Escape Galge Chapter 12

New scenes after the first portion. Again, new content are in green. To the girls in this chapter: Senpai, notice me! And to the guys: Oh ye pitiful children…

Kōryaku Taishō-sha na Watas.h.i.+ wa Gyarugē Shujinkō kara Nigetai wake de!

"… Haa."

　Sighing right in the morning makes me depressed.

　With the way things have been going, even I can predict.
　When I open the front door, that guy is there yet again.
　Same as yesterday.
　No, I have a feeling he's 'sparkling' more than yesterday. Why?
　It's such a huge difference from his grim expression yesterday that I can only feel fear.
　What should I do if there's flowers placed above Ei-kun's desk[1] when I enter the cla.s.sroom today…!

"Kii, g'morning."
"Can you please stop this already?"
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　Did he acc.u.mulate some sort of weird exp and levelled up?
　Or does he have some item that recovers his mental energy?
　Otherwise, it's strange.
　His head's strange.

"Because I'm looking at Kii."

　When he spits out terrifying words with a terrific smile, I get gooseb.u.mps.

"Shall we hold hands?"
"Something is really wrong with your head."

　'Is there something wrong with you?' I won't ask that.
　It's something I already know. It's enough that I affirm it.
　When I let my guard down, his pretty hand that seems like it'll be good at playing the piano reaches out and tries to grab mine.

"Ah, ouch."

　Whack, I smack his hand off.
　Why are you trying to grab my hand so naturally!
　I can't be negligent for even a moment.
　How many hands had that hand held?
　d.a.m.n soiled hand, come back after climbing to the peak of a sacred mountain and cleansing yourself with the spring water there!

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　The figures of female students chatting as they endeavor in cooking can be seen in the huge kitchen.
　We've electives in the latter half of the morning.
　For electives in this school, between『Home Economics』,『Arts and Crafts』and『Informatics』, I chose Home Economics.
　We're making sweets in the cooking practice today.
　The sweet scent makes me happy.

"Nn?"
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　For some reason, the girls are swarming around the window.
　Grabbnig the opportunity when the teacher leaves her seat, they're free to do what they want but what's going on?
　Similarly, I head to the window, only to be disappointed when I see what's at the end of the girls' gazes.
　What, it's just the sc.u.m.
　The 2nd-year guys are having Physical Education and he's playing soccer on the sports field.

"KYAH!"

　The girls raise shrill cheers.
　His shoot went in.
　Girls, your voices are so loud that the teacher's gonna come back y'know!

"Isn't he cool!"
"Sure enough, Aoi-senpai is the best!"

　Well, I admit that that was picturesque.
　But that's all.
　Just as I was going to return, seeing as seeing anymore is a waste of time… urk, our eyes met.
　Even though this is the 2nd storey and there's a far bit of gap, our eyes meet perfectly.

"EH!? Hey, senpai is looking over here!"
"No way!? KYAH! Aoi-senpai!"
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　I hurriedly distance myself from the window.
　It was my imagination that our eyes met, let that be the case.
　He probably finds it strange that I left the crowd.[2]
　The teacher returns when I peek into the oven to check the stage of baking the m.u.f.fins are in.
　Hungry. I want to eat soon.

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"Ah, Kii-chan!"

　I hear Ei-kun's voice when I return from the Home Economics room.
　Huh, where is he?
　I dont' see him even though I hear his voice… just as I think that, I find him among the group exiting the computer lab.
　As expected of a background character, his ability to blend into crowds is first-rate.
　When I wave to him, he comes over happily like an affable puppy.
　You're tickling my motherly instincts. Very cute, Ei-kun.
　Ei-kun is the oasis of my heart.
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"I see Ei-kun's elective is Informatics."

　In Informatics, you can learn basic knowledge about computers and other skills beneficial for finding a job.
　You can also take a proficiency test if you wish to.
　Apparently they touch on the topic of stocks too, so it's quite a useful elective.

"Yeah. After all, there's no drawback be it going for further studies or job seeking."
"Admirable!"

　I only had the impression that it's『boring』and thus chose Home Economics without hesitation but Ei-kun sure is admirable.
　The way he's so steady leaves a good impression.
　He's the type you'd want for a husband.

"Doesn't that smell nice?"

　Ei-kun looks at the paper bag I'm holding.
　It contains the leftovers from the cooking practice.

"It's m.u.f.fins and cookies. I made them during cooking practice. Do you want it?"

　Come to think of it, I haven't thanked Ei-kun for being the sacrifice.
　When I say: "If you're fine with something like this" as I present it to him, Ei-kun's face brightens with a bam!
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"Can I!?
"Go ahead."
"Oi, me too!"

　When I pa.s.s it to Ei-kun, his friends who are with him start making a racket.

"It's mine! She gave them to me!"
"That's unfair! Give me some too!"
"Oi, pa.s.s it here too!"

　The guys nearby swarm around Ei-kun and make a racket.
　It's cute somehow.
　They look like『kids scrambling for snacks』.
　I feel like a mother.
　There isn't much so make sure you share the food, okay?

"Eh, Kii. Is it okay to not give them to Aoi-senpai?"
"It's okay."

　My friends walking beside me are surprised but there's absolutely no problem.
　I've given them all to him so far but that probably won't happen again.

"Ah, it's senpai. I'll be heading off!"

　My friend runs off, her destination being that guy who's returning[3] after his Physical Education cla.s.s ended.
　They're giving him 'tributes' one after another…
　The girls who were with me in the cooking practice are mostly gathered around him.
　And the me before had been spearheading that…
　I want to erase my memory.

"Kagurazaka-senpai sure is amazing."
"But we have this today!"
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　Adjacent to Ei-kun who murmurs earnestly, his friend proudly holds up the cookies I gave out.
　Excuse me, who are you?
　Before I knew it, the boys who received my m.u.f.fins and cookies are thoughtfully eating them with apparent grat.i.tude.
　I see, so the things made by the girls in cooking practices mostly went to that guy so the others don't get a chance.
　How pitiful… these kids who don't receive snacks.
　I feel like shedding tears when I look at those who look happy even though they could only obtain a single mouthful after the scramble.

"Ah."

　Ei-kun's face stiffens as he looks behind me.
　I curiously turn back. That guy is looking in this direction as he slowly push his way through the girls around him.
　Is he going to come here!?
　Scary, scary!
　What can I say if he comes with that group of girls attached to him!
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"K-Kii-chan, run!"
"Ei-kun!?"

　Ei-kun takes a step forth in order to s.h.i.+eld me.
　Ei-kun… you are, really!
　So you're going to sacrifice yourself again for me to escape, aren't you!

"U-Us too!"
"Eh?"

　Just as I was about to take up Ei-kun's offer and escape, the boys who ate the snacks become a wall to block that guy's advancement.
　Ahh, to think they're going to repay the favour for such tiny pieces of sweets… what praiseworthy children!
　You don't have to go so far though!?

　While I can no longer see that guy, he's definitely nearby.
　Since there's obstruction, I must not put it to waste.

"Thank you everyone! I'll give you sweets again!"
"""!"""

　With that, the gleeful faces of the boys turn towards me simultaneously, giving me a fright.
　That guy's scary but I'm starting to get scared of this situation too.
　I hastily return to cla.s.s.

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[1] This is usually done when the student a particular desk belongs to, pa.s.ses away.
[2] It wasn't specifically stated which one of them left the crowd. It could also have been '(I spot) Aoi leaving the crowd so he was probably curious.' In which case his crowd would be the other 2nd year guys.
[3] From the sports field to his own cla.s.sroom/main school building.