General 37

Test

Chapter 37. Because It's The First Time

"Hey, hey, Kotomi. Can I talk to you for a moment?"

During the break between classes, I had a matter to attend to, so I visited the classroom of Class C, which was in another class.

It seemed that Class C would have a mobile class next, and the classroom was buzzing with activity.

Until I entered the classroom.

(Ring~)

All eyes from Class C turned towards me as I walked in.

"What's up, Yu... Kamiya, coming all the way to another class."

Kotomi, with her arms crossed, approached me looking somewhat annoyed.

"Before we get to the point, can I cry? Why does time stop when I come here? I can't even stop time with my Soul Armor!"

"When someone from another class comes, it's like that. Unlike your Class A, we're not used to seeing Kamiya and the disciplinary committee armband here."

Maybe because we were in front of classmates, Kotomi's tone was sharper than usual, and she called me "Kamiya" instead of "Yuu."

"Kotomi's being nice... Even though when I consulted with Suo-senpai the other day, she bluntly said it's because you're disliked."

"Sh-Shut up! If the pair for the practical training isn't doing well, it'll be troublesome for us! So, what's your business?"

Blushing, Kotomi forcefully changed the subject.

Come to think of it, since the next class for Class C seemed to be a mobile one, I needed to make it brief.

"Come to my place after school today."

"Huh?"

"As usual, let's meet at the school gate. That's all."

I quickly conveyed my message and left Kotomi, who seemed to freeze like her classmates in Class C and hurried back to my class.

After school.

As I headed to the school gate, Kotomi was already waiting.

"You kept me waiting, Kotomi."

"Yeah... Oh, by the way, don't you usually go home with Koho-senpai?"

Huh?

Kotomi's attitude seemed gentler than usual.

Just earlier, she had a prickly attitude, probably because of the people around us, but when there were eyes on us, Kotomi usually had a sharp attitude towards me.

"Mina has an extracurricular activity for the whole second year today, so she's not here. She seems to be coming home late today."

"R-Right... I-I forgot about that."

Fidgeting, Kotomi nervously played with her bangs.

Upon closer inspection, perhaps because of the tinted lip balm she applied, her lips looked faintly moist and fresh.

"Well, shall we go?"

"Yeah..."

As Kotomi timidly followed behind me, I quickened my pace to create some distance between us.

"W-Why are you walking ahead?"

Kotomi caught up with me in a little jog.

She looked on the verge of tears.

"Huh? But you said before that you didn't want us to be seen walking together because it's embarrassing, and people will talk."

"T-That's... If someone sees us walking together, it's too late to be worried about that in front of everyone..."

"...? I can't quite see where this is going, but I guess it means you're okay with walking with me. That makes me happy."

"Yeah, I'm... Then let's go..."

Kotomi timidly grasped the hem of my uniform jacket and silently followed behind me.

"I-I'm sorry for intruding."

Timidly, like a borrowed cat, Kotomi entered my house.

"Ar-Are your family members...?"

"No, I live alone in this house."

"Oh... I-I'm feeling a bit hot..."

"Summer's coming soon. I'll turn on the air conditioner."

Seeing Kotomi fanning her flushed face with her hand, I picked up the remote control for the air conditioner.

"Oh, it's okay. The air from the air conditioner interferes when I smell things."

"Smell... interferes?"

"Because it's the first time, I want to make it an uncontaminated, pristine memory."

With determined eyes, Kotomi looked straight at me.

For just visiting a friend's house, that's quite an exaggerated determination.

If Kotomi, my guest, doesn't want it, I don't have to turn on the air conditioner.

"So, I've prepared some drinks. Shall we go to my room right away?"

"Huh?! Y-Your room already?"

Despite the determined expression she had earlier, Kotomi panicked.

"Do you have something else you want to do at my house today?"

I tilted my head slightly and asked Kotomi.

"W-Well... are you planning to make a girl like me say it from my mouth?"

Grasping the hem of her school skirt tightly, Kotomi blushed and then, after gathering her courage, lifted her head.

"I'll go... I came today with that intention, so please... be gentle..."

Her petite body trembled slightly, but there was no hesitation anymore.

"Are you nervous, Kotomi?"

"O-Of course! I-It's my first time..."

Oh, the sharp-tongued honors student Kotomi is back a little.

"It's my first time too."

"Huh?"

Kotomi turned to me with a genuinely surprised expression.

"Huh, surprised?"

"I thought... you and Senior Kobo were already... experienced in that...?"

"Ahh, Meena and I are the same; we're not good at this kind of thing."

I chuckled awkwardly and scratched my cheek with a bit of embarrassment.

"Huh? Yu, you're not good at it?"

"Yeah. As you know, I'm really bad at it."

"T-Then, why today...?"

"Umm, I thought I'd feel more comfortable and relaxed with a classmate like you, Kotomi, rather than someone else."

"If it's me... is it okay?"

"Yeah, Kotomi is fine."

"I-It makes me happy! I'm so happy right now, Yuu!"

With tears welling up in her eyes, Kotomi gave me a wrinkled smile.

"That's good to hear. Shall we go to the room then?"

"Yeah!"

As we climbed the stairs to the second floor where my room was, Kotomi, who was nestled closely by my side, showed no signs of hesitation or trembling anymore.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

"I wonder if it's connected..."

Because it was the first time, I was anxious, but it seemed like it went smoothly.

Kotomi did most of the setup for me, though.

Kotomi is reliable.

Even though it was my first time, my movements were somewhat practiced.

Choosing Kotomi as my first partner was not a mistake.

"Hey, Toshi-nii, can you see me? Can you see the video?"

"Yeah, I can see and hear you clearly, Yuusuke."

Wearing a headset in front of the desktop computer, I waved my hand towards the webcam, and Toshi-nii, displayed on the monitor, confirmed that both the video and audio were good.

"Wow, technology has become so convenient. Being able to have a web call with Toshi-nii at a distant base while seeing his face like this."

"Even though you're young, you talk like those old generals."

"Oh, was that disrespectful to a superior, Lieutenant Colonel Kobayakawa? Is this a case for disciplinary action?"

"Throwing in unfunny power harassment jokes like that is just like those old generals."

I can't beat Toshi-nii, huh?

I wish other officers at the General Staff Headquarters would learn from how he treats me, nervously.

"But before we get to the point, Yuusuke, who's the teary-eyed girl sitting behind you?"

Well, that's something to wonder about.

Through the webcam showing our own station, I glance back at Kotomi sitting in seiza.

Kotomi is trembling, her face so red it looks like she's about to explode.

Is she holding it in because she needs to use the bathroom?

"That's Kotomi, a classmate of mine. She helped me set up the webcam and connection. Since it's my first web conference call, I'm really bad with machines like this."

"I see... I don't really get it, but you should apologize to her later."

"Why?!"

It's not good to apologize without reason, Toshi-nii!

"If that's all, I'll hang up now."

"What?! Since it's a web call, let's talk more, Toshi-nii!"

"Unlike you students, I'm busy. See you."

With a cheerful sound, the call from Toshi-nii disconnected.

He still has that salty attitude.

But well, he always listens to my requests, so he's kind.

"Phew, I managed to ask him. Oh, thanks Kotomi. Thanks to you, I was able to have a web call with Toshi-nii."

Taking off the headset, I called out to Kotomi, who was inexplicably sitting properly behind me.

"Apologize..."

"Huh?"

"Apologize to me! Apologize properly, Yuu! Otherwise, I won't forgive you!"

With tears in her eyes, huffing and puffing, and seemingly angry, Kotomi appears to have steam rising from her head, and for some reason, she's angry.

"Umm... I'm sorry?"

Pressured by Kotomi's spirit, I apologized without understanding, but...

"Apologize with more sincerity! Seriously, don't you even understand why you should apologize!"

Oh, busted.

But yeah, it's really insincere to not apologize to Kotomi, who came to my house to help me set up the web call.

"Sorry, Kotomi. I didn't understand why you were angry. Can you explain it to me?"

"W-Well..."

Kotomi quickly loses momentum and starts fidgeting.

"I'm not very knowledgeable about the world, so I want you to explain it to me in detail."

"I-It's just..."

Kotomi quickly loses her anger and becomes fidgety.

"Because I'm not going to say it myself!"

Hmm.

Looks like she won't tell me the answer easily.

But if things continue like this, the situation won't be resolved.

In that case...

"Then let's try calling Toshi-nii again on the web call, explain the situation to him, and ask him questions about you. Um, let me select his contact..."

"Gyaaaa! Stop it! Stop it! Turn off the camera, Yuu!"

"Hey! It's not good to release tear gas inside the house, Kotomi!"

In the end, I struggled to calm down Kotomi's fluster.

Ultimately,

"As an apology, I'll give you this stuffed animal!"

In a desperate attempt, I handed Kotomi the electric mouse stuffed animal I had been using as a pillow since I was a child.

"Aah... I feel calmer..."

And for some reason, Kotomi's mood improved rapidly.

I've been using this stuffed animal for years, so it might have a smell, right?

Is it okay?

Girls really do seem to be happy when you give them stuffed animals or cute things.

Next time, I'll teach this to Toshi-nii, who's not popular with women during our web calls.

"But, this stuffed animal smells like Koho-senpai too..."

I don't know.

I've never seen Mina touch this stuffed animal, but did she do something with it while I was away?

After that, under the guise of scenting, Kotomi was ordered to hold the stuffed animal for about an hour.

Who benefits from this?