"Internal organs."
Rizakura answered my question, which was the first thing she said to me after we saw each other the next morning, in a matter-of-fact manner.
Wow, she is indeed a top grade.
Beside me, Walnut distorted her face into an "Ewww" look. Is she picturing the surgery scene in a TV drama?
"Well, when I use the word "gut", I mean "deep down inside".
Why all of a sudden? Rizakura tilted her head curiously.
Her beautiful black hair, cut and trimmed, sways around her shoulders. The most important thing to remember is that hair is not just a hairstyle, it's a way of life. The hairstyle is the same as the model that Takumi said she liked. If you look closely, you can see the similarities in the face and atmosphere.
Risakura, the class president, was called by other classmates and stood up from her seat, leaving only me and Walnut there. Takumi had not yet arrived at school.
"Rizakura looks somewhat like the model Ria Ria, doesn't she?"
"I think she does look like Ria Ria. Is she Takumi's favorite type?"
"Yes, that's right. But just because someone is your type doesn't mean you like them."
"There are many different feelings when it comes to liking someone."
Just as Takumi and I talked, there must have been conversations that took place only between Rio and Walnut. Maybe Walnut has her own feelings about the relationship between Rizakura and Takumi.
Still, Rizakura has a boyfriend and Takumi seems to be enjoying spending time with other girls.
It is probably my own selfish fantasy as an outsider that I wish things would work out between the two of them.
"Walnut, have you met Rizakura's boyfriend?"
"Not in person, but I've seen pictures of him."
According to Walnut, he is an orthodox handsome guy.
"She says he approached her enthusiastically and they began dating around spring of this year."
"She is indeed a very special person to acquire such a handsome older man's love for her."
"She said he takes very good care of her. She even said that the bracelet she's wearing today was given to her by her boyfriend."
Rizakura, who is talking to someone in the back of the classroom, ruffles her hair. However, I could not see the thin chain that was meant to be shining on her wrist from my position in the classroom.
I'm not proud of it, but I don't have a lot of experience in love. Or rather, it's almost non-existent. In the dark days of middle school, I never even had a chance to talk to a girl, and although I made many female friends during my two years in high school, I never met a girl whom I was attracted to.
Still, every day is fun, and I am not in a hurry. Life is what it will be. Besides, I have the best group of people in my life now.
"Well, it's best if everyone is happy, isn't it?"
I stretched out my hands and twisted my neck, and saw Takumi standing in the hallway, having just arrived at school.
The person with whom he is conversing is a girl I don't recognize. I could tell by the color of her jacket that she was one year younger than me.
She had long, fluffy hair and large eyes with long eyelashes. With her pure white skin, she was the very embodiment of the word "bishojo" (beautiful girl). As one would expect from Takumi, who has a wide range of abilities. Her grade level was soaring.
"Takumi Takahashi...... is as good as can be, having no trouble conversing with kids in different grades."
But then I suddenly felt a small sense of discomfort. I was not sure what it was, but it was because the usual Takumi looked a little different from the Takumi that was talking over there.
The reason for this is that though the two are very close each other, I felt that Takumi's expression and squinted eyes at that time were different from the ones he used to show to other girls or when he was in front of Rizakura.
"Even Leaf can easily get along with anyone."
Walnut picked up on my murmur and popped a colorful piece of chocolate in a round tube into her mouth and offered it to me as well. A small handful of brightly colored chocolates spread out in her hand.
I chose the light blue one and tossed it into my mouth.
"Takumi is dexterous, I'm clumsy."
The sweetness spreads in my mouth with a crunching sound.
Takumi's amiability is innate. He is equally kind to everyone, and he is perfectly capable of dodging invitations. That's why anyone can feel at ease in Takumi's presence. It's because they know they can have a genuinely enjoyable time with him in peace.
"In Leaf's case, he watches everyone carefully, and thinks about various things over and over again, and that kindness is the result of a combination of all those things, right?."
"That's not true. I don't think so. I've never thought of anything of such."
I tried to smile coyly, but my heart was pounding and shaking too loudly.
She is bright, cheerful, and good-natured. No worries, Ishikura.
The image of myself that I have built up in my life up to this point. Her words had a resonance that seemed to expose even the background of that image.
"Well, I guess that's true."
But Walnut just laughed without concern. I may have been swayed by her free-spiritedness. But strangely enough, I don't mind it.
Her facial expression changes constantly, and her thought process is always spinning. Sometimes her words and actions are predictable, and sometimes they go beyond my imagination. That was also interesting.
◇
"Oh, it really works."
"Wow, it's you, walnut. What a surprise!"
She giggles at the sight of me replenishing the change at the cash register. It seems that she was here to chill us out while we were working diligently. Takumi has gone to the back to refill his drinks.
It is 7:00 PM. This place is rather close to the school, and it is a long enough bus ride from Walnut's house. I wonder how she read my feelings. She lifted a small plastic bag, saying, "I came to get medicine for my grandma ."
"Is the medicine from the hospital behind here?"
I point behind me with my thumb, and she nods, "yes. It's called Sakuma Hospital, and it's the biggest general hospital in town."
She told me that she lives with her grandmother, so I guess she was asked to take care of that for her.
"It's kind of strange. You look like a proper shopkeeper"
"Of course I do. I'm a shopkeeper"
The first time she came to my place of work, I felt a bit nervous and restless. She sees me differently than usual.
It's a little itchy, but not unpleasant. My back naturally straightens up, and I do some unnecessary bill-counting.
"What ...... you didn't even look at it."
I was trying to show that I could do the job.
Walnut looks at the shelf of sweets in front of the cash register and twists her head around. Apparently, she is wondering whether she should choose milk pudding or cream puffs.
"You should have both. I'll pay for the milk pudding."
"What? Why?"
"Because it's payday."
The truth is, I just wanted to buy it for her, but I couldn't bring myself to say that.
"I'm sorry. I'm fine."
"You sure? That milk purin has an insanely rare limited flavor, and it's only available at this convenience store nationwide."
The melody announcing the arrival of a customer breaks off the conversation. I'm glad that the customers came. It seems that this guy, me, wanted to buy milk pudding for Walnut even though I lied to her about it.
"Hey..."
0 Comments
What's on your mind...