The Ordinary and the Abnormal

“Tests are over!” Marin-chan exclaimed as she leapt into a hug, as usual.

“How do you feel about them?”

“Hmm, not very confident this time.”

“Well, you were sick…..It couldn’t be helped.”

“You think so? You really think so? Ehehe… then, praise me! Pet me!” She put on a pair of cat ears from her pocket and struck a cat pose.

It was beyond cute—it was downright seductive. Trying not to stare too intently, I reached out and patted her head.

“Good girl, good girl.”

“If I’m first in the grade again, I want a reward, meow!”

“A reward? If it’s something I can give you, sure.”

“Your virginity meow!” she declared, and I gave her a light chop on the head.

“Owww…”

“I meant something you want or want me to do.”

“Hmm… let me think. Oh, I know! Let’s watch a movie together.  The one you were in.”

I had never watched my own movie. Maybe it was time to face that part of my past.

“Alright. If you are first in the grade, we’ll watch it.”

“Yay! …I mean, meow!” she corrected herself, grinning.

One Week Later

All the tests had been returned, and the ranking board in the hallway displayed the results. Umi Shichiya’s name was at the top, with Marin Shiozaki in second place.

The entire grade was abuzz. The usually flawless Marin, who always scored perfect marks, had an average of 95 this time—an unprecedented drop.

“Hehe, I lost to Umi-chan~,” she laughed, but I could tell she was more shaken than she let on.

And, as always, rumors started swirling. Some said her “husband” was a bad influence, others suggested she was sleep-deprived from him constantly pressuring her at night.

“Haha, my husband isn’t to blame. He’s been doing his best for me!” she reassured everyone, trying to defend me as I watched from a distance.

“Wow, Umi-chan actually beat her.”

“Yeah.”

“Do you think it’s really because of her husband? She used to be perfect.”

“Maybe.”

“This might be my chance to replace the ‘bad husband’ and become her new one. What do you think?”

“That might not be a bad idea.”

Then, as usual, we gathered for lunch, but a small incident occurred. As I unwrapped the small furoshiki cloth to reveal my lunchbox, I realized it was Marin-chan’s, not mine.

“Huh?” I stared at the familiar pink lunchbox, definitely not the one Marin-chan usually packed for me. 

As usual, we gathered for lunch when a small incident occurred. I opened the small furoshiki cloth to reveal my lunchbox, only to realize it was Marin-chan’s.

“…Eh,” I let out a small sound of surprise and quickly tried to hide the lunchbox.

“Huh? What’s up?” Kiyohito asked.

“Ah… well… um… I, uh, have a stomachache, so I think I’ll skip lunch today,” I stammered.

“Are you okay? Maybe you should go to the nurse’s office,” he suggested, concerned.

“Yeah… maybe I should.”

That was close. If Marin-chan’s lunchbox is with me, then mine must be with her. This could be a big problem. Well, in the worst-case scenario, it might just be brushed off as a simple mix-up with her husband’s lunchbox, but if Kiyohito or someone else points out that it’s the one I always use, things could get very awkward.

However, I try to avoid getting involved at school as much as possible…

Now then… what should I do?

Meanwhile, as usual, Marin-chan took out her lunchbox.

Alright… let’s go! I get up from my seat and talk to Marin-chan.

“Uh, um… Shiozaki-san,” I called out, and she looked as surprised as a pigeon being hit by a peashooter.

“Oh… Yamaguchi-kun! Wh-what’s up?”

“Uh… um… the teacher… was calling you.”

“Huh? R-really… Well, then I’ll go later—” “N-no, they said to come right away.”

“…Right away?”

“Right away… immediately right away.”

“…I see. Okay! Got it! I’ll go now!” She put down her lunch and started walking down the hallway.

…Phew… I was saved.

Then, as I also headed to the hallway, pretending to go to the restroom, I whispered in her ear, “You switched the lunchboxes. Mine is with you.” 

She apologized, “S-sorry… I was careless…”

As expected, this won’t work. From now on, I should help out with the chores properly too.

Thinking this, I returned to the classroom.