Living Normally In An Abnormal World

Chapter 14.1: Samejima, the girl sitting next to him

‘No, Kinoshita-kun,’

I am currently being pushed against the wall by him. It’s the so-called ‘wall-don.’

‘Samejima-san… I mean, Asuka. I like you. I want to be your boyfriend.’

‘What… so what about Kimura-san and Tachibana-san?’

‘I’m not in a relationship with them. They’re just good friends.’

‘……But’

‘I only want you. I want you to be my girlfriend.’

And so he leans in to kiss me……

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!

‘…’

I turn off the alarm clock. Just when I thought I was having a good dream, what bad luck.

(I’ll set it for the usual 10 minutes later this time.)

And so, Samejima Asuka wakes up.

I, Samejima Asuka, am known by everyone as a serious, sharp-tongued, intelligent, and physically capable person.

I have also been told that I am not interested in men like most of the girls in our class do.

But I’m actually not that kind of person.

I’m in love right now too!

Ah… that’s just because I’m too embarrassed to be honest, it doesn’t mean I’m not interested! Everyone else is weird!! Calling him by his first name. Talking casually to someone as cool as Yuuto-kun!! I want to do that too, but I’m so embarrassed I can’t!!

At first, I wanted to introduce myself like this:

‘Nice to meet you! Yuuto-kun!’ (*≧∀≦*)

But when I actually stood in front of him, I ended up saying:

‘Nice to meet you… Kinoshita-kun’ ( `・-・´) <Kiritt

Who is that?! Oh wait…It’s me!!

But even though I gave him a stern look, Yutuo-kun still said ‘nice to meet you’ to me.

He really is kind.

Days passed, and I got to sit next to him in class.

Thank you, God! I’ll definitely go to the shrine and make an offering!

Since he became my neighbor, he greeted me, but I ended up replying with a stern face again:

‘Nice to meet you, Kinoshita-kun’ ( `・-・´) <Kiritt

But there’s nothing I can do about it now. If I suddenly smiled and said ‘nice to meet you,’ he might be put off instead. Besides, this is how I am known in the class.

And even though he kindly offered to walk home with me, I turned him down because I was too embarrassed to be with a boy……

To make matters worse, when he came to school and said ‘good morning ,’ to me, I replied with:

‘Good morning’ ( `・-・´) <Kiritt

……It’s become a habit now.

He is friendly and often initiates conversations, but I have never been the one to start them. Then, I suddenly wondered:

(I wonder what kind of woman Yuuto-kun likes.)

And as soon as I thought that,

‘What?’

He seemed to have heard me. Maybe my voice slipped out. Oh well, I thought, and asked him directly:

‘What type of woman do you like?’ ( `・-・´) <Kiritt

I was grateful for my stern face at that moment. My expressionless face hides my true feelings so well that I was able to bring up the topic as if I was just curious about men’s preferences in general.

‘A Yamato Nadeshiko, maybe…’

He answered.

Lies…

Do you already have someone you like? Someone named Yamato Nadeshiko? I immediately asked him if he liked that person.

But that wasn’t the case.

‘No, Yamato Nadeshiko is more of an image. Someone with a gentle and refined personality, who is also dignified and modest in their behavior. Intelligent, pure, kind to everyone, and never causing discomfort to anybody. A woman who can truly devote herself to her partner… that’s what I imagine when I think of a Yamato Nadeshiko.’

Hmm… I might not be his type. No, he was struggling to answer my sudden question, and that was just the first person who came to his mind, probably! That must be it, or else I’ll lose confidence…

However, during lunch:

‘Is Yuuto-kun’s type a Yamato Nadeshiko?’

Don’t ask that, Kimura-san!!

‘Yeah, that’s right.’

Don’t answer so quickly, Yuuto-kun!!

‘Does that mean you don’t feel attracted to anyone who isn’t like that?’

Don’t dig deeper, Tachibana-san!! My heart can’t take it!!

‘No, it’s not like I don’t feel attracted to anyone else, it’s just that my ideal type is like that.’

……Alright!

‘So, is there a type of person you dislike?’

‘A person who is unkind, unfriendly, unintelligent, arrogant, and a freeloader.’

I’m glad it’s not just me.

But I see~ Yay~♪ So, I still have a chance, don’t I~♪

As I was thinking this, he asked:

‘Do you want seconds? If not, stack your dishes, and I’ll put them away.’

When everyone, including me, said they didn’t want seconds, he immediately stacked his dishes on top of ours.

‘Ah… thank you.’

‘Don’t mention it. I’m doing mine anyway.’

Saying so, he took everyone’s dishes to put them away.

‘You’re all charmed by his thoughtful gestures, aren’t you?’

Kimura-san whispered:

‘He does that unconsciously, you know.’

‘Yuuto-sama is a kind person, and that’s his good point… but I don’t like it when he’s nice to everyone.’

‘I guess it’s natural to feel that way.’

‘Yes, it is.’

‘Yeah.’

Of course, I’d be happy if that kindness were directed only at me… but it’s also embarrassing!

‘Let’s have a slow chat next time. Yuuto-sama will be back soon.’

‘Yes.’

‘Yeah.’

‘By the way… do you also have feelings for Yuuto-sama, Samejima-san?’

‘Anyone would fall for someone as kind and cool as him, unless they’re a lesbian, right?’

‘……I guess so.’

And then, he returned to his seat.

‘I’m back! What were you guys talking about?’

‘Girl’s talk, Kinoshita-kun.’

‘I see, I shouldn’t intrude then.’

‘I’m glad you understand.’

‘You like that phrase, don’t you, Yuuto-kun?’

‘Yes, it’s my latest favorite. A “my boom,” as they say.’

And so, time passed.

‘It’s not here… it’s not here…’

After the homeroom period, I was looking for my favorite character strap. I probably lost it today, so I was searching the places I remembered passing through.

Then,

‘Are you looking for something?’

Yuuto-kun spoke to me. He was the class monitor today. He must have been on his way back from submitting the class journal to the teacher. I told him that I lost my strap, so I was looking for it.

‘I’ll help you look.’

As soon as he said that, I thanked him and started searching with him.

I decided to search the hallway, while he offered to search the classroom.

And after a few minutes,

‘Is this it, perhaps?’

He had found it!

‘Yes, that’s it… thank you.’

‘Oh… see you then.’

Seeing him about to return to the classroom, I thought:

(Now’s my chance to ask him to walk home together! There’s no one around! Go for it, Asuka!)

But I ended up tripping over my own feet and falling onto him.

‘I-I’m sorry.’