Ch.63 How They Met. Mashiro's Story - First Half

"Now that Miho's story is done and dusted, 'tis time for the next one. Who should we talk about next...?"

"...Then, me."

"Mashiron? I do not mind, but... why ja?"

'Twas Mashiron who stepped forward, but why would she?

"...Hmm, because the topic is too heavy?"

""""Heavy?""""

"Ahh... now that you mention it, Mashiron's stuff was heavy... Indeed. It might be the heaviest of all of us. In that sense, it might be better to do hers sooner rather than later."

"Hmm, that's why."

"Understood ja. Then, next we will talk about Mashiron. Mashiron was—"

With that, I began to tell the story of how I first met Mashiron.

◇◆◇

I met Mashiron around September of last year.

We met right after summer vacation, when preparations for the school festival were about to begin.

...At the beginning,

"......S-so, h-hungryyy......"

She collapsed in the hallway, so to speak.

"Fuumu... I never expected to stumble upon such a rare situation after finishing the work that Teacher Yomogi forced me to do."

The situation was so rare that even I was bewildered.

Kukyuu~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.

"..."

"..."

Fumu, what should I do...?

In front of me was a physically small female student lying face down in the hallway.

On the other hand, there was a male student with long hair and androgynous features who looked down on the female student.

...I feel like this is going to make me seem like a weirdo ja.

It cannot be helped.

"Ahh, ahem. Hello, The female student who's collapsed over there. What is the matter noja?"

"……Who?"

"Ahh, my bad. I am Ouka Mahiro from class 1-3."

"...A male student with unusually long hair and who speaks like an old man?"

"Indeed... or rather, you know me pretty well."

"...Somewhat famous."

So I am famous, huh...?

I wonder how my name got spread noja.

"So? Why are you lying here? Well, after hearing that sound just now, I kind of understand."

"...Hunger. That's all."

"I suppose so."

There cannot be any other reason than that she collapsed from hunger. After all, she was saying she was hungry and her stomach was rumbling.

But in this era, to collapse on school grounds no less...

"...Your money?"

"...I forgot."

"So you missed out on a meal because of that?"

"……Mm."

So, that means she forgot her wallet.

So, She was putting up with it?

"Fumu. I could feed you, but..."

"...Really?!"

"Whoa!? What was that all of a sudden ja? You surprised me!"

She suddenly sat up and looked at me, then reacted with an incredibly loud voice, which really startled me.

Despite her appearance, she might actually have a surprisingly loud voice.

"I would love to treat you to a meal, but the school cafeteria is not open today, you see?"

"...Shobon..." (TL: Sfx indicating mood down)

"Do not be so down in the dumps."

This is the first time I have ever seen someone say "shobon" in real life.

"I am pretty sure there is a convenience store nearby. Let me go there and buy something for you."

"...Is that okay?"

"I do not mind."

"...Why giving me food, when I'm a complete stranger?"

"Mu? Let me see ja... there is no particular reason... but for now, let us just say 'tis because you have the looks I like. 'Tis too much trouble."

Well, 'tis not a lie to say that I like her looks.

I cannot believe there are actually girls with silver hair and short stature. What a surprise ja.

Why that matters is another problem that I am not sure how to answer though.

"...Do you like me?

In response to my answer, the silver-haired female student asked me a question with a slightly bewildered expression.

"Well, tosime extent. ...listen, I am going to the convenience store, so tell me what you want to eat. I will buy it quickly. Oh, do not be shy. Just tell me what you like."

I cut our conversation short because I was worried she would get too hungry if we continued talking.

And on top of that, it also comes with the bonus of telling her to not hold back.

"...Two tuna mayo rice balls, one salmon roe rice ball, one beef short rib rice ball, one ham, cheese, and lettuce sandwich, two egg sandwiches, one yakisoba bun, two pieces of menchi katsu, and one set of karaage."

"Hmm? Wait a minute. Eh, what? You eat that much?"

"...? Hmm, I think it's normal amount though...?"

The female student said this with a blank expression, yet with a somewhat bewildered look on her face.

I see...

"I-I see... Anyway, I will go buy it, so wait a moment."

"……Mm!"

Despite her expressionless face, this fellow looks incredibly happy.

So, I went to the convenience store and bought the things I was asked to get.

When paying the bill,

"Um, if you don't like being treated like this, you should talk to someone about it..."

The store clerk looked worried.

Could it be that they misunderstood and thought I was being bullied?

...That seems to be the case...

"Ah, no, this is something an acquaintance of mine is going to eat, and actually, it all belongs to the same person."

"Eh? This much for one person? Is your acquaintance a sumo wrestler?"

"...Well, that is what most people would think."

They would never imagine that it would be just one female student who would eat all of this.

◇◆◇

"Here, I bought it."

"...Food!"

The female student approached with such agility that you could almost hear the sound effect "whoosh!"

"I forgot to ask about drinks, so I just bought some orange juice. Is that okay?"

"...No problem. I love fruit juices."

"I see. All is good then."

I would be a little troubled if she said she preferred Coca-Cola after all this.

"Mokkyu mokkyu...!"

Oh, wow, the food is disappearing so quickly...!

What an incredible pace!

Where could all that possibly fit in that tiny body?

"...Kepu. Thank you for the meal."

"Apologies for the crude food ja."

Well, I did not actually make any of them, though.

"...I'll pay you later."

"No, do not worry about the money. I did it of my own free will ja. You do not have to pay."

"...I feel bar."

"'Tis really fine noja. I did say I would treat you, after all. Do not worry about it."

I was the one who suggested it, after all.

There is no need to go to the trouble of asking for the money back. Besides, collapsing from hunger is quite a serious matter.

"...Okay. Then I'll gratefully accept."

"Yes, that would be very helpful."

I am glad she accepted it.

If she had tried to pay it off out of spite, that would have been quite a problem, but this female student might be surprisingly obedient.

"By the way, who are you ja? I introduced myself earlier, but I did not hear you ever stating your name."

"...Oh, that's right. Let me introduce myself then. I'm Hidaka Mashiro. A second-year student."

"Mu, so you are older than me? I thought you were younger, so I spoke to you informally. Should I use polite language instead?"

"...Not really. I don't like using polite language. It's fine to talk to me informally like this."

"Oh, really? That is a relief. I am not good at using polite language either. To be honest, it makes my shoulders stiff."

This tone of voice is definitely the most comfortable and easiest to use.

But, you know, there are people out there who will not tolerate anything less than polite language. Of course, that is understandable, so there is nothing I can do about it.

"Well, I suppose 'tis time for me to head home now."

"...Leaving already?"

"Yes. I need to go buy ingredients for dinner. Besides, at this time of day, I can get ingredients cheaply in the shopping district."

"……Housewife?"

"No, my parents are simply not home. They are both busy with work, so 'tis kind of like I am living alone."

"……I, see"

Mu? I feel like her expression just became a little gloomy.

...Fumu.

But even if that were the case, I do not think 'tis appropriate for me, who just met her, to get involved, so I will just pretend I did not see anything.

"Well then, I shall head home."

"...Mm. Thanks for the meal."

"Haha, you are welcome ja. See you later."

And so, our first encounter came to an end.

◇◆◇

After our first encounter, we did not have a chance to meet again because we were in different grades, but then one day... or rather, during the preparation period for the school festival.

I, too, finished my work around 6 PM and was casually looking around the school grounds.

Then,

"……Heavy."

A little further ahead, a mysterious, large box was walking along.

Moreover, 'tis staggering around. And, incidentally, I hear a voice that sounds strangely familiar.

Could that possibly be...?

"Ah, is that Hidaka-senpai?"

"...That voice, Ouka-san?"

"Umu. Where are you going to take that ridiculously huge box that is so ill-fitting for your size noja?"

"...Student Council Room."

"The student council room? Understood ja. Let me carry it for you."

"……Ah."

I easily picked up the box that Hidaka-senpai was holding.

Ah, I guess not as easily...

"'Tis surprisingly heavy."

"...There are documents inside."

"I see. But it will be tough for you with your body."

"...Is that okay?"

"Yeah, if you let a little girl carry it, she might hurt herself. Come on, let us go."

"……Thank you."

Although she is expressionless, this fellow is surprisingly expressive.

I feel like there is a slight smile on the corners of her mouth.

Fumu. Perhaps she is the type whose emotions show on her face more than one thought.

"Is this okay?"

"...Mm, no problem."

I made an effort to carry the luggage to the student council room and put it on a suitable place.

Wow, 'twas surprisingly heavy, and it put a real strain on my arms and waist.

Well, I cannot exactly let small Hidaka-senpai carry something like this.

"So this is the student council room. 'Tis pretty nice. And there's a phone too."

"...If the student council room is dirty, that's a problem in itself. Also, we use the phone to order from the school cafeteria. We have a lot of work to do."

"I see, so that is how it is."

This room is actually quite convenient.

If you look closely, there is also a vending machine.

I guess you really need things like this when you have a lot of work.

"By the way, are you a student council member?"

"...Even though I'm like this, I'm the vice-president."

"Eh, seriously?"

"...Seriously. Last year, I was scouted by the student council president and became vice president."

"Is that so?"

They say you cannot judge a book by its cover, but I never imagined she is the vice-president.

So, student council members are basically recruited, huh?

"By the way, what happened to the other executives?"

"...The preparation period for the school festival is quite busy. It's not just patrolling the school grounds; there's also the reviewing, acceptance, and rejection of applications for each class, club, and individual's performance. And even if we reject an application, we have to explain what needs to be done or what would make it acceptable."

"Fuumu. 'Tis not often to hear that student councils are that busy, but this academy's student council seems quite busy."

"...This academy values ​​student autonomy, so there's a lot of work to be done by the student council and other committees."

"I see."

Hearing that, I am glad I did not join any aommittee...

I will not do a good job unless I do it properly.

I do not like troublesome things.

"So, they are all out right now."

"……Yes."

"Fumu. But what about that heavy box from earlier?"

"...Vice-president has a surprising amount of work to do. Or rather, the student council president is the one who moves around quite a bit during events like this. The vice-president is something close to a relay point. That box we saw earlier contains the necessary documents."

With that level of weight, huh?

Fuumu.

"Do you not have any friends you can rely on?"

"......I don't have any friends."

"A lone wolf?"

"......The way you say it."

She gave me a disapproving look and retorted in a slightly reproachful tone.

That was my fault.

"My bad. I tend to be quite honest, you see... If I have hurt you, I apologize."

"...It's okay. I have my own struggles too."

"I see... But, struggles, huh? What ja? Did something unpleasant happen to you in the past?"

"............Not really."

Something definitely happened in the past.

However, if she does not want to talk, it would be rude of me to pry information out of her.

'Tis best to ask about these things when the person themselves wants to talk about them. Well, if the person is on the verge of breaking down, then we have to step in and talk to them, even if 'tis forceful.

Should I pray that does not happen?

"But, well, not having any friends is a problem, is it not?"

"…………Why?"

"Why, you ask...? Well, you know. Friends are necessary, are they not ja? After all, the kind of thing that people who do not take care of themselves do is like keeping everything to themselves. Just having one person makes a difference, you know? You can vent your troubles to them."

"......But I'm being avoided."

"Being avoided? Why ja?"

"……I don't know"

You do not know, huh...?

Fuumu, after talking to her, she does not seem like a bad person at all; in fact, she seems like a nice fellow.

'Tis easy to talk to her, and for me, 'tis rare to be able to talk to someone older than me without getting tired. because of my tone of voice and everything.

The store manager and others are pretty laid-back, though. I know them well.

"I see... Fumu, then, shall we become friends?"

"……Why?"

"Well, if you ask me why... If you do not want to, you can refuse. I am not forcing you. Besides, friendship is not something you force on others."

A friend who tries to force their opinions on you is not a real friend.

I actually encountered a real-life example of that very recently. Well, I did become friends with that guy, so it worked out well for me, but still.

Making new friends is naturally a happy thing, isn't it?

"......Then, let's."

"Mu, is that alright? We are not in the same grade, I am one year younger, you know?"

"...It's okay. Ouka-san seems trustworthy."

"What do you mean ja?"

"...From past experience, I can tell whether a person is trustworthy or not by looking into their eyes."

"Hohou, how impressive. So, what do you think? What about me?"

"...Lazy, but seems like a kind-hearted person."

"O-ouh..."

'Tis pretty much the same thing Kengo and Yuya have told me...

How dooes she know noja?

Rather, what kind of past could have led to the acquisition of such abilities...?

"……What do you think?"

"Well, that is more or less correct, I suppose. I cannot admit that I am kind-hearted, though..."

"...The fact that you're feeding me, a complete stranger, and carrying my luggage for me shows you're incredibly kind."

...I suppose that is true.

"...Well, from today we are friends ja. If you have any worries or problems, do not hesitate to tell me. Oh, here is my phone number and email address."

"...Thank you. Just a moment. ...Here, this is mine."

"You write fast."

"...Fast writing is essential."

For what exactly?

For now, I will consider it a success since she has made more friends.

"...I should probably get back to work now."

"Fumu, I see. Is there anything I can help with?"

"......I feel bad asking you to help me with my work."

"Do not fret over it. If 'tis too difficult to do alone, there is no problem with asking a friend for help."

"...Is that what friendship is all about?"

"Yes. A friend is someone you can easily talk to and confide in ja."

"...I see. Well, I'd be happy if you could help me."

"Understood ja."

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