Kamiyama-san gets dressed up
After Harusame-san’s self-introduction, Arai-san and Kamiyama-san also introduced themselves.
Arai-san finished without a hitch, and Kamiyama-san, after soaking her uniform as much as she could, managed to complete her self-introduction despite being at a loss for words many times.
Almost as soon as the four of us finished our introductions, a chime sounded from a speaker in the club room. I looked at my watch and saw that it was time to leave school. I noticed that the sky outside the window was also orange with the setting sun.
Arai opened her mouth.
“Let’s end it here for today. We can continue practicing like this tomorrow.”
“Alright, let’s end things for today. See you all tomorrow”
See you all tomorrow. As I was about to say that for the first time, Harusame-san stood up from her chair with a mighty thud.
“I’m not finished yet, am I? You know, that… that… promise you made to me.”
“Did I make you a promise?”
“Oh, my God! Was it a scam after all? You… saginato!”
I asked her honestly, not knowing what she was talking about.
“No, I’m sorry, I just don’t understand, can you tell me?”
“You told me during the recruitment… club activities… on your way home… from school.”
What did I say at the time of recruitment? I remember the first time I met Harusame-san. I remember that time when I tried to force my way into Harusame-san’s conversation…
I remember when I was trying to force my way into Harusame’s conversation and she said, “Oh yeah, I think we can all go to a crepe shop after club activities since it’s not a very formal club activity”.
Could this be what she was talking about? I asked Harusame-san if she was talking about this.
“You mean crepes?”
Harusame-san’s forehead is sweaty and her face turns red as she turns toward the panel of magical girls.
“Hey, Ata-chan, listen to me for a second. I was looking forward to playing after school with everyone… because I’ve never done it before… It’s terrible that you suddenly forget… about it.”
Harusame-san spat out at A-chan, squeezed her hands together, and stood with her back to us. Her back looked very lonely to me.
I see. So that’s how it is.
It wasn’t just Kamiyama-san who was having trouble with conversation. This girl must have had a hard time too. She’s a waste of a cute girl who could be so much cuter if she was just normal.
I let out an exaggerated sigh and said to Harusame-san.
“Ah… let’s go then, a crepe shop. There’s one near the station if I recall.”
Harusame-san responds as she turns toward the panel.
“Really…?”
“Yeah, it’s true. Let’s go there now.”
“YES!”
Harusame-san turned around and nodded with a smile like a playful puppy.
I make the same suggestion to Arai-san and Kamiyama-san.
“I’m sure you two will be fine from now on. Shall we stop by for a bit?”
Arai-san nodded with a smiling face.
“Okay.”
“What are you preparing for, Kamiyama-san?”
Instead, she suddenly spun around and turned her back to me. Then, as she raised her hands above her head, she ripped off the soaking wet paper bag on her head at a tremendous speed. Inside the paper bag, the back of Kamiyama-san’s head was revealed, and her wet black hair swayed. Sweat drips from her shoulder-length black hair.
Come to think of it, I remember something like this happening in the back of the gym. It was during my first day at school.
Kamiyama-san breathed heavily with a whoosh… and shook her free head. I could only see the back of her head, but her black hair swaying from side to side was very beautiful. Sweat spattered from her hair, which swayed from side to side, and splashed on my face. A slightly salty taste touched the tip of my tongue.
With a familiar hand, Kamiyama-san took a plastic bag out of her pocket, pulled out a paper bag from inside, and put it back on.
It was not the plain brown paper bag she usually wears. It was a cherry-red paper bag with numerous cute bear characters printed on it.
She put the bear-patterned paper bag completely over her head, shredded it over her eyes with a fluid hand, and turned to face me. The hem of her skirt fluttered and her healthy thighs, which were moderately thick and seemed to be elastic, flashed before my eyes.
“Okay, now I’m ready! Good thing I brought this paper bag!”
I asked a question just to be sure.
“Well… could that bear paper bag possibly be… fashionable…?”
Kamiyama-san answered cheerfully.
“Yes! I was preparing it for when I go out with my friends someday. I’m glad I brought it with me today too…”
There are as many forms of fashion as there are people.
With this thought in mind, she put on a paper bag with a bear printed on it and walked out of the classroom with Kamiyama-san, who was light on her feet.
I pretended I didn’t see that she was so excited that she forgot to lower herself while going through the classroom door and hit her head on the way out.