Chapter 11 - Tease, Blush, Repeat

The following day, it was a beautiful day. The birds were singing, the wind was chilly. Despite the chilly wind, I feel very hot inside. I was sweating like crazy, 'why?' you may ask?

Because I, somehow, forgot to bring my mathematics book, and as a result, Akari shared hers with me. I joined my desk with Akari's desk, and she put her mathematics book in the middle.

It didn't take me long to realize how close we were. I mean, it's not as close as that time I helped her to move from her wheelchair to the bench, but this time, it gives off different feelings and that makes me nervous.

I tried to focus, but I couldn't.

I only froze and stayed silent for the whole time, and even when Akari moved her hands to erase or to write something, it sent jolts to my entire body.

"Homura, are you okay?" She whispered, asking me in a concerned tone.

"...!!" I almost shrieked, but I managed to hold it.

Akari looked at me, her eyes were wide, her head tilted. "Homura?"

"Ye-Yeah, I'm okay, don't worry. I... was just spacing out a little bit." I then chuckled.

"Oh..." She opened her mouth, like the shape of 'O', then all of the sudden, she scolded me, "You shouldn't spacing out when class is on going." Angry face, puffed cheeks.

"I-I know that, it's not like I wanted to space out either..." I said, looking away from her. I can feel the heat on my face.

Darn it! Darn it! Why is she so darn cute when she's angry?! It's... It's like looking at a cute little cat being mad because her master did something wrong.

A-Ah! I... I didn't mean to think of her as a cat! I promise!

But as I was trying to calm myself down, I felt a gentle poke on my elbow. I turned to look at her, and asked if there was something.

She just shook her head, and put a weirdly cute smile on her face. Argh...! What is wrong with her today?! This is bad for my heart...

Oh, and also, I almost forgot to mention, she wore a cute rose hairpin today. Wait, how much have I said the word 'cute'...?

And now, our eyes met each other for a while, though it only happened for a split second, I felt like it was going on forever before I slowly shifted my gaze upon the mathematics book.

I'm sweating, I'm blushing, what is happening?! I swear yesterday was an intense day! There is also an incident in which Akari is quarreling with Shimizu!

And, didn't she say it's bad to spacing out, no, to ignore the class when it's on going?! I don't get it!

"Homura~" she called me playfully.

"Y-Yes?!"

"Why are you spacing out?" She asked, still in her playful tone, but the damage it dealt was much less than before.

That question left me speechless. H-h-how am I supposed to answer that? There's no way I would tell her that 'It's because I'm too nervous to sit next to you.'

Though when I remembered it again, we already sat next to each other closely when we ate lunch together on the very first day of school.

Wait, if that already happened, then why am I being all nervous now?!

"About that... I think it's best for us to focus on the class first..." 

Hearing my words, she then pouted and 'Hmph' me... Well, at least now there won't be any teasing...

Please end soon, mathematics class... I'm begging you... I can't take anymore of this...

But when I looked at the clock, it showed that only 20 minutes had passed since the class started.

I guess I need to learn how to get used to this...

———

It is now lunch time, and with a complicated feeling, we have lunch together. Before that, about how this can happen... I also wondered.

Right after the last class before lunch break, Akari asked me to eat lunch together, and I immediately said yes. Why? Haven't I been tortured enough by her cuteness?

Well... There's more to that, other than I enjoyed spending time with her, I also wanted to ask if her friendship with Shimizu is alright.

I was the root of the problem after all, so of course I would be worried about their friendship. After all, isn't a friend a hard thing to obtain? Or was it only for me...?

"Woah! Is your lunch karaage? That looks so good!" Akari, who sat beside me on the bench, exclaimed.

"Ah...! Uh... Yeah, it is..." I said, a little surprised.

All of the sudden, she leaned towards me. She stared at me as if she was observing my face, then tilted her head. "Is there... something wrong?" She asked afterwards.

Taken aback by her act, I looked away from her. D-d-darn it... I... We... We're way too close!

"N-no... The-there's nothing wrong..."

She moved back to her previous place, and chuckled. "You're such a bad liar, aren't you?"

"A-ah... uh..." I don't know what to do, nor what to say.

"If something is bothering you, I'm willing to hear it." She smiled widely.

U-uh... We-well... This is the chance to ask her about it though, so I'm not really complaining about it...

But still, I hate myself for being so weak towards her...

"I was just wondering about your friendship with Shimizu... Is it improving, or is it getting... worse?"

"Aah... So that's what's bothering you." She looked up to the sky, then back at me. "Don't worry about it, it takes time to reassure her. I'm sure she will understand sometime in the future," she said, with a gentle curve forming on her mouth.

Right... She has said that several times.

Despite that, I feel like she's not going to understand it.

I mean, if Shimizu was not like this, this kind of problem wouldn't have happened... right? Quoting what Yuuki has said to me.

Well... I also didn't have the courage to confront Shimizu and countlessly explain the truth. I have promised myself, but I don't think I can do anything. If I'm really going to do anything, I think it would just worsen their current situation, right?

Shimizu didn't like me because, for her, I was just a random stranger who somehow got close to Akari. Not to mention her cold attitude towards the boys...

So, I feel really useless and helpless right now...

Clap!

"...!!"

"Alright, stop right thereeee." Akari suddenly clapped her hands, causing me to snap back to reality. "... If you keep being like that, you will not finish your lunch by the end of lunch break, you know?" She smiled, gently.

"Ah... mhm..." I nodded, then continued to eat my lunch.

"By the way, I've got a question to ask too."

"Eh? What is it?"

"What is your favorite drink, Homura?"

"E-eh? Why all of the sudden?"

"It's not sudden though, I have told you I'm going to ask something, am I not?" 

"Ah... right..." I awkwardly chuckled. "My favorite drink, right...? It's coffee milk."

"Coffee milk? Whoa! I don't know if you liked that." She gasped.

Well... I mean... I never told you and you just asked that now...

"What about you, Akari?"

"Me? Uhm..." She looked up to the sky, her index finger touching her chin. "I think it's something sweet too... Melon soda, I guess? No, parfait..?"

"Wait, isn't parfait a food?" I asked, a little bit confused.

"Ooh! You're right! I thought it was a drink... ehehe..." she awkwardly laughed.

Seeing her weird yet cute act, I chuckled. "Hahaha, how... how can you mistake it?"

"Hmmph... It's not like that...! Parfait is served in a glass, right? I thought it was a drink..."

"But that doesn't mean it was a drink, you know?" I tried to hold my laugh while explaining it.

"I know, hmph..." She continues to eat her lunch while pouting.

It might be weird to say this right now, but... I really like our current situation. No conflict, no problem, just normal and fun conversation.

I... really like this.

But wait, her teasing me is a new thing... or was I wrong?