VOLUME 2

Chapter 3: Part 6

After the Megalo had been safely extinguished, Dai-sensei returned to the magic world Virie. I returned home with Haruna, who had gotten into quite a foul mood.

Haruna just continued to mumble “Ugh, geez…” and her ahoge jumped to and fro.

For Haruna, it was probably humiliating to feel like the person left out of the conversation.

“Ayumu, why didn’t you tell me?!”

“Because I was told not to tell you.”

“Not telling me is a serious crime, you know?!”

What crime exactly? Haruna let out a final cry of frustration, and held out a small hand towards me.

“Dai-sensei, that idiot…”

Even though Dai-sensei was already gone, Haruna still muttered that. She looked quite lonely right then, an expression you might expect from a graceful young lady.

“I wonder what I am to Dai-sensei…”

What was wrong with her? That troubled expression really didn’t suit her well. Haruna looked up at me with a depressed expression.

“Ayumu…” she started, but she suddenly fell into silence. And then she averted her gaze.

“Haruna, is there something bothering you? You can tell me anything, you know.”

“It’s nothing…”

“It’ll feel better if you tell me. At least, I feel you’re the kind of person who would feel better after that.”

“So, if I told you, you’d do it?”

Do what? Is there something she wanted? The things that Haruna wanted always made my head ache… but I guess just this once, I’d try to do my best to fulfill her wishes.

“Alright, just one thing then.”

“Then, I want you to… with me…” she didn’t make eye contact and seemed really fl.u.s.tered.

“No, I won’t say it!”

Why not?! I was getting a bit p.i.s.sed off here…

“Just say it! I’ll do whatever it is!”

“Kiss me!”

……. Huh?

“Kissu? It’s the name of a transparent, light-yellowish brown cla.s.s of fish, usually referring to the j.a.panese whiting-“

“Shut up!”

“You’re going to kiss me! I told you that’s what I want, right?! Alright?!”

She closed her eyes and puckered her soft-looking lips in my direction. You know, when she puts it like that, I could feel my chest tightening a bit.

“Haruna, do you really understand what you’re asking me to do?”

“Are you taking me for an idiot?”

“Why do you want me to kiss you?”

“I won’t let you only kiss that girl!”

That girl? Could it be that she was worrying about that time I had kissed Tomonori? It was Haruna’s fault that had happened too…

I started to tell her that, but…

–

“I won’t lose to someone like that!”

–

She was looking up at me with an expression that I knew wouldn’t take no as an answer.

“Alright, I got it.”

With that short response, I closed my eyes and stuck out my lips.

And then, I suddenly recalled this sensation.

Yes, this sensation that I had felt before.

The sensation of the tip of a sneaker boring into my cheek.

When I came to, I was twirling in midair.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve taken one of Haruna’s kicks at full force.

“You idiot! Don’t take that so seriously!”

Whaaaa~~~? Wasn’t. This. Just. A. Bit. Unreasonable?

The world whirled around me in slow motion.

In one corner of my vision, I could see Haruna giving me a boyish smirk. At that moment, what filled my heart wasn’t frustration, but for some reason was a clear sense of relief.

Yes, this was definitely more of the Haruna I knew.

TRANSLATOR’S NOTES