Dullard Buddy-kun: Heading Reluctantly to School Again Today - Episode 30

Today’s weather has been rainy since the morning.

To be precise, it was sunny just a few minutes ago, but it suddenly started raining while I was on the train heading to school.

And of course, my heart, like the heavy rain that’s been falling since I woke up this morning.

After all, today is Monday.

Just the thought of another week resetting and the hellish five days starting makes me feel nauseous.

Especially since we have another homeroom about the school trip this week…

Thinking about such things, I left the ticket gate at the station and headed to school along the route, holding an umbrella for now.

Since I always keep a folding umbrella in my bag to prepare for emergencies, this rain was no problem at all. I know that no one will help me if something happens.

In short, my determination to live each day is different from those guys over there. In fact, I’ve never even forgotten anything once.

Well, that’s not important right now.

I couldn’t care less.

“I’m sorry. You’re helping me again…”

The problem now is that, unbelievably, there’s a woman inside my umbrella with me.

Yeah. Right now, in the umbrella I’m holding

The problem is that Sayaka Yamamoto is in the same class.

Just now, I happened to run into her at the ticket gate, where she didn’t have an umbrella.

I was asked to come in if it was okay, and honestly, I had no reason to refuse, so here I am.

No, what kind of situation is this?

If she’s as popular as that, there must have been someone else who could have been chosen instead of me…

Why… me? Well, whatever.

Yeah. It’s fine, but after all, I’m still a man. I wouldn’t misunderstand being under the same umbrella with a woman, but I can’t help but feel nervous.

Well, I have no intention of bringing that to light, no matter what…

Just, what could it be?

I thought she was the type to talk more, but she’s been kind of mumbling ever since a while ago, or rather, I don’t know how to put it.

Even now, what I hear is not her voice, but the sound of the rain.

Yeah, that’s true. The other person is just a loner like me.

I don’t even have anything to talk about. Of course.

But then, why did it really end up in my umbrella…?

Well, she was in a hurry and I just happened to be the only person she knew who was there. That’s the only explanation I can think of. There’s no other reason.

While I was thinking about various things, I heard words coming from the girl next to me.

“Uh, um, what did you do on your day off, Mamiya-kun?”

“Ah, well, on my days off, I guess I just work part-time.”

Day off…

In reality, there was also the unexpected library encounter with Shibuya-san, but that’s definitely not something to bring up right now. Even I still find that time so unbelievable and incomprehensible that I sometimes wonder if it was a dream.

“Oh, right. I mean, why are you using honorifics? We’re classmates, so it’s fine to speak casually. Really. I’d prefer that… or rather, it’s just… well…”

“Ah, yes. Understood… yes.”

Casual speech…

Well, it might actually be true, but I just can’t get used to it. My brain can’t help but sense the possibility of being talked about behind my back after chatting too casually, and I resist it.

Especially if it’s a popular girl in class. In this current situation of being alone, the reality is that I don’t want to stand out for the wrong reasons.

That said, I’ve already been weirdly standing out, with people walking in front of me turning around and doing double-takes…

However, there’s nothing we can do about this anymore.

Thinking about such things, as a last-ditch effort, I tilt the umbrella slightly to obscure our view from the front.

“Oh, sorry. I’ll hold the umbrella.”

“Eh, ah”

Thinking my hand was tired, she reached out to take my umbrella, but since I had no intention of letting go, her small hand overlapped with mine.

“Sorry, sorry.”

“Sorry”

And again, silence…

No, this is bad… Me. This is way too bad.

Middle schooler, no, elementary schooler…

I reacted so obviously. Here I am, a pathetic mess, with my hand shaking and my face burning because her hand touched mine.

I glanced at her to see how she was doing, but she was looking down, so I couldn’t tell her expression.

For now, it’s just another period of silence passing by.

Probably, nine times out of ten, they think I’m creepy…

Well, whatever.

It’s already the school gate.

Even so, just like Shibuya-san yesterday, why do all girls smell so good…?

No, that statement just now too. Even if it’s in my mind, it’s way too disgusting. It can only be retracted.

What’s wrong with me…? Last week was so eventful, and now I’m in the middle of an even more unexpected situation. Has my brain completely bugged out?

For now, anyway. Man, I’m really done with so many things…

It hasn’t even started yet, but I want to go home.

“Oh, thank you. Mamiya-kun.”

“Ah, yes…”

Yeah. I want to go home…

Sincerely.