While looking at Chiaki sitting in a traditional Japanese sitting position, warming himself by burning firewood in a metal can from afar, I started to feel uneasy and decided to leave the group. I stopped eating and quickly left the circle to read a complicated book while pretending to be busy.
To be honest, it's been a while since I've had a relaxed evening like this. I feel bored when I'm not doing anything, and it seems like I'm becoming a workaholic.
"Senpai, what's that you're reading?" Komachi peered into the book I was holding.
"It's about the Nevanlinna theory of multivariable functions," I replied.
"Do you understand what you're reading?" she asked.
"Well, sort of," I lied. I didn't really understand it at all. The title of the book itself was meaningless to me. It was just a prop I used to appear cool.
"Really? What's it about?" she asked.
"It's about rational functions," I said, lying again. I just pulled out the first related term from my memory.
"What's a rational function?" she asked.
"How should I know?" I thought to myself.
"It's about the x-axis and y-axis," I replied.
"Oh, I see. What's the content about?" she asked.
"How should I know?" I thought to myself again. I wanted someone to explain it to me.
"It's about math," I said, assuming that it was probably about math.
"Math? Wow, you're really serious about studying even in a place like this," she said.
"Well, sort of," I replied.
"That's impressive. Could you explain it to me in detail? I'm not good with numbers. What does 'multivariable' mean?" she asked.
"Enough already!" I closed my book, and Komachi chuckled.
"What's up?" I asked.
While grinning, she asked, "Did I disturb you while you were reading?"
"I was considering the final theorem, and you interrupted me," I replied.
Komachi covered her mouth and giggled. "Liar," she said.
"I'm not lying," I said, even though I was.
As she looked back and forth between my face and my book, her cheek twitched. "Well, I'll just leave you to it then. But before I go... Pft! ...here's something for you," she said.
"What's with that smirk?" I asked.
"Senpai, you really are an oddball... but an amusing one," she said.
"Go over there. I'm busy. I have to solve a code and I need to do some math problems," I said, trying to get rid of her.
"Okay, okay. I'll sit next to you then," she said.
"No, I'm going over there. See ya," I said, standing up, but she tugged at the hem of my shirt.
"Well, Maria-senpai isn't here, so let's talk for a bit," she said.
"You've been talking to me already," I replied, scolding her.
"Well, I never get bored talking with you, Senpai. Besides, I have three things I want to talk to you about," she said.
"Three things?" I asked.
"First, I said this morning, but I'm one of your companions," she said.
"Okay," I said, giving up and sitting down again.
"Well, that's not a big deal. The second thing is something I mentioned before. It's about what to do after we graduate from school," she said.
"Oh, that topic again?"
"There was something that bothered me a bit. Senpai, you said something like, 'If I were alive, I would start a farm,' right?" Komachi asked.
"I said that?" I replied.
"Yes, you did. What does 'if I were alive' mean?" she asked.
"I don't know," I said.
"I think you're a strange person, Senpai, but I don't want you to die. It's not okay to die. If you ever feel like you want to die, tell me. You can't do anything that would make you die alone. I'll listen to your complaints. I'll be a little nicer to you. Is that okay?" she said.
"Don't worry, I'm fine," I replied.
Komachi looked into my eyes and asked, "Really?"
"Yeah, really," I said.
"If that's a lie, I'll punch you and call you a pervert," she said.
"O-okay," I stuttered at her last words.
Isn't calling someone a pervert too harsh? It's a spell that kills a man socially. Women don't know how heavy those words can be.
"That's a light response. Why did you say something uncharacteristic and mean like that? Can't you tell me what you're trying to do?" she asked.
"Um... well, it's for your happy ending," I said.
"What do you mean by that? Don't avoid the question," she said.
"It's because we're going to face an incredibly tough enemy," I said.
"Huh? Are you planning to fight terrorists in a war or something?"
"Amazing. That's the correct answer," Komachi said.
"You're lying again. It's not funny," I replied.
"I'm not lying. The accurate answer is that they're a stronger enemy than terrorists," I explained.
The enemy is the calamity of this world itself. It's like natural disasters and killing each other.
"Are you planning to fight against the country? You'll die if you do," Komachi said, looking annoyed.
"It's not the country. The country is the side that will be destroyed. They've already infiltrated the core," I said.
"Huh?" Komachi looked confused.
"My enemy is a being that is close to this world's god," I said.
"A god? You're exaggerating again," Komachi said.
"Well, it's true. I'm the god slayer. I've already defeated one. Isn't that amazing?" I bragged.
"You say such lame things so confidently. It's embarrassing. You're too weird," Komachi said, shrugging her shoulders and sighing.
"Weird is an exaggeration, junior. I admit that I don't have good word sense," I replied.
"So, what are you really trying to do?" Komachi asked.
Huh? I thought I was telling the truth.
"Well, it's true. I'm dead serious. So serious that you can read 'gachi' instead of 'maji'," I replied.
Komachi sighed heavily and said, "Let's go to a head doctor after the training camp is over. I'll go with you. Okay?"
She looked at me with sad eyes.
"What? You don't believe me?" I asked.
"Sure, sure. You're amazing. You're going to defeat a god, right? Wow, that's impressive. Here's some medicine for you," Komachi said, handing me a silver-wrapped package.
"What's this?" I asked.
"It's medicine," she replied.
"It's gum, isn't it?"
"Indeed," I replied.
"Don't make fun of me." I tore open the wrapping paper and shoved its contents into my mouth.
"Let's drop this topic. It's not going anywhere. Lastly, the third thing is..."
"Yeah? What is it?"
"You have to make up with Ayaka-senpai. You shouldn't make a girl look that lonely."
"Ugh..."
Chiaki's face seemed somewhat absent-minded and distant.
"Come on! Just like always, it would be great if you could cheerfully shout 'poop, poop' or something like that."
"I'm not shouting that!"
"Huh? Weren't you? Well, what I'm trying to say is, I'm sure Senior Ayaka wants to talk to you like before."
"...Nah."
Scratching my head, I forced a bitter smile.
"Chiaki must hate me."
"That's not true at all!"
"Ugh."
"People don't get that angry for someone they dislike. Listen, you might be a hopeless person, but you're hopeless in a good way.
You might be foolish, but you're foolish in a good sense."
Huh? Am I being put down?
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"It is!"
"Oh, okay."
Somehow, my thoughts were getting tangled.
"Carrying a book you can't even read just to look cool."
"Guha!"
"Wearing tacky clothes."
"Excuse me?"
"Being greedy about money."
"I just love money, that's all."
"Keeping a sultry pair of underwear in your wallet."
"How do you even know that?!"
"But Ayaka Senpai wants to be friends with such a silly person like you.
Ayaka Senpai thinks of you as a comrade.
She's disappointed that someone she's become friends with, someone she wants to be friends with, would say something like 'I don't mind dying.'
She doesn't hate you.
She probably didn't want you to say such sad things.
Please hurry and say, 'I'm not gonna die because I'm trash! Bam!'"
I did ask for it, didn't I?
"Komachi, you really look down on me, don't you?"
"In a good way, yes."
"Don't think you can just add 'in a good way' as a prefix and it'll be fine."
I grabbed Komachi's temple with the palm of my hand.
I unleashed the Iron Claw on her.
"Ouch, it hurts! It hurts! I give up! I give up! I give up, you pervert!"
"Ugh. Stop calling me a pervert. That's a forbidden card."
I let go of Komachi, who was rolling her eyes.
"Fine... I'll go talk to her again. Sorry for making you worry."
Heaving a sigh, Komachi said,
"It's alright. I'll keep pointing out your flaws too!"
"By the way, how many flaws do I have?"
"About 10,000." Komachi smiled softly.