Chapter 70: Volume 2 - CH 4.7

Chapter 4: If I Bring the Glass Closer

Part 7

Thursday. Today, Mikage and I were out for lunch again.

Mikage had oyakodon and I ordered a fried mackerel set. At this point, it had somewhat become a routine to me. Apparently, the crowd didn’t seem to think so as they showered stares at us.

Well, four days did wonders to me. I never thought I could get used to this sight this easily.

“That said, there’s more to you than meets the eye,” she chuckled.

Is that how you start a conversation? I wondered for a moment. And what did she even mean?

“What do you mean…?”

“Yuzuki-san, Fujimiya-san, Hiura-san. How will you explain your relation with these three cute girls?”

Having no excuses, I silently bit into my mackerel. The crunching of a fried fish sounded dumb and embarrassing.

“Let’s do a headcount. A Kuze’s Top Three, a Plus Four, and a Plus Four candidate. What luxury is this?”

Can’t deny that either. Although those girls were so sparkling that I looked pale in comparison. Sometimes I felt a little uncomfortable in such a company…

“But, Reiji’s there too.”

“He’s… different from you.”

“Specifically?”

She cocked her head, looking into the distance. “Hmm…can’t quite place it either.”

So she can’t point it out…

“Say, Mikage.”

“Yeah?”

I wonder if I should ask this.

But I get a feeling that Mikage wouldn’t mind.

“What…what do you think about your title? About being in Kuze’s Top Three?”

Besides, I was genuinely curious about what she would think.

“What do you mean?”

“See…Don’t you feel uncomfortable? Being selected against your will and so, everyone is paying strange attention…”

Neither Minato nor Hiura were fond of the title. Especially Minato who had come to despise the accolade. Strangely so, Mikage appeared to differ from those two.

“Hmm…s’pose it is. There’s that side too, yes…”

“…”

“But I kinda like it. If possible, I would never give it up.”

“Oh…”

Well, people have their preferences. Even Yamabuki Karen went to such lengths to get the title… Controversial, controversial.

“I don’t know how they select one, but if it’s by looks, then it’s like a beauty pageant, no? I’m happy to be selected along with Yuzuki-san and Towa-san.” Her eyes narrowed fondly, as though she sincerely felt glad to be selected.

“I…I’ve never thought of it that way. I thought the burnden society put on good looking people are unreasonable, but…”

“I mean there’s that too, but don’t you feel good when someone acknowledges you? Don’t you feel happy when your hard work pays off?”

“You worked hard for this…?”

“Yup.” She nodded without delay. “I want to be beautiful, both on the outside and inside.”

“…”

“So that people can appreciate me. And so that I can like myself.”

“You’re—”

—You want to be someone you can like?

“Hm? Did you say anything?”

“Ah, nothing.” I shook my head.

She reminded me of someone, of blue sky, of passing breeze. Of her smile. That’s the same line of thinking Ayaha had. And those were the words that saved me from my own self-hate.

–You’ll enjoy yourself more that way, right?

Until then, I hated my useless power. How could I use it to help anyone when it couldn’t even help myself.

—What’s good ‘n what’s bad, that’s for you to decide.

That was a line that I had seen and heard many times before. But it wasn’t until then, when she said so, that it finally resonated with me.

That’s why…

Mikage.

I had thought of berating her. I couldn’t help but think so.

If you’re trying to live like that, then why do this…?

“Mikage-sannnn!”

“Huh.”

A call broke me from my reverie.

It was like being doused with cold water, the world around me suddenly regained its contours.

Next to the table were a group of four people, two pairs of boys and girls each.

“Hello, hello.”

“Hi, it’s been a while.”

“Yup, I think this is the first time since we switched classes.”

Mikage seamlessly whipped up a smile and confronted the leader of the group.

The group itself was… good looking. From how they manage to make uniforms fashionable to their makeup, you can immediately tell they’re the center group of the class.

From how their conversation went, they were quite familiar with each other.

“Really, I haven’t got to talk to you, haha.”

“You’re in class ten right?”

“Really? I barely saw you anywhere.”

Gradually, the other guys began to mix in. In a sudden, a chat group was formed around Mikage.

Although…

“So, what are you doing?”

Like a whip, the leader’s attention fell on me.

“Oh, I’m having lunch with him,” Mikage explained.

“Oh? Who’s he?”

I’ve gotten glared at a lot by Hiura, so I had some sort of an immunity… but why would you look at me like that?

“Akashi-kun from room eight.”

“Akashi…? You hit it off with him? Saw you around with him a lot lately.”

“Our interest kinda matched.”

“Really? He doesn’t look the type though.”

Now was the obvious disapproving look. The rest of the group mirrored the leader’s doubtful face.

“If you say so… Don’t forget about us, alright?”

“Ah, okay…”

With that, they went away.

I could virtually feel the whole cafeteria’s attention on us now…

“Let’s eat,” she urged.

“Yeah…”

We hadn’t said a word about what happened. I knew too well that their talk wasn’t with Mikage.

As I was leaving the cafeteria, someone bumped shoulders with me, knocking me off my balance. By the time I looked up, whoever bumped into me had disappeared.