Chapter 11: You've Changed

You've Changed

I feel tired...

The day after safely delivering the two cats to Onizuka's house.

It was hot to say the least.

No, I didn't have a fever, but I had an undeniable fatigue that permeated my entire body.

I guess the consequences of being exposed to the rain for so long are finally manifesting...

I managed to get through the morning classes, but as soon as lunchtime came, I was hit by a sudden wave of fatigue.

"Saotome-san... Are you okay?"

Ayanokoji came over to my seat with a bento in hand.

It seemed like she was trying to invite me into her group of girls.

...I've made her worry again.

I felt a bit reluctant to turn down such a generous invitation, but with my current physical condition I don't have the energy to chat with several people.

Especially when it comes to joining a group of girls.

"Sorry, I'm not feeling too well so I'll eat alone."

"Um, how are you feeling...? Shall I go to the nurse's office with you?"

"It's not that big of a deal."

I waved at Ayanokoji, who was looking at me worriedly, and left the classroom.

I'd like to eat my lunch leisurely in a secluded place, and if possible, sleep through my lunch break.

Is there a perfect spot like that?

The first place that came to mind was the backyard, where Onizuka might be.

But if he found out that I was not feeling well, he might feel unnecessarily guilty because he is such a kind person.

I can't let anyone know how sick I am just now.

I decided to climb the stairs.

With each step I took, the necklace around my neck jingled.

The necklace given to me by Onizuka.

When I asked my mother at home, she bought me a necklace chain, which I've been using ever since.

The goal was the rooftop.

"... Cold."

The rooftop was open.

Even though it was spring, the wind blowing across the rooftop was colder than expected.

Unlike a blazer, the cold wind mercilessly beats against the sailor uniform without a jacket.

On the other hand, it was so cold that there was no one else around.

I stepped onto the rooftop and headed for a sunny spot.

The back of the water tower is in perfect sunlight, which seems to provide just enough relief from the cold.

"Ah."

There was someone there before me.

He was sitting cross-legged, his lunch box resting on top of him, and dozing off skillfully.

My classmate, Nagumo Minato, was there.

Should I look for another place?

I gave up on the idea of ​​going behind the water tower and was about to turn my back on Nagumo.

At the edge of my vision, Nagumo's lunchbox appeared, looking as if it was about to tip over.

"...That was close!"

I hastily snatched the lunch box from Nagumo's lap.

Just in time, the lunchbox avoided being toppled onto the concrete ground.

"...Nnyaa?!"

Perhaps due to the shock of having his lunch stolen by me, Nagumo woke up.

He let out a strange, abrupt cry and shook his head from side to side, like a cat that had been woken up from a deep sleep.

"...Huh? Saotome-san? ...And my lunch...? Ha, can't it be...?!"

Nagumo looked back and forth between me and the lunch box in my hands, his expression showing he was about to launch into a brilliant detective deduction.

"Saotome-san, you stole my lunch because you wanted to eat it...!"

"Heck no!"

It was a flawed deduction by a flawed detective.

"You don't have to do that. If you'd just asked, I'd give you one of the side dishes."

"I'm not being a glutton..."

"Or would you rather have sweets?"

Saying that, Nagumo took out a bag of snacks from somewhere.

Behind Nagumo, a large amount of sweets was piled up.

"Did you buy that yourself? You're so skinny, yet you eat so much."

"No, the girls left it there on their own."

"The girls?!"

Has this guy received gifts of sweets from multiple girls?　

I've never seen such a large amount even as an offering to Jizo!

Judging from the way he said the girls left it there without asking him, it doesn't seem like Nagumo asked them to do so.

Maybe... he's the type of guy that girls like!

They're really exist!

There are some guys who don't do anything in particular towards girls, but for some reason girls pay more attention to them.

This type of person is usually not treated as a romantic interest, but if they wanted to, they could easily find a girlfriend.

...Wow, I'm jealous!

In my mind, I was on the verge of labeling Nagumo as an enemy.

During my three years of high school, I talked to girls, but in the end we just remained friends.

For someone like me who has never experienced a period of popularity, being given a huge amount of sweets seems like a great time to be popular.

"Nagumo, do you have a girlfriend?"

"No."

"So you're not going to make any?"

"…………"

Was that a bit rude...?

This would be a normal conversation between two guys, but right now I'm with a female classmate.

After saying this, I thought that I might feel a little uncomfortable if a girl in my class suddenly asked me, "Why don't you have a girlfriend?"

If it were me, I'd be a little confused.

"Sorry–"

"I don't really want to fall in love or anything like that."

Nagumo answered, interrupting my apology.

Don't want to fall in love...?

For me, who was running away from the love triangle between Onizuka and Ijuin, the existence of a boy who declared he didn't want to fall in love seemed like a god.

I had thought that Nagumo was a character who had a crush on me, but maybe I was remembering it wrong.

"...What a coincidence, me too."

That's why I wanted to talk to Nagumo for a little while.

Without even getting Nagumo's permission, I sat down next to him.

When I opened the lunch box, the cute and colorful contents appeared as always.

Personally, I like brown bento boxes that are totally full of meat.

However, I couldn't complain to my mother who made my lunch for me every day, so I obediently picked up the pink chopsticks and popped a cherry tomato, the stem of which had been carefully removed, into my mouth.

Nagumo stared intently at me as I took a seat next to him and began eating.

"...Huh? I thought that girls, in general, were creatures who loved romance."

"I think so too."

With my pink hair now, I look like I like romance.

No, that's prejudice.

In my previous life, I used to think it was fun to see girls getting together and talking about who they liked, who was dating who, and squealing over a handsome senior.

Well, I don't understand the fun of it.

"You're a girl too, aren't you?"

This time, Nagumo supported the lunch box firmly and began to move his chopsticks.

Why don't you want to fall in love?

We didn't ask each other such questions.

I felt that the question, which was based on the assumption that it was natural for high school students to fall in love, was somehow very rude.

"Does Nagumo always eat here?"

"I don't have a set time. I just want to take a nap, so I sleep wherever seems most comfortable after meals that day."

"Hmm."

Nagumo grinned.

"Shall I tell you about a recommended nap spot?"

"...No, I'll pass."

I had a feeling that I would be becoming an accomplice to a crime, so I reflexively refused.

"Really? It seems like it's easier to have secret conversations in places where no one can see you."

Nagumo brings his mouth close to my ear.

He whispered as if he was telling a secret.

"You often hear people gossiping about each other, you know?"

"Girls like that sort of thing, don't they?" Nagumo tilted his head.

Like me, Nagumo also has a lot of prejudice towards female creatures.

I don't know if it's because I was a man in my previous life, but I'm starting to not feel very comfortable being lumped together with "girls."

"I'm not particularly interested in rumors or anything."

"Hmm..."

Nagumo gave a subtle nod, as if he was convinced, but also as if he wasn't.

"As I thought, Saotome-san is quite strange."

Well, inside I'm a man just like you.

Well, I can't really explain it.

"I don't think it's right to call someone weird just because they don't fit into your image of a girl."

I have long pink hair, big eyes, and a nice body.

That's me now, Saotome Otome.

I suppose it's hard to imagine a manly personality from someone with a model appearance for girls.

Whether people perceive this gap as odd or as part of someone's personality is up to them.

Upon hearing my words, Nagumo opened his sleepy eyes wide,

"...I see. Sorry."

He bowed his head.

"Ah, no, I didn't mean to say it that strongly... achoo!"

I sneezed.

A sudden chill runs through my whole body.

That's right, I was originally looking for a secluded spot to take a nap.

Along the way, I met Nagumo and it completely slipped his mind.

I should have asked Nagumo about his recommended nap spots even now.

"Are you okay? Are you cold?"

"Maybe. But, if I get some sleep during my lunch break, I'll be fine—"

Press.

Nagumo's face was close by.

Nagumo pressed his forehead against mine.

...Nagumo has such bushy eyelashes...

As I was pondering these thoughts with my mind in a daze, Nagumo's face suddenly became distant.

"...Yeah, you have a fever. You should go to the nurse's office."

"I see..."

"I'll bring your lunch to the classroom. You can go to the nurse's office now."

"Sorry..."

Nagumo took my lunch away.

Taking advantage of the gesture to hurry up, I left the rooftop.

"So a girl like that exists..."

As Nagumo gazed out at the blue sky, his thoughts went back to Saotome, who had just left the rooftop.

Saotome Otome has a girly appearance, so he thought that inside she must also be someone who likes the things that girls are said to like.

No, he was convinced.

However, when he actually talk to her, she claims she has no interest in romance or rumors.

"Maybe she's similar to me..."

This is the first time he has met a girl with whom he share such similar views.

During his sixteen years of life, Nagumo had often been treated like a small animal by those around him, especially the girls, perhaps because of his cute appearance.

Among them, the girls who ask, "Why don't you have a girlfriend?" will, without exception, confess their feelings to him later.

Saotome was different.　

She was just curious and asked if there was one.

It was like a casual conversation between two men.

"...I don't want to fall in love - for my mother's sake, too."

Nagumo's monologue was carried away by the cold spring wind.