Chapter 2 - I want to protect you

She can do anything anyway.

That girl is special, she’s scary, she’s crazy.

As I became isolated like this, no one would talk to me anymore.

I’ve always been a person of few words, but I think that in the past, I was a girl who could smile affectionately.

I didn’t understand why the stares directed at me were filled with fear and disgust.

More tragedy awaited me as I spent my days repeatedly surrounded by sadness, emptiness and loneliness.

A disease suddenly struck me when I was seven years old.

It was a nasty disease with no known cause, in which the cells of various internal tissues of the body were dying all over the place.

As a result, my extraordinary athletic ability was severely impaired, and I became so weak that if I pushed myself too hard, I would hyperventilate, lose consciousness and collapse.

Not only did my classmates, who hadn’t been nice to me to begin with, but eventually other kids in my class and even kids in different grades took the opportunity to humiliate me.

I was treated badly on a daily basis, suddenly being pushed around by people whose faces and names I didn’t know, having water poured on my head repeatedly.

Until one day, I heard something snap in my head, and after that day, I lost all sense of my own emotions.

My mother was worried about my constant lack of expression, and took me to the hospital.

There, I was diagnosed with “Alexithymia.”

At the time, I thought it was okay.

I didn’t feel the tightening pain in my chest or the tearing pain in my body, and I didn’t shed any more tears that wouldn’t stop flowing.

When my classmates saw me like this, they called me “creepy”, “weird”, “ghostly-looking” and “she’s like a monster”, and the bullying escalated.

But no matter what they did to me, I didn’t feel anything, and I didn’t do anything.

I was just treated like a rag doll, repeating the same routine like a robot.

It was during this time that I met Otoha, who is now standing next to me, clinging to my arm.

Every day after school, I used to sit alone on a bench at a deserted beach and watch the ocean.

Suddenly, she appeared and said out of the blue, “I finally found you! Will you be my friend?”

Of course, I didn’t respond.

I didn’t say anything and ignored her that day, but Otoha kept repeating the same words every day after that.

I honestly didn’t know what to do.

One day, I somehow touched the small, beautiful hand that had been repeatedly held out to me.

Then Otoha smiled at me while crying…

This was the first encounter between me and Otoha.

After that, every day after school, Otoha and I would sit on a bench at the beach and spend the same time looking at the ocean.

As we continued to spend our days together, I gradually began to trust Otoha.

When I started going to the same school as Otoha in junior high school, I realized how amazing she was.

She’s so pretty that she catches everyone’s eye just by walking down the hallway, and her gentle smile is like a sunflower in the sun, and combined with her friendly personality made her very popular with the rest of the school.

Because Otoha was always with me, the way people looked at me was completely different from when I was in elementary school, and it made me nervous.

When Otoha was hugging me, I was even being worshipped from behind.

At that time, I really wanted her to stop.

I didn’t understand the meaning behind it.

It’s still the same now that I’m in high school.

If my former classmates from elementary school knew about my situation, they would be surprised.

I went to a different junior high school than everyone else.

I wonder if the girl who was my enemy is doing well?

Well, it doesn’t really matter now.

Also, I think I’m a little more aware of my emotions now.

The irreplaceable and certain feeling I have for Otoha is the best proof.

My emotions still don’t show on my face, but Otoha can sense them.

Nowadays, Otoha is my everything and my reason for living.

That’s why, I’ve promised myself that I’d do anything for her.

“Ehehehe, what’s wrong? Why are you suddenly holding my hand so tightly, Sakuya?”

I want to protect this smile…..

“Ehehe, come over here! Do you want to go inside my coat? Is it warm? Would you like me to warm you up with my hands?”

“Oh no, they’re in their own little world again.”

“Otoha’s unusual love for Sakuya seems unstoppable.”

“Do you want us to put our arms around you or something?”

“Stop it! It’s going to be weird because we’re below average in face and style.”

“Ah, there’s a pigeon! Let’s give it some bread crusts.”

“Hey, catch that natural idiot who’s getting surrounded by pigeons at this instant. Our destination in sight.”

「「「Roger.」」」

We finally arrived at this place, a commercial building that was a combination of a shopping mall, a movie theater and an amusement center.

It’s probably the biggest building in the area.

It’s been a while since I’ve been here too.

Normally I don’t come here because it’s too crowded, but I’ll have to put up with that for the new café.

And so, we took the elevator and went up to the upper floor.