Is It Okay to Fall in Love?

I’m not a morning person. Not even close.

In elementary school, I was often laughed at by the whole class for oversleeping.

I embarrassed myself quite a bit, but I had resigned myself to it, thinking I couldn’t change it. Then, I stumbled upon a video. I wasn’t even looking for it, but the phrase “remedies for oversleeping” popped up in my recommendations.

Did that method work? Unfortunately, it didn’t.

But what I learned wasn’t about dealing with oversleeping. I learned that you could find anything if you researched it. That realization became my biggest motivation to keep striving whenever I wanted to achieve something.

“If you keep doing these workouts, you’ll get this strong,” said someone experienced, and that encouraged me to work hard too.

──Well, my inability to wake up early remains unchanged despite trying multiple methods. I still rely on setting multiple alarms.

Then, amidst the screeching alarms, my phone notification went off, which was rare.

Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I saw a LINE message from Kinoshita, which was also rare.

Minami: Good morning!

Minami: I’ll stop if it’s annoying.

Minami: Oh, I mean the morning greeting.

…What????

Goda Ryoma: Good morning.

Goda Ryoma: Do you think I find greetings annoying?

She read it instantly.

Minami: Not at all!!

Such an energetic exclamation mark for this early in the morning.

But thanks to it, I finally woke up an hour and a half after the first alarm.

After taking a shower, I saw more LINE messages.

Minami: I’ll do my best today.

Minami: See you at school!

There’s a limit to how much you can decipher someone’s emotions from LINE messages. I didn’t quite understand what Kinoshita was thinking… Anyway, I’d check on her at school.

It seemed clear that something happened to Kinoshita that I wasn’t aware of.

“Did she get caught up in trouble, or did an existing issue explode…?”

If so, I still have reasons to stay involved with Kinoshita.

Something Saiga said yesterday stuck with me. Though I didn’t tell him, I realized I’ve been inviting Kinoshita too easily. For someone striving to be perfect individually, it’s not a praiseworthy behavior.

I’ve done what I could for Kinoshita, and if I could help her moderately and conclude it, it would be a successful experience where my meddling wasn’t unnecessary.

If that girl feels indebted to me, she might suppress her inner annoyance and keep putting up with my invitations.

Relying on others isn’t good; unknowingly leaning on others is even worse.

But even right after reflecting on that, I couldn’t ignore the clear change in her LINE messages.

“Kinoshita has many uncertainties, even without this.”

So, well, yeah. A bit more should still be within the safe line, right?

“Alright, let’s start with the morning routine.”

Standing up, I turned around.

There, my mom, who had finished making my lunch, looked at me with teary eyes.

“You’re leaving already…?”

“Well, it’s school. Thanks for the lunch.”

“What should I do… Making lunch makes Ryoma smile. But making lunch means Ryoma leaves.”

“I leave even if you don’t make lunch…”

It’s tough to refuse lunch when she looks at me like that… I don’t even know what kind of design today’s lunch has.

“Sigh. Thanks for waking up early and making lunch for me, Mom.”

“Of course… It’s for you, Ryoma.”

“I get it, I get it.”

I guided Mom back to her room and onto the bed.

What am I doing? I’m putting her back to sleep because she whines when I try to leave.

Is there another parent-child duo like this??????

“Ryoma…”

“You’re really doing great, Mom. Thank you always. I appreciate it.”

“Mm… okay…”

Alright, she’s calming down. Go back to sleep now.

What is this lullaby? Or rather, parent-lullaby. Well, it’s fine. She’s asleep.

Now, to school. This is exhausting from the morning.

“…Ryoma… Lately, you seem happy…”

I involuntarily paused.

Happy… Really? Maybe.

I told Saiga yesterday… Out of everyone I’ve interacted with, it seems I really like Kinoshita.

If that’s the case… I need to be more careful.

Do it right, me.

†

“Good morning,” echoed the cheerful greetings in the classroom.

There’s no bullying here, nor friction among cliques. Other classes have bad reputations, but ours is relatively peaceful.

There are several reasons, but if I had to pick one──.

“Hey, Ryoma. Wanna listen to my talk show?”

“Doing it from the morning? What’s with your passion for talks?”

“It’s fun, manipulating the audience’s emotions with my stories.”

Saiga Naomichi shrugged. His ability to gauge the class atmosphere likely contributes significantly to the class’s peace.

He has a sharp tongue and isn’t particularly kind. He fully intended for me to handle Kinoshita’s issue. Though I went along with it, it’s partly because he knows my nature.

“I’ll listen to the popular ones later.”

“Geez, don’t think you can always get special treatment.”

“Is that so? I think you’re worse, using me as bait to gather girls.”

“La la la, can’t hear you, see you later!”

Watching Saiga wave and return to his group, I sighed.

Before heading to my seat, I glanced at Kinoshita’s. As usual, she seemed to have arrived early, engrossed in her studies.

Considering the LINE message, I was curious, but for now, everything seemed normal──.

“…Ah.”

Did she notice my gaze? Or was it just timing?

When our eyes met, she looked a bit surprised.

Usually, she’d give a slight nod and return to her studies, but today was different.

“Uh, good morning.”

Her rare smile surprised me. It was a different, charming, shy smile, mixed with happiness and embarrassment, like an idol’s.

“Ah, good morning. Studying from the morning?”

As I passed by her seat on the way to mine, in that brief moment.

“Yes. Step by step, it’s all I can do… but I’ve come to realize it’s okay.”

Standing, looking down at her made her upward gaze unfamiliar. The hopeful color in Kinoshita’s eyes.

And her words were admirable. Just yesterday, I told Saiga I liked that about Kinoshita.

“Yeah. That’s what’s good about you, Kinoshita.”

“…Yes!”

What was this beaming smile, like an athlete who just won a championship?

Contrary to my morning worries, had something good happened to her?

“Hearing that from Godai-san makes me happy. Truly.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“Haha… yes, it is.”

Her embarrassed smile. All these new expressions today.

Had she always been this expressive and cute?

I briefly considered asking what had happened, but there seemed to be no problem.

“Your complexion is good too, Kinoshita.”

“Huh… is it?”

She touched her cheek. Can you tell like that…? I could lend you a pocket mirror if you need one…

“But if it seems that way…”

Her wandering gaze met mine and stopped.

“Hmm? Did I do something?”

At least, I couldn’t think of anything from yesterday.

“Oh, no, sorry.”

Kinoshita averted her eyes as if snapping back to reality.

“Hmm…?”

What’s going on?

The bell rang, signaling it was time for class.

“Goda-san?”

“No, we’ll talk later.”

“Oh, okay. Later…”

Leaving Kinoshita’s seat, I went to mine. I noticed she clenched the hand she had waved with and looked down, seeming a bit lonely. I thought.

Including the contrast with her earlier smile… Did I do something?

Yesterday… Did someone talk to her about yesterday after school…?

No, they should only have good things to say, and if there were any embellishments, Kinoshita wouldn’t be so kind to me.

Could it be? She’s feeling cornered, and I’m the only one she can talk to?

“There’s a lot to think about…”

Goda Ryoma is a perfect man. I chanted internally, pondering the future.