Chapter 2 ー If you’re not careful, you’ll get this

We don’t have to do anything for the full day, such as exercise in the afternoon, because the first week of the first semester of a new college year is still in its early days.

After the break, this period is pretty pleasant for the students since they just need to attend the morning lecture for the time being, which is quite good.

Even though I had just attended the morning class, I was already tired.

“That woman… What in the world does she want from me…”

She’s been trailing me around every day since then, making various noises. She was either bad-mouthing the professor, nodding off and groaning in her sleep, or doodling on my textbooks. She wrote her graffiti in beautiful handwriting, as if satirical.

I normally miss the vital portion when I’m annoyed or distracted by her like that. And every time, only in such a place, she listens and asks, “Do you want me to tell you?”

It’s revolting. Who’s to blame, you asshole?

However, I had no one else to turn to for help, so I asked her to help me.

As a result, I’ve been thinking a lot about whether she’ll leave or whether I’ll leave myself…

“…”

A part of me believes I don’t need to go that far.

Sadly, I’ve been attending lectures alone and lonely since I started at this college.

I get upset whenever I see someone having fun next to me, yet a small part of me thinks it’s alright to act like that.

‘She’s beautiful… She must have a lot of friends or a boyfriend…’

She is attractive and has a lovely smile. It’s not my style, but it’s what I’d call a modern young woman’s groove. When you have a typical cheerful personality, it’s weird to have no friends.

I wonder whether they got into a fight. I’m not very good at interpersonal relationships, so I doubt I’ll be able to discuss it.

I still don’t know what her name is. She just walks over to me and sits next to me, becoming involved with me.

‘She’s a strange one… To think about it again…’

A week with only one morning lesson seems to fly by.

The first week of the new college year began on Monday, and Friday arrived.

We’ll get a comprehensive explanation of the training after Saturday and Sunday, and then it’ll be time to start. I’m just depressed thinking about how difficult it will be.

My reserved seat until last year was taken by a swarm of charlatans, most likely seniors, who have been harassing me by piling teaching materials on my desk like a vicious place-holder with only a blue sheet and no one else, and the seat I’ve been sitting in all week will be the one I’ll be looking after from now on.

“Ah, here you are, playing bocchi again~~~”

“Shut up, you’re alone, right?”

She sat down next to me without reluctance today, like she did yesterday.

“That’s precisely what it is. Let’s just get on with it and do what we’re supposed to.”

“With your upbeat nature, I’m sure you have a lot of friends. What, you got into a fight? Staying with a shady guy like me will solve nothing.”

I thought I said it casually. With her personality, I figured she’d laugh it off and say something appropriate in response.

“… There isn’t such a thing.”

After a brief pause, she mumbled in a low voice with a slight weight that was unusual for her, and then she stopped speaking.

The lecture then began as usual.

But she wasn’t her regular self, with her usual repressed laughs or her usual pranks on me.

Curious, I looked over at her and noticed she was carrying a pen and reading a textbook. I was wondering whether she was up for some serious studying today.

It’s not her typical gloomy experience. It was a wonderful thing, since I could finally focus on my lecture.

A half-hour had passed.

I was paying attention to the lecture, but I wasn’t really focused.

The lecture is presently in the same condition as last year. I took notes and listened to the professor quietly and alone.

It should be the same as previously, but it doesn’t feel right.

The time flew by, but I missed nothing and didn’t slack off, so I finished the lecture without issue.

“You’re unusually silent today. What’s wrong?”

I fixed my gaze on her. That’s when I realized she was missing something.

The text is still on the page that was open when I first noticed it. Besides, she appeared dazed with the pen in her fingers, as if her eyes were unfocused.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Eh?”

“The lecture is over.”

“Eh? You’re kidding, aren’t you? I heard nothing?”

“You…didn’t sleep today, and you were in a daze the entire time…”

“What do I do… I didn’t take the notes! I don’t know the point of the lecture or anything! It will be troublesome during tests!”

She appeared to be really spaced out, based on the manner she was becoming agitated. I’m in quite a hurry.

“Here…”

I handed her my notebook from the last lecture.

“You can copy it if you don’t mind the worm-crawling letters you hate so much.”

“Is it okay?”

She seemed to be terribly sorry. She always sleeps and eventually shows it to me, so why is she acting so sorry today?

“You’re always showing it to me.”

“I usually… tell you what you missed, so it wasn’t like I owed you anything… Is there nothing I can do for you today?”

Was it because of anything so insignificant that she appeared so solemn? Have you heard the word “gratitude”? I assumed she was that kind of girl, but I don’t think she was.

“Don’t worry. You’ve got a problem. Make a fast copy of this. In exchange, help me when I am stuck.”

“Yes!”

She smiled as she grabbed the text from me and opened it to copy it. But suddenly her hand comes to a halt.

“I can’t read it, it’s too messyyyyyyyyyy!”

“Give it back, you wuss!” I’m never going to show you again!”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! I can read it! I can read it!”

I felt bad for her because she was acting strangely from Monday, so I thought I’d help her out, but her reaction hasn’t changed around here.

This week, I was in a position where she was pushing me about positively.

I really don’t know what this woman is. It’s hateful, too cute, and annoyingly pure…

I will not be nice to you anymore. I’m losing my mind.