Love Story in College

Chapter 13

Tada Banri checked the timing.

First lecture, in the corner of the lobby.

Hiding himself secretly by a column, he saw the students coming and going, hanging out together, looking for a moment to jump out.

If you look at him closely, he looks like an ordinary man, not too strange. However, with the ghost right next to him (mine), stay with him in the same pose; if people have the least ability to see spirits, they will see me, he said, but it seems that such a situation exists only in the story.

Banri, his back still attached to the pole, slowly stuck out his face, pulling him back at once. Hiding the blow on his chest, he wondered if he could make his face more like Tom's face in Mission Impossible, but unfortunately he couldn't. He is Japanese.

A few meters in front of the table, several Omaken class brothers sat down. Linda was there too. There, in the club territory, they chatted as usual.

Initially, Linda was not there. So Banri tries to get closer to the table, but notices that Linda is coming from the other direction by saying, "Good Morning!" and hence, he hid here in a panic. And that's how it became like this.

He could not get any closer for now, but to retreat from here, approaching the table was something he had to do, and Banri became unable to move.

Still unaware of Banri's presence in that way, Linda sits on a shallow bench, having fun chatting with others about this and that.

Banri had been acting like this since the morning she ran away as soon as she saw Linda's face. He's not going anywhere near second year. If he noticed someone who looked like Linda, he immediately ran off. Nevertheless, Linda sent him an SMS once every day. Did you come to school today? That kind of thing. But without answering, Banri continued to sneak away and hide.

Ever since the drinking party, he had not even shown his face to big brother Omaken. There were scheduled practices that he had yet to follow, and right now because of that something was going to happen, so naturally it could not remain like this indefinitely.

"… Ahh .. What to do …"

That'sthat's true! Staring at Banri's face talking to himself, I told him. What are you going to do, Tada Banri?

Making such a face, running so fast from one place to another. How long do you plan to continue like this !? Be firm! Really do!

Live life with courage!

— Of course, my voice did not even reach you.

"…"

Banri let out a long sigh and came out from behind the column. To look at it, he looked like a young soldier who had disappeared alone in enemy territory, faintly visible among the other disciples who had come and gone in the afternoon.

I breathe the same way. Tired of following, even in Banri's hideout and search, I stuck my neck out to look at the table. At the table, or rather, at Linda's.

Sitting lightly with her hands still stuffed into her pants pocket, Linda raised her voice with laughter at the joke of an unknown man. From the pocket where his hand was silent, a mobile phone strap protruded. Holding tight to the phone in his pocket, he might continue to wait for a reply from Banri. Linda is that kind of person.

That, Banri doesn't know.

She has no idea how pretty Linda's long hair is, or how fast she's become a runner, or her sweet singing voice, or how she's always wondered if she's going to get pierced, or even his pride at how his stomach would break into six packages. And no matter how gentle or cute she is, she is also a very deliberate person .. Banri knows nothing about Linda.

So, without knowing how much Linda was worried about Banri, or how much she was holding back her emotions and not talking much in her text messages, not even knowing such things, she might need them.

That was unbearable.

For this body that understands Linda, Banri's attitude is unbearable.

If only I could get out, separate myself from Banri and curl up to Linda's side. Many times, it was as if such a thought had arisen within me. If only I could hold this hand on Linda's shoulder. If only I could caress his head, say "All is well!" and stick my nose to her hair like a puppy from the same garbage. … However, even just being able to sit next to him would be good enough. I want to be by his side.

Banri is still not moving. Hiding behind a column, hanging his head, he was troubled, looking as if he was about to cry. And in the end, I continued my presence on Banri's side.

Not moving from me, from Banri's side, just out of fear. If I had to separate myself from Banri's side, I had the feeling that it would really be the "end." The existence of Tada Banri would be completely forgotten frightening. I fear who I am, who I live with, that all will be lost completely. And I was afraid of disappearing altogether.

For that reason, if I stop watching Banri, the point of view will disappear from this world. Either way, I disappeared. …maybe.

Of course I'm dead. I already know that. It's long over. I certainly understand that. Although I understood that, even though I had given up, still, choosing to step out from the other direction of his own body was terrifying. There was a primitive instinctive fear there, which he could not understand on his own.

Unable to overcome that fear, the cowardly me dead had no choice but to continue hiding with Banri. … Because like me, perhaps, it might not have the right to say that I "hold tight" on Banri.

At Omaken's table, Kaga Kouko is seen. Banri noticed, and his body became stiff.

Linda waves at him, calls out "Ko-ko-chan," and makes him sit next to her.

"Eh? Err, isn't Tada-kun coming? But he said a little ago, 'I'll see you at the big brother's place.'"

"No, he hasn't come yet."

"Is that so? Bizarrely. I'll try to call him."

Kaga Kouko pulled out her phone, elegantly pulling her hair back to open her ears.

Ma ma ma ma ma — From the back pocket Banri began to vibrate and cheerfully played the forgotten ringtone, with sufficient volume.

Kaga Kouko raised her surprised face, and looked at the column where Banri and I were hiding.

Panicking, Banri tries to stop the melody, dropping his phone due to his impatience. Failing to pick it up, a personal ringtone that, having said just a few days ago, "Gaga is good," Kouko has set up on Banri's phone, continues to play.

Po po po po.

Pressing the button with his thumb, the melody finally stopped.

Holding his breath, Banri, his body perpendicular, tried to fuse with the pillar.

"…"

White face of Kaga Kouko. His eyes are wide. Sorrowfully looking into space, he closed his phone like that and stuffed it into his bag.

"That's not connected?"

At Linda's question, she answered "no" with a sweet smile.

"Sort of. It went to the answering machine."

I'm watching.

Everyone, each — has a poker face.

* * *

When he opened the door,

"But it's not very neat."

Telling himself that he did not show the slightest bit of nervousness, Banri, relaxed to the max, in the usual way, walked into the next room. Kouko followed behind him.

"Impardize intrusion. Did you lock the door?"

"Ah, like .. ah, sorry, of course locked."

Yes. Clik. Dull sound from lock setting. The sudden feeling of being behind closed doors. Banri, awkwardly stepped forward, both right hand and right foot together.

"It's been since that day, hasn't it? I came to Tada-kun's place."

Kouko took off her high-heeled sandals while smiling, "err", looking around the narrow driveway.

"Ap, what's wrong …?"

"Do you have sandals? Because I wear sandals, I don't wear stockings, so I'm barefoot."

Drat. Right. Sandals.

Slapped his forehead once, Banri thought regretfully. He thought his preparation was perfect, but he had a blind spot.

It would be a good thing to come back when he had just arrived in the capital, in such a short period of time while his mother was there for him, he received sandals from her. She said, "I don't wear them, and even if I have space, they're troublesome" and give it back to her. Although her mother, Mieko tells her, "If friends come, what will they wear?" Banri answered flatly, "Friends who are delicate enough to wear sandals do not come. Humans like those who come to my room, they are all people who will probably wander casually on their sweaty bare feet." There is no point crying over spilled milk. That's his mind.

"I have no excuses .. Now, in this room, there's nothing like sandals …"

Somehow, he even did it a little bit in the literary style.

"Oh. What can I do? Still, they're not done yet, and barefoot may be a little embarrassing …"

"I, I wouldn't mind, though .. oh yeah, instead …"

Banri runs into his room, picking out the nearest new sock from a semi-transparent, unlabeled box there, grabbing a pair,

"If you don't mind, here it is …"

Like something offered to the gods, he handed it over to Kouko. Even with such a problem, Kouko accepted it, looking happy, her beautiful face smiling widely.

"thank you. This is the second time I've borrowed your socks, you know."

"Is that so?"

"Yes that! Did you forget?"

Did he say he forgot the past? Did he say he was full of gifts?

There, for now for now, come in, Banri invites Kouko to come in. He begged her room not to smell, or her feet. That he won't have stomach pain. While praying to heaven for this and that, on his face was a smile. With all his might, at this time, Banri wanted to bring the most relaxed atmosphere.

Because, he suddenly said it. "Today, will it be fine if we go to your place?" or something like that. "Why don't you just relax, the two of us?"

Saying something like that, suddenly, at the end of the first period, Banri honestly immediately returned to his place.

Not saying anything to anyone, not giving any hints to Mitsuo or even to the Two Dimensional, ditching the class, he ran home temporarily, he said, and desperately cleaned his room of the scent that went with the unkempt man.

He brought all the accumulated garbage bags to the first floor trash station (the most beautiful thing in the world, that 24-hour garbage station), cleaning things up, cleaning things up, putting dirty laundry for now is all but invisible in the laundry machine, and keeping all the clothes and underwear not quite dry into the boxes in the closet and under the bed. Things that Kouko did not want to see, but were too precious or valuable to throw away, she stuffed into a box containing items sent from home. Some "things i," which if he paid attention would not be too alarming, he dared to place them in places that were easy to understand. This way, it says, "I'm not hiding something, right? Men are all like this. I'm fully open." he'll bring the mood.

And then, the devil's spray from Fabreze. Toilet Rage Quickle. Thunder Quickle Wiper.

And then — is good. To the bed.

He had no such plan, but just in case, the bed.

To make it, or not to make it.

A dirty towel was spread on the pillow, he picked it up and threw it away. Bed sheets, safe. Magically safe. Ever since she moved into this room, she had frankly never cleaned it even once, and just so happened to be yesterday the day after, she felt like taking care of her laundry. Promising himself to do so, he washed his clothes. After the towel blanket was washed as well, she washed her clothes.

Kouko may come to her room at some point, and she is worried if for some reason she asks if she can use the bed. So he wouldn't think at that moment, "Wow, this guy's bed is dirty! There's no way I'm sleeping here!" he straightened it out before.

And then, if she wraps each pillow with a blanket, then look here, this isn't a bed, is it? It's a couch, right? So let's sit down! Here, side by side. Right? Right!?

… Saying things like that, looking forward to things going well, shopping what is needed, he does.

In a convenience store, one of Muji's shops. For the first time in his life, he bought things in silver packages. Since he was an idiot, he was really worried where to put the fifteen of them, since he was an idiot, he tried to set them up here and there. And then, because he was an idiot, in the end, not knowing what he should do, he hid four each in his three closet, and against his will, he said, he put one in his wallet. He believed that like this, casually, it would be appropriate .. uh ... no, wait …!?

Is that weird …?

Was he going to say at that time, "Wait!" and walk cheerfully, his dirty ass open, to the cupboard, to his purse, or anywhere? Would he go to get it, like an idiot, even in such places? Uh …? What kind of face did he make? Did he say, "Wait a minute ~"? … Impossible, not possible! It can't be something like that! More like this .. it's true, if he puts the wallet closer to the bed, within the usual range …

"Hey, Tada-ku ~ n"

"What!?"

Unknowingly, with a look akin to a terrible domestic violence, she turned to him.

In the kitchen, Kouko stopped moving as if in shock. His standing figure somehow looked like Mickey Mouse, due to the white socks on his feet.

"Wow, sorry ... what, what? What, what's going on?"

"Ka, even though I think I heard you ask if I can make coffee …"

"Oh, yes! Or rather, since I did such things, you just sat down! Just take it easy, okay?"

Near the sink, already set off, he had a pair of clean cups and instant coffee delivered from home. When he last returned home, he had arranged small things like this.

To finish off, Banri, who pretended to be innocent, returned a second time during the middle of the third period. Eh? Me? Wasn't I there the whole time? You left college. I wasn't there? I must be in the bathroom! Act like that.

The reason he sneaked around like that was because of the sensitivity of men.

By the way, he said, "I really need to clean my room," he didn't want the truth to be known. Not by Kouko, not by anyone. He doesn't want to be misunderstood. Whether she is full of anticipation towards something erotic, or just desperate, if she seems like it, forgive her. … Of course, he won't talk about what didn't happen. What didn't happen, it's certainly nothing. He hoped that one day something like that would happen. Even if nothing happened, so that he did not worry, he prepared. However, the case was even thought to be entirely unexpected.

The cleaning of the apartment, for the first time, thoroughly, was for Kouko to get a good impression of it. Because he didn't want her to think it was dirty. Because even if it was fitting, he wanted the woman to enjoy her time there.

He doesn't want to be captured by pure devotion, with him saying things like, "I want to do it now! Desperate! Tada Banri's!"

… He's not, really.

So, leaving casually after the fourth period, he met Kouko. Shaken together by the carriage, they returned once again to this room.

Already, the orange glow from the setting sun shone through the two windows to the northwest, illuminating the floor. Pouring mineral water into the electric kettle T-Fal, he flipped the switch. He usually uses tap water, of course.

"Then, it looks like I casually accepted your offer."

"Like that!"

Kouko grinned with her socks and faced towards the bed disguised as a sofa — made her think, and suddenly changed direction. To the kitchen corner.

Seeing that, Banri jumped up, startled. He swallowed a scream for ignoring something dangerous.

"… mpf …"

Calm. He calms himself. Grabbing the kitchen table with his trembling hands, he propped up his body.

He realized, now, that he had made a huge mistake.

On the bench in the corner of the kitchen, there were some dangerous materials left inside the cardboard box.

He should have tried to hide it in the closet. By the time he tried to hide it, he got a text, distracting him and making him forget completely.

Kouko, without noticing the intense aura Banri exuded, grabbed the box, placed it on her feet with a grunt, and sat quietly on the bench. …no problem. There's nothing to worry about. Nothing happened. He hasn't been exposed.

"Oh, I'm sorry for acting out of turns. The box, is it okay if I put it here?"

"… Y, yes …"

"What's in there? It feels a bit heavy …"

"… Vegetables ... vegetables ... and many things …"

"From Shizuoka? Oh, maybe, something was made in your house?"

"… Mph, mmphh …"

"Eh? What's?"

Unconsciously Banri begged him "Stop .. stop ... stop pretending .. even physically .. even subjectively ...," Kouko smiled, in good spirits. In his current mood, as awkward as he was, he might easily say things like, "Can I see? Oh!"

For now, there was no way he could keep her away from this kind of dangerous material.

Quickly pouring the coffee, he placed it on a low table in the middle of the room. And then, while saying "Let's sit here!", he suggested a pillow on the floor. Little by little, biding his time, he didn't think it was time to invite him, "Did your foot not hurt? Aren't you going to sit on a 'sofa'?" but the time will come. There's no point in rushing now.

Banri quietly dropped the dark brown powder into the cup, waiting for the water in the pot to boil.

"You're really fixing this room, aren't you?"

Looking towards the restroom from the bench, Kouko spoke as if in awe.

"More, somehow it smells good …"

Here and there in all the distractions in the room, he took out a powerful room fragrance, working better than Black Rose.

For now, Banri was relieved.

He didn't think this cramped one-bedroom apartment was a suitable place for a perfect woman to live in, but it didn't seem like much fun to live here.

So, Kouko is perfect. Today he was perfect too. Her body lines are exactly outlined, the soft material of her one piece dress pink pattern tends to be red. However it was made, made to resemble a traditional kimono in the chest area, and showed off his cleavage quite deeply. When he saw her in the morning, it caught his attention before he realized it, and to hide the fact he said, "The clothes really suit you!", Where Kouko said with a smile, "This is Furstenberg! " put one hand on her waist and hit the poze as the model stood up, showing off for her. He didn't know what it was, but anyway, Banri felt he liked it a lot. He likes it, it's Fasutenbaagu. That's a very nice thing.

Through her long, dark-brown hair, she wore a white katyusha. On his wrist was a rather large bracelet. The bag is also white. His entire body was wearing the scent of summer, Kouko looked sparkling.

He's like that now, too. She shines, she shines like a beautiful woman.

"Co ... coffee is ready!"

Unintentionally, his voice turned into something upside down.

Kouko, still sitting on the bench, said "Wow, thank you" and extended her hand. "No, not so," said Banri, holding the cup.

"W-don't you want to sit there !?"

Jerking his chin to the low table, he,

"I'm fine here. Somehow it feels really comfortable, it suits me! This bench."

"Very…!?"

Banri, smiling, continued to put up a poker face. Told as such, he could not resist, and handed the cup to her. He got to where he wanted to throw it away! This bench. While he was practically trembling, for the moment he was sitting at the table as he meant. It didn't work out very well.

Realizing that her long sighing voice was echoing strangely, she grabbed the television remote in panic. They run the night news, and while Kouko swings her legs, Kouko,

"Isn't it better if you buy some snacks?"

He spoke as if he was completely relaxed.

"You ... snack …!?"

"One of those limited times, look, what are you saying? You said it when you left."

"Like potato chips !?"

"Yes yes! That, that kind of thing …"

"Like a spicy taste !?"

"That's it! Wow, that's amazing! How do you always know what I think !?"

That's not true! That's because I told you what I saw when I went shopping at the convenience store not long ago! And because when I was there, I saw a lot of new products that had been stacked there!

"… Haha! How does it .. think of your lover, of course you will understand .. how is this …"

"Enough! Well, I don't know you either, do I? Yeah, that's it! There are! Among those vegetables, is there spinach !? How about it, did it hit the spot !?"

— She's dizzy.

I beg of you. Please don't open it and check it. Right now, there are some amazing things being put in there. I beg of you. Great gods. Grand Madame Kaga Kouko.

While on the verge of fainting, unable to speak, Banri, for the time being, drank hot coffee in a gulp. How is he going to separate that box of dangerous materials from Kouko's curiosity about the puzzle?

He could use a famous pattern, where he would say something like "Oh!" and spilled coffee. When he does, Kouko will say something like "Are you okay !?" hurry up, and with a dish wipe his chest dry — and so on. How about that, he wondered. Everything will be processed naturally from there.

Should he try spitting out a mouthful of coffee, and then pretend to be on fire, exaggerate it, tricking it just a little jump around like a soccer player trying to simulate aiming a free kick?

"Hey, Tada-kun. Putting aside the spinach, are you listening to me? We have a few things to talk about today."

Might be worth a try. Banri holds the coffee in his mouth. And then, ... one, two, "Is there anything between you and Linda-senpai?"

"… Ptooey!"

He spat out with all his might.

A loud cough from the coffee stuck in his throat, after which he had no voice. Finally Kouko, according to her plan, came rushing over with the napkin in one hand and said, "Are you okay?"

"Cough cough cough cough! … Urk!"

Of all the things that had happened, it looked like he was about to vomit, fall to his knees, he turned his back on his cleavage.

"Tada-kun, should I hit your back !? Is there water !?"

"… I will .. I will be fine …"

Lowering the nausea formed following the rhythm of his cough, Banri took another step, opening up the distance between him and Kouko.

He wondered if there was such cold water.

Why now?

Why is such a topic raised here?

Of course he didn't forget. He always thought that he couldn't just leave Linda's problem. Ignoring his message and running to and fro, there was no way he could have liked the self that pretended not to see the senpai that saved his life, which was really kind and gentle.

She just ... felt bad. Being out of it in various ways, he lost control. Therehewas. Just himself, hanging out playfully with a woman, raving at her, "How are you?" "How is the hazardous material?" There's no way to have fun like this. It is impossible to be happy.

"… Ha, a …"

Coughing violently again, Banri closed his mouth firmly.

There, it was done. Ends with. Exactly like that, it seems.

It's time to turn away from the uncomfortable things and pretend not to pay attention, enjoy life. Periods.

There is no way to escape from the reality that is placed, bam, in front of you. Jumping, running even, it was only a temporary flight.

Did something happen between you and Linda-senpai? — Do you and Linda-senpai have a past?

Before the accident, she and Linda seemed to have gotten that close, had fun. And then his memories disappeared, and without realizing it, they did not meet again. Linda, as if she knew nothing, had built a new relationship with him, and then failed.

Banri. My past self must have been pathetic, perhaps, and blamed it.

Linda seemed to be about to explain, but without much listening, she ran away.

He fled in the same way, even now. He decided there were some reasons for Linda's behavior, some logical reasons for it, and that it could be understood, later.

Then, because she didn't know what kind of face she should show if she met Linda.

Feeling she wanted to disappear while standing in front of Linda was injured.

She felt that as far as Linda was concerned, her current self must be something painful. He might tell himself that he has to deal with reality. He might want the real Banri back to him. He must want his now-lost self.

The truth is, no one should be in this position, you can't even remain human. No one knows this better than me.

But, having become like this, I love this and live. That being rejected, then he thought over and over again, what should I do? The sadness that he could release continued to flow out of that place, always flowing.

"… Tada-kun, hey, are you really okay? Even though you've been hiding something …"

However, there were fingertips touching the soft back of it.

Soft and warm, those white hands worried Banri.

Raising his face, Kouko sat beside Banri, her eyes flashing as if worried.

He thinks, wondering that he can no longer live without the miracle of Kaga Kouko, living together and loving people like her.

"Y, yeah. I'm doing fine. Or rather …"

Finally, take an honest breath, though,

"Why are you suddenly talking about Linda-senpai …?"

"About that, you know, err …"

He tried to look at Kouko face directly. While her big eyes flickered in surprise, Kouko's lips thinned as if she was avoiding the question,

"… Woman, intuition? That kind?"

Hehe, he shrugged his shoulders.

As for her past with Linda, and the time she spent with Linda recently, what would happen if she told Kouko about it all? He considered it, but stopped at once.

He didn't want to arrange "difficulties" between himself and her. For the relationship they had just followed, he did not want to impose too much of a burden. For them as a couple, she did not want to leave behind a single item that even looked like a job. Even at the best of times, he himself was a landmine. Having something as dangerous as memory loss, he was an unreliable man.

For the perfect Kouko, it takes perfect happiness. For him, the right thing is clean and perfect love, all wrapped up neatly.

"… Did you come all the way to my place, especially to talk about such things?"

"Err, yeah …"

To the girl he really can't lose, Banri, with all the power in his hands,

"What did you say? I don't have anything with Linda-senpai. I like it, of course. To him, I want to behave as a junior classmate."

He grinned back. Nothing more, nothing bad happened at all, with a completely blank face.

Straining towards Kouko in a somewhat awkward kneeling position, Banri said, "But Kaga-san should also be like that", and once again laughed out loud. Yes, he nodded gently.

"Then it's done. Where are we? The munchies? How about we buy? I'm, somehow I'm hungry. But it's too early for dinner. Or how about we find a light in a store near here "Err, there's a cake shop, a bakery for eating, a noodle shop like Vietnam, and even though we don't have Starbucks, we have Doutor! Our coffee's getting cold."

As if cheering himself on, Banri said, "Let's do it!" and stand up, full of energy. Wanting to slightly escape from the mood, he quickly stuffed his phone into his pocket. Housekeys too.

"… Right, right? Well, why don't we take a look at the cake shop for a second?"

Kouko also stood up, taking her bag from where she hung it on the bench.

He had enough money in his wallet to get into the coffee shop, without even having to go to the bank. About 3,000 yen, if he is not wrong .. there is no special thing that he should buy at this time ... when he remembers this in his head, he knocks rhythm with the wallet in his hand. .

Something fell, fell, onto the floor.

Before Banri could see or even bow to look, Kouko got there first.

Whatisthis? Crouching and reaching out,

"So something weird ~~~!"

Lifting up a terrible cry, he fumbled it two or three times and let it fall.

"Ap, what !? What's wrong !?"

What the hell is that? He went to get it. Silvery, the little package reminded her of something .. and then, recognized her from what she had just bought at Muji's store, which she had just bought,

"Can't be ~~!"

Shouted Banri as well.

He wondered if secret intentions had ever been revealed so openly like this. His mind was blank, his face was crimson, he kicked the thing under the bed at the speed of light,

"…Did you see!?"

Looking back, he covered his face with his hands. Yes, yes, Kouko nodded.

"Have you seen him!?"

I saw I saw I saw, I saw I saw I saw I saw, he answered, said words.

"… A. .. What do you think !?"

What do you ask, on his face like a straight man chewing his head of air? Whatever he thinks or does, won't he back away from you?

But Kouko, he,

"Ufu .. ufufufufufufu …!"

Her body wrapped in a one-piece dress, as soft and chewy as a cat, suddenly she started laughing. His face was red, almost the same as Banri's. Before long, he lifted his chin up high, one hand on his hip.

"Sufufufufu! Ahhaha! Ahahahahaha!"

… She looks like an evil queen who has conquered the whole world.

Acting as a teaser, she laughed as if she was trying to manipulate him, combing her long hair in front of Banri's eyes,

"Really! Oi! … Right! Right, right !?? Isn't that !?"

Still in a loud laughing position, yet he was a little awkward in his movements. Half of her is the evil queen. The other half, C-3PO.

"Because we're dating, that .. of course, things like that happen! I gotcha! But hey, well, just look …"

Still holding his bag, he backed off. Slowly but surely. The upper half of his body did not move, his movements were only on his legs.

"… I think something like that, hey, 'natural'. If such a thing happened as a natural progression, it would be fantastic .. I, don't understand very well, but if such a thing happened it happened like that, I don't understand very well! That would be beautiful! But! Still is! Anyways! Sure did! "

Before Kouko, who was talking in circles, had her forehead veins pale, could she do anything else but nod? Banri nodded at every word he said.

"…In Paris!"

He almost fell.

He thought it would be rather remarkable if they advanced "on time" and finally arrived in Paris. At least, Banri could not "in time" go to Paris. First of all, he had to start "on time" to bring himself to government offices, and "in time" get a passport for himself.

Then, even though Kouko had retreated, she suddenly raised her eyebrows with a sad expression and slipped, approaching her,

"… It was a dream, something I saw. When it comes time to do such a thing with a man for the first time, then it must be Paris. City lovers, Paris. To see the Eiffel Tower from a petit hotel .. with someone you love from the heart. "

"All, all on time …?"

"Everything in time."

As if teasing her, she looked at him with moist eyes, and then she suddenly held onto him. She wrapped her delicate arms around her neck and pressed her lips with raised fingers,

"Oh …! Wait, at ... Kaga .. san!"

What do you mean by "Shh"? Is our conversation getting carried away? Her swollen soft chest pressed down on him perfectly, in a manner of speaking.

As if she was trying to see Banri's left and right eyes, Kouko's beautiful eyes swung back and forth.

"… I don't want to tarnish our fate by doing things halfway. I want to be the perfect lover. As far as I'm concerned, it's something important. … Very much. Very, very, very much…"

He stuck to her like a kiss. It's just not on the lips. Aiming for the border between his chin and neck, his lips that stuck to the man's lips melted gently.

"Nrt …"

That makes him creep. Excited shivers flowed from his nape to his brain.

With the sound of another kiss, Kouko's warm lips separated.

From less than one centimeter, the range of empty points, the,

"… Should we go for the cake?"

Kouko's lips spoke. There was no way he could resist that sweet, i, and hoarse voice.

"…Yes, that's…"

Like a puppet, moving its legs, Banri turned to the entrance. Mechanically, he wears his shoes. He waited for Kouko to take off her socks, then went outside and put the key in the key. He turned.

"… I .. may be dead …?"

Really, he muttered as they walked together in the outer corridor. Pressing the elevator button, Kouko turned to Banri happily.

"If we were in Paris, you would be dead. Shell-shock."

La, Perla ..The strange, unpleasant-sounding words that Banri doesn't understand, their r, he thinks it's something he really likes. That might be something really good.

"How can we go there, Paris …?"

"If we buy a plane ticket, we can go."

"I want to buy it, I want to buy it immediately …!"

"I'm looking forward to the Eiffel Tower."

"Eiffel ~ …. My Eiffel …!" y Entering the elevator, when he touches the "Close" button",

"Wait wait!"

The figure running from a room on the same floor was small, but he jumped through the door. Suddenly he was surprised, and from his lips a cigarette dangled. If you look with ama, it doesn't light up, but in his hand he holds a match, and looks upset, he presses the "close" button to a series of pushes.

Somewhat lonely, he automatically exchanged glances with Kouko.

Looking at his neighbor for the first time, he seemed rather dangerous to him.

At first glance, he was wearing worn black t-shirts, and loose black jerseys. From the beach slippers she wore, her toenails painted black could be seen. His fingernails too. On his middle finger was a large skull ring. Her skin is too pale. His body was too thin, like a high school kid. Barely realizing that she was a mature woman, she saw through the cracks in the neatly arranged black short bob haircut that her face was surprisingly beautiful and well-organized. Looking like a child without makeup, she looked pale and was clearly unwell.

At first glance, he was wearing worn black t-shirts, and loose black jerseys. From the beach slippers she wore, her toenails painted black could be seen. His fingernails too. On his middle finger was a large skull ring. Her skin is too pale. His body was too thin, like a high school kid. Barely realizing that she was a mature woman, she saw through the cracks in the neatly arranged black short bob haircut that her face was surprisingly beautiful and well-organized. Looking like a child without makeup, she looked pale and was clearly unwell.

The three of them were awkward in the enclosed space, slowly they descended to the first floor.

"… What? You two."

Banri was surprised to be spoken to out of nowhere. He wondered if he was asking what he saw.

"Huh. You're dating, of course. Hmph."

Being ridiculed gently confuses him again. Not knowing what else to do, he stared at the floor. Kouko also seemed uncomfortable, hiding behind Banri's shoulder and staring at the corners of the ceiling.

"Are you ignoring me?"

Arriving at the first floor, the person left in a bad mood. As soon as he got outside the entrance, he lit his cigarette and sucked with all his might as he walked away.

"… What was that? That guy."

"I wonder what. He felt a bit scary, didn't he?"

Banri and Kouko turned around and walked in the opposite direction as the scary neighbors, for now, aimed at the shops.

* * *

Like that, stay away.

He could not help but to sneak in, continuing to escape from Linda and from the Omaken table, and in the end he managed a whole week.

During that time, he went with Kouko on a date to Ueno Park and they met every day at school. His credit cards are still being taken, Kouko is cut off from his addiction to Starbucks, and seems uncomfortable, but just dating as a fellow student and walking hand in hand is a lot of fun, and as far as Banri is concerned, it's been a lot of fun, he didn't think it was too much trouble.

As the time he spent with Kouko increased, his time with people diminished. It was a bit unfair to Mitsuo and the Two Dimensions, and for a few days they were even a little surprised.

And then, June in Tokyo.

And the beginning of the rainy season.

According to what Kouko said, "It's the season for roses!" and here and there in the area around Banri's apartment, brightly colored roses bloomed heavily, giving off a sweet fragrance.

The temperature suddenly rose more than 85 degrees, and the next day dropped back 25 degrees. As if trying to familiarize the locals to a summer hot campfire, the ordeal approaches, soaring up and down. Banri wondered if it was not a warm-up for the next season.

It is alternately cleaned, shrouded in clouds, becoming hot and cooling. Unable to decide what clothes to wear, she cannot wear the New Balance shoes Linda gave her.

Banri secretly steals a look or two at Linda's figure. For Banri, the situation has not changed, and he spends his normal days as a second-year student. Only the texts stopped coming. He was unable to meet the face of senior Omaken members, but the date they set for the practice was imminent.

Going to practice will feel awkward. But for the two absent new students it would be awkward as well. If Banri skips, Kouko will probably have questions as well.

He can't keep going like this. Banri thinks he treated them badly — Linda, and everyone.

But as he continued to flee, every day, every hour, every minute, even every second, the weight and awkwardness of his crimes piled on top of him, and Banri's feet slowed down more and more.

As time passed, the question "What should I do?" in bitter regret turned into "What should he do?"

Even if he could do that again from any point, he could barely procrastinate any worse. But while he was unable to do such things, more and more time passed.

Time spent with Kouko, who is pleasant, sweet, rose-colored and a truly intoxicating time, Banri wants everything, greedily, for himself. Putting aside the pain and bitterness, just spending more time eating, he began to live. Eating to get some time together, she finds herself getting weighed down even more with weight gain, and she is convinced that in the near future she will get to a place that can't be undone. For Banri, the weight is not as bad as a backpack.

Alone like that, still paralyzed, before long,

"Tada-kun?"

— Time must have stood still.

"Didn't your phone ring?"

"… What? Oh yeah, right. I mean, I don't know this number."

The second period ended, he met Kouko before the back door of the large lecture hall.

Pulling his phone out of his back pocket, Banri looked at it confusedly. An incoming call is a phone number she does not know.

"Better not to answer. Sounds suspicious."

Her figure in a bright orange one piece dress, Kouko raised her neatly drawn eyebrows and shook her head to the side. Today, her white forehead was exposed by braiding her long hair and collecting it, acting as a substitute for the absent hair tie, and in her ears were brightly sparkling diamond earrings.

"Hey, let's go. What are you doing for lunch today? Cafeteria, of course? As for me, I always had my doubts between specials A and B,"

"Oh! Waita minute. The message was sent to voice-mail."

Speaking like a spoiled child, Kouko said "Let's go! Our favorite corner chair will be taken ~," and while he pulls Banri's arm to follow him, the message left by the caller on the answering machine begins to play.

He tried to listen, and suddenly he gasped.

One woman said she worked for the company that runs the apartment where Banri lived said something like, "There was an accidental flood on the veranda of the apartment next to your apartment, and we want to make sure no one gets into your place."

"Geez, are you kidding …!? That's terrible …!"

"What's wrong?"

"They said there was a water leak next door, and my room might be flooded! Waw. I'm sorry, but I have to get home!"

"Eh !? You're kidding! Should we go together !?"

"No, no, don't you have a third period? Go to college! I'll send you a message later!"

Television, computer, cable connecting them .. While thinking about things that do not want to be seen wet, Banri waved to Kouko and ran. Running into the lobby, sneaking through the glass entrance, she exited under the warm daytime sky.

He wondered how to get an insurance company if there was damage. Or rather, he might have been told a long time ago. She was afraid her parents would ask her, "Aren't you listening?" if he calls them. He would make his parents worry, calling with such trouble again. But it's not a big enough problem for that.

He ran to the station, jumped onto the train, and was anxious until they arrived at the nearest station to his place. Arriving at the platform, he flew out the ticket gate and into the neighborhood, running towards the entrance to his apartment building.

He took the elevator, not changing as he normally would, to the fourth floor, and grabbed the keys to his house as he exited,

"… Uh !? What happened !?"

"He's coming, he's coming. He's really coming."

The person standing in the narrow outer corridor like a roadblock was completely black.

Legit black hair in a short bob, partly in the middle hanging in front, thick makeup. Studded choker style punker. In a thin black denim and worn tank top with a skull design, he wore thick rubber soled boots. So thin it beats like a skull, carrying a used guitar box with stickers on it, a figure with a foreign cigarette stuck to his lips?

"You are NANA-senpai ... not !?"

— Cosplay, looks like that's all. That, and not yet.

"You. You ignored me completely yesterday, right? Even though you're standing on the same stage as me."

"Eh !? A, yesterday ... what are you talking about !?"

NANA-senpai narrowed sharply, looking at Banri's face presumptuously. So, she met this guy in the spring, a third-year student from the same college. Leading a strange band with two chainsaws and a drummer, while performing a noisy and destructive 'poet reading', knocks Banri and Kouko off the stage with that guitar, with all their might, and knocks them out, he is a very dangerous classmate.

His style is too extreme to go unnoticed on campus, so he suspects he may not be friendly these days.

NANA-senpai raised her extremely thin eyebrows with "Hmm?" and take the cigarette that was not lit from his mouth with the skull ring finger.

"You don't recognize me? We were in the elevator together."

"C …?"

In other words, a few days ago, when Kouko came, the one who said "you ignored me" on her shoulder was this NANA-senpai? But in that case …

"But isn't there something wrong with your height !?"

Without a word, NANA-senpai pointed at the sole of her boots, which were at least 4 inches tall.

"I mean, isn't your face really different !?"

"Dress."

He said that sharply, with a cold gaze, as if he was disgusted or amazed at her.

"Well, even though we've been living on the same floor, we've never realized it. But, if I didn't realize it, would I be able to trick you into coming back with such a phone call? Those things just leaked, it's from me. 'After home' is my place. "

"You seem to be easily deceived. You need to be more careful."

"Although I went around to greet everyone when I moved, weren't you the one who didn't want to go out !?"

"Why am I out for something like that?"

"I even said we brought a night snack: Unagi-pai! With mom! Even though I ring the doorbell!"

"Shut up."

"It's very difficult, just what you expect from someone from Tokyo!"

"I'm from Saitama."

Muttering "Warabi" lethargicly, NANA-senpai began walking down the corridor as if guiding Banri. As he followed the woman without complaining, like a meek boy, Banri shouted again.

"So, why would you do such a thing …!?"

He opened the door to his own house, next to Banri's house, and put his face inside,

"Now. Didn't I tell you he really lived next door?"

He was talking to someone. And then a sudden and awkward face came out,

"…"

Breathing ceased.

Linda. The person Banri avoided, the person in question. As if to say, "I gave up," her hair was slanted, Linda was also at a loss for words.

Like that for a long few seconds, they stared at each other in silence.

"That's .. not what it looks like …"

Meanwhile, Linda's voice squeezed, seemingly painful.

"This, arbitrary NANA-senpai, practically pushy .. I, really, I didn't know you've been living here all this time .. and then this NANA-senpai, this NANA-senpai, this NANA-senpai, this NANA-senpai, NANA-senpai,"

Shaking his head while arguing with a look of despair on his face,

"Aren't you also 'Nana'? For now, get out of here."

NANA-senpai steps in, grabs Linda's hand and drags her into the corridor. When he tried to go back inside, he was roughly pushed out again, or rather kicked by the rubber sole.

"Because you're half-baked, flabby and noisy, get that 'I want to talk to that person things' out of your system. I'm sick of you complaining about something I don't understand, so with this way and that, I've made him come here. I have work to do. And exercises. And sleep. "

The cold door closes in front of Linda's nose. Hearing the sound of the key spinning from within, Linda jumped frantically to the door,

"Pai! Senpai you! I mean, my, shoes! Aren't they there !?"

Banging the door, insisting, insisting,

"How could I know that?"

From inside came only those words. Banging the door,

"You idiot!"

Says Linda, and

"Your shoes and bags are set aside to burn."

She said. Pardon me! I'm so sorry! Senpai is not an idiot! Senpai genius! Linda's voice repeated over and over, but for now there was no answer.

Linda stood on her toes, with nothing on her feet except light sneaker socks. The door to NANA-sempai's room was of course closed, and Linda looked at Banri with a stiff face.

"…Like that…"

"…"

"… everything, is …"

"…"

Banri, already dumbfounded, as if becoming numb stood up suddenly right then and there, and looked at Linda.

In that case, will we go to my place? — Although it took three full minutes to get those words out.

"You know, that guy was one of the original Omaken …"

"Huh!?"

Almost afraid to get past the awkwardness, Banri could not even catch his breath properly, however, he was unable to catch his breath properly,

"But he stopped right after I joined. So we've known each other since."

"That's it,"

He tries to imagine NANA-senpai, together with the broken former job hunter Hosshii and the monkey-like Kosshii-senpai trying to dance Awa Odori, Yosakoi or whatever ecstasy with a cigarette stuck in their mouth, suck the rest of the oxygen out of their throat.

"… That .. I wouldn't expect it."

"And that guy, his real name is not 'Nana'. From what he said, it's not his official name."

In Banri's room, it was just the two of them.

"But it seems like his parents called him 'Nana'."

Linda, looking bored, stood still for a while in the hallway near the kitchen.

Staring into the eyes of Banri, who was standing glued to the center of the room, he laughed, looking a little nervous. In jeans and a tank-top, and more than that just a unisex-style shirt, like Linda, is ambiguous, fast-paced, handsome style.

Inside the room, still when he left it in the morning, it seemed to him that the warm air was mixed with his own scent.

A matted towel blanket rolled in a ball, a T-shirt used as a sleeping device left behind, thrown to the floor. In the sink, there was a large plate and spoon that was used last night, still dirty in that place, and the cup he drank tea in the morning, was still sitting there. The bench he was sitting on, was still there. Plastic bags from convenience stores, filled with trash, rolled around, and the north-facing curtains hung loosely, half-open.

A damp atmosphere that could not be hidden hung above the room with the two of them. Banri's expression turned grim once again.

Unable to say 'please laugh', not even being able to offer the slippers he bought for Kouko to use, Banri was still dazed, doing nothing in the middle of the situation.

What he had to say, what he had to do, his mind was agitated. Secretly panicking within him, he became silent like a board.

"… Live alone, in this room."

Linda muttered to herself.

Ignoring Banri, he could not answer, he walked in socks to the window in front of the north veranda and looked out at the scenery. There should be nothing important to see there. However, the rather cluttered environment in which Banri lived alone had no sights to speak of.

"So, this is where you live. The banri."

Pressing his forehead against the glass, he spoke a little more clearly this time, as if he was making sure.

Then, turning around and putting the window behind him, he looked towards Banri and took a deep breath. His throat sounded as if he was sobbing,

"… Tada, Banri"

While calling her name, Linda half covered her face with her hands. While breathing, he bent his back, hanging his face down sharply. He speaks like that.

"I'm so sorry."

Soft voice. One after another, falling down like candy, the voice echoed softly.

Soft voice. One after another, falling down like candy, the voice echoed softly.

Her shoulders slumped like someone crying, her face hidden like someone shedding tears, but it sounded like there was a gentle smile in Linda's voice.

His voice gently caressed Banri's ears, his neck and back like a warm rain shower.

As if melting Banri's cold and frozen life, it enveloped him warmly, reviving.

"Now, it even becomes like this. Even until now, everything. I did terrible things, and created too much confusion."

Standing a few meters away, Banri felt his body begin to tremble. He wondered why. Although it was not cold, he could not stop.

Please stop apologizing like that, there's nothing wrong with you, Linda-senpai, I just ran away from you for fear — that's what she wanted to say.

But he can't say anything.

Banri's intention was to distance himself from him, but his body, now, was just trembling. And then, slowly but surely, moisture began to overflow from within him, a strange sensation attacking him. Suddenly, he wondered if he would wet his pants. He was amazed at the sudden feeling of incontinence, but it was not even a little 'leakage'. Tears.

He did not understand why the tears suddenly started to flow so shockingly.

No emotion beats it. Banri did not understand why he was crying.

Simply put, his body was crying itself. As if it wasn't his.

What am I supposed to do?

I don't know what I should do.

"… Banri …"

When she saw Banri's tears, Linda opened her eyes wide as if she had received a shock. Then, almost as if she jumped, Linda stepped up to Banri. Standing up straight, he looked at her face.

"… What is this? Why are you crying? Are you sad? Are you lonely? Are you all right?"

Frantically shaking his head to the side, Banri wiped the tears from his cheek with the base of his thumb. The strength of his body left in one breath, he slumped to the floor unhappily.

Just like the guardian, Linda sat down with him, stared intently into Banri's eyes, and raised her voice as if persuading him.

"There's something I've been wanting to tell you all along. So much, no matter what, I want to say. I'm really happy to see you again. I'm really happy."

Taking her shoulder, Linda smiled at him.

"I wonder what I can do to change things. So I said, 'Oh God, let Banri live.' I'm worried, you know? That day, I suddenly heard from someone they found in the river, severely injured, unconscious, and all that, with talk of. Seriously. Everyone except me said, 'Banri may really have died ..' I was really worried, and scared. I thought, 'If this is a dream, wake me up.' "

As he spoke with a smile, he continued to shake his head from side to side. He seemed to be trying to persuade her not to cry, that she could not cry.

"So my wish came true. You live, and here you are. For something like that, I can let go of anything. I will let him be happy. But just one thought .. I wonder how hard life should be just for you. It's just. If my being here by your side makes it harder, then maybe I should leave here, by your side. It won't hurt more inside. Compared to Banri who was lost forever, it would still be a pleasure."

"…"

The reason for these tears, had just flowed, even Banri had no idea.

His own stupidity, his own consciousness as an idiot, tore this small body and heart into pieces. Tears flowed blood from the new wound.

I wonder how wrong I am, he thought.

I'm not even trying to understand the person known as 'Linda'. In my narrow field of vision, and on a very small scale, I weigh the heart of this person for my own comfort. If he liked Banri before, he might want my current self to disappear. Hiding it may be very difficult. Oh forgive me. — Making such an assumption, in fear because it suits me, always running away even without listening to Linda, I have burdened myself with guilt of my own volition. I thought of Linda as if I was punishing myself with the weight of a rock, as if I was burdened with the burden of misfortune.

Although he was happy this body was here, even like this.

Even though he prayed for his life to be safe and stay here.

Somehow, it seems so. He lives without dying, and his life is protected, because Linda swapped him for something. More than just a "lucky accident", as far as Banri is concerned this person always, always seems authentic. He seems to be the real one. He felt that to that extent, it was the truth. If he saw the person in front of him, the person called Linda, carefully, knew him well, he would understand the person capable of such things.

He wondered how bad he was that stupid.

Really, but how many?

"…I'm so sorry…!"

Banri crouched low, saying those words to Linda. Finally, he told her.

Then, waking up, he pulled the unused bag from the closet. Inside is a photo.

It was a picture of her past self with Linda that she found at home. Under the blue sky, smiling widely and cheek to cheek, there were the two of them in their high school years.

Unable to leave him, but also unable to see him, the burden in his heart that he could not escape, "that time" now changed the meaning of his existence.

Because such a time exists, because there is a time that shines like this, now there is also. Since this time living with Linda happened, I was able to survive in this place.

"…Thank you"

Now, meeting Linda again, she lives like this, in this place.

Holding the photo tightly in both hands, pressing it against his chest, he could say those words to Linda.

"This ... is it?"

Smiling at the photo, Linda, who seemed to understand, lowered herself down to sit on the floor next to Banri. Sitting on the floor with her knees raised and her face attached to them, while both her hands were fiddling with time and once again with her ears and hair, she nodded slowly.

"That's how you know about me .. Now I understand. It's from having something like this."

"… You and I, what kind of relationship do we have?"

Sitting in the same position as hers, Banri asks her what she always wanted to know. She wiped her tears with the base of her thumb and continued, her voice coming out smoothly and naturally. For him, here his pain and suffering is nothing. Before he knew it, he could even smile. But his nose is still flowing, the drops are salty.

Linda looked at him long and slow, as if she missed him.

"We have a really, really, really good relationship. In the same class for three years in high school, in the same club, strangely we feel like — best friends, so to speak. We're always stuck together, the two of us. But, we just weren't dating. Our relationship was not good, but it was never a love affair. We will tell each other that even if one of us manages to fall in love, each of us separately gets married and has a family, and gets old, we will always, even when we become grandparents, we remain close friends. Relationships like that. "

Banri, again alone, realizes his misunderstanding.

Previously, she and Linda had gathered together and confided in each other. She wondered, even though they weren't dating, wasn't she, at least, in love with Linda, deep down? The face in the picture seemed to glow with such a fever.

But maybe Linda doesn't know that feeling. Unable to convey that feeling, Tada Banri, may have disappeared completely from this world.

While thinking that if it was true, it would be embarrassing, Banri peeked at the couple in the photo. Innocent, with openness, they seemed to laugh happily. The base of his thumb touched the image gently, and the tears stuck there fell over their smiles. Neither Banri's face nor Linda's.

Linda reached out her hand, immediately wiping it off with a dry fingertip.

"Banri is kind, weird, funny, and friendly. But sometimes, he seemed a bit unreliable. I've been following Banri forever. Like that, saying things like 'What are you doing? Are you all right? Hey, Banri!' I always do that, take care of him. More than a 'man', he might seem more like a little brother. Even though we were in the same year, I was like her older sister. "

"Somehow, things haven't changed much, have they?"

"… Now you mention it …"

They exchanged glances, which immediately turned funny, both of them breaking apart at the same time. Their laughter became strange.

Really am. Banri and Linda's relationship has not changed at all. He had lost his memory, they had left their home, time had passed, and they were doing the same. Linda, her successor's older sister, takes care of the foolish Banri, following and protecting her.

Come to think of it, from the very beginning, from the moment Banri currently met Linda, it always was. The one who saved Banri from the fray of the entrance ceremony, Linda. The one who saved her when she was kidnapped by that strange cult as well. And since then, as a senior of his club, Linda has always taken care of Banri, always worrying about him, watching him.

"I mean, I'm a bit of a disgraceful person .. but isn't that the same as saying that I'm so useless that I can't live without Linda-senpai? There is a possibility that I might go to a different place of college, and if we did not meet like that at the entrance ceremony, then around now I would not have the confidence to live. "

Linda laughed at Banri, but she really thought that way.

If Linda did not watch over him, and did not stand by his side, protecting him, her current self would not be here, she felt from the bottom of her heart. … Especially, for now, maybe on that mountain, he, along with Kouko, will fall prey to the Crystal God.

He looked at Linda's face again. Laugh “What is this?”, Her face has a soft shape.

Obviously, he was an angel. As far as Banri is concerned, Linda is clearly the guardian angel.

Protected under the gentle wing of the man, one way or another, he lives. In this way, blessed with a strong guardian, its existence is possible.

Even he recognized her: he did not have the strength to do it himself.

"That's not true! Don't think you can't live if I'm not around. It's just not so. The truth is, you are not such a weak person, Tada Banri. I guarantee that."

Turning around, from right in front of her, Linda looked back at Banri. He looked straight at her into the eyes.

"But, hey, I don't think that your life from now on will be a piece of cake. So hey, from now on, as your senior at the club .. or rather, as a friend you met on campus, plus, as a person who knew you before the accident, you know me, I think I can be a good supporter for you. Unless it bothers you. "

"It's troublesome! Why, it's nothing! But …"

Scratch his face slightly, not really wanting to say it, though,

Because he couldn't think of what "reason" was.

However, Linda's eyes opened wide in surprise, as if she was asking, "What are you saying?"

"But you're not Banri. Of course not. Even if you have forgotten, you are an important person to me. … Means I enjoy being with you. Even though you have changed, you have not changed. For me, it's time I spend with Tada Banri now fun. So, I think I want to spend time with you, in a normal way. That's all that happened .. You know what I mean? "

With a sweet smile, Linda extended her right hand to him.

Nervously will try and take that hand,

"This kind of thing is over."

He gave her a strong high-five, then suddenly gripped her firmly raised hand. He let go at once, then pointed at his face. It seems to be proof of them as friends. And suddenly Linda stood up lightly.

With the right time, Banri's cell phone rings, and at a glance he sees that it is Kouko. She urged Linda not to leave as she pressed the answer button.

'Hello, Tada-kun? How flooding? '

"Ah, well .. it's fine, though …"

“Actually, I also have a problem here. Can I talk now? '

While listening to Kouko's voice, she looked towards Linda, wondering what she should do. Linda lightly raised one hand and in a low voice,

"I'll go back next door. Catch you later."

Still barefoot, he went to leave. Confused, Banri covered the phone with his hand,

"Ah, wait a minute .. You can use my slippers if you want! Err, they must be around here …"

"It's okay. Don'worry. Stay by Kouko-chan's side and listen to what she has to say. If you love her, you cannot leave her side. Never have. See you soon."

Linda opened the door and, in the usual light way, walked out. Pliable, like a fickle cat on a street corner.

* * *

Riding the carriage, he stared at the route map affixed to the wall with a feeling of uneasiness. Will he arrive safely at Mitsuo's place or not?

It was the train he used for his normal commute, but the station near where Mitsuo was next was further from college than the one near Banri's residence.

It was the first time he had come to this district since arriving in the capital. The bright sunlight has started to tilt, providing views through the vibrating windows of Tokyo's strong orange cityscape. The condominiums all stood lined up tightly, as if glued to each other however, the orphanage's pachinko, the pink chain shop advertising looked questionable standing on one side, and on the other side the green belt grew thick. Together with the sky that was starting to darken, everything seemed so vast.

The night rush hour must have piled up. The train began to get rather crowded, with the uniform shape of the high school students quite noticeable, and here and there regular passengers also stood around it.

Banri's hand-held phone still contained the address Mitsuo had politely exchanged when they first met.

Although until now Mitsuo had only come to Banri's place, there was no particular significance to switching. It was just that Banri's place was closer to the university, and Mitsuo had plenty of opportunities to pass by just like that. This time Banri asks if it's okay if he goes to Yana-ssan's place, and Mitsuo says it's fine.

… Because he said that, and said he didn't have to call first .. sort of .. so, he trusted him and got on the train.

Even though he said he didn't need to make arrangements beforehand, he was heading there now, so naturally he sent a text message. He tried calling her a few times. Still, there's no answer. He sent a message to Kouko as well, but there has been no reply from that quarter either.

Kouko's status says "Mituo may be in crisis."

He said it after that. As for where Kouko had observed that she might be in crisis, she said that after Banri was tricked into returning hastily by the fake NANA-senpai phone call, she was told that she was in crisis, the person had left the school cafeteria alone, "lonely" and "sad" according to him.

The campus becomes busy as usual, and alone, carrying a tray, looking for a seat as well, aware of the eyes of others to her, it seems Kouko is a bit desperate to find someone she knows. And then, looking at the Two Dimensional and Mitsuo and approaching, he sat down with the men without saying anything. In the end, nervous and alone, she sat in a slightly separated chair.

Shortly thereafter Ultrasonic — Chinami appeared, leading several other girls.

"When she said, 'Oh, this is Yana!' I know that spoiled voice, barking. I knew right away. "

It seems Chinami said something like, "Today I won't let you escape!" Kouko looked at him, and Chinami would approach him with a smile, bright, as if nothing had happened. He behaved as if nothing had changed from before.

For a moment, Mitsuo stayed with the others, but eventually said, "Chinami, can we have some fun?" he invited her to the side.

Since the place was far to the side, so to speak, coincidentally being right in front of Kouko, she pretended to be asleep for the time being, lowering her face to hide it with a tray by her side. Later,

"Mituo spoke like this. He said, 'Because the other people are watching, aren't you calling me? I noticed that everyone was laughing at me.' Where did Ultrasonic say 'Like that, forever?', and Mitsuo replied 'forever.' So Ultrasonic said, "I'll do what you want" and walked away, leaving Mitsuo there for a while, staring at the floor. I pretended to sleep. Wondering if it was okay .. I raised my face and Mitsuo was still there; I was staring at him. I thought, "It's bad!" and I'm trying to say 'Hi!' to him, but he ignored me completely and left. Since then, he did not come out to the third period, he ignored the text I sent. "

Through the phone speakers, Kouko's voice seemed quite tinged with worry. Later,

"So I think I should call you and ask if you can go to Mitsuo's place and check on him. Hey, doesn't mean I can go there myself, does it?"

"I?"

"Yes, you. Don't you want to?"

"No, it doesn't bother me, or rather, I'm worried about Yana-ssan as well, and although I'm completely fine with going, what do you mean by 'It's not like I can go there myself' ? "

"No way, what are you saying? Even though you are my girlfriend, there is no way I can go to the places of other men who live alone. Two people of the opposite sex, confining themselves in a private room, isn't that embarrassing "Didn't that supposed to be so? Am I not right?"

"Th-so …?"

"Right?"

"… That's."

"Yes that!"

— If that's the case, haven't we been playing around?

But of course, he didn't say that. Banri set the issue at first priority for now. Leaving her room alone, she boarded this train. Kouko must have gone to the fourth period by now, or if there were no lectures she might be on her way home.

He thought about bringing Kouko along as well, but he had uneasy feelings about what Mitsuo would think about it, and if the worst became the worst, and Mitsuo was not at home, after coming out for a while somewhere, then it seemed like he was easier to go home by himself.

As he approached the intended station, the platform began to be seen. Banri tried to calm the uneasy feeling in his chest, taking long breaths repeatedly. When he finally reached this person's place, perhaps it was the first time he had not lost his way in this city. Then he wondered if the man was okay.

To him, this must be "Crisis Mitsuo."

The man who had to tell the girl he liked to stop calling her. About now without a doubt he felt very depressed, down to self-loathing.

The train brakes slowly moved, Banri stood up from his seat. Not having a bag, he carries a wallet in his pocket and a cell phone in his hand.

With only local trains stopping at this station, not many people get off. Walking across the empty platform, he climbed the stairs. There was a north ticket gate and several south ticket gates, and wondering which one he should use, he tried the north gate because of its address.

Beep, he left the ticket gate using his pass.

"Make wrong…"

Banri looked around the area a little.

Although this was his first time getting off at the station, everything was arranged the same as before. To him, the view was not much different. What caught his attention at first were the same signs as before: Tonkatsu Saboten, 21st Century and beyond. But even so, the shopping district did not look good, nor were there as many buyers as in the neighborhood where Banri lived. You could even call it grim.

He checked Google Maps on his phone, then followed the main road to the right.

Along the sidewalks, rows of Ginkgo trees grew busily.

Even with the tilted sunlight, the humidity was extremely high today, and Banri flapped his double-layer t-shirt, trying to breathe in the air underneath.

Walking straight forward like that, didn't he say it was a few minutes from the station ticket gate? Turning to his sound, building a small device factory, and looking closely at the map, he circled an intricate bend into an alley. There was the apartment where Mitsuo lived.

The two-story building is quite normal and inconspicuous. Adequate for a poor student to live in, it is a traditional wooden apartment. In comparison, Banri put the phoenix out of the ashes, arguably this place is very old, but more than give the impression of being crushed in a mess, it feels really cool. Many trees and plants were planted in the ground, growing thick and bushy, bringing a certain charm to him.

Of course there was no automatic lock, so he went up to the second floor through the outside stairs. Mitsuo's room must be #203.

Seeing him ignore texts and phone calls, whether he goes out or not when the doorbell rings is a good question. In that case, whether he was in his room or not was a good question.

But for now, it will step forward into the corridor,

"Hey, Yana."

He freezes. Without a second thought, he retreated down the stairs slightly and hid himself.

"So really, I feel bad today …"

"So, aren't I worried about you?"

"So really, I feel bad today …"

"So, aren't I worried about you?"

"Don't I say 'I want to be left alone today' …?"

"There's no way I can, didn't I say I made you dinner? Hey look, look, I bought something for you."

Framed by the open door of the room, a young woman is arguing about something. Dealing with him from inside the room, unmistakably, was Yanagisawa Mitsuo. A shopping bag dangled from his hand, he said, "Since I've finally brought it, let me in. I'll leave immediately." and cling to it, is it the second year of Film Studies .. or is it the third year? One or two times before, not three or four times. By the time he was with Mitsuo, senpai called out to him quite often. Banri recalls from the myths and legends in college there was a very beautiful girl, with a very striking face (though not at the level of Kouko!), however, who was very beautiful,

"What is that …!?"

Banri pulled his head back for a moment, slightly panting. The senpai, as Banri recalled, usually wore boots or something like that, denim shirts and skirts with floral designs. Indeed, he dressed casually as you might expect from a student.

But now, in her thick, light brown, curly hair, there was a purple satin belt.

She wore a feminine one-piece dress, with a bold green print design, and delicate high-heeled sandals. He had what looked like a branded bag draped over his shoulder, and there was a big, bright gleam in his ears, his fingers and his chest.

He, how to say it, .. a faux-Kouko.

On her white face she wears a very colorful lipstick, made to fit a hairband. But it's not even. For now he's a bit scary, in some ways.

"Hey, Yana, do you like Nikujaga?"

Fearfully, he peeked once more. Somehow, senpai-turned-fake-Kouko was about to enter Mitsuo's room, the end of his sandal shoving into the crack of the door.

"N-no, I'm serious …"

"In terms of ingredients, you know we can even make curry? Hey, what's that? I mean, freely all day .. You said that if I like, I can stay the night. So, are you going to open up the ride?"

"… Really, seriously …"

"Will, you, open, up?"

Mitsuo, even though he tried to close the door, however was uncomfortable with the idea of crushing his toes, and remained frozen there with a worried expression on his face.

He finds his assault troublesome, clearly unaware Banri is watching them, and is afraid he won't leave. Kinda dangerous. So he thought.

It would be nice if he saved his young friend from this situation.

"… Move, Yana-ssan!"

Banri jumped into the corridor.

And then, walk fast, get closer, get closer,

"My girlfriend…"

He stood up, one hand on his waist like a model. Muttering thickly yet quickly, he tried to prop himself up in the space between them with an angry shoulder. What about that, will he back off? Sticking to Mitsuo, baring his teeth in his own special way, he gave him a challenging pose.

"Banri …!"

Mitsuo's excited voice rang out behind his head. And then senpai,

"… Uwaa …"

Muttering in a disapproving tone, "What's wrong with this guy?" he glanced at Banri and took a step back.

"Haii, Yana-san."

Banri, who still acts as a sissy female model, spits pictures of a beautiful boyfriend, raises his chin and looks at her, his eyes half closed. They looked down at him, like guns being fired. He flinched a little, but he was not defeated. With a sharp look, he looked back at Banri, who,

"Wait, what? Hey Yana, what's wrong with this guy?"

With a stinging voice, trying to curl up against Mitsuo,

"This guy is my girlfriend."

He won — Banri exclaimed, "Han!" in victory and getting closer to him.

"What if I also want Nikujaga !?"

"I didn't make Nikujaga for you!"

In a circle, he backed off. His bloodlust was for the time being hidden by the sound of his heels as he descended the stairs.

"Sa, congratulations …! It was scary ... the guy showed a very severe hemisphere …!"

Looking at his back from the open door, Mitsuo, as if relieved from the bottom of his heart, took Banri's hand. Saying, "Shut up, Shut up, Uncle is here so it's okay now," Banri nodded deeply.

"I don't feel like answering my letter yet," apologized Mitsuo, inviting him to his room, and,

"Ooh oh oh oh oh oh oh. ohohoh oh oh oh oh …"

To be honest, he didn't expect this. Being a little like Kouko, Banri observes the state of the room. Oh my goodness, Mitsuo …

"Dirty, right? … Surprised?"

"Or rather, the feeling of 'What's wrong?'"

Wearing a T-shirt and shorts, and on his neck headphones loud enough that you could hear the sound of spilling, too long wires creeping behind him in a really comfortable style, Mitsuo nervously rubbed his chin. Even if he was like this, he still had a handsome face.

"Today, I've really lost the energy to clean and tidy up …"

"If he saw this, even the senpai would retreat by themselves, perhaps."

"…Maybe"

His admission that it was quite a mess surprised even Banri, it was indeed a messy place.

Not too spacious, at least six single tatami rooms, there were outcast clothes taking up space here and there, on the table were several cup-raments with soup still left, chopsticks, chopsticks, and who knows how many are empty and partially emptied PET Bottles. There were dirty dishes in that little kitchen sink, and somehow a mountain of shop trash dumped there as well. Not limited by the door to the combined bathroom and toilet facilities, the wet smell, towels and anything else that sticks out. For now, you can barely see the floor. He could barely see what looked like vinyl flooring.

"But for now, I know exactly what I have and where it is."

As soon as he said that, Mitsuo stepped on something barefoot, and his handsome face changed. From the sound, it's probably a CD case. In a panic he tried to lift his leg and lost balance, and his headphone plug came out of the notebook computer he had plugged in.

From the speakers overwhelm the very loud male vocal music. The high-pitched, slow and soft singing voice and the clear trombone voice for some reason did not seem to match Mitsuo.

"… What I'm listening to has a curiosity for it."

He said he didn't even ask. "Legenda 'Do Something' ..." Mitsuo said that. Whether it was a joke or not, he did not immediately understand.

"A, what?"

"… No, it's like the title of the song. Or rather ... I'm completely useless now. I really have to do something. To this room .. and then in my life …"

Mitsuo crouched down and moved the mouse, stopped the music, tore off his headphones, threw them aside and sat on his bed. Removing the pile of clothes and magazines there with a thud,

"Sit there?"

He suggested that Banri sit next to him. While saying "Ah, alright" and sitting down, he thought, "I don't want to sit next to him on the bed... definitely not.." Mitsuo somehow gave a shy smile.

"Today's merry function as a sort of sofa."

"No, it's a bed .. This is really a bed …"

But even so, for now, you could see on his face a feeling of relief.

"Well, it's good to see you feel better for now. Because we're a little worried about you. Because, err …"

"… I think Kouko heard something?"

"Something, or rather, so he did it .. yes, the whole story …"

His face could not be read, Mitsuo shrugged, turned on the television and played the remote control. He changed the channel randomly.

A slightly awkward silence continued between the two bums in the sealed room. Banri tried to put it back on topic.

"That reminds me. That senpai, what is he doing?"

"Aah .." replied Mitsuo, the tension subsided.

"About that .. There must be news about Chinami rejecting me. Shortly after that, I got a persistent text. Are you okay? Can't we drink? Don't you feel sad? His attack had finally reached this point today. Saying she was going shopping for me .. telling me she could stay over, to me it was scary, I mean, she actually showed off one big crate. It was not a cleavage and such, but rather his points .. It seemed like they reached the floor. They're kind of creamy. Isn't that already a crime? Against me. "

Hearing that comment, Banri laughed involuntarily, but,

"It's not a laughing matter .. I mean, everyone knows about it. About Chinami dumping me. Whahuh? Wh why? Are people interested in what happens to others?"

Mitsuo sighed, his weak shoulders drooping, his head hanging.

"Well, there must be a lot of witnesses .. that's probably it."

The actual place where Mitsuo was thrown away was a huge drinking party with dozens of people. Chinami was already a central person in between the first years, and Mitsuo's performance was outstanding; he was a very conspicuous person, and, with rumors calling for rumors, he was a very popular person, Banri did not consider it mysterious that the news had spread even to the seniors.

In his completely battered state, Mitsuo's expression was misty.

"It seems to me that everyone knows about my problem, and I really don't like being in the public eye, so to speak, that I had wandered around was also a lot, just deepening my wounds, and getting the feeling that I was making mistakes in almost everything. "

"I saw…"

So, for a man who stands out, it hurts to be a man who stands out? Banri looked at the ruins in the room and thought, in this room lives Mitsuo's heart.

"… Of course I understand. How should I behave towards Chinami? Should I behave the same as always, cheerfully, as if it were all easy? Although I know it .. I can barely do it. , as I thought, I can't. If I met him, I would think 'whoa', embarrassed, depressed. Everyone would look at me like that and laugh, and I would be considered as something below them. And now this mess. What am I gonna do? I'm too useless. It's macabre. "

"It doesn't seem 'terrible'."

"No, it's terrible."

"About your girlfriend," Mitsuo changed the subject.

"As you may have guessed, I hate Kouko."

"O, Oh .. So you hate her."

Mitsuo nodded at him.

"Very much. I felt like I had been used as a stepping stone. He pushed me into a corner, even forcing me to change universities. But in the end, he found a place to settle down before I did. After holding me back for a long time, he continued to advance, just like that. It sucks .. But there's no point in saying that to Kouko. 'Don't date Banri because it's embarrassing for me.' "

"No, stop it .. seriously …"

"I won't say it. I won't say anything, never. If Kouko stays with you, then as far as I'm concerned, that's a good thing. After all, he was a childhood friend. Although it is impossible for me to love him. Regardless of any feelings .. Sorry for telling you this, am I bothering you? "

Banri replied, "Absolutely not, I understand," and Mitsuo heaved a sigh of relief.

"… Because you are a friend. I want you both to be happy. Really, I .. I mean, when I decided to end it all with her, I wanted you to stay by her side. I thought if you were there, he'd be fine. I still think so. That's why I can agree to it, even being a little happy. It's just, I can't help but feel frustrated because I was left behind. Like, it's just me! Just me! In a place like this! You know …? "

With his wavering speech, Mitsuo looked embarrassed by what he said, his mouth spinning.

After a while,

"… Only I, left at the very bottom, as this miserable mess. Here I am, speaking ill of my childhood friend in front of his girlfriend, my friend."

How about this? He seemed to want to say something, he raised his hand. Mitsuo stared blankly into space, as if he wanted help from a god, or an angel, or something like that. He said a little more, as if talking to himself.

"That's not .. hatred. More precisely, I was envious. You seem to radiate happiness. I want to shine like Kouko. I want to be like that. But from myself I can't do things well, getting together with Chinami, being able to make friends with her as well, anything can be trusted about the future … But dumped like that by Chinami … "

"Yana-ssaan …"

"Chinami is the only one for me. But as far as Chinami is concerned, I'm just 'one of them.' It doesn't matter that I love her, I'm just one of many others . Of course, it was Kouko's fault. By hunting me down so madly, he made me think that I should be something special. Although it's nobody I'm not used to it at all. I thought, why? Why can't Chinami come to love me? And then, why? Why would he say such things? It seems I am no longer qualified to be loved, that I deserve it, it seems. "

With Banri right next to him, Mitsuo increasingly tied himself up in a masochistic circle. He would say so much that he would hurt himself, and then blame himself for his hurt self again. To be honest, it is natural that humans would feel jealous. His appearance was outstanding, and he was also well-bred and wealthy (though for the time being humbled), as a good person.

In short, not at all confident, thought Banri. Regardless of the handsome profile he presented, it seemed that this man simply could not see his own good qualities. Though it may even be Mitsuo masochistically saying that Kouko is to blame not too far from the target. Not wanting to be loved, not wanting to be pursued, wanting to be released and keep remembering his teenage years, it was possible that Mitsuo was only made to learn how to humble himself.

Don't chase me, you don't have to love me, because to me there's no point in being loved! — For example, like that. Lastly, it is in Banri's comfortable imagination.

Suddenly made her think about Linda. Whenever he was in a tight spot, seeking help, the hand that had always been with him was always his. Support him.

He thought, these hands were captured, drawn, by Linda's hand.

These hands that Linda helped with, maybe she should use them now for the sake of her friend, to pull her out of the masochistic circle she was in. He wanted to hold those hands firmly. … Even so it means figuratively, of course. In a literal sense, not letting go of Mitsuo's hand would be strange. But.

"… Yana-san. Just a minute."

From his back pocket, Banri took out a glistening mirror and opened it with a click. It was a memorial gift, a hand mirror that Kouko gave her.

"…What is this?"

"Look here in your cup."

He told her to look at that handsome face. If this was reality, then as far as it was okay to be proud of yourself, he could be proud. It's okay for a cool looking man to stick out his impressive chest and boast. That's what he meant, however,

"Oh .. thank you, Banri …"

With a forced smile, Mitsuo, who was timid, directed her blunt eyes towards him. Peering into the hand mirror and rubbing his mouth with his thumb,

"It's a little nori .. from some Temakizushi grocery store that I ate …"

I didn't realize it, he said.

And then, in that empty spot, the echo of the Two-Dimensional voice sounded in Banri's tired ears. Saying to someone, 'That's one of Yana-ssan's good points ..' This person is fine. Therefore, this is good.

Closing the mirror, he stood up.

"Alright, you even found Nori! The sushi! Sushi is handmade! You ate! For now, follow me!"

Playing the role of a moron, giving him a thumbs up, Banri posed in front of Mitsuo, waving his hand as if to say, "Let's go!" Depressed guy, looking confused, he,

"… What? What are you doing?"

"Let's clean this place up! Who knows what's next !? I mean, when you live in a dirty place like this, of course you're depressed."

Mitsuo focused his still somewhat glass eyes and looked around his messy room.

"I guess .. it does, but …"

"No 'but'! You're really slovenly! Stand up! Hurry along! Uvoi!"

"Uvois? What'sthat?"

"That means 'Come now!' You should have understood that! "

Eh? Mitsuo was still sitting there whimpering. Clapping in front of him,

"It's orders! Clean it! Go, move! Because I'll help too!"

Standing there in a menacing manner, Banri ruled over him as if he was his older brother.

In reality, Banri was still an inexperienced boy. I mean, honestly, she's just a one-year-old baby. Nevertheless, acting as if he was older, he wanted to somehow show Mitsuo the way out of his difficult situation. He wanted to make her stand up, even if it was by force, and clean up the dirty place. Just like Linda did for him, he also wanted to help someone.

He wanted to hide his experience under the mask of an "old friend".

"First of all, let's take out the trash! Something bad, right there! The sushi! I mean, can you take out the trash anytime you want?"

"… no. The trash that can be burned away tomorrow morning."

"Then, if we collect the trash, then let's go to my place. You can stay over! I mean, let's talk. Let's drink! So, if you're going back in the morning to put out the trash, don't sleep! Let's do it, really! "

Mitsuo raised his face slightly and looked at Banri's face. In the helpless eyes like an abandoned dog, and the nod of someone older, his approval could be seen.

And then, with both hands holding an invisible stick, boom! boom!, he swung both of his hands.

"…What is it?"

"War drum! That's her! Yana-ssan, trash bag in hand!"

"Ah, does it 'help' …?"

Come on now, aren't we headed for war !? Banri is really, of course, ready to help the best he can, pushing him to the best of his ability.

"…What is it?"

"I'm a supportive team! Ora! Throw away that rotten ramen broth now!"