though we have met every day during the school term, since the summer vacation started we haven"t met yesterday nor today.
When I see her face once more, will I be able to not break into a smile?
It is supposed to be this statue. Originally used by j.a.panese to describe people in the park who sit in the same pose and stare at their phones. Like this.Nice cloak.