Conway Sophia's Perspective
"It's definitely going to rain…"
I searched the grey clouds above. Now in physical education, I stood alone on the track.
Madoka-san's family went on a short trip that left me alone at school for most of the day. With midterms coming up, I have to start being a "good student," or else I'd fail. So, I've been in class just like a good student. I won't lie though…my grades are nowhere near as good as Madoka-san's, and I'm going to have to ask her for help eventually. But apart from that…
With Madoka-san gone…
"Everyone, pair up! Hurry up now!"
Everyone will have a pair in my class…but me.
"This is ridiculous…"
I scorned. I haven't tried to make friends with anyone in my class. Not since Okabe-san and I had that falling out when I first came to this school. Despite me being upset that I had to leave my friends in England behind…Okabe-san certainly reminded me of one of my best friends.
Crossing my arms now, I looked up to the sky and reminisced.
"I used to be…popular I guess…"
I sighed. It's been a while since I thought about my middle school days in England. Where I would gladly hang out with all my friends after school, go to high-end prep pastry shops…do wild things like go boating and the like…I certainly was living the life as a spoiled rich girl…and then…
I recalled one of my best friends. She had those almond-colored eyes that attracted me to Okabe-san when I first met her. She always had her hair tied in a short ponytail. Her family was rich, and she'd take me on all kinds of outings. We first bonded over liking lemon-flavored ice cream. We had the same classes as we went through our middle school years. Both being stuck in a preppy rich academy, we bonded well...
As the wind blew by, my blood turned cold.
"Then…dad and mom had to take that away from me."
I coldly scorned. All because…all because of those feelings that haunt me even till today. Linda…my loving sister…How I wish I could make everything right.
"C-Con…Conway-san?"
"Hm?"
I turned to the right to see an ash-haired giant towering over me. She trembled like a volcano erupting as her legs wobbled like jelly. I was slightly afraid that she'd fall on me at that rate. It was no one other than the coward, Mihara Yuko-san.
"Where did you come from, Mihara-san?"
"Oh…ah…our…our classes are merging for this period…and…a-and…ah…"
I searched around to see everyone starting their exercises. Even the teacher didn't care that I was alone. This made me want to punch them in the face and get sent home on an extended vacation.
"So…what do you want then, Mihara-san?"
Annoyed, I turned back to the tower named Mihara Yuko, ready to fall at any minute.
"Ah…S-Saya Saya-san is gone today…she…she's out on a vacation with her sister and…"
"Spit it out already…"
This girl needed some lessons for her social anxiety.
"Well…I don't…know anyone else from this class…and…I-I'm…a-alone…a-and…"
"I get it. Don't hurt yourself."
I caved. This whole ordeal was maddening. So, I just accepted it and sat down on the ground.
"You start with stretching my back, and I'll do yours after, Mihara-san."
Now on the ground, we sat together. Her fingers were trembling as she pressed them against my back. I wondered how this girl got around in life being as timid as she is.
"Ah…thank you, Conway-san."
"For what? I needed a partner too."
"Y-You…don't have a partner in your class either?"
The way she brought that out made me sound like some lone wolf…well, I guess I am that kind of person. So, I nodded softly.
"Madoka-san is off on a short family trip. So, I don't have my regular partner today. The girls in my class are all afraid of me so…It's whatever."
"Oh…I noticed that you two…would partner regularly. We usually…have physical education at the same time."
"Why don't you have a partner again, Mihara-san?"
Her shoulders slumped as she turned to the side.
"Ah…Saya-san, you know…ah…my club leader? Well...ah…she isn't here today…she's on a trip with her older sister for a few days."
"Is everyone taking time off of school or something? First Madoka-san, then Saitou-san?"
She sighed, dejectedly. This girl was interesting, to say the least. She's a 2nd-year student, the same age as Madoka-san. If I recall correctly, she used to be friends with her in middle school. I don't know much about the relationship between them, but she seems to respect that goody good more than your average person.
"Hey, what's the deal between you and Madoka-san?"
"Eh?"
She jolted, pushing my back harder than needed. My stomach nearly hit the ground as she panicked.
"Ouchhhhhh!"
"Oh, sorry Conway-san!"
I growled as I continued.
"I don't know too much about the relationship between you both…but you seem to like her a lot."
"Ah…I…"
The timid giant sighed.
"I-I…I look up to Nakagawa-san, I guess."
I turned back to see her face in a harsh red. The way she could honestly express her thoughts no matter how tough the situation was for her was something else entirely. Like when she begged me to tell her what "love" felt like. Now that I thought about it…why was she so eager to know that?
"You're all...done, Conway-san..."
I stood up and switched spots with her now. She sat on the ground, and I was behind her. Now I put my hand on her back and pushed forwards.
"So…how… ah…did you meet Nakagawa-san, Conway-san?"
"Hm? Why do you want to know that?"
"…Just curious."
I thought about it when I first saw her sitting outside the train station. She was staring intensely at me. At first, I thought she was glaring at me, so I confronted her. But thinking back to it now…she probably just thought I was "super cute" or something dumb like that.
"Watanabe Mae-san introduced us. We went to the arcade and played games together afterward."
The last thing I wanted to tell Mihara-san was that I nearly punched her lights out the moment we met. Thinking about it now…that would have been a terrible thing to do…
I…quite like Madoka-san, and we wouldn't be as close as we are now if I broke her nose that day.
"…Why are we talking about Madoka-san anyway?"
I complained.
"Oh?! Ah… I… I don't know what else to talk about...I guess."
"Fair enough."
She was right. The only person we had in common was that attractive glasses-wearing goody-good.
"Well, your stretches are done, Mihara-san."
"T-Thank you."
We both stood up and nodded to each other. Only then did I notice how fragile she looked. With her crimson irises and tall figure, one would believe she'd be more assertive or even aggressive. I mean, her chest size says everything. But she reminds me of a small child. Madoka-san did mention that she used to be shorter and that she had a growth spurt.
"Alright girls, today we are playing dodgeball."
The female teacher cried out, clapping her hands as she gathered us around.
"Ah, hell…"
"O-Oh, no…"
We both stare at one another. Seemed like neither of us wanted a ball to the face today. I don't like games like these. Usually, when I hit someone, they cry to the teachers about me being overly aggressive. So, I tend to get in trouble because these girls can't take the pain. I'm not sure about Mihara-san though. With legs like hers, I'm sure she's stupid talented at sports.
"Weren't you in basketball, Mihara-san?"
I accused.
"Huh? Ah…Y-yeah…with Nakagawa-senpai…"
"Senpai?"
"Oh?! Ah…I mean Nakagawa-san!"
There was certainly more to their relationship than Mihara-san was letting on. If they were in the same year…why the heck did she just call Madoka-san "senpai?" Instead of questioning her further, however, I shrugged my shoulders and walked with her over to the group of girls all gathering dodgeballs from the center.
"Are you good at sports, Mihara-san?"
"No…not at all…"
"Well, try not to get hit in the face."
From the corner of my eye, a ball speared our way, whacking the giant in the side of her stomach. In shock, I watched as her body fell to the grass helplessly.
"Ah! Are you alright, Mihara-san?"
"Ouch…"
She moaned, rolling sorrowfully on the ground. She looked like a cicada about to die. That made my blood boil. If Madoka-san was here she wouldn't stand for that. So, I turned to see her, Okabe-san, waving my way.
"Sorry, that was aiming at her, the blond bitch next to you!"
She grinned that nasty look on her face that I've grown to hate.
"Hey asshole, the game hasn't started yet!"
I scorned in a fit of rage, approaching her with a fist in the air.
"Geez, it was an accident. You don't have to threaten me, Conway-san."
"Mihara-san is a little hard to miss! You did that on purpose, Okabe-san! Admit it!"
Now nose to nose I screamed in her face. My fist was still raised, ready to strike her at any minute.
"I don't even know her, back off, pipsqueak."
I was about to shove her with a fist to the face when I felt a tug on my sports jacket sleeve.
"Eh?"
"It's okay…C-Conway-san. P-Please, don't hit her!"
Mihara-san pleaded, still rubbing her stomach.
"No, it's not! Okabe-san clearly did that because you were talking to me! Can't you see that?"
"Is there a problem over here?"
The female teacher, likely from Mihara-san's class, approached us. With her hands firmly on her hips, she scowled at the three of us.
"The game's about to start. Get on your sides of the court. If I hear you three fighting again, I'll make you run the track while everyone else plays."
"Yes, Sensei."
We all agreed, dejectedly.
"Seriously, I expected better from you, Mihara-san."
The teacher belittled as she walked away. All the giant did was slump her shoulders more. It irritated me that she was scolded…despite her stepping in to defuse the situation.
"Watch your face."
That ivy-haired annoyance teased as she raced away.
"What a bully…"
I scorned.
"Ah…t-thank…you."
"Hm?"
I turned to see Mihara-san with her head towards the ground. She reminded me of a child that's just been scolded. Well, we were just scolded, so that was a bad example. More like…she reminded me of an ostrich sinking its head into the dirt. Hiding her face from the world.
"Listen, I get that you're shy, but you need to stick up for yourself sometimes, Mihara-san."
"Ah?"
"You're so fragile, that's why others think they can push you around. You can state how you feel sure, but your actions never mirror your outlook."
I sighed as I lectured.
"If you want others to acknowledge you…you have to be more confident."
"…Confident…"
She mimicked.
I've never had a problem with confidence, to be honest. So, I was probably speaking out of turn. But something told me that Mihara-san probably had a lot that she wanted to say but can't clearly get it out because of her lack of confidence in herself.
"…I see…"
She nodded as if taking all my words to heart.
"…Hey, d-do you think…Nakagawa-san…ah…"
She sighed harshly before continuing.
"Do you think…I can be better friends with Nakagawa-san if…I was…more confident, Conway-san?"
"Why are you asking me?"
Confused, I turned back to her. Out of everything that just happened, she went right back to Madoka-san. That girl…who is struggling with her feelings for her own…stepmother right now. That person who clearly has her own problems that are far more than one should ever have…here Mihara-san is thinking about her.
"If you want to be better friends with her, tell her that, Mihara-san."
"H-How…did you become better friends with her, Conway-san?"
I closed my eyes and thought about that day. The one where she held me in her arms despite how mean I've been that entire day. How no matter what I did to her… she was there for me. That's when that warmth in my chest I haven't felt for a long time came back. Madoka-san…brought out that warmth. She reminded me of my old friends from England.
"She…listened to my troubles, and…she comforted me when I was down... "
I searched the cloudy sky. Despite the gloomy-looking day, my chest began to warm up slightly.
"That goody-good…is a great person. So, I'm sure if you tell her everything…she'd listen to you, Mihara-san."
My chest warmed even more…thinking about it.
"You're smiling, C-Conway-san."
"Hm?"
Without me realizing it…the corner of my cheeks was raised in a strange smile.
"So, what?"
I passed it off with my persona of a tough, hardened girl.
"…Does Nakagawa-san…make you smile?"
Putting it like that made my stomach grow hot and upset all at once. I felt chills rattled up my bones as I turned to the side. That's when I looked back at her, hands raised to my cheeks, and confessed.
"Gosh, Do you really have to ask that? Yes! Yes, Madoka-san makes me smile! Is that so bad?"
"…A little."
"Hm?"
"…She's better friends with you than me…despite me knowing her longer."
The tone of her voice was somber. Was Mihara-san…jealous of that fact? Was Mihara-san…jealous of me? Now that was rich if it was true.
"I guess so. If you don't like it…do something about it, Mihara-san."
I gave her an assertive grin. She sighed harshly before turning back to the game that was about to start…
That's when I saw something in her eye. It reminded me of a small kindle like when one starts a fire. Her glare became a tad more fearsome. A bit of a motivational push is all someone with low confidence needs sometimes.
"It's raining!"
One of the girls cried out as the floodgates unleashed. The rain began to pour on top of us. All the girls scattered to take cover. The teacher, along with Takanaki-sensei, called out to everyone to collect the gym supplies as the class filtered into the gymnasium. It was likely that we'd finish up the class inside of there now.
"Let's get inside before we get too soaked, Mihara-san."
I cried as I began jogging. That girl followed me like a lost puppy. She didn't question anything. I guess today I was her leader. Once we made it to the door, Takanaki-sensei handed us two towels. So, we stood outside under the covering and dried off.
I turned back to Mihara-san who had water dripping down her cheeks. She was still looking out into the distance. With the door opened, we could clearly see the girls begin their game of dodgeball as we dried ourselves off.
Now with the teachers focused on them, I looked around and stepped away from the door. The rain fell across the field, and it was actually a tad nice. It reminded me of England on a rainy day a little. Maybe that went to show me that I was…a little homesick?
"Ah…are you not going inside…Conway-san?"
I turned to see that Mihara-san followed me away from the door.
"Oh…I don't want to play that stupid game."
I admitted as I searched the rain.
"…Me either."
Sourly, Mihara-san admitted.
"…"
For a while, we sat in silence, just watching the rainfall. It was calming to me…thinking about my home back in England. How I wish the days were as simple as they used to be…before I screwed everything up. Before I…messed up my sister's life.
"I…I will."
"Hm?"
"I said...That I-I will do something about it, C-Conway-san..."
It took me a moment to realize what she was saying…She was…saying she'd become better friends with Madoka-san than me, wasn't she? I wondered how long that was going through her mind before it manifested into determination. So, I smiled a bit as I looked back at the rain.
"…We'll see about that, Mihara-san."
I chuckled. For the first time, I had a conversation with Mihara-san. It was strange and full of a lot of awkward moments…but strangely pleasant.
But I won't allow her to take my place that easily. I…like being good friends with that no-good goody-good.
I recalled holding her outside of her home. Despite being taller than me… and a tad more shapely than me…she felt a tad fragile that day. Like all her emotions were causing her to chip into tiny pieces. I…wouldn't mind protecting someone like her...
It was the first time I've ever seen her like that…
And it was that day I realized how much I hated seeing Madoka-san sad…
How...I wanted to make sure I'd be there for her if she ever felt that way again…