Episode 97: The Seat Next to Me

As the breeze blew in through the window, her beautiful black hair swayed gently.

Because I’d been staring too long, the girl turned to face me.

—Our eyes met.

I fought the urge to be drawn into those jet-black eyes and forced a smile. However, she never smiled back. Takizawa simply turned her gaze back to the blackboard, acting as if we’d never made eye contact.

　I ended up in the same class as Takizawa, and I got the seat next to her.

If there is a God, I’d like to meet Him and thank Him.

Takizawa’s profile, as she concentrated on the lesson, was so beautiful that I couldn’t concentrate on the lesson myself.

The long, hot summer holidays should be over by now, yet the classroom lacks vitality and the atmosphere is gloomy. The hot days continue, sapping the motivation of the whole class, myself included.

　Even so, I’ve recently been trying to study during break times to prepare for my entrance exams. That’s because, with my current grades, I’m barely scraping the pass mark. Just the other day, I felt quite down after seeing my mock exam results. Although my grades have improved considerably, I just can’t seem to get the results I need in the mock exams.

In the heat, a cold sweat trickles down my neck from the anxiety and worry.

Because I’d been gazing at Takizawa during the lesson just now, I’d missed a part and couldn’t figure out where I’d lost the thread.

‘Hina, you’re working hard right through to break time, aren’t you?’

　Mai peered over at my desk with her usual cheerful manner.

‘There was a bit I missed earlier and I’ve lost track of where I am…’

　When I said that, it wasn’t Mai who reacted, but the girl sitting next to me.

　Takizawa sat down rather forcefully next to me on my seat. Pressed against Takizawa’s hips, we ended up sitting two on a chair.

　It was cramped and I was half hanging off the edge, so it should have been uncomfortable, but for some reason that tightness felt pleasant, and the right side of my body grew hotter and hotter as I felt Takizawa’s warmth.

“What don’t you understand?”

　Takizawa peered into my textbook and notebook.
　I was so close to the face I’d been gazing at just a moment ago that I couldn’t concentrate on that. I remembered what had happened at the summer festival, and my face flushed all at once.

　I managed to keep my composure and began to speak to her.

‘The teacher broke down this equation to make it easier to understand, but even though I was listening, I still didn’t get it…’

　The truth was, I’d been gazing at Takizawa and hadn’t been listening at all. There was no way I could say that, so I ended up pretending to be studious in front of her. Believing in the ‘studious girl’ I was playing, Takizawa explained it to me in a way that was even clearer than the teacher’s.

‘That’s so clear…’
‘I’m glad to hear it.’

Having cleared up everything I didn’t understand, Takizawa seemed satisfied and moved away from my desk.

As soon as Takizawa left, the right side of my body suddenly went cold. She didn’t return to his own desk, but went out into the corridor and disappeared somewhere.

‘Hoshizora-san really is something, isn’t she? Hina, you’re staring at Hoshizora-san far too much during class. And you’re looking as red as an apple.’

Mai spoke in that tone she uses when she’s incredibly pleased, grinning at me with that infuriating expression.

Does Mai know how I feel about Takizawa…? I don’t know if she’s noticed, but I’ve never told her myself.

　I’ve been meaning to tell Mai myself one day, but I’ve never quite found the right moment, and here we are.

‘Mai, do you have any idea which university you want to go to?’
‘Actually, I’m thinking of applying to XX University.’
‘Eh!? That’s the same as my first-choice university…’

I’d been so out of the loop regarding Mai that I was taken aback by this fact, and having spoken so loudly in the classroom that I’d drawn attention to myself, I unconsciously cringed.

“Really! You too, Hina!? It’ll be brilliant if we both get in. See you at uni then!”

Even though the exams were still a long way off and neither of us knew if we’d even get in, Mai was getting all excited on her own, shouting ‘Yay!’ I felt reassured knowing there was someone aiming for the same place as me, and just as I was getting into a lively chat with Mai, Takizawa came back.

“What are you two getting so excited about?”
Takizawa’s face looked a little clouded.

‘Hina and I are aiming for the same university! Isn’t that amazing!? I was feeling a bit nervous on my own, so I’m really happy!’
Whilst Mai looked delighted, Takizawa’s face had tensed up and her eyes had narrowed.

‘I hope you both get in.’
Takizawa said this in a tone that I couldn’t quite tell if it was positive or negative, and just then, the bell for the next lesson rang.

　I watch Takizawa closely, and I feel I’ve come to understand her to a certain extent just by observing her behaviour, but there’s still so much I don’t know.

Her words and actions are at odds with one another, so I can’t quite tell what she meant or what her true feelings are.

I need to concentrate on the lesson, yet I find my focus slipping at the strangest moments.

　I gave myself a mental slap on the wrist, took my stationery out of the pencil case Takizawa had given me, and focused on the lesson.

The black cat on the pencil case looked just like the face Takizawa had been making a moment ago, and it seemed to be looking right at me.

That face was so cute, so endearing, that I gently stroked the cat on the pencil case.