Awakening to Friends and Folly

“Sometimes, a person doesn’t wish to lie, but after speaking, as circumstances shift, they are compelled to alter their original intentions.” —Qian Zhongshu

“Mmm… ugh…”

My eyes fluttered open, still hazy, and the familiar scene once again leaped into my vision.

It was the infirmary ceiling.

‘Had I… fallen unconscious again…?’

‘My health has been poor lately… Is it due to the severe injuries I sustained…?’

“Oh! You’re awake?!”

“Congratulations, you’ve become a perfect girl!”

‘What? Are you saying that girl is me?’

‘Then never mind.’

Still, I hadn’t even noticed the vibrant girl sitting beside me.

You guessed it; it was none other than the girl with aqua-blue hair—Katagiri Mimi.

“How are you feeling? Is there anything uncomfortable? Can you sit up?” She rattled off a rapid-fire trio of questions, pelting them at me. The fact that I could clearly understand her queries proved my mind was still largely intact.

“Mmm… I’m fine, nothing’s bothering me…” I slowly pushed myself up with both hands, settling into a sitting position.

“Um… did Katagiri-san carry me here?”

“Not me, no. Ishii-san carried you back.”

“I see… I’ll have to thank her later then.”

“By the way… where did everyone else go?” I couldn’t help but ask, curious about their whereabouts.

“I don’t know… Ever since Kamimura-san, you’ve been resting in bed, everyone else has gone about their own business.”

“But! I was the only one who voluntarily stayed by your side! Aren’t you touched?! Isn’t it a surprise?!” She stood tall, hands on her hips, her fair face beaming with a proud smile.

“Katagiri-san… you really, I could just cry!” I rubbed the corner of my eye with the back of my hand, feigning extreme emotion.

“Actually, weren’t you just ordered to stay and look after me?” The next second, I narrowed my eyes suspiciously, leaning in to stare directly into her eyes.

“Ehehe~ You caught me~” She stuck out her tongue, winking at me with a playful grin.

“How long was I out?”

“Let me think… probably about four hours, right?” She pondered, pressing a finger to her chin.

“Oh no, I probably won’t be able to sleep tonight…” I groaned, slapping my forehead in distress.

“Don’t worry! I’ll come to your room tonight and sing you a lullaby!” Katagiri maintained a friendly smile, rapidly blinking her large, sparkling eyes as she gazed at me, looking utterly docile.

“Me too, me too!” A playful, sweet female voice reached my ears.

Turning my head, I saw the small girl with orange-yellow hair.

“Nanase?”

“If Katagiri-san’s singing isn’t enough for you, m-my voice is also very sweet… you know…?” She shyly lowered her head, then raised her eyes to steal a glance at my reaction.

“Alright, alright~ A glass of milk before bed will be enough, thank you for your concern.”

“Oh, Anko-chan! How’s your body? Are there any lingering effects…?” She knitted her brows slightly, staring at me with a worried expression.

“It’s just a minor injury~ Don’t make such a fuss, hey! Don’t lift my shirt, you!” No sooner had I finished speaking than her small hand abruptly lifted my strawberry cake-colored belly, prompting me to gently bat away her mischievous fingers.

“Hmm… it’s a bit bruised, but if all goes well, it’ll be completely healed in a few days!”

“Only a few hours apart, and you’re already so unruly~” My face darkened with ‘black lines’ (TL Note: A common East Asian visual trope indicating exasperation or embarrassment), and my hands slowly crept forward.

“Aren’t I just worried about you~ Hmph! You, you have the nerve to say that! You don’t know how long my heart was in suspense while you were unconscious…” Her cheeks puffed out in anger, making her look just like a little hamster.

“It’s true, you know? Nanase was crying buckets back then~” Katagiri interjected from the side.

“Next time, I definitely won’t be so reckless!”

“Really?”

“Heh! Absolutely true!” I affirmed with a perfectly standard hand gesture, my face serious.

“Hmph~! I’ll believe you this time~ But if something like this happens again, I’ll definitely punish you properly!”

“Elaborate on the… p-punishment.”

“Hehehe~ You’ll be my body pillow for ten days~”

‘Thankfully, as long as it wasn’t wearing a vacuum skirt (TL Note: A humorous reference to a highly revealing or non-existent outfit, implying extreme embarrassment).’

“Eh~ I want a human body pillow too~” Katagiri pouted, protesting discontentedly.

“Th-that’s enough…”

“Grrrrumble~” A wonderfully peculiar sound emanated from a stomach…

“Huh~ Katagiri-san, did you hear a strange noise?” Nanase asked her with an innocent expression.

“Hmm~ It sounds like a human dinner bell, doesn’t it~? Whose stomach is rumbling~?”

“Oh—it seems to be coming from this young lady’s stomach~” The two girls then turned in unison, their eyes fixed on me.

“W-what are you doing… I-I just haven’t eaten in a while…” Their mischievous gazes made me utterly uncomfortable, and my cheeks instantly flushed crimson.

“Hehehe~ We won’t tease you anymore~ Shall we get off the bed and go to dinner together?” Nanase said to me with a smile.

“Can you stand up? Does Mommy need to carry you?” Katagiri quipped humorously.

“?! Do I look like I can’t stand up? Are you kidding?! My body is perfectly fine, okay?!” I immediately put on my shoes, stood up, and puffed out my chest.

“Go easy… don’t collapse and fall asleep again in a moment…” Nanase advised me, her face once more filled with worry.

“This time, I’ll be the one to escort her!” Without another word, Katagiri pressed close to my side, as if fearing I might suffer another mishap the next second.

“I can’t be bothered with you two! I’m going ahead!” I took small steps, slowly making my way towards the door.

Seeing this, the two girls behind me exchanged glances, then shared a bitter smile in perfect synchronicity before hurrying to catch up.

****

A fragrant aroma wafted towards me, filling my senses…

‘Mmm, it’s Mom’s cooking!’

Without hesitation, I stepped inside, and the familiar scene of a group dinner unfolded before my eyes.

This time, however, it was different from before; everyone present seemed to be quietly waiting for me.

“Kamimura-san, you’re awake? Are you feeling alright?” Chisaka, noticing my entrance, displayed a look of profound relief.

“Yes… I’m completely fine now.”

“Seeing you just collapse like that, I thought something else was wrong with your body…”

“Thank you for carrying me back, Ishii-san.”

“You really gave me a fright back then…” Akino patted his chest.

“Glad you’re okay,” Yuusuke said simply.

“Thank you all for your concern. You didn’t really have to wait for me to start dinner, you know…”

“What are you talking about? Aren’t we all classmates?” Habara’s face showed a hint of displeasure.

“More than just classmates, aren’t we? We can even call each other friends, don’t you agree, Kamimura-san?” Kitajima remarked with a slight smile.

‘Friends…?’

‘When was the last time I heard that word? It feels so distant now…’

‘These new friends… they’re not bad at all.’

“Ah… you are all my friends.”

I smiled gently as I looked at them. Even trapped within this birdcage, fraught with hidden dangers, their companionship ensured I wouldn’t feel fear from loneliness.