Ryou was lacking sleep.

Because there was a little accident yesterday while returning, he got home late. Therefore he was late for his part time job and was made to work overtime until late at midnight with disregard for the Labor Standards Law.

The drowsiness didn’t disappear even while going to school in the morning. Entering the classroom with the feeling of having used several times the normal energy, he exchanged greetings with a classmate who noticed him then he sat down in his window side seat which he considered to be the second best position.

At the same time as he sat down, Shouji from the same class as he was in first year, turns around from his seat in front and smiles at Ryou.

“Good morning, you seem to be sleepy today”

“Good morning. Too much. Don’t wake me till the teacher comes”

Ryou answered while looking at the clock in the classroom then lying down on his desk. There was another 10 minutes until homeroom, though he could only lie down until then, his drowsiness seems to flare up.

“When the teacher comes I’ll wake you”

Though Shouji laughs, he says so in the affirmative and looks forward.

Ryou concentrates all his of nerves, without 10 seconds having passed since the moment he plunged into the world of sleep, the class became noisy.

Ryou felt that the air in the classroom had changed, though he thought to momentarily raise his head, his drowsiness won out.

Without changing his body posture, half of his consciousness was ruled by sleep, feeling signs that Shouji in the front seat turned around, he was called out to.

“H-hey, Ryou”

Ryou clicked his tongue in his mind. Ryou still stays in his sleeping pose, one minute hasn’t passed. Though Shouji is his closest friend in school, he was told not to wake him, to suddenly call out, is too much for a joke. Ryou resumed sleeping as is without answering.

“H-hey”

Shouji called out further and shook Ryou’s body.

There is no need to take notice of school people, while Ryou who is half asleep is thinking something dangerous about striking him with a punch, a voice rose from overhead.

“Sakuragi-kun”

It was a very clear voice. You can say cute and lovely are an appropriate adjective for the voice. Though the voice wasn’t loud, it seems to echo inside the classroom. The noisy classroom became silent for a moment.

Ryou’s drowsiness vanishes in an instant when the voice was heard, he was surprised but praised his body which didn’t show it. While maintaining his sleeping posture as it is, he felt cold sweat running down his back, his brain began to turn at a high speed to find a way out.

(Why, is the woman from yesterday, inside this classroom!? Didn’t yesterday’s matter end yesterday!? If I see those three idiots I’m striking them, I unintentionally let out a thirst for blood, but, I thought it was understood that I pulled back, I thought we wouldn’t come into contact anymore! No, this is out of the question……, okay, for now I’ll maintain my sleeping appearance. If I don’t get up she’ll give up and return, no, go back!!)

Seeing Ryou not reacting even when called, Erika looks at Shouji who was sitting in front of him, and asked while puzzled.

“Is he asleep?”

Shouji who was called out to by the beautiful idol-like girl who he had only seen in a distant view up to now, was feeling embarrassed.

Looking considerably dismayed he answered.

“A-ah……, sh-should I wake him?”

He completely forgot what Ryou said, while holding down the anger welling up towards his friend proposing that, Ryou maintains his sleeping pretense.

When Erika was going to reply to Shouji’s proposal, and was worried for an instant on what to do, Azusa who entered the classroom with her speaks up.

“Erika, it’s fine to wake him”

“……, is it fine?”

Azusa nods to Erika with a smile full of confidence.

(Not good, not good, there’s another woman? Reinforcements can leave……)

Ryou felt things were developing in a bad direction.

“Hey, Sakuragi-kun……, Sakuragi-kun? That’s no good, he isn’t waking up?”

(That’s right, Sakuragi-kun has a reason not to get up, therefore, let’s leave quickly)

Azusa smiles deeply and says while shaking her hands.

“He must be woken up more strongly”

Shaking him awake seems to be the meaning. Erika who was observing him thought so for an instant, nodded and shook Ryou’s shoulder.

“Hey, Sakuragi-kun”

(Stop it!!)

Ryou screamed in his mind.

The reaction of the classroom seeing that was great. The girls were popeyed with surprise, the boys, were whispering why such a thing to each other, and glances of perplexity mixed with envy, jealousy and murderous intent were turned to Ryou.

Feeling the glance in the class growing stronger and light fear from the hand shaking him, he judged that maintaining his current condition would be bad, while breathing with resignation in his mind, making a face as if he had just woken up, he slowly raised his face.

“Ah, he’s up……, sorry, Sakuragi-kun?”

Ryou doesn’t understand what’s happening, his facial expression says so, why is the rumored school idol in front of him? Is blended into his facial expression.

“No…………, is there something?”

Erika seeing Ryou’s attitude being completely different to yesterday, thought he was angry about being woken by force, looked down and apologized once more.

“Um……, I’m sorry, I woke you. Are you angry?”

She said so faintly with upturned eyes. It was important so she said it twice while looking down.

The faces of several female students became red as well.

Opposite to Shouji was a group of male students who saw that situation, their faces seem to grow intoxicated with their souls snatched away. If you go by an old saying, you could say their hearts were stolen.

From the boys who were behind Erika, voices of anger and hatred rose up towards Ryou. Although they weren’t loud voices, Ryou was able to hear them, such as you bastard and don’t joke around.

(Men and women without discrimination……)

Ryou was somehow able to restrain a cramp showing on his mouth, becoming aware that he himself was becoming bright red he suppressed it, and answered.

“No, I’m not angry. ……, is there business?”

Ryou to the bitter end with this first meeting in front of classmates, wanted the crowd to not think of them as friends with his tone. Ryou aims for the default way of talking to girls in school which is that of a quiet student with a gentle approach.

To the tone of such a Ryou, Erika showed a puzzled expression. After an expression as if she made up her mind, she bowed.

“Thank you very much for yesterday. Apart from yesterday, again, I wanted you to receive my thanks, is that fine?”

It was noisy inside the classroom.

Ryou to the unwanted gratitude, thought whether he was insolent to consider it as such.

“Didn’t I say it’s fine not to worry about yesterday? ……, besides, I thought we came to an agreement about your thanks……”

“Eh, but in my mind it’s not settled. I thought you would be glad to receive it in some way……”

Erika’s tone became a little tense as a result of the change in Ryou’s tone.

Ryou thought there was no use in refusing anymore and breathed a sigh of resignation.

“……, I understand. ……, but, before that, what about yesterday’s thing……?”

To the right and left of Erika were girls not from the same class.

On the left was a girl with a beautiful well-featured appearance not inferior to Erika, a Yamato Nadeshiko in appearance with long black hair and black rim glasses.

On the right, a short girl standing expressionlessly with hair cut short again with good looks.

Because of that Ryou looking left and right of her, Erika noticed at once what he meant by ‘thing’.

In place of Erika whose mouth started opening in a panic, wearing the black rim glasses, Suzuki Azusa raised her voice.

“Erika kept the promise, so don’t worry”

“No, but……, I got it”

When such a thing is said, was the promise not breached? Ryou thought about it, the promise not to talk to anyone, Ryou recalled he didn’t say that.

“Um……, but, sorry? Hear the story by all means……”

Erika says while peeking at him, Ryou says it’s fine and shakes his neck.

Usually, what happened yesterday, would cause considerable stress for a girl. Isn’t it natural to want to vent while speaking to someone, because Ryou thought that, he didn’t intend to blame Erika.

He would like it if the gratitude wasn’t done in front of everyone where they can see them talking. To make them disperse soon, at the time he started opening his mouth, Azusa said.

“Erika stubbornly kept her promise to you, I’m envious of it”

While Azusa broadly grinned, a bomb was dropped.

The bomb which was dropped blew up the classroom magnificently.

Ryou felt his mouth had a cramp, but was not able to suppress it.

“He-hey, Azusa!?”

Erika becomes bright red and protests to Azusa.

“What is it?”

Ryou seeing the easygoing Azusa talking, he was somehow convinced this woman understands that he is bothered by this.

A little, it was felt she was similar to him.

Watching Ryou’s lips, Azusa’s smile deepening was seen and he was convinced furthermore.

Warding off Erika’s protest, Azusa looked back to the clock and said.

“There’s not much time left, Erika, let’s continue this later”

Ryou looks at the clock, indeed, homeroom begins soon.

Erika looks at the clock as well.

“Eh, already!? It’s true……, ah, cellphone……”

Ryou to the word of cellphone, surely, his impatience was remembered.

“Postpone your exchanging of numbers, we’ll exchange with him later”

Once again, Ryou felt dismay seeing Azusa who said so towards him.

The looks of murderous intent from the boys in the classroom was peaking.

“I’m sorry, Sakuragi-kun? Later……, during lunchtime, is it fine to come again?”

With a worn out face, Ryou nods, and the three beautiful girls leave the classroom.

At the same time as the three leave the classroom and the eyes in the classroom gather towards Ryou, the chime to signal the start of homeroom rang.

After homeroom and the first period had ended during the break, Ryou was enclosed by the boys of his class.

No, he was surrounded, it should be said.

“How did this happen, Sakuragi?”

Sasaki of the class’s Group A questioned Sakuragi.

He’s physique is good, when approached, plentiful feelings of intensity can be felt.

Shouji from the seat in front turns around and is excited to hear it.

“Really. Why did Fujimoto-san, Suzuki-san and Yamaoka-san come to meet Ryou?”

Whose name belongs to whom, Ryou doesn’t know, but he didn’t let out that question.

What is the gratitude for, what happened yesterday, are you exchanges phone numbers!? Why with you! Can I accompany you during lunch? Questions full with resentment, Ryou who received those voices of jealousy felt that depending on his reply, his peaceful life could disappear.

“Actually…………”

To hear the voice of Ryou who opened his mouth, everyone ceased talking, the classroom became silent in an instant.

Of course Ryou didn’t intend to tell the truth. Even if it’s told, it seems it will be difficult to make them believe it.

So Ryou thought of an excuse.

“I only helped her after she fell down”

The sound of someone falling down was heard.

It wasn’t a lie. Because it is a fact he helped her after she fallen over.

A plain story for the plain him, Ryou concluded everyone would believe it.

For a moment everyone was blank, ah, here and there a consenting face was seen.

Yet, an apologetic man questions it.

“Then, what was the promise?”

“Um, that is……, when I helped her up, I also ended up falling over. It was embarrassing so I said to be silent about it”

That was a lie. However, the part about keeping silent was true.

“Huh!? That’s it!?”

“Ah, it’s like that”

Ryou while adjusting his glasses with one hand, answers dignifiedly.

A lie said in a dignified manner, is still a lie.

“You, what are you doing at lunch time?”

“I’m being treated to juice”

He shrugs his shoulders and gives a safe answer. In fact Ryou intended it to be so.

However, it’s still something enviable……, being muttered was let through and is audible.

“Then, what about exchanging numbers!?”

The men hearing that were provoked again.

“That person, I hear her asking a man by herself is unusual!!”

To this, Ryou was the most worried, so he thought a half truth is safe.

“Because she wants say thanks, I refused several times but she said she would consult about the gratitude over e-mail or phone. When we were going exchange them her cellphone’s battery ran out, so she came today. So it seems juice will be received as her gratitude”

When you carefully take into account Azusa’s words and behavior and the whole story, there are some contradictory points, but Ryou thinks it shouldn’t be to the extent the story seems impossible.

Actually, some of the classmates have a suspicious expression, but consenting faces are seen here and there.

Ryou rounded it off with these words.

“Her integrity is wonderful, I only helped her up after she fell, yet she shows so much gratitude”

The boys, ah, if it is that person it might be so, muttered with an expression as if in a trance.

With things like this, Ryou felt relieved he would be forgotten before long if he makes his shadow thin as usual.

It was now the short break after third period but before lunch break. Ryou who had cleared the interrogation of questions somehow, arrived in front of Erika’s class.

He heard that the three beautiful girls were in the same class, and it seems to be the envy of boys to be in that class. He didn’t want to approach such a frightening class, and Ryou was vigilant of Azusa.

Because that woman seemed to understand he was troubled but repeated her conduct, but he strongly felt he didn’t want those three to suddenly come during lunch break and surround his desk to eat.

Therefore, he decided to make the first move and tell Erika when he saw her to go to the roof for lunch break.

The rooftop is normally locked, with strict student prohibition. However from what Ryou learned out of his part time job livelihood, lock picking skills were used, so it was possible to freely come and go to the rooftop.

Because students are strictly prohibited, he can spend time without having to worry about glances on the rooftop.

Ryou that came to the front of the class looks to the inside through the upper windowpane on the door, and the person he was looking for was found immediately.

Probably wherever she is, she is likely to be found at once.

When looking, the place she is at seems to have been lit by a spotlight and has a bright mood to it.

Is that her aura? When Ryou thinks so, Azusa who was next to Erika notices Ryou.

When Azusa matches eyes with Ryou he remembers his impatience, contrary to expectation, Azusa only alerted Erika.

Erika who notices Ryou was a surprised expression for a moment, then immediately made a glad-looking face and approached Ryou’s position with a half run.

(After all, considerably cute…………)

Ryou thought so unconsciously, it can be considered man’s nature to think of something cute as cute.

“What’s wrong, do you intend to go for lunch break?”

A smile of the whole face was received, Ryou says to the radiant face in a small voice to come to the rooftop.

Though it seemed strange, Erika accepted while looking delighted.

It seems to be strange because the rooftop is normally strictly prohibited for students.

Ryou who received approval, ran away immediately.

Once again from inside class (a different class this time) he was basked in glances from in there as well as from the hallway.