Volume 1 Chapter 3

Volume 1 + Chapter 3: Escape.

[Author’s Note: No Smut for this Chapter!]

The bell marking the end of the third period rang, jerking me back to reality all at once.

I looked down in a panic to see my textbook open to a random page and a notebook filled with nothing but blank pages.

To be honest, I had spent more time stealing glances at her profile next to me than I had at either the textbook or the lecture notes on the board.

Given that, whether or not I had been able to concentrate on the lecture was something you could easily guess.

She, on the other hand, had been listening to the lecture intently and with great focus.

Stealing glances at her serious profile as she occasionally took notes, I found my heart pounding for some reason.

Perhaps she noticed me staring, because our eyes met several times during the class.

By the end, she was smiling every time our eyes met and giving me a little wave.

When she did things like that, my imagination ran wild, thinking, “Maybe this girl likes me?” and I’d take emotional damage all on my own.

It was just like being a teenager again.

Anyway, having barely managed to survive the afternoon lectures, I was completely exhausted, both mentally and physically.

I wanted to get back to my room as soon as possible.

As I was packing up to leave, I glanced sideways. It was like the saying, “Birds of a feather flock together,” I suppose.

Around her had gathered a bunch of flashy girls and slick-looking guys, all clamoring to invite her to hang out.

She was at the center of it all, wearing a smile that, maybe it was my imagination, seemed a little troubled.

Perhaps she couldn’t be outright rude, because she was politely turning down each invitation one by one with a sincere apology.

Thinking how exhausting it must be to have to be so careful with people, I stood up to leave. “Okay, time to go.”

Then, by chance, our eyes met.

I had let my guard down completely.

“Ah! Nijo-san, wait!”

“Hyuh!?”

When her eyes met mine, her expression was practically shouting that she’d just had a brilliant idea.

I had been made painfully aware of her extroverted, unpredictable behavior during lunch break.

But really, please don’t do things so suddenly. It’s bad for my heart…

Also, I really don’t want to stand out…

Maybe it was my imagination, but I felt like her extrovert entourage was looking at me with expressions that said, “What’s this guy’s deal?”

For someone like me, who isn’t used to being the center of attention, this alone was pretty tough.

“Sorry, everyone. I have plans with Nijo-san after this.”

“Pyeeh!?”

She declared this with a sparkling smile.

I’m pretty sure I was completely used as an excuse.

She wrapped up the conversation, saying “Sorry!” to the disappointed extroverts, and slung her tote bag, stuffed with her textbook, over her shoulder.

“We never discussed this,” I thought.

It might have been easier if I could have said that, but my mouth could only tremble nervously.

What is this, am I supposed to say something too…?

Because everyone’s stares are scary.

“Nijo-san, shall we go?”

“Huh, wai…!”

She paid no mind to their resentful glances.

Closing the distance, she took my arm, linking hers with mine, and started walking, pulling me along.

As for me, I kept bowing frantically to the people watching us leave.

Even so, the distance these extroverts keep!

I, who prefers to use long-range attacks when dealing with others, was completely flustered by this sudden close-quarters combat.

────

Pulled along, I was led outside the school building. The early summer sunlight was warmly pleasant, and just walking made me break a light sweat.

It’s only the beginning of May, yet it’s like this… I wonder how intense the actual summer will be.

Having already given up on various things, I just went with the flow, being pulled along by her into the stream of people heading for the school gate.

I glanced sideways and was startled to find her face surprisingly close.

Now that I thought about it, we were still walking arm-in-arm.

This is a bit… isn’t it not good, with various parts of her touching my arm…?

Once that thought entered my mind, sensations like the softness pressed against my arm and a warmth different from the sunlight began to seep into my awareness.

My cheeks grew hotter and hotter.

“Um, hey…! Could you, uh, let go soon…?”

“Hmm… Well, we left like that, so if we don’t act a little friendlier, wouldn’t it seem unnatural?”

Becoming aware of my situation, I blushed and protested in a small voice, only to be met with a casual retort.

Is that so? Maybe it is…?

“No, no, it’s definitely not,” I thought, but unable to argue back strongly, I just squeezed my eyes shut.

Doing that only made me feel her body heat and softness all the more clearly.

“Uuuugh, nguhhh…”

“…?”

A groan escaped from the depths of my throat at the inexplicable situation I found myself in.

I really respect people in the world who can hold a conversation even in a situation like this.

If only I were the type to think of this as a “perk,” but since I’m not, I was totally at her mercy.

───

Once we were outside the school gate, my arm was finally freed.

It felt both longer and shorter than I expected, and I felt a little disappointed.

It was like a period of time shuttling between heaven and hell had ended, and I felt relieved.

In any case, her “escape” should have ended here. There should have been no further need for me to walk beside her.

“Um, well, I’ll go this way…”

“Then we’re headed the same way.”

That’s strange.

When I pointed towards the flow of people heading to the station, her cheerful reply was completely different from what I had expected, leaving me bewildered.

I thought it would end with, “Well then, if fate allows, let’s meet again sometime.”

Ideally, with an added line like, “Sorry for using you as an excuse,” or “Thank you.”

That’s how it was supposed to end.

I glanced sideways at her, she was walking along, looking somewhat happy.

It seemed our escape had entered extra innings.

Even I, stubborn as I am, couldn’t just walk side-by-side in silence.

We exchanged words, little by little, and belatedly introduced ourselves.

Finally, albeit late, I was able to learn her name.

────

The journey home from there was, to my contrary nature, very, very unexpected…

I ended up going along with her when she said, “Since we have the chance, let’s take a detour,” and we enjoyed ourselves like friends.

We picked out clothes for each other at a store she wanted to check out.

We got excited looking at things we would absolutely never buy at a general goods store.

We tried cake at a cafe she recommended.

We exchanged contact information.

We made promises like, “Let’s hang out again.”

Over those few hours, we had warmed up to each other reasonably well and got excited talking about various things.

Our favorite foods, favorite brands, hobbies, daily routines, family situations…

That said, she was the one initiating almost all the topics, I was just listening.

To be honest, I wasn’t sure if she was really enjoying that, and I felt a little anxious.

But since she was smiling cheerfully the entire time, I decided to believe she was having fun.

It had been truly ages since I had hung out with someone like this, and time flew by in an instant.

“Wow, it’s already this late. I have to get home.”

“Yeah…”

I nodded in agreement with her murmured words as she checked her wristwatch.

To be honest, I was really, really reluctant for it to end, but what she said was perfectly reasonable.

Besides, we have school again tomorrow, and I’ll see her there.

I soothed my heart with those thoughts and accepted it.

Perhaps she was reluctant too, because even while waiting for the train on the platform, she talked to me a lot.

We chatted animatedly about trivial things and boarded the same train together.

The 30-minute ride home on the local train, which is usually boring and spent just staring at my phone, was over in a flash when I was with her.

When I stepped out through the open doors, she was right beside me.

Even after passing through the ticket gate, we started walking in the same direction.

I think we both probably hesitated to mention it, but by the time I thought, “Huh, this is weird,” we were already in front of my apartment building.

I stopped and glanced beside me, she looked at me at almost the exact same time.

Our eyes met, and I was startled.

“W-well, my room… it’s here…”

“Huh…?”

I, still nervous when being looked directly in the eye, pointed with my left hand at the apartment building I lived in and managed to squeeze out just those words.

Then she blinked a few times, stared at where I was pointing, then looked back at my face.

Suddenly, she grabbed my right hand with both of hers.

“No way!? That’s amazing, what a coincidence!”

“Wh-what? Huh…?”

Suddenly excited, she gripped my hand and hopped up and down slightly, shaking her body.

Each time, my eyes were glued to her chest, which bounced wildly.

To be honest, I was beside myself, unable to make sense of either her bouncing breasts or her actions.

“Hey, look, look here?”

“Whaaa? Hey…!”

After her bout of excitement, she kept hold of my hand and pulled me along insistently.

Overpowered by her surprisingly strong grip, I was helplessly dragged to the building next to my apartment.

Next to my reasonably stylish apartment stands a mansion with an imposing-looking gate.

It was a mansion I had often thought must belong to some incredibly wealthy person. There, in front of the gate, was a nameplate.

[Tonari]

It was written on the displayed nameplate.

Thrilled that our homes were next to each other, she was slow to calm down from her excitement.

Still holding my right hand tightly, she was squealing with delight.

She was saying things like, “Let’s go to school together starting tomorrow!” and “I’ll call you later!”

I was completely done in by the gap between her mature, beautiful upperclassman appearance and these childlike antics. All I could do was feel the warmth of her hand in mine and murmur vague, dazed replies.

[Author’s Note: Smut…? I’m sorry, readers, that’s for next time.]