Minami-kun is acting strange

“Where did you learn to be this good?”

Minami waited for her reply with a curious expression depicted on his face.

Satoko turned pale. What do I do?! Did he find out or is it a genuine question? I don’t understand it!

She turned around, giving him her back again, and fidgeted with her fingers.

“I-I just did my best.”

“Mmh…” His tone was thoughtful. “Well, I guess you’re just very talented then!” He laughed cheerfully.

“Y-Yeah.” Satoko let out a silent sigh of relief.

There are times when it seems like he knows it all and times when he seems clueless.

“By the way, Itou-san, do you have a brother?” Minami asked out of the blue.

Satoko frowned, confused. Why this sudden question?

“No, why?”

“I just wanted to know, there isn’t a particular reason.” He paused. “And a cousin around your age?”

Satoko almost fell from the bed. Why does he want to know my family tree?!

“No, they’re all a lot older than me.”

“I see…”

What? What do you see?!

At that moment, he finished tying her pigtails and let go of her hair.

“Ta-da! What do you think?”

Satoko took her phone and checked her hair on the camera. The pigtails were perfect. She brushed gently one of them, her cheeks slightly coloured.

These are the pigtails Minami-kun made for me…

“I-I love them, thank you!”

Minami smiled brightly. “I’m glad you like them, I had so much fun making them!”

Satoko’s heart melted. He’s too cute to be true!

Soon after, Minami got up from the bed and held out his hand to help her get up.

“It’s almost time for the relay race, we should head to the running field.”

Satoko stared at him, distrustful. The last time he held my hand he ended up running at the speed of light.

“Don’t worry, I won’t run this time.” He chuckled.

Satoko looked away, embarrassed that he understood what she was thinking.

“O-Okay.”

She slowly placed her hand on his and accepted his help to get up, but he suddenly squeezed her hand stronger and started running towards the exit.

Satoko’s eyes widened in surprise.

“You said you wouldn’t have ran!”

Minami glanced back at her and snickered. “Little joke!”

This… Satoko squinted her eyes. This is not fair, Minami-kun!

***

In the end, class 3-B also won the relay race, winning first place at the sports festival and beating class 3-A.

It was time to leave, everyone was taking their things to come back home.

“Satoko, I couldn’t ask you before, are you feeling good?” Mei asked.

Some locks of her hair were still wet from how she washed her face after the relay race.

Satoko nodded. “Yes, I’m fine.”

“That’s good.” Mei pointed with her thumb to the direction from where she arrived. “I saw Minami-kun at the taps.”

Satoko furrowed her eyebrows. And what do you expect me to do with this piece of information?

“He looked veeery thirsty.” She emphasized her sentence with a wide hand movement.

Satoko narrowed her eyes. “Are you trying to convince me to bring him something to drink?”

Mei shrugged nonchalantly. “No, you thought of it on your own, I never said it.”

Satoko sighed, helpless. “Fine.”

She bought two little bottles of pear juice and walked towards the taps.

After all, he stayed with me at the infirmary, this is my way of thanking him.

When she arrived, Minami was the only one there. Satoko was about to call his name, but her voice got stuck in her throat.

Right in that instant, Minami lifted his head from the jet of water, making his hair flutter and letting drops of water slip away from his wet hair tips. Then, he slowly passed a hand through his hair and opened his eyes.

In Satoko’s eyes, he was completely surrounded by sparkles and a frame of fresh roses appeared around his face.

I can’t believe I’m watching this for free…

At that moment, he moved his gaze in her direction and his eyes shimmered.

“Oh, Itou-san, it’s you.”

His voice echoed in Satoko’s head in a stupidly attractive tone and her heart skipped a beat.

I-I-I… Her face reddened completely and exploded, releasing a smoke screen.

Minami started coughing. “Itou-san?! Are you alright?”

Satoko tucked her nose on the neckwarmer, embarrassed.

“Y-Yes…” She squinted her eyes. “I brought this for you!”

She handed him both bottles of juice with her head lowered to avoid eye contact.

“Thank you!” He took only one bottle and pushed the other towards her. “One is more than enough, you drink one too.”

“Oh, okay” she mumbled.

This was the original plan, but I had to ruin everything and act weird, as always! She cried on herself.

Minami opened his bottle and took a few sips.

“Oh, it’s pear juice, my favourite!” His eyes sparkled. “How did you know that?”

Satoko fidgeted with her juice bottle.

“I-I noticed you drink it often.”

“Wow, you’re a great observer!”

No, it’s just that I can’t take my eyes off you and you never noticed, idiot!

He finished his juice in a few sips, while Satoko was drinking at the pace of a snail because of embarrassment.

After swallowing his last sip, Minami let out a satisfied sigh and glanced at Satoko.

“I really needed it, thank you, Itou-san.”

Satoko averted his gaze. “N-No problem.”

“You know, I…” He scratched the back of his head and blushed a little. “I like it when you take care of me.”

Uh?! Satoko felt her face blazing in heat. W-What the hell is he saying? Does he want to kill me or something?!

“And I would like to become closer to you.”

Satoko’s eyes widened. Am I… Hearing right? Or is this a dream?

She slowly raised her gaze, trembling. “W-What do you mean?”

“I mean, I would like you to trust me a little more.” His eyes were looking at her with a dismal expression. “For example, if you have some secrets that you don’t want to say, I would like you to share it with me.”

Satoko stared blankly at him. “Secrets?”

What’s wrong with him today? Why is he acting so strange all of a sudden?

Minami looked away and pouted. “See? You never tell me anything.”

Satoko blinked multiple times, clueless.

No, but can you be more clear, please?!

Minami shot her a quick glance and erased the pout with a little laugh. “Your face right now is so funny, Itou-san.”

Satoko sulked. It’s not funny at all, I’m confused!

Minami kept on laughing for a bit, then took a few steps forward and stopped beside her. “I’ll get going, thank you again for the juice.” His lips loosened in a soft smile. “I’ll wait until you’re ready, Itou-san.”

He left her there, her mind completely in disarray. Satoko clenched her hands around the bottle of juice.

W-What does he mean that he’ll wait? She pursed her lips, troubled. It can’t be that he found out, right?

She shook her head to convince herself she was wrong.

I’m probably just misunderstanding, because it can’t be that… Right??

***

The next day, Minami showed up at The Nightingale as always, but his behaviour was quite unusual.

When Satoko welcomed him at the door, he leaned towards her face and observed her with a focused expression. Then, when she pointed to the chair to invite him to sit down, he grabbed her hand and squeezed it, with the face of someone who was testing something.

Satoko was as lost as ever.

What’s wrong with Minami-kun today?

“Satoshi, do you have a sister, by any chance?” he asked, suddenly, when she was pouring tea in his cup.

Satoko almost spilled everything on his clothes.

Again with the family tree? Is this his latest obsession?!

“No, I’ve worked in your mansion for a long time now, you should know, danna-sama.”

He placed a finger on his chin, thoughtful.

“I see… Sorry for the strange question.”

Lastly, a few minutes after he left the cafe, Hiroto beckoned for Satoko to approach him next to the window.

“Do you need something?” she asked.

Hiroto pointed outside the glass. “Has something happened? That guy is acting stranger than usual.”

Satoko raised an eyebrow with an interrogative expression and looked out to see what was happening.

Minami was walking back and forth in front of The Nightingale’s door with a hat and a pair of sunglasses, hiding behind a light pole from time to time.

Satoko’s jaw dropped. What the hell is he doing?!

Akito, who was passing by, glanced out and held back a laugh.

“Only Kenji would think that disguise is effective.”

Disguise?

Satoko looked at Minami from behind the glass with a concerned expression.

Minami-kun, what’s gotten into you lately?