Sousei Takarai wanted to become a normal high school student like everybody else.
It’s not one-on-one. It’s a group chat…
He found himself sitting in the traditional Japanese way, on his knees, in the middle of his room. His sister had been ordering him to sit like that as punishment for a long time, so it had become second nature to him.
Sousei stood up.
The display of the phone clenched in his hand was black. Pitch black.
He tapped the screen to unlock it, and the “Potato Party” group chat appeared.
It’s a group chat…but I get nervous about bringing something up myself. I can’t help it…
Before long, Sousei started doing squats.
I wonder if I’d be annoying them. I can’t help thinking I would be. Asumin and Moena might be busy. They might be studying or something. Or…what else? Maybe watching TV or a movie? Playing video games? They’re probably doing something. They must be, if they’re not sleeping… Are they already asleep? Right. Yeah. That’s also a possibility…
It was after nine PM. The sun had set while Sousei had been hesitating, and it was already late.
Even if they aren’t fast asleep, they might be dozing off in bed. Getting a message notification at a time like that would startle them, which is bad for their hearts. They could get annoyed, and that could lead to a spiral of self-loathing… Or maybe not. Neither Asumin nor Moena seems to have that kind of a personality… But still, you never know, right? Yeah. You never know…
Sousei’s heart was pounding, and his T-shirt was soaked with sweat.
I don’t want to disturb them. All I’m doing is trying to avoid that, right? I don’t want them to hate me. Well, I guess that’s also a part of it… How do I put it? It feels wrong for someone like me to bother people like Asumin or Moena. Like it’s unforgivable or something…
The speed with which Sousei was bending and stretching gradually increased. He was already drenched in sweat, but he felt fine. He could keep doing squats for five or six hours without a break.
Apart from the cheat he’d acquired, Sousei Takarai was utterly ordinary. He didn’t have any talents whatsoever—a fact his work had painfully impressed upon him.
He would never be a top athlete or fighter if he didn’t have the aptitude for it. However, Sousei had never gotten any serious illnesses, and even if he was injured, he’d heal if he died and came back to life. That alone meant he could afford to push himself to extremes. And he at least had stamina from diligently doing basic exercises like squats.
Am I worrying about it too much? I’m probably worrying too much, right? Even I can tell that. Messages are different from phone calls. If it’s not a good time to reply, you can just do it later. That’s the benefit of messaging apps. I haven’t really used them much before, so I’m new to all this…but Asumin and Moena must use them all the time. They’re probably well aware of that sort of thing, so I don’t need to think about it so much—I know all that!
Sousei put his phone on the floor and swapped over to doing push-ups.
“Hff, hah, hff, hah, hff, hah, hff, hah, hff, hah, hff…! Argh, stop! Stop that! You’re putting it off! You’re training so you can put it off…!”
He stopped doing push-ups, grabbed his phone, and sat on his knees on the sweat-drenched floor. The display had gone black again. Pitch black. He tapped the screen to unlock it.
“I should just come right out and say it normally…”
His fingers moved, entering the words.
“Normally…”
Sousei hurriedly deleted the message he’d just typed out.
“Normal…”
He puzzled over it.
“‘Normal’… What does that even mean?” A low groan escaped his lips. “It’s so hard. I mean…it’s hard to know, right? What would a ‘normal’ message even be like? The more I think about it, the less sure I am…”
Time had stopped.
Sousei shook his head, sending out a spray of anxious sweat.
“No, it hasn’t. Time doesn’t stop. It’s still going, still ticking away even while I’m doing this. I just have to send a message already. We have school tomorrow. I have to do it today. That’s right. Yeah. Even if I send a ‘normal’ message like the ones I always send, I should put everything I’ve got into it. I mean, that’s all I can do…”
Sousei strengthened his resolve and started typing. He wasn’t satisfied with the wording. He wanted to rewrite it. But if he did, he’d never stop.
“I’m sending it…okay? I’m gonna do it. I will. Do it. Send—”
✦ ✦ ✦
Sousei: There is a matter regarding Miss Hitsujimoto about which I wish to inform you. Would that be agreeable?
✦ ✦ ✦
It was marked as “Read” straightaway.
“Oh…” Sousei’s eyes bulged.
✦ ✦ ✦
Asumin: “Would that be agreeable?” …LOL
Moenan: Yes, it’s quite agreeable lol
✦ ✦ ✦
This reaction…
It wasn’t bad. At least both Asumi and Moena were awake. Sousei typed out his next message.
✦ ✦ ✦
Sousei: Perhaps my message was quite rigid and formal. For that, I sincerely apologize.
Asumin: No need to apologize!
Moenan: Sorry for teasing
Sousei: Not at all
Sousei: It is not an issue in the slightest.
✦ ✦ ✦
They’re—
All the sweating had cooled Sousei’s body, but the corners of his eyes prickled with warmth.
—so kind… Both of them…
✦ ✦ ✦
Asumin: So?
Moenan: What’d you wanna tell us?
Sousei: Actually
Sousei: I have been requested by Miss Hitsujimoto to pass on a message.
Moenan: Huh? Takarai?
Asumin: You know Miss Hitsujimoto’s number??
✦ ✦ ✦
“—!”
Sousei caught his breath.
R-right. If I say I have a message, of course they’ll want to know how I got it… And yet, I hadn’t expected this in the slightest. I’m so stupid…but I just have to be honest…
✦ ✦ ✦
Sousei: No
Sousei: I am not aware of her contact details or any such thing.
Asumin: So you met up??
Asumin: With Miss Hitsujimoto??
Asumin: Where??
Asumin: When??
Moenan: Asumin…
Moenan: Quit interrogating him
Asumin: But…!
Sousei: It was after the potato chip party
Sousei: Miss Hitsujimoto and I live in the same neighborhood.
Sousei: Allow me to correct myself. We do not live close enough to each other to call it the same neighborhood.
Sousei: We use the same train station.
Asumin: And??
Sousei: We met in front of the station.
Asumin: By chance??
Sousei: She jas
Sousei: My apologies.
Sousei: She has something that she wishes to convey, and asked me to be the massager
Sousei: Wait
Moena: Calm down!
✦ ✦ ✦
Moena sent a sticker of a character of some kind holding out what looked to be a cup of green tea.
Sh-she’s right. I need to calm down…
Sousei closed his eyes for a few seconds and took a breath in.
✦ ✦ ✦
Sousei: I have calmed myself.
Sousei: Miss Hitsujimoto wished for me to apologize on her behalf.
Asumin: Why??? The potato chip party was fun, right…?
Sousei: She asks that you forgive her for leaving first and being the only one who did not tidy up.
Moenan: Oh, that?
Asumin: It’s totally fine!
Moenan: Right?
Moena: But I guess it’s been bothering her…
Asumin: Huh…? You think?
Moenan: I don’t think it’s unusual. That stuff bugs responsible types
Asumin: So I’m not responsible? …Is that what you’re saying?
Moenan: I’d call you easygoing, Asumin
Asumin: Is that a compliment??
Moenan: Yeah, definitely
Asumin: Yay! I’m so happy!
✦ ✦ ✦
Sousei noticed the muscles in his face relaxing.
How heartwarming…
✦ ✦ ✦
Sousei: Miss Hitsujimoto
Sousei: also said that the potato chips were extremely delicious, and that she won’t forget them.
Asumin: She won’t forget them???
Sousei: Yes. That’s what she said.
Asumin: Okay
Moenan: Okay
Asumin: Jinx… LOL
Moenan: That’s great. Sounds like it’s a fond memory
Asumin: Yeah
Asumin: I wish to partake in a potato chip party again
Moenan: What’s with the old timey talk? lol
Asumin: Let us partake!
Moenan: We probably could whenever we feel like it… We’re in the same class
Asumin: So true! We could also do a non-potato chip party
Moenan: What kinda party should we have? I guess that’ll depend on Miss Hitsujimoto…
Asumin: I wonder what she likes
Asumin: FOOD
Moenan: What’s with the all caps? lol
Asumin: No particular reason! I can’t help but grin whenever I remember Miss Hitsujimoto eating…
Moenan: Aah… Me too
Moenan: She was so cute, wasn’t she?
Asumin: She was vera cute!
Moenan: What’s “vera”? LOL
Asumin: Like “very,” I guess?