The world was at peace as if not a single bad thing has happened.
I casually looked out the window of my home classroom, as usual, not paying attention to any of the teachings.
As boring as school might be, I began to think that tedious days might be better than all the chaos I have gone through the past two days.
Initially, I was attacked by a monster with whip-like arms that almost killed me, and I almost got killed by Akane right after.
If two near-deaths weren't enough, I got a huge icicle shot at me and got kidnapped into a place that I've never been to.
Just yesterday, after a long time of finding the exit, I exited the building that I was taken to after I blacked out the past day. When I came out of the building, I noticed that I was in a part of Tokyo that I have never been to before.
"Just what were they thinking, kidnapping a person like that?" I whispered to myself.
"Miyazaki!" a sudden voice called out.
"Y-yes, sensei?"
"Are you dozing off again?"
"N—no! I was just—"
"You better pay attention if you don't want to fail any more than this."
Everyone began laughing as sensei called me out in front of the whole classroom.
Ahhh, this is embarrassing…
Among those laughing along the crowd at me, I could see a girl that stood out the most, quietly reading a book.
Her red hair, which reached her hips, stood out among the boring crowd, as if the world wanted to show her off. Reading her book quietly, she looked like a whole different person with a pair of reading glasses.
To think that quiet girl is the one who beat the crap out of those Remnants…
She was genuinely mysterious yet familiar.
It seemed that we became friends quickly, but in school, she tends to avoid me for some reason.
"Did I do something weird…?" I quietly muttered those words and continued to stare at the sky.
I hope things could stay this way forever. Even though I know "peace" is not possible.
2
As the school bell chimed loudly, indicating the end of another tedious day, I slowly opened my eyes and lifted my heavy body from my chair.
Although I missed two days worth of class, I still couldn't get any motivation to finish my missing assignments.
"Might as well just not do them," I groaned as I was about to pack my bag and leave.
"Oi, Miyazaki."
"S—sensei? What did you want from me?"
If sensei went out of his way to talk to me after school has ended, there was something wrong.
"Come to the office after you pack your bags."
He finished talking and left the room.
Isn't this bad?!
I began to sweat irresistibly, thinking of all possible outcomes that I could end up with.
There really can be no peace in this world, huh?
I let out a sigh and left the classroom with my bag.
When I reached the office, I could see sensei sitting on his usual desk. Because I've been to the office so much due to detention, I memorized every staff's location. Even as much of a senseless person I was, I took no appreciation for remembering such useless things.
As I scanned around the room, I was taken aback by the sight of sensei sitting with another person before my arrival.
She stood out the most in the room for obvious reasons.
—Why was Akane here?
I made my way towards the two of them and sat in the chair right beside Akane's.
Surprised by my arrival, Akane seemed flustered as our eyes met. Her mouth widened open as her cheeks began turning red.
For real, did I do something wrong??!!
As I sat down, Akane quickly turned her head away from me with a small noise.
There was definitely something going on.
Suspiciously, I moved my face closer to hers and made direct eye contact. As I did, she began to fidget more and made little "ahh" sounds.
"Hey, is there something wro—" As I began a conversation, her fist flew towards me at a violent speed and struck me like a truck.
If I were a protagonist in an isekai genre manga, I would've indeed died here by Akane's fist and reincarnated into another world.
"Why are you getting so close?!"
"I mean, you kept avoiding me today! There's definitely something going on!"
Because we were busy growling at each other, I didn't realize that sensei was staring at us with a smile.
"You two sure get along well."
"You're wrong!"
"Absolutely not."
Sensei's comment was instantly shut down with short answers, and now his eyes were twitching in disbelief.
"Well, as long as you guys are not total strangers, I guess it'll be fine putting you two together."
We turned her head at almost the same time as sensei suddenly announced the news.
"What do you mean 'together' exactly?" Akane questioned sensei before I could.
"You see, you two have been absent during the last two days, and those days happen to be when we started making groups for our upcoming project."
What was this guy getting to?
"Since every group has been made, you two are the only ones left, and it is most ethical to put the leftovers together, isn't it?"
We both stared at him in dissatisfaction.
"Hey now, I wasn't the ones who decided to skip two days of school."
He scratched his head and said, "How did you even manage to break your arm from the past two short days? You're careless, aren't you Miyazaki."
It wasn't that I broke my arm, but I pretended I did by putting on a cast. If other people have learned about my right arm, it would have caused weird rumours around, and even cause annoyance for myself.
"We both almost died, though." I thought to myself. I also assumed that Akane was thinking of the same thing as she pouted her cheeks, looking defeated.
"Now get going. You two are already behind."
As sensei finished, Akane and I both left the office together.
Even as we left the school together, it felt like she was trying to avoid me.
What does this girl want me to do??
I scratched my head, rummaging for answers to how I could ask what her problem was, without actually asking what her problem was.
But, of course, I tend to think and act simply.
"Hey, what's your problem?"
Now I've done it.
Akane turned her head around, having a facial expression that I couldn't describe as anything other than disbelief. Her eyebrows twitched as she sent a kick towards me.
I quickly dodged under her kick and boasted,
"Ha, you can't get me with the same tricks again!"
I underestimated this girl.
As I boasted, thinking that I completely dodged her attack, I was painfully wrong.
As her body spun around 180 degrees, her left leg followed the course of her right leg that she initially attacked me with and struck me in the hips.
"Are you a monster or something?!" I cried out in pain, but I regret my decision ever to open my mouth right away.
"W—what did you just call me?!"
Looking in terror, I let out all the excuses I could make.
"Miss A—Akane, it's all a misunderstandi—"
With one blow, I was knocked out cold.
3
"Unhh, my head hurts."
I opened my eyes to see that I was facing the vast sky.
How long have I been knocked out?
Out of everything, my head was in a comfortable position, as if I were lying down with my head on a soft, comfy pillow.
"Why do I feel so comfy?" I muttered out loud.
"W—what are you going on about?!"
"Huh?"
Why did I just hear a voice directly from above? And this comfiness, don't tell me it's—!
I tossed my head around to find what I was lying on, and I was shocked to my spine.
"A—Akane…"
"W—what?!"
I turned my head up to see Akane's face.
"Why exactly am I receiving a lap pillow…?"
Her white silk skin began to fill up with the redness, as if she were about to explode any second.
"You had to go ahead and mention it, didn't you?!"
She kicked her legs upwards, and my whole body flew upwards.
Did she want to kill me that badly?!
"Akane, WHAT ARE YOU DOI—"
Head-first, I dropped to the hard, concrete floor.
"You really don't know how to treat a woman, don't you?" She said with a small sigh.
"Are you saying… I should just let you punch me until I die…?" I said while rubbing my nose to make sure that it wasn't broken.
"I'm not saying that!"
"You are basically saying that."
"I guess all the beating I gave you wasn't enough, was it?!"
She was gritting her teeth while talking. I might be a clueless idiot, but my danger senses were off the charts.
Despite her violent side, this seemed more usual for our relationship to be. I still didn't know the reason as to why she was trying to avoid me the whole day, but I wanted an answer directly from her.
When I was young, my grandpa always mentioned that girls liked honesty and straightforwardness.
This could be the moment where his teachings may shine.
"Your teaching might just save my life, grandpa!" I thought to myself as I asked Akane.
"Akane, is there anything that you want me to talk about?"
"D—do I? Bahahaha… I don't know what you're talking about!" She said as she turned around her head and began whistling, except no sound came out.
She's horrible at lying!
"I mean, if you say so, but you were avoiding me the whole day, so I thought something was up."
She began fidgeting her fingers around, unable to get any words out.
"I—I…"
"It's okay if you can't say anything about it," I looked at the fidgeting Akane and continued, "but aside from that, do you mind coming over to my house right now?"
With my sudden question, Akane looked up with a surprised expression.
"H—Huh??"
"I mean, we have that project that we have to catch up on, so I thought we could work on it at my house since it's closer."
She lowered her head towards the ground, her bangs now covering her face from my view.
After a short moment of silence, she looked up at me. Her cheeks lit red, but this time, rather than looking embarrassed, she was excited.
"I mean, if you really want me to, I guess I have no choice…"
At least look less excited when you say such apparent lies!
"You really suck at lying, huh?"
"Well, this is my first time I've ever been to someone else's house!"
Her eyes were sparkling with excitement at this point, and I had an intense sensation that I would feel guilty if I said anything.
"Well, I guess you're coming over."
"I really can??? I mean, I appreciate your offer."
"Seriously, you need to get more friends."
I was nowhere to tell others to get friends, but for a girl like Akane to have no friends just felt wrong.
As we began walking towards my house, Akane asked with glittering eyes,
"Hey, by the way, what are we going to eat for dinner? I haven't eaten anything ever since breakfast, so I'm reeeeeally hungry!"
"Who said I was going to make you dinner?"
"Hey!"
She pouted her cheeks as she stared at me in dissatisfaction, and I couldn't help but let out a small laugh.
"Only if this peace lasted forever," I muttered these words that reached only myself.