Editing Kämpfer:Volume 2 Chapter 1 (section)

=== Akane's Visit ===
[[File:Akane bringing pastries .jpg|thumb|438x438px|Akane visits Natsuru at home]]
The knocks continued, but seemed to be getting quieter.

"Okay, okay, come open the door."

I unlocked it and turned the doorknob.

"Sorry...ah!"

The girl standing at the entrance, startled, was a girl named Akane. She was a sophomore at Iron Star Academy High School, just like me. This girl with glasses always looked down at the ground, giving off a delicate aura. I met her because of something, which I'll explain later.

"Um...that...Natsuru-san..."

Akane looked at a loss, probably because the buttons of my pajamas were undone.

I buttoned them up.

"What's up, Akane?"

"Um... I had work today, so I just went to school."

"Thank you for your hard work."

Akane is a member of the library committee. She seems to be very serious by nature, even going out on weekends to help out at the school library. Compared to me, who is always late or skips sweeping duties whenever I can get a free moment, her brain must be completely different.

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"Um... I just... I bought some snacks on the way home. If you don't mind, Natsuru-kun, would you like to try some too... S-Sorry!"

Why apologize?

Perhaps it's her personality. Akane always has a lower aura. She always gives way to others when walking on the street. Even when buying something, she would never say, "Please give me this." But why would a girl like her buy me a snack? That's a mystery.

She was holding a plastic bag from a cake shop, not a convenience store snack.

"Thank you!" I stretched out my hand, but Akane maintained the same posture and refused to give it to me. Why?

We were in a stalemate for a while.

"...Well...I think it would taste better with tea..."

"Ah."

I thought about it. Since I don't drink coffee, I only have black tea or Japanese tea at home. I wonder if the stock I bought before is left.

"Would you like to come in?"

"Huh...?"

"Come in, you brought some snacks."

"Ah... okay,"

Akane said as she took off her shoes, her expression brightening.

I took her to my room, changed into my house clothes, and then spent a long time searching the kitchen shelves. It looked like all the black tea was gone, leaving only the sencha tea bags<ref name="sencha">'''Sencha''': A common type of Japanese green tea.</ref>. I checked the label inside, and the expiration date was only last month. Never mind, it probably wouldn't kill me.

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I took the casually brewed tea upstairs.

Akane sat upright on the pillow.

"Thank you..." I opened the cake box and found puffs inside. I was about to say they looked delicious, but I had no idea what was good or not. I figured they had to be good.

I took one.

"You're so tired, having to work on the library committee on Sunday."

"It wasn't that hard, actually."

Akane slowly took a bite of the puff.

"The library committee is going to buy new books this time, to supplement the books that have broken down the bookshelves."

"Is that so..."

I took a sip of tea. Hmm, the taste hasn't changed much. Japan's technology is really good. I think this tea can be kept for another year.

"I'm in charge of buying books. I'm responsible for purchasing the books selected by the library committee."

"That sounds like fun."

"Yes, because I love books the most."

Akane said with a smile. People who love books like her will have their eyes sparkling whenever they talk about books. If they enter a library or a bookstore, their feet will be rooted to the ground and won't move even if the sky falls. It's completely different from me, whose head starts to ache when I read books other than comics.

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"By the way, what's the matter with you coming to see me?"

"What...?"

"You must have something, that's why you came to my house."

"Hmm... I guess... That's right..."

She seemed a little dissatisfied. Was it because I ended the topic of the book?

She lowered her head and muttered something. Was she saying, "If you don't have anything, why can't you come over..."

"Hahaha."

The Seppuku Tiger laughed.

"Akane, you can't expect too much from Natsuru. He's known as the king of slow-wittedness."

You idiot, you bastard, what nonsense! Who said I was slow? I was very sharp in school. When it comes to guessing questions on exams, I have a 70% correct answer rate. Everyone respectfully calls me "Guessing Master Natsuru."

Akane blushed and lowered her head.

"Even if you explain it nicely, he probably won't understand."

"..."

"No matter what you do, he won't notice, hahaha."

The Seppuku Tiger kept laughing, while Akane remained silent. I really had no idea what it was talking about. Was I really as clueless as it said? I guess. For a while, we ate puffs in silence.

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