The String of Balls - Chapter 2

Episode 15: Suspicion and Distrust

Kawasaki returned to the classroom just in time for homeroom to start, her face as bright and satisfied as ever.

He just walked over and sat down in the seat at the back by the window, and then he was resting his chin on his hand and smiling again…I was staring at him, and when his eyes met, he waved lightly and smiled at me.

I know it’s not Kawasaki’s fault, but… I waved back feeling a bit confused.

Even during the ten-minute break between classes, when we’re not in the classroom, it seems like the two of us sneak off somewhere together. We just started dating, after all… I want to be alone with her, right?

…He was upset when I went to the classroom, but…Kawasaki-san is fine with it.

After all the morning classes were over and it was lunchtime, I suddenly realized that Kawasaki-san had disappeared.

Koto and I still eat lunch separately. We don’t go out together much on our days off anymore… I know it can’t be helped because I’m in a relationship, but I feel a little lonely.

I thought I’d never see you again, so I’m just happy to be with you…

“Fumi-san? Are you okay?”

“Oh… sorry, it’s okay…”

Recently, I’ve been having lunch with him in the courtyard.ShinobiShinobu

Kawasaki-san’s twin brother, a boy in class C. He confessed his love to me at the middle school graduation ceremony and I rejected him, but then he confessed to me again when we got to the same high school…and I ended up going out with him.

She said it was for a limited time, and that if she still didn’t like me, she would give up completely, but…

“I’m sorry, Fumie. It seems like those guys spread it around and everyone cheered on them…”

“…No, don’t worry about it. We’re dating after all.”

I don’t want to tell you the truth, but I feel bad for Shinobu-kun, who dared to confess to me so many times.

Maybe if I start by looking at the shape, I’ll end up liking it. Right now, though, I’m not feeling that way at all…

“That’s a good thing to say. I’ll explain it to you later.”

“You didn’t mean any harm, did you? You were happy for me as if it were your own achievement. You’re a good friend.”

“Hehe, she does have a soft spot for words. The two of us have been friends since childhood, or should I say, we’ve been friends for a long time. Isuzu and I have been together since elementary school, and we became good friends in middle school.”Subaru Subaru

Um… it was Isuzu-san and Kun, right?HinoHinoToyotaToyodaSubaruSubaru

“Subaru-kun, you’re in the same club, right? Were you in the soccer club in middle school too?”

“Yeah, we decided to go to the same high school… Ah, it was a coincidence! I didn’t follow Aya-san or anything…”

“I know. I’ve never told you which high school I was going to go to.”

I was friends with Shinobu, but we weren’t that close.

So I was shocked when he confessed to me.

“That’s true, but… there are various ways to do this, like asking Fumie’s friends, right?”

“…Did you hear?”

“No! I didn’t hear that! I swear to you!”

“Hahaha, you’re saying something similar to Kawasaki-san.”

Maybe because they’re twins? But you said they’re fraternal twins, right?

Strangely, they look that similar. Their faces aren’t the same, but… Shinobu-kun has a cool face too.

“And you too, big sister? It’s complicated… I don’t hate it, but I’m also not happy about it, it just makes me feel uneasy.”

“You don’t look very alike, Shinobu-kun and Kawasaki-san.”

“Even though we’re twins, we have different personalities and genders. I know I say it myself, but I’m good at sports and I’m good at studying, so I guess that’s about the only similarities we have.”

The way they talk is completely different too…

Kawasaki-san seems old-fashioned. He talks like a samurai…

I don’t know what you’re saying sometimes.

Shinobu-kun is… normal, or should I say. He seems like a boy.

“I’m not good at studying, so I’m jealous. If Koto hadn’t helped me with my studies, I might have had to repeat high school.”

“Ummm… during the final exams… if you don’t mind, why don’t you study together? I can help you if there’s anything you don’t understand, and we don’t have to be alone or anything, we could do it in the library or something!”

“Thanks. But it’s okay, Koto will tell me.”

If it weren’t for Koto, I would have failed all the midterm exams.

Unlike middle school, I don’t join any clubs, but that doesn’t mean I’ll be smarter.

After all, I can only do a little bit of exercise…

“…You and Honda-san are good friends, aren’t you? I often saw the two of you together in middle school.”

“Yeah! Our houses are next to each other and we’ve been together since we were little. We were in the same class all through elementary and middle school…that’s amazing, right? We ended up in different classes after entering high school, but…we’re still together in the mornings and after school, and on our days off we go out together.”

I haven’t been able to go out and play lately…

“…I see. Isuzu and I get along well too. We weren’t always in the same class, but she would come to cheer me on at soccer games, make me lunch, etc…”

“Oh? Hino-san, you can cook. I can’t do it at all, so I admire you.”

Koto, if I cook you food, will you eat it?

I’ve heard that sweets are difficult, so I don’t think I could make them. Ah, but the chocolate you made for Valentine’s Day was delicious, and making them together seems like fun…

“It was so delicious! I think whoever marries Isuzu will be happy… I’m glad she cooks such delicious food for me…”

“That’s a big compliment. I’m sure Hino-san doesn’t know how happy Shinobu-kun was. You have to tell him properly, okay? I won’t know unless you tell me.”

If you just think about it, it won’t get across and you’ll end up missing each other.

You two are childhood friends, so I don’t want you to fight like we did.

“…Ah, yeah. That’s right…

“What’s wrong? Did I say something weird?”

Huh, are you kind of disappointed?

“No, it’s nothing. I just thought I had to keep trying.”

“Really? I don’t really get it, but… I’ll do my best, okay?”

“Haha… you’re tough…”

“Yeah?”

What have you been saying all this time?

Shinobu sometimes says things I can’t understand. Unlike Kawasaki, he doesn’t use difficult words or anything, but… he’s a little strange.

“What… is that?”

“Fumi-san? What’s wrong?”

At the edge… that’s right, I’m sure it’s over there… that empty classroom…

Hey, our eyes just met, right? So why are you ignoring me? Why are the curtains closed?

“…Thank you for the meal. Sorry Shinobu-kun, I’ll be back first.”

“Um, ah, Fumie?”

I quickly packed up my lunch box and walked quickly back to the classroom.

I quickly stuffed it into my bag and headed toward an empty classroom.

On the way, some friends called out to me, but I apologized and ran down the hallway, saying I was in a hurry.

That’s not true… Koto wasn’t ignoring me or anything… It was just my mistake that I thought our eyes met…

“Koto? Kawasaki-san? You’re there, right? Open up.”

After knocking on the door, I called out to the two of them and waited for a response.

Taking a moment to catch my breath, I tried to calm my impatient feelings, but it was no use.

What if he ignores me? What if I’m just mistaken?

There was a click and the sound of the lock opening and the door slid open.

“What’s wrong? You’re so out of breath…”

“Koto… Kawasaki-san… Koto, you’re here, right?”

“Ah… Kotonoha, you have a visitor.”

Kawasaki turned around and called out to Koto, who came out from the side.

The fact that you came out means… you’re not avoiding me, right?

But why didn’t you answer when I called?

“I can hear you, what’s wrong?”

“Well… that’s… it’s…”

I’m afraid to ask…I can’t get the words out properly.

But…if I don’t ask clearly, I’ll be left feeling uneasy.

So you have to listen carefully.

“A sentence?”

“Just now, from there…”

Even though I thought that my heart was pounding so much that I just couldn’t hear any more.

I’m scared. I’m afraid that Koto hates me.

No. Don’t ignore me. I said we’d be together forever.

“…? Fumie?! Are you okay?! You look pale… Nurse’s office! Kotone!”

I wonder what’s wrong… Koto… he looks desperate…

As soon as I had that thought, everything went dark before my eyes.