Cold

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With the first class having ended I decided I'd take a breather and go to the restroom. Whilst there is no issue with the class itself.. It was quite boring listening to something I already learnt at 6. While thinking that, I went outside only to see Natsukawa walking one step ahead in front of me. 'Coincidences can be freaky.'

Then, right when my eyes met hers, she suddenly made a surprised face.

"Hey! Don't follow me!"

"Follow you? Ah, no, I just want to go to the restroom."

"Eh... Eeh!?"

Natsukawa froze on the spot. 'What's so confusing about that? While I do get that the original followed her relentlessly, it wasn't as though he had NOTHING else to do.'

I could feel an awkward atmosphere.

Perhaps she realised that she had just misunderstood me, her face turned red, only for a short time. Then, she regretfully glared at me and yelled at me.

"Then say so sooner!" ~Sigh~ Such a loud woman. Not wanting this farce to continue any longer I simply said "Okay then" and continued on my way. My behaviour right now might seem a bit different from the original, but, after all, if a man suddenly declared "I'm going to the toilet" to a woman…. She would be troubled about how to react, right?

While imagining such a surreal scene in my mind, I passed Natsukawa who hadn't moved from the spot.

And, when I reached the entrance of the toilet, I was dragged in by Yamazaki and several others from the same class.

"───Oi, oi, what happened between you two?"

"Between you two… ah, are you talking about me and Natsukawa?"

"Bro when did you start calling her by her last name again!?"

"Well she never actually gave me permission to call her first name right?"

"HUH!? Okay now I'm really confused. Since when did you care about permission to do anything with Natsukawa-san? Did you have a quarrel or something?"

Yamazaki asked while grinning. His eyes looked like someone who had found something interesting.

"Quarrel, huh? It's the same as usual, isn't it?" 

"Hm? Well… Now that you mention it, that's true."

Yamazaki was convinced when I calmly answered so. But the other one didn't seem to be convinced yet. Another guy approached me as if he wanted to investigate further. He looked over at me with the look of an explorer who wanted to dig a little deeper into the matter.

Hey, calm your breathing down, it's too much…

"Wait, normally, when Natsukawa-san got angry at you as always, you would still try to get involved with her without paying attention to what she said, right?"

"That's correct, yes."

"Then why didn't you do it today? Also you don't have the usual idiot in love look anymore"

"Because I gave up, It's time to move on don't you think so?"

"Well yeah I think so.. Heck anyone else would too but since when did you actually use your brain!?" 'Seriously.. Quite the reputation this body has.' I sigh mentally, not wanting this conversation to drag on any longer I say.

"Well it's about time I start to do so.. Break time is about to end so can you let me go?"

Then, in a hurry, we went back to the classroom.

Inside, I felt a strange glance from Natsukawa, 'Is it really that hard for her to accept I wasn't following her?'

◆

Lunch break finally arrived after what felt like an eternity of boredom. I could see Natsukawa intently glaring at me for some reason. 

『"────Alright, let's eat together, Aika!"』

'Ah, it's probably because by now the original would have already said something like that.' Paying her no mind I grab my lunch box with the intent of getting a beverage from a vending machine on my way to a bench.

As I walk through the door I could hear my classmates synchronically yell 

"Eh–Ehhhhhhh…!?" 'So loud.'

I ended up finding an available bench with a canopy over it in the courtyard. Taking a seat and beginning my meal I plan out my future diet. 'I can't be too conspicuous so I'll have to take a slightly slower route to muscle gain. I'll eat a high protein diet while maintaining a calorie deficit so that I can lean bulk. While preferably I'd like to do just a regular bulk not only would it make me stand out too much but I'd also miss out on the extra strength gain this body needs.' 

Ah right, I also have to worry about interactions with my now elder sister and mother, based on my memories I don't have to worry too much about parental interaction. My sister on the other hand….. This may be a bit complicated. I can probably get away with the banter but my demeanour change may be a bit too drastic. 'I should try to avoid extended interactions with my sister for a while so she can just associate the change with growth.' 

'Cutting back from my complicated thoughts… Who knew food could be this delicious?'

[Ummm.. literally anyone except you dude.]

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With classes having ended for the day I wasted no time and swiftly exit the classroom with the intent of going home.

"Sajou-kun!"

Snapping my head back around I can see Natsukawa calling out to me

"Do you perhaps need something?"

"Eh- no no I was just… wondering why you didn't ask to walk home with me like usual?"

"Did you perhaps want me to ask you that?"

"NO!"

"Then why are you worried? Well if you don't need anything else I'll be leaving now."

I could hear people throughout the hallway whispering

"Hey, isn't Sajou-kun acting weird today?"

"What's up with him?"

"Is he alright?"

◆

People tend to judge others based on appearance and first interactions. They build up a profile on how they think you should/would act based on those factors. As such whenever someone doesn't act according to that script they have in their head they tend to get worried. This is because people like to know how and if to approach someone and what is appropriate to discuss with them. Humans are social creatures after all.

Why am I having this internal monologue you wonder? That's because ────

"I, I'm sorry to come over this late..…"

"That's fine, but how did you even know where I live?"

"The, the guy who remained for the club activities told me your address!"

"Ah well come inside, there's nobody home right now."

"N-nobody's home!?"

"Don't misunderstand, I simply mean that it would cause no trouble to have you come in."

"A-ah… okay."

I let Natsukawa, who timidly decided to come in, sit at the dining table.

She might feel more at ease if it's near the living room, right?

"So what did you want?" I speak up because she's been staring at me quietly for over five minutes now.

"R-Right, Did something happen to you?"

"Not in particular, why? Was I acting weird?"

"Weird… No, it wasn't weird! But, That's why it's weird!"

"..." I tilt my head slightly

"Y-you, what I want to say is… usually even if I hit you, you wouldn't just go away. Rather, you come to me even harder, so I thought you were an 'М' or someone like that….. A-anyway, usually, you're disgusting, you know?"

"Am I supposed to agree to that or something?"

"Y-yet, why were you listening to what I said, and so obedient today?! What are you plotting this time? Answer me!"

"I simply decided to give up and move on." Not that I ever had feelings for her, but, the original did so this would be the easiest and quickest explanation to my change in demeanour.

"..." She looked blankly at me; however, before she could say anything else─

~Bam~

The door swung open.

"I'm Home~!"

"Welcome back, Sis. But, don't surprise me like that, please take it easy."

"~Huff~… I'm seriously tiーred. Wataru get me something to dri──hm?"

My older sister, Kaede, jumped onto the sofa as soon as she came back. Only to turn to my direction and freeze up.

"Wa-Wataru brought a girl with him?"

"No I did not, this is my classmate Natsukawa Aika… and she was just leaving. Right?" I turn to face Natsukawa again. Her eyes looked vacant for a bit before she finally looked at me

"Y-yeah I was."

"Cold Wataru… Cold."

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Author note: Chad kouji bein a chad all chapter long and sis jus found out he's him. I tried to write a longer chapter this time so I hope I didnt let it drag on. Anyways please correct my mistakes If i made any.

Love y'all

pce out.