Episode 21: Playing Hooky

The sun was fully risen, and it was getting to the point where I’d have to start getting ready for school or I wouldn’t make it on time.

Well, actually, I was already fully prepared to go to school.

It was just that the thought of going made my feet feel heavy.

Up until now, I’d wanted to get away from this house, rushing off to school early every morning.

But today was different.

　After everything that happened with Endo-san on Saturday, I’d holed up in bed all Sunday, endlessly thinking about her.

In the end, I hadn’t slept properly for about two days, and here I was.

Honestly, I didn’t want to see Endo-san right now.
I decided to skip school.

Skipping school didn’t change what I had to do. I hated studying in this stifling house, but doing nothing felt like it would drive me mad, so I opened my textbook.

　I thought perhaps three hours had passed since I started studying, but when I looked at the clock, only an hour had gone by. I felt utterly hopeless.

Sigh… I couldn’t help but let it out.

Endo-san kept her promise, so I feel I must keep mine too.
I was the one who suggested it.
I can’t just say it’s off now.

It’s an excuse, but I never thought Endo-san would actually agree to my request.

　That day, our relationship should have ended.

Being with Endo-san warms my heart.

At the same time, I know it’s only temporary happiness until graduation.

That’s why I tried to end it—

“You idiot, Endo-san…”

Perhaps because I hadn’t eaten breakfast, I felt inexplicably irritable. Not only breakfast, but lunch probably wouldn’t be served either.

　My family doesn’t even know I’m skipping school.

They simply aren’t interested in me.

Unable to concentrate on my studies, I decided to lie down on the bed. My uniform would get creased, but I could iron it later.

I took a deep breath, exhaled, and closed my eyes.

My stomach hurt from hunger, and I couldn’t sleep. I hadn’t slept properly for days, yet I felt no drowsiness at all.

　I could go out to buy food, but I didn’t want Mum to find out I hadn’t been to school, and my feet felt heavy.

I must have lain on the bed for about two hours. Even with my eyes closed, I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to study after all.

Just as the sun began to set and the evening sky was visible, there was a sudden knock at the door.

Mum…?

No, Mum wouldn’t come to my room.

　Then who…?

There was another, louder knock.

I opened the door, just in case.

There stood the last person I wanted to see right now.

“Why are you here, Endo-san?”

I really couldn’t make head nor tail of it. My feelings, which had just started to settle, were thrown into turmoil again.

She said she’d come to deliver some handouts.

　Why would Endo-san, who’s in a different class, be here? But there was only one culprit. Tomorrow, I’d have plenty to discuss with Mai.

More than that, I wanted to bury my head in my hands at this situation.

It was Mum who opened the door. Did that mean she’d found out I hadn’t gone to school?

I heard a noise from downstairs and hurriedly pulled Endo-san into my room.

The silence dragged on, becoming unbearable, so I spoke up.

“Why did you bring the handouts, Endo-san?”

“I heard you weren’t feeling well and got worried. Here…”

She handed me a convenience store bag. Inside were rice balls and drinks.

Just then, my stomach growled loudly and perfectly timed.

I felt my face gradually flush. This was the kind of scene you only see in manga.

Endo-san was smiling, stifling her usual small chuckle.

“Don’t mind me, just eat.”

Before eating, I thought I should at least offer Endo-san a drink, so I headed downstairs. I wanted to avoid the lower floor as much as possible, where I might run into my mother, but I was grateful she’d delivered the printouts, so I left my room.

I was sure paper cups were on the shelf.
My mother wasn’t in the kitchen.
She seemed to be out.

Relieved by the situation, I searched for what I needed.

　Opening the fridge, I found several plastic bottles of juice and tea. I didn’t know what drink she preferred, but I remembered she’d had orange juice when we ate hamburgers together recently, so I decided to take that.

Returning to the room, Endo-san was sitting politely on the floor.

I placed the juice on the table in the middle of the room.

“Here you go. Sorry there aren’t any snacks or anything.”
“You really didn’t need to go to all that trouble.”

　In the quiet room, I found myself staring intently at the rice ball Endo-san had brought. She ended up smiling at me again.

“Hehe, go on, eat it. You did say you were hungry earlier, didn’t you?”
“I didn’t say that.”

Exchanging such banter, I couldn’t resist my rumbling stomach and tucked into the rice ball.

Truthfully, I hadn’t wanted to see Endo-san, and I hadn’t known what expression to wear.

　But Endo-san treated me exactly as she always had, making me feel like all my worrying had been for nothing.
So, surprisingly, being in this room with Endo-san wasn’t as stifling as I’d feared.

Perhaps because I was so hungry, I finished the rice ball in no time. There was a Jelly energy drink inside too, so I ate that without hesitation.

I’d become so absorbed in eating that I hadn’t noticed Endo-san was nearby. She peered down at me.

“You don’t look well. Are you feeling alright?”

Does she even realise whose fault it is that I’m losing sleep?

Ugh… I thought, but then I remembered Saturday and found myself staring at Endo-san’s lips.

They were coated in tinted lip balm and looked so soft.

“What’s up? Fancy doing it again?”

I jolted.

There she was, smiling happily right in front of me.

Bloody annoying.

　She’s definitely teasing me.

Well, for someone like Endo-san who seems experienced in romance, kissing me might be as ordinary as breathing.
But for me, that was my first time.
My first kiss being with Endo-san, the popular girl in our year? That’s no laughing matter.

Even when I glare, Endo-san’s fake smile doesn’t change.

　I could tell her to leave, but Endo-san doesn’t look like she’ll go.

“Want to study?”
“Is that alright?”

Endo-san looks surprised. Studying is far better than this silence dragging on.

“But you remember our promise, right?”

The smile vanishes from Endo-san’s face, and her brow wrinkles uncharacteristically.

“Yeah. I remembered.”
“Of course I did.”
“Right then. Teach me.”

Endo-san sat opposite me and began studying.

Today, she kept asking about parts of her homework she didn’t understand.

Perhaps this exchange had freed her to ask without hesitation. Maybe I’d been making her hold back before.

After studying for about two hours, the clock’s hands pointed to eight. I didn’t particularly want anything, but since it was our agreement, I was going to ask her for one favour now.

　For now, Endo-san was at my beck and call.

“Endo-san, come over here.”

I tapped the spot beside me, leaning back against the bed. Endo-san sat down beside me without a smile. Her movements were a bit stiff, like a frightened hamster, and I thought she looked cute.

“What do I need to do?”
“Just stay here and lend me your shoulder for fifteen minutes.”
“Eh?”
“Just do it.”

I rested my head on Endo-san’s shoulder as she sat beside me.

Perhaps because I hadn’t slept at all, sleepiness hit me immediately.

Endo-san’s shoulder was soft and comfortable. It smelled lovely, like flowers and a towel dried in the sun.

　I doubt I stayed awake for even five minutes after Endo-san sat next to me.

I dreamt of when I was in secondary school, playing in the park, then leaning against my big sister in the shade of a tree, both of us falling asleep.

“Mayo-nee…”

Opening my eyes, I saw the ceiling.
Huh, what was I doing…?
Endo-san…

　I jolted awake.
The clock’s hands pointed to twelve.
I was carefully tucked in under the futon on the bed. Endo-san must have carried me here.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to say it tomorrow, but I’ll thank her.

I finished getting ready to go to school tomorrow.

When I looked in the mirror while bathing, my complexion had improved considerably.