Vol. 2 Chapter 5: Cold. — Part 1

Common Honorifics:
-san: A polite suffix, but not excessively formal.
-kun: A common suffix among friends and younger people.
-chan: A common suffix among people you’re close with, mostly used for feminine nicknames and girls, since it’s cutesy and childlike.
-senpai: A common suffix and noun used to address or refer to one’s older or more senior colleagues in a school, workplace, dojo, or sports club.

“Achooo—!”

How should I say it, hmm? Well, it’s not like I didn’t expect it, but it seems my body caught something when I was sopping wet in that dolphin show. Fortunately, my fever wasn’t that high, but it’d still be difficult to go to school.

I got worried Yui might’ve caught a cold as well, so I sent her a message. She answered and it seemed she was doing fine, unlike me.

“Ugh, it’s so freaking subtle and sluggish.” At times like this, I feel a little lonely.

I sent a message to Kurosaki saying I took the day off, so I’ll just take it easy and recuperate.

Di~ng do~ng!

As quickly as my thought came, my house’s intercom played a tune announcing a visitor. Normally, no one ever came to visit, so who on earth would come just as when I’m not feeling well? Ah, no matter. I’ll just ask them what they want directly.

Dragging my sluggish body, I finally reached and unlocked my front door, opening it.

“…Kuroshaki?”

“Senpai! Are you okay?!”

I thought it was just some random religious solicitor, so finding my junior holding a shopping bag in one hand surprised me.

“…So, you went on a date with that maid, didn’t you?”

“No, look. what wash important wash Katayama’s conshultation, and now—”

“And you went to the aquarium, right?”

“I did go to the aquarium, but I didn’t do anyshing wrong though?”

I can tell by my own words that my vagueness had no effect whatsoever. Okay, so let me explain my current situation. I’m being laid up and nursed by Kurosaki, who suddenly barged into my house leaving me wholly bewildered.

I’m not so debilitated I can’t hold a conversation with her, and I thought I’d also get her opinion on Iwashiro-san as well, just for the sake of chatting, but… I was careless. Rather, it was my fault for not thinking about what she’d think of it all. As a result, a gaze colder than my cold pierced my soul.

“Ah~! I also wanted to go to the aquarium! If my senpai would’ve invited me, I’d appear in a heartbeat! Oh, imagine going on a date with such a cute junior!”

“Ugh…”

While giving me sidelong glances, she kept talking about my “unfaithful” demeanor. I’m not even dating her, but I somehow feel a bit guilty.

“K, Kurosaki, is there anywhere you’d like to go? Let’s have some fun when I’m recovered from this cold.”

“Oh, me~? I wish I could’ve gone to an aquarium~”

“I, I’m sorry? Then, let’s go to one?”

No matter how many times I go, the aquarium is always fun. I was actually considering buying an annual pass. Well, I’m sorry I won’t be able to give you a fresh reaction since I’ve been there once, but I feel bad for her, so we should go together—

“Pfft, I’m just kidding. Maybe we could go there another time, but there’s somewhere else I’d like to go.”

“Oh, really…? So, what’s your request?”

“I’ll think it over!”

“Don’t be too harsh on me, please…”

She went out of her way to take care of me, so it would only be fair if I indulge her a little. Also, I have a couple of questions to ask her.

“Kurosaki, how about school?”

“Ah! I was so worried about you that I couldn’t concentrate on any of my classes.”

“Sorry about that…”

“No, no, don’t worry! I’ll take care of you today, so don’t worry, m~kay?”

“Thanks. Oh, one more important question. How do you know where I live?”

“Eh?! Well, that’s…”

I’ve never told her where my house was, so I have no idea how she managed to come here, and so quickly at that. The person in question fidgeted left to right, while her eyes wavered around me as if trying to think of an excuse to cover up something else.

“…If you lie to me, I’ll know,” I warn her.

“U, um… I don’t wanna get punished.”

“I won’t promise anything, but say it.”

“Uh, that’s the thing… Erm, just the other day, I tailed you on a whim or some…thing…”

“…You’re rather perverted, aren’t you?” I look at her.

“I’m sorry…”

Well, yeah, I don’t really mind. Her behavior was certainly unusual, but it ended up with me not feeling so lonely today. She just stalked me so I wouldn’t be bothered… Uh, do my words make you feel at ease?

“Ah, fine. I’ll drop it this time.”

“Really?! thank you!”

“But don’t abuse it. Oh, and what do you think about Katayama’s story?”

I ask her to answer the consultation which I’d almost forgotten. Mulling it over, she put a hand on her chin and the other one just below her bosom. It was a pose that lifted her badoonkas, and my eyes were instinctively drawn to it.

“…Senpai? May I tell you?”

“Yup. Go ahead.”

“Um, I don’t know much about your friend, but from what I’ve heard, he doesn’t seem to be a bad guy, so i think it’s fine if he slowly closes in the distance.”

“I guess so. He’ll have to work steadily, for sure.”

“Mhm. It would be nice if there was some kind of trigger for the two, though.”

“A trigger, huh… Anyway, I’ll think about it. Thanks for answering.”

Hmph, so with that and with what Yu said, I came to the conclusion it’d be best if he took things slowly. It’d be a safe bet, but that’s why it’s the most likely way for it to work. I’ll think about the details after I win against my cold, and then I’ll share it with Katayama himself.

“So, senpai, you were looking at my b*obs earlier, weren’t you?”

“…Nope. Wasn’t that the heat paired with a strange perspective or something?”

“Is that so? Can you repeat that while looking me straight in the eye?” She closed in the distance between us and gazed directly into my soul. Our noses were almost touching, and if I were to slightly move forward, our lips would meet.

Her strong-willed eyes were a little pouty, but still carried a tinge of allure inside them, for some odd reason.

“K, Kurosaki…?”

“Senpai… I…”

She placed her hand right beside where I lay, and her body gradually bent forward. The narrow chasm between our lips gradually shrunk, all while our shadows began to overlap—

Di~ng do~ng!

It was a block so perfect even Lebron wouldn’t be able to shoot past it, and to which Kurosaki’s movement stopped.