Episode 8 – sobbing

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The Love of My Childhood Friend, Who Has Overcome a Terminally Ill Diagnosis, Is Overwhelming

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“What? Ichinose san, do you have a problem?”

Although Kadokura had taken a step back earlier, this time she was clearly showing her displeasure toward Kanade.

Well, if I, standing right next to her, noticed Kanade’s behavior, there’s no way Kadokura—who was face-to-face with her—could have missed it.

Perhaps as payback for being glared at, Kadokura was glaring back at Kanade with all her might.

…Kadokura is a stunningly beautiful girl who belongs to the top tier of this class.

However, despite—or perhaps because of—her striking looks, she occasionally displays an attitude that goes beyond just being “strong-willed”; it’s more accurately described as arrogant, and it causes trouble for her classmates.

As someone who’s about as invisible as they come in this class, I’d been lucky enough to avoid becoming her target until today…

“Kadokura-san, isn’t that a little off?”

Seeing her acting so brazenly, I couldn’t help but step in between the two of them.

“To begin with, you were the one who started this. Who wouldn’t be offended if someone badmouthed their friend?”

“Huh? I wasn’t talking to you.”

“I figured.”

“If you know that…”

“I didn’t want to talk to someone like you either—someone who can only mock others.”

“Huh!?”

“Well, that makes sense. That kind of mocking remark only works among friends where that kind of inside joke is allowed. Kanade and you only spoke briefly yesterday. As for you and me, this is our first conversation. Talking to someone like that in such a casual tone—I can’t help but think you’re a person with no tact.”

“……W-what? What?!”

“How should I put it… seeing you like this makes me think you’ve only ever lived in a world where that kind of behavior is acceptable, even with people you’ve just met. You’ve been spoiled, haven’t you?”

I said what I thought after seeing her attitude… but I was starting to regret it a little.

…Maybe “spoiled” was a bit of an overstatement.
　

After all, I’m not exactly a self-made, upstanding person myself.

“Sorry. I went too far.”

“……Tch.”

I apologized honestly, but it seems I’ve successfully earned her resentment.

“……If you really feel bad about it, get down on your knees right here.”

“Huh?”

“Kneel down. Kneel down! Hurry up and do it!”

“I guess I could do it, but would that really satisfy you?”

“Huh!?”

“I mean, kneeling down is just an act intended to make the other person submit… so in the end, you haven’t refuted my argument that you were spoiled, have you?”

“……”

“In other words, even if you make the other person submit, it’s like you’re admitting you’re just a spoiled brat. Is that really an acceptable way of thinking for a high school student?”

“……”

……Damn it. I went too far again.

“Waaaaaah!”

……I made her cry.

I panicked.

My classmates, who had come to school and were watching the situation unfold, were also… speechless.

Come to think of it, this might have been the first time I’d ever seen Kadokura-san cry—she’d always been so haughty ever since joining this class.

“Come on, A-kun. You went too far.”

It was Kanade who comforted Kadokura-san as she continued to cry.

“There, there. It’s okay now, Kadokura-san.”

“……Ugh.”

“Come on. You’re crying so hard, you’re ruining your cute face.”

“……Huh?”

“There, try looking up.”

“……!”

“……Hehe. Just as I thought. Kadokura-san, you’re so cute.”

……Whay is she forced to looked?

“……N-no, that’s not—”

“I’m sorry, Kadokura-san.”

“I-it’s fine…”

……Perhaps because she was looking at Kanade’s exceptionally beautiful face up close, even though they were the same gender, Kadokura-san’s anger seemed to have subsided.

“J-just… next time, I’d like you to be a little gentler… maybe.”

“But, Akkun…”

“……Yes.”

……Huh.

To be honest, it was because Kanade glared at Kadokura-san that I ended up making her cry, right?

In a way, Kanade herself is the one who created this situation, isn’t she?

……I wonder. This whole “stirring up trouble just to resolve it” vibe.

“……I’m sorry. But I think there’s some truth to what you said, Akkun.”

“……Yeah. I’m sorry, too.”

“From now on, let’s try to have nicer conversations, okay?”

“Yeah.”

……Even though I, the troublemaker, got involved, it seems the situation has settled down without incident.

My classmates had lost interest in our exchange and had completely gone back to their usual small talk.

“Hey. Since we’re here, why don’t we go somewhere together after school today?”

Kanade suggested to Kadokura-san.

“Huh…?”

Kadokura-san looked at me, looking a bit confused.

“Hehe. Is that okay?”

“…Y-yeah, sure.”

“Thanks, Kadokura-san…”

…That was meaningful.

Well, whatever.

I’d ended up talking to people more than usual, so I was a little tired.

I decided to leave Kanade and the others behind and head to my own seat.

“A-kun.”

“Hya!”

The moment I sat down, Kanade called out to me from behind, and I jumped.

“Wh-what…?”

“…Hehe.”

Kanade’s smile should have been cute, but it felt somehow eerie…

“I’m glad you stepped in. Thanks…”

But the words she spoke were just a perfectly ordinary thank-you.

“…No. I’m the one who should be sorry. I said earlier that I wanted you to enjoy school life, but I almost ended up causing trouble.”

“Hehe. It’s okay. That was nothing.”

…She really gives off this air of being a big shot.

“…Though I might have gotten a little chill.”

“…Hm?”

Kanade leaned close to my ear…

“Next time, why don’t you try lecturing me?”

She’s saying weird things again.

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Maiasa

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