Episode 37: It's My First Time

 

"It's kind of risqué, but not really!"

"Hey, Kotomi, can I talk to you for a sec?"

During the break between classes, I had some business with another class, so I went to visit Class C.

It seemed like Class C was about to move to another classroom, and the room was bustling.

Until I entered...

(Silence)

The people in Class C all turned to look at me and froze.

"What do you want...Kamiya, coming all the way to another class?"

Kotomi approached, arms crossed and looking somewhat annoyed.

"Before I get to the point, can I cry? Why does time stop when I show up? I don’t have the power to stop time!"

"When someone from another class comes, it's always like this. Your Class A is used to seeing Kamiya and the disciplinary committee's armbands, but we’re not."

Kotomi's tone was sharper than usual in front of her classmates, and she called me by my last name instead of Yuu.

"Kotomi’s kind... the other day, when I talked to Senior Suo about it, he said it’s because you're disliked!"

"Shut up! It troubles me when my lab partner is not in good form!"

As Kotomi’s cheeks turned red, she forcibly changed the subject back. I realized I needed to keep it brief since Class C would soon be moving.

"Come to my house after school today."

"Huh?"

"Meet me at the school gate as usual. See you."

I quickly relayed my message and left Kotomi, who froze like the rest of her classmates, and quickly returned to my class.

After School

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

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Kotomi."

"Yeah...oh, don’t you usually go home with Senior Toraho?"

Huh? Kotomi seemed unusually gentle now.

Maybe it was because of the others around earlier, but whenever others were watching, Kotomi usually treated me coldly.

"Mina is out on an all-grade field trip today. She’s going to be late getting back."

"Oh, I forgot about that."

Kotomi fidgeted and twirled a lock of her hair.

Her lips seemed fresher and more vibrant, perhaps due to her colored lip balm.

"Shall we go?"

"Yeah..."

She followed me meekly, keeping a little distance between us.

"Why are you walking ahead?"

Kotomi hurried to catch up.

"Because you said it was embarrassing to be seen walking with me and that it would start rumors."

"That...after what you said in front of everyone, it’s too late now..."

"? You mean, it’s okay to walk together now? That makes me happy."

"Yeah, me too...let’s go..."

Kotomi timidly pinched the hem of my jacket and followed silently.

"May I come in?"

Like a cat on loan, Kotomi timidly entered my home.

"Is your family home?"

"No, I live here alone."

"Oh...I feel hot..."

"It’s almost summer. I’ll turn on the air conditioner."

Seeing Kotomi fan her heated face, I reached for the remote.

"No, it’s fine. The wind from the air conditioner interferes when you can smell."

"Smell?"

"I want to make it an unforgettable memory, since it's my first time."

Kotomi looked me in the eyes with determination.

It was quite a declaration for just visiting a friend’s house. Well, if Kotomi says she doesn’t need it, I won’t turn on the air conditioner.

"Then let’s go to my room, I’ve prepared some drinks."

"What? To your room already?"

Kotomi panicked, despite her resolved expression just moments ago.

"Is there something else you wanted to do at my house today?"

I tilted my head, questioning her.

"Uh...you really want me to say it?"

She clutched the hem of her uniform skirt, looking embarrassed, then finally lifted her face with resolve.

"Let’s go...I came prepared today, so please...be gentle..."

Her small frame trembled slightly.

"Kotomi, are you nervous?"

"Of course! It’s my first time..."

The typically aloof and studious Kotomi seemed to return a bit.

"Me too."

"What?"

Kotomi looked genuinely surprised.

"Really? I thought you might have already done this with Senior Toraho..."

"No, Mina and I are both novices in this area."

I laughed awkwardly, a bit embarrassed, and scratched my cheek.

"You’re not good at this?"

"Yeah, as you know, I’m really bad at this."

"So why today?"

"Well, I thought it would be easier with a classmate like you, Kotomi. It’s more relaxing and I thought it would go smoothly."

"I’m...good enough?"

"Yes, you’re the best."

"That makes me happy! I...I feel really happy right now, Yuu!"

Tears welled in Kotomi’s eyes as she gave a big, crumpled smile.

"That’s great. Let’s go to my room."

"Okay!"

As we climbed the stairs to my second-floor room, Kotomi stayed close by my side, with no hesitation or trembling in her steps.

Kotomi hesitated as we reached my room, but then spoke up.

"Can we really connect?"

"It was my first time, so I was nervous, but it looks like it was successful."

Although it was mostly Kotomi who had set everything up.

Kotomi really is dependable.

Despite saying it was her first time, her hands moved with practiced ease.

Choosing her as my first partner was definitely the right decision.

"Toshi, can you hear me? Is the video coming through okay?"

"Yeah, I can see and hear you just fine, Yusuke."

As I waved at the webcam on my desktop computer, Toshi, displayed on the monitor, confirmed that both video and audio were good.

"Nowadays, it's amazing how you can video call like this, seeing each other's faces, even when you're at a remote military base."

"You sound like one of those old generals, even though you're young."

"Hey, that was a disrespectful remark to your superior officer, Major Koboxi Rihiko. Should I consider a disciplinary action here?"

"Cut it out with those unfunny power harassment jokes. You sound just like those old generals."

Toshi is always tough to beat.

The other officers at the general staff could learn a thing or two from him.

"Before we get to the business, just one thing, Yusuke."

"What’s up, Toshi?"

"That girl who's looking tearful and pouting in the background on your video—what's her story?"

Well, that would catch anyone’s attention.

Behind me, Kotomi sat seiza-style, her face a bright red as she trembled, perhaps holding back tears.

"She's my classmate, Kotomi. She taught me how to set up and connect the webcam. I'm really not good with this kind of tech stuff."

"I see... Well, I don't quite get it, but make sure you apologize to her later."

"Why?!"

Random apologies aren't a good teaching method, I think!

"So, what did you need?"

"Uh, yeah, I have a favor to ask. Do you have any pictures of me from when I was about ten?"

"I might have some around... What do you need them for?"

"I want to keep them on hand as a trump card."

"Are you guys playing some sort of military card game at your school?"

Sort of.

I thought it might be useful when I have to ask Speedwater for favors.

"Anything with me in it is fine, just send whatever you find."

"Alright, I’ll look for it later. If that's all, I'm hanging up."

"Aw, come on, Toshi! We finally get to talk like this, let’s chat more!"

"I'm busy, unlike a student like you. Bye."

With a pleasant tone, the call from Toshi ended.

He's as harsh as ever, but he always listens to my requests, which is really kind of him.

"Phew, I managed to ask him. Thanks, Kotomi. We managed to get the call going smoothly."

I took off the headset and turned to Kotomi, who was still sitting behind me.

"Apologize..."

"Huh?"

"Apologize to me! Say you're sorry, Yuu! Or I won't forgive you!"

Tearful and puffing angrily, Kotomi seemed inexplicably mad, as if steam were about to shoot from her head.

"Um... I'm sorry?"

I apologized without fully understanding, pushed by Kotomi's forceful demeanor.

"Put more heart into your apology! Besides, you don't even understand why you need to apologize, do you!"

Uh, she's caught on...

But indeed, it was unfair to Kotomi who had come all the way to my house to help with the webcam setup.

"Sorry, Kotomi. I don’t really understand why you’re mad... Can you explain it to me?"

"That’s...///"

Kotomi suddenly lost steam and started fidgeting.

"I'm clueless about a lot of worldly matters, so please explain it in detail."

"I can’t possibly say it!"

Hmm.

She won’t give me a straightforward answer.

But without resolving this, we’ll get nowhere.

"Then, maybe I should call Toshi again via webcam and ask him to explain the situation with Kotomi in detail... Let’s see, just selecting his contact..."

"NOOO! Stop! Turn off the camera! Yuu!"

"Whoa! Kotomi, using tear gas inside is definitely not a good idea!"

Afterward, I struggled to calm Kotomi down.

Finally,

"As an apology, take this stuffed animal!"

In desperation, I handed her the electric mouse plushie I'd used as a pillow since I was a child.

"Ah... calming..."

Surprisingly, Kotomi’s mood quickly improved.

I had been using that plushie for years, so I wondered if it might smell, but she didn’t seem to mind.

It seems giving girls cute things like plushies really makes them happy.

Next time I talk to Toshi via webcam, I’ll have to tell him that not being popular with women might change if he tries it.

"But this plushie smells like Senior Toraho too..."

I didn’t know about that.

I had never seen Mina handle this plushie, but perhaps she had done something with it when I wasn’t around.

Later, under the pretense of scent-marking, I had Kotomi hold the plushie for a good hour.

Who benefits from this, really...