I looked at the two postcards I had confiscated from Wataru. One of the illustrations depicted my best friend; while the artist had captured her features perfectly, she had been dressed up to satisfy some very niche obsession. Despite the improbable outfit, the composition was so well-executed that I could feel Shirai-san's genuine artistic talent shining through.
"I mean, what am I even supposed to do with these? Do I return them? And if so, to which one?"
"Aichi? What’s up?"
"?! Um...!"
I was standing by the classroom window at the very back of the room, scowling at the cards, when the girl who had served as the model for the illustration suddenly appeared. I hurriedly shoved the postcards into my desk and grabbed the smartphone resting on my lap, pretending I'd been looking at it all along.
"O-Oh, my mom just asked me to pick up some things on the way home..."
"Ah, groceries are heavy, aren't they? No wonder even our Aichi is making a face like that."
"Ahaha..."
"I know! Why don't you have Sajocchi carry them for you? Oh, wait—he’s out of commission right now, isn't he?"
"E-Even if his hand weren't injured, I wouldn't ask him. It’s a family matter."
As usual, Kei treated Wataru with a complete lack of ceremony. Wataru, despite being the target of such blatant disregard, didn't seem to mind much even as he grumbled back. According to him, this was just how they communicated. It certainly didn't look like there was any ill intent behind it, so maybe it wasn't a problem.
"It’s such a pain when you injure a part of your body you use all the time. I’ve even gone running before without realizing I’d sprained my ankle."
"Eh...?"
Sitting backward in Wataru’s chair, Kei spoke with a note of genuine consideration, not mockery. It was a surprising reaction given their usual dynamic.
"And then I'd let out a weird scream and get laughed at by everyone around me."
"That happened to you too, Kei?"
"Yeah. It’s just 'injury woes.' I think anyone who's ever been in a sports club has been through it at some point, right?"
"..."
The color drained from my face as I listened to her. How many times had I scolded Wataru over his clumsiness? At first, I’d been concerned, but as the incidents piled up, I felt like I might have eventually thrown some truly heartless words at him. Perhaps Wataru’s behavior had been unavoidable all along...
"—But even so, Sajocchi is such a klutz!"
"............Eh?"
"How many times have we heard him scream over the last few days? It’s like he’s physically incapable of learning! I might actually beat him on the next test at this rate!"
"Ehh..."
Kei recounted Wataru's failures with great delight. As I thought, the two of them were simply the type to constantly poke at each other. She was being quite harsh to someone who was actually injured; I couldn't really sympathize. Since Kei was the one saying it, she probably wasn't wrong... but I wondered if my regret about overstepping was still valid.
"Maybe I... was worrying too much."
"I don't think so. If it wasn't for Aichi’s doting, devoted care, we would’ve been forced to hear that scream dozens more times."
"I-I wasn't being doting...!"
Besides, dozens of times is way too many! No matter how much of a klutz Wataru is, I don't think he's that bad... he's not... right? The person in question was so carefree about it that I couldn’t feel confident either way.
"Ah. Enter Mr. Dummy."
"—What was that? You looking for a fight? Huh?"
Wataru, who had been out of the room, returned. Met with a sudden insult the moment he stepped in, Wataru furrowed his brows and glared down at Kei. I believe they call that "staring someone down." I didn't think that was the kind of face he should be making at a girl, though...
"...!"
Suddenly, our eyes met. Wataru’s face twitched awkwardly, and he slumped his shoulders, looking small. The incident with the postcards earlier was likely still weighing on him. I was absolutely not giving those two back. Shirai-san was the one who drew them in the first place. H-He should be grateful I didn't take away the card with my illustration on it. As for what he intended to do with that one... I'd leave it up to him.
"H-Hey, Ashida, move. That's my seat."
"Nope."
"Why?"
"Nope."
"It’s not 'nope.'"
"Nope."
"What are you two doing...? Come on, Kei."
"Boo. I was just doing my Airi-chan impression."
"You don't sound like her at all."
"Your voice is so cold!"
Dismissed by Wataru and then by me, Kei stood up from Wataru's seat with a pout. Or rather, I didn't think it was very proper for a girl to be hugging the back of a boy's chair like that. I-It might give him the wrong idea... though I doubted that would ever happen with Wataru.
"Where were you?"
"I went to wash my hands while I was changing my bandages. I went all the way to a restroom where nobody was around."
"Ah..."
"Uwaa, sounds like a hassle. If you hadn't been such a klutz and slammed your hand onto an exposed nail, you wouldn't have to deal with all that."
".........Yeah. You're absolutely right."
"...?"
Something felt off. His energy seemed different from Kei’s. He looked depressed. Maybe the injury was so severe that even with bandages, it was still painful and difficult to manage? But for someone in that much pain, he was awfully reckless about using his left hand...
"Sigh... I wish I had an invincible, ultimate body. Like Nee-chan’s."
"—Who did you say has a body made of steel?"
"Whoa!?"
"!"
A languid, somewhat imposing voice suddenly cut in. While Kei and I were startled, Wataru jumped even higher, his shoulders twitching. It was another reaction that looked like it would send a jolt through his left hand; it made me nervous just watching him.
I turned toward the voice. Standing there was a senior and the Vice President of the Student Council—Wataru’s older sister.
"W-Why is Nee-chan in this classroom...? Besides, I didn't say—"
"Who did you say has a magnificent, ultimate physique?"
"I meant Onee-sama’s bangin’ bod..."
"Shut up. Don't look at me."
"This is so unfair..."
The moment she entered Class 1-C, his sister brushed Wataru off coldly. Even coming from me, someone who had been strict with Wataru, I felt like he was being treated a bit too poorly for an injured person. Although as an outsider, I wasn't really in a position to comment on how they acted as siblings.
"...I see you're changing your bandages properly."
"What of it? I told you I'm doing it."
"I'm only saying it because you usually don't do anything properly."
After Kei, now he was in a verbal sparring match with his sister. It really seemed like Wataru was having a run of bad luck. However, looking at what his sister was focusing on, it could also be interpreted as her being worried. They really were siblings after all; seeing that made me feel a little relieved.
"Um... were you, by any chance, worried about Wataru?"
"Huh?"
"Ah, um..."
"............I had this other business to attend to as well."
"...Flyers?"
Kei took the stack of papers his sister had been holding against her shoulder. Wataru and I peeked over Kei’s shoulder as she immediately began reading.
"‘Notice of Recruitment for Student Council Officers’...?"
"Make sure those get distributed to everyone in the class."
"Ah, hey...!"
"Don't go banging your hand and causing trouble for Natsukawa-san and the others."
"Ugh...!"
As if her business were finished, his sister quickly turned and left the classroom. S-She was actually kind of cool... and since she didn't deny being worried about Wataru, maybe delivering the flyers was just an excuse to come check on her brother.
"It says they’re recruiting Student Council Officers! Why don't you run, Aichi?"
"Honestly, don't just say things so lightly."
"Then maybe I’ll run for Student Council President~?"
"...Isn't that impossible?"
"Ah—! Aichi just made fun of me!"
"I-I wasn't making fun of you, okay? It’s just a little... no, never mind."
"How can you be so blatant about covering it up!?"
I-I mean, when you think of the Student Council President... you think of someone who excels in both academics and sports, who has an upstanding character, and specifically at this school, someone from a wealthy family who acts like a mature adult... compared to the current President, the gap was just a bit too wide.
"W-What do you think, Wataru? ...Wataru?"
"Student Council... huh."
When I spoke to him to change the subject, Wataru was silently staring at the recruitment flyer. Even though his sister was currently the Vice President, I didn't think he would have any interest in it, so it was a little surprising. D-Don't tell me...
"Eh. Sajocchi, are you actually going to run...?"
"As if. No way... it’s too much of a pain."
"Thought so~"
"We have to hand these out."
"Ah, I’ll do it."
"Then I’ll start from the hallway side!"
Leaving two on the desk for me and Wataru, Kei and I each took half of the rest. Wataru stepped back from the task without another word.
Wataru had denied wanting to run, but his eyes remained fixed on the flyer. There shouldn't have been anything strange written on it, yet for some reason, he had such a solemn look on his face. That troubled expression of his left a lasting impression on me.