Ch.64 How They Met. Mashiro's Story - Second Half

And so, I ended up helping out with Hidaka-senpai's work.

That said, all I will be doing is sorting documents ja.

Next to me, Hidaka-senpai has been taking each sorted document and stamping them with a steady rhythm and speed.

"Have you actually read through the documents?"

"...No problem. Speed ​​reading is also a basic skill."

"I see. By the way, is it really okay for the vice president to stamp the approval?"

"...It's fine. From the school festival period onward, the work will be almost entirely handled by first-year and second-year students. It's practically a handover. So, the power I, as vice president, hold is essentially the same as that of the president. The decisions will basically be left to me."

"Hohou. So, is there a chance something confusing will come up?"

"...By comparing the data on trends and performances from last year's school festivals with this year's application form, I can determine whether everything is okay or not. I can also identify areas for improvement."

"That is quite impressive..."

Certainly, this is the kind of person who would be scouted to become the vice president.

Moreover, even while we were talking, she is still continuing to complete her work without stopping.

'Tis impressive how she can read documents while talking, and even determine whether there are any problems within it.

That is absolutely impossible for me ja.

"…… Impressive?"

"Umu, impressive. You have high specs in many areas ja."

"......Honestly, this was quite a struggle."

Mu, what ja? Her expression suddenly seems somber...

And, somehow, she looks sad, does she not?

"Hey, you have something on your mind, do you not?"

"…… How?"

"Hmm, 'tis evident in your expression, and also in your overall demeanor."

"......My expression, is showing?"

"Umu. It might just be my imagination, but I feel like sometimes you get gloomy or seems sad."

"......"

Ah, she is frozen.

Hmm, can I take this as me hitting the nail on the head?

"......I have one question."

"What is it ja? Ask me anything. As long as I can answer."

"...Don't you have any thoughts about my appearance?"

"Your appearance? Let me see ja... You are shorter than most people your age?"

"...Eh, there?"

"Is that not the one? If so... Then you have a baby face compared to others you age?"

"......Isn't that the same thing for you?"

"Then, you look like a child."

"...Are you making fun of me indirectly?"

Whoops, I think I am going to get punched if I do any more ja.

No, I do not believe she will actually do it though...

Anyway, that is enough trying to lighten the mood.

"Hair color and eye color, perhaps?"

"......Did you know and just joke around?"

"Well, I am not very good at serious conversations or anything like that. So I tend to joke around. I apologize if I have offended you."

I do not mean to make fun of you or anything.

"...It's fine. You're just messing around for my sake, so I'll forgive you."

"That would be helpful. ...So, what is the deal with your hair color and eyes?"

"...My name, Hidaka Mashiro."

"Introducing yourself? But you already did that a little while ago, did you not?"

I would be quite troubled if you suddenly introduced yourself out of the blue.

"...That's not it, I'm a pure Japanese."

"Hmm? Ahh, I see. So you want to ask my opinion on the fact that despite being a Japanese, you have silver hair and blue eyes?"

"...Yes. Any thoughts?"

"This is a bit out of the blue ja, but... basically, 'tis about how I feel about it, right?"

"...Mm. Tell me if it's weird, strange, bizarre, or disgusting, anything."

"Why is everything on the negative side ja?"

"...Based on personal experience"

"A-a personal experience, is it..."

That is another truly awful story ja.

Moreover, she looks sad .

Fuumu...

"Is it okay to just be honest?"

"...Yes. It's okay to be honest. In fact, that's what's important."

"Understood. ...To be honest, I think you are really cute."

"……Eh."

"What are you so surprised about? You are a pretty girl, are you not? Silver hair and blue eyes are not something one would see every day around here. Plus, your short stature is also appealing. And your expressionless face is a big plus."

"......Um, well, uhh...I'm getting embarrassed when you p-praise me like that..."

"Mu, oops, Apologies. I got carried away. Oh, of course, I mean it honestly. I am not lying."

"...Well, I can tell that just by looking into your eyes. I can even see through lies to a certain extent."

"Is that so? Then all is fine."

"……U, n."

Fumu, her face is red.

Perhaps she is not used to being praised?

...Well, that must be it noja. After all, she must have been subjected to some negative comments in the past.

I am not so sure about now though.

"...But, this is the first time someone has called me cute."

"What? Seriously? That is a lie, right?"

"...Not lying. It's true."

"With that appearance, you are saying you have never been called cute...?"

"...That's what I've been saying."

How did it end up like that noja?

She has silver hair, blue eyes, a cute (expressionless) face, and a small body.

... Fumu. Pretty cute indeed.

So, people were saying this was disgusting, not cute...?

What a mystery ja.

"...Am I, cute?"

"Umu, you are cute."

"......I see."

Hidaka-senpai looked down, her face red.

"But, how strange. If 'tis your parent, I wouldn't be surprised if they said you were cute..."

When I voiced that question, Hidaka-senpai's face clouded over slightly.

Did I just step on a landmine...?

Is this bad? Could this be... not good?

While I was feeling anxious inside, a certain fact came out of Hidaka-senpai's mouth.

"...My parents are dead."

"......"

What n unexpected turn of events.

I was taken aback by the unbelievable story.

What should I say about this noja...?

"...Since we're on the subject, I'd like to ask my friend Ouka-san to listen to my troubles."

While I was feeling flustered inside, Hidaka-senpai said that to me.

This might sound a bit strange, but 'tis a godsend.

"Umu, I will listen. If it will solve your problem."

"...Thanks. Now, let's talk."

Uumu, I feel like I have become a resident of a counseling service.

I never imagined that 2 people would come to me for advice just this month alone.

A little while ago, another mixed-race girl also came to me for advice, though 'twas not exactly a problem per se...

Well, fine.

If listening to someone's problems will make them smile, then 'tis a small price to pay.

Besides, there is no sadder story than the one she just told me about her parents' deaths.

"...Actually, I've been passed around among my relatives many times in the past."

...S-so heavy!

'Tis heavier than I expected!

Eh, p-passed around from one place to another? Seriously? Does that really happen in reality...? Well, it must happen, there is a reason why there are facilities that take in orphans...

F-for now, let me hear the continuation.

"...Both of my parents are ordinary Japanese. But apparently, there was a Scandinavian person in my family in the past."

"Fumu. So, in short, 'tis a case of atavism?"

"...That's how it is. But it's all because of my hair and eyes. My parents apparently suspected each other of infidelity, but DNA testing proved their innocence. So I got curious about why my hair and eyes are like this, and when I looked into it, it seems my mother had foreign ancestors."

"I see..."

What kind of miracle is that, realistically speaking, something that can only happen with astronomical odds?

Or rather... what is it? This setting... no, this story about her background sounds very familiar.

Specifically, I get the feeling that is similar to me who might suddenly turn into a woman one day...

Just kidding. 'tis probably just my imagination. (TL: Trust your intuition more)

More importantly, Hidaka-senpai, who is right in front of me, comes first.

"...They both felt reassured by that and showered me with love."

"Fumu. They must have been good father and mother."

"...Un. But that wasn't the case with my relatives."

Well, if her relatives were good people, she would not be in this state...

What exactly happened?

"...On the day of their funerals, my relatives were troubled when they saw me crying alone. But it wasn't because they felt sorry for me crying, it was because they were wondering who would take me in."

I see...

"...Once I left the scene, they started arguing about who would take care of me. But no one wanted to take me. It was painful for me to watch from near the entrance."

"..."

"...In the end, a relative of Okaa-san took me in. They were smiling then, but...they were a fake smile."

"..."

"...In the new house I moved into, my position was nothing more than 'a relative's child who was taken in out of necessity,' and conversations were kept to a minimum. I also had only the bare minimum of necessities for daily life."

"...I see."

"...The shock of losing Okaa-san and Otou-san, and seeing their forced smiles, gradually made me lose my emotions, and I became almost completely expressionless."

...I see, that explains why she is so expressionless.

But is that really all it takes? Well, maybe it does for some people. But surely there is something more to Hidaka-senpai.

Just as I was thinking that, Hidaka-senpai began to explain another reason.

"...My silver hair and blue eyes made me seem strange to those people, and gradually I started to be ostracized."

"..."

"...At that time, I was feeling distressed and called child protective services."

"That must have been quite an event..."

"...Mm. But seeing how the adults handled the situation there made me feel even more numb."

"What on earth is going on..."

"...In the end, the people at the child protective service didn't help me."

"...What did you say?"

Why are child protective service not helping children in need?

What is up with that ja?

"...My stepfather and stepmother eventually said they couldn't take care of me anymore and foisted me off on other relatives. After that, similar situations continued, and occasionally, some people would even physically abuse me."

"......"

"...I was in the third grade of elementary school at the time, but even as a child, I understood. You can't trust adults."

Indeed, in that case... One would most definitely stop trusting others...

Frankly, if a third-grader had an experience like that, it would not be surprising if it led to suicide, would it? No, it could even break them completely.

"...And in the end, I ended up going to a children protective service' facility."

"Well... if that's the kind of upbringing you are in, I suppose 'tis the most reasonable outcome..."

"...But my appearance still seems to look strange wherever I go, and I get bullied by kids my age, and my relatives call me weird, creepy, an ominous child, ugly, etc... all sorts of things."

"...I see."

"...I studied hard because I wanted to get revenge on the people who bullied me and the adults who spoke ill of me. I was admitted to this academy through a recommendation because of my hard work. My tuition is waived."

"Should I say that was a good thing?"

"...I believe this was a good thing. Because there's no one to make fun of me or bully me anymore."

"...I see. That is certainly a good thing."

So, now that she is in high school, she is finally living a normal life, huh?

"...But then, what about where you live?"

"...I live alone. Actually, there are people who took me in, and they're paying for my living expenses."

"Oh, really? So, what about those people? In terms of their personalities?"

"...They're such a good person. They knew about my situation, and they got angry and cried with me. That's why I am who I am today."

"...I see. That is good. You have a trustworthy adult."

"...But I don't trust them from the bottom of my heart."

"Is that so?"

"...Yes. Even though I know they're a good person, based on my past experiences, I don't know if I can really trust them..."

"Well, that is probably normal..."

That is understandable.

Being passed around among relatives, subjected to violence and insults, and even bullied by children her own age—it would not be surprising if she turned to delinquency under normal circumstances.

However, Hidaka-senpai was determined to prove them wrong. 'Twas not something just anyone could do, and more importantly, 'twas proof of Hidaka-senpai's strength.

I have nothing but respect for her.

"But why are you telling me this?"

"...Ouka-san is a good person."

"Eh, is that all? Surely that is not enough to make you trust me? Maybe I was just being nice to you to seduce you, or maybe I am planning to force myself on you?"

"...Given Ouka-san's personality, that's unlikely."

"W-why?"

"...I observed you almost every day from the day you fed me."

"A stalker...?"

"……You're wrong."

Wait, is observing someone every day not a form of stalking?

I wonder if 'tis different for women.

"...And that's when we found out that Ouka-san is lazy and basically lives at about 40% capacity. Also, you basically can't refuse requests from your friends."

"...So you really did observe me ja."

"...Of course. Your everyday behavior is what builds trust."

Certainly.

If you were asked which person you would trust more—someone who only puts on a good face in important situations, or someone who always has a good attitude—well, I would say the latter.

Sometimes, the seemingly insignificant details of a person's daily life reveal their true nature.

In that sense, 'tis a good way to judge a person's character.

"So? Your conclusion?"

"...I can trust you. After all, if yo were going to do what you said earlier, you would talk to me every day, and more importantly, you would try to attack me when we were alone. But Ouka-san is quite lazy. If you were going to do something like that, you would probably rather get some sleep instead."

"...You seem to know a little too much about me. How do you know so much?"

"...Actually, I also asked your homeroom teacher."

"Damn you, Teacher Yomogi!"

That guy, he must have been enjoyes teaching it to her, right...?

Well, 'tis not like teaching her about my lifestyle would cause much of a problem.

"...I trusted you because you're such a lazy person, Ouka-san. Plus, I knew you were kind-hearted, so that made it even easier. You even fed me."

"That?"

"...Food is a matter of life and death."

"...I see."

You do not have to say it with the same serious look and voice you had when we were having that serious conversation earlier.

Could it be that this fellow loves eating?

...No, considering how much she ate, she must really love it.

"So, in the end, what exactly is your problem...? That was just your personal story..."

"......I think I just wanted you to listen to what I just said. I feel much better now."

"Is that so?"

"......Mm. So, Ouka-san, what did you think of me after hearing what I just said? Did you have sympathy for me?"

"Sympathy... Is not what I am feeling."

I answered honestly to Hidaka-senpai, who spoke with a slightly self-deprecating tone.

"……Why?"

Hidaka-senpai's eyes widened in surprise.

So I said what I was thinking.

"Such a heavy past. I cannot even begin to imagine it. Besides, it might be rude to sympathize with you."

"……Rude?"

"Umu. Sympathy, well, means putting yourself in the other person's shoes and sharing their feelings, right? But I only know about Hidaka-senpai's situation from what you have told me. I was not there, so how can I sympathize? First of all, you are strong. ...No, actually you may be just like any other girl your age, but even so, you did not give up, and you stood up to get revenge, which is admirable. Sympathy for that? Doing that would not erase your past, and it might even tarnish your strength. Besides, and I apologize if this sounds bad, 'tis because of that past that you are who you are today. A strong you."

"..."

Perhaps because she was told something unexpected, her surprised expression suddenly changed to one of slight bewilderment.

"Well, you know, you are cute. That hellish period only lasted until you enter high school, and once you are in high school, your life have become much happier... well, not exactly happier, but better, right?"

"...Mm. It's pretty fun. Being in the student council is rewarding too."

"That alone is enough. You will definitely be happy in the future! I cannot really say things like that, like the clichés that high school seniors who are pretty despairing about life because they cannot go to the vocational school they wanted to go to hear from their relatives and acquaintances."

"...That's very specific."

I don't know why I said that either.

"Do not worry about that. ...Anyway, you now have a friend like me. See? Things might get a little more fun, right?"

"……Ah."

"Well, I am not in the same grade as you though, I am younger."

...Mu? Does that mean that the younger person is being presumptuous by lecturing the older person?

This iss kind of embarrassing...

Fuumu. Well, fine.

"...Ouka-san, my friend?"

"Yes. I told you earlier. i am not the kind of jerk who would change my attitude just because of what you just said."

"...That's good to hear."

On the contrary, there is no way I would become friends out of pity.

I just want to be friends, that is all.

"...Hey, Ouka-san."

"What is it?"

"...Ouka-san sounds so distant."

"Hmm? Well, that might be true."

"...If we're friends, shouldn't we use a more casual way of addressing each other?"

"I suppose so ja. But I think you should call me whatever you like. We are friends, after all."

"......Mm, then... since your name is Mahiro, I'll call you Mahiron."

"...That is a weirder way to address someone than I thought."

"...Really? I think it's a good name."

Could it be that this fellow has a slightly questionable sense of naming things...?

No, that is unlikely.

But, Mahiron, is it?

So then...

"Then I will call you Mashiron. How about that?"

"...That's good. It feels like we're friends."

"Oh, that is good to hear."

We laughed, "Ha ha ha."

Also, the sad atmosphere and gloomy expression that were there just moments ago are gone from Hidaka-senpai—no, I mean Mashiron.

She looks a little bit happy.

"Well, anyway. Looking forward to be with you, Mashiron."

"...Mm! looking forward to be with you too, Mahiron."

A clear smile was playing on Mashiron's lips as she said this.

Wow, I think this is the first time I have seen this.

Also……

"Mashiron is much more charming and cute when she is smiling than when she is expressionless."

"......!"

Mu? Why is your face red?

What could be the reason?

"Do you have a cold?"

"...Don't worry. Just a little hot."

"I see. Well, even though 'tis September now, the lingering summer heat has not completely subsided yet. Be careful not to get heatstroke."

"...U-un."

Having said that, I do not think 'tis *that* hot... Oh well, it does not matter.

"...Mahiron, you won't leave me?"

"Mu? Is that about whether I will stay friends with you forever?"

"...A little different, but similar."

"If you are asking for an answer, of course ja. I feel like we are on the same wavelength. I am almost certain our connection will never be broken. So, I would like to stay friends with you for a long time."

"......I-I see. ...He really is a good person."

"Did you say something?"

"...Nothing."

"Really?"

I feel like she said something, but I will just assume I am mistaken.

Mashiron, who was working next to me, had a red face, and for some reason, she seemed quite happy.

Since then, Mashiron and I have had a fair number of opportunities to spend time together, occasionally having lunch together, going out to play, and helping her with her work.

At the time, I thought she was clinging to me a lot, but then I figured she was just happy to have made a friend.

◇◆◇

"So, that is about it ja."

""""T-that's certainly heavy...""""

"...Right? But thanks to Mahiron, I'm happy now. And it's also great that I met everyone. ...Although Mii-chan is a bit of a handful."

"Why?!"

"...Sometimes you attacked me."

"I can agree with you on that ja."

"Mahiro-chan is pretty mean too!?"

She has a bad reputation.

But now that you mention it, Mashiron seems to be having a lot of fun right now, which is great.

Things were pretty dark when we first met, were they not?

"Speaking of which, I wonder what happened to Mashiron's relatives?"

"...About that, everyone are now left homeless."

"""""Why (ja)?!"""""

"...Apparently, one got their company bankrupt, one was caught embezzling funds, one got their affair exposed, one had their business failed, and one became addicted to gambling and ended up deeply in debt."

What on earth could have happened to make that happen?

Looking at the others, everyone except Mashiron was giving a wry smile.

Just when I thought that was it, another bombshell was dropped.

"...Incidentally, when my awful relatives found out that I was married to Mahiron and that I was also married to the daughter of the Uishi Group, they inexplicably started asking me things like, 'We helped you out, so lend us some money.'"

"Which 2〇h is that...?" (TL: a reference I couldn't quite understand)

"So, things like that do happen, huh~?"

"...No, actually, I think Mashiron's situation is in the minority ja, Yui-nee yo."

Rather, I am surprised that something like that happened to someone close to me ja.

"...I don't feel any gratitude towards those people. Sure, they might have done the bare minimum, but they treated me like a nuisance."

"So, what happened? Those damn relatives?"

"...With a sly smile, I said, 'My family is Mahiron and her husbands. You are less than pebbles lying around. In fact, thanks to you passing me around, I've been able to get the best wife and close friends who are fellow husbands. I'm grateful for that. But if you make any more noise, I'll call the police. Also, I know you've borrowed money from the Uishi Group, so be prepared.', Is what I told them."

"You have really grown strong..."

I never imagined she would be able to respond with something that included sarcasm.

"...It's all thanks to Mahiron. You taught me that I'm not alone, and most importantly, you trusted me."

It feels like something ja off, but... I do not mind being told that by someone I like.

Actually, I am quite happy about it ja.

"Ah, so that's why you told me about the people who tried to default on their debts a while ago."

"...Mm. Those scumbags need to be shown the harsh reality."

"You have really gotten strong..."

'Twas to the point where Mashiron, who normally never says things like "Scumbags", started using the word.

"Even so, Mahiro says some really cool lines naturally. At this rate, it seems like everyone got seduced by her in a similar way."

"""...Ahahaha."""

"Wait, Mizuki, Alice, Yui, you're all laughing... No way, seriously?"

"...Mahiron is a troublemaker. But since she married everyone, she's capable, so it's totally OK."

I do not feel like I am being praised there...

I do not recall ever trying to seduce anyone ja...

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