Chapter 16 - Suspension
(1)
Toya is under suspension starting today.
I wonder if she's thinking about what happened yesterday?
Even if it was in the heat of the moment, was it too bold?
After I got home, I could tell my face was turning bright red.
Of course, it was my first deep kiss.
What kind of face should I make when I see Airi?
Airi... that's right. She's not coming to Toya's house today.
...
I decided to take a chance and send a message.
"Can you make it to my house by 8?"
"I can! I'll be waiting."
The reply came immediately.
I have to make sure it doesn't show on my face.
The next day, Airi left her house looking as usual.
"Kanna, morning—"
Saying that, Airi clung to me.
Looking at her face, there were dark circles under her eyes.
"...Couldn't sleep?"
"...Yeah, well, pretty much."
It can't be helped.
I couldn't sleep either, tossing and turning in frustration.
"So, how was the way home yesterday?"
"Eh?"
I was shaken for a moment.
I desperately tried to hide it.
"Nothing in particular happened."
"I see."
Sorry.
I apologized to Airi in my heart.
"Want to go to Toya-kun's house on the way home?"
A sudden proposal from Airi.
"He's under suspension, you know? Is that okay?"
"I looked it up online. They say it's weird to have a suspension during compulsory education in the first place."
"Must be that bald guy's arbitrary decision."
The bald guy refers to the student guidance teacher.
"Exactly, nothing to worry about. Besides, I have to give him the copies of today's lessons."
She's surprisingly calm.
"I heard yesterday, but was my fault that your grades dropped?"
"Not at all, it was just punishment for fooling around during Golden Week."
Saying that, she stuck her tongue out.
Thank goodness. If that's the case, then it's fine.
"But I'm really glad. If you work just a little harder, you can go to Hofu."
"I guess so, then I'll have to do my best."
"Katagiri-san."
At that moment, I heard the voice I least wanted to hear right now.
Airi is ignoring them.
"Katagiri-san!"
"I believe I told you never to involve yourself with us again."
That voice was coldness itself.
I actually started to feel sorry for him.
Leaving Nakama standing there frozen, Airi said, "Shall we go?" and headed toward the classroom.
I hurriedly chased after Airi.
(2)
I woke up after 11 o'clock.
"Morning."
I greeted Mother, who was in the kitchen.
"Don't 'morning' me! What time do you think it is!"
"I mean, it's basically like a holiday."
It's not like I was told to write a reflection paper or anything.
"You're falling behind in your studies by a week! You should be doing some previewing or reviewing, even just a little!"
I was lectured in that manner.
Last night, I was scolded by my parents... or rather, I was scolded severely by Mother.
As for Father...
"Hmm, well done. As expected of my son!" for some reason, I was praised.
"Why are you spoiling him!? He caused a violent incident!"
"But Toya had the justification, right? Toya didn't do anything wrong. If you're a man, that much is..."
"You!!"
And so, the father and son were scolded together.
After having lunch, I went back to my room and studied... but I got bored in less than an hour.
After that, I killed time reading manga and playing games.
Then, around 16:00, just as I was starting to feel a bit sleepy.
Ding-dong
...Did they come?
I went to the entrance in Mother's stead.
When I opened the door, Kanna was standing there alone.
"Yo! Whoa... aren't you slacking off?"
Kanna said that as soon as she saw me.
It's no wonder.
My hair was a mess, I was still in my loungewear, and I hadn't even washed my face.
"I'm on break, so it's fine, right?"
"Is it okay to say that? Airi is coming later too, you know?"
Kanna said with a smirk.
Well, Airi will probably come too.
At the usual time.
"...Well, come in."
Saying that, I invited Kanna into the house.
"Oh? Kanna-chan, thank you for coming all this way. He's living a slovenly life, as you can see."
Mother said as soon as she saw Kanna.
"No, it's fine. I basically came here to kill time myself."
Kanna answered and went up to the second floor.
"Whoa... it's magnificently cluttered."
Kanna said as soon as she saw the room.
I silently tidied up haphazardly.
Kanna sat down snugly in the cleared space.
She wasn't sitting cross-legged today.
I felt some kind of incongruity.
And then...
"Sorry about yesterday!"
She said, bowing her head.
"What's with you all of a sudden?"
"No, I mean... about yesterday!"
About yesterday, the slapping? Or else...
"I got too emotional too! Please forget it!"
"Even if you tell me to forget it..."
Don't think you can keep me in the position of a friend forever!
The words Kanna had spat out as she was leaving.
"You don't even understand what that means, do you?"
"That's why I'm telling you to forget it, there's no deep meaning."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah..."
Kanna relaxed her shoulders.
A sigh escaped her.
"Well, if you say forget it..."
"Thank you."
That said, there was no way I could forget.
That sensation, and the words Kanna said when she became emotional.
While I was thinking blankly, Kanna was rummaging under the bed for some reason.
"...What are you doing?"
"No, there's no particular meaning... Hmm, it's not here."
"What are you looking for?"
"You know, like in manga or novels? Under the bed in a boy's room, there are lewd books..."
"I don't have any!"
"Ah, I guess you can see them on computers or smartphones now."
Kanna was rummaging on all fours under the bed.
Her head was under the bed, and she was in a posture that stuck her buttocks out.
Although the length of her skirt had been returned to normal...
Perhaps because of what happened yesterday, I felt lust at that sight.
I swallowed my saliva.
Completely unaware of my circumstances, Kanna sat up.
"What's wrong?"
Kanna asked, seeing me blushing.
"N-nothing's wrong!"
I was clearly shaken.
"I see. So, can I look at that computer?"
"...Just so you know, what you're looking for isn't in there."
"What, are you a man even then?"
Kanna said sounding bored.
"...Would you want to be alone in a room with a man who has those things?"
"Eh? ...Ah, you don't have the guts to attack me, Toya."
Kanna said and laughed.
"Don't assume things."
"Hm? Do you want to attack me?"
Saying that, Kanna lay on her back on the bed.
Kanna provoked me, telling me to try it if I could.
Click.
I suddenly got on all fours on top of Kanna.
"Eh!?"
"You're the one who invited me first."
"Wa-wait a minute. If Airi sees us like this..."
"Airi isn't here yet."
The clock was before 5.
...I thought she'd resist more... but unexpectedly, Kanna let all the strength leave her body and closed her eyes.
"Just so you know, it's my first time. Be gentle."
"Eh?"
What should I do?
I tried it in the heat of the moment, but I was seriously troubled about what to do after this.
Then, she opened her eyes and started laughing.
"Why are you taking this seriously? It's obviously a joke!"
It was at that moment.
Knock knock
The sound of knocking.
Crap! If I'm seen like this!
"Kanna-chan. You're staying for dinner, right?"
What Mother saw was Kanna's head colliding with the bridge of my nose as she hurriedly sat up, leaving me with a nosebleed, and me in a mount position on top of Kanna.
"What are you doing!!"
Dinner time was lecture time again today.
"I see, it's time for Toya to become an adult too."
The one speaking nonchalantly was Father.
For the time being, I had Airi keep it a secret.
"Of course he should!"
But I got scolded even more.
(3)
"What happened?"
When Airi came, she asked curiously, seeing me with tissues stuffed in my nostrils.
"I-it's nothing!"
I hurriedly removed the tissues.
"He tripped in a hurry and hit his nose, right!?"
Kanna covered for me while laughing.
"Hmm..."
The two of them entered my room and sat around the table.
Airi took manuscript paper out of her bag.
"What's this?"
There were ten sheets of manuscript paper.
"The student guidance teacher gave this to me, telling me to have you write a reflection paper during your suspension period."
I'm being made to write it after all...
"But Toya and a violent incident, huh. I thought you didn't have that kind of guts."
"I got pissed off and before I knew it, I'd punched him."
"Well, I've gained a new respect for you. If Toya hadn't punched him, I would have."
"Kanna. That's not something to praise."
"But Airi ended up punching him too."
That surprised me too.
I mean...
"Why did you come along?"
"That's because Kanna..."
"I thought, maybe it's someone's confession?"
Kanna said and laughed.
"Ah, there was one more thing."
Saying that, she took out a notebook.
"This is for today's lessons. I'll bring them every day, so study properly."
I'm starting to feel like it would be easier to just be at school.
"Well, shall we start for now? First..."
Around 9 o'clock, the study session wound down.
"Bye, see you tomorrow."
Saying that, Airi returned home.
After that, I walked Kanna home.
"A week will be tough."
"Well, it can't be helped."
"At that time, I felt nothing but anger, but..."
We arrived in front of her house.
"Thanks."
Kanna said bashfully.
"Don't worry about it, I just lost myself in anger before I knew it."
"I see... but."
"Seriously, stop being kind to everyone, you'll be misunderstood."
Kanna warned me.
"I get it, see ya."
Saying that, I went back.
"Ahhh, it was so close today..."