The Real Yukine Saeki?

There are some things that even my classmates, Tamari, and I, have not grasped, which is what kind of person Yukine Saeki is.

That’s how quiet and emotionally dead she is. 

But now, that same Yukine Saeki replied to me. 

And what’s more, the message says──

Saeki: Honestly, I was going to delete it without you telling me to. 

“‘…….’”

This reply alone told us what kind of person Yukine Saeki is. The usual cool attitude of Yukine Saeki was now proven to be her very self.

“I never thought you’d get a reply from that Saeki-chan…..It’s not possible, but maybe Kotoko-kun is surprisingly popular?”

“Read carefully. It’s not a friendly reply from any angle.” 

“But the others don’t get a reply, you know?”

“…..Isn’t it just based on her whim? Today she just happened to be free, and my message just annoyed her, so wasn’t the reply she sent implied not to text her again?”   

“Is that really it…..?”

Of course that is it.

Even from the content of the message, you can feel the irritation looming.

Regarding this matter, I’m also at fault for sending the intruding Lime without permission, so I don’t feel any resentment at all if I receive a reply like that.

However, I never expected to receive a reply, so I was greatly surprised.

“Tamari, don’t tell anyone else that Saeki replied to me, okay? You should definitely keep your mouth shut.”

“Yeah, definitely. If the boys in class find out about this, Kotoku-kun will be hanged by a mob of them.” 

“When did lynches occur?”

“I’m worried about you….”

Tamari is always a good-natured person, but getting a reply from Saeki was unexpected, and she didn’t even get time to make fun of me.

I don’t think they’ll go as far as to hang me, but if this is discovered by the cheerful boys, it will definitely cause a stir.

I deleted the chat, and blocked Saeki’s account from the friends list as well, just in case something went wrong.

(TL/n: Isn’t that quite harsh?)

All evidence is now gone……

As I breathed a sigh of relief, someone poked me on the shoulder from behind.

“──I’m sorry to interrupt you Okami, but can I borrow you for a second?”

Himawari Machibari, the class president, spoke to me from behind.

The Class President, Machibari, is a picture-perfect chairperson who is usually kind, but strict when needed, and is always ranked first in our class in regular exams. 

She has black hair pulled back in a low ponytail and big eyes. She’s also the tallest amongst the girls, and her back is so straight that you’d think she might have a giant ruler in her uniform.

As such, why is the Class President Machibari so suddenly…..?

Maybe she heard what I said───.

“I’m collecting Modern Japanese notebooks, so take yours out.”

……..Lo-Looks like Machibari just came to collect Modern Japanese notebooks.

There are a lot of lazy students in my class (including the cheerful guys in the back); During the 4th period, our Modern Japanese Teacher said that he would check to make sure we took notes from the blackboard, and so had told Machibari, the class president, to collect notebooks.  

“Okami, hurry up and take out the notebook.” 

“….No-Notebook, do I have to give it now?”

“If you don’t, I’ll just tell the teacher.”

“…….Tamari, did you already give it?” 

“I did! Right, Machibari-chan?”

“Michifuji-san already gave it.” 

That means I’ve reached a dead end. 

Earlier, I said something like, “The guys in the back are not serious,” but I, Kotoku Okami, have been slacking off to the extent that I can’t speak for others, and today’s Modern Japanese lecture went from the top of my head. 

Naturally, Such me was obviously not able to take notes from the blackboard.

“Please Machibari. Can I borrow Tamari’s notebook which was already submitted?”

I shamelessly asked Machibari to help me…….

“Nope. If I allow this to happen, everyone will start doing it.” 

“Damn it….. Tamari, won’t you say anything?” 

“Hmm? That’s what Kotoku-kun deserves.”

This girl …… she abandoned me as a childhood friend.

I still can’t trust other people. (As Tamari said, I deserved this.)

It can’t be helped. …… Let’s just be honest and apologize this time.

“Sorry Machibari. Actually───”

I made up my mind and confessed to Machibari that my notebook was completely blank.

“Haa…..like I thought. You are always looking out the window during class.”

“I can get an average score on a test, so isn’t it alright?”

“It’s not. In any way, you’re going to be thoroughly lectured by the teacher today. Reflect on it.”

Machabari said so and walked out of the classroom with a pile of notebooks in her arms.

“She’s still the usual stoic and inflexible class president.” 

“This time, Machibari is 100 percent right. And it’s your fault for being a loner delinquent.” 

“Being alone has nothing to do with this, also I’m not a delinquent. I just like being alone.”

“Excuses Excuses~” 

I got annoyed, and it seemed pointless to argue any further, so I shut my mouth and opened the book.

I am──just fine being alone. 

Friends are a pain in the ass to make.

A short while later, Machibari came back from the staff room and told me to go to the front of the staff room after school.

I’m used to hearing the teacher preach during Modern Japanese class, so I’m not that stressed.

I let out a sigh of resignation and started reading the paperback book on my desk.

“Huh?”

That’s when──it happened.

The phone in my right pocket vibrated to alert me of notification.

I was annoyed at being interrupted while reading my book again, but I took out my phone.

Who is it───from??

Saeki: Look, I made it.

I received a lime from an account named “Saeki Yukine” in hiragana. I had already blocked the account named Saeki Yukine earlier, so I should not have received any more messages…..or so I thought.

(TL/n: the first acc was made of Kanji/chinese characters, this one is made from hiragana)

This is Saeki’s new account……

For what reason did Saeki text me with the new Lime account she created? 

In-Incomprehensible. 

Me and Saeki have never talked in real life, and she had sent an unfriendly reply to my text. 

So she must dislike me…..

“I don’t get it at all”

Confused, I just turned off my phone and escaped reality.

✳︎✳︎

After school.

I had been summoned by the Modern Japanese teacher, so I reluctantly went down the stairs, dragging my heavy legs, and arrived at the staff room on the first floor.

The eyes of the students passing by in the hallway in front of the staff room were focused on a single point.

Yes……It was that Yukine Saeki standing there. Just like when you see Mt. Fuji from the Shinkansen, you inevitably point your camera at it, so she too is viewed as something rare.

Leaning her back against the window in front of the staff room, Saeki was yawning languidly and lightly wiped the tears from her eyes with her fingertips, ignoring the eyes of those around her

Why is Saeki standing here…….?

As I stared at her, Saeki also turned her gaze toward me and stared right back at me.

That Saeki kept looking at me.

If so, should I ask her about the Lime from this afternoon?

I was curious the whole time why she went as far as to inform me of her new account after creating it. 

I stopped about three steps away from Saeki and looked straight at her.

“…..Okami-kun?”

Saeki called my name in a voice so quiet that it was almost drowned out by the hustle and bustle.

That Yukine Saeki called my name out……..?

“I have one thing to say to you.”

Something to say to me?

What in the world is she going to say to me?

The only thing I can think of is the LIME thing from noon…….

I looked at Saeki nervously, and she looked at me with the usual blank expression on her face.

“I went to the trouble of sending you a msg from my new Lime account, could you not just ignore it?”

“You….You don’t have the right to say that!” 

A comedic retort escaped from my heart.