NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 427
After that, well…
Of course, the parents rushed over.
There were some people I had never seen before and some I already knew.
“…It’s been a while.”
Yamashita-san looked down at me and said that.
There was hardly any expression on his face. Not even the typical, you know, relief or anything like that.
Yamashita-san glanced at Yu, but Yu quickly turned his head away without making eye contact with him.
His expression was way more uncomfortable than when our eyes met.
Despite the situation not being too great, showing that kind of reaction towards his father, Yamashita-san, probably meant something had happened between them.
Could it be that Yamashita-san actually got a girlfriend? One around our age?
In the distance, Harumi and her father, Fukuda-san, were talking. Harumi seemed oddly annoyed while Fukuda-san was responding to her as if he found her behavior ridiculous.
From what I could gather, their conversation went something like, “Didn’t I say don’t fight at school?” “So, are you just going to sit there? Koto Ne was right, and you’re just going to let it go?” “No, that’s not what I meant…”
Thinking about how Harumi knew about Yu’s situation, it made me think she probably got mixed up in that middle school incident as well.
Mako and Miura-san didn’t say anything to each other. Well, they had exchanged some words a moment ago, but that was it. Miura-san didn’t look that angry, but Mako seemed to be suffering from considerable guilt.
Miura-san locked eyes with me and came closer. Yamashita-san slightly shifted to make space.
“…I’m sorry.”
I bent down my head and said that.
It’s not about throwing the first punch or anything. Perhaps we could have resolved this better.
It just made me so mad that he said that, even if it wasn’t where Yu could see it.
…
Wait a minute.
Thinking about how Yu was actually listening, if I hadn’t intervened, our relationship could have gotten a lot more tangled. Not that it’s something to be proud of.
“From what I hear, it doesn’t seem to be a one-sided mistake.”
Miura-san said that.
I’m not sure if that was for me, for Mako, or said in consideration of our relationship.
But still, hearing that really eased my mind.
“…Just make sure nothing happens.”
“Thank you.”
I bowed my head again.
Miura-san approached Mako and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Koto Ne?”
I was wearing a slightly glum expression when Koko spoke to me. It was as if she was asking if the cause was her.
We all fought in our own ways, but Koko is the one who fought the most effectively barehanded.
With no special techniques, she just pushed and dodged with her physical strength, leaving the girls sprawled on the floor. She probably wouldn’t touch me as long as Koko was by my side, even without Miura-san telling her not to do so.
Sure, bizarre rumors might spread at school, but I decided not to worry about that.
“It’s not your fault.”
I said as I placed my hand on Koko’s.
Seeing Koko look at me made me feel somewhat calmer. Right. If my mind were to go downhill here, Koko would be really anxious.
She’s intuitive, smart, and strong. She has also learned quite a bit about common sense in this world.
However, I was the one who brought Koko into this world. So I mustn’t let my anxieties affect her.
“It’s just that those kids—”
But before I could finish my sentence…
“Koto Ne!?”
I heard a voice calling my name, slightly louder than Koko’s.
Kagami came rushing over, quickly scanning my body.
“Mom.”
“Really? You got into a fight with someone at school? Are you hurt anywhere?”
I get hurt way more often when fighting Yōkai.
Well, you can’t help it. At least I plan to keep fighting until we can be truly happy after ending this ‘main story.’
Besides, Kagami knows that there are hardly any visible marks left on me after being hit by a person.
“Who the…!”
But it seemed Kagami was furious at the fact that someone hit me.
Yeah, probably.
It’s upsetting for a parent to see their child get burned while fighting fires. But those are just wounds that arise from work. In contrast, getting hit by someone changes the situation. Those wounds are something to be angry about.
“Mom.”
I said that while snuggling into Kagami’s arms.
“Koto Ne?”
Kagami seemed slightly flustered when I suddenly hugged her tightly.
I pulled Koko into the hug with one arm too.
Hugging my mom might be a bit embarrassing for a high school student. If you’re the sensitive type at that age, you’d feel a lot more shame.
But right now, this is where I feel the most at ease.
In this world, I know that no matter what I become, Kagami will always be on my side.
And Kagami probably knows that too. She understands what I’m thinking.
“…”
Kagami didn’t say anything for a while, just holding me tightly with both arms.
After feeling that warmth, I finally felt relief despite knowing that I shouldn’t.
Still, it felt like this embrace was the safest place in the world.
It felt somewhat quieter around me.
I remained hidden in Kagami’s arms for a while, away from the world.
*
Thinking about it, I realize my relationships are quite complicated.
Not that it’s tangled, though. If I broke it down, it’s just that there are connections.
Dad is Yamashita-san’s subordinate. If I had to put it, it would be better to say he’s the ‘one and only subordinate,’ but still, he’s following Yamashita-san’s requests.
The two greeted each other as if meeting for the first time, shaking hands, but they couldn’t completely hide their expressions.
Fukuda-san greeted Kagami brightly.
Kagami slightly smiled back at Fukuda-san, bowing her head a bit as if it had been a long time.
It must feel incredibly strange. The first time Fukuda-san met Kagami, she was still a teenager. Now, Kagami is in her late twenties.
After seeing Kagami grow up to her twenties, it’s been years since I last saw her. Imagining how strange it would feel if a very young niece suddenly appears in her late twenties—I can’t really picture it well.
No, more than that, thinking like that reminds me of my past life’s family, so I quickly stopped.
Anyway, everything was quickly settled. Among all the parents who rushed over, Kagami was the only one who looked somewhat normal. Even Miura-san radiated a peculiar aura that seemed to scare the other parents slightly.
The kid who openly gossiped about Yamashita’s family went pale, almost turning green.
Since we called our parents just after after-school, we quickly went home.
“Koto Ne.”
But there was someone grabbing my attention from behind.
It was Yu.
“Let’s talk for a bit.”
“…”
I looked back at Kagami.
“I’ll wait for you.”
Kagami said that, and Dad nodded. It seemed Yamashita-san wouldn’t interfere with us, so I followed Yu for now.
Koko was being held back by Kagami, unable to move.
“……”
Yu was the first to speak as we walked toward the playground.
“Why did you come back?”
When Yu said that, I hesitated for a moment to answer.
“…I was thinking of coming back someday.”
I never thought we would meet like this. But it is true that I planned to return someday.
If that were the case, our relationship might have been even more awkward than it is now.
“Are you not going to tell me why you left?”
“…I’m sorry. I’ll tell you later, when it’s all over.”
“Why?”
“Because you seem to be thinking a lot about various things as well.”
“…Hmph.”
Yu made a sound that seemed incredulous at my answer. But there was an air of weakness in that.
“Well, fine.”
Yu said that and turned away again.
After that, we didn’t really talk any further.
We didn’t openly forgive each other or say thank you, or anything like that.
As we walked around the playground, I had this feeling that Yu’s mood had softened a bit.
“…This place isn’t your home, is it?”
Before heading over to our parents, Yu asked indirectly.
“Yeah. I have to go a bit further.”
“…I see.”
Yu just replied like that.
He could have been a bit more honest.
If he wanted to come over, I’d be more than willing to invite him.
I also wanted to be invited.
But somehow, I felt like it wasn’t the right time for Yu yet.
So, I decided to just take it easy.
At least for today, we’ve gotten this close.