After I Picked up a Notebook Filled With Intense Emotions, the Girls Started Acting Strange - Chapter 4

I didn’t know what that wink was supposed to mean.

Did she do that because she knew I had the notebook?

The more I thought about it, the more questions spun around in my head.

What was written in that notebook was shocking, but I’d never seen anything crazy about Sena-san in person. That just made it all more confusing and scary.

Still, judging by what was written and how she acted just now, it was very likely the notebook belonged to her.

Now it was just a matter of finding proof.

I needed to watch her a bit longer.

Wait?

If that’s the case, then who are the other two people looking for the notebook…?

“—!”

While thinking that, I glanced to the side and froze.

“—…”

Kuroe-san, who had been quietly reading earlier, was now watching Shindou and Sena-san talk.

She looked so intense, her whole presence seemed to crackle with tension.

I almost let out a scream, but quickly covered my mouth.

Was that… jealousy?

She was clearly looking at Sena-san like an enemy.

When I greeted her earlier, she seemed normal, but maybe she’d been thinking something else deep down.

“…”

―When I see him smile with another girl, my mind goes blank. Impossible. I can’t stand it. He’s mine alone. I won’t let anyone have him. Until he notices me, I’ll keep watching him. For years. For decades. Forever.

Come to think of it, there was something like that written in the notebook.

So, the one acting according to it wasn’t just Sena-san.

Well, I guess anyone might glare at their love rival, but still…

“What!?”

Suddenly, Kuroe-san turned to face me after she had been staring at Shindou and the others. Our eyes met.

She caught me watching. Cold sweat ran down my back as I let out a weird sound.

“Is something wrong?”

“N-no… it’s… nothing…”

“I see.”

She gave a short reply, then quietly turned back to her book, as if nothing had happened.

It looked like a novel, but I couldn’t tell for sure that the cover hid the title.

She looked like she was focused on her book, but I could see her sneaking glances at Shindou again and again.

Until now and until our second year, she’d never seemed interested in anyone.

I had no idea what she was thinking, but I could almost honestly believe she might be the one who wrote the notebook.

That’s how mysterious her private life was.

I thought the notebook belonged to Sena-san, but it didn’t seem that simple.

“…Haah.”

At this point, I couldn’t help but wonder, maybe the other girl too?

It was clear that both of them liked Shindou.

But who really owned the notebook?

If the person who wrote it couldn’t make their wish come true, I had a bad feeling it would end in something terrible.

Like Shindou’s death.

To be honest, I didn’t really care about Shindou himself.

But I did want the notebook’s owner to find happiness somehow.

Even if what was written inside crossed a line, there was something painfully sincere about those feelings.

…Maybe that’s just my selfishness.

I just want to see what happens to that kind of pure and desperate love, the kind I once lost.

Still, thinking that the other two girls might also end up heartbroken… It made my chest ache.

…Shindou’s sin is heavy.

◆

“Shindou! I made lunch for you!”

“No, I’m eating at the cafeteria today.”

“But you said last time it was really good, right?”

“Yeah, I did, but an entire lunchbox full of fried food? I like it, but I can’t eat that much oil.”

“Eh? But you said you liked it before…”

“A-anyway! I’m going to the cafeteria. You don’t have to come!”

“Ah…”

That was how Shindou and Sena-san’s conversation went when lunch break started.

She stopped him just as he was leaving the classroom, but he turned her down.

He must’ve been worried about people watching, because he led her to the edge of the hallway so others wouldn’t notice.

I was probably the only one close enough to overhear.

For a second, Sena-san looked really sad as she watched his back walk away.

Then, when some classmates called out to her, she smiled like nothing was wrong and went to eat lunch with them.

But that smile looked forced.

Love really is complicated.

Even when they’re doing something for someone they like, it doesn’t always make them happy.

She made what Shindou said he liked, but I guess she went overboard.

That huge plastic container she was holding was separate from the lunchbox. It was wrapped with kitchen paper, but judging by the size, it had a lot inside.

Honestly, unless there are competitive eaters, finishing that alone would be impossible.

Sena-san seems to enjoy taking care of Shindou, but it’s starting to look a bit too much.

Like with breakfast this morning. According to Shindou, she made him a full-course meal.

I’d been watching the two for a while, and I could tell Shindou was getting tired of her over-attentive behavior.

It’s a tricky situation. I want Sena-san to stay true to her feelings, but maybe she needs to think a little more about how she shows them.

Watching someone’s love miss the mark like that, it hurts to see.

It’s like looking at my past self.

“What’s wrong? You look pale.”

“Well, a lot on my mind.”

After seeing that scene at lunch, I went to the courtyard.

There, my friend Yokota Kazuma, who’s in another class this year, was eating an omelet rice from his lunchbox.

On top, ketchup was drawn into the heart.

Sitting beside him was his girlfriend, the one who made it, Kanda Aya.

“Delicious!”

“Right?”

They sat close together, happily enjoying lunch.

It’d been a while since he invited me to eat with them, and this was what I got.

Honestly, it felt like I’d walked into a trap. Annoying. They could’ve done that somewhere else.

“Come on, don’t look so grumpy. You looked worried about something.”

“Here, ahh.”

“Ahh—oof! This cherry tomato’s so sour!”

…Seriously.

“So, what’s bothering you?”

“There’s this girl who likes a certain guy… but it’s all one-sided. I’m wondering what to do.”

“What!? Are you giving love advice now!?”

Aya leaned in with wide eyes, full of curiosity.

She only paid attention to Kazuma, but she was quick to react to this kind of story.

“No, not really.”

“Then why are you the one worrying about it?”

“Well, guess I just got dragged into it.”

I’d seen what was written in that notebook.

Of course, I was curious about how it would all end.

Even if the love didn’t work out, I at least wanted to make sure it didn’t lead to something tragic.

“Dragged into it…”

“Kanda, can I ask you something?”

“Me?”

“Yeah.”

Getting stuck watching them flirt right in front of me was annoying, but since I had a couple right here, I might as well get something useful out of it.

“Yeah, but just so you know, I’m Kazuma’s girl.”

“Yeah, I get it. It’s not like that. But let’s say, if Kazuma was super popular and didn’t notice your feelings at all, what would you do?”

I figured she might understand something about how girls think. Something that could help me understand the notebook’s owner.

“Hmm?”

“Now that’s a question I want to hear too.”

Kazuma, next to me, watched Kanda’s answer with a hopeful look.

And then,

“I’d probably get rid of everyone around him until he noticed me.”

“Eek.”

Kazuma let out a tiny squeak.

…So there was another one here carrying some heavy emotions.

◆

“Oh crap! I totally forgot!”

I’d been relaxing in the courtyard during lunch, but the first class after lunch was P.E.

I had to change clothes too; if I didn’t hurry, I’d be late.

After saying goodbye to Kazuma and the others, I rushed back to my classroom.

The warning bell had already rung, so everyone was probably heading to the field by now.

Breathing hard, I stepped into the classroom.

I went straight to my seat to grab my gym clothes when I noticed something.

“…Huh?”

“…!”

Someone was still in the classroom.

A blonde girl turned around, and she was startled by my voice.

She had a strange and unreadable look on her face.

And in her hands was Shindou’s gym jacket.

…I didn’t see anything.

────────

Afterword

It’s only the third day since I posted this, so it’s hard to say for sure, but the growth has been a bit slow so far.

I’m actually thinking about changing the title, which is still undecided…

Things will really start moving from here on, so please stay tuned!

If you’d like, I’d really appreciate a follow, rating, or comment!