Chapter 48
A few days have passed since Mashiro-chan and Ki-kun started dating.
At school, I often see Ki-kun shouting about his love for Mashiro-chan more than ever, and Mashiro-chan blushing and shaking her fist at Ki-kun.
Mashaku-chan has been hiding her feelings for Ki-kun for a long time now, and she seems to be unable to honestly express her feelings, so she often has a pouty attitude.
As for me, there were people who tried to find out about my relationship with Toraga because of the scavenger hunt at the gymnastic festival, but I only see him when I'm with Mashiro. But when I told them that we only see each other when Mashiro and I are together, they were somewhat convinced and didn't try to ask any more questions.
This may have something to do with the current season.
Recently, since the gymnastic festival is over, everyone is in school festival mode, and they are busy making preparations in the morning and after school.
Our class is making a signboard for the fair, and we are also making equipment for the ring toss and target shooting, but to be honest, we are all in the middle of working hard and staying late, crying because we are not sure if we will be able to make it in time.
I am no exception, and I have just finished the base of the shaved ice sign that I was assigned to make. Today, after school, I have to paint it and get it closer to completion.
I need more cardboard! What am I supposed to do to decorate it!” Amidst all these voices, Ichika and I stayed after school today to continue where we left off yesterday.
The two of us work silently together making signs with the voices of the classroom as background music, but our concentration doesn't last long.
I think that's enough, don't you?
I feel like this is good enough for me too. ……
We both stare at the half-painted sign and talk about it, but of course, there is no way it's good enough.
I heard that C class is also very elaborate and they are working until the last minute every day to prepare for the event.
I think C class is a haunted house, right? That's going to take a long time.
“Everyone's crying every day as they make props.”
“Wow, that sounds like a lot of work. …… But I'm looking forward to seeing a haunted house that's that elaborate.
You love horror, don't you?
“Yeah, I love it.”
I want to conquer the first, second and third grade haunted houses. The actual first thing that you should do is to make sure that you have the right tools and the right equipment to handle the situation.
The plan is to visit with Mashiro in the morning and Ichika in the afternoon, but both of them have boyfriends.
Mashaku-chan said that we should go around with Ki-kun and Toraga, but that would be too conspicuous, so we can only go around for a short time if we go around together.
I really want to go around with Toramasa, but …… it's no good. ……
Mariko, you have the wrong color there.”
Eh, sorry!”
I was thinking and made a mistake.
The most important thing to remember is that you can't do it all at once.
Signboards are still not that bad. The boys are making the stall itself out of wood and cardboard, and the girls who are making the photo booth are seriously preparing for it using small items they brought from home.
This is an important event that competes for first and second place among school events. And yet, no matter what I do, I can't help but think about Toraga.
I'm really looking forward to the school festival. But even though the school festival is a fun event, I can't spend much time with Toraga, so I feel lonely …….
Every time the school festival approaches, I think about it.
I'm not sure what to expect, but I'm sure I'll be able to find something that will help me.
I took out my phone from my breast pocket and looked at the sender, and it was Toraga, the very person who had been filling my brain.
'Are you still in school?'
I replied to the text message, “I'm still here,” and continued to exchange text messages with Toraga while continuing to work on the sign.
Ichika seemed to know who I was texting by the look on my face and looked at me while muttering, “I still can't believe it.
It seems that Toramasa is also preparing for the school festival, so he is still at school.
Toramasa's class doesn't have to do much preparation for the movie theater, but Ki-kun, who was just having fun, invited him to stay behind.
When I heard that they were covering the windows with a black cloth to check how much light was coming in, I wanted to peek into Toramasa's classroom and see how he was preparing for the festival.
I felt a little more energized after texting Toraga, and I worked faster than before, and by the time the teacher peeked into the classroom and said, “It's time to go home,” I had finished 90% of my work and overflowed with a smile of relief.
Tomorrow I have to finish the signs and help with the ones I haven't finished yet. Preparation for the school festival is busy, but it's fun to get everyone ready in a hurry.
Once the school festival starts, it will be over in an instant, so I am sure that the most fun is probably when we are preparing like this. I thought back to the school festival in my previous life.
In my previous life, we all stayed after school and worked until after school like this. It was fun then, too. I am a lucky person to be able to spend this fun time twice.
Thinking of this, I put away the signboard and got ready to go home.
After everyone had finished getting ready to leave, the class president turned off the lights in the classroom and everyone left the classroom at once, talking with Ichika and her good friends as they walked down the stairs toward the main entrance.
I was texting with Toramasa earlier and remembered that I had left it on the desk, so I hurried back the way I came.
I forgot my cell phone, so I'm going back to get it!
Do you want me to go with you?
I'll be right back. I'll be right back.
I ran up the stairs, entered the darkened classroom, and found my cell phone on my desk.
The light was blinking to let me know that I had received a text message, and as I left the classroom, I checked the content of the text message.
Thinking that I might be able to catch a glimpse of Toraga on my way home, I hurried down the stairs to the first floor where Ichika and her classmates were waiting for me.
However, I later regretted that I should have been a little more careful when I went down the stairs.
I hurried down the stairs. As I was going down the stairs, I saw the faces of Ichika and the others waiting for me, and I stepped off the middle step of the stairs.
Mariko!
Mariko!
Ichika and the others rushed to my side, calling my name. I wanted to pick myself up, but the spot where I hit the floor hurt so much that I couldn't move my body.
I want to pick myself up, but the spot where I hit the floor hurts so much that I can't move. Do you want me to call the doctor?”
He said, “I'm fine, just wait here for a minute.
I'm fine, just wait a minute. Did you hit your head?
My head is fine. ……
The people who were nearby gathered around, and I waited for the pain to subside, hiding my face, unable to move due to embarrassment as well as pain. The most important thing to remember is that you can't just take a look at the pictures of the people who are going to be in the room with you.
It was after school when many people stayed until the last minute to prepare for the school festival. A familiar voice reached my ears among the noise of people's voices of concern.
At that moment, the buzzing stopped. In the strangely quiet hallway, a lone footstep approached me and crouched down next to Ichika, peering into my face.
Are you okay?
The one who calls out to me in a worried voice is the one who always occupies my brain.
'Mr. Toraga, ……'
Like, this is in a school. People have seen me, and so on. These thoughts popped into my brain one after another. But the first thing I felt was relief.
Toraga would be by my side. I was so happy that I was able to hold back my tears and let them fall down and wet my cheeks.
It hurts. ……
When I cried out in pain, Toraga wiped my tears with his finger and gently asked, “Where does it hurt? I answered, “My arm, my knee, and my ankle.
Do you want to go to the hospital?”
I'll go home first.
I'll walk you home.”
With that, Toraga asked me to get on his back. As I climbed onto Toraga's back, protecting my sore leg, my vision opened up and I could see the faces of the people present.
I hid behind Toraya's back to escape their stares.
Mariko, are you okay?
Ki-kun, who had been by my side for some time, called out to me, and when I answered that I was fine, Toramasa started to walk away, as if that was a signal.
The cold night breeze caressed my body, which was hot with embarrassment.
Walking through a residential area with not a few pedestrians, I was at Toraya's back as I watched the street illuminated by the street lamps, and I was too apologetic and pathetic to speak to him.
If it were true, I would have been happy to leave the school together with him. But I am sure that was not what he wanted.
My carelessness had caused him trouble. I can't stop regretting, wondering why I didn't go down the stairs more carefully.
Tears, which were different from the pain, would form in my eyes, and I would repeatedly look up a little to prevent them from spilling, waiting for them to dry up without blinking.
Toraga's back shook every time he walked. I wanted to disappear now that the cold air was flowing against my warm back.
……Did you fall down the stairs?”
Toraya asked me in a mumbled voice.
Yes,…….
'Someone didn't drop you, you fell down them, didn't you?
'It was a lone accident, stepping off the stairs. ……
I see.”
After those words of Toraga. The first time I saw him, I was so excited.
The first thing that comes to my mind is that the first thing that comes to my mind is that I am not a good person. You …… must have been worried.
I'm sorry.
……Ah.”
After all, Toraga is angry,……, isn't he?
The most important thing to remember is that you should not be afraid to ask for help from a friend or family member who has been through a lot.
The actual “I'm sorry” is the fact that you're not going to be able to get a new job, but you'll be able to get a new job if you don't have a new job.
I'm sorry …….”
I apologized to Toraga once again, and after he held me back, he spoke in a quieter voice than usual, “Just be careful, that's all I ask.
I don't know what kind of expression Toraya has on his face right now because he's on my back. I don't know if he's angry, or annoyed, or expressionless, or whatever.
What if Toraga hates me? ……
'Toraga, I'm sorry, please …….
Don't apologize again.”
'I'm sorry,…… don't hate me.'
The first thing you need to do is to make sure that you have a good understanding of what you are doing and how to do it.
I found myself getting stiff at the sound of his voice. I was afraid to hear what Toraya had to say. But I could not stop myself from listening to Toraga's words.
In the midst of this mixture of anxiety and fear, Toraya's words shook my eardrums.
How can I hate you just because of this?
His voice was gentle.
It was the kind of voice I always hear at home. I cried again at the sound of his reassuring voice.
I guess I'm angry if I say I'm …… angry. But that doesn't mean I don't like you.
……”
'Seeing you on the floor made my blood boil.
I'm sorry.
I'm just glad you're hurt enough to talk to me like this.
I'm sorry.
If you're sorry, you can always talk to me in a more cheerful voice, like you always do.”
Toraya was worried about me and was angry with me. My heart, which had been frozen cold earlier when I realized that Toraga was angry with me, regained its heat again as if it was slowly being melted by a warm glow.
What if he hates me? What if he is disgusted with me? I pushed those thoughts and words deep into my heart, removed my hand from Toraga's shoulder, and put my arm around his neck as if to embrace him.
'When I go down the stairs, I go down carefully, step by step.
You do that.”
I also use the handrail.
That way I'm sure.
I don't go down the stairs alone.
What about when you're alone?
I go to …… and wait for someone to come and get me.
No need to go that far.”
As I spoke to Toraga in my usual tone, his voice gradually returned to the tone in which he always speaks, and I felt relieved and patted my chest.
But I have one more thing to apologize for.
I am sorry that …… my fault caused everyone to find out about our relationship.”
Maybe the relationship hasn't been exposed yet.
Even if you don't think of me as your girlfriend, I'm still a good friend ……?
Still, the excuse that they knew each other because they talked to Toraga like that would no longer work.
Never mind.”
But you hid it from me until now. ……
I've been prepared for this ever since Hanamiya found out about our relationship a while ago. It's only now that it's happening.
“…… yeah.”
I'm not sure what you're going to say about me, but you might be told something about me. The actuality that you can't get a good deal more than this, you'll need to have a look at the following. If you say something that worries me and don't tell me, I'll get angry again.
I'll report it to you. I will report it properly!
When I said that, Toraga's feet stopped.
I looked around and was surprised to see that we were in front of the house before I knew it and that we seemed to be home much earlier than usual.
Toraga rang the intercom, and the front door immediately opened to reveal his mother. She put her hand over her mouth and said excitedly, “Toraga-kun? She opened her mouth excitedly.
Toraga bowed his head and said, “Nice to meet you. Toraya bowed his head and I shook my head in response.
At that moment, my mother, who had her eyes fixed on Toramasa, looked at me and finally noticed something wrong with me.
What's wrong, Mari-chan?”
I fell down the stairs. I sprained my leg and it hurts.
Oh my God! Dad, we have to get the car and take Mari to the hospital!
The father appeared from the back of the house at the sound of her mother's voice, “What's wrong with the hospital? He noticed Toraga in the middle of talking to her and made a strange noise.
That's right, I raise my weird voice because of my father's influence. …… I did make strange voices in my previous life, though.
Mari-chan fell down the stairs and sprained her leg. This is Mari's boyfriend, Toraga.
Nice to meet you, I'm Kurotetsu Toramasa, your daughter's boyfriend.
“Nice to meet you. You're the Toramasa I've heard so much about. ……
Rumor?
Yeah, Mariko often talks about Toramasa-san and Toramasa-san at home.
Dad, don't talk about it right now, just take her to the hospital.”
In my voice, father said, “That's right,” and brought the car keys from the house, and then father, mother and I. Then my mother put Toraga in the car and the four of us drove to a nearby hospital.
The doctor's diagnosis was a sprain of the right leg and bruises on the arm and leg.
With a poultice on my right leg and a bandage wrapped around it, I walked with one leg to the waiting room where my parents and Toraga were waiting, and they were talking happily.
I wondered what had happened while I was examining him, and even his father, who had been nervous about Toraga earlier, smiled cheerfully, saying, “Toraga-kun looks scary, but he is quite a nice young man, isn't he?
Wait, what really happened? Toraga quality? Toraga magic?
Oh, Mari-chan, welcome back.”
What did the doctor say?
“Oh, yeah, a sprain.”
A sprain. You're lucky it's not a broken bone.
“Uh-huh.”
I was very happy to see Toraya talking with his parents in a friendly way, but I didn't see it happen, so I let my mind be filled with question marks.
On the way home from the hospital, when I secretly asked Toraga about it, he just smiled around his mouth and said, “We were talking about you,” and didn't tell me anything else.
My story ……? What kind of story about me?
How embarrassing it is to be told my story without me ……. I can only hope that they didn't tell me any strange stories.
With a strange, bewildering feeling in my heart, the car carrying us headed straight for home.
Apparently, while I was waiting in the waiting room, Toramasa also decided to have dinner at home. I was very happy, and I thanked my parents for that.
I had planned to introduce Toraga to my mom and dad someday, but who would have thought it would turn out this way?
But even though I introduced Toraga in such a strange way, I was happy that both mom and dad accepted Toraga. ……
Toramasa was at the dinner table where the three family members usually eat together, and the four of us sat around the table together.
I feel sorry for Toramasa that I made him stay for dinner even though it was the first time for him to greet his parents. I think she is very nervous. I would be nervous too.
I thought it was great that Toramasa ate dinner with me without showing any nervousness on his face.
I was thinking about that when I saw Toramasa sitting at the seat next to mine, which is always empty.
