Author's Note: This chapter is from Natsukawa Aika's point of view.
Chapter 11The Goddess' Feelings
I put my elbow on my desk and played with my smartphone. Unfortunately, I didn't have any apps that I was addicted to, and I didn't have the concentration to keep staring at the screen for a long time.
If I had some free time while sitting at the back of the class, I usually looked around me. And when I do that, I can't help but feel uncomfortable with the silence that is different from before.
Recently, 'that boy' (Wataru) has been behaving strangely.
He used to follow me around all the time, saying words that made me grit my teeth. One day, that kind of annoyance was completely gone. No, it wasn't completely gone. But still, in the beginning, I was curious about what it was because it had become a little less frequent lately, and became a little happy.
Perhaps "that day" was the trigger. From that day on, his behavior was strange.
I remember saying some nasty words to him.
Because I didn't like the strange and mysterious gloomy feeling I had, I accidentally rushed to his house. And while I thought I could talk about it with him outside, I never thought that I would be invited inside his house.
'I love you. Please go out with me!'
Those were words I had heard many times before. But after that day, he stopped saying these words to convey his precious feelings anymore. In fact, I felt that he was very serious at that time. But I guess, it was the usual nonsense that he used to say over and over again, so I didn't think much of it.
But still, I don't think that what I said at that time was wrong.
'–So, I'll try to read the situation and your mood.'
What do you mean by reading the situation? What kind of mood do you want to read?
I should have asked him more about it, but instead, I ran away from that place in front of Wataru's family because I couldn't stand being there.
I didn't understand much about it myself, but I remember, at that time, I felt a strong anger towards him.
'Hey, you're Sajou-kun, aren't you?'
And one day, a beautiful brown-haired girl began to appear in front of Wataru. Her name was Aizawa-san. I guess Wataru didn't recognize her either because he looked very confused, but then he started going somewhere with her almost every day. For some reason, my classmate who I rarely talked to, said so to me, even though I didn't ask her.
"..."
It's quiet.
Wataru used to talk to me all the time, and sometimes, I couldn't finish my meal because of that. I feel like my lunch break is very short every time, but recently I finished my lunch within 15 minutes. That left me with free time and I didn't know what to do. Whether he's around me or not, he's still giving me trouble.
He's probably talking and chatting happily with that girl, Aizawa-san, right now.
"...Flirting like that..."
"Hmm? Aichi, are you ー jealous?"
"What... ...Kei!? No, that's not it! Why should I feel that way about him!?"
"Without Sajocchi, it gets lonely, doesn't itー? Doesn't Aichi feel lonely tooー?"
"I feel refreshed because that annoying boy is gone! Please, don't say anything weird!"
"You shouldn't have ー that mad."
Kei often looked at me and Wataru and approached us with a grin. Often, perhaps, she thought that we were a couple doing something funny or something like that. Also, Kei sometimes liked to tease me like this even though that boy wasn't my boyfriend or anything like that. Of course, I did trust Kei, but still, it was annoying...
I did tell her what I was thinking, but Kei didn't care and kept saying, "By the way.". No, wait, please listen to me.
"The girl who attached around Sajocchi, she was walking in the hallway every day while holding hands with her boyfriend until recently."
"Eh? Boyfriend?"
Oh, if I recall... ...I feel like there was a couple openly walking in the school hallway holding hands until recently. I'm sure her boyfriend is a senpai, not from the same year.
But wait a minute. Why would a girl who seemed to be so close to her boyfriend until recently, suddenly come to Wataru?
"She was already flirting with her boyfriend until recently, but don't you think it's strange that she suddenly approached Sajocchi?"
"Th-That girl, you mean, she might be planning something?"
"Yeah, but maybe... ...she's not just planning, but has already launched it..."
As I asked, Kei replied and then mumbled something.
Seriously... ...What the heck is she trying to say!?
If she's really trying to do something to hurt Wataru, doesn't that mean I should do something about it...? I-It's not like I'm worried about Wataru or anything! It's also to prevent me from getting dragged in and hurt!
Seriously... ...can't she at least stay with me until the end!? She's planning to leave this problem to me alone!?
As the boy sat down, he started preparing for the next subject as if nothing had happened.
Hey... ...why today of all day, you didn't talk to me like usual!?
"─H-Hey... ...do you have some time?"
"....Hmm?"
It was a strange feeling to be the one to say something to him first, it made me feel a strange itch in my body. But still, no matter how annoying the fact that he might be harmed...
...I can't just ignore him!
"Y-You... ...Do you eat with Aizawa-san every day?"
"Not really, not every day... ...But, yeah, almost often."
Eh, hey you... ...how come you answered me so casually!? Didn't you say that you like me!? Normally, you would try to hide that kind of thing because you don't want to create a distance with the girl you like, right!?
"You two ate outside, didn't you? One of our classmates saw you when you two were going somewhere..."
I asked as if I didn't care about him. Because I already knew that if I told him I was curious about him directly, he would be arrogant for the whole day.
I would never let that happen.
"Yeah, that's true. That's not wrong."
"...I see."
Like I said, why is this boy...!? Can easily admit his relationship with other girls! What are you going to do to me!? You used to call me a Goddess, but you don't really consider me a Goddess, do you? How could he look at me like that, right!?
After exchanging words with me. Wataru, uncharacteristically, took his eyes off me and put his hand on his chin, and started thinking about something.
This boy, can do this kind of gesture too, huh...? ..N-No, it's not that I think he's stupid or anything like that.
"Um... ...Natsukawa. Did you know Aizawa before?"
"Eh...!? Eh, oh, right, I knew her? So what?"
Suddenly he asked me something meaningful. I replied that I already knew her.
...Is this boy also suspicious of Aizawa-san? Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked about her past, right...?
...And just as I was thinking that, he suddenly, asked me something stupid.
"I want to know more, about Aizawa."
"...You know it, right, I can't talk about her! You idiot! Make sure to chase after that girl properly!"
My head turned white with anger.
Why was I so angry like this?
Maybe it's because while people are worried about Wataru, on the other hand, he's flirting with a girl he just met without a second thought. If only he gave me this kind of feeling, I probably wouldn't even bother thinking about it!!!
I don't want to see this boy's face right now.
As I woke up excitedly, I jumped out of the classroom as fast as I could.
Author's Note: Summer is a good time to write. I write to fit the season and now it's winter...
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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