episode_0067

Side_Vita.

Thursday, after school.

Luka came to find Vita. It was an unexpected visitor.

“Are you okay, senior?”

“No, I said so?”

This is how it happened.

-Please, Senior…! Please meet me just once.

Are you worried after all?

Since Hadoru kept begging her to meet him, Vita couldn’t just ignore his calls.

If you think about it, that’s true.

Because the relationship between me and Lou is not an ordinary one.

A comrade who watches anime, and a close friend despite the age difference.

It wouldn’t be strange to define a relationship as best friends. In fact, Vita was closest to Ru, who was one semester younger than her, among many other kids of the same age.

‘… Rather, I’ve been feeling quite negligent lately.’

I am fully aware of it.

After turning into a girl, she hangs out with other friends, including Sasha and Emily.

And, yeah.

There was a side to Lou, who was originally a close junior to Carlyle Schultz and was neglected in many ways.

Vita, who remembered it, felt a little sorry.

‘But if I go back to being a man…’

Now, soon.

If you go back to your original state, your interpersonal relationships will become narrow again like before.

When I was a man, I was quite closed off when it came to forming relationships.

‘Now that you mention it, that’s true.’

Maybe Vita thinks that after she transformed into ‘Bianca Shamal’, that is, became a woman, her thoughts and attitude changed.

You may not even know if you’ve grown up.

But what does that mean?

If you go back to being a man, you go back to being like your junior, Ru, before. That’s not necessarily a bad thing for you.

As for Vita, she feels more comfortable with the fact that she and Rua are becoming closer. It’s just going back to how things were before.

[I’m your senior, Vita!]

In the first place, it was his junior, Rui, who first found out that he had turned into a woman. They were that close.

-Let’s meet up, senior!

So I had no choice but to meet Lou. Why does he talk so much?

Because they keep asking me if I’m okay.

“Ha- It’s frustrating.”

That’s how Lou reacted.

Vita’s expression also became sullen.

“Why, what?”

A rumor that Luke just told me.

There have been rumors that Carlyle Schultz and Emily Swan have been hanging out together these past few days.

Of course Vita knows. She’s even told Emily Swan.

Through a letter.

Try to get along with Carlyle, I support their relationship.

Fortunately, perhaps, the somewhat malicious scandal surrounding the Carlyle guy seemed to be coming to an end.

First of all, he denied it and there is no evidence.

Because Carlyle continues to have an attitude that is shameless and unyielding. Naturally, it seems to be sinking as time goes by.

First of all, the most important thing is the presumption of innocence, and there is no evidence or witnesses.

It’s not strange.

Well, actually, Vita also tried hard.

An online school community, anonymously, at least.

-Carlyle Schultz would never do that!

After that, he made a very long and detailed defense.

Not even once, but a little bit of painting. If you underestimate the otaku community, you could be in big trouble?

It might have had some effect on public opinion calming down.

‘… But, up to here.’

Just to this extent.

Vita knew.

That’s all he can do for Carlyle Schultz.

Maybe, finally. A gift I can give.

That’s really all there is to it.

Now he and Carlyle return as strangers.

Because Vita has such a strong perception.

So, two days ago.

When I saw Carlyle and Emily walking together through the school gates with my own eyes.

‘…’

At first, I was definitely nervous, but my gaze went there.

It was only after a while that I realized I was just standing there blankly.

But again.

‘…What am I doing?’

As I was walking, I found myself laughing out loud for a moment.

Wasn’t that what you wanted?

Yeah, that’s right.

It was something you wanted to do.

[Emily, you’re kind and a good girl. Carlisle will definitely appreciate that.]

I think so. I will always support them since they are both good people. Didn’t I write that?

So, definitely.

‘… This is a good thing.’

I think it’s a good thing. I think it turned out well.

I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all.

It just feels that way.

‘Ah, as expected…’

Things are going well for you two

Carlyle may have been disappointed in himself too.

Because I confessed such heavy and honest feelings and was rejected.

***

It wasn’t just a rejection.

It was like giving someone an embarrassment. It hurt their pride.

Even when I came to his house, he blatantly ignored me and ignored all my calls.

‘So it’s only natural.’

It wouldn’t be surprising if Bianca Shamal had already grown cold towards him.

‘Even the feelings may have completely fallen apart.’

Cook- cook-

If you think about it that way.

It felt like my heart was being stabbed with a needle.

But that’s okay. It’s what you wanted.

From Carlyle Schultz’s perspective.

Maybe it was only after my feelings for her had completely cooled that I began to notice Emily around me.

Well, Emily is kind, and pretty too.

‘I sometimes make mistakes with my words… but it’s a bit too much…’

Basically, he’s not a bad kid, but rather a good person.

So it’s no wonder that Emily and Carlisle become close.

Yeah, right.

Rather, Vita Shamal thinks it’s a good thing.

Emily is a real girl, unlike him. And she’s a good person, too. She’ll be a source of strength for Carlisle, who may have been having a hard time due to the recent malicious rumors.

It’s nothing new. I think it’s what I wanted.

‘What, now…’

Rather, it is happening as you wish. There is no need to worry.

It doesn’t look like it’s Lou though.

“Ha- Senior… ”

Why are you sighing?

‘Why are you sighing…’

Vita, really. It’s nothing.

I definitely think so.

“Your senior’s expression right now, it would be better to go and look in the mirror right now… ”

“… Don’t cross the line, Lou.”

Vita’s expression hardened.

There was no way to know in the first place.

Why on earth?

“Why do you keep telling me about that guy?”

“No, that’s… ”

“I told you I wasn’t interested.”

Interrupt the other person’s speech. Vita’s speech has become faster.

“Now that guy and I are nothing, we’ll go back to that. Everything will just go back to how it was… I told you, right?”

The voices are getting louder.

“Why, you too…!”

Is it because I’m speaking fast? Is it because my emotions are running high?

The moment I took the pill, I felt a pain in my chest.

“So, for no reason… ”

How can you keep trying so hard not to care?

“I told you I’m okay.”

Vita continued speaking.

“I’m really okay. Stop it, Lou.”

“… Okay, senior.”

Lou’s expression was somewhat blank and shocked.

‘ah…’

Only then, after pouring out her emotions, did Vita come to her senses.

***

‘I, what…’

For a moment, I felt strange.

‘Why did I just…’

I made a mistake with my close junior, Lou, who did nothing wrong. This is not like me.

Vita opened her mouth, then closed it again.

He wiped his face with his hand, a complicated expression on his face.

“… Sorry, Lou.”

If you think about it, Vita also knows that Rudo is worried and is acting that way.

Because I know it.

I just now think that my actions were wrong.

Vita fidgeted and opened her lips again.

“I’m really sorry, Lou… No, I mean.”

“You know that, sir?”

Luke suddenly spoke.

“Senior, you’ve really changed a lot.”

The old Vita didn’t apologize easily. Louis knows that, so I think he’s changed. But I don’t want to make things difficult for my senior anymore.

I’m already having a hard time, so I think bringing it up for no reason is worse.

“But, I understand. I know it’s okay. Because you said so yourself. I know it’s okay. You know how I feel, right, senior?”

“… Yeah, right.”

After that, there was an awkward silence for a while.

Vita and Ludo, each trying to control their emotions.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen Lou…’

‘I bet it’s hard for you too, senior…’

If we go on like this, it will be difficult for both of us.

So, Vita and Ru suddenly met eyes. One thing came to their minds at the same time.

Yeah, that’s it.

“That, senior… I’ll just watch anime.”

“That, that’s right!”

Vita immediately agreed.

“Stop talking nonsense. Let’s just watch some anime! You’ve ruined the mood for nothing.”

Deliberately somewhat cheerful.

The stories we’ve told so far. All the past stories about Carlyle Schultz are dismissed as such.

“There are only three days left.”

Vita chuckled and slapped Lou on the back.

“Aaak-! It hurts… ”

“Then you hit me because it hurt.”

“Ah, why?!”

“A return anniversary? Something worth celebrating. A bit of a celebratory feeling?”

“No, but. Why are you telling me that… ”

The mood has returned a little.

Yes, that’s right. It’s something to celebrate. It’s a good thing.

Really, now.

There are exactly three days left.

“So let’s watch the anime. The new movie came out.”

When Vita says so, Rudo responds.

“Yeah, yeah. At times like this, anime is the best.”

“This is us. Watching anime without thinking.”

As if giving auto-suggestion, Vita said so. She thought this was right.

Just watch anime and study hard.

“We’re otaku.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

I start watching anime while having such pointless conversations with Lou.

The two people’s favorite magical girl anime movie.

“This came out recently. Feels like a vanguard?”

“Oh, as expected… Is a senior really a senior?”

“Yes, kid. My name is Vita Shamal.”

Not Bianca Shamal, but Vita Shamal.

I’ve always really liked Vita anime. When I’m having a hard time, I feel better when I watch anime. I feel happy. I feel energized again.

But not today.

[Magical Girl Eve Rosaline…! Incarnated with the power of love-!]

Even though I’m watching anime, and it’s my favorite anime, I’m not enjoying it at all.

“That’s interesting. Right…?”

Vita laughed for no reason. She felt like she would feel better if she laughed like this.