The next day I sat in math class and lazily moved my pen across my notebook, pretending to write down everything Satomi-san said, waving her pointer like a Comanche leader waving a tomahawk.
Nanase-neesan, who came home from work, disrupted my experiments with her body, and in the morning a schoolchild doesn't have much time, the routine is like that of a soldier - he jumped up, did his simple toilet chores, brushed his teeth and washed his face, had breakfast with whatever Nanase-neesan sent and rushed to school, late as always. There's not much time at school either, as soon as you arrive, it's already "ding-dong-ding", as if the lesson is starting.
So, I sit, looking into emptiness and moving my hand to the rhythm of the teacher's words, thinking about my own things. What is in the asset - there is clearly something wrong with me. If this were in my world, I would think about a miracle or hallucination. In this world - I thought about magic, or whatever they call it - Ki Concentration. Yesterday I tried to feel this same concentration, but I just wanted to sleep. There is no "internal warm flow at the dai-tian point", no "manifestation and awareness of unity with the cosmos" - as it was described in some magazine.
Yes, there is the Internet here, but there is very little of it and so far I have not reached this very source of knowledge and pornography. Shinji-kun had a small selection of erotic magazines (the selection, frankly, is meager - two magazines "Tokyo Beauties" and one harder one like "Sisters"), and comics and stories about local supermen, or gifted ones. In this Japan they were called "mahou", that is, magicians. Personally, this concept was difficult to fit into my head; a magician, in my understanding, is a gray-haired old man in a shabby blue robe with foil stars and a wide-brimmed hat, sorting into Hogwarts faculties. It was least like the local hand-to-hand virtuosos, punching through tank armor with a punch.
Nevertheless, there were still grains of knowledge in Shinji-kun's journals, they recommended meditation and awareness. Things haven't worked out for me in this regard yet. But as a result of simple experiments, I realized the following - firstly, I/we now have super-fast regeneration. Well, okay, just quick.
You probably can't compare with Deadpool, but the cut on his hand caused by a kitchen knife healed almost instantly and did not leave a scar. Although it was painful. Hmm, maybe I'm the local Deadpool after all, regeneration and a bad sense of humor. Given his image, I simply have to start putting panties on my head and spying on girls in the showers, due to local traditions.
Yes, when in Carthage, act like a Carthaginian... citizen of Carthage? What else? Secondly, based on the first, muscle tears and fatigue were also not a problem. Simply put, I can train like a locomotive, doing squats and push-ups almost endlessly without getting tired. Yes, it sounds solid, almost a cheating ability, but, sorry, gentlemen, what's the point if my blow still can only kill a fly on the cheek of a serious opponent? I did not find any other deviations from the norm in the body yesterday. Regeneration and endurance. Okay, not bad.
No, there was something else - when I first started doing push-ups, I was grimacing like a worm in a frying pan - weak core muscles did not allow me to do a clear push-up, but by the time Nanase-neesan arrived, I was already performing the exercise almost perfectly. In my world and with such a body, this would require a couple of months of hard work and a clearly planned load. Hooray. This is where the prospects made me happy. On the other hand, I was going to live a quiet life given to me by the Universe, God or third mystical forces... however, it is always easier to live the life you want if you have more opportunities. Because... - here a small paper triangle touched my elbow.
A note. Yes, even in Japanese schools they pass notes during lessons. There are no mobile phones here yet. Or rather, there are, but they seem to be from the films of the 70s of my world - hefty boxes the size of a carton of cigarettes and with a huge antenna, and they are only available to very rich people. Nanase-neesan and I don't even have a regular landline telephone with a dial. So the local schoolboy has to pass notes from desk to desk. Rules for school correspondence - if a note is placed on your desk, you must pass it on to the addressee.
After looking at the teacher and making sure that Satomi-san was not looking in my direction, I turned the paper triangle over and read the name. Yamashita. At first I didn't understand, but after a long two seconds it dawned on me. That's for me. Shinji-kun never received any notes. It was as if he was invisible to the social environment of his class. No, they didn't ignore him, they greeted him and talked to him - but as a rule, only on business. Who should be on duty, what to bring to school tomorrow - this is the headman, you can't sit here and watch your things - everyone else. And of course, go to the dining room and buy drinks, otherwise you will get a slap on the head - Tsuji and his company. That's what social interaction is all about. And then suddenly - a note. How is it - it smells of lilacs and gooseberries, a letter from Yennefer from Vengerberg. Yielding to an impulse, he sniffed the piece of paper. Doesn't smell. Or it smells, but something barely perceptibly girly, such a floral aroma. You don't understand, you're a brother in smells, I thought, and Shinji-kun is also a layman in this matter.
I unfolded a paper triangle, folded in the origami tradition, and thought that I wouldn't write a reply letter - I'd be embarrassed, I definitely wouldn't be able to fold it like that. Hm. Can this be called an invitation? Clear handwriting, a few words. It is written: "At big break, you will come to our table." And a signature, or rather two hieroglyphs. Yuki-onna. The Snow Queen! Unable to restrain himself, he glanced sideways at her desk, almost going squint, but didn't see anything special. The Snow Queen was still sitting with a completely straight back and seemed to be completely absorbed in the lesson.
Well, apparently no answer to this was implied. Where will Shinji-kun go, Yuki-onna herself condescended to him, this is what is going on in this world, good people? Could it be that the Snow Queen and her twins, after yesterday's fight, had developed feelings for me and wanted to have an orgy somewhere in a secluded part of the school - a thought slipped through my mind and the consciousness of Shinji-kun, a teenager at the very pubest age, immediately helpfully slipped me a few pictures of exactly how all this should happen and in what order. Mentally praising the flexibility of the participants in the process and the courage in achieving the heights of erotic mastery, I threw these pictures out of my head, because no. Well, there is no way this can be. The social distance between us is too great, different ranks, different branches of influence. Or rather, she and her retinue have this influence, but I don't. She is the Queen with her retinue, an excellent student, an athlete, except perhaps not a Komsomol member, but otherwise she is the shining pinnacle of the social hierarchy. And Shinji, a wuss-kun, was slow, a cowardly stutterer and in general, as if he was a nerd copied from the canon. There are no friends, no social life, there are a couple of magazines with naked tits under the bed, which he fervently hid from Nanase-neesan, but I personally suspect that the latter knew about these magazines a long time ago, and probably chuckled to herself. So we won't get any orgies today, but we will probably get some problems. Again. Anyway. And I also can't refuse or not approach them - they'll be offended. Besides the fact that I owe them (Aya brought my wallet yesterday and held my jacket), it would be inconvenient to have personal hostility from the Snow Queen, hmm... The decision was made and after waiting for the call, I went up to the table where they remained sitting Yuki herself and her twins.
- Yuki-chan, Aya-chan, Miko-chan. - I said hello.
- Sit down, Yamashita-kun. - one of the twins nodded to me. I started confusing them again.
- Thank you. - I sat down next to him and looked around. During the big break, schoolchildren usually wandered around the school to have a snack. Most had already run to the dining room, or found secluded corners to chat and eat. Apart from us, there were two girls and three boys left in the class, discussing yesterday's episode of "The Seven Sins of Kyoto."
- I called you today for two reasons. - said Yuki-chan, aka Yuki-onna, aka the Snow Queen of our class.
- The first reason is her. - slight tilt of the head towards one of the twins. It's probably Aya. She looks embarrassed and fingers the hem of her skirt without looking up.
- Aya-chan did a bad thing and now Aya-chan will apologize. - Yuki said and fell silent, raising her eyebrows questioningly. Aya nodded, blushed even more and whispered something, looking down and clearly avoiding meeting my gaze.
- Yamashita-kun can't hear you, Aya-chan. - but now I realized that the nickname "Snow Queen" stuck to Yuki not only because of the consonance of her name. It was as if I was overcome with cold and snowflakes were spinning in the air - her words were so cold. Cold. Unyielding. Queen.
- I apologize to Yamashita-kun! - Aya practically shouted and bowed her head as if someone had hit her on the back of the head. I raised my hand.
- You have nothing to apologize for, Aya-chan, you didn't do anything wrong. - I said: - why are you...
- I think you should explain to Yamashita-kun what exactly you are asking for forgiveness for. – her words, like a cold wind, interrupted my attempts to make amends for the situation. I looked at the twin Aya. She was biting her lips, her face was covered with red spots.
- I took Yamashita-kun's wallet from his jacket...- she said quietly, barely moving her lips.
- Why did you do that? – again this coldness in the voice. I swear, the nickname "Snow Queen" is not accidental, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if Yuki trains at night in freezing open bodies of water and lonely travelers who happen to be nearby. Just words. In my opinion, this is some kind of new facet of cryokinesis.
- I wanted to take revenge on Yamashita-kun for treating me so rudely. - said the twin, all covered with red spots: - because you can't do that! You just threw your jacket at me! That's just wrong!
- Jacket? – there is probably some hidden meaning in this, yes. Maybe in this world, giving a girl your jacket is a hidden form of rape? Well, like all those "indirect kisses" in manga, when the heroine drinks from a bottle that someone else drank from before and this means that "their coral lips are connected"? The jacket is worn over the entire body, does this mean that "he threw himself into her arms"? Or is it a sign, like a promise "I will definitely fuck you Aya-chan Sato, I'll fuck you right here, just hold my jacket"?! What the hell is going on here?
- Yes! – the second twin supported her sister: - You can't do that with girls! – she opened her mouth to say something else, but stopped short when she met the eyes of the "Snow Queen". She stopped short, like a frightened schoolgirl - I thought, and then I chuckled, yes, she is a frightened schoolgirl and in general this whole diplomatic incident was just a school showdown. Funny. I raised my hand up, attracting attention, like a schoolboy in class... hmm, yes, I am a schoolboy, only at recess, doing all sorts of stupid things with my classmates. And yes, it's not at all the kind of stupidity that I (or rather Shinji-kun in my subconscious) would like to do with them.
- Ona-san, Sato-chan, Sato-chan. Nothing bad happened, and I am sincerely grateful to Sato Ae-chan for her concern and the fact that she did not wait until tomorrow to return the wallet and found the strength to walk all the way to my house. – how she knew where I lived is another question, but I wasn't really that curious. Moreover, I suspected that I would not like the answer to this question.
- So I apologize if I acted inappropriately by giving my jacket to Sato Aya-chan. I hope that Sato Aya-chan will not harbor any grudge against me and is ready to atone for his guilt to the best of his modest strength. - bow. As expected, "I apologize for my ignorance."
- And to atone for the guilt...- the "Queen" continued: - Aya-chan will now accompany you for a week.
- Sorry what? – for a second it seemed to me that I had misheard.
- Allow me to accompany you, Yamashita-kun! – the twin tilted her head.
- Sorry, I thought I heard something... excuse me, what?
- Yamashita-kun. – Yuki-chan sighed, explaining for the slow-witted: - This girl will accompany you for a week. The decision is final and not subject to appeal.
I opened my mouth. I tried to formulate something and closed it.
- No, you cannot refuse this honor. – the "Queen" added: - Yes, she will accompany you.
- Rejoice, worm. – the second twin muttered and fell silent under the attentive gaze of the "Queen".
- Oh, beautiful maidens who delight my gaze, is it allowed for this insignificant one to find out exactly where and why this most worthy maiden will accompany me, so as not to in any way damage the reputation of this innocent maiden? - at some point I got stuck and switched to a high syllable from "The Thousand and One Nights" or "The Chronicles of the Rebellious Shogun." And all because Shinji-kun did not have the information I needed, did not know what to do in such a situation, and in general, it felt like he was giggling joyfully and rubbing his little hands somewhere in the corner of my mind. Shinji-kun has never had anything like this in his life. Girls rarely talked to him at all. And I must say, I understand them perfectly - how can my partner attract the attention of the average Japanese girl? Whatever it is - he has a bad character, is mentally unbalanced, a wuss, a nerd. On the other hand, my friend and partner Shinji-kun is just a product of his upbringing. Here's how: don't argue with elders, always be quiet and obedient, don't go beyond the boundaries of what is permitted in any way, don't attract unnecessary attention, and in general.
It's not surprising that, trying to be a good boy for his mother, Shinji-kun suppressed everything in himself that could discredit him or his mother (and here's the thing - if the son is ignorant and ignorant, then the upbringing is wrong, and whoever brings up the right way is the mother ). The result is obvious - a rag-kun. At the same time, Japanese society admires those who have gone beyond their boundaries and boundaries, but on one condition - they must succeed. In other words, the winners are not judged.
- This information will be conveyed to you by this, no doubt most worthy, but who stumbled on the path of her ancestors, maiden at the right time and in the right place. – as it turned out, "The Queen" was still very good at complex and ornate syllables. Well, what could you expect, the president of the school's literary club after all. Again – "as expected from a taicho!"
- Meanwhile, you should solve your other problems... I don't dare hold your attention any longer, Yamashita-kun. – The "Queen" bowed her head, making it clear that the audience was over. I returned to my desk, banishing from my head the images with which Shinji-kun was trying to describe exactly how, in his opinion, the process of "accompanying Yamashita-kun" by the strong-legged Aei-chan should take place. And in what poses. Hmmm. That's what goes through the minds of Japanese teenagers, huh? Everyone looks so modest... sitting down in my place, I discovered that, contrary to my fears, Aya and her sister remained in their places - near the "Snow Queen". Or maybe this "accompaniment" is from the category of spiritual practices? Here Aya-chan is sitting in the lotus position at home and "accompanying" my spirit along the astral projections of the Universe, for example.
I chuckled and threw these thoughts out of my head - there was history ahead, and I didn't know the local history, so I showed increased interest in history lessons. Other problems could be solved in the order in which they arose.
However, the latter did not have to wait long. Firstly, Aya-chan finally joined me - after school, when I was getting ready to go home. Well, that is, everything is as always, I am collecting my briefcase, all these textbooks and notebooks with stripes, when suddenly Aya-chan materializes near my desk. With her strong legs and her ultra-short skirt. And in my opinion, her breasts became bigger, or it was Shinji-kun who started imagining pictures in my head again. I didn't even talk to her - let her say what was necessary. I'm tired of solving puzzles; I have a quiet second life ahead of me as an ordinary Japanese... hmm... farmer? Or a fisherman. Or a porn actor for example.
Yes, but what if there are magazines with tits, there are probably porn films, it's just that Shinji-kun hasn't seen them. And they probably need actors, yes. A harsh casting, of course, but with my new regeneration capabilities, I'm just what the "strawberry industry" needs. So, it's decided, I'll be a porn actor. And there is money and plenty of sex and I don't have to explain to anyone why I can't be a faithful family man. And if anyone decides to share the marital bed with me, then she will be ready to accept my work. Hard work, Shinji-kun. That's why I remained silent. Aya-chan also remained silent.
So, silently, I am in front, and Aya-chan is a little behind, like a court page of a noble lady - we went out of the school gates. We walked literally ten meters away and I already began to wonder whether the "escort" would include dinner in my apartment, because Nanase-oneesan and I are, of course, hospitable, but if this girl with strong legs comes to us regularly, then I'll have to reviewing the list of products to purchase on Saturday, when suddenly they called out to us. Sorry, I was called out.
- Hey slowpoke! - right in the back. I didn't even doubt for a second who exactly was called. Who else could they call? Certainly. Predictable. I continued walking straight, not reacting to the call.
- Hey, I'm calling you, you! - again from behind. This time it's closer and more breathy. He's catching up.
I turned around and saw Akai, Tsuji's small jackal.
- Akai-kun! – I said: - What a meeting!
- Why don't you respond when your name is called, slow? – Akai ran over straight away: - You're ... - then he suddenly kicked up his legs and fell on the sidewalk. It happens, yes. When first a jab lands in your head, and then a right hook, right in the jaw, this almost always happens. I bent down, made sure Akai-kun was breathing, turned him onto his stomach, picked up the briefcase and continued moving. We had already walked a sufficient distance when a quiet voice was heard from behind.
- Yamashita-kun... what was that? – Aya-chan asked.
- It was an attempt to restore balance. – I answered: - You didn't think that it was enough to bully Tsuji-kun to immediately improve your social rank?
- Uh... social rank?
- Well, yes. How can I explain to you... people in society divide each other by rank. Well, there's wealth, influence, fame, sex appeal and so on. - I looked at Ayu-chan and waved my hand: - well, or in your terminology there are "cool" and "trash", there are "Queens" and "subjects". It's clear?
- Yes. – Aya nodded.
- So. For children, teenagers, schoolchildren, in short, for us, many issues are resolved in a fight. Whoever is stronger is cooler. This is actually an ancient paradigm, two million years old. People began to solve their problems in a civilized manner only recently, but before everything was much simpler. A blow to the head with a club and that's it.
- No, I'm asking, what did you do with Akai?
- Oh, what are you talking about? This is called a safe position. Suitable for unconscious people - the victim is placed on his stomach, one knee is bent and the arm at the elbow is also bent, so that he lies somewhat on his side. In this position, the victim's risk of tongue retraction or choking on other liquids is reduced.
- What other liquids? – Aya-chan frowned.
- For example, vomiting. – I shrugged. Aya-chan noticeably turned green, so I hastened to reassure her: - But in our case, Akai-kun is not in danger. He has a traumatic loss of consciousness, nothing more. I'm sure everything will be fine. Although... - I stopped: - yes, you are absolutely right Aya-chan. We should see how he is doing. In the end, leaving a classmate on the street alone and unconscious... - I turned around and walked up to Akai lying on the sidewalk. He had already come to his senses, sat down, pulled his legs under him and shook his head. In vain. You shouldn't do this right after you've had your head shaken. He groaned and grabbed his head. I squatted down next to him, like the boys from our block, looked into his round eyes, and shrugged.
- Well, how are you feeling, Akai-kun?
- Fine. – he squeezed out, clicked his tongue and spat. The spit came out reddish. Blood. I broke his lip.
- That's good. Just don't get up right away, Akai-kun, otherwise you'll get dizzy, God forbid you hurt yourself again... and now you're getting unnecessary head injuries unnecessarily. This is what's called a cumulative effect.
- Cumulative means increasing by one addition after another. – Aya-chan explained from somewhere over my shoulder: - It's really better for you to sit here Akai-kun.
- Yah you. – Akai said and stood up, staggering. I supported him and he instinctively leaned on my hand, frowned and pushed me aside.
- All? Calmed down? – I asked, stepping back.
- Yes. – Akai nodded dejectedly: - Yes, now I'll beat you up so much that...
- And here I have to interrupt you, Akai-kun. Before you say more stupid things than you can handle. – I said: - I'll add it on top now, if it turned out to be not enough.
- Your behavior, Akai-kun, cannot be an example for the younger generation. – Aya-chan added, and I involuntarily glanced sideways in her direction. Aya-chan put on a poker face. They say that she always says that and she had no desire to tease or giggle at Akai-kun. I shrugged and turned to Akai.
- Akai-kun, I have no desire to find out who is cooler and participate in all these intrigues of yours. If you don't tell anyone what happened here, I won't tell anyone either. – in fact, I gave Akai the opportunity to save his face, and if he doesn't take advantage of it, then he's a complete fool.
- Hm. – Akai-kun nodded dejectedly. So he's not completely stupid.
"And you, Aya-chan, I will kindly ask you..." Aya-chan nodded silently, continuing to keep her poker face.
- And good. Goodbye Akai-kun. – I turned around and continued my way to the house. Aya-chan trotted behind, not intending to lag behind or explain her behavior. However, with this particular girl, I have already given up on trying to figure out causes and consequences. She follows me - and God bless her. Shinji-kun in my head had already drawn pictures from the category "and then I tripped, and we fell together, dragging Ayu-chan along with us and falling right on top of her..." followed by mutual blushing face to face and other delights of hentai manga for pubescent teenagers .
To Shinji-kun's credit, he had no idea what to do with the blushing Aya-chan after that. While still in my thoughts and filtering out Shinji-kun's fantasies, I pushed open the door of Tamagawa's shop. Ding-ding - the bell attached above the door rang.
- Ara-ara… What a man... - Inoe began from behind the counter, but stopped short when she saw Ayu-chan coming in behind me.
- Good afternoon, visitor-san! – Inoe bowed formally: - The Tamagawa store considers it an honor to serve you!
- My name is Aya-chan Sato and I am Yamashita-kun's classmate. – Aya-chan blurted out and bowed: - Please take care of me!
-... hmm... - I just batted my eyes. Still, I don't have enough understanding of this whole Japanese culture of social interactions. I still walk like wood here. Firstly, because Shinji-kun, with all his information, is either sleeping in my subconscious, or having fun in his own way, coming out only when what is happening really worries him. And secondly, Shinji himself wasn't what they say in English? Social butterfly? Well, he wasn't the life of the party, what can you do? He was such a bogeyman, a geek and a nerd, a nerd, if we say it in our language. But the term "nerd" is applicable to a person not only because he is weak, weak, a loser, e.t.c. A "nerd" is if a person is also interested in something. Let him collect stamps or be a fan of Warhammer 40,000 in history, know the characteristics of all the assault rifles in the world by heart, or something else. But Shinji was a fan of mahou manga and anime. That is, I was crazy about all these supermen and superwomen. He knew the names and features of the techniques, some small details that were significant only to fans (he loses his will at the sound of a flute), compiled a dossier and even exchanged information with a group of equally strange people.
By the way, I should appear in this club of nerds, otherwise rumors will start circulating here, saying that Hermione has changed a lot over the summer... but on the other hand, they will start anyway and won't care. Spit. You never know how a boy's head can become wedged at puberty. Happens.
- Ara, ara... - Inoe-san drawled, her voice immediately changing. That's how clingy cliches and stereotypes are - Inoe-san's voice has become like molasses, viscous and sweet, but no one would be deceived by the sweetness in which hidden mockery and superiority lurks - this is exactly the voice that all these beautiful older ladies speak in, looking around at the blushing young man who is trying to bleat something in his own defense.
- Look, you've matured, Yamashita-kun. - and so it began. I sighed and rolled my eyes, expecting the inevitable.
- A girl is already escorting you home... ah, this youth and its beautiful impulses. – Inoe-san tried to wink playfully: - In our time, girls didn't see off young men. In our time, young men accompanied their girlfriends home. What had to happen for such a young and beautiful flower to accompany this dissolute young man home?
- Unfortunately, circumstances were such that this worthy girl found herself in a difficult life situation. - I shook my head, in turn picking up the game of stereotypes: - and now I'm forced to work off my debts in such an unsightly way.
Behind me, Aya-chan was already choking with anger, but under the watchful eye of Inoe-san she choked and blushed, stomped her foot and ran out of the Tamagawa store - only the door slammed and the bell rang.
- And so, you should have teased your classmate, Shinji-kun. – Other shook her head reproachfully. Wow, I thought, and now Inoe-san and I are on first name terms, it turns out, since I'm no longer Yamashita-kun, but by name. This is serious here.
- Never mind, Inoe-san. – I shrugged: - It will only be good for her.
- Yare-yare, and you have become quite an adult, Shinji-kuuun. - Inoya drawled: - and already a heartthrob. Poor girl, she found herself such a cynical and callous gentleman beyond his years.
- Yes, I have nothing with her. – I began to deny, realizing that I had already lost this battle. Nobody will believe me. And even if he believes it, Other-san will still make fun of me until the end of time. And okay, God bless her, after all, Inoe-san is one of the few people in this whole new world for me with whom Shinji-kun at least sometimes exchanged a few words. You could say a close friend. She and Nanase-neesan - that's the whole social circle. Therefore, let him have fun, but he won't leave me alone. I'm not at that age to blush at innocent jokes like "when will you finally get married" or "have you already kissed?" And in general, I can carry out a counter attack - so to speak, in a matrimonial style.
- I think I like older women, women who are already wise with experience and understand a lot about relationships. Women who can teach a young and inexperienced man a lot... if you know what I mean, Inoe-san... - I drawled, trying to portray a playful "if you know what I mean" with my eyebrows. Inoe-san burst into tears. Inoe-san laughed. Inoe-san laughed loudly, bending over and clutching her stomach. For some time I watched her laugh and wondered if professional help was needed here, or if Inoe-san would still be able to recover on her own.
- Ugh... - she said, catching her breath and waving her hand in front of her reddened face: - Well, you made me laugh today.
- But this, by the way, was insulting. – I said, putting the shopping bag in front of her: - I was counting on a slightly different reaction.
- Oh, don't make me laugh again, Shinji-kun. - Inoe-san punched through my purchases with a few quick and precise movements: - Your fee is one and a half thousand yen.
- Yes, sure. – the money changed hands and Inoe-san handed me the package.
- Thank you, Inoe-san. – I bowed.
- Wait a minute. Here's another one for you, as a gift. There will be something to treat your girlfriend. – the bag also contained a couple of bottles of some kind of drink.
- She doesn't...
- Yes, she's not your girlfriend, I know, go already... Casanova... - and Inoe-san waved her hand at me. I bowed again, took the bag and left the Tamagawa store. Aya-chan was waiting for me nearby, pretending that she wasn't looking in my direction and that I didn't exist for her at all. However, she settled down next to me as I passed by.
- What kind of old hug is this? – she asked when we had already turned the corner.
- Where? – I pretended to be surprised and began to look around: - I don't see anyone.
- Idiot! - Aya-chan tried to hit me in the shoulder, but I easily moved aside: - I'm asking about this old woman in the store!
- Oh, that's what you're talking about... - I looked at Aya and sighed: -well, apparently we'll have to dot the i's.
Really. For some reason, extremes are very popular in Japanese society. Or is it that in pop culture they first began to portray either a super-macho man who abandons girls, breaks hearts, a kind of Don Juan and Casanova, a self-confident male, or - the other extreme - such a rag-coon, ready to endure any humiliation and bullying. And then society caught up and now girls either wring their hands and say "oh, he's so handsome!" or turn on the bitch mod "Baka! Idiot!". So poor Ai-chan's template was torn to shreds. My position is absolutely incomprehensible - it seems like I've been a wuss all my life, but I seem to have defended myself in a duel, I behave confidently, but again I don't fit into the role of a school Casanova...
- Aya-chan, I really hate it when you show verbal aggression. And it's even more unpleasant when this aggression turns into non-verbal form. Therefore, I sincerely ask you not to do this again.
- Ah... - Aya-chan was taken aback for a second. I looked at her carefully.
- And what will you do if I don't stop... verbal aggression? – she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
- Nothing. – I shrugged. In my opinion, this will soon become my signature gesture in this new world: - I'll just stop communicating with you. Because it will be unpleasant for me to do this.
- By the way, it was also unpleasant for me when you were there in the store with me in front of her... - Aya-chan frowned and folded her arms over her chest.
- Well, yes. I was wrong, I admit, I went too far. – I agreed: - I thought it would be fun, you'll support the joke. But I didn't calculate it.
- Fine. – Aya nodded seriously: - Then I won't call you that anymore.
- And you won't hit me anymore. – I added. This is the important part.
- And this. – Aya agreed.
- So we agreed... - we approached our house with Nanase-neesan, and I took the keys out of my pocket. Or rather, the key. There was only one lock on the door, and so that the small flat object wouldn't get lost, Nanase-neesan bought me a keychain. Nothing special, just a medallion on a chain with a key ring. There was a picture of some kind of bird on the medallion. I tossed the key in my palm and turned to Aya-chan.
- Will you come in? – we need to take the situation into our own hands, in the end. I have no idea how to behave in this particular case, and therefore I will continue to look like an idiot in social terms. I think I'm doing pretty well.
- Unfortunately, this is where my responsibilities end. Good night, Yamashita-kun. – Aya-chan bowed ceremoniously. I swear, I saw those sly sparkles in her eyes again. Eh, what kind of womanizers are Shinji and I, huh? All you have to do is walk home with your girlfriend once, and it's already starting...
- Yes, sure. - I said and bowed in return: - this day was an honor for me and all my ancestors. Thank you for your cooperation. – Aya-chan snorted, holding back her laughter in response to my speech. Still, I'm doing something wrong. The lock clicked and I was left alone with my thoughts.