Chapter 9: I Want to Cultivate a Dependent-Type Talent – Extra Edition: Her Perspective ②

Lately, every day is fun for me.
Even if it’s just a short time, I have time when I can talk with him, and it’s clearly different from my school life until now.
It’s time when I can forget the time I was bullied.
However, those fun feelings are only while I’m at school. When I come home, anxiety attacks me.

Will he talk to me tomorrow too?
That anxiety pushes me back to my middle school fears. Those girls were on good terms with me before, but one day they suddenly dragged me to hell.
I don’t want to experience that again.
He’s not that kind of person. I know that. And yet, every single day I’m so anxious I can’t help it.
If only Takashiro-san were at home too.

At that moment, I saw a ray of light.
Oh, I see. I just need to exchange contact info.
For me, someone who hasn’t contacted friends in so long, that option had been forgotten.
That’s right, then I can contact him even at home, and maybe I could even hear his voice.
I got excited. Thank goodness I was born in this era.

However, at the same time, I was troubled.
What should I do? I’ve hardly ever asked for someone’s contact info. Moreover, asking someone of the opposite sex is a first-time experience.
What if he doesn’t want to give it to me? No, he definitely won’t want to. What should I do?

I want to ask, I can’t ask, no I want to ask…
I worried about it until morning that day.
What do I do? If I’m going to ask, I have to ask in the morning. If I ask, I’ll be able to contact him even at home.
No, but if he finds it annoying I’ll never recover. What should I do…?

While I was worrying, he arrived. Ah, I need to greet him.
Ah, um…

“U-Um, I’d like you to give me your contact info, Takashiro-san…”

I made a mistake! While I was worrying about whether to ask for his contact info or not, I ended up asking him.
No, he’ll definitely find it annoying. I can’t go on living…
I was depressed at my own hopelessness.

However, he immediately said with a smile:

“Of course! I was actually thinking of asking you too. You can contact me anytime. Even in the middle of the night is totally fine!”

Huh? No way? It’s okay? Mine?
I was thinking that, but he immediately took out his phone and showed me a QR code.
No way! It really is okay! Yay! I’m happy.
Even when I go home I can contact Takashiro-san…!

Come to think of it, did he say I could contact him even in the middle of the night? Really?
No no, he must be joking. Everyone sleeps in the middle of the night.
To that joke, I replied while laughing:

“No way, I wouldn’t do that in the middle of the night.”

Even though I actually want to contact him all the time.

At home, I started thinking about how I’d contact him.
If I send too many messages he’ll think I’m annoying and hate me, right? A few times a day should be okay, right?
Maybe I could even call?
Thinking that I could contact him even at home made some of my anxiety disappear, and happiness came rushing in.

Ah, how happy I am.

Chapter 10: I Want to Cultivate a Dependent-Type Talent – Extra Edition: Her Perspective ③

When should I contact him, what should I say, or rather, is it even okay for me to contact him first…? While I was thinking about such things, dawn broke.

However, after coming home, just being able to worry about how to contact him made me realize my anxiety had decreased, and I went to school in a good mood.

Ah, he’s here.
I greet him, and he returns it with a smile. Hehe, how happy I am. Which novel should I introduce today?

The moment I thought that, I was plunged into despair.
As soon as he greeted me, before our morning novel discussion that had become routine, he went to talk to other classmates.

True, he has many friends. So except for mornings, he mostly talks with other people more than me, so I’d understand if it was any time other than morning. But today, even from the morning…
I knew I wasn’t the only one for him. But I thought mornings were my time with him.
No, maybe he had something to do today, no that must be it. From tomorrow he’ll talk with me in the morning for sure.

However, from that day on, he would just greet me and immediately go to someone else.
Why? He seemed to enjoy our morning talks so much. Was that all an act?
Did he actually hate talking to me?
Is it okay as long as it’s not morning? Thinking that, I tried talking to him a few times outside of mornings, but it didn’t go well.
Just when I was starting to think school life was fun…

I didn’t know what to do.
Why did he start avoiding talking to me?
Why? Why? Why?
Why does he talk with people other than me?

Then one night, I got a message from him.

We haven’t been able to talk much lately. Let’s at least talk on social media.

No way! I got a message from him!
I was elated and replied immediately.

That’s true! You know, there’s been an interesting novel lately.

When I sent that, a reply came back immediately.
Thank goodness, he didn’t hate me. He just didn’t have time.

I became reassured even if we couldn’t talk at school. Because I can contact him at night.
That time is mine alone.
Besides, having time just for the two of us at night makes it seem like my relationship with him is something special, doesn’t it? Just kidding.

Let me try contacting him first today.

We couldn’t talk much today either.

Hehe, the start of a fun time.
I wonder what kind of reply will come back?
However, the reply that usually comes back immediately didn’t come back at all.
Huh? Why? No, maybe he just went to the bathroom. Or eating dinner.
I thought that and waited, but no reply came back at all.

Why? Why?

What’s wrong?
Are you eating dinner?
Maybe you’re in the bath?
Are you studying?

I suddenly realized.
It seems I’d unconsciously sent messages many times.
No, if I send such stalker-like messages he’ll hate me.
Something, I need to send some kind of follow-up message.

Sorry, did I bother you?
I’ll message you again later.

Is this okay? It’s fine, right?
Am I covering it up?
I just waited for a message from him.
Without doing anything, I just waited. That time was the longest and most painful time in my life so far.

Ping.

A sound.
I rushed to my phone.
Then:

Sorry!! I was taking a bath! What’s up?

The message said.

Oh, a bath. Of course he’d take one.
But isn’t it long for a bath? When I looked at the clock, only 30 minutes had passed since I sent the message.
It was only that much. I thought 2-3 hours had passed.

But thank goodness, it wasn’t that he was contacting someone other than me.