001

“How was yours, Yamato-kun?”
That voice woke me up to the surface. I lift my face from desk and look beside, to the right. A girl with long orange colored hair, braided, and bespectacled is smiling towards me. As long as I can remember this girl never looks sad or glum in any situation: even when she lost her wallet some days ago, or being bitten by a stray dog, she always sail that soft and kind smile, no matter hard her day, no matter how bad her condition. It is hardly to be said that this cute voluptuous meganekko, ever shows her negative face towards anyone—especially me. She only shows her positive persona, smile, kindness, and joy. As if the world only consists of pure white pages.
“Is it in good term, or maybe the otherwise?” said the girl again, who named beautifully as Takanashi Kotoriasobi. What a long name for a long haired girl.
“…somehow, yeah….” I vaguely answered.
“Yeah…? So it means ‘good’?”
“Well… somehow….”
“Somehow…? That is truly a confusing reply you have.”
She hold her glasses frame with both hand—pushing it upward—tilting her head a little, and smiles again. A sweet pure hearted smile that will make anyone who witnessing it swearing to protect her!
“I see. So it means, you got everything in mess, right,” said Takanashi again, with calm tenor.
“Umm…. Well….”
“Now, you try to fool me again. No need to hide it, I understand your situation.”
She saw through everything. I never able to act normally if I’m in a screw and trying to make her believed my lie, it indeed impossible. So now, I cannot anymore playing any words to find an exit or excuses of that math exam—which just passed some minutes ago—which fully in foil.
“I have taught you every subject that might enclosed in the exam, did I? Can’t you remember all of those, or at least half of them? Or some points, maybe? A perfect flunk is too much, even for you, Yamato-kun.”
Yeah, I know I’m bad with calculative subject. But, knowing that my result will be like that true is too much. I looks like an idiot now.
“Well, to tell you the truth, Takanashi-sama,” I said, called her with high honorific, as if trying to coaxing, “I lost track about them when look into the questions. That was what happening.”
“Ooh, really,” said Takanashi, then crossed her hands on her chest, and start complaining. “Then all of my expenditure vanishes in vain. All of my effort, my time, being spent up for nothing, is it?”
“I, I’m sorry, Ma’am.”
Can’t do much, I just bowed upon her, and deliver my most honest apologize.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, lift your head, you make me looks like a cruel mistress right here!”
I raised my head. Like always, she forgives me. Even after all of that sweat and trouble in helping me study before and find out that I can’t use everything she taught me, she still spare me. What a forgiving girl.
“You might be done something with Renma-san again, right? Can’t be helped if that’s the case.”
“Yeah… we gone into some far away forest outside of this town and take care of some stuff.”
“Really, must be an ordeal, was it?” said Takanashi, smiling again.
“A huge one. Huge….”
“Fortunately you two are okay. I feel relieve,” said Takanashi, then sat on her desk, which located at my right. “But, because of that, you must redo the exam, knowing you failed this one.”
I droop on the desk again. That phrase aching my heart.
“Re-exam, huh. What a hassle.”
“That hassle is the one which will guide you to third year, you know. Look into it more seriously would, you.”
I look into her, said, “Is that supposed to be a warning?”
“No, it’s an advice.”
What a caring girl. Giving an advice for some junk like me.
“Also, you know, I don’t want to see any of our classmates failing grade, so make sure to not neglect this.”
And also a Saint.
I smiled, “You sure a kind one.”
“I am not. I just do what I should.”
This girl more appears like a motivator in a counseling room rather than a neighbor-of-desk classmate. She’s too considerate and serious if its concern about school matter. Somehow, you will looks it strange if a girl like her do her best to make sure all of her companion—in this class—can get to the next grade; even if she don’t really notice her much. She’s just too kind. Like a Holy Mother? Or something similar as that.
But, yeah, if I consider about her position in this class, that trait wouldn’t really off from her image. After all, she is the class-rep now. She does vigorous in lecturing people—primarily me—especially if it regarding about study and school activities. Her species hardly to be found in prior time. Many of the girls—high school girls—are more fanatic with ignorance and indifferences about others; mentioning that their life not exist for caring others. “Mind your business!” they say.
But this girl, the girl named Takanashi Kotoriasobi is truly far distinct from any other girls I ever saw for these seventeen years of my life. A true Saint. A girl who born without a bit of wickedness inside her, without spite or malice, verily an honest and pure maiden symbolizing the goodness in this rotten ignorance world. Just look on her name. ‘Kotoriasobi’. What a strange name. Strange, peculiar, warped, but somehow cute and joyful. That name is her epitome of cheerful characteristic. As if every day will be sunny, so it’s safe to play outside! Or something similar.
“Hey, Takanashi, can you help me studying for math again?”
“Yes, of course. But, firstly you should focus with tomorrow exam. It will be modern literature and classic Japanese, you know. Can you handle those?”
“Well, if literature and language I can manage them.”
“Oh, right!” said Takanashi, clapping noiseless. “Yamato-kun is great with them, I forget it. You’re English always got perfect score.”
“T, thanks….”
I know much about history and culture—that include the language and literature. That old hag always help me study them too—include also other East and West European languages. Because accustomed with language study and ready literature—mostly historical works—it seems my brain now has stored all of the necessary information which I need for tomorrow exam. Though, I still need to re-read some stuff. Preparing a war is the most important part if want to win it!
“Then, how about we go to the library? The school library must be empty as always, so we can study there soundly,” said Takanashi, jumped off her desk.
“Isn’t they close it because the exam?”
“What are you saying? The library always opens every time, you know.”
With a single pose, she points herself with right thumb, and said this sentence proudly: “Anything will open up if it for the student council president!”
How cool you are. Using that clause to make me impressed?
“Aren’t you acting impulsive now? That’s a wrong way to use your status, you know.”
“Worry not! If it’s about studying, anything is okay. Anything will be permitted if it for the sake of education. And I did this for a stray helpless soul, for you Yamato-kun, so it’s alright!”
Helpless soul?! She just called me helpless soul! It’s too exaggerating you know. I don’t really in the state of ‘helpless’ or ‘astray’. I just need an extra string which can help me focus more—like a partner that always ready to warn me when I start getting sluggish. Of course, Takanashi Kotoriasobi can be the best choice—or more likely, my only hope (considering that I don’t have any friends).
“Then, how about we go now?” said Takanashi, taking her back from table hanger.
“Now? You mean right in this moment?”
“‘Do everything efficiently and as effective as possible’. That is my motto.”
It sounds like, ‘using every potential we have’. She wants to use every chance and time she got as productive as possible. Not wasting anything, do it as soon as when you can do it in that moment. What a diligent and dedicating this Takanashi Kotoriasobi girl. How can I find another kind of girl like her in this world? She’s a rare of her kind: the utopia race.
“Now, shall we depart?” said Takanashi.
“Well, if you insist.”
I take my bag from table hanger, stand up, and following Takanashi who walk first.
But her step suddenly ceasing. She looks on someone’s desk. A desk which position at the front row of my desk lineup, left beside the window, where abundant summer sunlight can broke through facilely. The desk whose owner we didn’t saw until this week. She have gone truant for about a month of this semester. Mikami-sensei doesn’t really understand why. Her house was empty. No one reside it anymore. So we lost contact with her outside of the school. If it’s not because of examination session, she might not appear and sat on that lonely desk. That’s the boreal girl’s desk, the expressionless Senjotora Kaneko seat.
“Senjotora-san, she left her pencil case.”
Takanashi took that pencil case on the desk. A plain blue pencil case, without any stickers or mascot picture on it—like what the girls favor.
“I should return this to her,” said Takanashi, then came back to me. “But first, let us go to the library.”
“You sure don’t want to return it now? She might not gone far if you after her.”
Takanashi look out through the transparent window, observing every person she can catch with her eye down to the school passage until front gate. Senjotora Kaneko wasn’t there.
“She should have gone out from school now. After all, Senjotora-san fast in walking.”
“I surprise you know that. Are you observing her or something?”
“W, well… you know, considering we were in the same class for these two years, then having that kind of information not really looks strange, right?”
Well, she got the point in that. Just, I thought there was something more rather only an everyday habit she saw.
“N, now, let us go to the library! The sooner we start, the faster we finish!”
Takanashi abruptly walk away, with her hands clutching that bluish pencil case. I followed her while taking attention on her nuance.
“Senjotora-san, you always this clumsy. I will returned this to her tomorrow.”
She talked to herself—about the pencil case.
I never saw Takanashi Kotoriasobi making any panic face if it’s not regarding that icy queen: Senjotora Kaneko. Somehow, Takanashi seems pin her attention and care about Senjotora well—more than anyone. Even-though that girl never notice or reply her kindnesses at all. Like a true ignorant, Senjotora Kaneko did her role well, and forsake everyone fully, even that pure hearted Takanashi.
Takanashi truly is a Saint. Savior from August Eden who sent by Almighty God for stray souls—as me, and Senjotora. This girl do fit her role with that feature. This is also the reason why I always want to protect her. Even if it means I must going through torture or hell. I am relief that I can save her that time. And, thank God my limbs could be grafted again. If it’s not, Takanashi would feel bad for me for the rest of her life.
Now, when I saw her this cheerful—and forget those days—imagining she will distressed or lost her joy might kill me. I don’t want Takanashi fall sad. Nor also let anyone to harm her. Especially, Senjotora Kaneko.
Of course, I say this not because I hate that icy-emotionless-boreal girl. This is not about hurting or being heart physically. This is far more deep, more enigmatic, mysterious, and unscientific.
This is about the truth of Senjotora Kaneko’s left eye. The eye which can kill anyone in one glance. A mental killing.
If Takanashi ever know about that she will be frightened. Afraid of that eye. I don’t want Takanashi scared of Senjotora because of that eye—knowing this girl adore Senjotora much. I want to protect her dream, where she thought might be came true someday: to befriend Senjotora. What a holy dream. What a beautiful wish.
That wish— I swear to protect it.
No matter what the outcome will be.
And to start it, I must made contact with Senjotora Kaneko.
But… firstly—
“Here it is the library. See, it’s empty. I wonder why no one comes here.”
—let’s just focus with studying for now.
* * *