Translator: Lilo
Editor: Ryuubii

Chapter 3:  Daily Attacks In the Library

Act 3

Next morning,

I got ready for school in my room and went downstairs afterwards. In the living room, Hasumi-senpai, who also looked ready for school, was reading a book on the sofa. She was supporting an open paperback book with one hand while her other hand was resting. Her legs were crossed and she had glasses on her face.

She was dressed well and I was captivated, seeing her in glasses for the first time.

“…What?”

Hasumi-senpai seemed to have noticed me and asked with her eyes still on the book.

“So you wear glasses.”

“Only when I’m reading a book or studying.”

“It looks good.”

The frames were squared-shaped. The way she reads a book silently, far from her usual friendly demeanor, gave her this intellectual image.

“Not very flattering. It’s not all that cool after all.”

Hasumi-senpai snorted and laughed bitterly.

“I thought you chose something that suited you.”

“Not really. I’ve never thought about it.”

“Since you are going to wear it anyway, why don’t you choose carefully? If you wear earrings or piercings to school, you’ll be scolded, but glasses on the other hand…”

Then I looked again at Hasumi-senpai’s face.

“How about oval frames? It will give your face a gentle look.”

“Sure, sure. I have a grumpy face, I know.”

She said while sulking and closed the book she was reading.

She then looked this way.

“You know a lot of weird stuff, don’t you? I mean, you have an interesting onlook on things.”

“Thank you, is what I would like to say, but that’s just knowledge passed down from a girl in my class.”

After being exposed to her ideas, I wondered what it would be like to look at glasses from a fashion point of view, so I did some research, and here we are now.

When I replied, Hasumi-senpai’s attitude changed drastically.

“Huh?! Another girl? Ah, I knew it was going to be something like that… Come on, get going. You’re gonna make me late too.”

She shooed me away. Apparently, talking about girls was finally becoming a taboo.

I was driven out of the Hasumi residence.

After a short walk, I arrived at Myodani Station on the Seishin-Yamate Municipal Subway Line.

Just as I descended the stairs and stood on the platform, the doors of the train that was there just closed.

“Huh?”

I made an audible voice as I watched the train start to run.

I messed up the calculations.

I should have left in time to catch the train. I was talking to Hasumi-senpai and it ended up eating up a little time, but I thought I still had plenty of time to spare, so I didn’t think that kind of time loss would have made me miss the train.

First, I looked at my watch. It seems like that train was not part of the schedule. If it had been midnight and I had gotten on the train, it would be a great start to a horror show.

This time, I looked at the electronic bulletin board. There was a message on it, telling that the schedule was disrupted due to an accident… I see. I understood the situation well. If the train was stopped, it would be a big problem, but it wasn’t, so I could just take the next train.

After waiting for ten minutes, the next train arrived.

This would make it unlikely that I would be late. That was fine, but the place was terribly crowded. Perhaps the number of passengers per train had increased because of the reduced number of trains due to the disrupted schedule.

I got into the train with the flow, pushing and shoving each other, twisting their bodies in an attempt to advance one step deeper.

“Ugh, it’s too crowded…”

The voice that was mumbled, which was not directed at anyone, reached my ears clearly because it sounded familiar to me.

“Eh…”

I forcefully turned around, and there was Hasumi-senpai.

“Ugh, you’re here?”

“Well, yeah…”

Hasumi-senpai rolled her eyes and I vaguely replied.

It seems that Hasumi-senpai, who left the mansion after me, caught up to me due to the schedule disruption, and we ended up on the same train. I was standing in front of her, of course, and Hasumi-senpai was probably operating her smartphone or something and didn’t notice me standing in the same line.

[The car is currently very crowded. Our apologies. However, please proceed to the back of the car.]

It was the moment the announcement was made. The density in the car increased, whether it was passengers rushing to board the train or passengers trying to go to the back as just announced.

As a result,

“Kyaa.”

Hasumi-senpai came in close contact with me from the front, emitting a voice that was rather cute even for her.

“S-sorry, I got pushed from behind…”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“…”

“…”

I, who was looking down, and Hasumi-senpai, who was looking up.

Her face was right in front of mine.

A breathtaking distance.

So close that you can see your reflection in the other person’s eyes.

““..?!?”“

After a moment’s delay, we were surprised enough to jump as we processed the situation. But even if we wanted to leave, it was too crowded. We could not take even a single step back.

“S-sorry, but, bear with it for a little…”

“Sure…”

Hasumi-senpai rested her forehead against my shoulder.

I felt like what she said earlier, “Bear with it” should have been what a man ought to say… or not. We’re in close contact. The distance was zero. Thanks to this, something soft was pressing against my body to the extent that it changed its shape.

‘It’s kinda impressive to what extent its shape can change…’

I calmly wonder if I am escaping reality or not.

I had just been shown the greatness of it the other day, but I didn’t think I would be able to experience it again at this time.

In a sense, I may be the one who was forced to endure.

Hasumi-senpai was probably aware of this and knew that I was also aware of it. Still, I must not say anything.

There were two stations from Myodani to Gakuentoshi. It takes only a few minutes to get there.

The Sogoundo-Kouen station in between, as its name implies, has a stadium, baseball field, and a park, but there were few riders in this station during the commuting hours. Thanks to this, the situation remained almost the same.

Then a large number of students got off at the Gakuentoshi. Everyone was gossiping about what happened earlier.

We also got off the train.

However, we remained silent.

“…”

“…”

We walked out of the ticket gate side by side without saying a word – and that was when I finally came to my senses. Just because we happened to be on the train together, there was no need for us to go to school together. In fact, we had to go separately.

“Then, I’ll―”

I was about to quicken my pace when,

“Mornin’~, Shion-chan and Librarian-kun.”

A person interrupted with a greeting I’ve never heard before.

That did not mean that she interrupted with words during the conversation. She literally and physically interrupted me and Hasumi-senpai.

She poked her head out from between me and Hasumi-senpai and looked at our faces alternately.

“Why are you two together?”

It was Shiiba Akane-senpai.

“Ah, are you in the middle of apologizing since you caused trouble yesterday?”

Unfortunately, that was not the case, nor did she apologize last night. Rather, it was quite the opposite.

“Who will?! I was just―”

“You mean you were being mean, but in actuality―”

“Listen to what I’m saying.”

Shiiba-senpai laid out her own imagination and speculation, causing Hasumi-senpai to scream out in frustration.

“Librarian-kun, Librarian-kun.”

However, Shiiba-senpai brilliantly ignored Hasumi-senpai, and this time she turned to me.

“As you can see, Shion-chan looks like a guy, but she also has a girlish side, so please take care of her.”

“Who are you calling a guy?!”

“Ah, don’t worry. You don’t need to remind me, I can see that she’s a girl through and through.”

“You too! What are you saying!?”

Hasumi-senpai was busy getting angry at Shiiba-senpai, complaining to me, and moving her face left and right, or even up and down.

I feel like I’ve said something unnecessary. Let’s change the subject. I don’t know what kind of misunderstanding Shiiba-senpai would make if left unchecked.

“Shiiba-senpai, have you already read the book you borrowed yesterday?”

“Eh? Ah, hahahaha.”

She laughed for some reason.

That reaction gave me a rough understanding of the situation.

“I bet you’re the type of person who would be satisfied when you get what you want.”

“I meanー”

And she pouted.

Then, on the side, Hasumi-senpai opened her mouth.

“Ah, I know that feeling. I buy the manga and novels I want, put them on the bookshelves, and be done with it.”

“What a waste…”

This one seems to be the same type, but what she was doing was dynamic.

“If you don’t think you can read it, let me know. I’ll recommend you another one.”

What was easy to read was much more subjective than one might think. Some people prefer a general explanation as an introduction, while others are more interested in an explanation with some solidity.

“Sure.”

“Then, I’ll―”

This time, when I was really about to go, somebody held my arm firmly. It was Shiiba-senpai. She was trying to not let me go by wrapping her arm around my arm.

“Don’t be so overly considerate. Let’s go together.”

Shiiba-senpai shook my arm in a teasing manner. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the same as Hasumi-senpai’s.

“…Alright. Then, we’ll go together.”

I probably had to answer like this, or else she won’t let go.

Thus, I had to go to school with Hasumi-senpai, even though I needed to avoid her.

“Gee, why do I have to go with you…”

“Don’t look at me. I also don’t know.”

Hasumi-senpai voiced her complaints.

“By the way, you…”

Her voice sounded like she wanted to complain about something.

“What made you think I’m feminine?”

“Ahー…”

I unintentionally let out an audible sound.

I must have said something unnecessary. What made me think that was probably the incident in the train a few minutes ago or when she came out of the bathroom the other day. Of course, the same goes true for her everyday loungewear, but I realized that the two most impactful events were the first two.

“Do you really want to hear it? Maybe if you heard it, it might cause trouble later.”

“…I suppose.”

Hasumi-senpai seemed aware. Just as when she got off the train, she seemed to have decided that it would be better not to mention this topic any further.

Then, Shiiba-senpai, who heard the inexplicable conversation between me and Hasumi-senpai, looked at us in turn again and said a few words.

“Hm? Buddies?”

“No, we’re not.”

Hasumi-senpai immediately denied it.

Hmm? As I recall, don’t I have a similar misunderstanding with Takajou-senpai?

Do they think I’m buddies with either of the pair jewels of our Akanedai High School?