Part 59

"The color red reminds me of when I cut myself"

"What's this? You're becoming more and more unhealthy. Is your new lifestyle not suiting you that much?"
"That might be it.
They complain about me being late when I wake up at seven o'clock and the curfew's at eight o'clock. If I spend the night somewhere without asking, they interrogate me afterwards. It's like a prison, right?"

"Isn't that alright? It's a proper life. Early to bed and early to rise, right? You won't be able to grow up to be a good guy if you burn out when you're young."
"I agree. ...... But, you seem to lend the argument more strength than anyone else can."

Somebody needs more editing practice.

As the ultimate counter-example, that is.

"Oh yeah? You're pretty honest today. Alright, alright, I'll split the sandwich with you."
"I said, I didn't want to eat. Don't worry about me and eat; lunch'll end soon."
"Okay, down the hatch."
Arihiko holds his sandwich with both hands and begins to eat.

------And then.

"Hello everyone."
Senpai comes in with something that looks like a boxed lunch.

"Oh? Senpai, I thought you always ate in the cafeteria?"

"No, I don't have a set lunch routine. It just depends what mood I'm in."
Senpai takes out an boxed lunch wrapped up in a cute handkerchief. But it seems just a little too big for a girl.

"...... You mean you managed to get up early and make lunch this morning?"
"Yes, that's it. I managed to wake up before seven this morning and...... wait a minute, what are you making me say, Tohno-kun!?"

"...... No, that's not what I meant, but...... Senpai, you're not a morning person?"

What!? A bakery!?

Me and Arihiko look at each other.
He must be imagining the same thing I am: Ciel-senpai kneading dough with those white finger of hers and baking it.

She has the solar hands.

"My daily battle with my father lasted ten years, but in the end, he gave up and told me working two people's worth is better than trying to train me.
Since then, I can wake up when I want to."

Ciel-senpai sticks out her well-developed chest.

Shiki gonna get smacked.

"Oh, is that so? I'm a little surprised; you seem so reliable."

"Yes, I always try hard to not make any mistakes in front of you. But really, I'm more of a clumsy person."

Yeah, maybe she is a bit clumsy.
Come to think of it, I really started to get close to Senpai when I saw her, an upperclassman, all alone in the courtyard fixing those splints and helped her out.
A really clumsy person would never do something that wouldn't benefit them the least bit.

"I see. ---But, I like people that are clumsy. I can relax better with them."
"Yup." Arihiko agrees next to me.
"So, since you're not a morning person, you usually eat in the cafeteria?"

"Yes, although I usually eat in the cafeteria, there are times when I make lunch. Aren't you two part of the cafeteria group?"

"Nah, it depends on what mood we're in too. When we were freshmen, my sister made me something, but Tohno here would always eat in the cafeteria or buy bread, so I end up doing what he does."

"Then, I'll start eating. Is is okay if I use this person's chair?"
"A person who isn't here has their chair up for grabs. I'm sure Takada-kun would love for you to have his seat, Senpai."
Takada-kun is a guy who sits next to me. He's pretty plump, but a good guy.
Sometimes, he borrows money with a grace period which lasts about until the end of eternity.

Senpai doesn't put her lunch on my desk, but puts it in her lap.
Next to her, Arihiko starts opening his second pack of bread while still standing up.
Next to these two, I stare aimlessly out the window.

"Huh? Tohno-kun, are you not eating?"
"No, I thought I'd skip today."

"Not eat...... Won't that make you hungry?"
"No, not really. I'm not hungry and skipping lunch doesn't affect me that much."

"Wow, that's amazing. If I skip a single meal, I can't function. I'd just collapse of hunger.
...... It's a little embarrassing, I always eat more than most people, and I still get hungry."

"It's okay that you eat like a trucker, you got some tig ol' bitties."

"But Tohno-kun, will you really be alright if you skip lunch?"
"I'll be fine. Skipping meals during the day isn't that rare. I only didn't eat breakfast, so I'll probably be fine until evening."

"Wow---Tohno-kun, your body will break down with that kind of lifestyle."
"It won't break. This is more of a mental restriction. ...... Well, thanks to an accident long ago, my doctor told me it wasn't good to gain weight, so it's better for me to skip meals once in a while."

"Huh. I guess even guys still think about their diet after all."
Senpai looks up at me for some reason, and after thinking a little bit, closes her lunch.

"Um, I just remembered I had something to do, so excuse me."
Gathering up her things quickly, she disappears like the wind.

"---Mmm, how cute."
Arihiko comments on Senpai regretfully while watching her leave.

Music: stop

"The color red reminds me of when I cut myself"

"------"
Still, I don't particularly feel like going back home.
I stare blankly out the window.

Red.
Red, sunset.

"Ah----ow."

The old wound on my chest hurts.

The color red.
Something... red.
Such as, human blood.
Lots of blood... sticky, with a strong smell.

Throbbing pain. My head
Why?
My head.
Why?
Thro b
w why----

Can't... hold onto it... any longer...

Music: play track 3

"...... Ah...... yeah, it seems so. I guess I got a little irritated for no reason, um--"
Did I really do this?

"Just let me... pull my pants back up quick... oh my is this embarrassing."

"Geez, you can't do that. I don't know what happened, but you shouldn't take it out on things."

Senpai starts to straighten out the desks and the chairs.
I wordlessly do so too.

"...... Sorry. I don't... quite know myself."

"Hmm. Tohno-kun, you're acting weird. You were spaced out in the rain that time, and today you spaced out in the middle of all these jumbled desks."
"Yeah--yeah, I'm tired and it's making me act weird."
I take a deep breath.
...... Is it because I saw Senpai's face?
That headache and the irritation I had before vanishes like it was never there.

"Sorry, I've caused you trouble again. I'll head out now, so see you tomorrow."

"Oh, Tohno-kun, are you going back now?"
Yeah, I nod.
As if nothing had just happened before, she gives me a hearty smile.

"Thanks for waiting. Now then, let's go!"
She really is cheerful.
How should I say this? Just seeing her drives away the clouded feelings I had earlier.
Having such a great person ask me to come with her, I ought to be punished if I was still gloomy.

The blue balls will be back shortly after she leaves. That's just how it works.

"...... Okay, let's go. But, it's a pretty short trip to the front gate."

"Ah, that's right. We'll have to go as slow as possible to make it worth it."
Senpai starts to walk.
Following her, I leave the darkening classroom behind me.

Music: play track 3

...... If it wasn't for that one night, I don't think I would be here today as I am now.
She doesn't bring it up, but I wonder what she thinks about that night.
...... Did it feel like she was just lending a hand to a depressed lowerclassman?
Like picking up an abandoned puppy cast out in the rain?

"...... Senpai, um--"

"Yes?"
Senpai looks over to me.

"You have really thick eyebrows."

...... Right when I was going to ask about that night,

Guruuuuuu.

It is pitch black. You are likely to be eaten by a grue.

My stomach interrupts, growling audibly.
No, not 'growling'... it's more like a roar.

".................. Uhhh."

".................."
The silence is a little uncomfortable.
"...... Tohno-kun, it seems you're hungry."
"---I guess so. Geez, do I get hungry even when I don't have an appetite?"
I let out a sigh.
Looking at me, Senpai smiles.

Uh oh... if we take her food, her breasts won't grow as big. WHAT DO WE DO?!