CH 27

How to Break the Tainted Relationship of “Childhood Friends”



June. It’s the rainy season, and the gloomy heat is uncomfortable.



My friend Shimotsuki was at my house with the fan all to herself.



It’s been about a week since we became friends.



For the past few days, Shimotsuki has been visiting my house after school.



“Listen, listen. I asked my mom and dad for a 7pm curfew!　Now you can have more time to play with Nakayama-kun, okay? Hey, are you happy? By the way, I’m very happy.”



It was yesterday when I heard that news.



It’s not that my house and Shimotsuki’s house are not close to each other. …… It’s strange that she came all the way on the bus.



It was strange that she wanted to meet me. …… Shimotsuki was a strange girl, as usual.



And today she is at home again. She sat hugging the fan in the living room and gave me a mischievous smile.



“Is it hot? Hey, Nakayama-kun, are you hot by any chance?　Are you troubled because I’m stealing the breeze from the fan?　That’s too bad. If you want me to share the fan’s breeze, I’d like some ice cream from your freezer.”



“Negotiating …… is more like blackmail.”



It’s my house, and standing in front of my fan, so wanting ice cream is a strange bargain.



“What do you want, …… chocolate or vanilla?”



“Chocolate!”



Well, I’m giving it to her.



I had bought this ice cream in anticipation of her arrival. But I didn’t expect her to already know what was in the freezer. …… I guess she saw it without permission. No, I’m not mad at her, but I thought she was being very free.



“It’s delicious. …… I wonder if in a little while it will be too hot to be fooled by ice cream? That’s what summer is all about……. Isn’t summer always about the beach? What do you do then?　I want to see a video game with marine fields, or a movie where sharks eat people in the ocean, or a cartoon where people go to the ocean.”



“…… So you don’t want to go to ocean in person?”



I found this out after we became friends.



Shimotsuki is a perfect indoor person. She doesn’t really like outdoor hobbies.



“It’s because it burns my skin. …… See, I always wear cardigans, don’t I? It doesn’t matter if it’s summer or not, it’s not for fashion. If I get even the slightest exposure to the sun, I’ll turn red, so I have to take care of myself, okay?”



Shimotsuki always wears a gray cardigan. It’s a little large, and only her fingertips are showing where her hands used to be. I had always thought it was a fashion statement, but apparently there was a good reason.



Speaking of which, Shimotsuki wears knee socks every day and keeps her skirt long. That’s why her legs are hardly exposed. She seems to be taking very careful measures to prevent sunburns.



“But I really want to take it off because it’s so hot. …… In the classroom, my seat is by the window, right? I don’t like it when the sun shines in class. There’s that guy right in front of me. …… Nakayama-kun’s seat is a little far away, and I’m sick of it. But that ends today.”



Instantly excited, Shimotsuki threw the chocolate ice cream into her mouth at once. I wonder if the coldness doesn’t give her a headache. …… She walked up to me, sniffling.



“Nakayama-kun, this is a secret ……, but tomorrow, our class will have a seat change. I was asked by our homeroom teacher, Suzuki-san, to create a lottery …… and he said, ‘I trust you, Shimotsuki-san will not cheat’.”



“Oh, …… really?”



Our class changes seats once a month. Every time this happens, a lottery is created, and this time it seems that Shimotsuki has been put in charge of it.



“But I have one concern. But I have one concern, and that’s that my childhood friend Ryuzaki-kun always sits near my seat. …… I don’t intend to, but he’s always in my sight. It’s in. Is that what they call a rotten friendship? Please don’t do this to me.”



It seems that the relationship of childhood friends can twist the concept of probability.



Shimotsuki, who spoke in a disgusted tone, must have had quite a hard time so far.



“So, in order to break this bond, …… I’ve decided to go rogue this time. It’s not necessary to always be together just because you are childhood friends with someone. It’s not a special relationship, just an old acquaintance, and it’s time to move on, right?”



“Ah, …… injustice.”



The way to break the rotten relationship between childhood friends was by force.



“So, Nakayama-kun, please help me, okay? I want you, my friend, to sit near me. …… If I have any trouble in class, I want you to help me, and I want to help you. Ummm, that’s nice. …… Boring school life can finally be fun!”



With a sparkle in her eyes, Shimotsuki begins to talk about injustice.



She didn’t want to be seated too close to Ryuzaki.



….. The truth is, we shouldn’t be cheating, but I guess we have no choice.



I suppose that’s why I don’t like that guy.



It’s time for God to separate the fate of the childhood friends who are connected by a rotten fate.