Chapter 49: I went to see a distant childhood friend

I went to see a distant childhood friend

Gazing absentmindedly out of the classroom window, the landscape of the schoolyard, which had taken on an autumnal feel, seemed a bit faded.

“As per attendance, I want to talk about Nanto”, the homeroom teacher’s voice called my attention to the blackboard.

With a shift of my gaze to the blackboard, the teacher stood there with a serious expression.

“Concerning Nanto’s grandfather’s condition, she’ll be absent until next week. We received word from her parents this morning.”

“What, that long!?” someone in the class exclaimed.

“Since Nanto’s hometown is far away, well, that’s how it is. Everyone should offer their support.”

“We understand”, I heard Aya’s best friend, Kanappe, say as she ruffled her straight black long hair.

“All right, with that settled, let’s take attendance.”

The teacher’s lethargic voice echoed and I continued to gaze toward the schoolyard.

Today was Wednesday. Aya had been absent from school for three days since the beginning of the week.

When I received her email on Monday morning, I was surprised—not so much about her grandfather’s condition, but the lack of composure in her words.

“Grandpa in the countryside collapsed. We’ll be going home for a while.”

Aya adored her grandpa. I had often heard stories of how she played with him in the countryside since elementary school. They used to go river playing a lot, it seems, until she nearly drowned and he stopped taking her.

Retrieving my phone from my pocket, I sneaked a peek.

“Grandpa got better. Even though he was told not to, he secretly ate some sweet red bean cakes and it seems that’s what caused his health to deteriorate.”

This morning, I received an email from Aya.

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Yesterday, she was sending me panicked messages about what would happen if her grandpa died, so I was relieved that nothing serious happened.

Still, it seems it’ll take a bit longer for him to be discharged. Her family won’t be coming back until the end of the week, taking care of his daily needs and tidying up the family house in the countryside.

“Hey Boyan, are you there?” Suddenly, someone tapped my shoulder from behind.

“Huh?”

“You’re not called Boyan for show, right? But hey, we are reading page 65. You don’t even have your textbook open.”

The whole class burst into laughter. Before I knew it, the modern literature teacher had appeared and was standing in front of the blackboard. He warned, “Stop daydreaming”, in his apathetic voice.

“Ah, sorry.”

I hurriedly took out my textbook.

I thought the homeroom teacher was doing attendance until now… I had really zoned out.

Honestly, life felt dull without Aya around. These might be the first days I’ve experienced without feeling her presence. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

We exchanged messages every day, but being physically far away makes it seem like there’s more distance between us than there actually is.

I want to hear her voice, but we’ve never planned to call each other.

Whenever we call, it just makes me want to see her in person.

After finishing reading my textbook, I chuckled to myself.

“…Honestly, what’s wrong with me?”

Just because Aya isn’t here, the world seems so dull.

I’m pretty messed up, huh? I chuckled to myself again.

- - -

During lunch break, I continued to gaze absentmindedly out of the window.

The soccer club was practicing, likely due to an upcoming tournament. I didn’t see the ace, Tokita, among them.

“Hey, Boyan!”

Somehow, Tokita had managed to sneak up beside me and poked my shoulder.

“Tokita? What’s up?”

“I’ve been calling you for a while.”

“Sorry, didn’t notice. What’s up?”

Tokita let out a deep sigh and leaned in closer, his expression serious. Maybe it’s a topic he doesn’t want others to overhear.

“I’ve been dating a first-year girl.”

“The basketball team’s manager, right?”

“You already know?”

Did I hear it from him already? I’m not sure. I overheard some first-year boys talking about it in the gym after club practice.

“So, we started that kind of relationship.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s it!?”

His tone seemed like he was bragging or challenging me. I’m not sure… Did they have sex?

“Yeah.”

“That’s all you’re gonna say!?”

I wasn’t sure how to react. Should I try to sound interested?

“Uh… Congratulations?”

Tokita let out another sigh, seeming resigned.

“Geez, you’re such a Boyan… Seriously, you’re a mood-killer. But well, that’s how it is.”

He poked me again before running off to join soccer practice.

What was that all about? Was it some kind of report? Perhaps Tokita’s version of settling things? Honestly, I can’t fathom it now, and I’m not particularly interested.

“Boyan, hey, are you free? Heeey!”

From near the classroom entrance, Kanappe called out to me. It’s a day where everyone wants to talk to me, it seems.

Turning toward her, I raised an eyebrow in question. She pointed outside with her thumb.

“Let’s eat Lunch together.”

- - - -

“Look at this.”

Peering at the screen, I saw a short video posting site that seemed to be trending.

“Tried asking cute girls to do impressions”

The video was labeled with that text, and it showed several girls being asked to do impressions. The last girl, with chestnut hair, made my heart skip a beat.

“Senpai, can you do an impression?” Aya, who had been suddenly stopped, gave a bewildered smile.

In the video, Aya on the screen suddenly spread her hands open at her mouth and shouted, “Pshaaaaaa!” When a male voice asked, “What’s that?” she responded with enthusiasm, “It’s an alien~.”

“Senpai, you’re so funny lol Angel lol”

Such a caption briefly appeared, and the video ended.

Looking at the comments section, there were countless unwanted words like “Indeed an angel”, “So cute”, “Best boobs”, and more.

A cold feeling washed over my heart. I remember this sensation… anger.

The video was shot from a perspective that showcased Aya’s chest from the beginning… a voyeuristic angle. She had her white long-sleeved blouse rolled up to her elbows, indicating it was taken recently, as it had gotten colder.

“This is definitely aimed at Aya right from the start.”

Kanappe muttered in a deep voice.

“Right from the start?”

“Yeah, I think it’s those first-year guys. It’s been happening a lot lately.”

“A lot? You mean guys approaching Aya?”

“Yeah, exactly. Tokita started dating another girl, right? So I think others are trying to replace him or do weird things like this to her.”

“I see.”

“Because she’s recognizable in the school uniform, we’re worried she might get into some dangerous situations.”

Then, Fuyumi, seated diagonally from me, clenched her fist on the table.

“Even though she’s always so cheerful, there are surprisingly weak points to her.”

“Plus, she’s pretty vulnerable.”

The blonde girl sitting next to me added.

I understand. Aya has always been recognized as Tokita’s girlfriend, so hardly any other guys have tried to approach her before now.

Perhaps because of that, combined with her generally friendly demeanor, she’s more susceptible to getting involved with weird people.

I turned to Kanappe, Fuyumi and the blonde girl.

“Thanks for letting me know. I’ll take care of the situation from here.”

Saying that, I stood up. Beside Fuyumi, who looked puzzled as she asked, “Take care of it?” Kanappe was gazing at me with a teary-eyed expression.

“Boyan, take care of Aya for us.”

“Sure.”

Smiling at Kanappe, I left the art room.

Walking down the corridor, I recalled the faces of Kanappe and the others. They genuinely care about Aya and are genuinely concerned for her.

Aya seems to be surrounded by good friends.

Guided by my intuition, I made my way to the club building.

I found the words ‘Boys’ Badminton Club’ on the doors lining both sides of the corridor. Voices of several guys could be heard from inside.

Without hesitation, I opened the door.

“Hey, who’s that?”

“Senpai?”

“Wait, isn’t that Boyan-senpai?”

“Hey there~”

Four guys were sitting around the table, casually having lunch.

Among those four, I found the source of the voice I was looking for.

He had a sturdy build, pierced ears, and an appearance slightly leaning towards the delinquent side. I hadn’t seen him in the badminton club before, so he must be from a different club. Despite that, he was putting his feet on the table, indicating he might hold some leadership position among them.

Well, his personality doesn’t really matter.

Silently, I walked around the table and took a seat across from him.

“Hey, what do you want?”

“The video of Aya that you shot. Can you delete it? I know you were the one who filmed it.”

I said directly.

“Huh? Aya-senpai’s video? Why?”

His tone was just like how he casually talked to Aya in the video.

“Delete the video you filmed without permission and posted online. It could potentially be a crime.”

I say with an effort to maintain a gentle tone.

“Boyan-senpai… right? Does it matter?”

In the tense atmosphere between us, the other guys fall silent. They might think it’s no big deal to have taken a video.

But I know. This delinquent-looking guy has strange feelings for Aya. It’s either love, obsession, or lust, one of those.

Intuition whispers.

If I leave him be, something unpleasant might happen to Aya eventually.

I exhale softly and look at the guy in front of me.

“I’m dating Aya. So, would you delete the video you shot of her without permission?”

“Ah… that’s what this is about. And seriously?”

The delinquent-like guy takes his feet off the table and gives me a skeptical look. Is he doubting what I said?

Without getting into that exchange, I speak to him as if advising a child.

“If we report this to the school, it could become a problem. It might even involve your parents, and if you don’t delete it, I’m considering involving the police.”

“Huh? Isn’t that a bit much? And do you even have evidence that we shot it?”

Coming at me this emotionally might mean he genuinely has feelings for Aya. He’s throwing a bit of a tantrum, but compared to the creepy feeling of a potential stalker I’ve encountered before, this is nothing.

“If you’re not going to listen, I’ll go report it to the school.”

“Wait a sec, Boyan-senpai. How about we settle this with arm wrestling?”

The delinquent-like guy rests his elbows on the table.

What does arm wrestling have to do with deleting the video?

I move around the table to his side and crouch down, meeting his gaze.

“…What?”

I smile gently, trying not to appear threatening.

“You’re okay with my offer”, I murmur, pulling his smartphone out of his chest pocket.

“Hey, wait a minute.”

He grabs his smartphone with both hands, trying to take it back from me. It emits a strange sound as he pulls it away from me.

“I wouldn’t mind if it broke just like that.”

I unintentionally mutter my real thoughts. The delinquent-like guy widens his eyes, while the other guys seem taken aback.

Good. It seems like only he heard that. I don’t want to be seen as a violent person or be involved in any kind of violence, especially not with Aya’s boyfriend.

He held onto the smartphone with both hands for a while, but eventually, perhaps out of resignation or tiredness, he slowly let go.

“… Can I delete it? Can I have my phone back?”

“Thanks.”

I have him manipulate the smartphone’s screen right in front of me, deleting the video from the posting site and erasing it from his smartphone.

And while I’m at it, I have him show me the other guys’ smartphones and I make sure they delete any shared videos as well.

No issues.

Intuition tells me that there are no other video files or hidden photos.

I give a light nod to the four guys and then leave the club room.

“Seriously, what a waste.”

The world without Aya is filled with such trivial matters.

In the past, I wouldn’t have thought this way until I prayed to the Great Buddha on that school trip. It’s because I’ve come to know that bright and dazzling world with Aya…

Bzzt My smartphone in my pocket vibrates.

I take it out and there’s a short message from Aya.

『Hey, Bo-yan, how are you?』

I quickly type out a reply.

『I’m good. How about you?』

『Feeling like a break.』

Good. It seems like Aya’s feeling much better now that her grandfather has recovered.

『When you’re back in school, you’ll probably have a ton of assignments.』

『Ugh.』

『Do you want me to tell the teacher in advance and send them over email?”

『That would be a big help.』

She’s probably in front of her smartphone right now, her expressions changing frequently.

I chuckle softly, leaning against the hallway wall in the club building.

『I have a question, are you having fun over there?』

After a short pause, a notification appears.

『We are going to the pool tomorrow.』

『Pool? In this season?』

『There’s an indoor amusement park kind of place. It’s a little drive away.』

『Are you going with your family?』

『With Hiroto and my cousin.』

Hiroto, her little brother and her cousin…

『Your cousin?』

『Yeah, Haru-kun.』

Haru-kun… He’s probably Aya’s cousin who’s about four or five years older than her. He’s the one who came as a private tutor when Aya was preparing for her high school entrance exams. I’ve heard about him a few times in conversations, but I’ve never met him.

『Does Haru-kun have a driver’s license?』

『Yeah, we’re going in Haru-kun’s car.』

『Aya, can you swim?』

There’s a short pause. She might be trying to type out “I can swim.”

After a moment, a reply comes in.

『I might not be able to.』

Not might, Aya still can’t swim. That’s why I promised to practice with her this summer, supporting her the whole way.

I quickly type a response.

『Then I’ll come over and teach you.』

『What do you mean?』

『Can I come over right now?』

『I’m not coming back until next week.』

『I want to see you, so I’m coming.』

Aya’s responses abruptly stop.

Even without relying on intuition, I can tell. She probably messaged me because she’s going to the pool with someone else, someone other than me—Haru-kun, most likely.

And that’s not all. Aya is probably just like me.

She’s craving to see me, desperately.

After about a minute, my phone lights up.

『It’s a no-go. School.』

For some reason, I find myself smiling at that message. It’s like I can feel Aya’s internal struggle from behind her phone screen.

While I’m typing “I’m still coming”, another message arrives from Aya.

『Got it wrong.』

Another message pops up.

『Thrilled.』

I respond, asking Aya to send me her address and then I make a call to my older sister.

“What’s up, Ryuji?”

“I’m heading to Aya’s hometown.”

“Huh? Aren’t you supposed to be at school?”

“I know. I just really want to go. Sorry, but could you let the school know too?”

“Ryuji… seriously?”

“Yeah, I’m serious.”

“When are you coming back?”

For now, I’m planning to be back by the weekend.”

“That works, I guess I can manage the work shifts here.”

“Is it alright?”

“Well, even if I say no, you’re still going, right?”

“That’s the plan.”

“Then it’s useless to stop you. Totally useless.”

“I’ll come home once to pack my stuff.”

“Sure, there are some snacks in the kitchen. Take them as souvenirs.”

“Thanks, I feel bad.”

“Say hi to Aya-chan for me.”

I hang up the phone and head straight to the staff room to inform the teacher about leaving early. Then, I rush home, quickly pack my things and head out.

I boarded the bullet train around the time the sixth period had started.

(TLN: Did I just read to many NTR-stories or does someone else also imagine the cousin to be tanned with blond dyed hair and a malicous grin?)