Prologue
“Kurusu-san...? Can I have your printout? The other students has ask me to...”
“............”
The girl looked coldly at the male student who approached her and without changing her expression, she took the printout from her bag and placed it in her hand.
Anyone would have a hard time reacting to this series of expressionless and uninterrupted actions.
In fact, when she approached him, the male student was seen trying to move away.
“.........”
“Oh...uh...umm...sorry.”
He reflexively apologized when he received that cold gaze.
Perhaps in response to the attitude of the male student, who looked like he was uncomfortable with his current situation, the girl who had been silent the whole time wrote 【No need to apologize】on the tablet’s app in her hand.
“Oh, thank goodness. Well then...”
The male student who received the printout then ran away from that girl.
…Ah. She did it again.
I sighed as I saw the scene from the hallway.
She did not speak at all.
If she wanted to say something, she just wrote it on her tablet like what she was doing now.
She had maintained this attitude ever since she entered this school, a preparatory school in Ibaraki Prefecture.
At glance, she looks like a mysterious person. But to put it bluntly, she was a person who could not socialize.
Her appearance further emphasized her aura that seemed unapproachable to anyone.
Her waist-length silver hair that shone like a brocade. It reminded me of an angel or goddess in the myths I had read. Her shiny hair fluttered silently as the wind blew and her fragrant scent blown away with the wind.
Her smooth white skin was so beautiful and artistic that I wanted to reach out and touch it.
Ah, her appearance is a work of art. Just stand there and look at her – how beautiful she was. She was a beautiful young girl, so beautiful that you could just stand there and look at her forever. No, she must be one of the best in this school.
Unfortunately, however, these factors made her even more difficult to approach. Let’s just call it scary. Also, despite everyone’s best efforts to talk to her, she won’t speak and remains expressionless.
As a result, she is alienated from the people around her because of her personality.
Well, that’s... normal though.
So, as if anyone who touched her would be cursed by the Gods, people tried to interact with her as little as possible.
However, this does not mean that she is heartless or indifferent to the situation around her.
(...Did he get my message that I’m not angry? This is the first step)
(Yes... this is my first step)
The other person cannot feel her concern and feelings, but she thinks about it in her heart.
So I approached her and spoke to her, “Kurusu, may we talk?”. Kurusu turned around in response to my voice and hurriedly started writing her response on her tablet.
【Hello, Kaburagi-kun. 】
“Yo. I’ll visit you after school today, is that okay?”
【Yupp】(My moment of happiness. I live for this)
“No problem. Well, I guess we’ll practice again. Step by step.”
【Effort】(...I can’t keep making mistakes...I have to keep trying)
“Well, take it easy. Everyone fails and succeeds from time to time. Besides, I like people who try hard.”
【New!】
“Haha. I can feel how nervous you are when you speak in that way. If you’re nervous, it’s a sign that you’re seriously trying. So, I can understand you even just a little.”
Kurusu erased the writing on her tablet and looked at my face.
(...How can you guess my feelings like that? Do you have a hidden ability...?)
“Hidden... no, it’s nothing.”
I tilted my head backward and coughed, diverting myself from the gaze of Kurusu, who was staring at me.
“Well, Kurusu. Are you ready for what we talked about yesterday?”
【Yupp..】(Smile practice is interesting... this is for making friends too)
“Okay. Glad to hear that... see you after school.”
【I’m looking forward to it】(I can’t wait to meet him after school. Can time for the class go by faster, huh?)
Kurusu shook his head and looked at me. She kept looking at me and I knew it was because she was excited and looking forward to our promise.
Unfortunately, the expression she was trying to show was very stiff and rather intimidating. So, it was very difficult to call it a smile. It certainly made the people around her misunderstand...
“Kaburagi is amazing, isn’t he? I admire how he communicates with her without feeling the slightest awkwardness.” (I’m not sure if I’m capable of it. I’m scared of her and don’t want to deal with her)
When I sat down, the other students started talking to me, as if they were impressed.
They smiled at me without showing any signs of worry at the terrible thing they had thought.
“Is that so? Kurusu is normal and a very nice person, you know.”
“No, no. You don’t know that! She doesn’t speak and even when she tries her best to speak, the long silences really make the atmosphere very awkward!”
“Hahaha!”
“Eh... Why are you laughing? Honestly, don’t you think it’s a little creepy...?”
I guess from the point of view of the people around me, I’m just “The person who is trying my best to be Kurusu’s partner”.
That’s why the word “amazing” was probably meant as a sign of their appreciation for my efforts.
But, no one knows.
Neither my classmates nor the other students knew.
That seemingly uncommunicative exchange actually happened.
Rurina Kurusu’s innermost feelings were honest and adorable.
And no one knows that I, Ritsu Kaburagi , can hear (the inner voices) of those around me.
TL: Retallia (JP-ID), Tanaka (ID-EN)
PF & ED: Retallia
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