///

I don’t feel so good right now.

“-in 1980 the autonomy of the Protectorates was decreased due to the said rebellions.”

Even though I never pay much attention to lessons anyway, today it’s just painful to be in class. I feel sick and any small sound makes my head hurt. So, for the most part, I try my best not to react to sound and just black ou...

…

“All right class is over don’t forget that we’re having a mock test at the end of next month. So, keep everything you learn here in mind.” Hearing that history teacher is painful.

Must not pay attention.

Must not pay attention or my mind is gonna tear apart.

…

I can only assume that this is what having a hangover feels like. I felt fine thinking that worst that’s going to happen is me being sleepy. But waking up today reminded me of how things never seem to go my way lately.

My guess is that the hangover could be a lot worse. Kanzaki is probably feeling even more terrible than I am.

Maybe I should have drunk more and use that as an excuse not to go to school. Nah, at this point with me constantly skipping classes no one in this school will believe that I’m actually sick. I’ve faked being sick too many times. So that is a no go.

And I need the attendance to move to the next grade. People can’t be high schoolers forever, unlike what most light novels will have you believe.

The bell rang some time ago, I can tell that with how empty the classroom is. Usually, I would be the first to stand up and run to the cafeteria if I already haven’t ditched class before. It’s a good thing I didn’t hear the bell, otherwise, my head would hurt more.

…It already hurts a lot.

Someone drags the sleeve of my jacket.

Considering that the classroom is empty they must have run away immediately. Mostly because they didn’t want to stay in the same room with the person pulling on my sleeve. In the entire school, there’s only one individual that can turn people into nervous wrecks. Nervous wrecks that at least keep a five-meter distance away from her.

“I am waiting.”

…I want my weekends back. The ones that don’t involve me dealing with annoyances and headaches.

“…Waiting for what?”

“I am waiting for you.”

…Excuse me.

She’s… waiting for… me?

“…Why are you waiting for me?” My reactions are still a bit slow, thinking too much is hurting my head.

“To go to that place where ‘flavor’ is located.”

Flavour…

I see she wants to go to the cafeteria. . .

“Then go by yourself, you do remember how to get there?”

“Affirmative.”

I don’t feel like moving at all, maybe I should sleep here. If my headache doesn’t disappear, the rest of the day will be dangerous to my health.

...

Why is Harumi just standing there?

“Aren’t you going?”

“Negative.”

“Why?”

“I do not understand any of the procedures for acquiring food.”

“Is that so.”

I would except that she has no idea how money works, but this just confirms it.

After me going silent, Harumi starts pulling on my sleeve again.

She’s probably just going to get bored and leave.

…

Instead, the pulling on my sleeve continues.

Just wait a minute she’ll get bored and leave. Yeah.

…

The pulling of my sleeve does not end.

So, she really won’t stop.

…Maybe eating something at the cafeteria will make me feel better. Because my head still feels shit right now.

As I start getting up from my chair, the sleeve pulling ends.

“Follow me.”

At the very least I don’t need to worry about the long lines anymore. With the literal boogieman following me around.

How convenient.

///

“It’s her, it’s her!”

“Quick warn everyone in the front she’s going to kill us all!”

“Why isn’t she expelled yet, is the principal insane!”

“RUN AWAY!”

This time Harumi didn’t need to do anything. After seeing her close in the line that is usually gathered out of the cafeteria started to disappear.

We just kept walking closer and the people just ran, as if a tsunami or a hurricane was going to sweep them away. Although comparing Harumi to a natural disaster feels strangely appropriate. No, maybe even that does not describe the girl’s power well enough.

She might be something more, something completely unnatural.

Well whatever she is, it’s not like I ca-

…It’s not like I ca-

Not like I ca-

…

...For some reason, I’m unable to finish my thoughts.

…Probably nothing important.

At the very least, seeing people panicking of just one girl is a very novel sight. Although it feels like it’s going to get old soon enough. But for now, it’s still enjoyable. I should probably think up new ways to freak people out.

And my headache is gone now. Maybe what I needed wasn’t food but seeing someone suffer instead of me.

It looks like a meal is going to be a bonus.

We continued to make our way to the food stalls. The students were already cleared out from the outside. And all of the seats were vacant, the only signs that there were people here are the dishes with the unfinished food that shows how quickly people ran out of the building.

But man, having Harumi around sure is convenient. Who knew that to eat something in this chaotic place all you needed to do was to kill someone?

As I move towards the food stall someone grabs my sleeve.

I turn my gaze to Harumi who is staring directly at me. Her face is as usual, completely unreadable.

“…” She’s looking at me but does not say anything.

Does she need something? It’s weird for her to remain silent while holding onto my sleeve. Maybe if she showed some sort of emotive expression for once I could, probably, understand what she wants.

“What?” The only way I can understand if she needs something is by asking.

“...” Harumi continues to say nothing and does not break her gaze from me but let’s go of my sleeve.

What was that all about?

“Just go sit somewhere, I’ll bring you something to eat.” For some reason, my voice is a bit more…

A bit more…

…

Whatever.

She does as I said and goes to take a seat at one of the tables.

I look over what the cafeteria has to offer.

I feel like eating some rice and meat today, so I walk up to the stall that serves rice bowls.

“Two large pork rice bowls.”

“Yes, here you go.” The cafeteria worker quickly puts two portions on my tray. “But this is sure strange, this is the second time it became this empty. I wonder what’s causing this.”

“Didn’t you hear the rumors?”

“Rumour? I think there was something to do with the military exercise from last week. Poor child, he still had no chance to live his life fully.”

It looks like this lady doesn’t really understand what’s going on here. Considering that the workers in the cafeteria are mostly people working short part-time shifts, it wouldn’t be surprising that they are not informed on what the student body is worried about.

The only info this lady got, was the news that was given to the public. About an accident on the school campus.

“Don’t worry about the dead, instead of worry about yourself lady.”

“Oh my, how kind of you young man, here have some extra pork for you and your friend.” She puts some extra meat into the two rice bowls.

I’m not being kind, but if I get some extra food I don’t care if this lady thinks that.

I walk off and pick up some chopsticks and a bottle of oolong tea for myself.

Sitting down behind the table where Harumi was, I give her the rice bowl and chopsticks.

The girl stares at what was put in front of her and does not move. Just stares at the plate.

Now that I think about it, Harumi is sitting in front of me, isn’t she? Last time she sat at my side, so I didn’t get to see how the girl’s behavior changes when encountering something new. So, I decided to observe her for a little.

At first, Harumi just stares at the food, looking at it as if the rice and meat will move from the plate. Then she touches the food with her finger, examining its texture. Brings her face closer and smelling the scent of the dish.

...Is something typical as rice with some meat on it, really that impressive to her? Probably is.

Her eyes wander around the table for a while after that. Until she lifts them and looks at me.

“Where is the eating utensil.”

Eating utensil?

“What do you mean? The chopsticks are right there.”

I put single-use wooden chopsticks right next to the bowl. I thought Harumi saw me do that, maybe she just didn’t notice?

“…This?”

The girls start to repeat the same thing she did with the rice bowls. Looked, poked, and smelled it.

This is kind of funny.

“Chopsticks?”

She then proceeds to try to use the unseparated sticks as an improvisational spoon and pick up the food from the plate. But the rice and pork only end up falling back to the plate from the chopsticks. Until Harumi concludes that this is the incorrect way of using the mysterious objects in her hand.

She then proceeds to turn towards me. The girl’s expression is unreadable as always but the fact that she’s staring at me is telling enough.

Well, I can already guess what’s the problem here.

“You don’t know how to use chopsticks, do you?” I don’t really need to ask that since it’s obvious as day right now.

“…I do not know how to use chopsticks.” She parrots what I say, unsurprisingly confirming what I thought.

So, she’s a foreigner then? Like I expected before? Using a spoon or a fork is very common in most of the world. Which is why my guess would be that Harumi isn’t exactly from the Asian region.

Might as well give Harumi a hand.

“Don’t hold them like that but like this. Move the stick with your thumb, index, and middle finger. That’s the proper way of using chopsticks.”

Harumi splits the wooden chopsticks apart and starts to hold them just like I showed her.

“And then you eat like this.” I use my chopsticks to take a decent amount of rice and pork slices and put them in my mouth.

As the girl tries to take the same amount as me, Harumi only manages to pick up a pitifully small amount of rice as most of it just falls down to the plate. She is struggling with holding the food like that.

She can kill people without a problem, but holding chopsticks properly seems like an impossible task to her.

How amusing.

Before she can put the pitiful amount of food in her mouth. Harumi’s chopsticks move slightly, and the small portion of rice falls back in the bowl. Leaving the girl to try again. And again. Again. With the same result.

So, she can’t use chopsticks properly? I remember that she had no problems with eating the curry last week.

Harumi again drops the small amount of rice she barely can hold with the chopsticks. And proceeds to try again.

This is painful to look at and awkward. So awkward that it’s hurting me right now.

I stand up and walk over to where all the forks and spoons are, then return to the table.

“Here, you can use a spoon at the very least, can’t you?”

“Affirmative.” Harumi takes the spoon.

Well, she shouldn’t have a problem eating, so I might as well focus on my plate.

“Whaft hif hifs fhavoh.” Without finishing chewing her food properly Harumi starts talking.

“It’s just rice and some meat, nothing special. Also, don’t talk with your mouth full.” I put some food into my mouth and glance at Harumi.

“Pork… Rice…” She muttered under her breath and proceeds to fill up the spoon with an obscene amount of rice and pork again. And then shoves it into her mouth.

Harumi is chewing and eating very quickly as if she’s expected to go out on a battlefield in a minute.

It looks like no one ever bothered to teach this girl proper table manners. No one is going to punish you for taking some time to chew the food properly.

I guess this is what happens when all you eat is some kind of protein bar.

Still, this makes me wonder even more, what kind of life do you need to have to be so, sheltered? Or not sheltered, isolated maybe?

Meh, probably nothing important.

I keep my attention on the girl. In a couple of seconds, she already ate most of the food and now she just seems trying to eat the final grains of rice left on her plate.

‘Leave not even a single grain, or crumb, of food to respect the farmers’, huh? That old saying that all the kids in the world are thought. I think this is the first time I’m seeing anyone eating that diligently. How innocent.

Hmmm, but it’s sure is quiet when she’s eating something. I should keep that in mind if I want some peace in quiet with Harumi around.

…

…

…

Wait, what am I thinking about? It almost sounds like I’m starting to accept having the girl around.

I guess that an effect of the headache. What else could it be?

Yeah, definitely, without a shadow of a doubt, it’s the headache.

Yep.

…

…

…

But still.

I look towards the girl who finished eating and now is waiting for me. She would usually just wander off on her own after losing interest or getting what she wants, but now she’s waiting for me to finish. Therefore, it’s unusual for her to give me such a gesture.

And maybe I’m glad for that to be the case, having Harumi around isn’t as annoying as I remember it being.

Am I just getting used to her? If that’s the case, then even my own ability to adapt surprises me.

///