'a......aaa......aaa'

I'm too scared to leave the classroom. In fact, I'm afraid to get up from my desk. I hold my head to protect it from the bullets whizzing through the air.

The reason was a message I received from Hakuna this morning. It was a confession to me. I tried to decipher "I really like comets" in every possible way. I doubted the hidden true meaning, the typos, Caesar's cipher, the punishment game, and so on, forgetting my naivete. But it never made sense.
In the past, when Shirana came out to me in a way similar to a confession, I felt awkward, but not this time. I was not upset because at that time she said 'I liked her' in the past tense. No, I was. It was hard to talk about it. I could interpret it as 'I don't like him now', so after a while I was back to normal.

I'm confused by the fact that he likes me up front. I can't sort out my feelings. If he wants me to see him, I have no choice but to go see him. I have no reason to refuse, but if I refuse, Shirana will be hurt. That's why I'll go see her. I can say with certainty. The question is what kind of answer I'll bring.

'a......a......a......a......a......a......a......a......a......a......a......a......a......a......a......a......a
'Comet, come back ...... come back ......!

A familiar voice came into my ears as I was staring at my desk with my head in my hands.

'Oh, you mean ......'.
'What's wrong with you? You don't look right. You looked like a Ghibli's Kaonashi.
'Thank you ...... my vocabulary temporarily reverted to that of a baby ...... I dread to think if you hadn't called my name ......'

'Dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

With a cheerful voice, he gave me a chop on the top of my brain and smashed my face into the desk. I thought I was going to break my nose.

'This isn't like a comet. Eh?

Standing next to Makoto was Niwadatsuru, a modest gal with the top brains in her grade. She put her hands on her hips and smiled a loathsome smile of delight.

Thank you very much. That chop wiped out nine years of my memory, Mr. Tsuru. Now I can't do arithmetic anymore.
'Sorry about that.

'Dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Is this what I think it is?

BOOM!

The sound of destruction. It's the sound of my face cratering as it collides head-on with the desk with a level of kinetic energy that would make a crater. A chop that was incomparable to that of a crane hit me hard.

Ideeeeeeeee! It's going to crack my head open! I can crack it!
'Thank goodness. I knew I was right to call Alina.
'I doubt it.
Not good!

Makoto, Tsuru, and Alina appeared next.

'What the hell is wrong with you guys! If you want to split a watermelon, do it in a bathing suit! Why are you in uniform! And it's not the beach, it's the classroom! It's absolutely fascinating--''

Boom!

'Koro, suki, ki-ka--'
'Tell me what's bothering you, comet.
'Yes, yes. I'll help you since you helped me at the festival, okay?''

Unexpectedly warm words.
But I had no intention of relying on them. Since this was between me and Hakuna, I thought it would be a nuisance to ask them for advice. I was very glad that they were concerned.

'No, I can't rely on you guys. ......'
'What? Anything you say, comet.
'I'm sorry about the unforeseen circumstances, well, this is something I can't discuss with you. ......
'Hey, hey, hey, hey, are you sure you're okay?

Tsuru squatted down, looked into my face and said so.

If you don't feel well, I'll take you to the infirmary, okay?
''Oh. That sounds like it would be a fun infirmary.

Boom! Boom!

'Alina, please ...... give me a break ...... crack it open ...... crab miso coming out ...... '
'Stand up.'
What?
'Stand up.'

I did as I was told and stood up.
Then Alina forcefully took my hand and started to walk away.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait a minute, Alina. Your grip is too strong! It'll break! Earth-shattering! Who's the kidnapper?
'Shut up.'

Tsuru and Makoto were stunned. Their mouths gaping open, their eyes fixed on me as I was being kidnapped. Well, that's what happens. I don't get it either.

I followed the familiar route down the hallway and stairs. All the while I was helpless, like a son being pulled by his mother. This woman is too powerful.

We arrive in front of the rose garden, the former staff room.
The rose garden is practically gone. Alina no longer needs it, and the group is dissolved by mutual consent, even though it will be sadly missed. So why did she come back?


Alina put her hand on the door. She thought it was locked, but it opened normally. Dr. Akakusa, make sure you lock the door .......
So I was thrown out of the former rose garden.

Are you going to dismantle me or something ......? It ain't good to eat, ......!

He did not react to any of my jokes. Instead, Alina moved in close, grabbed my tie, and stuck her face out at me.

What do you say?
'Kahi! My neck!''
What do you say back to Shirana?

Alina looked somewhat impatient.

'I don't know ...... what the answer is,' she said.
'You. Do you like Shirana?

Do you like Shirana Namiki or not?
I don't dislike her, in fact I like her. I think she's cute, she has a kind personality, and I want to protect her. I have known her since junior high school, so she is more special than other girls.
Maybe she is a kind of ideal for boys.

'I don't know if I love ......'
'So you're going out with him?'
'Wait, why are you going after it so hard? Also, my neck is tight--gasp.'

I'm sorry," Alina muttered quietly and removed her hand from his tie.

'I told you before.
'?
'If you go out with me, I'll disappear.'
'Ahhh ......'

I told you.
It was after the festival, I think. Ugin asked me what I would do if Arina got together with someone else, and later I told her to her face that I would leave her if she got together with someone else, so don't worry about making love to her. In response, Alina likewise made it clear that she would leave if I went out with someone else. I remember laughing to myself, thinking that it was like a contest to see who could get together with whom faster.
I was surprised that this casual remark was still in effect, but most of all I was shocked that Alina was so concerned about it and questioned me about it. She was asking me what I would do if I went out with her. Even a dullard like me can understand that.

I remember now. You said something like that. ......'
'Yeah, right? So, if you go out with me, as you say, I can stay away from you?'
'You said that, but ...... well, yes. It's a normal sensibility to not want someone of the same s*x to approach you once you're in a relationship. ......'
'I knew you would receive Shirana's feelings ......?'
'I'll take it, but I haven't decided to go out with you yet. ......?
But if there's a good chance we're going to be together, we need to be clear about that. For both of our sakes ......'

It's a rare human thing to say, I muttered a joke in my heart, even under the circumstances. Because the woman with a sharp tongue was holding my skirt, looking away from me with her eyes downcast and her gaze fixed on the lower left corner. I have to come up with a joke to drown out this initial and embarrassing feeling.

'What am I supposed to do ......?
' ! You gutless! Decide for yourself!'

Most definitely.
If it makes sense to follow your heart, the answer is already there.
I don't know if there's a right answer to our love lives. In the first place, there is no right or wrong. Who goes out with whom, who dumps whom? There is no answer.
There is only one. If I can say it clearly, love is a very selfish, horrifying, yet very fragile and beautiful communication.
If you are willing to be a part of that beautiful scene, you might as well try. You only live once in high school. Only one encounter and one parting. Now is the time to shed some light on the life of the corrupt homecoming club.

I can't answer for Shirana's feelings because I love Alina.

I felt alive.