Mayo Chiki!:Volume1 Chapter2

Status: Incomplete

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The Romantic Comedy Suddenly…

It doesn’t matter how much darker the night gets, the dawn will still come. It doesn’t matter how much you don’t want tomorrow to come, the morning will still come.

That’s why I was looking at the clock in my room. The time now is seven o’clock. If I don’t wake up really soon, I will be late for school.

From outside the window comes the sound of the rain. Until last night it didn't look like rain would fall, but this morning the weather seems as melancholic as my heart.

By the way, my wake up is usually worse, going close to asphyxiation. Looks like I have the unconscious habit of pressing my face onto the floor while waking up. Since entering this year, I should have died and broken down into five pieces already. Maybe one day, I will be killed in the course of my own wake up time.

Right, I can say that I have never been late to a class. It’s an almost disgusting never-been-late attendance. I don’t want to be proud, but it could win a perfect attendance award.

Why?

It’s easy.

In my house, we have one more strong alarm clock.

“Nii-saaaaaaaaaan— Morniiiiiiiing!!!”

Together with a firecracker-like voice, *Dogaaan* the door of my room was opened.

Standing there was a first year middle school girl with hair cut short. Wearing a Rouran Gakuen uniform. Her face was a little cute, but still childish. Especially her eyes. Her two pupils were shining innocently. Without knowing sadness, just a brilliant expression and attitude. Her strong points were sports and her lively energy.

Sakamachi Kureha.

Yeah, without a doubt- my little sister.

“Uryaaaa!!”

After that first speech after opening the door, Kureha jumped, yelling with a high tensioned voice. Her thin body was dancing in the air. As you know, this isn’t an open air space, this is my room.

But there’s no way that the jump would continue for long, she was falling at an acute angle. Naturally, the angle and the elevation were leading to my abdomen—.

“Guabha!”

Diving-elbow-drop. My body was hit by that one blow, and incredibly took the form of the letter V.

Normally, an unconscious person would be resuscitated at once with this blow. Rather, I think normal people would be sent directly to the ICU with this. And it is unavoidable. I could avoid this attack once before, but during that time, the bed I had bought at the recycle shop was broken into the shape of the letter U. That move has the destructive power of a Great Ballistic Missile.

“Good morning, Nii-san!”

Kureha changed to the next technique while smiling, looking as if she was playing. Unfortunately, a little sister who went so far as to take the trouble to jump on me from across the room isn’t kind. Grabbing the futon that wrapped my body at an incredible speed, she decided my body's movements for me.

“Hey—! Solid Ankle Lock!”

“Guhaaa!”

“Continuing further, STF!”

“Wa— Wait a— gunyaaah!”

“From now on is the choke!”

“……uh! ……h! ……h! (My voice won’t come out)!”

“For the final blow! Arm Crush Reverse Ten Symbol!”

“Guhaaaaaaaa!”

“……Aah… Sorry, Nii-san… I broke your elbow…”

“Uwaaaaaaaaaah?!”

“Tehe. That was a joke.”

“……………”

“But… Today’s target was your artery…”

“As expected from a triangle chop—uh?”

………

My mornings are always like this.

I already got used to it.

“Once again- morning, Nii-san. How did I do this morning?”

Like always, wiping the nosebleed on my face with a tissue, Kureha asked that.

“Aah, I am fucked as always. Thanks to that I almost got to sleep a second time.”

That’s not a lie. The last one was dangerous. A little more and I was going to meet my dad who died 10 years ago in a flower garden.

“Nyahaha. Yosh, the morning training is over.”

Kureha was leaving the bed with a large smile in her face.

By the way, she is in the handicrafts club. No, seriously. I also thought she was going to enter the Karate club or the Pro Wrestling research group, but she herself decided to join the handicrafts club. The school has everything to polish a woman. But, what do they do for the morning training of the handicrafts club?

“Iyaa, but the handicrafts club is full of energy. Every morning we do physical strength training.”

“Physical strength training?”

“Yeah. It’s awesome. Buchou-san can break a concrete block with a finger.”

What a problem, God. Right after the school admission, my little sister ended up entering a strange group.

“We are going to the mountains for the Golden Week training camp. They say that we are going to stay for three days and two nights for a survival camp. Looks like too much fun. Right?”

“……Something is mortally wrong with your club activities.”

I have never heard about such a handicrafts club. In no time, you could have been brainwashed and become a green beret. By the time you realized it, you could already be fighting in the Middle East.

“I wanted to fight with a bear at least once, that’s why I am thankful for it.”

“Stop with that. Even if it was you, you are going to die.”

“Eh—, I am serious here. Mom wrote in her last letter that she fought with a tiger in India.”

“Please, don’t want to be like Mom. That person stopped being a human a while ago.”

My mother is so strong that she left her enemies crying on the ring, and half year ago she left on a journey to strengthen her fighting skills.

Since we receive a letter from her once a month with allowance, I know she is alive, but where she is now is the question. But I’m pretty sure that she would be somewhere around Egypt fighting with a mummy.

“Now that I realize it, Nii-san. The regions around your eyes are black, didn’t you sleep enough?”

You can’t even say that I didn’t sleep enough. I stayed awake the whole night.

“Aah, I am only wondering a little about human relationships.”

“Nya?”

My little sister looked at me with fuzzy eyes, like she had seen a yeti on a snowy mountain.

“What’s that? I’m also in high school. I have problems.”

“Nii-san… Don’t tell me they are bullying you?”

Wrong. In fact, I don’t even know why you quickly answered with that. I felt like what happened in the infirmary yesterday already surpassed bullying by about 100 km. If I could, I want to stop going to school.

“Then, it’s about women?”

“Well, you could put like that.”

Indeed, that’s right. But I wanted that to be wrong.

“Umm… I guess Nii-san is already at the age for worrying about that.”

“Are you the neighboring Granny? Don’t say that so calmly!”

“Then, when is the wedding?”

“The conversation is going too fast. Is there a jet engine piled inside your head?”

“If it’s possible, I want a little sister.”

“That’s pitiful. I will never lay my hands on girls that are younger than you.”

“But I don’t want to become an aunt at this age.”

“…I beg you, please believe your brother. Do I look like a person that would do that?”

Kureha became silent, looking at me with a serious face which seemed to indicate she was in a bad mood.

You can see it? From the eyes of my little sister, I look like a human without principles.

“But Nii-san, you are always peeking at my baths…”

“Don’t say things that can be misunderstood. I have never peeked at my family members’ baths!”

“Eh? But I am always peeking…”

“Okay, okay, I didn’t know about that.”

“But Nii-san, you always start washing from below your armpits.”

“You really were peeking!”

Why did she know that information? This is a top secret that I didn’t even talk about with my old goldfish.

“Aah, right, why don’t you take a shower? You are incredibly sleepy.”

“Don’t say that now! It sounds like you want to peek at me taking a bath!”

“Nyahaha. Indeed, that’s right!”

“That was right!?”

“That’s why we will enter together. We always used to do it, right!”

“I won’t do that! Entering the bath with you is a distant memory!”

It was until the second grade of elementary school. It’s so old an image that I can’t see it anymore.

“Hey, don’t say such harsh things.”

“That wasn’t harsh. In this age, entering the bath with your little sister is close to a crime!”

“Uuh, it’s a big problem, our father in heaven. Nii-san is entering his rebellious phase.”

Kureha was acting exaggerated, putting her hands together like she was praying to the heavens.

Don’t worry in the heavens, old man, I don’t have such a rebellious phase. If that happens, I would be turned into pieces by your wife and your daughter. Now I am very obedient. I am at the lowest level of the family hierarchy.

“Maa, leaving that aside. I think that you should take a shower and relax. This morning, your sleepy eyes are incredible, and your head looks strange too, Nii-san.”

“What kind of strange?”

“Err… Russian?”

“Don’t say such rude things. It could turn out as an international problem, you know.”

“It’s okay. I already managed to learn Command Sambo, I think I can give a good match.”

“The incredible thing is that when you say it, I can’t take it as a joke.”

Command Sambo is the name of a martial art that the Russian soldiers adopted. In Japanese, it would be something like Judo, and lately the amount of fighters that use this martial art on the ring is growing.

Certainly, the one who taught this dangerous thing to Kureha was our mother. Lately, not only pro wrestlers but fighters from all places and kinds are using this martial art. A fearful story.

“And if it is Command Sambo, our coach is well known for that.”

“Coach? From the handicrafts club?”

“Yeah, his name is Sergey-san.”

“…………”

No matter how you look at it, he is a genuine Russian. I wonder if it’s okay, the handicrafts club of Rouran Gakuen. If in reality he is secretly a spy agent of some kind of intelligence agency. Next time I will ask Suzutsuki.

“Then, Nii-san. I am leaving for my morning training. I have already prepared breakfast, you have to eat it all, okay?”

“By the way…… this morning’s menu is?”

I asked while trembling from fear.

That can’t be helped. In this last week, I didn’t eat anything besides strange kimchi.

Gratefully, almost all of the house work here is done by Kureha, but it looks like she doesn’t have sense for food. The number of overwhelmingly strange menus created by her is large.

“It’s okay. Today is different from usual.”

“Seriously!? Aaah, I feel relieved. There’s no way we could eat more than a week of the same thing for breakfast.”

“Yeah, I also thought that way, so I made today’s kimchi a nationalized kimchi.”

“Yay—, great, I’m so touched that I could cry—.”

Calm down. I can't revolt myself with this little thing. Even if I did that, I can't win, and it is still better than the time Mom was together with us. Now that I think back, at that time the dinner table was full of nutritional supplements lined up, that was an awkward scene.

“Then, I’m going, Nii-san. Let’s meet at school again.”

Kureha noisily left my room while shaking her skirt uniform. High tensioned as always. Way different from me. Are we really connected by blood?

Then, shall I take a shower?

I took my towel and went straight to the shower room. It’s not like I am following the orders of my little sister, from here on I should change my attitude and tighten my feelings.

Whatever, from today onwards, it’s starting. My healing program.

“Fighting spirit… I have to wear it.”

I murmured it to myself.

Yesterday in the infirmary. I somehow managed to run away, but there’s no more place for me to rest my heart in the school. My last oasis will be my house. Then I have to enjoy myself with all I have.

I followed the way to the shower room, reaching the dressing room.

For the time being I will take a bath and relax.

I thought that and opened the door.

In the dressing room was a beauty that I didn’t know.

She was completely naked.

“Whaaaaaaaat?”

It was so sudden that I raised a strange high voice.

What is with this situation? Is this paradise? Did Kureha’s elbow finally send me to the heavens!? Shit, it’s a regret that I’m not wearing my glasses! Thanks to that, my vision is blurred……!

“…………”

Iya, cool down, cool down. Calm down a little. Get back to yourself. This isn't not the time to think imprudent things.

Her wet skin and hair. Looks like she was taking a shower, she was wiping her wet hair with a bath towel. The unripe body of a young girl. It was still a little childish, but this is the verge of the emergence of the butterfly, when the beauty is still hidden. This was the feeling given.

“Ha, hey—.”

Why am I so calmly depicting her naked body in front of my eyes.

While petrified and astonished in front of my eyes, the girl used the bath towel that she was using to wipe her hair to wrap her body. And at that moment, her pupils were looking straight at me.

“Close.”

“Ha?”

“Close your eyes!”

Like she said, I closed my eyes right away. For some reason, I felt an absolutely strong power telling me that it would be bad if I didn’t do that.

And.

I felt a chill above both of my eyelids.

What is it? A finger? But what would a finger be doing—.

“Guaha—!”

A queer voice ran through my throat. The thing that was above my eyelids pressured my eyes with a tremendous strength.

“Gyaaaaaaa! My eyes! My eyes!”

While screaming in the usual tone, I rolled around the floor of the dressing room.

Iya, wait. I remember the feeling of this ruthless violence.

My body— My body remembers this feeling. What a merciless behavior. The only one who could do something so cruel so calmly is……!

“Humph. You should be grateful for the fact that you haven’t become blind.”

An alto voice resounded. I have unpleasant memories of this terrible blunt feeling.

“Konoe! What are you doing in my house!?”

I screamed while pressing both of my hurt eyes with my hands. The person who was in the dressing room of my house this time was Konoe Subaru, without a doubt.

“I came here a little while ago, and a girl who claimed to be your little sister came and told me ‘Please enter and take a shower’, that’s what happened.”

“Why, why such a thi—”

“I’m pretty sure that she was intending for me to not catch a cold. I got very wet from the rain while coming here and my body was soaked. I took advantage of her courtesy.”

“...........”

Iya, this is absolutely wrong. Shit… Damn Kureha, she planned this through.

This is probably a foolish prank done by Kureha. When I went to take a shower I would encounter my male classmate. It’s the type of useless surprise that she would come up with. Usually, I would laugh and leave it alone without a doubt. But Konoe wasn’t a man, though.

“Why did you come to my house so early in the morning!?”

“Ojou-sama’s orders. For the sake of not letting you spread my secret, I was ordered to keep an eye on you. Then I came to your house for us to go to school together while I keep an eye on you.”

That devil Suzutsuki. I don’t think she planned that together with Kureha, but I’m certain that she thought that sending Konoe to my house would make a fun (for her) event happen. I feel like I could hear her loud laughter. Her plan was a great success.

“Leaving it alone... You saw me naked, didn’t you?”

Guh.

“Did you know? That my house has an amnesia surgery technique passed down generation by generation?”

I know that for sure. Yesterday I got hit a lot by that. Because of that, my head still hurts.

“You have earned the right to be hit by that technique!”

“No, I will pass this time. You should let this right to the people who helped you through the year.”

I think that this could be sold on a net auction. This kind of enthusiastic idea sells a lot on the internet, doesn’t it? A premier tag should fit well.

On the other side of the darkness of my eyelids. A mysterious intimidating feeling was rising up.

Killing intent.

When I felt the same cold feeling that I felt yesterday running through my skin I finally understood that.

In this world, there are no more places for me to rest calmly.

“...Even if that was my first time.”

Unexpectedly, I had the feeling that I heard an annoyed voice.

“Eh?” by the time I tried to ask the meaning of those words, my consciousness was blown into the darkness.

♀♂

“Hi there, Jirou. What’s that? Why do you have such a depressed face since the start of the morning?”

When I entered the classroom and moved toward my seat, my classmate Kurose called me.

“Shut up, Kurose. What kind of face do I have to make for you to say that it's a ‘happy face’? Did it not occur to you that it may be ‘Out of Stock’, huh?”

“Iya~n, Jirou-kun is acting so cranky today~.”

There was one boy standing there with a good body-build, laughing in a disgusting and retarded manner.

Kurose Yamato. Since the first year of middle school, he was in the same class as me, an undesirable but inseparable relationship. He was tall and had broad shoulders. Even though he went to the National Judo Tournament, he joined the light music club as a drummer when he began high school. That was a big change.

“Did something bad happen? Don’t tell me that you are being bullied by your little sister again?”

“...Something like that.”

I was feeling a throbbing pain in my head. Shit, that damn violent butler. No matter what, but he hit me too much. This was not whack-a-mole.

“Ohan. My condolences. By the way, Jirou.”

Kurose came closer like he was going to whisper something to me.

“This morning, did you really come to school together with Subaru-sama?”

Fuha! I felt like I was blowing up. How did he come to know about that?

“Uwa, this is serious! Why? Why is a commoner like you coming to school together with the school prince? Are you in a special relationship?”

Correct. The instincts of that guy sometimes were so right that they made me fear them. From what I had heard, he had also predicted the great tsunami of Sumatra. What kind of prophet are you?

“We only happened to meet on the way to school. It’s not like he came to catch me at my house.”

“That’s right. There’s no way that the honored student would go to meet you.”

That said, Kurose turned his face to the back of the classroom.

Looking closely, that was the figure of Konoe Subaru-sama. Sitting at his place, looking at her sour-looking face, I thought that she usually shined much more.

Muh—, she was still mad due to what had happened that morning. Or there was that, maybe the kimchi she ate during breakfast did not suit her tastes. She must have thought, "So this is the meal of common people…" while receiving a shock.

“I don’t know why, but Konoe looks so dark. He doesn't even relate much with his classmates. That way, it doesn’t matter how good his face and results are, but none of the boys will get close to him. The girls at least try to draw close, but he’s cold even with them.”

“But there’s no other way.”

Konoe was so isolated that I could tell that in one glance.

For the Suzutsuki that was in the same class as us(Certainly in the Perfect Student mode), it looked like a waste of time. When he was not alone with Suzutsuki, he was always looking outside the window.

The Lonely Prince.

That was the feeling which Konoe gave when he was in school.

“By the way, how do you know that I came to school together with Konoe?”

“Huh. Don’t ask such a foolish thing. Don’t you know that nowadays we have the cellphone, the best information tool of all time? The news that Subaru-sama came to school with a person that wasn’t Suzutsuki Kanade was being passed through the whole school like influenza. The rumors say that the [S4] has already started to move.”

“S4?”

“Hey, hey, don’t tell me that you don’t know about it. [Shooting Star Subaru-Sama], see that has 4 'S'. They are the most powerful hidden fan club of Konoe Subaru in this Rouran Gakuen. There is a rumor that at least 60% of the academy girls are in that club.”

“...Then, what were you trying to say with the ‘they started moving’?”

“What? That thing has already been decided. They will try to find out the truth behind you and Subaru-sama coming to school together. I think that in a short time, assassins will start coming after you.”

Assassins? I wonder what kind of assassins. Maybe ninjas descending from the ceiling?

“And even before that, the school has some strange rumors about you.”

“Strange rumors?”

“Some rumors saying that you are gay.”

This time, I was really blown up. What’s up with this silly information? I was really so surprised that I thought my heart would be struck out.

“Aah, was it wrong?”

“Of course!”

“Maybe you are…bisexual?”

“Don’t make fun of my face! Why would you think so!? And why are such unfounded rumors about me being circulated in the academy?”

“Err. That’s because you never talk to girls. You never, not even once, tried to approach a girl. This isn’t normal for a high schooler in the bloom of his youth. That’s why this turned into a rumor. ‘Sakamachi Kinjirou is a homosexual guy who doesn’t have the slightest interest in girls.’”

“.............”

My head hurt. But that was indeed because of my gynophobia. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t get close to a girl. What a pain, I couldn’t believe that such rumor was circulating…

“Don’t worry. Half of it was a joke. And there are not many people who would believe in such thing so easily. Besides, I know that you like girls, because we have already exchanged erotic magazines in our time together as friends.”

“Kyahahaha,” Kurose was laughing.

A dry guy as always. But I was really thankful that someone was here to tell me about that. It was said that having one person who understood you was enough in school life, someone who gave a feeling like you were family.

“But you really have to be cautious. Since inside S4, there are already some fanatic fans who have misinterpreted your relationship with Konoe. Be cautious while you walk at night. It also applies to Subaru-sama. If you two are too close to each other, then things will turn bad.”

Saying that, Kurose turned towards the black board. At that time, the teacher for first period entered the classroom. Looks like today, our school life will start without problems one more time.

I laid over the table while pondering over that. There were arrangements to meet with Suzutsuki after school. I would have to reserve some body strength for that. While the teacher started his Buddhist prayer-like lesson , my consciousness started to fade away.

Then, the decisive battle would be after school.

♀♂

However, unexpectedly, something came flying in front of me and put me in a pinch.

"Let’s eat lunch together."

Lunch break.

Those words of Konoe triggered me. Suddenly, all of the students in the classroom were hit by a bullet called surprise. That would be expected. That Subaru-sama, who never let anyone besides Suzutsuki come close to him, was inviting me to have lunch with him. That was as unexpected as saying that they found dead animals in the Tamagawa River.

"Hey, hey…Konoe invited a commoner to eat lunch with him."

"It seems like the two also came to school together this morning."

I could hear my classmates awfully whispering to each other about us.

That’s no good. This situation couldn’t become any worse.

"I can’t believe…that the rumors about Jirou were true..."

"Eeh, what rumors? Tell me! tell me!"

There’s no truth in the rumors. Besides, I never, even for one second, had those kind of tastes.

"Damn…putting his hands on Subaru-sama…I won’t let it happen…"

"I will kill him. Kill him, kill him, kill him. That damn four eyes, I will tie his hands and feet together and dip him into concrete…"

Sorry, my eyes hurt. Don’t direct those dangerous killing intents over here. I won’t be able to go to the bathroom alone in the middle of the night.

"Ji—, Jirou…you…"

Kurose, who was at my side, looked at me with the same eyes as a mother looked at her child when he was in his rebellious phase.

"It’s not like that! This is a misunderstanding."

"What is a misunderstanding? So, we’ll be going."

Konoe kept pushing me while I tried to make excuses. This time, the mood in the classroom became suspicious. In the class, only Konoe was smiling joyfully.

"Hey! Where are you trying to take me!?"

I could feel the gazes piercing through my body.

"For the time being, we are going to a place that is not popular. I can’t be relaxed if the place is noisy like this."

We looked like a dating couple.

"Don’t get me wrong. It’s not like I want to eat lunch with you. This is also a part of your monitoring. That’s because I can’t tell what you are doing if you are away from me."

Konoe said that without looking at me. It felt as if I was being treated like a dog in its mating season. If that would have been the case, she would also have put a choker on me.

"Okay, I understand that. Then how about going to the rooftop? I think there are not many people around there."

I decided to conform to the idea, since we were going to finish the lunch quickly anyway. Also, if I was against every little thing, I would certainly be beaten again.

I was going to the store to buy my lunch, since I didn’t have such a jealousy-causing thing like a bento. Konoe was coming together with me. Since every meal that she prepared was somehow lethal, she usually ate school meals. That was unexpected. Looked like Subaru-sama also had something that she was bad at.

"Uhh—…"

Konoe was staring at a bread roll with a serious face. Looked like this was his first time coming to the store.

I was also checking the bread. Today’s recommended dish was…kimchi sandwiches? Don’t kid with me. Stop with this Korean influence already.

"Let’s go with yakisoba bread or a cornet with chocolate cream, since the others have vegetables."

That being said, I normally bought croquette bread or curry bread. To tell the truth, I didn’t have enough money, so I couldn’t afford to be luxurious. The CD of one of my favorite bands was going to be released this month, so I couldn’t have any wasteful spendings. Save money, save money.

"I want the yakisoba bread and the cornet with chocolate cream… And a croquette bread and a curry bread, also fried pork and negi on skewers and a mince cutlet. Also, I should get strawberry milk..."

Konoe was buying a mountain of breads and vegetables like there was no tomorrow. The granny of the store was also very surprised. She had the expression of a mother who was once again meeting her son after ten years of separation due to loan debts.

After finishing the purchase, we were climbing the stairs to the rooftop.

The truth was that the rooftop was forbidden, but regarding an unpopular place, I couldn’t think of any other place than that. There was also the corner of the courtyard, but from the second floor and above, you had a plain sight of there. If I took that lightly, I would have been bombed by Konoe’s fans.

Luckily, the door that led to the rooftop wasn’t locked. The moment I opened the door, I could feel the warm sunlight, and a pleasant feeling light wind hit my cheeks. Looked like the morning rain never happened.

Hmm, this is not bad. A refreshing view, and also unpopular. It was as if my heart was dancing a little. Felt like it was doing a cossack dance.

I sat on the base of the fence in the corner. Then, let’s eat, let’s eat. I was opening the croquet bread while thinking that food was indeed the basis of humankind.

"........."

Konoe was standing confused with her swimming eyes. And also, her expression looked like she wouldn’t calm down. Don’t tell me that she was cautious because of a sniper or something like that.

"What are you doing? Hurry up and sit down."

"........"

"Hey, don’t ignore me. You were the one who called me to eat."

"Uh…I understand. Then I’m going to sit?"

Konoe sat timidly at my side, and started to eat his bread silently. Insociable as always, the guy looked like a stray cat. Like usual, incredibly cautious.

"By the way, is it okay for you to leave Suzutsuki like that? Aren’t you her butler?"

That was bad as the both of us sat silently, then I asked straight.

But there was no response.

That was the signal that I had to throw a straight ball.

"Hey, at least catch the curve ball. Because we are eating lunch together."

"Shut up pervert."

She cut out the conversation in one blow.

End of the conversation.

Let’s go back to the mound.

Talking in a catch ball way, she set me straight in one line.

"...I’ve already apologised for that thing this morning… And besides, I wasn’t wearing my glasses, so I couldn’t see it very well."

"Don’t make excuses. And I usually eat lunch alone, so I don’t have the habit of talking during the lunch break."

"You know…now there are the two of us here, or don’t tell me that you are also like this when you are with Suzutsuki?"

"........."

No answer.

Hey hey, don’t tell me that I nailed it?

Now that I think, I never saw Konoe and Suzutsuki having a long conversation. I really saw them together a lot, but it was more like a master-servant relationship. I never saw them having pointless conversations.

"I am the butler of my Ojou-sama. As long as I can do this work, nothing else matters."

"Work?"

"Ah, to protect Ojou-sama. That is my most important mission."

"Mission huh…"

That said, saying bodyguard would fit better than butler for him. Well, if it was only to protect her, then there was no need for conversation, but they were in the same year, they should try to get along along a little more.

"Okay, but this time, let’s talk. It’s more fun to talk while you eat."

At least those were my feelings.

If I started eating without talking, I would completely lose my appetite. "Are you always eating like this with someone?"

"Aah, it’s like I’m always eating with Kurose. Because since middle school, he is always together with me."

"Middle school? Since I didn’t go to one, I don’t really understand about it."

I dropped the croquet bread that was in my hands.

"...What? You didn’t go to a middle school?"

"I and Ojou-sama started with high school. We didn’t go to a primary school or a middle school. We only had our names registered, but we didn’t go to school even once. That’s because the things had been determined that way."

Saying that it was already determined, Suzutsuki’s family made the decision without even hearing her out.

I don’t really understand how rich people think. Sure, I understand that they care about their children, but isn’t being overprotective a bad thing?

"That’s why the first time we came to the school, I couldn’t tell left from right. Well, Ojou-sama is intelligent and has good manners, thus she could adapt in no time, but for me, it was impossible."

Konoe said that while biting into the cornet with chocolate cream.

Impossible, huh…? I won’t say it wasn’t. Suddenly coming to high school, everyone would be confused. The reason why I’m now having fun with the friends in this school, it’s probably because I got used to it from walking in groups.

But Konoe doesn’t have that.

She felt like a driver who had recently acquired a driving license, driving on the highway. Suddenly becoming afraid and pressing the brakes was not strange. Thinking that way, I felt really bad for her.

"That’s why I have never eaten lunch with a friend like you do."

Konoe said that with a unusually weak voice.

"...Call me."

"Eh…?"

"Oh no, nothing…"

Shit. Looks like I moved my mouth without realizing.

"What I wanted to say was that you should call me properly by my name. I’m also calling you [Konoe] after all. My name is Sakamachi Kinjirou. Since it’s long, you can call me Jirou. Everyone in the class and even Suzutsuki call me that, haven’t you seen it?"

If you stopped to think, Konoe didn’t call me by my name even once. That was a little disgusting, since it gave a feeling that we were not equal.

"But… is it okay?"

"What?"

"Being called in a friendly way…you don’t dislike it?"

"What a troublesome guy. Since a long time ago, I have had this nickname. Besides, I think that it’s creepy to be called by any other name than that. That’s why you can call by that name!"

"But we have only eaten lunch together… Is it really okay?"

"Eating lunch together, talking about pointless things. This is what friends are."

Definition of friends, such a thing doesn’t exist. But being friends with such an unsociable guy was a little annoying.

She was silent.

She was silently looking like she was thinking about something.

"Th—, then I will call you…Ji, Jirou…"

She said that and blushed, what was so embarrassing in calling my name?

That moment, I became speechless.

…This girl. She was so cute. As expected of Subaru-sama. The title of the most beautiful guy in the school was not for show only.

I was nearly hypnotised by her.

"O, oh. Well done…"

Trying to hide my embarrassment, my tone became blunt.

When I took a look at Konoe who was at my side, I saw that she was repeating [Jirou, Jirou…] uncountable times. What’s that? If you try, you can succeed.

—And.

Unexpectedly, Konoe’s head inclined and hit my shoulder.

"Huh? Don’t tell me that you are feeling sleepy?"

Konoe was yawning while rubbing his eyes.

"No… It’s not that. It’s not like I’m feeling sleepy."

While saying that, his face was showing that he was feeling sleepy.

"You can go ahead and sleep. I will wake you up when it’s time for the class."

"I don’t need you to worry about me. Look up, I can soon get rid of this sleepy fe—"

Right after saying that, Konoe closed his eyes and fell asleep. Looks like it was his consciousness which gave way first. Aah, the weather is so good, I can’t do anything.

When his powerless body turned up, I could see him in a beautiful view. Uhn, he is indeed cute. Even being a guy with such a cute sleeping face…

"... Eh? Wait wait wait wait!"

I forgot. Since she was wearing a boy’s uniform, I completely forgot, but she was a girl.

Um um, it seemed that in my head, I still thought of Konoe as a guy. That’s why sometimes I can’t help but to make contact with her like a guy. For that reason, I didn’t have the nosebleed.

While I was thinking that, suddenly *Gatcha* the door of the rooftop was opened.

The person who entered, was looking straight at me and Konoe.

"Heh, that’s a rare thing."

An elegant female student was coming in this way with her long black hair flowing. That was Suzutsuki. Did she come to see how I and Konoe were doing? But how did she know that we were here? Did she put trackers on us when we were not paying attention?

"Fufu, she is sleeping. This is rare. For Subaru to sleep on the side of another person."

"Is this so rare?"

"She is giving the impression of a wild cat riding a Harley running against the traffic on a highway."

What a feeling? Even though it sounded like a nuance when she said that was rare, but I can’t read the same through Suzutsuki’s expression.

Cool and Beauty as always. We are supposed to be at the same age, but Suzutsuki gave off a more adult feeling. I can’t be relaxed with her appearance.

"Probably, the line of tension was cut off."

"Line? Well, now that you say that, today Konoe was a little strange. But why?"

I knew that I am probably being targeted. If that’s the case, I have to run to a blind spot fast.

"Why… That’s certainly because she was going to met you."

"Ha?"

What is that? Why Konoe will be tense by going to meet someone like me? I am not Golgo 13.

"For Subaru, thinking about talking to you was freezing her nerves. She was so tense last night that she almost couldn’t sleep."

"...... But, these thing aren’t pretty normal?"

"Normal? If we are talking about you, maybe. For Subaru, since the the very start to the very end is everything her first experience. Going to school and talking with another person that’s not me, eating lunch together. Until now, she never did one of these. That’s because even if she wanted to have friends, she can’t have them."

"Certainly, Konoe has no friends, but…"

But even though she want to, she didn’t do that. Even if you say that she started at the high school, it already past one year. She should get used…

"Not having and not being able to have are two different things. Think about it. Subaru has a secret that no one in this school can discover. That is the fact that she is a girl."

".........Ah."

I finally understood the meaning of Suzutsuki’s words.

Konoe has no other option but to hide her secret from other people.

What you have to do to hide it?

It’s simple.

‘’’You just have to not relate with other people.’’’

"There is a lot of trouble for Subaru as my butler, you know. That’s because she can’t let anyone discover her secret. That’s why she doesn't let anyone besides me be close to her. She fears having her secret exposed."

This was so easily said, but for Konoe, this fact was very painful.

Even if she want friends, for the sake of hiding her secret, she can’t make them. Her loneliness in the class… She wasn’t alone only because she wanted to be.

"For Subaru, I am her master. I think that for her, I am not someone that she can call a friend, even though in the past we had a good relationship. She even used to call me [Kana-chan]. But even for Subaru, she finally found someone in the school with who she can be friends."

Suzutsuki smiled calmly.

"Jirou-kun. Since you already know Subaru’s secret, you are the one who can be friends with her. I am pretty sure that she was nervous because that was her first time talking to a classmate. But she didn’t want to miss that chance, so I think she worked hard in her own way."

"........."

Then, you are saying that she wanted to be friends with me? ...Isn’t she a fool? If it’s like that, she would only have to have told me.

"This is a happy result for me. And also for the side who got a chance."

"But now that I think about it, you were the one who ordered Konoe to approach me."

"Indeed, I am also thankful to you."

"Please stop! I will get embraced."

"Fufu, what a embraced guy. I will give you this for being like that."

"...? What is it?"

She handed me a little piece of paper. This is a... ticket? But what for?

"If I had to give it a name, I would call it a 'Butler Ticket'. The same thing as a shoulder massage ticket. If you use that, you will be able to, only once, give orders to Subaru."

"Orders, you say..."

"She can take only the half and say [Please lick me.] while spilling honey on her boobs. You are able to do even this kind of perverted thing."

"Sadly I don't have this pleasant inclination."

"Silence. Subaru will wake up."

"Uuh..."

"If you don't want to use it, you don't need to. But this is my thanks to you."

Suzutsuki bowed elegantly, standing in that place. Muu, as expected from a Ojou-sama. Her behavior somehow became kind. Leaving it alone…

"Hey, there is something that I want to ask you."

"What is it?"

"What is that thing that is drawn on the butler ticket?"

I stared at the ticket I got. There was drawn on it- a strange four legged being.

"That is the illustration of a sheep that I drew. I tried to draw a sheep butler. I thought that sometimes, it would be okay to make some useless jokes."

"A sheep, you say..."

This? This strange onigiri-shaped avant garde drawing? This has to be a joke. What an original sense. Picasso's Guernica is more understandable than that.

"That was a good drawing, right? The truth is that since my childhood, I wanted to be a painter. But since I had to inherit the family, I couldn't do that."

"Heeh. That's a shame..."

Truly a shame. If this crazy talent was presented to the world, maybe she would get to learn how severe society really is.

"Ah, and by the way, be on guard from now on. The classroom is full of boats of you and Subaru."

"Geh..."

"Then, let's meet again after school. I will be waiting."

Suzutsuki left the rooftop with a smile on her face.

She is taking this too lightly. Because of that, now I can't help but to fear getting back to the classroom.

From my side, "Haha, Kana-chan... I can't eat anymore." Such sleep-talk could be heard. She had a happy sleeping face. Maybe she is having a dream from her childhood days.

Aah, I also wanted to go to dream world.

I deeply breathed, thinking how I would avoid the problems that would be coming next.

♀♂

57%~complete

References

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