“…Hey, why are you suddenly down?”
“…Mm. I guess Yoshiki also thinks I’m not normal.”
“Well, I mean… of course. You’re the sun of Class 2, so it’s natural that you’re not normal. You’re different from me.”
I prioritized following up rather than apologizing awkwardly.
However, Yuzu gave a wry smile and looked up at the sky.
A faint sunlight was leaking through the uniformly gray sky.
“You know, the ‘sun of Class 2’… It probably doesn’t mean what you think it does.”
“Huh? Is that so?”
I blinked my eyes.
Before I knew it, a shadow had appeared on Yuzu’s expression.
“Of course, there are people like you who use it in a good way.”
“…It has a bad meaning? Sorry, I didn’t realize.”
“Mm-mm. I know you didn’t mean any harm, Yoshiki.”
Yuzu shrugged her shoulders.
“Then, do you dislike being called the sun?”
“…I might dislike it if you call me that, Yoshiki.”
“What kind of meaning does it have?”
Rumors about Yuzu should spread instantly.
But considering the fact that everyone knows I’m close to Yuzu, this situation makes sense.
“Only boys use that nickname, right? I hope you can figure it out from that.”
“Now that you mention it, maybe. …But sorry, I can’t figure it out. This is really news to me.”
“Eh~”
Yuzu narrowed her eyes, looking thoroughly annoyed, then sighed and said, “Well, I guess it’s okay if it’s Yoshiki.”
“It means I’d probably let them do it if they asked.”
I closed my mouth.
…Seriously?
How many times have I called Yuzu “sun”?
Had I been making her feel bad every time?
…Come to think of it, this is the first time Yuzu has talked to me about this kind of thing.
Despite being in a position like the class leader, she hears these vulgar rumors about herself.
Thinking about how Yuzu must feel, I don’t know how to comfort her.
As I was racking my brain, Yuzu gave a wry smile and waved her chopsticks left and right.
“Haha, don’t feel awkward about it. I understand that you didn’t know, Yoshiki.”
“No… but even though I didn’t know, I still said it in the classroom… Damn, why does ‘sun’ have that kind of meaning?”
“Hmm. …They say it’s because the sun shines on everyone. That’s the nuance, apparently.”
“…So that’s what it’s based on. I wonder if Takeru knows.”
“Arinocchi? Well, I don’t think he knows. I’m not sure about that.”
…That guy isn’t actually that close to Yuzu, after all.
Takeru used the word “oshi” for Yuzuha, so he probably wouldn’t say anything that would hurt her.
Looking back, Yuzuha’s attitude towards Takeru was somewhat cold.
That was simply because she couldn’t trust that he wasn’t badmouthing her.
“After hearing that, what do you think, Yoshiki? Do you think I’d let you do it?”
As I shifted my gaze, Yuzuha’s disheveled uniform came into view at the corner of my vision.
As before, Yuzuha disliked awkward atmospheres.
I racked my brain, trying to create a more comfortable atmosphere.
The words that came out in the end were—
“Is… is that so?”
Yuzuha blinked.
And then.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
“Th-that’s the worst!? Unbelievable, aren’t friends supposed to comfort you at times like this!?”
“Sorry, I tried to lighten the mood but failed. I was just trying to ease the tension, I really don’t think that way at all, I’m so sorry!!”
Startled by Yuzuha’s voice, I frantically waved my arms and apologized.
I had gone too far this time.
When making split-second decisions, the insensitive me from when I used to bicker with Remi comes out.
Not being good at talking doesn’t equate to hurting people.
My inherent personality sometimes produces careless words.
Damn, I want to be able to convey the words people are looking for—like Remi does.
At the very least, I should be able to create a good atmosphere.
It’s pointless to think unnecessary thoughts all the time if I can’t put them into words when it matters.
As I was considering further apologies, Yuzuha raised the corner of her mouth and said, “What’s this?”
“A virgin move, huh? Well, I guess it’s fine then.”
“It’s fine!?”
Surprised, I saw Yuzuha show an unusually gentle smile.
“Hmm, it’s fine. It actually lightened the mood. Haha, I guess this was all according to plan?”
“I’m not sure if that’s okay… but thank you for your generosity.”
“Yeah. It’s kinda like you, Yoshiki.”
Yuzuha raised the corners of her mouth again and closed the lid of her lunchbox.
The contents that briefly entered my vision seemed to still have some left.
“You know, I’m honestly aware that it wouldn’t be strange if people thought I’d do it if they asked. I do show a lot of skin, after all. Even earlier, I didn’t notice at all until you pointed out my skirt.”
“You might show skin, but that’s a separate issue, isn’t it?”
“Hmm, is it?”
Yuzuha stood up straight, then spun around to face me.
Her skirt fluttered, and for a moment I thought I saw quite far up her thighs.
“Actually, I don’t really have much resistance to that kind of thing. I just hate being made fun of.”
Sensing the implications, I carefully chose my words.
“…But to make that into a nickname is not normal thinking. ‘Sun’ or something like that, you’d think they’d take it from being outgoing or something, right? There might be people like me who call you that in class without knowing, and it’s bad that it’s mixed up.”
“I think so too, but…”
“Then why don’t you resist more obviously?”
“Well, maybe because there’s a part of me that accepts it. I told you, right? What’s normal isn’t normal for me.”
“…Ah.”
…So that’s what she was referring to as well.
I want to punch myself for thinking it was just about the incompatibility between “gyaru” and “normal.”
She was talking about the nickname “Sun.”
—Damn, at this rate, it seems like I might be missing other signs too.
“You said this class was running smoothly, but it probably isn’t. It just looks that way because we haven’t been in school for long.”
“…If Yuzuha is being teased like that, I guess you’re right.”
“That’s part of it, but there’s more. If things were really going well, rumors about you dating me wouldn’t lead to people badmouthing you behind your back.”
Yuzuha leaned against the wall.
“…Indeed, I was talked about quite a bit at that time. But I have the impression that it was mostly other classes doing the teasing. In fact, Yuzuha’s group protected me and it died down quickly.”
A lukewarm breeze blew.
Yuzuha twirled her ribbon in the wind around her finger and shrugged slightly.
“They could protect you because we had just started school, but what if it had been winter? Our group just stands out the most, but all high school students are pretty self-centered. I’m not good at bringing people together either, or rather, I’m not cut out for it in the first place?”
It was an unusually negative statement. …I think I understand why.
In the upper grades of elementary school, Remi naturally began to act as a leader.
But Yuzuha only became a leader in the third year of middle school.
If it hadn’t been for the incident where I was isolated by the girls, Yuzuha probably would never have become a leader.
An intentional leader who stepped up with purpose.
In terms of presence alone, Remi was slightly more prominent than the current leader, Yuzuha Yui.
Even so.
“Even if you’re not cut out for it, you’re the one livening up the class now, right? During break times, the area around you looks the most fun.”
Yuzuha blinked rapidly.
Then she burst out laughing.
“Come on, don’t flatter me like that.”
“I’m serious.”
Just like that time in the classroom, but this time it was my turn to stare.
Yuzuha seemed to flinch slightly.
“Isn’t it just because I’m a pretty gyaru that people pay attention to me?”
“Don’t say that yourself. That might be part of it, but you’re exciting everyone with your lively behavior, right? At least I’m grateful.”
When I said that, Yuzuha modestly played with her hair.
Her fingers, made vibrant by her nails, entwined with her light golden hair.
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