Kinoshita Minami’s World of Colors

──Recently, the world seems more colorful.

That’s the genuine feeling of the girl named Kinoshita Minami.

But it’s not like the world looked monochrome in the past.

It’s just that noticing the beauty of the sky, feeling a bit happier seeing joyful people, or recalling today’s events with a smile—these small happinesses are luxuries only permitted to those who are mentally and physically healthy.

Kinoshita Minami probably felt like a kitten that had been abandoned and exposed to the elements, only to be given warm soup for the first time.

“…Today was fun.”

The words slipped out of her mouth.

After taking a shower, she recalled today’s events.

There were times she was teased or had a hard time, but the folder of today’s memories was filled with people making eye contact and smiling at her.

A vibrant world that was unimaginable just about a month ago.

“…Let’s cook dinner.”

It was past 9 PM, and she was home alone. A familiar routine.

The sense of loneliness felt more acute because the world outside the front door had become too colorful. So, expecting more than this was too much. This is just the right balance.

She suppressed her emotions and searched the fridge for leftovers.

Thinking of a few easy recipes, she naturally moved on to cooking.

Dinner for tonight and tomorrow’s lunchbox. And—though she didn’t know if it would be eaten—some for her mom returning from her part-time job.

If it was still there in the morning, she’d just eat it for breakfast.

She told herself that as she stirred the pot, and before she knew it, the food was ready as usual.

If she cooked mindlessly, it should be done by the time she regained awareness.

Until recently, that’s how it was. But lately, these alone times felt oddly long. The reason for feeling this length, of course, wasn’t lost on her.

But being a girl who’s been alone for so long, she didn’t think of contacting friends to pass the time. LINE was just a tool for communication.

Her chat with her mom hadn’t moved for about two months.

“…Phew.”

A notification sound made her look up. She had set her meal on the small table and muttered “itadakimasu” to no one. Though she knew it was bad manners, she reached for her smartphone, which kept buzzing with notifications.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.”

Tachikawa: Minami, didn’t you check your phone?

Momose: We invited you but got no response, so we added you to the group.

Akina: It’s my fault; I forgot to mention it today.

Tachikawa: Yeah.

Messages from familiar girls kept popping up.

Panicking, Minami almost dropped her phone as she desperately tried to recall their conversation. Oh, right, they mentioned inviting her to a group.

Minami: Sorry, I didn’t check it at all.

Akina: What were you doing after school?

Minami: Practicing for the ball game tournament.

Momose: Whoa, serious…

Tachikawa: That’s wild, lol.

Momose: Alone?

“No time to eat…!”

Minami’s inability to grasp the common sense of replying whenever convenient left her flicking through her phone, watching her food grow cold.

Minami: No.

Momose: But you don’t have other friends, right?

Akina: Don’t lie to sound cool.

“…What should I do?”

Minami hesitated, unsure if she should mention being with Godai Ryoma after school. She knew how popular he was and how much of a nobody she was.

Being with Ryoma was because she had some value to him, like being somewhat academically reliable and offering to help with basketball practice.

But she didn’t have the audacity to boast, “I hung out with Goda Ryoma.”

“Actually, being alone with Goda-san… someone like me…”

She was trying hard not to think about it calmly.

She felt indebted and was trying her best to repay it.

Either way, she couldn’t deny they were alone together.

She didn’t have the confidence to see it as a date or anything more.

Minami: Sorry.

Momose: Huh…?

Tachikawa: You were just lying…

Akina: Still, it’s admirable.

Akina: Not many would practice for a ball game tournament.

Minami: They wouldn’t?

Akina: Normally, they wouldn’t.

Tachikawa: If you’re lonely, I’ll join you.

Momose: Me too.

Minami: Thank you.

“…Why do I feel this guilty?”

Minami herself didn’t know if this was the right thing to say.

Maybe it would’ve caused issues, maybe it wouldn’t have.

Especially with this girl “Akina,” who’s liked Ryoma since the first year.

‘Even if I do, it’s just to admire him.’

She often said confusing things but might have caused rifts in the relationship.

The last thing she wanted was for her newly gained friendships to fall apart.

Momose: But only you and Akina play basketball. I play soccer.

Akina: True.

Momose: Disbanding!

Seeing the fun interaction among friends, Minami couldn’t help but smile, then shook her head slightly.

Keeping quiet was the right choice. Being honest wouldn’t have meant anything. She wasn’t trying to steal Ryoma from Akina.

She didn’t think she could, nor did she have any such thoughts. The idea of causing more trouble for someone like her was preposterous.

The thought of rumors about her and Ryoma was terrifying.

“…”

Biting her lip, she imagined Ryoma telling her, “You caused trouble,” and just the thought made her eyes water, even though it hadn’t happened.

The cheerful exchanges on her phone felt like they were given by someone.

‘Even if it’s just to contact me when you’re in trouble.’

He had said that at the bookstore.

Studying at the food court under the guise of making up was the most enjoyable study session of her life and brought color to her world starting that day.

But she was only invited because she could study reasonably well, and she could help Ryoma with basketball because she happened to have experience.

So far, she was just coincidentally useful.

“That’s why it was fine to be alone with him, and Goda-san didn’t think anything of it. Right, me?”

Even if she never spoke to him again, the past month’s memories were enough to live on for a lifetime──she tried convincing herself, and a spoon clattered onto the plate.

“Oh no…”

She scolded herself for zoning out and took a deep breath.

“But it’s not like it’s decided we won’t talk again… it’s just hypothetical…”

Saying that lightened her heart. Her lost appetite returned.

Minami: By the way

Minami: Are there cute clothes that are also good for sports?

Her hidden desires slipped out, and she sighed.

Since no one could hear, she voiced her self-criticism.

“…Greedy.”

She was already living the happiest days of her life.

Still, Kinoshita Minami was a girl with low self-esteem.

†

Walking to school, Minami’s steps were much lighter than before.

“Good morning.”

“Morning.”

“Hello.”

“Still so diligent.”

A duty she once thought obligatory now received friendly replies.

With that alone, it felt like stepping into a new world.

At lunch, she was invited to eat together.

Unpleasant sights had significantly decreased.

“Time for a little story.”

Saiga, holding a cheap fan, tried to step onto his desk, but a girl beside him stopped him.

“Wouldn’t Kinoshita-chan get mad? Right?”

She glanced at Minami, the same girl she had argued with about Kono’s desk yesterday.

Being addressed like that, Minami had no choice but to respond lightly.

“Uh, yes. Please avoid it if you can.”

“Alright. Let’s line up the chairs.”

Saiga lined up two chairs, his and the girl’s, and sat cross-legged. There was nothing Minami needed to say about that.

“Passed the discipline committee check!”

“Oh,” the class applauded. It was as if she was a judge.

“Well, I guess that’s fine.”

Indeed, the role of the discipline committee should be like this, an overseer.

This was how it should be handled, unlike her previous approach.

Reflecting on that, Ryoma’s words came to mind. The story of the wise man who advised the king after becoming his cook.

Humans are emotional beings and sometimes prioritize who says something over what is said.

Kinoshita Minami realized anew that her position in the class had created the current situation.

“Have you become brighter lately, Kinoshita?”

“Huh… I wonder.”

When the homeroom teacher said that, she hesitated at first.

But upon reflecting on her current self, it was clear.

“…Yes, I think so. I haven’t changed anything inside me, but my surroundings have greatly changed.”

“I see. Well, I must be a failure as a homeroom teacher.”

“Sensei?”

“Oh, never mind. Keep it up, Kinoshita.”

“Yes…”

Even the teacher’s attitude towards Minami had changed. From handling her like a fragile object to encouraging a diligent student.

“I wasn’t wrong. But…”

Placing her hand on her chest, she recalled her past and present.

Her beliefs hadn’t changed. Nor had her surroundings. It was all because someone who quickly identified the cause of her troubles cast a spell.

“I hope I can give something back.”

With modest hope, she walked.

Time passed quickly when having fun, and before she knew it, the sunset marked the end of the school day.

Though she hadn’t planned anything for the evening, she held a faint hope.

With the tournament coming up, Ryoma would likely want to practice as much as possible.

As long as she held some value, she thought she still had the right to enjoy those happy moments.

Reaching for her smartphone, she realized something.

“Huh?”

It wasn’t in her bag. Now that it was summer, there wasn’t a convenient pocket in her jacket, so if it wasn’t in her bag, she must have left it somewhere.

She decided to head back to the classroom, walking quickly down the hallway.

Then she heard Ryoma’s voice. If he was talking to someone, she could wait and talk to him afterward.

Unconsciously, she quickened her pace──.

“So, Ryoma. How’s it going with Kinoshita-chan lately?”

She stopped in her tracks. Hearing her name and seeing Saiga, whom she was a bit wary of.

Even if it was her duty to monitor, Saiga was intimidating. Approaching students like him wasn’t because she was brave or fearless.

She prioritized her duty and sense of responsibility over her fear.

“Oh yeah! Ryoma-kun’s been close with Kinoshita-san recently, right?”

Apparently, there were others besides Saiga. Realizing they were Saiga’s friends made it even harder to approach.

She didn’t know why she was hiding. Eavesdropping wasn’t good, but her feet felt rooted to the hallway wall.

“I don’t know if she considers us close, but we do see each other often.”

Ryoma’s casual response to the scrutiny was cool.

They called him unfair and other things, and Minami lowered her head slightly.

He was everyone’s Godai Ryoma. It was understandable for people to call it unfair.

Especially since someone like her was hanging out with him, she bit her lip slightly.

“You’re more invested than I thought, especially after yesterday.”

“Were you together yesterday too? Man, I’m jealous of Kinoshita-san.”

She feared this. She expected it.

Yet, she had stayed in the comfortable warmth. She braced herself for criticism but felt pathetic for getting hurt anyway.

“Yeah, she helped me out. It was helpful.”

“Really? What did you do?”

“It’s not a secret. You know the ball game tournament is coming up?”

“Can Kinoshita-san play basketball? Ryoma-kun is on the basketball team, right?”

“Yeah. It was surprising she could play. I didn’t know.”

Ryoma’s light laughter and the girls’ surprise.

Hearing that Ryoma wasn’t bothered by her was a small relief. But.

“But Ryoma-san isn’t one to speak ill of others.”

She muttered and quickly covered her mouth. Luckily, no one noticed.

“I’m more surprised that Ryoma asked someone for help.”

“Hmm?”

“You usually do things alone, whether it’s practicing or studying.”

Hearing this, she almost gasped.

If that were true, she was being an inconvenient nuisance by planning to ask for more practice.

“Now that you mention it, I did invite Kinoshita to study.”

“Yeah… you said you got a perfect score thanks to Kinoshita.”

Ryoma, looking thoughtful, seemed unsure.

After a while, he murmured, “Oh.”

“I was wondering why I kept inviting Kinoshita.”

“Were you worried about her? You mentioned she looked tired.”

What the girl said was Ryoma’s actual motive.

The cause of her endless trouble, the warm yet formidable force.

But Ryoma gently shook his head.

“Kinoshita is a hardworking girl.”

Minami couldn’t help but look up at those words.

Luckily, others were also curious, and questions flew out.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Then I’ll work hard too, and we can hang out.”

“Thanks, but my standards for ‘hardworking’ are very high, probably only Kinoshita meets them.”

Ryoma chuckled.

“I realized Kinoshita consistently puts effort into immediate tasks. I didn’t ‘make’ her join me; she naturally did.”

Pausing, Ryoma nodded while others were puzzled.

Minami stood in stunned silence as he continued.

“So, I like people who are earnest about their goals.”

“…Ah.”

──Did Ryoma know how significant that affirmation was?

She had only been able to work hard, even doubting if her efforts were right. In that uncertainty, he said he enjoyed being with her.

He wasn’t trying to rely on her knowledge or experience.

He liked her determination, which she herself had questioned.

Knowing this, her rationalizations melted away.

The moment her restraint broke, her instincts spoke.

“…I like you.”

Realizing her feelings, her heart spoke honestly.

“I like you.”

The truth she never intended to voice shouted.

“I love you.”

The cautious Minami who kept her emotions in check was gone.

“I love you.”

Her tearful confession, fortunately,

reached no one’s ears.