Minato’s Childhood Friends

I lightly greeted my classmates, whose names and faces I had finally started to recognize in the past few days, and took my seat.

"You look sleepy as ever, have you been up late playing games again?"

My childhood best friend, Kazuma Mutsura, said in disgust.

It was true that I had been up late last night, but the reason was entirely different. I couldn't explain the reason, so I would just let him think what he wanted.

"Yeah, well, I was a little enthusiastic."

"You're not a little enthusiastic, you're over enthusiastic."

"That's true."

When I admitted it, he laughed hysterically. I was annoyed and tried to step on his foot, but he neatly avoided me.

I raised an eyebrow and looked at Kazuma, who now had a smirk on his face.

"Oh, by the way, when it comes to games, isn't Minato's type silver hair and blue eyes?""Well, that's my preference, but only in games."

I did like silver hair and blue eyes in games. I just didn't expect to see it in person, though.

I had never heard or seen anything like that before, but I didn't think her hair was dyed.

Based on her response yesterday, it seemed to be a minefield, so I would not mention that topic again.

"Then why don't you talk to the freshman who has been the talk of the school?"

"No, thanks."

The mention of Airi threw me off for a moment, but I was careful not to let my attitude show.

"Why not?"

"Give me a break. With the way I look, there's no way I could match up to her."

"You look ordinary though."

"You make me so angry."

I had featureless black hair and another featureless face, a stark contrast to my childhood friend who had the perfect face sitting in front of me.

It was partly because I didn't want to go out of my way to talk and bother her, but it was also true that we didn't match.

I frowned at him, and Kazuma's face turned into an awkward grimace.

"Let's not talk about the face. By now, Shiori is probably working hard trying to ask her to go home together as they're in the same class. Maybe you'll get to go home with the freshmen today."

Another childhood friend of mine. A girl one year younger than me and who was also Kazuma's girlfriend, Shiori Momose.

Thinking back to Airi's reaction yesterday, I thought there was little hope that we could go home together, but I couldn't deny him here.

"Well, let's just hope for the best."

"I don't think there's much that Shiori can do about it though."

Momose had good communication skills and could get along with anyone. Due to her cheerful personality, she had always had many friends.

Knowing this, Kazuma had hopeful eyes, as if he believed Momose could pull anything off. Normally I would agree with him, but this time I smirked inwardly, knowing that the other party was wrong.

I wondered if this was going to turn into a conversation fully about Airi. But then, Kazuma changed the subject with a 'By the way,'

"Minato, why did your stepmother call you yesterday?"

He asked me in a serious tone, as if the cheerful disposure he had earlier was simply an illusion. Perhaps he was more interested in this from the beginning.

I had known Kazuma for a long time, so he knew all about my family situation, and I also told him that my stepmother called me yesterday.

However, I couldn't tell him that I started living with Airi because it would bother her. I would say what my stepmother was likely to say and lie about it.

"She just told me not to bother her again this year."

"She came all the way here to complain? She never changes, does she?"

"Not at all."

"I failed. I asked her to go home with us, but she refused."

After school, Momose was walking next to Kazuma and me. Her shoulders were slumped and depressed. It seemed that she really wanted to talk to Airi.

Kazuma patted Momose's sullen head in a comforting way.

If you're going to be flirting, please do it when you are alone.

"If Shiori can't do it, then others can't either."

"I never thought I'd have trouble communicating with someone."

She seemed to have gained some energy, but her smile was still awkward.

It seemed that Airi's statement 'I don't intend to make friends' was true. After all, even Momose had failed.

"Did she reject you?"

"No, she just smiled softly and said she had some things to do today."

"Oh, well, maybe next time you can ask her again and we can go home together."

"Don't force yourself, Momose."

No offense to Momose, but I didn't think Airi's answer would change no matter how many times she tried.

If that was the case, I thought it would be better to lessen the effort for both of them as much as possible, so I told Momose.

"Minato-kun, do you think what I am doing is a mistake?"

Momose glared at me as she gave me her best disappointed stare.

"No, I'm sure Momose will be fine, but just in case."

"It's unusual for Minato to pay attention to Shiori about something like this."

It was true that I almost never paid attention to Momose about such things.

She was not the kind of girl who got her distances wrong, so I thought she'd be okay. The fact that I had never told her that before now seems to have been a problem.

Careful not to show my nervousness, I said,

"Is that so? I just thought that maybe she might have a communication disorder like me, and I think it would be counterproductive to keep inviting someone like that."

"I don't think Minato-kun has a communication disorder. I just think you don't want to get too involved with other people."

"I'm not as good looking as you guys, and I can't talk about anything interesting. If we're talking about friends, you guys are enough."

The two of them had been friends with me for a long time, so they knew my personality well, while others did not.

It was not that I rejected my classmates, but we usually just had bland conversations.

You don't want to be friends with someone you don't enjoy being with.

"It's nice of you to say so, but I still think it's a shame."

"You're right. I don't think being able to talk about interesting things is a requirement for being a friend."

"Leave me alone."

I felt embarrassed and turned away as they praised me, but they kept teasing me as much as they could.