Does This Love Suit Your Taste? - Volume 1 Chapter 8.3

Riz au Lait 3

With no more errands from Shirahime, I found myself able to sleep soundly even during class.

In the blink of an eye, the sixth period ends, and it’s after school.

Ah, so today really did end without anything happening.

From today on, this is fine.

This is fine—right?

It was at that time.

“Kiminami-kun? Could you come to the staff room for a moment?”

After the homeroom at the end of the day, these words came from my teacher, Hirai-sensei.

“…What’s wrong?”

As I stood up to reply, she smiled and beckoned me with a ‘just come along.’ Wondering what it was about, I followed the teacher.

“Were you skipping yesterday?”

“No, seriously. I caught a cold for the first time in a while.”

“Oh, you were bedridden then! You should have contacted me… Are you okay now?”

“Well, somehow.”

“Good, then you can come to school as usual.”

Well, now that there are no more errands from Shirahime, I’ll probably skip again from tomorrow.

And so, having made my way to the staff room, I walked over to Hirai-sensei’s desk.

“Then, what do you need?”

“Need? Well… this. Neither Kiminami-kun nor Shirahime-san came to pick it up, so I was wondering what to do about it…”

“Ah…”

What Sensei pulled out from the desk drawer was the class journal, which had been part of my daily routine for the past few days.

Right, I’ve been the one picking it up lately, so maybe Shirahime has forgotten about it too.

“Yesterday, Kiminami-kun didn’t come to pick it up, so I forgot about it too… I remembered it just now, but you didn’t come today either. You mustn’t forget, okay~?”

“…No, that”

To be frank, I have no obligation to do it anymore.

I only wrote the class journal because I couldn’t go against Shirahime, and it certainly wasn’t out of any goodwill of mine.

The only problem is how to explain that to Sensei.

No, maybe I should just say it.

“…Sensei. I’m not going to write the class journal anymore.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“It was originally something Shirahime asked me to do. Our parents just happened to know each other, and due to circumstances, I had to get along with her. I only did it reluctantly because she insisted so much. And just yesterday, it turned out that I don’t have to help her anymore, so that’s why——”

“Ehh~, that’s a shame… Sensei will be lonely… Sigh…”

Hirai-sensei let her shoulders slump dejectedly.

She then gently caressed the surface of the class journal as if to comfort it.

“You see, Shirahime-san went around asking favors for Kiminami-kun’s sake. ‘Toui-kun is a good person, so please let him help!’ She negotiated with various clubs and teachers, trying her best to improve Kiminami-kun’s image. Probably, this journal was part of that effort. It was all to prevent Kiminami-kun from having a bad time at school.”

But that was because there was a deal proposed by the Shirahime family to reform me.

“…That too was due to circumstances. It’s just that Sensei doesn’t know—”

“Maybe Kiminami-kun doesn’t know either. About Shirahime-san’s feelings.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t know whether there were circumstances or reasons behind her efforts, but I do know her feelings.”

Hirai-sensei tapped the journal with her pink-nailed fingers.

“It’s written here.”

“…Huh?”

Hirai-sensei handed me the journal.

When I opened it, there were only the records I had written up to now, and the records Shirahime had written before that.

Shirahime’s records of the class…

Out of curiosity, I started reading from the beginning of the class journal.

——April 7th (Friday)

『I was elected as the class representative based on everyone’s recommendation. I’m not sure if I’m up to the task, but I will do my best to meet everyone’s expectations.』

That’s right, I remember no one volunteered when we were deciding on the class representative, so it went to a recommendation vote.

That’s how it was decided and she was forced to be the class rep.

She could have refused, but she’s just being too nice.

——April 13th (Thursday)

『Everyone seems to be gradually getting used to the new class. I’m worried about Kiminami-kun, who has been absent a bit too much since the opening ceremony.』

…She’s writing about me.

Well, I think she just wrote a formal note. Is this what the teacher was talking about?

If that’s the case, it’s not a big deal at all…

——April 17th (Monday)

『Kiminami-kun came to school. There were no other absentees, and everyone was present. It was good that the whole class was together.』

She’s writing about me again… it shouldn’t matter whether a problem child like me comes to school or not… Why does she always keep track of me like this?

And then, I turn the page again.

——April 19th (Wednesday)

『Today, Kiminami-kun was scolded by Kondo-sensei during the sixth-period Japanese history class. The reason was that the earrings he was wearing were against the school rules.

But Kiminami-kun argued, ‘What’s wrong with wearing earrings? It’s absurd to have a rule against earrings in the first place.’ Sensei yelled back, ‘If you don’t follow the school rules, then leave’. He tried to stop him, but Kiminami-kun really went home.

I thought his argument was valid.

Wearing earrings is prohibited by the school rules, but there’s no written explanation as to why it’s forbidden. It’s not just about whether or not to wear earrings; how a person chooses to dress should be a matter of personal freedom.

I think it’s wrong to forcibly restrict this without any substantial basis. And Kiminami-kun, who stands up for his beliefs without fear or yielding to pressure, even if he’s alone, is incredibly cool and resolute.

I believe the reason he might stop coming to school is because of the school itself.

If I get the chance to talk to him directly, I want to tell him that I’m on his side.』

The moment I read these words, the many faces of Shirahime who had been by my side all this time flashed through my mind.

『I don’t want to get married either!!!』

『…I wish I could live as honest as you…』

『I want to be kind to everyone.』

『So please keep it a secret, Toui-kun—As you know, I’m a girl with a bad personality!』

『Really, I’d quit if I could.』

『Even so, Toui-kun can’t help it, he goes along with what I say. ——For someone like me who usually doesn’t act spoiled, that actually felt a little pleasant.』

『If being noticed by the teacher is what it takes, then I don’t mind being a delinquent.』

『I’m on your side, Toui-kun——trust me.』

That’s where I closed the journal.

“You can skip the journal today. Go ahead.”

Sensei smiled at me warmly after I finished reading the journal.

“…Thank you.”

I returned the diary to the teacher and dashed out of the staff room.

I thought she was a selfish woman who got in the way of my dreams.

——Maybe I was wrong.

Neither the marriage nor my reformation was for Shirahime’s own sake.

She was always acting for someone else. She was always trying to reach out to me. And on top of that, she struggled with the boundary between her own desires and self-sacrifice.

『Cooking can’t be understood just by looking at its surface. You have to taste it and savor it to truly know everything about it. It’s the same with people; you can’t judge someone just by their appearance—』

Camille-san was right about that.

It’s after school now. First things first, I need to check if Shirahime is still at school.

I run down the stairs to confirm that Shirahime’s outdoor shoes are still in the shoe locker, and then I head back to the classroom again.

Shirahime is trying to end things with me for my sake. But knowing her, she might be putting on a brave face at crucial moments.

Maybe her true feelings are somewhere else.

I haven’t heard her true feelings yet.

A life where she can’t live for herself——I will never allow that.

The cleaning duty is over, and looking through the classroom door window, it’s already empty.

So where could she be…

『I come here alone sometimes to be by myself. It’s nice that this place has an atmosphere similar to Toui-kun’s.』

Maybe, just maybe, she’s there…

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