“Can I…ask you a query, C?” Kurokawa clutches my hand inside hers, and the gap between us slowly grows shut. Her face is so close to that if she leaned in barely extra, her lips would brush in opposition to mine—however we’re nonetheless not fairly there.

To be protected, I suggested the bookworm to not stand on the sting of the college’s rooftop. As an alternative, we sit aspect by, leaning on the metallic door resulting in our classroom. When my again touched the metallic plates a couple of minutes in the past, not solely did I really feel its chilly, exhausting floor, but additionally reduction from deep inside. It was as if the load of every thing had been lifted off me directly. And it appeared like I used to be not alone on this sentiment.

By no means have I ever considered the day that one thing as mundane as with the ability to contact and really feel an object might have such a notable impact. It jogs my memory that I’m not in a fantasy world however in actual life.

Nicely… Not YOURS, clearly, however mine. However anyway, you guys get what I’m attempting to say, proper?

As the gap between us reduces, a curious mild flashes in Kurokawa’s deep emerald inexperienced jewels, twinkling like tiny novas in an iridescent cosmos. On the similar time, because of our bookworm, I can humbly settle for the prospect to admire the crystal-clear teardrops lingering in these magnificent eyes she possesses.

Glowing brighter than diamonds of the very best high quality, they’re extra useful than a murals from an artist whose abilities have reached their final peak. Even when the canvas above us depicts the proper azure sky of unmatched proportions, it will possibly nonetheless not maintain a candle when positioned subsequent to an beautiful particular person like Kurokawa.

Every part that I see proper now: her flush pink cheeks and moist lips, her lengthy eyelashes that invite me to maintain on wanting, her tender shoulders… even the scars and bandages throughout her physique, describes not unsightliness however one thing fully totally different. One thing made by nature however has exceeded her limits. One thing that I do know for sure Kurokawa needs to listen to daily.

At this second, she is, indubitably…

“The prettiest woman in entrance of me.” This isn’t a blunder, nor did I make a foolish mistake at such a vital second. In actual fact, I need Kurokawa to listen to them: my ideas. I need her to just accept what I consider her and know the way a lot of an influence she is at present.

“Hah? Eh? Um…? Th-thank you, C.” Kurokawa struggles for a second to seek out the correct solution to reply. Her delicate face blossoms much more after listening to my phrases. Nonetheless, embarrassed as she could also be, our bookworm by no means tries to look away. It’s as if she needs me to be the middle of my consideration. Thus, I fill my visible area with solely Kurokawa’s determine to reciprocate her feelings. She is attempting her greatest. I, too, will do the identical. It’s truthful to her.

In truth, her like this, I perceive why and the way our treasured bookworm obtained a deep and endless psychological wound when it got here to her exterior look. I actually do. And it’s due to this motive I extremely doubt if the true intentions behind my voice might attain her fragile coronary heart. But, regardless of these doubts, I can not cease myself from fascinated about no matter involves thoughts. There’s merely nothing else I can do.

Understanding her struggling is one factor, however pondering just like her is one other. These two issues are just about unrelated.

She instructed me she envied the category consultant and the housewife. Nonetheless, by no means did I ever assume she had the necessity to grow to be like them. In my thoughts, these two have their quirks, and Kurokawa has her personal as nicely. Possibly this sounds pretentious, however the marks on Kurokawa make her distinctive and truthfully human. They make her extra relatable to me as a background character whose face was a clean piece of pores and skin earlier than yesterday. Kurokawa might not know this, however between her and the opposite two, I might relate to her significantly better if we have been contemplating mere seems to be.

In any case, why did I’ve to envy Han along with his tremendous exaggerated “plain” face whereas I didn’t have one myself? We have been by no means on the identical enjoying area, to start with!

Another factor is noteworthy, although. The bookworm shouldn’t be denying my praise! As an alternative of throwing it out her different ear, Kurokawa obtained it totally. She even mentioned thanks!

I’m glad. Really glad. Lastly, progress.

“And…about that query that I used to be speaking about…” Kurokawa brushes off her embarrassment like brushing a speck of mud off her shoulder.

“Positive. Go forward! It is not like I am going anyplace.” Whereas nodding at her inquiry, I level on the coagulating bloody mess that Kurokawa is attempting to cover on her different aspect. “However can we do one thing about that first?”

Noticing what I’m attempting to say, the bookworm makes an ungainly smile: “Nicely…ahaha… Thanks once more, C! If not for you, I’d have forgotten it completely! You are an actual life-saver! I am fortunate to have you ever by my aspect.”

“You are not presupposed to overlook one thing like that within the first place!”

“However I did, did not I.”

“Ack!”

Her phrases minimize me off immediately. How come I do not know the way to retort a flawed logic like that?! It appears to me she simply proved my argument improper! Is it attainable for somebody who says such nonsense to additionally show herself right? I do know what she is attempting to realize right here, however I can’t discover the correct solution to say something again to her. Is that this the true energy of a intelligent woman?

Possibly it’s the mixture of my stupidity and her intelligence…

Regardless, seeing her loosen up after a protracted whereas of fixed struggling, I need to proceed that smile a bit longer. Ought to I joke about how I particularly instructed her to go to the infirmary, solely to seek out out she was on the rooftop wanting down on the faculty floor with nothing however despair in her eyes?

No.

Dumb, C. Very.

That may be very insensitive and, frankly, seems like digging a grave. I ought to by no means make sarcastic jokes like that in entrance of the bookworm. Kurokawa has obtained an excessive amount of from this forsaken sport already. No have to convey her tragedies again up and rub them in her face. And the truth that I considered it confirmed how thoughtless I used to be. I remorse it regardless that I didn’t say it out loud.

What a dumbass you have been, C…

After a protracted sigh, I surrender on arguing. “Please, lend me your arm.”

“It is fantastic! Actually!” Though Kurokawa says so, she nonetheless obediently exhibits me her open wound. “It is not that dangerous. I’ve had worse issues performed to me earlier than.”

“Would not make it any higher.” My voice stiffens.

Gently holding her and attempting to not transfer excessively, I can see that her proper hand is now coated in blood. It didn’t take me lengthy to know what went improper with Kurokawa’s hand. All knuckles have cuts and bruises round them. Though Kurokawa’s fingers are equally harm, the sizes of these cuts are uneven. Some are large, some small, and a few are scratches that can heal in a number of days in comparison with the remaining. Nonetheless, even when they aren’t bleeding profusely, there may be sufficient proof for me to imagine that Kurokawa suffered quite a bit from this incident.

However, in fact, being an individual who’s used to such ache, the bookworm doesn’t flinch. Understanding full nicely that her accidents is likely to be extreme, she continues to point out me every thing with out batting an eyelash or complaining as soon as. That type of braveness is admirable—but additionally scary.

This woman is powerful… way more so than I’ll ever be. That energy of hers can be a hidden diamond within the tough.

“I am not a health care provider, however this looks like you have been hit by a pointy floor with many edges.”

Albeit the bleeding has slowed down exponentially in comparison with once I noticed her in entrance of the women’ room, Kurokawa should nonetheless be in agony due to her wound. She is retaining a smiley face merely because of…being conversant in ache.

“You are not improper. I…broke the restroom mirror with my hand.”

“…I see.”

Mirror, once more, huh? It’s a legit motive for Kurokawa. She hates them with every thing she has, in spite of everything. They’re like her bane of existence. However why am I not seeing any shards protruding? Maybe she did a fast rinse to clean the tiny fragments off?

Both approach, I can not assist however let my coronary heart sinks. There is just one motive why she destroyed the college’s property. Her mom has taught her to not be a nuisance, but she nonetheless did that. Her self-hate will need to have gotten to the purpose that her mom’s potential disciplinary therapy wouldn’t matter a lot. And, if one was to witness what Kurokawa’s mom would do to her daughter, one wouldn’t think about it mild.

“You do not appear that stunned, C?” Immediately, the bookworm stops and stares into my soul. “Usually, folks would ask why. At the least, they’d present some curiosity. However you did not. I’m wondering…”