Chapter Text
I first met her the day she came to this school as a transfer student. At the time of introducing herself, she fumbled, as if one wrong step would cause apocalypse. All the students including myself got amazed by her innocence, her clumsiness.... and also the key, which is always attached to her back. According to many, the key is weird but no one dare to ask her why that key is there. Because she always gets uncomfortable whenever someone ask that.
That girl rarely causes any type of inconvenience to others. Most of the time she stays with her 3 friends. I hardly had many chances to talk to her. Everytime I try to speak something to her... either I stutter while saying or her friend Aioi-san interrupts our conversation and take her away for god knows whatever reasons.
That girl, Shinonome Nano... is my crush. It would be an understatement to say that I like her. In fact I absolutely adore her. I'm in love with her since the first day. I lose my mind whenever she comes close to me. That's why... today I'm going to confess to her...
You would probably ask me why I didn't confess to her before. Well... there's many reasons...
One, I, Makabe Tatewaku, is not a popular guy at all. My looks are average. My fitness is average. I suck at sports. Only in study, I'm a bit above average. That doesn't mean that I'm anywhere close to class toppers. That's why, I just thought... it's wrong for a guy like me to ask a cute girl like her to go out while there are many guys better than me in the class itself.
Frankly speaking, I didn't have the courage.
Two, Shinonome-san is a very innocent girl. She doesn't seem to like having interest in going out with any guy right now. There's a massive chance that me confessing to her would upset her. Then there would be awkwardness between us. She would not even like to talk to me anymore.
I might die if that happens...
But... my heart can't stay calm anymore. Last time I was in this love, was maybe in kindergarten? I don't even remember whom I confessed that time. I got rejected... that's what I could remember. However, if I avoid confessing because of the fear of rejection, then I would definitely regret it sometime. Who knows.... maybe she agree to it?
"Hey Tatewaku! Didn't you hear the bell? School over! Let's go to home."
Behind me, were my two friends... Nakanojou and Tanaka. I always go home with these two. However...
"Sorry comrades, today I have a big job in my hand."
"Eh?", both of them got surprised.
"Did you join a club or something?", Tanaka asked.
"Not really. This job is way bigger and risky."
"What the hell is that job? Don't tell me you're going to hunt ghosts? Bring me too!"
"Please talk something else than ghosts, Nakanojou. Sigh ...."
I sent them goodbye quickly. Luckily Shinonome-san and her friends were still in the class. I slowly walked towards her and said,
"Umm... Shinonome-san, I have something to talk to you."
"Huh? What is it, Makabe-san? D-Did I perhaps spread some trouble?"
Ahhh... that cute clumsiness of her... always makes me lose my mind! But I somehow kept my composure.
"No no. Don't worry. It's not anything trouble. I just want to talk to you something. It would take 1 minute. But in alone... Can you please come behind the school building?"
"Umm... okay then... please wait there. I would come in a moment.", she looked confused but agreed to it. I think she didn't understand my intentions. Other girls would surely have understood that the guy wants to confess to her.
"Hey~ Hey~ What is that important talk, Makabe? Can't you tell her in front of us?"
Sh*t... Aioi-san has understood clearly. Looks like the other two, Naganohara-san and Minakami-san also have figured it out as they both were also giggling at me.
"A-Actually I cannot right now because of some issues..."
"Oh~ Oh~ I think I can slightly figure the issues. Anyway Nano-chan would be there in 5 minutes. So best of luck!"
"Eh... Aioi-san? Why are you saying 'best of luck' to Makabe-san?", as usual, Shinonome-san didn't figure it out yet.
I looked at my watch. They said Shinonome-san would be here in 5 minutes. But almost 30 minutes passed since I came at the meeting spot behind the building. She has not come yet...
I could only watch the students going home. What happened? Did she hear wrong about the meeting spot? I remember saying it clearly to her and she also heard it clearly.
Suddenly... I got terrified...
What if... she found out that I wanted to confess to her and feared of me?
What if that actually happened? From next day she would start to avoid me. If I try to say something she would then panick and say, "Makabe-san is gross!". Then her three friends would come out and beat me to the end. The whole class would then kick my arse for "disturbing Shinonome-san".
It's just my imagination... but I'm deeply hurt right now. No one has come here yet. I don't think she would come now. I think... I should go home.
It's over before it even started. Moreover I have scared Shinonome-san. That's my regret. The first thing I should do next day is apologise to Shinonome-san. At the very least I didn't want to hurt her.
Head down, I walked towards the school gate. Suddenly I heard some sounds near me. The sounds... were coming from the big bushes. What is going on there?
I decided to check out. I slowly walked towards the direction of the noises. Suddenly I tripped over something.
"Ouch! What the hell is thi---"
It looked like a shoe at first. But it's not only a shoe... it's.. a FOOT! A HUMAN FOOT... upto the ANKLE!
Calm down... it's surely not real. Maybe it's an artwork made by some student. Yeah surely that's it!
Wait... the noises are getting louder now. It's looking like a lady voice. I slowly reached the bushes and...
"Eh? Shinonome-san?"
"Ahhh! Makabe-san you're here! I'm sorry. I couldn't meet you! S-See I'm in some trouble..."
"Ah it's okay but why are you behind this bush?"
"A-Actually I lost... AH MY FOOT! It's in your hand!"
"Eh? This foot? I found it on the ground. Did you make this artwork, Shinonome-san?"
She must be a great art student. That's one hell of a work. Looks like real human foot.
"A-Actually that's .... my foot."
"Eh your.... WHOA!"
Now that I notice... Her left foot is vanished from her body! So it means... IT'S HER FOOT!
"Makabe-san... I can explain..."
"P-Please do... because my head is spinning right now..."
So after a chaotic 15 minutes of explanation... I reached the conclusion ....
"So you're really a robot, Shinonome-san?"
"Y-Yes..."
We both were sitting behind the bushes right now.
"So that's why your foot got displaced from your body."
"It doesn't usually happen. However today I somehow tripped over a stone while running and when I stood up I saw my foot got missing."
"I-I'm sorry.... it's because I told you to meet me and you got in a hurry."
"Ah no it's absolutely okay. By the way Makabe-san, why did you call me? You can tell me now."
"Oh...."
What should I do? I now know that she's a robot. However... my feelings are still not conflicted. I looked at her. She was smiling at me like usual.
I still love her....
I can't really see her as a robot... She's still that cute, innocent girl like ever.
However I decided not to confess my feelings right now. It would be better if I wait a little longer.
"Haha forget that now. It's not that important."
"Eh? Okay then. But I have a request, Makabe-san."
"Yeah tell me."
"Please don't tell anyone I'm a robot. I would be in trouble.", she looked at me with teary eyes!
"You don't have to worry! I would die with this secret with me!"
"Ah thanks a lot then! But please don't say anything like dying. It's not good luck."
She is still so cute! She must be protected at any cost.
"Anyway it's getting late. Let's go home."
"Yeah thanks for today, Makabe-san."
"Oh don't worry. Haha."
"Eh..."
"Huh? Did something happen?"
Suddenly Shinonome-san sit down on the ground looking at her leg. Her left foot got displaced again!
"I don't know why... but as I stood up... it got displaced."
"Let me fix this."
I helped her fix the left foot again and asked her to stand up. But as soon as she put pressure on her left foot, it loosened up and dislocated.
"It's not fixing for some reason."
"Then how could I go home?"
"How do you fix your body?"
"Hakase can do that. She made me after all. But I have to go home for that. I can't walk at this way."
Tears started to flow from her eyes. I can't see her like that. It pains me to see her crying. I have to do something. There's no way I can call her maker here. So I have to somehow send her home without making her landing her foot on ground.
"Please don't cry, Shinonome-san."
"But Makabe-san... I can't go home."
"Don't worry... I would send you home."
"Eh? But how?"
"Just sit behind my bicycle."
"Eh but... it would be trouble for you."
"No no. I have nothing to do anyway. Also I can meet your professor."
"Then... thank you so much."
Shinonome-san finally looked happy. Just keep smiling like this. I couldn't care less she's a robot.
"Now, let me carry you on my back."
"Eh?"
"We have to reach my bicycle at least."
"Ah yes. Thanks again."
Shinonome-san sit on my back... and my heart started beating wildly. She's a robot, right? No way... my heart doesn't believe it.
"Today you are helping me many ways, Makabe-san. Can I do anything for you?"
"Shinonome-san... then...", I hesitated a moment and then thought, can I confess to her right now?
If I ask her out now, she would probably say 'yes'. Given her innocence and personality, she can't reject me right now after the help I did to her. This is one of the most perfect moments. So I made up my mind and...
"Then... please be my friend, Shinonome-san."
"Eh?", Shinonome-san, who is still being carried on my back, got surprised. What? Does she not like me even as a friend?
"I mean only if you don't have a problem, can you be my friend?"
"Absolutely! In fact I'm really happy that we are now friends, Makabe-san. I will be in care of you from now on."
"M-Me too."
I couldn't confess to her my real feelings again. If I asked her out she would probably not have rejected me right now. However, I didn't want to her to accept my feelings in pressure. If anyway, I want her to accept my confession only if she really wants it. That's why once again, I chickened out.
However, today it seems my relationship with her has progressed a little bit... a little bit closer to her.
[To be continued]
Makabe Tatewaku
Shinonome Nano