18. Hero and silence
From here on, there will be foreshadowing throughout several chapters.......or rather, it's that. Well, you will know when you see it.
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The next day at school.
As expected or rather, the usual Karen who wears white jersey and bloomer with a blue coat transferred to here, and there was a different atmosphere flowing in Iwato's class.
Currently, it's lunch break.
Intimate students went to the convenient store to buy sweets for Karen and the guys looked at the appearance and loosen their expressions while Eita looked at the situation with an indescribable expression.
[Master! Because I have cleared the trial, I'm officially your pupil from today, right!?]
[.......Eh? A-Ah, come to think of it, yeah]
Iwato took his lunch at his seat while smiling wryly.
And, the seat on his right, Karen whose seat is the back seat at the third column from the window, have her seat next to Iwato while blushing a little as she ate a sandwich.
And, Eita who always took lunch with Iwato, flinched unintentionally after seeing Karen's state.
However, Karen is Iwato's faithful pupil. She don't have the intention to interfere with Iwato's friendship and school life.
[Ah, Hiragishi-kun, you can also join in! I want to hear Hiragishi-kun's opinion as you're Master's close friend!]
[Eh? No, I don't particularly intend to do so......]
[It's okay, just come here quick!]
And just like that, Eita who sat in front, was forced to merge his desk with Iwato's, and as a result, it became the normal situation but with Karen around.
Well, although they are interfered by 『Karen's food duty』 students later, a more cheerful laughter resounded in the class compared when Karen is not here.
☆☆☆
After school on the very same day.
[Say, Karen-chan! Today, everyone in the class planned to go somewhere to celebrate Karen-chan's return, so do you want to come along?]
Iwato thought of this after hearing the voice from his side while tidying his stuffs. "Um, no one told me about it, though".
In addition, Karen certainly transferred to here without letting anyone know. Then, the students of this class think of the plan today, and try to do it today. What an ability to get things done.
Just like that, when Iwato conceals his little sadness, amazement and surprise in his heart as he tidies up his textbooks, he realized that the neighboring conversation stopped completely.
When he turns his sight to the side due to curiosity, there's a figure of Karen who looks at Iwato blushingly. When her eyes met with Iwato's, she quickly averted her eyes.
And, the female students had a broad grin when seeing her.
[Oh, so Karen-chan won't go if your beloved Nagumo-kun don't come along, huh?]
[Wha!? W-W-Wh-What are you saying!? I-I don't particularly like Master at all!]
When Karen shouted so, she averted her eyes from the students who are grinning. And, her eyes met with Iwato once again who had a wry smile.
[For the time being, I know that Karen don't like me, and there's nothing in particular that needs to be done. So why not you go?]
[M-Master!?]
Of course Iwato is being inconsiderate now. Iwato knew what Karen said just now was just a lie.
After all, Karen was said to be an 『Iwato Complex』 by that brother complex Tsumugu. Anyone would know that it's impossible that she don't have any feelings for him when she keeps on calling "Master, Master" with a smile.
However, Iwato don't know to what extent Karen's feeling is. That's why, he probably don't think that the feeling that she holds is not 『Love』.
Well, that's because Iwato has never been pointed with an easy-to-know love feeling by someone.
Anyway, Karen realized her verbal slip and she dropped her shoulders. The female students who saw that, said this to Iwato.
[Un, as expected, Karen-chan doesn't want to go if Nagumo-kun doesn't come along. If you're free, won't you come along? Please?]
At an instant, Karen raised her face quickly.
Although the students had a wry smile as they saw her quick change, only Iwato pondered while putting his hand at his chin.
What comes to his mind is his stepsister who waits for him alone in the house.
Although it will probably end with just [Late...food] if he returned a little late, still, he felt displeasure when he thought of going out with other people while leaving her alone at home.
That's why, Iwato tries to apologize to her--
『You got a mail』
At the next moment, a message was received in his status application as if it's acting on its own, and Iwato had a stiff smile when he saw the subject.
『Today...I'll tolerate』
Iwato clears the email's notification by sliding it, and raises his face and consent.
☆☆☆
After that, the classmates who have decided to go to the shopping district's game center for the time being, started to walked in a group.
Although everyone is talking cheerfully, Iwato didn't cut into the conversation, and because he didn't have anyone close to him in particular, he walked at the back.
By the way, Eita seemed to have club activities.
Hence, even that Iwato felt miserable, and he seemed to leak a sigh by this situation that completely ignores the word "Time is money".
--However, even a time like this can kill time.
When Iwato looks at the surroundings while walking, there was a figure of an old woman who's carrying a large luggage, walking on the same direction.
Iwato ran to that person, and began to talk to the old woman.
[Are you okay? Should I carry your luggage?]
[Oh? Thank you]
[No, I am young, so leave it to me]
Iwato who uses honorifics to elders.
Iwato said so with a smile and carries her luggage. He then escorts her to the moving floor, and he starts to walk slowly according to the movement.
Just like that, the old woman get off the moving floor as the destination can be seen, and she thanked Iwato and received her luggage from him.
[I'm sorry. Even though you were on the way to go out with your friends...]
[It's okay. Obaa-san has endured the Year of Disaster. You are a splendid adult who have prospered the town this far. Let me help you this much]
[Oh my! Black haired boy, how nice of you....... I can't be moved to tears when being an elder]
The old woman said so and started to wipe her tears.
She gave Iwato a few candies on parting, and she left after saying her thanks.
When Iwato returned to the students' group after seeing her off, he looked around the surroundings again.
For the crying boy who had his balloon hooked on the tree's branch, Iwato jumped lightly and picked it up.
For the crying girl who dropped her ice cream, he bought a new one.
As for the woman who he seen before, he saved her from being hit by a truck again.
To act to that extent, as expected, even the classmates would notice, but Karen who was walking at the front, moved back to Iwato as if she's interested in Iwato's act.
[As expected of Master! Not overlooking any troubled people! I was deeply moved by that conversation with the old woman!]
[......You can hear it from that distance?]
[I will catch Master's voice no matter where it's from!]
Although Iwato crumpled his eyebrows unintentionally by Karen's mysterious confidence, he decided to deny those words for now.
[It's not that I don't overlook troubled people. How should I say it... It's like a moment of living in this town]
When Iwato said so, he looked at Karen who opened her mouth as if not understanding what he's saying, and said this.
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