I Will Inspire Your Insipid Days - Volume 1 Chapter 1.2

Thus

After running away at full speed from Satsuki-san, I ended up on the dorm rooftop where I met Tachibana Natsume… and got my clothes massively soiled. But then, an even bigger emergency unfolded.

Why is Tachibana-san even following me to my room?

“This is my room, though…”

“Considering the situation, that seems about right.”

“Do you not understand unless you think about the situation?”

I posed the question to Tachibana Natsume, who had started relaxing as if she were in her own room.

“Why don’t you go back to your own room?”

“Who’s going to submit the application I wrote to the teacher?”

At this, I was at a loss for words and remained silent.

“Besides, I dirtied your clothes, so I want to apologize somehow.”

“Please don’t worry about it. Well, I do want you not to worry about it, but please show your sincerity in another way.”

“What shape does sincerity take? I wonder if I can draw it?”

“This conversation isn’t going anywhere!”

Was this what it was like to be a special student at this unique school? It felt like I was communicating with a creature from another world. As I peeled off my paint-stained clothes, I declared to her, sitting neatly on my bed.

“I’m going to take a shower now.”

“Go ahead.”

“I must insist, however, that you leave the room.”

“If I go back to my room now, I’ll probably forget about the application and end up doodling on my liquid tab or canvas. Also, looking for a ball pen is too bothersome. It’s messy.”

She was being utterly unreasonable. What kind of logic was that? Resignation filled my mind.

“…Please don’t rummage through my room too much.”

“I wouldn’t do something so rude. This room is quite spacious, isn’t it?”

“Isn’t that a matter of perception? All the dorm rooms have the same layout. It feels spacious because I live alone, but shouldn’t that be the same for you, Tachibana-san?”

“…Ah, that. I guess… maybe you’re right?”

Tachibana-san suddenly became reserved.

According to information from Satsuki-san, her roommate had already left the school. The slight shadow on her face might be related to the reason for the withdrawal, but without knowing the details, there was nothing I could guess, nor was I particularly inclined to pry.

“Then, please wait quietly.”

I was used to giving up. With a heavy heart, I headed to the bathroom.

I took off my underwear and then the skirt and underwear that I had gotten so used to wearing. Entering the bathroom in my bare skin, the mirror reflected me just as I was.

It’s okay. No matter how you look at it, I’m a cute girl. Today too, I’m the perfect high school girl.

Fortunately, the paint came off as I washed my body with soap. I wasn’t overly worried, but it would have been a problem if the pigment had stained my skin.

I might as well wash my hair too. It takes time to dry since I’m growing it out, but keeping up appearances is important. The key is to eliminate any sense of incongruity in the parts that others see.

After thoroughly cleaning my scalp with shampoo, I went to use the conditioner when the dispenser made a stupid sound.

“…sigh”

I let out a sigh involuntarily. It was empty. I had a stock in the storage under the sink. Naturally, I opened the bathroom door while still naked──

And ran into Tachibana-san.

“…Huh?”

“Ah?”

Our eyes met as I blinked to confirm.

I was standing there, utterly exposed.

“Oh, I’m borrowing the sink. Already borrowing it, but. Is it okay if I borrow the washbasin? I mean, you wouldn’t say no anyway, so let’s go with retrospective consent. But how do you return a washbasin, I wonder. And since this room belongs to the school, the school would be the one to approve, right? So troublesome.”

“…”

“What’s wrong? Looking for something? A bath towel? Ah, but this isn’t my room, so I wouldn’t know where anything is.”

“…”

“And that book on the shelf, what was it? The one like a manual for traditional dance. It seems useful for drawing, so I’m reading it without permission. If that’s not okay, let me know. Though I’ve already read it.”

And with that, Tachibana-san left as if nothing had happened.

“…”

I was seen, wasn’t I?

“…Y, you…”

My face heated up in an instant.

I was seen.

Seen naked by a woman of the same age!

I hadn’t shown it to anyone before!

“Yo… You… You saw, didn’t you!?”

When I raised my voice in panic, a decidedly unsurprised “Wow, that startled me” came from the back of the room.

I wrapped a bath towel around my body and dashed into the living space without even drying the drips.

“You saw, right…?”

“What did I see?”

How blatantly disingenuous. Playing dumb, are you? Trying to act as if nothing happened and make it as if it really didn’t?

“Ah, you mean your genitals.”

“Don’t put it so bluntly!”

I choked up, unable to find the right words. What even are the right words in this situation?

“It’s not something to worry about, right? Ancient sculptures are all out in the open.”

“That’s not the point!”

“You’ve never seen a nude painting?”

“You’re missing the point!”

“Huh?”

“That’s not it!”

I glared irritably at Tachibana-san and barked.

“You realized my gender, didn’t you!”

Hanabishi Kanon, a first-year student at Shumonzuka Girls’ Academy—that’s my assumed identity.

My real self is Hanabishi Yonon, a 15-year-old boy.

Of course, the situation I’m in is not one I chose for myself.

That’s why it must absolutely not be discovered.

How could I make such a mistake… and be consumed by despair at having the truth exposed?

But then.

“What, is that all? I knew you were a boy from the beginning.”