Chapter 7: Colchicum ①

September, Second Year of High School

“…and thus, based on this… and a high school student is…”

“Hey, Amane. Why are the principal’s speeches so boring and sleep-inducing? Yawn.”

“You’ll get scolded, Taichi, if you don’t listen seriously.”

“It’s fine, no one’s listening seriously, I swear.”

“I don’t think that’s entirely true, though.”

Our Haneaka High School’s summer break had ended, and naturally, school had resumed. On this first day back from vacation, we were all attending the opening ceremony with the rest of the student body. The gymnasium, which lacked air conditioning, was sweltering, and the principal’s speech completely failed to register in my ears. This was true for the other students as well, with boredom clearly etched on their faces.

“…Hey, Taichi. Wouldn’t it be interesting if there was a book compiling all the principal’s speeches?”

The truth was, I was so bored I was thinking of stupid things like that.

“What, Amane, you’re not listening seriously either. Well, yeah, I might actually want to read that.”

“It’s strange, isn’t it? Maybe we don’t actually want to see the content of the book, but just the printed characters themselves.”

“That doesn’t make sense, does it? If that were true, we wouldn’t have varying opinions on whether a book’s content was good or bad.”

“That’s a valid point. Then perhaps we can conclude this: we enjoy reading silently, but we’re bad at being read to.”

“Ah, this reading aloud is honestly tough.”

“Agreed.”

It was so hot, though, that I felt like I was being cooked, like in The Order of Many Requests. 

Seasoned with salt would make me even tastier, I thought.

“Hahaha… what am I thinking?”

The sweat pouring from my body wouldn’t stop, soaking my white uniform shirt. Well, if I’m covered in sweat, the salt level is perfect anyway. Now, who will eat me? A Colossal Titan? A flying dragon? Or maybe a cannibal? Am I the main course? The appetizer? Maybe dessert?

“Hey, Amane, are you okay? Your face is pale.”

“Ah, I’m fine, really.”

I was starting to feel faint. If I boiled over like this, the cooking would be complete. After that, you can leave leftovers or finish the meal, whatever you like.

“You keep saying ‘I’m fine, I’m fine,’ but you’re clearly getting worse. Tell a teacher and go to the infirmary.”

Taichi’s voice sounded muffled, as if through glass.

“Huh? Taichi, what did you just say—”

At that moment, my vision spun and faded to black.

Huh? Have I finally been eaten by something? I wish they wouldn’t leave leftovers, if possible…

…

………

I woke up, and the unfamiliar white ceiling was the first thing that greeted my eyes. Next, I noticed I was wrapped in a white blanket. And finally, I realized the cool sensation on my head.

“Oh, you’re awake, Shiranui-kun? How are you feeling?”

The source of the cool sensation was a human hand, and the person was Takamine-san.

“Huh? Takamine-san, why… and where is this?”

“Shiranui-kun, you collapsed from heatstroke during the opening ceremony. So you were taken to the infirmary…”

“I see, so this is the infirmary. And why are you here, Takamine-san?”

“Well, I’m the health committee member, you see. The teacher told me to check on you. And then you woke up right away.”

“I never knew you were on the health committee, Takamine-san…”

“What’s your committee, Shiranui-kun?”

“I’m the lock-up duty member.”

“Ah! Right, there was a committee like that! I see, so that’s why Shiranui-kun can always stay late after school.”

“Since no one wants to do it because you have to leave late, it worked out conveniently for me, so I’m grateful for the position. By the way, what time is it?”

“Let’s see, it’s almost noon. Everyone’s having a meeting for the culture festival exhibit, but it’ll be homeroom soon, so the teacher told me to check on you. How about it? Think you can make it to homeroom?”

“Hmm, it’d be tough to go back right now, but I think I can return after a little while.”

“Okay. I’ll go back and tell the teacher that.”

“Thank you, Takamine-san.”

“Um… Shiranui-kun!”

“What is it?”

“Well… um… are! Are you feeling okay?”

“I’m a little dizzy, but I’ll manage.”

“Oh… I see. Th-that’s good! …It’s not the right time, is it, me…”

“What was that?”

“Oh, never mind. Just talking to myself. Well then, take care, Shiranui-kun.”

Saying that, she quietly left the infirmary.

“Takamine-san was on the health committee…”

I had an unexpected stroke of good luck and actually felt better than before I collapsed from heatstroke. Setting that aside, I was surprised that the culture festival meeting was taking place so soon after the opening ceremony. It was the first day back from summer break, and things were already busy.

Well, they weren’t deciding everything today, but it seemed this school was reluctant to give students any time to ease back into things after the break.

“By the way, where’s the nurse…”

I couldn’t find anyone who looked like the teacher in charge. I sat up, and my vision briefly blurred as if I had stood up too fast, but my balance returned after a few moments. 

In this condition, it felt slightly risky to stand up immediately. I took a deep breath to stabilize my body. Hesitantly, I lowered both feet from the bed and gradually tested if they could bear my weight.

“Seems okay.”

I stood up with effort, feeling a slight momentary dizziness that quickly passed. Since I couldn’t find the teacher in charge after looking around the infirmary, I arbitrarily decided it was okay to leave without permission and exited the infirmary.

I walked down the hall, up the stairs, down the next hall, and finally reached my usual classroom. When I slid the door open and entered the familiar room, about half the class, though not everyone, turned their attention to me all at once, and an unfamiliar tension washed over me. 

Once they realized the latecomer was the bookish and unremarkable student, Amane Shiranui, they shifted their gaze back to the blackboard. I too relaxed and turned my attention to the blackboard.

The blackboard was filled with ideas for stalls, like a coffee shop, takoyaki, and chocolate bananas. Ohta-sensei, my homeroom teacher, who was standing on the lecturn, noticed me and spoke.

“Oh, Shiranui, you’re awake. You feeling alright?”

“Yes, thank you for your concern.”

“That’s good. For now, just be aware that these are the ideas proposed in the first culture festival meeting. Homeroom is about to start, so take your seat.”

“Yes, sir.”

As I sat down as instructed, Taichi, who sat in front of me, turned around.

“I was worried about you, Amane. You collapsed right after saying you were fine, fine.”

“Sorry for making you worry. I guess I overdid the tough-guy act.”

“Don’t push yourself next time, okay?”

“I’ll take it to heart.”

“So, how was it?”

“How was what?”

“Don’t play dumb. I’m asking for your impressions of being woken up by our school’s Madonna, Takamine-san.”

“Huh?”

“‘Huh?’ is not an answer. There’s no way you have no thoughts about being gently woken up by the object of every male student’s desire, is there?”

“Ah, well. She just checked on me and passed along a message, so there’s nothing special to report.”

“Kugh! Saying you didn’t feel anything! Do you have any idea how many guys in this class were envying you?”

It’s not like I didn’t feel anything.

“If that hadn’t happened, you would never have been alone with Takamine-san, would you? You just squandered a lucky case of heatstroke.”

Yes, originally, she and I are people from different worlds.

“I think heatstroke is unlucky…”

“Alright! Homeroom is starting, so stop talking among yourselves.”

The class, which had been buzzing, immediately quieted at the teacher’s command.

“Some of you might not have fully switched back yet after the summer break, but the break is over. Get your minds right. Classes will officially resume starting tomorrow.”

” ” “Awwwww!” ” “

“Don’t ‘awwww.’ I told you to change gears. That’s all for today. Dismmised.”

“Stand—bow.”

“”Thank you very much, sir.””

“Be careful on your way home.”

The classmates resumed their buzzing and started preparing to leave. Taichi, in the seat in front of me, picked up his bag and stood up.

“I don’t have library duty today, wanna walk home together, Amane?”

“I appreciate the invitation, but I don’t think I’ve recovered enough energy to walk home in this heat right now, so I’ll pass.”

“Tch, I was hoping to walk home while hearing your impressions of the live Takamine-san. But seriously, take care of yourself, okay?”

“Thanks. See you, Taichi.”

“Yep, see ya tomorrow~”

Taichi joined the stream of departing classmates.

It was after about two-thirds of the classmates, including Taichi and Takamine-san, had left. The sliding door to my classroom burst open with tremendous force, creating a loud noise.

The person who arrived was Ayane, my stepsister, who ran quickly to my seat.

“Onii-chan! Are you okay!?“

“I heard you collapsed, Onii-chan, and I was so worried! I wanted to visit you in the infirmary, you know!? I told the teacher, ‘I absolutely have to go!’ but she forcefully stopped me! I swear! And you know! All I wanted was to know if you were alright as soon as possible! I wanted to know! Homeroom finally ended, so I rushed here to see you! So, Onii-chan, are you feeling alright? Are you okay? I can’t live if you die Onii-chan”

Ayane spoke loudly and quickly, rattling off her words.

“C-calm down, Ayane. It was just heatstroke, it’s nothing to fuss about. Look, you’re startling the other people in the class.”

The few remaining classmates in the room seemed simply overwhelmed by Ayane’s intensity.

“I don’t care about other people! I don’t want you to die, Onii-chan!!!”

“L-like I said, I’m not going to die.”

Ayane, crying hysterically, pressed her face into my shoulder as the classmates watched with curiosity. This was troublesome, a little embarrassing. For a while, I was left in this state of shame while I tried to calm Ayane down.

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A few days had passed since the summer break ended. Other than the discussions for the upcoming culture festival, the days were returning to their rhythm before the break. 

I was still writing my terrible prose as usual. Lately, though, the pen hadn’t been moving much, and I didn’t know the cause.

“Maybe I should try a change of pace…”

I stopped the hand holding the pen and closed the notebook I’d been writing in. 

During the summer break, I had been writing on manuscript paper, but sensing a recent slump, I’d settled back into writing in a notebook, which I was long accustomed to. 

From the window where the setting sun streamed in, I could hear the cheers of a few sports clubs.

I’ll go up to the rooftop and catch some wind. With that thought, I left the classroom and headed for the rooftop. 

For the past few months, my pen had been moving with an unusual fervor, and I was self-aware that the cause was a single girl. 

Could the reason for my current lack of progress be her influence as well?

“No, no, that’s just taking it out on her.”

I chastised myself, telling myself it was simply a lack of skill.

I finished climbing the stairs and reached for the door to the rooftop, but the door opened as if escaping from me.

“Sh-Shiranui-kun!?”

“T-Takamine-san!?”

This girl really has a way of showing up that’s bad for my heart.

“A-ahaha. What a coincidence to run into you here… Well, I’ll be heading home now.”

As she moved to pass by me, I noticed something.

“Wait, Takamine-san.”

“…”

My single sentence stopped her feet on the stairs.

“Why… why were you crying?”

The two streaks on her cheek. I couldn’t ignore them, and I couldn’t help but ask that question.

“Ahaha… Crying? No, I wasn’t, Shiranui-kun.”

“…There were streaks on your cheek.”

“!”

Pointed out by me, she hastily rubbed her cheek hard with the sleeve of her uniform.

“…No, sorry. Everyone has one or two things they don’t want to talk about with others. You don’t have to force yourself to talk.”

“I’m sorry, Shiranui-kun…”

She said just that one word and turned to leave. A sense of regret and sadness dominated my chest—could I not be of help to her?

My attempt at a change of pace was completely ruined. I reached for the doorknob, feeling like going to the rooftop might somehow save me.

“Shiranui-kun!”

I looked back, and Takamine-san was looking up at me from the stair landing.

“…Can we talk for a little bit, after all?”