Title: Returning the Favor

Niwatari Tsuru looks like a thin gal.

We were in the same class, but we had never talked to each other. It was since I thought we lived in different worlds, in terms of personality and grades.

“Ah, come to think of it, we haven’t talked yet.”

“Yep. Nice to meet you.”

“Oh.”

“So, I wanna ask you something.”

“What?”

“What kind of person is Arina-san?”

There have been too many sticks from the bushes these days. [T/N: I’m assuming he means there are too many of these types of questions]

“Just like people say. She’s got a foul mouth.”

“I know that. But I don’t want to know what’s on the surface. I want to know what’s in the inside.”

“What’s in the inside? Wait a minute, why are you asking me that?”

“I mean, aren’t you guys supposed to be together?”

It’s that again. I’m gonna need to do something about these false rumors or Arina is going to get really angry.

I’ve been slashed on my shin with a broom and stabbed in the side with a mechanical pencil, but I don’t know what’ll happen next time. She could split my skull open with a hammer.

“First of all, I’m not dating anyone. Let me make this clear.”

“I asked people who was close with Arina, your name often came up. So, what’s up?”

“This information we’re dealing with is too dangerous. Tell me why you want to know first.”

“Mmmm, you’re stubborn… she saved me once.”

“Ooh.”

“It was the winter of my freshman year. I was shivering on my way to school in the cold. I fell on the smooth pavement, which was like a skating ring. I hurt my knee and couldn’t stand up. My knee was bleeding and it hurt as if it was broken, you know. I tried to stand, but I couldn’t, even though I was holding the guardrail.

Then a girl in the same uniform walked past me, and she squatted down with her back to me. She said, “Get on.” and gave me a piggyback ride. I felt bad that she was carrying me and I didn’t know her name, so I shut up. In the end, I didn’t even thank her until we got to school.”

“Wow, that mysterious girl is pretty strong.”

“So I spent the rest of the day looking for her at school. I could only recognize her by her back, and it sucked to look for someone in this school of nearly 700 students. I had half given up on it, but just the other day there was a rumor that you and Arina were dating, but I’d never seen anyone named Arina before. I noticed that she always had good grades and I was curious about her. And when I found her, everything matched.”

“Arina, that is.”

“Yeah. Absolutely. I’m sure it was Arina. But she had such a bad reputation, and there was a feeling that you weren’t supposed to go near her, so I didn’t talk to her for the longest time. And I still haven’t. So I thought of looking for you, Sakaki Sui, a famous eccentric from my class, because you were rumored to be dating Hiwa Arina. I thought it would be a good opportunity, but I’d never talked to you before and I thought talking to you out of the blue would look weird, so again, I didn’t talk.”

She seemed to be prickly on the outside, but inside she’s the complete opposite. It was an interesting gap.

“So you think right now is a good time to talk to me?”

“…Yes.”

“Do you have time?”

“Why?”

“I’ll be the link between you and Arina.”

“Eh, that’s so sudden!”

“You’ll never get a chance like this again.”

“Hmmmm.”

She’s troubled.

“What are you doing? Are you trying to kidnap her?”

Geez. This person.

Arina was looking at me and Tsuru with a quizzical expression. I bumped into her at the store. I’m not sure what to do, but the fact that she wandered in at this critical time when Tsuru was trying to decide what to do was pretty bad.

Tsuru seemed to have stopped thinking and fixed her eyes on the ground. I waved my hand in front of her, but she didn’t respond.

The only thing I can do now is to take her with me.

“Tsuru, let’s go.”

“You’re really trying to kidnap her. An electric current should go into your brain. You’ll die quickly that way.”

“I wouldn’t kidnap someone in a public place. Oh, but if you want to kidnap Akakusa-sensei, let me know. I’ll help.”

“Huh. I wonder if someone could take you to the junkyard as scrap metal.”

I pulled Tsuru by her hand and headed for the Rose Garden. Arina followed behind me.

When we got to the Rose Garden, I sat Tsuru down on a chair and began to bring her back to reality.

“Heyy, Tsuru. Come back.”

“Uwaaa~. Where am I?”

“In a former staff room. And she’s Arina.”

Arina cocked her head and lowered her eyes. Apparently, it was a bow.

“Ah, uwa, nice to meet you. I’m Niwatari Tsuru.”

“Hiwa Arina.”

“Hey, Arina. Talk some more. Would it kill you to speak a couple more words?”

“Shut up, cicada shells. Go be collected by elementary students.”

“And this foul mouthed woman is Hiwa Arina. Disillusioning, right? She looks super awesome and pretty, but inside she’s worse than a rotten apple. It’s a neurotoxic apple that even the Wicked Witch would be appalled by.”

“Um, sorry, what?”

Tsuru became even more confused by the turn of events.

“Ah–. Um, you’re a close couple, aren’t you?”

This is bad. Let’s calm Tsuru down.

Arina looks like she’s getting grumpy. Let’s chill.

After a small break, Tsuru finally grasped the situation.

She observed the preserved flowers closely, curious about them. Arina was reading as usual.

“I see. So Sui is helping out Arina-san.”

“Yeah. Akakusa-sensei asked me to do this. Only a few people know. it’s not a club activity, and I’m not a volunteer, so I’m working unofficially. Tsuru, this is the first time I’ve explained the situation to anyone. Keep it a secret. I’d advise you to keep it to yourself, but if you reveal it, I’ll die. I really will.”

“Don’t say that, it’s okay– Don’t say Sui is going to die…”

“By the way, Tsuru, you’re the first person to enter this room besides Arina and I.”

“Are we in a closed off area or…?”

Tsuru looked around with an expression that didn’t know whether to be dumbfounded or impressed. There was nothing in particular to look at, though. It’s just the flowers Arina brought, a desk, and some chairs.

“So, Tsuru. You’re going to tell her, right?”

“…Yeah.”

Tsuru slowly stood up and stood in front of Arina.

Arina held a bookmark on her fingers and dexterously rotated it around as she continued to read. I opened some tomato juice as if I were watching a movie. I had a feeling I’ll be able to observe some interesting interactions.

“Um, Arina-san. I’ve always wanted to thank you.”

“Why? I don’t remember interacting with anyone. Aside from that rag in the corner drinking tomato juice.”

She was really mean.

“But you know, you saved me once.”

“Really? I don’t remember. I don’t know you, either.”

“It was last winter. You were the one who carried me on your back last winter when I fell down on the way to school, weren’t you, Arina-san?”

Arina’s eyes widened for a moment.With my sharp ears and eyes, I didn’t miss it.

“I’m not sure about that. It’s not like me to help anyone.”

“But I’ll always remember you. your dark hair, your height, your voice. I was so happy. I wanted to repay you and I spent over six months looking for you at school. I thought you may have graduated, and I was about to give up, to be honest. But then I found out it was you recently and I just had to talk to you.”

“You have the wrong person. You shouldn’t be thanking me. I don’t think the person who helped you is going to be happy.”

Arina said coldly. It was as if to cut her off.

She reached for her book again.

“But… thank you.”

Tsuru muttered in a fading voice.

Arina didn’t say a word. Her long eyelashes twitched, and it seemed like she was reading already.

Tsuru turned around back to me.

“Sui. I’m sorry to be a bother. I have to get back to the student council.”

“So Tsuru was in the student council.”

“I’m the secretary. Thank you for your time. See you around.”

The usual silence descended on the Rose Garden.

Kang. I put the tomato juice on the desk and spoke to Arina.

“Arina. You wouldn’t make a good con artist.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

“You shouldn’t even play poker.”

“I see.”

“There it is. You’re a sweetheart, aren’t you?”

“Huh?”

“You’re embarrassed. People are thanking you.”

“It wasn’t me.”

“You’re such a tsundere. You’re a terrible liar.”

Arina groaned “Ah well” and ruffled her hair.

“Fine, it was me.”

“Its okay. I know.”

“…”

“What?”

“Mou…”

“You don’t like it?”

“…I’m just not very good at being thanked.”

“Heh, I see.”

“You have an annoying laugh.”

“So there is a cute side to you!!”

“Go away. I feel sorry for your sister.”

I bit back a chuckle and stood up.

“I’ve got to help out the tea club, do you want to come?”

“….Yes.”

She’s changing. Maybe this is who Arina really is.

But what I can say for sure is that the real Arina is asleep. She looks somewhat fake in front of me. It’s not the true meaning of her philosophical identity, but it was like an image that seemed to wrap around and hide her body. She seems to be forcing herself to act like the Arina she is right now.

It could be that I’m mistaken. But I can feel it.

Even if this were true, I don’t understand the reason. I’m not sure how avoiding people is benefiting her.

Arina passed by me.

At the same time as I feel relief at her unchanging profile, I realize the responsibility of interfering with others.