AGWSF 05

Chapter – 05

“I Was Able to Hold Back in That Other World, But…”

I arrived at school.

I still can’t sense Aira’s presence at all, but she’s probably finished breakfast and is by my side.

I don’t know if she’s still eating or if she’s already done, though. …Aira’s ability to erase her presence somehow even masks the smell of food.

Thinking about that, I stepped into the classroom of Class 1-4 for the first time in eight years.

My seat… was here, right?

Thinking that, I sat down in the so-called protagonist seat—the leftmost seat in the back row.

“Morning, Hiroto.”

After putting down my belongings, I was about to move to greet my friend for the first time in eight years, but at that moment, one of my few friends—the very one I was about to greet—called out to me.

“…Ah, morning, Honoka.”

I turned toward the voice, confirmed the blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl, and while feeling a mixture of deep emotions, I made sure not to show it and returned the greeting.

Nakanishi Honoka—she’s the girlfriend of my other friend.

“Been two days, huh~”

Honoka, completely unaware of how deeply I was feeling, said that in a carefree tone and thrust both her hands up toward me.

As usual—though for me it’s been eight years—she’s probably asking for one of those weird high-fives.

Before I went to that other world, I used to find this kind of random vibe a little hard to handle, but now I actually found myself looking forward to it. Understanding that, I clapped my hand against hers.

Wait, two days? …Come to think of it, I guess it was just after a break. …Doesn’t feel like I rested at all. …Well, I was in another world until just recently, so that’s only natural.

“Where’s Hayato?”

Enomoto Hayato—my other friend and Honoka’s boyfriend.

They weren’t quite on the level of me and Aira back in the other world, but they were the type to stick together most of the time, so I asked.

Honestly, I also wanted to say hi to Hayato myself.

“He said he caught a cold. I’m planning to visit him after school.”

“Should I come too?”

“Hmm~, I don’t think it’s that bad, so it’s fine~?”

“I see. Then, tell him I said hi.”

“Okay. I’ll pass it along.”

If I insisted on visiting him too, that would definitely seem unnatural compared to how I was before going to the other world. So I held back my desire to see Hayato—my friend—for the first time in eight years.

“I’ll head back to my seat now~”

Just as the bell was about to ring, she said that and returned to her seat.

At the same time, a pain shot through my arm.

It felt like someone had pinched me—no, not just “like.” I was actually being pinched.

I dropped my gaze to my arm, but unsurprisingly, no one was there.

…There’s only one person who can do this.

[What’s this all of a sudden, Aira?]

Thinking that, I wrote in the corner of a notebook I’d pulled out, using the language of that other world so Aira could understand.

At the same time, I mentally prepared myself for another whisper in my ear.

Last time, it was fine because the only person who saw was a store clerk I’d never interact with again, but if I suddenly reacted the same way in a school classroom, my whole year would be over in more ways than one, even though I just got back.

…Well, maybe everyone wouldn’t actually care as much as I think, but since I’d care about it myself, I absolutely can’t make a fool of myself like that.

“…Who?”

Who? Who as in… Honoka?

[She’s a friend.]

I wrote that in the corner of the notebook in the other world’s language as my reply to Aira.

Then, she pinched my arm even harder.

…That hurts.

And also, why are you pinching me?

When we were in that other world, Aira never had a habit of pinching, did she? …Seriously, what’s going on with her?

“…You seemed way too close for ‘just a friend.'”

[She’s one of my few friends. Of course we’re close.]

“…You touched hands.”

Is she talking about the high-five? …Sure, our hands touched, but so what?

It’s not like I never touched anyone’s hands back in the other world.

No joke, what’s wrong with Aira?

[What’s your point?]

“…”

To my question, Aira didn’t answer. Instead, she grabbed both of my hands from out of nowhere. …Interlocking her fingers with mine.

…This makes it impossible to take class, you know? …Homeroom’s just starting, and actual class won’t begin for a bit, so I guess I’ll stay like this without resisting for a little while.

Aira’s my daughter, and putting up with a daughter’s selfishness is part of a parent’s job, right? Yeah. …There’s no way there’s any other reason.