Chereads / Under the Apple Tree / Chapter 3 - Disagreement and my lap

Chapter 3 - Disagreement and my lap

Another normal day in class. Where everyone ignores and avoids me. Or so I thought. "Hmm..." Kouta's sitting at his table, minding his own business. Out of nowhere, Junko appeared in front of him. "Eh... Junko-san..." he stopped.

He noticed something different about her, which was... "Why is she looking at me with the intention to kill me... " he thought to himself. Junko was staring at him intensely. She then took the chair in front of Kouta and sat there. "Um...?" The situation was a little awkward for him.

"Is something wrong...?" he continued. Junko started pouting and looked the other way. "Did I do something...?" he asked again.

The girl pouts even more now. At this point, Kouta's clueless. He wonders what he did that made Junko so upset. The girl then slowly looks at him. "You seriously don't know?" she asked. The boy stared at her, "Obviously..." he then sighed.

Kouta then reached his bag pocket. Junko's too busy sulking to even notice. Kouta then slips a chocolate bar in her arms.

A few seconds later, she noticed, and her mood went back to normal. "Phew, one problem solved..." he mumbled. "So.. you really don't know?" she continued asking the same question. Kouta here is still confused, he shook his head multiple times. "Well... it was this morning." she said while eating the chocolate.

The boy tries to remember, "This morning?" he replied with a soft tone. "Yep" she answers as she continues chomping the chocolate bar.

This morning...

Kouta was walking towards the school. As always, people from his school tend to stay away from him due to his lack of social skills. Some people didn't even know he existed. Currently he's walking to his favorite grocery store.

"Hmm... What should I get today? I had white coffee yesterday... maybe today I'll get black coffee." he spoke to himself as he started to fill up the cup with black coffee from the coffee machine.

"What else should I get... maybe bread." he continued his journey for food in the bread aisle. He took 2 wraps of bread, with one flavor chicken and the other one flavor potato.

Kouta then went to the cashier to pay. "That'll be 485.92Yen (keep note that the amount may change)." said the cashier as she handed the receipt with a smile. Kouta also replied with a nervous smile.

A few minutes later, he finished paying and went outside. "Please come again!" the cashier said as the door closed.

Kouta waved at her, "Ahh... retail workers are so kind..." he said with a smile on his face followed by a fist. He also received a free chocolate bar, which made him even happier.

His eyes feel a bit heavy suddenly. "Ahh... I guess I'm a bit sleepy... I did read manga until 3 am after all..." he mumbled as he rubbed his eyes.

He then went to school as usual. While walking, he didn't notice Junko and walked past her. This shook her, "Good morning Shiwamari-kun~" she greeted with a smile. Though... Kouta didn't notice as he was too distracted to not hit anyone while walking. "Eh..." the girl said in a soft tone.

"Who did you greet Kyoko?" Akio asked. "Oh... no one..." Junko replied while shaking her head. Hiro then pats her on the head, "When you feel comfortable tell us alright?" she said while continuing to pat her.

"Yeah, who knows maybe it's your crush. ~" said Akio with a smirk on her face. Junko, without any hesitation even around her friends, she turned a bit red. The two of them were shocked.

They then kept asking who Junko's crush was, then... "SHUT UP, I'M NOT SPILLING ANYTHING, AHHHHHH!" she said while running towards the school entrance with a flustered face.

Present...

"Uh... well I went to the grocery store to buy some food... and I got that free chocolate bar you just ate... that's all I remembered..." he said with a nervous smile.

Junko, on the other hand, is not pleased with the answer. "Eh... did I forget anything...?" the boy asked again, this time he's really nervous. "Y... YOU FORGOT TO ANSWER MY GREETING!" she said with a pout, which made Kouta jump. "I- I did...?" he asked, his face telling him that he felt guilty about this.

Junko notices that face expression, then comforts him. "It's alright, you were focusing on not hitting anyone right?" she said with a relieving smile. Kouta nods.

After that, they walked around the school. "Hey Shiwamari-kun, wanna go to the garden?" she asked with a smile. Kouta froze for a second, "Y- yeah, sure..." he answered with a nervous tone.

They reached the garden, and then sat at the Apple Tree. "Huh, she really loves this tree..." he thought to himself. His vision started to blur out of nowhere.

"Eh... my eyes are becoming blurry... was it because I slept late last night reading manga...?" he mumbled. Junko notices this, and then he lays down unconscious.

A few minutes later, his eyes started to open. "Ugh... did I pass out, am I on a bed? This feels very soft..." he thought to himself.

"Oii, Shiwamari-kun! ~" a voice was heard. He then opens his eyes to the fullest, "Hey are you awake?" she asked with a smile. "Eh, why am I in this position?" He wonders. "How did I end up in this position? That's what you're thinking right? ~" she spoke Kouta's thoughts out loud, as if she was reading his mind.

Kouta then connected all the dots, "If I'm in this position, it means-" he didn't notice he was mumbling, then Junko continued.

".. you're lying on my lap, hehe." she said as she giggled with joy. Kouta was shocked, his face turned beet root red in seconds. "I- I'M SORRY, THAT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" he stuttered, the embarrassment was consuming him.

Junko smiled, "It's alright, you must've been tired right?" she continued. Kouta went silent and nodded. "Hmm... Anyways, time to go back home. Let's go!" she said with an energetic tone.

At the gate, Junko and Kouta were about to go home. "Ah, Shiwamari-kun, I forgot something in class. I'll go get it right now, you can go back first, stay safe!" she said as she ran towards the entrance door.

"Once again she ran off... guess I'll go home. I hope she finds what she's looking for..." Kouta mumbled as he started walking to his house.

After she saw him leaving the school gate, she went out of hiding. "Phew... when he suddenly fell asleep on my lap... that was nerve wracking..." she mumbled as she turned a bit red. "Who fell asleep on whose lap?" Akio appeared out of nowhere and poked her. "AH!" Junko screamed.

"It seems Kyoko really does have a crush huh, tell us who it is already. ~" Hiro said with a grin on her face. Junko, once again flustered with the situation, ran off yet again.

"SHUT UP, AHHHHHHH!" She ran with a red face and embarrassment.

TO BE CONTINUED…