I'm in Love with the Gorilla Sitting Next to Me - Volume 1 Chapter 1.3

The Gorilla Sitting Next to Me 3

“Gossan, what’s the scope for today’s quiz again?”

As I looked up from my desk-bound state at Gossan, she flipped through her notebook with her thick fingers.

“…I think it’s probably from page thirty-two to forty in the textbook. The must-ask questions seem to be…”

“Hmm-mhmm… Huh?”

I leaned over to peek into her notebook and not only saw handwriting that was a thousand times neater than mine, but I also noticed something else.

“Gossan, are you putting dates in there too? And it seems like you’re not using the last part?”

“It’s hard to read without margins, and it’s easier to review if I summarize each lesson.”

“Ah, I see.”

I usually leave a few lines empty and continue from there, so this was a fresh approach. Indeed, it’s cleaner and easier to read… Huh?

“Wait, is this…”

“What is it?”

Asked what was wrong, I had stumbled upon something I was at a loss for words to describe.

“Gossan, this… what’s…?”

“Ah… I didn’t think anyone would see it, so I ended up doodling. It’s kind of childish and embarrassing.”

“…”

Is that what’s embarrassing? I thought it was the fact that the existence of this strange, unidentified monster was known. It’s all squiggly and stuff.

“…By the way, what did you draw here?”

“As you can see, it’s a dog.”

It’s not at all ‘as you can see.’ The concept of a dog is so distorted it’s something else entirely.

What should I do with this? Should I delve into it? Or is it more awkward not to mention it? Gossan isn’t trying to hide her drawing though.

What to do? Is it kinder to leave it be? It’s hard to make such a nuanced judgment while looking at a gorilla face… Well, let’s see if I can find the right answer with the experience Gossan and I have built sitting next to each other. Hmm.

“Gossan-Gossan. You know, I was thinking—”

“Yes? What were you thinking?”

“How about we post this drawing on SNS? As a new species of creature, it might just go viral— Ow, hey!?”

Right after my splendid suggestion, the gorilla’s left hand smacked my back.

“Man, the spike from the volleyball club really hurts…!”

“The pain in my heart from your innocent teasing words is about the same, so we’re even.”

“I’m about to cry from the pain, but you don’t seem to be showing any signs, Gossan?”

“A lady maintains her composure and quietly sheds tears in her heart. And you’re overreacting to the pain.”

This is not an exaggeration at all. Even through my shirt, the slap sounded like “Smack!” and I’m seriously about to cry. I was close to rolling on the floor.

Rubbing my tingling back with my hand behind me, I said,

“And just for the record, I wasn’t teasing. That was a serious suggestion.”

“That makes it even worse. Honestly, what do you think of people’s drawings of dogs…”

“But seriously, if you claim that’s a dog, you might get sued by extremist dog lovers. Besides, why does it have fingers? And only two at that.”

When I pointed out the obviously strange part, Gossan glanced at her notebook and then quickly flipped the page.

“…There might be dogs like that.”

“If they exist, I think they’re probably called something other than dogs… And there were thorn-like things growing from its tail.”

“That was just to express the fluffiness of the fur!”

“It looked more spiky than fluffy, to be honest but— Oww!”

I quickly retreated to my own seat as Gossan’s left hand twitched, avoiding a second blow. Phew, that was close.

Gossan, glaring at me from behind the prominent brow ridge characteristic of gorillas, closed her notebook with the hand that didn’t swing.

“I won’t teach someone who says mean things any more. This is what you get for your own actions.”

“Uh… I really didn’t mean any harm…”

“I know. If I thought you did, I would have punched you in the face instead of your back.”

Punch… That’s terrifying. If I got hit in the face by a gorilla’s strike, my neck would probably snap.

She’s actually a human girl, not a gorilla, but the power of that blow was truly gorilla-like, a strike that even men would struggle to deliver. The volleyball club is impressive.

“Ugh… I thought I was showing a new possibility, but I never expected it to turn out like this… Strange, I usually don’t miss when it comes to gal game choices.”

“Don’t compare it to a 2D world. Reality is harsh.”

She cut me off sharply. I know she’s right, but all I see is a gorilla, so it’s not very convincing…

“Reality is more mysterious than you think, Gossan. It’s buggier than any game. Well… maybe that’s beyond your understanding right now…”

“Your sudden know-it-all tone is annoying. Can I hit you one more time?”

“No no!”

I waved my hands dramatically like in a foreign comedy movie, and Gossan seemed to click her tongue in frustration. Despite her refined and studious gorilla-like manner of speaking, Gossan is dangerous if you’re within her striking range and not paying attention.

…And as I shifted from a non-violence stance to a your-attack-won’t-reach-me stance, the bell signaling the start of class rang unexpectedly, and Gossan and I looked at each other in surprise.

“Shoot, I haven’t checked the quiz scope at all! And my textbook is still in the locker…!”

“…We’ve wasted time. There’s no time for review now… Can I hit you now to make up for it?”

“Let’s not relieve your stress on me! Violence won’t improve your grades!”

“Maybe I’ll think clearer and do better if I feel refreshed. So— Hey, don’t run away!”

I cut off Gossan’s voice and hurried to the student lockers at the back of the classroom. If I got hit by another powerful slap that reminded me of gorilla power, I might really cry.

But even without Gossan hitting me, I might end up crying depending on the quiz results, so I quickly took out the textbook from my locker to review— and when I turned around, I saw Yassan, the raccoon dog, entering the classroom with a stack of printouts.

“Okay everyone, I’m handing out the printouts. Please put your textbooks and notebooks inside your desks.”

“…It’s over.”

Feeling the inevitable outcome of the quiz that hadn’t even started yet, I slumped my shoulders and returned to my seat.

Just before sitting down, I glanced to the side and caught eyes with Gossan, who happened to look my way at the same time.

With no words to return to the gorilla who seemed to say 『You brought this on yourself』 as she turned away.

I let out a deep sigh.