I Will Do Everything In My Power To Bring Happiness To The Enchanting Beauty Who Can No Longer Smile. - Chapter 6: How To Interact With The Beautiful Girl Who Can Turn A Country On Its Head At School.

How To Interact With The Beautiful Girl Who Can Turn A Country On Its Head At School.

That day, Tsubame and I spent our time watching various animal videos, finding comfort in them. Of course, there were dogs and cats, but also affectionate parakeets and cockatoos, as well as turtles eating their meals. I couldn’t help but wonder why such simple scenes felt so heartwarming.

Although Tsubame’s facial expression remained unchanged, her eyes were vibrant from beginning to end. I was truly glad that we had started with animal videos.

Later, when her parents returned home, her mother was so shocked by Tsubame’s presence that she nearly fainted. Nonetheless, we managed to finish dinner without any further incident.

For dinner, I prepared herb-seasoned chicken sauté with a variety of sides, ensuring that the spices were not too strong. Apparently, even though she had lost her sense of taste, excessive exposure to any particular flavor—such as an overwhelming amount of salt or vinegar—would cause extreme discomfort. Spicy food had a similar effect; if it was too intense, it would leave an unpleasant sensation. She had mentioned that while spiciness is tied to pain perception, her sensitivity in that area had also dulled.

With that in mind, I focused on aroma rather than taste when preparing the meal. It seemed that she still couldn’t taste the food, but she did engage in conversation with her parents, which made me believe she enjoyed the time, at least to some extent.

Afterward, we watched a few more videos before I called for Tsubame’s mother. It had been a long time since I last saw her, and she had become noticeably thinner.

Tsubame’s mother had always been physically fragile and emotionally delicate. On top of that, she had likely been struggling with various worries over the past few years. Although she was not particularly strong-willed, she was certainly not someone who would neglect Tsubame’s well-being.

I became certain of this when she smiled and said to me, “Please continue looking after Tsubame.”

Tsubame’s career as a model had likely brought its fair share of difficulties, but now was not the time to ask about them.

Instead, I made a firm decision—I would find a way to help her regain both her sense of taste and her smile.

***

The next day arrived—one that I would rather not think about. It was the second day of school.

“Alright, let’s hear it. What’s the story, childhood friend of the ‘Nation’s Beauty’?”

“I already said I didn’t expect things to turn out this way. Cut me some slack.”

At that moment, I was being interrogated by my friend, Haiguchi Shirao, at a park near the school.

Tall and well-built, with sharp eyes that gave off a slightly rough impression, Shirao could appear intimidating at first glance. However, in reality, he was timid outside his close circle of friends. Around strangers, he was as docile as a borrowed cat. Even among friends, he was never impolite—just a genuinely good guy.

“We were close from as far back as I can remember until the early years of elementary school. Then, Tsubame moved away.”

“I see you’ve dropped the honorifics when saying her name… Anyway, despite that, you two seemed pretty close yesterday. Did you stay in touch? Go out to eat together now and then?”

“No, yesterday was the first time we’ve met since then.”

“Then why did you walk home together? Wait… don’t tell me you two are—?!”

“No, it’s nothing like that.”

There were things I could talk about and things I couldn’t. I chose to remain silent about the latter.

“She needed some advice. Besides, I got the impression that she didn’t know anyone else at this school.”

“Now that you mention it, that makes sense.”

Shirao seemed to accept my explanation without further probing, which made him easy to talk to.

“Anyway, we’re going to be late. If you have more questions, ask me on the way. But only what I’m willing to answer.”

“Got it. Thanks.”

With that, Shirao and I started walking toward the school. Thanks to his presence, I drew less attention, allowing me to answer his questions more comfortably. He mostly asked about our childhood friendship and whether reconnecting with her yesterday meant we were close again. I clarified that while we had played together frequently as kids and yesterday’s encounter had rekindled some familiarity, there was nothing romantic between us.

Upon entering the classroom, however, we were met with an unsettling sight.

The room had already filled up with students, but their seating arrangement was noticeably skewed.

Specifically, the area around Sakakibara Tsubame’s seat was completely vacant.

“…Well, this is something.”

“This is an unpleasant sight.”

Most of the students had gathered toward the front, their gazes fixated on a single individual—Tsubame.

At a glance, it could have been mistaken for bullying. In fact, it was difficult to see it as anything else.

Even if their stares were filled with admiration and their words were those of praise, treating her like a spectacle was unsettling to witness.

“Sigh…”

“Shigure.”

“Just ignore it.”

Waving my hand dismissively, I parted ways with Shirao, who looked reluctant to leave. However, for now, it was better for me to handle this alone.

As I approached my seat, I caught sight of Tsubame. She sat still, her posture straight, her expression unchanged, and her eyes closed. Her long lashes and well-defined features were nothing short of artistic.

She had mentioned before that she tended to sleep whenever she had free time. I debated whether to disturb her, but as soon as I sat down, her shoulders flinched slightly.

“Good morning, Tsubame.”

“…Good morning.”

When she opened her eyes, they were like deep, endless voids. Though she appeared drowsy, she hadn’t been fully asleep. Her voice, clear as a ringing bell yet carrying an undeniable intensity, lacked any apparent emotion.

“Did I wake you?”

“No. I always keep my awareness sharp… There might be rare instances where someone tries to touch me, so I make sure to wake up immediately.”

“I see… That makes sense.”

The world was full of different kinds of people. Most would likely hesitate to approach her, but there were always those whose admiration led them to act impulsively.

“Ah, but I don’t mean you, Shigure. I know you wouldn’t hurt me.”

“I appreciate the trust, but…”

“Would you like to touch? My cheek is fine.”

The classroom, and even the hallway, erupted in whispers. Her words had clearly stirred up quite a reaction.

“Tsubame, please don’t tease me like that.”

“…?”

“I thought you were joking, but you were serious, weren’t you?”

“We used to do that a lot—touching cheeks, patting heads.”

“…That was a long time ago.”

“I see.”

Tsubame gave a short reply.

She likely struggled with social cues, perhaps because she had never formed deep connections with those around her. Her sense of personal space seemed slightly off.

As I pondered how to navigate this, I realized she was staring intently at me.

“What is it?”

“Are you sure?”

“Sure about what?”

She glanced around, making it clear what she meant. The students, upon meeting her gaze, quickly averted their eyes.

“You stand out when you talk to me.”

“I don’t mind. What bothers me more is seeing you left alone like that.”

For a while, she just looked at me.

“…I see. Thank you.”

“This is just my selfishness.”

“Even so, I appreciate it.”

She tells me she’s happy without changing her expression, but I can somehow tell it’s not just out of consideration for me.

“Anyway, that’s how it is. Don’t hold back too much just because we’re at school.”

“Yeah. There’s a lot I don’t understand, so I’ll rely on you.”

There will surely be challenges at school, but I don’t want to ignore Tsubame here.

And so, my strange—ever since middle school, somewhat unconventional—student life began.