Chapter 226: Mirror
When Shishio took Hikari and asked Sorata whether he wanted to follow him to see the one who would adopt Hikari, Sorata refused without hesitation.
Sorata looked at Hikari, who didn't even show the slightest hesitation to follow Shishio. He had saved her, picked her up, and even moved to the Sakurasou, but this cat didn't even show gratitude toward him and even followed Shishio without hesitation.
Watching Hikari being meek when it was picked up by Shishio, Sorata couldn't help but feel regret picking up this cat.
If Shishio knew what Sorata was thinking, he could only look at Sorata while shaking his head.
You can expect gratitude from someone once you have given them something, but it doesn't mean you can't force them.
Especially the one that Sorata had helped a cat, how could a cat give its gratitude to a human?
Even after a cat was domesticated 8,000 years ago, the cat has never thought of a human as its owner, or rather, it thinks of them as a servant or something.
Hikari might owe Sorata many things, but it was wrong to expect a cat would give someone gratitude as long as they helped them.
If Sorata thought that he expected Hikari to give him gratitude, then his feeling to save Hikari was impure, and at that time, he might think that he could get Nanami's heart by doing that. If it was in the past, then it was possible. Unfortunately, Nanami's heart had been stolen by someone else without him noticing it.
Sorata was lying on his bed and wanted Sunday to come as soon as possible so he could get out of this place. He knew that he would get out of this place and he should be happy right now, but somehow, deep inside, he felt if he decided to move, he would lose something.
'No! No! No!'
Sorata shook his head and tried to think positively. He then smiled, showing that he was happy, and at the same time, he was glad that he had said that Shishio had a girlfriend that way, Shishio and Shiina wouldn't go on a date Saturday.
Sorata knew that Shiina might not have anything to do with him, and the relationship between them was only someone living in the same dorm, but he just couldn't forget her so easily. When they first met for the first time, he felt like her existence eclipsed his world, and she was the only one in his eyes, which was why the thought of her dating someone else made him feel like crazy.
If it was before, Sorata might not know what to do, and his mood would be all gloomy, but now, it was different since Shishio had already a girlfriend and everyone on Sakurasou had known about so he knew that Shishio and Shiina wouldn't go on a date to each other, which somehow made him felt happy.
Sorata felt better somehow, but after a while, he felt hungry and thought about eating something in the living room. He walked out of his room and walked to the dining room, but then he could hear chatter and a laugh there, which somehow made him gloomy again.
'Even without me, they can all smile and happily...'
Sorata had never bonded much with the people on the Sakurasou since he wanted to go out from this place as soon as possible. Everyone also knew about this, but they didn't think too much and also often talked with him. However, he often stayed in his room all the time, and it was a bit rare for him to talk with the rest of the tenants, which was why the relationship between them wasn't that close, except for Mitaka, of course.
Sorata wasn't sure why, but he felt like Mitaka was very kind toward him, and he also had respect toward Mitaka, considering how kind and talented Mitaka was. Unfortunately, Mitaka had moved away, so he was alone in this place.
Sorata loosened his clenched fists, then walked back to his room and felt glad that he had decided to move out at this moment.
---
Shishio, of course, knew that Sorata wanted to enter the dining room, but he didn't think too much. He rode on his motorcycle and warmed the machine up for a moment, giving the helmet to Futaba.
Futaba, who wore a helmet, looked at Shishio, who was riding on the top of the motorcycle, and she had to admit that he was very handsome at that moment.
"Sit on my back," Shishio said.
"I...." Hearing his words, Futaba blushed and looked at the back seat with a blush.
"What's wrong?" Shishio asked with confusion.
"Excuse me..." Futaba's face was so red and nervous, but she nodded and sat behind Shishio slowly, gently, and felt a bit afraid that they might touch each other. She also kept some distance from him, but even so, she could see his wide back that gave her a sense of reassurance. She somehow wanted to stretch her hand to hug him, but she wondered whether she would be too bold.
"Hold my waist," Shishio said.
"H - Hold..." Futaba took a deep breath and decided to be bold by hugging his waist directly. "Ey!"
"..."
Shishio frowned when he could feel something soft on his back. He had to admit that even though Futaba was a bit short, her boobs were at least Nana's level, but Nana was bigger.
Now the question is, how can he know Futaba's size?
It was because Shishio had accepted his reward, "Mathematics Mastery," before. He knew that he used this ability in the most useless way, but he didn't regret it. It might not be related, but he used this ability to know the exact number of every girl that he had seen along the way, including Futaba.
Using his vision, based on the calculation of the length, phi, and various mathematical formulas, he determined the girls' bust and even their tree sizes.
Shishio knew that with "Mathematics Mastery," he could solve various problems, but he used it to determine the girls' bust. If someone knew what he was doing, then without a doubt, they would be jealous of him since they didn't expect that someone could be so smart that they could know someone's bust size with mathematics or some of them might scold him since there was a better way to use this ability.
Haru took a deep breath and asked, "Are you ready?"
"Ye - Yes!" Futaba nodded, put her face on his back, and she had to admit that he smelled good. She didn't expect such a hidden benefit, and she was glad that she came to Sakurasou. She might feel depressed that Shishio had a girlfriend, but this was enough for her.
Shishio nodded then started to drive his motorcycle.
When the motorcycle started to move, Futaba loosened her hands slightly and raised her head, feeling the wind on her face. It was her first time riding on a motorcycle. Still, the night wind, even though it was a bit cold, was strangely comfortable and made her realize that she was alive, but at the same time, she hoped that the time she hoped to have a time-loop ability so this way, there wouldn't be an ending and she could stay like this forever.
"Futaba-san, where's the way to your house?"
"Ah!" Futaba quickly woke up with a reddened face. "Once you see the bridge...."
---
On the road, they talked to each other about trivial matters about class, middle school, where they were born, etc., but then Shishio asked, "Futaba-san, can I ask you something?"
"Sure." Futaba lost her nervousness, she felt very comfortable right now, and once again, she was glad to come to the Sakurasou.
"What do you think of the people in Sakurasou?" Shishio asked.
"Hmm..." Futaba thought for a while and said, "They're completely different from the people in the school."
"Isn't that obvious? If all the people in the school like Shiro-san, I'll directly return to Kyoto." If all the people in the school were like the people on the Sakurasou, then without a doubt, the school would be bankrupt.
"...That's true." Futaba couldn't imagine how it felt when all the people in the school would become like Shiro-san. "But that's not what I want to say." She tried to sort her words again and said, "I mean, they don't put any air. If they want to say something, they say it. There isn't a single lie in their words. I don't feel any pressure with them, and they made the atmosphere so relaxing." She had to admit that compared to the school and her house, even though she had to admit that many people on the Sakurasou were unique (weird), she had to admit that it felt comfortable there and the food that Shishio cooked was great too.
"I see..." Shishio nodded. "I'm glad that you don't feel weirded out by everyone."
"No, no, I have never thought that way," Futaba quickly said.
Shishio nodded and asked, "Can I ask you a question again?"
"What's wrong?" Futaba asked.
"Futaba-san, do you hate me?" Shishio asked.
"Wha --?!" Futaba exclaimed.
"When our eyes met each other at that time, it seemed that you didn't want anyone to know that we know each other, so I thought that you hated me," Shishio said.
"No! No! I don't hate you!" Futaba quickly refuted with a hint of panic.
"Calm down. You don't need to get so nervous," Shishio said. Futaba was moving around, but he had a "Balance Mastery" and "Driving Mastery," so there was no way for them to fall.
"Oh, oh..." Futaba tried to calm herself and said nervously, "The truth is I'm afraid that a lot of people will think of me that I'm not suitable to know you."
"Huh? Why?" Shishio was confused.
Futaba was a bit uncomfortable, so she hugged him tighter and said, "You know... you're like a bright star in the sky, and unlike me, I'm an outcast, so in the school, I'm afraid that you'll be talked about when you're so close with me." Even though it was sad, she didn't want him to be affected by her. Even though her grade was good, her image wasn't that good. She wanted to talk with him, but she didn't want to cause him trouble, her feeling was so contradictory, which made her hate herself.
"Hmm...." Shishio only said that and then neither of them talked again, and their trip became quiet as if the night sky had swallowed them.
Futaba wasn't sure what to say, but she just felt regret for saying all of that now since she knew that their relationship couldn't return to how it used to be, but wasn't this something that she wanted to?
---
"We have arrived," Shishio said.
"...Yes." Futaba's mood was very low at that moment. She looked at her house, which was still dark with a complicated expression, but she didn't know what to say. She stepped down from the motorcycle and wanted to say something, but...
"Futaba-san, can you see this mirror?" Shishio asked while pointing at the mirror on his motorcycle.
"What's wrong?" Futaba was confused and looked at the mirror that reflected her face.
"The mirror reflects you," Shishio said.
"..." Futaba was confused and said, "Isn't that what mirror is supposed to do?"
"You feel that everyone hates you. But that's because you hate everybody," Shishio said.
"....." Futaba couldn't say any refutations.
Shishio looked at Futaba and said, "No, in your case, you're afraid of them, right?" In truth, he just couldn't understand Futaba's reason to talk with Sakuta Azusawaga. He had seen Sakuta, and he could see that guy's eyes were dead, and the way he talked was so bland that it made people feel annoyed just to look at him. With the way Sakuta talked, Shishio also understood why many people turned him into an outcast. As for Futaba's reason to talk with Sakuta because they were outcasts, he didn't understand, nor did he care about it, but he didn't want Futaba to stay midway because of Sakuta. Either she walked back to stay the way she was, or she moved forward, but he hoped she could move forward since staying midway was the most dangerous thing.
Shishio smiled gently and said, "When one sees others smiling, one will inevitably become happy. When one is faced with a solemn expression, one unconsciously becomes nervous. Like a mirror reflecting a person, the attitude of other people mirrors yours."
Futaba was in a daze, staring at Shishio.
"You know, I'm happy that I can talk with you, but I'm afraid that I am the only one who thinks this way," Shishio said.
"No!" Futaba quickly refuted and said, "I'm also happy to talk with you." His existence was bright, but it was just right, and it made her comfortable just to stay with him.
"Thank you." Shishio smiled and said, "But from now on, I won't talk with you."
"..." Futaba was dumbfounded.
"I have always been the one who took the initiative to greet you, but now, I want you to be the one who takes the initiative." Shishio looked at Futaba and said, "I won't ask you to befriend everyone or greet everyone, but try to smile and greet me at school that way, I'll greet you back with a smile, and we can talk like before." He then put on his helmet again and said, "I'll go back first. See you next Monday, Futaba-san." Leaving such words, he then left directly since Saki was waiting for him, but he stopped and said, "I believe you can do it, Futaba-san."
Futaba looked at Shishio's back and didn't immediately go back to her house. Her heart was a bit heavy, and she wasn't sure whether she could do it. She had always been very passive, and she had never tried to move forward. However, Shishio wanted her to move forward. It was just a small step, telling her to greet him with a smile. It sounded easy, but at the same time, it was tough.
'However...'
Futaba took a deep breath and had made up her mind. She knew that her feelings might be unrequired, and Shishio had a girlfriend, but she still wanted to talk with him like before.
'Next Monday...'
There were still two days before school started. Futaba thought to practice greeting him that day.