Realization 2

On the topic of paying more attention to my surroundings, I’ve made some progress on understanding Kamishiro’s ties a little more. I feel a little like a detective, but this whole thing hasn’t been as exciting as I hoped it would be.

As soon as I scrammed, Akamine showed Kamishiro around the school. They hit it off fine, a little too well even. For what I know of Kamishiro at least. And that’s about it for the day. Kamishiro is intercepted by a first-year girl with short hair who is pretty mad at him, but that doesn’t seem to be important.

What I do find interesting is that Akamine leaves the school without the bike that she ran Kamishiro over with. And walks a few blocks before black expensive-looking car picks her up. She looked stressed out as the man that greeted her started scolding her. But I was too far away to really know anything.

This was on Monday. The day I realized that summer break had been pushed back a few months.

On Tuesday I had trouble waking up and getting to school early. But I managed somehow.

Kamishiro was there, almost expecting something to happen. And Akamine arrived in the same black car that picked her up the previous day.

They chatted a bit, but Urara-chan saw them enter the school together. Her group of friends seemed to pick something about her reaction, but I could only hear how she went ‘I’ve seen something quite tasty~’. Which was a little lewd, but nothing too out of the ordinary.

It did, however, make me curious about how long those two have known each other. So I checked on Urara-chan during lunchbreak. And sure enough, she snatched Kamishiro away just when Akamine was looking for him.

Later in the day, Kamishiro went to the library alone and met a reclusive girl while she was doing… Something. She’s apparently a bit of a celebrity online? I heard that she has a virtual persona and stuff, but I didn’t really understand much of it. Kamishiro was never in any clubs if I remember correctly, so all there was to Tuesday was that short-haired girl looking for him again.

I pointed her toward the library, since I’m such a nice dude and upstanding student to boot. And left the school to hang out with the boys.

On Wednesday I saw Urara-chan snatch Kamishiro again during lunchbreak… But honestly this observation thing had been pretty boring so I hung out with my friends instead of watching. I did see Akamine with Kamishiro after classes however, and that little girl inserting herself in the conversation. She’s very explosive. But some students can be.

Like Kazama. So maybe I filtered her out before or something.

On Thursday, Kamishiro walked around the playgrounds and was smacked in the face by a volleyball ball. One of the girls from the female sports clubs greeted him. A girl from my year that I’ve seen from time to time, popular as well. But whom I’ve never personally spoken.

I’m not the sports type, so I don’t really have any ties to the members of those clubs. But seeing girls all worked up and wearing their sports uniforms is nice. So at least I’ll agree that this chick is worth getting all flustered for. Much more since Kamishiro isn’t exactly the tallest dude out there.

Still…

“Heya!” I had to greet this one. Just to satiate my curiosity.

“Oh? Hello?” The girl had shoulder-length hair, and was really pretty. No wonder Kamishiro turned into his usual self with this one!

“Yeah, just a question? The guy from before, do you know him?”

“Eh? Kamishiro-kun? No. Just met him today. Why? Did something happen?”

“Nah, just curious.” I waved her off. It really wasn’t important. But I had a hunch.

“Right…”

“Reine-buchou! Time’s running out!” Ah! A club president, huh.

“Reine-chan, then. I’ll be going.”

“Haha… Please don’t address me like that…” She looked hesitant to put up too much resistance. But I am a gentleman: She had nothing to worry about.

“Oh, well then. I’ll still get going Buchou. Do your best.”

“Ah… Yeah, thanks.” She perked up quite easily too. Hmmm…

In other words, Kamishiro got to meet three of the most popular girls in school one after the other… He doesn’t seem to have ties to the school beyond the first-year girl. And from what I’ve seen, these girls randomly bump onto him or flat out look for him for some reason.

…Is this some sort of romcom or something?

Akamine noticed me a couple of times too. But I had a trap card ready to be deployed as she seemed closer and closer to scolding me.

I can’t lie: I like this not-scary-at-all Akamine way better. It makes me feel at ease even if I am kind of getting on her bad side by my constant snooping.

I had to stop. And not precisely because of Akamine either. As I said, she’s way cuter now and I have a way to shrug off any accusations. The problem was on the subject: Following Kamishiro was pretty boring.

Nothing much happened, and he never said anything interesting. I stopped following him when he bumped and did his usual tripping over himself bit with the school nurse because, while she is pretty hot, the guy just made me want to punch something.

I am no closer to understanding this than I was before. And seeing him surrounded by pretty girls would drive me insane.

However, I did get something out of this!

I finally got to remember how Kamishiro and Kazama met.

Boredom is something that both Kazama and I hate with a passion. He gets angry and I get annoying, so we’re basically a good duo when it comes to ruining someone’s day. And it just so happens that I have a bone to pick with a very average-looking guy recently.

“Hey, girls. Are you all having fun?” Kazama’s the most confident of the group, so he cuts through the chatter with ease. Like he belongs there.

The guys add their comments, following his cue. But I keep my eyes trained on Urara-chan. As I had expected, she was involved it seems.

“Ah, Kazama-senpai~” Urara-chan almost dances when she spins to face to taller dude. And leaves Kamishiro behind to adopt a less coquettish vibe. “We’re just having a laugh!”

Kazama looks at Kamishiro and I just know. It clicks instantly; his expression hardens. Kazama really doesn’t waste any time looming over the poor guy.

“Who is this? Is he bothering you girls?” Pretending to be a protector is quite a funny quirk to have. For Kazama that is. Since he isn’t precisely known for his chivalry.

“Eh~ I don’t know!” Urara-chan plays dumb, wording a silent apology to Kamishiro behind Kazama’s back. I guess that this is why she started seeing him privately. Since this is quite the betrayal on her part.

“C’mon, Kazama. Let the guy go. He’s pissing his pants already.” I give Kazama a soft smack on the shoulder. I know my lines, I know this moment. But I only just realized that one of the random guys that Kazama has been intimidating was indeed Kamishiro.

Kazama pushes the guy away, Kamishiro tumbled and trips. He is unable to do much more than to scram.

The guys laugh. I… Laugh too.

What can I do? It is funny. Much more after being subjected to Kamishiro’s boring antics. It feels good.

This time things feel right. Like they are as they should be. With us at the top, without a care in the world.

“You guys!” Akamine cuts through the laughter, however. It seems like even Urara-chan scrammed before we could notice. “What are you doing?”

“Ah, Akamine!” I deploy my trap card immediately, pushing Kazama back with the confidence of someone that won’t be instantly smacked. “Sorry! We just saw something funny. We’ll leave.”

“It looks kind of different however.” Akamine doesn’t look mad, but her expression still lingers on Kazama.

“Ah… Well.” I laugh it off. I just need her attention for a moment. “We seriously weren’t doing anything. But we can get going, right guys?”

“This is none of her business.” Kazama finally tries to take my hand off of him.

I persist.

“C’mon guys, let’s not do this.” I have to insist here. Because I need it to look like I’m with Akamine here. “I’ll take care of this guy, okay? See that he doesn’t give anyone any trouble?”

And like that, I look like I’ve been looking out for Kamishiro all this time!

“…Please do so.” Akamine relents this time.

Man. This one might actually be my winning timeline, huh.