My Memories Came Back, But I'm Not Telling My Childhood Friends - Chapter 18

Chapter 18

After school, I finished my cleaning duty properly before leaving the classroom.

Once I got home, it was time to study. Last year my grades were barely passing, so I had to catch up on everything I’d fallen behind on.

Sitting at my desk would obviously boost my grades, but it would also build the focus and patience I really needed right now.

Studying had been off my radar for a while, so I knew it was going to be a tough road. Still, the old me remembered that the important thing was turning it into a habit, so I wanted to keep at it without getting discouraged.

Thinking about that, I headed down the stairs.

When I reached the shoe lockers, the usual scene caught my eye again.

“—Hey, you just littered, didn’t you? Pick that up right now.”

Shizuno was pressing a male student.

She really never gets tired of this, day after day.

“Tch, I know…”

The guy looked annoyed as he bent down and picked up the empty drink carton he’d tossed.

Lately, every time I saw this, I got nervous thinking it might turn into a fight.

With Shizuno’s personality, she’d probably charge in no matter the situation or who the other person was.

There are plenty of people in this world who don’t care about common sense. I knew that all too well from seeing it with my own eyes.

If someone who had no problem throwing punches or making threats showed up, how would she handle it…?

After the guy walked away, I decided to call out to Shizuno.

“Hey. Still at it, huh?”

“…Oh, Reita. Did you come for a lecture too?”

The moment she saw my face, Shizuno gave a little smirk.

“Who the hell would come here on purpose to get lectured?”

“Too bad. When we were kids you used to get a little happy when I scolded you.”

“…Sorry, but I don’t have any memory of that.”

She just casually dropped one of my dark histories. Good thing nobody else was around, but that was the last thing I wanted anyone to bring up.

“Well, never mind that. Looks like you’re working hard, Reita.”

“…Yeah, thanks to you.”

“I’m glad the doubt in your heart seems to have cleared up.”

If I hadn’t talked with Shizuno, I might still be lost even now.

I was grateful to her. Those words helped, but just being able to talk normally with my childhood friend had become hope for me.

“If you ever run into any trouble, just tell me anytime. I’d be happy to help with anything related to your rehabilitation.”

Shizuno said that and smiled gently.

She usually gave off a strict impression, but as long as you weren’t doing anything bad, she was actually pretty nice to talk to.

Even back when we were kids, I never had a single bad image of Shizuno.

In fact, to me she was—

No, never mind.

“You too… don’t go carrying everything by yourself again, okay?”

“Oh? Are you worried about me?”

“You’ve seemed a little more on edge than usual lately.”

“Is that so? I think I’m the same as always.”

Shizuno answered with a calm, composed face, but…

It was obvious she was forcing herself to stay stiff. Normally she carried herself with more ease, but right now she looked like she had no room to breathe.

Maybe it was just my imagination, though.

“By the way, Reita… your memories really haven’t—”

Shizuno started to say something when—

“…Excuse me. Could you stop bothering my cute underclassman?”

A voice suddenly came from behind us. When I turned around, a tall guy with glasses was standing there.

It was the student council president, Daiki Yokomizo.

“What? I was just talking to her normally.”

“That’s what you call bothering her.”

“No, that doesn’t even make sense.”

What the hell was this guy barging in for?

“Your rumors have spread far enough to reach other grades. I’d appreciate it if someone like you—a delinquent—would stop getting involved with Shizuno-chan.”

“It’s not a big deal to just talk.”

“No, it is a big deal. Once weird rumors start, it’s too late.”

“…”

I almost clicked my tongue but held it in.

As much as it sucked, he was right.

The time I went to the infirmary with Maya and the fact that I walked her partway to school had already turned into rumors. It was true that even talking to Shizuno could end up hurting her.

At least, the current me had no comeback.

“President, I’m fine.”

“No, you already wave the flag of justice every day. If it gets out that you’re hanging around with a delinquent, people will start complaining.”

“That’s… true, I suppose…”

Shizuno immediately tried to cover for me, but the president pushed back and she ended up agreeing.

…That didn’t feel like Shizuno at all.

She was the type who basically never bent her own beliefs. For her to give in so easily like that was weird.

If she was the kind of person who would accept something that quickly, she probably wouldn’t have talked to me in the first place. Shizuno wasn’t the type to miss that contradiction.

Maybe she just felt pressured because it was the student council president, but even that didn’t seem like her…

“So, could you head home now?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll disappear.”

“Kawakami-kun. I suggest you use polite language with your upperclassmen.”

“…Got it.”

Honestly, I didn’t like it, but everything Yokomizo said was correct.

If I fought back here, I’d only lower myself. Since I’d decided to change, it was probably best to obediently go along with it for now.

I swallowed the irritation bubbling up inside me, turned my back on the two of them, and switched from my indoor shoes to my leather ones.

“Well then, I’ll head home too.”

“Ah, wait a moment, Shizuno-chan.”

“What is it?”

“There’s a little work I’d like your help with.”

“Student council stuff?”

“Yeah.”

“Understood. I’ll help.”

Just as I was about to leave the shoe lockers, their conversation reached my ears and my feet stopped without thinking.

“Then, could you come with me?”

“Yes. Oh, President, let me carry your bag.”

“No, no, this much is fine.”

“Please, let me. It’s thanks for treating me last time.”

“I see. Shizuno-chan really is kind.”

“Not at all.”

“That modest side of you is lovely too.”

“Even if you praise me, you won’t get anything out of it.”

…

Listening to them didn’t feel good at all, so I quickly stopped eavesdropping and decided to head home.

Shizuno… she was acting awfully close to the student council president.

For a model student like her, maybe someone proper and reliable like that was exactly her type.

It felt kind of surprising.

Not her taste in guys.

What surprised me was that she was normally blooming in a romance like that.

Back then, Shizuno had flat-out said she had zero interest in love.

Well, that was four years ago, so it wouldn’t be strange at all if her way of thinking had changed.

“…”

On the way home, for some reason my chest felt tight and lonely.