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I slowly opened my eyes at the sound of my alarm.
The day always seems to break faster when you've got things to do…
I got out of bed and slipped into something more comfortable to go exercise. It was a daily routine I was already used to, though I had to make some adjustments, which meant waking up earlier than usual.
I needed to be at school by 8, so I still had plenty of time.
Once ready, I headed out and jogged to a nearby park, where I went through my usual workout. At this point, it's more of a habit—I do it whether I want to or not.
After finishing and wiping the sweat from my forehead, it was time to head back home. Since it was winter, the mornings were cold, but with my body constantly moving, the chill wasn't that bad.
Back home, I went upstairs to my room before heading to the shower. A long, relaxing shower later, with the fatigue washed away, I returned to my room to put on my school uniform. Double-checking that I had everything ready, I grabbed my bag and went to the kitchen.
My parents had already left for work, but breakfast was on the table. On days when Mom runs late, I'm the one who cooks.
Without rushing, I enjoyed my meal, then washed the dishes.
If you're wondering why I woke up early today and am leaving for school an hour ahead of time, the answer is simple. Yesterday, on my way home, I realized that even if Kawasaki skips training at the academy, she still has to go to school—and in her current state, that wouldn't be easy.
So after thinking it through, on my way to the pizzeria, I decided I'd walk her to school until she can get around on her own again.
I know, I'm quite the gentleman. But if I told her, I'm sure she'd refuse, insisting she can manage by herself.
That's why if I just show up at her house, she won't have the chance to turn me down. Genius, right?
It's not like anyone is forcing me to do this—after all, I already did what Sensei asked, which was to walk her home.
But during my time training with him, I've learned that sometimes his words carry hidden meaning. So when he told me to take Kawasaki home, it could also be understood as asking me to look after her—to make sure she fully recovers.
I'm not against it either, since it is my fault she's in this condition. I always take responsibility for my actions. Otherwise, what kind of person would I be?
That's why I got up earlier today—I'd need extra time to get to Kawasaki's place and still walk her to school.
Logically, she doesn't attend the same school as me, so I had to be mindful of the time. I couldn't afford to be late to my own.
Once the dishes were cleaned and dried, it was time to head out. But just as I was about to leave, I heard footsteps coming down the stairs.
My adorable little sister Rumi, still in her pajamas, came down rubbing her sleepy eyes.
"Onii-chan, why are you up so early?"
"Morning, Rumi. Your beloved Onii-chan's got things to do, so I'm heading out," I said cheerfully.
"That's unusual for you…" She eyed me suspiciously.
Nothing gets past her.
"Yesterday during training, I ended up hurting a classmate. She can't walk right now, so I'm taking her to school."
"Did she ask you to?" Rumi asked, tilting her head thoughtfully.
"No, although I'm sure that if I tell her, she'll refuse, so I plan to visit her by surprise." Since Kawasaki rejected any help from the other students, I'm certain she'd reject mine too.
"Onii-chan." Her tone shifted. "Don't you think this could be seen as stalking?" Rumi brought her hands to her eyes as if wiping away tears. "I can't believe you've become a stalker, but it doesn't matter—since I'm your little sister, it's my duty to support you…" After saying this, Rumi put on a look of resignation.
Rumi-chan, your words pierced your brother's heart. Who taught you to say things like that? Now that I think about it… it was me, so I guess I can't complain.
I like how Rumi acts now. Ever since that little incident over a year ago, she's been nicer to me, able to joke around easily, yet she's still as confident as ever in everything she does and says. I'm quite proud of her.
I couldn't help but start patting her head.
"Don't worry, Rumi. Even if your brother becomes a stalker, you'll always be my number one."
Rumi grimaced at my words.
"Total siscon!" After she said that, we both laughed.
These moments we share are really fun, even though the topics aren't the kind of things normal siblings would talk about.
"So, Onii-chan, are you going to walk that girl home too?"
Oh, I hadn't thought of that…
"I guess so. I plan to walk her home until she's fully recovered—about a week should be enough."
"Does that mean you won't be walking Yumiko home?"
…Right. I completely overlooked that little detail.
Ever since I became friends with Yumiko, I usually walk her home every afternoon, or sometimes she comes over to my place. I guess I'll have to let her know about the change of plans during lunch.
Though knowing her, she'll accept it—but she'll definitely ask for something in return. That girl's bolder than she looks.
"I'll talk to her at lunch. I don't think it'll be a problem."
"I'm sure Yumiko-san will ask for compensation." Rumi's voice sounded almost cheerful.
For some reason, a chill ran down my spine, as if warning me today wouldn't be as simple as I thought.
"I've already resigned myself." I sighed.
"Well then, I wish you luck, Onii-chan. You're going to need it. Since I still have some time before school, I think I'll sleep a little longer."
With that, Rumi went upstairs to her room.
After saying goodbye to her, I picked up my briefcase from the sofa and headed out toward Kawasaki's house.
After several minutes of walking, I spotted the house of that blue-haired girl who looks like a delinquent. Her home wasn't too far from mine, so I left a bit earlier just in case
As I got closer, I saw Kawasaki stepping out of her house.
Blue hair tied in a ponytail, gray eyes, a white blouse with the top buttons undone, and a short green skirt—her appearance, combined with her expression, perfectly fit the delinquent stereotype.
I'm starting to think she really is a delinquent…
As far as I know, there's no middle school nearby with a uniform like that.
It was good I decided to be cautious and offer to help her. Walking that distance on her own would only slow down her recovery.
As I approached, Kawasaki finally noticed me.
"Tsurumi, what the hell are you doing here!?" She looked completely shocked, as if she'd seen a ghost.
"Waiting for you. Isn't it obvious?" I leaned against a nearby wall as I said this.
My words seemed to irritate her a little—her frown made that clear.
"I guess so." She sighed. "But what I mean is, why are you waiting for me?"
She didn't look thrilled about my presence, though I'm used to that kind of reaction.
"To walk you to school. Not hard to understand, is it?"
Kawasaki looked annoyed. I guess this is about as far as I can push before overstepping our level of familiarity.
"Tsurumi…"
"Walking such a long distance on your own isn't going to help your condition. In fact, I'm pretty sure it'll make things worse," I cut in.
At my words, Kawasaki seemed thoughtful, as if carefully weighing her situation.
"I think you're right… but I still don't understand why you're here. One of my parents could walk me to school," she said, avoiding my gaze.
I didn't need to be an expert to tell she was lying. From what I saw yesterday, Kawasaki isn't the kind of person who likes being a burden to others.
"We both know that's not true. And if it is, then why do you walk to school alone?"
She couldn't answer.
"I… well…"
"Don't be stubborn and let me take responsibility. You said my disqualification didn't count as your victory. If your injury gets worse, I doubt you'll be able to return to the academy anytime soon."
Cliché words, inspired by a certain web novel I've been reading.
After hearing my oddly convincing argument—which didn't sound like something a teenager would say—Kawasaki reluctantly accepted my company.
Without wasting more time, I stood beside her and supported her with my arm. Of course, she could walk on her own, but she'd be limping, and all that effort would only make her injury worse.
With no further issues, we started walking, with her leading the way.
Yesterday was the first time we really exchanged many words, even if it didn't seem like it. Today, as usual, we kept quiet.
The walk was a bit long, but silence can be pleasant too.
As we walked, I felt Kawasaki's gaze on me from time to time—specifically on my face. At first, I thought it was just a coincidence, but as the minutes passed, I could still feel her eyes on me.
"Kawasaki, do I have something on my face?"
If I'm curious, it's better to ask.
"I just thought the color of your eyes was interesting. At the academy they're a reddish color, but now they're brown, so I thought maybe I was mistaken," she replied in her usual indifferent tone.
I currently wear contact lenses, and when I exercise or stay at home, I usually don't. It's obvious, isn't it? One wrong move and they could fall out or hurt me.
"I wear contacts because my eyes tend to attract too much attention, so I prefer to use them at school."
Attracting attention also has its downsides—like being the target of teasing or bullying.
"I can see that when the color of your eyes changes, you look pretty different, like it's something that defines you." She studied me with curiosity, as if I were some kind of fascinating animal.
I couldn't help but laugh at her words. They were almost identical to what my father said when I asked him to buy me contact lenses.
"Is that funny?" Kawasaki seemed to misunderstand my laugh.
"It's not that. It's just your words sounded a lot like what my father told me, so I couldn't help laughing."
After I said that, she seemed to calm down.
"I see. Well, if you have your reasons, it's your choice," she said, turning her gaze back to the path.
"Oh, I didn't expect you to be so considerate."
It was a surprise to see her more thoughtful than she appeared. Or maybe she just wasn't interested enough in me to want to know more.
"Everyone has things they don't want to share with others."
"Good point."
And with that, our conversation came to an end.
We continued walking while Kawasaki gave me a few directions, and after a few more minutes, we reached the entrance of her school.
My job was done—something I could take pride in.
I parted ways with Kawasaki at the school gates. It's not like she couldn't walk on her own, but this distance shouldn't be a problem.
"Thanks for walking me here, Tsurumi." She gave a small nod.
"It's nothing. I just want to make sure you recover quickly. By the way, I'll come back at dismissal."
The walk back wouldn't be any shorter. And if you're wondering why not take the train, the answer is simple: it wouldn't make a difference. Kawasaki's house is far from the station, and her school is also a good walk from there. It'd be more of a hassle—and trains aren't free either.
"There's no need to come back for me. I'll ask some friends to walk me home," she replied quickly.
As she finished speaking, I noticed her glance away for a brief moment.
When people are bad at lying, they give off little signs—whether it's an involuntary movement or a flicker in their expression.
If I called her out, Kawasaki would just refuse my help again. It's better to just show up when her classes end.
"Alright then, see you, Kawasaki."
"See you, Tsurumi."
She walked toward her school, and I figured I should head to mine as well.
As I made my way, I recalled a few things I'd seen during my time at the academy. I couldn't help but wonder why Kawasaki is so unwilling to accept help from others.