Episode 48: Winter Arrives (4)

The sunlight streams onto my eyelids, and my eyes gradually adjust to the light.

Once my eyes have adjusted, I see Endo-san lying next to me.
I must be a lucky woman to be able to see Endo-san’s face first thing in the morning.

I lightly touch her face, which is as beautiful as ever.

She doesn’t seem likely to wake up yet.
I bring my face closer.
She still doesn’t wake up.

　I know it’s cowardly to do this to her whilst she’s so defenceless, but my body moved before my mind could process it.

I gently press my lips against Endo-san’s soft ones. They’re soft and feel so good that I want to touch them even more.

Yesterday, Hikari-san hugged me, but I didn’t feel anything like this at all.

　It’s a feeling I only have for Endo-san.

I don’t know what it is, nor do I intend to try and understand it. But I won’t tell anyone that I found myself wishing this life could continue even after we finish high school.

After watching Endo-san for a while, her eyes opened. She was beautiful with her eyes closed, but she was even more beautiful with them open.

Endo-san gazed at me with those beautiful brown eyes.

　When she looked at me, my heart began to thump loudly.

Last night, Endo-san slept beside me without letting go of my hand even once, and now that we’re awake, she’s still holding my hand tightly, showing no sign of letting go.

Why does Endo-san behave like this?

If I asked her, would she answer?

‘Good morning.’

Endo-san’s voice upon waking was a little lower and hoarser than usual, and seeing her like this felt very fresh.

‘Good morning, Endo-san. I have to get up, so please let go of my hand.’

Part of me wishes this moment could go on forever, but if Hikari-san were to see us like this, it might lead to some strange misunderstanding, and besides, it’s a normal school day today.

Could it be… are we going to walk to school together?

No, if we did that, we’d attract the attention of the whole school, and that’s the one thing I want to avoid.

When I look at Endo-san’s face, he looks a little sulky.
　I reckon if the boys at school saw Endo-san looking like this, they’d be smitten straight away.

Endo-san let go of my hand and placed hers on my face.

‘Takizawa, you really are beautiful, aren’t you? Your features are so symmetrical; you’re the picture of beauty.’

Endo-san always blurts out embarrassing things like that. No one’s ever complimented me on my face before, so I felt embarrassed and hurried out from under the duvet.

　 Even though I’d managed to get away, Endo-san followed me, hugging me from behind and teasing me in my ear.

‘Takizawa, your ears are bright red, you’re so cute.’

Endo-san teases me like this from time to time.

I didn’t want to play right into her hands, so to get one over on her, I pinched her cheek as hard as I could. She looked like she was about to cry, which gave me a bit of satisfaction.

　When I went to wake Hikari-san, she’d fallen out of bed, probably because she’s a restless sleeper.

‘Hikari-san, it’s morning.’
She mumbled something and started to wake up.

‘Where’s Mayo-nee?’
‘Mayo-nee isn’t with us today.’
‘My body aches. Usually Mayo-nee sleeps holding me tight so I don’t fall out of bed, but she’s not here today.’

No, Mayo-nee…
　What on earth kind of life is she leading?

It looks like I’ll have plenty to ask her about tonight.

In the morning, Endo-san made us some toast, and we all ate it with jam or topped with eggs.

It seems Hikari-san was meeting Mayo-nee somewhere, so she left the house earlier than the rest of us, and we saw her off.

‘Shall we be off soon, then?’

Endo-san started spouting nonsense as usual. How on earth can she always talk like that with such confidence? As I suspected, Endo-san is a breed of person I simply cannot understand.

‘I’m going ahead, so Endo-san, come along in about fifteen minutes.’
‘Aw come on, we can walk together just this once. Besides, if I wait that long I’ll be late.’
‘No. Not happening.’

I absolutely hate this. I just want to get through school in peace.

I hurried out of Endo’s house.
Even though I was walking at a brisk pace once I’d left, about ten minutes later someone tapped me on the shoulder from behind.
School was only five minutes away, yet Endo had caught up with me.

It was the end of November and getting cold, so Endo was wearing a scarf.

‘We agreed not to speak to each other, didn’t we?’
‘But we’re not at school here.’

Oh no…

It’s true we’d agreed not to speak to each other at school. Usually, as I don’t like being at home, I’m one of the first to arrive at school, so I’d never actually bumped into Endo-san in the mornings before.

With no other choice, I ignored Endo-san and walked briskly on.

‘Takizawa, let’s walk and talk.’

Endo-san followed me, grumbling.

　We’re almost at school.
Just as I thought that, I started seeing more students in my school uniform, which made me even more flustered.

“Eh! Why are you two together?”

I’ve just bumped into the last person I wanted to see right now.

“Mai, good morning!”

It felt like Endo-san was answering brightly and looking really pleased.

“Eh? What’s going on? Were you two close? Tell me quickly!”

“We’re not particularly close. We just bumped into each other there.”

I come up with a flimsy excuse. In this situation, it probably doesn’t even count as an excuse.

“Well, let’s go the three of us!”

With Mai’s words, we started walking. Being with these two makes us stand out so much that I hold my breath and pretend to listen to their conversation.

“Come to think of it, Hoshizora, do you have plans for Christmas this year? We said we’d have a Christmas party together last year, but I couldn’t make it because of an urgent family matter, so I’d really like to do it this year!”

What should I do… If I say I have plans, she’ll ask if it’s with a boyfriend, and there’s no way I could ever tell her I’ve promised to spend it with Endo-san.

I racked my brains, trying to figure out the right answer.

‘I’m spending Christmas with Takizawa this year.’
‘Eh, Hina?’
‘Yeah.’

Yeah.
I want to believe I’m dreaming.
I’d kept it hidden all this time, yet Endo-san has just blurted it out so easily.

Endo-san is suddenly standing beside me, putting her arm around my shoulder. I want to brush her off, but I can’t act as coldly as usual in front of Mai.

‘Eh, well then, shall I tag along too?’

　I felt utterly despondent that Endo-san had let it slip, but as I’d been dreading spending a special day with her, having Mai come along would actually be a huge relief for me. Thinking that would be more convenient, I reply.

“Sounds good, let’s have a Christmas party together.”

“Yay! I can’t wait! I’m so excited about eating chicken and swapping presents!”

Whilst Mai is rejoicing with unprecedented enthusiasm, Endo-san isn’t smiling at all.

　Personally, I was relieved to have avoided the very thing I’d feared most. I vowed to get Mai the most amazing Christmas present ever.

　＊＊＊

　School flew by in a flash, and it was time for the afternoon break.
　Endo kept sending me loads of stickers on my phone asking to walk home together, which was getting on my nerves, so I just replied that I’d be waiting at the convenience store near the school.

　Endo was already at the convenience store before me and came running over, looking delighted.

‘I’d like you to help me with my studies when we get home. There was something I didn’t understand in class today. I can’t make sense of the teacher’s explanation, but when you explain it, Takizawa, it’s so clear I get it straight away.’

Saying that, Endo-san walked ahead of me.

It made me happy to be of use to someone, and I was pleased to be told I explained things better than the teacher.

I really do enjoy teaching, and as I walked along the road to Endo-san’s house, I found myself thinking that I’d like to work in that sort of field.