she is Very Stubborn

All that said, his father was probably still alive. According to Yasuko,

he’d been turned into Swiss cheese while saving an underling and had been

dumped into a Yokohama harbor somewhere—but there was no grave. There

was also no memorial shrine. There were no ashes or earthly possessions left

behind, or Buddhist tablets, either. Ryuuji had no memory of any of that

happening. And when Yasuko was drunk, she would sometimes put on a sly

smile and say, “If daddy suddenly came home, what would Ryuu-chan

doooo? Hee hee hee hee, I wonder.”

Ryuuji’s father was probably serving time behind cold iron bars. That

was what his son thought.

“Yo, Takasu! Morning—sure is a nice day!”

Ryuuji noticed the voice behind him and turned around to raise his hand.

“Yo, Kitamura. Morning.”

There’s no helping it, Ryuuji thought, as he stopped to wait for Kitamura

Yuusaku, his close friend and classmate for another year, to catch up. From

an outside standpoint, his eyes glared at Kitamura, as if saying, “I’ll get that

guy!” But, of course, that wasn’t the case. He was just thinking calmly as he

watched him approach.

There was no helping the misconceptions people might have about him. If

another one happened, he’d just clear it up. After all, even if it took time to

win them over, there were always some people like this guy who would

figure it out eventually. He didn’t like it, but…it was the only option, so what

else could he do?

He looked up at the sky and squinted at its radiance. The day was

beautiful, without even a breeze. The sakura petals fell without a sound,

gently landing in Ryuuji’s hair.

Still carrying all that stubborn, painful, mental baggage, he took another

long step forward in the loafers he’d shined the night before.

It was wonderful weather for the opening ceremony

Yikes.”

“I’m in the same class as Takasu-kun.”

“He’s as tough as they come.”

“It’s a little scary.”

“Someone talk to him.”

“No way, take it from me—that’s impossible. You go.”

“Hey, don’t push me.”

And so it went, on and on.

No matter what they say, Rjuuji thought, I am the way I am. I won’t be

bothered by it.

Ryuuji accepted the surrounding stares of his new classmates with

indifference. Still seated at his desk, he turned his back slightly, causing

people to avert their eyes. He quietly licked his parched lips. His jittering leg

was an unconscious fidget. From the side, he looked like a predator,

impatiently awaiting feeble prey. But that was just appearances.

“As always, it looks like a bunch of guys here totally have the wrong idea

about you,” Kitsamura said. “Well, that’ll be fixed before long. I’m with you,

and there’s quite a few people from the original class A mixed in here, too.”

“Yeah. It’s fine, I don’t mind it,” Ryuuji replied with a thin smile.

The muttering from his classmates still hadn’t let up. “I’m telling you,”

someone said. “He’s in a good mood. Look at him—definitely licking his lips

in cruel anticipation, stalking the prey in front of him.”

In actuality, he felt like shooting out of his seat like a rocket, while

grinning from ear to ear. And naturally, that feeling wasn’t just from being in

the same class as Kitamura. Something like that only warranted a smile and a,

“We’re together again, Kitamura.”

The thing that made him so happy he wanted to jump for joy was—Hey, Kitamura-kun! We’re in the same class this year!”

Because of her.

“Hm?” Kitamura said. “Huh, so you’re in class C, too, Kushieda!”

“What, you only just noticed? You’re so cold! It’s a brand-new year; you

could at least check the registry.”

“Sorry, sorry. What a coincidence, though! I guess the meetings of

student club presidents will be easier than ever.”

“Ha ha, that’s right! Oh, you were…Takasu-kun, right?” she asked, as she

turned to Ryuuji. “I wonder if you remember me? We’ve had a few near

misses, what with both of us hanging around Kitamura-kun.”

Ryuuji said nothing.

“Uhhh? It’s okay to call you Takasu-kun, right?” she said.

“…Ah, ye…kay.” He fumbled for his words but was too taken aback by

the sudden spectacle of a goddess assailing him. Her smile dazzled him,

bursting out like the sun. It was as warm as the stolen light that once shined

through his southern window, a warmth that suffused his vision all at once

with radiant beams. The overflowing particles of light clung to him until

Ryuuji could no longer keep his eyes open.

“Kushieda Minori, right?” he said.

Ah, if only, if only, if only! The sound of his own brusque voice made

Ryuuji want to shout out loud. Why could he only answer like that, why

couldn’t he have said something more suave—

“Oh, hey! You remembered my whole name! Awesome—that sure makes

me happy! Uhm, uh-oh, I think someone’s trying to get my attention over

there. Well then, Kitamura-kun. After school, we’re having this year’s first

meeting for new second-years. Make sure you don’t forget! See you later,

too, Takasu-kun!”

Just about at his limits, Ryuuji tried raising a hand in courtesy…at her

turned back. He was too late. She probably didn’t even see.

But.

She said she was happy… She said she’d see me later…

Kushieda Minori had said that to him. She said she was happy… She said she’d see me later…

Kushieda Minori, who he had prayed would be in his class, had said that.

She said she was happy… She said she’d see me later…

About me. About me!

She said she was happy!

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