Chapter 12: If Only He Were a Bit Stronger

On the other side, Yoriko Arisu was feeling just as miserable.

“It’s already been three days since I last talked to Kenma…”

Yoriko Arisu lay sprawled on Tetsurou Kuroo’s bed, hugging his pillow, looking as if her soul was about to escape from her mouth.

Tetsurou Kuroo was a bit bothered by his bed being taken over, but seeing Yoriko Arisu’s dejected face, he thought about it and decided not to say anything.

“You still didn’t talk to him today?” he asked curiously.

Yoriko Arisu muttered, “Mm.”

Actually, after her anger subsided, she wanted to make up, but she just couldn’t swallow her pride.

Yoriko Arisu protested, “It’s not like I was wrong, Kenma was the one who called me annoying first! Why should I be the one to apologize?”

Looking at the black-haired girl’s puffed-up cheeks, Tetsurou Kuroo couldn’t help but say, “You two really do react exactly the same way.”

Yoriko Arisu tilted her head in confusion: “?”

“Kenma came to see me yesterday,” Tetsurou Kuroo revealed to her, “he wants to make up with you.”

Yoriko Arisu perked up immediately: “Really?”

Then she frowned again: “But he didn’t show any reaction at all today?”

Tetsurou Kuroo thought for a moment: “Maybe he just couldn’t find the right moment?”

“Kenma cares a lot about what others think.

Try to get some alone time with him tomorrow.”

Yoriko Arisu nodded seriously: “Got it.”

The chance to make up came sooner than expected.

Although, it wasn’t the kind of chance anyone wanted.

Because Yoriko Arisu ended up in the Nurse’s Office.

Thinking of Tetsurou Kuroo’s words, Yoriko Arisu deliberately hung back during PE class, and sure enough, she saw the black-haired kitten hesitantly approaching her.

Yoriko Arisu pretended not to notice, focusing intently on the boys playing soccer.

…Wait, why is the ball coming this way?

Yoriko Arisu’s face twisted in horror.

The protective instincts she’d developed over the past few days kicked in, and without thinking, she lunged toward Kenma Kotsume.

Then everything went black, and she knew nothing more.

When she woke up again, she was in the Nurse’s Office.

Yoriko Arisu blinked blankly at the unfamiliar ceiling, feeling a little disoriented.

It felt like a big bump had formed on her head, throbbing with pain.

She bared her teeth and touched the back of her head, feeling something cold and damp.

Stretching out her hand, she realized the ice pack used for the swelling had already melted, leaving a puddle of water inside the bag.

She had no idea how long she’d been asleep…

Yoriko Arisu rubbed her fingertips together and sat up.

Just as she was about to lift the blanket, she was startled by the sight of Kenma Kotsume lying next to her.

The black-haired kitten had his hands behind his head, eyes tightly shut, breathing shallowly, the corners of his eyes slightly red, as if he had cried.

Yoriko Arisu froze in place.

Eh, eh, eh???

Did Kenma actually cry?

In Yoriko Arisu’s eyes, Kenma Kotsume was the epitome of calm.

Whether it was food he didn’t like, his game controller being confiscated, or even getting hit in the face with a volleyball, he’d just frown and try to figure out a solution, acting more mature than any child.

She always thought Kenma had lost the ability to cry.

Her mind was in chaos.

Just as Yoriko Arisu was at a loss for what to do, the door to the Nurse’s Office opened, and Namazawa Misaki walked in.

The black-haired beauty glanced around the Nurse’s Office and, noticing Kenma Kotsume still asleep, lowered her voice: “Arisu, you’re awake.”

Yoriko Arisu nodded blankly, whispering back, “How long was I out?”

“School’s already over.”

“Eh?! It’s been that long?!”

“Yeah, you’re probably hungry, right? I saved you a Lunch Snack.”

Namazawa Misaki pulled Milk and Fried Bread from her bag and handed them over.

Yoriko Arisu looked at her, deeply moved: “Misaki, you’re the best.”

To avoid waking Kenma Kotsume, both girls moved quietly.

Yoriko Arisu carefully unwrapped the bread and took small bites.

During this, Namazawa Misaki explained what had happened after Arisu fainted.

“When you passed out, Kotsume-kun was so scared he wouldn’t let go of you. It wasn’t until the teacher reminded him that he remembered to bring you to the Nurse’s Office.”

Yoriko Arisu swallowed her food and asked, “Was it Kenma who carried me here?”

Namazawa Misaki shook her head: “He couldn’t manage it.”

In the end, it was their classmate Ryouta Kise who carried her over.

Yoriko Arisu: “I really need to thank Kise-kun then.”

They chatted about other things for a while.

Then Namazawa Misaki said, “I copied your Notebook for you. I was worried about touching your stuff too much, so I left it on your desk. Remember to organize it later.”

“And your Homework too, it’s under your Notebook.”

Hearing the first part, Yoriko Arisu still looked touched, but when she heard the next part, her face fell: “Can I pretend I didn’t hear that?”

Namazawa Misaki patted her head and smiled: “Nope.”

Yoriko Arisu: “Ugh.”

Why do I still have to do Homework after fainting?

My head hurts so much.

As Yoriko Arisu sat there moping, Namazawa Misaki glanced quickly at Kenma Kotsume, confirmed he was still asleep, and whispered, “Oh right, Kotsume-kun cried earlier.”

“I don’t know if you two had a fight before, but… well, he does care about you.”

Namazawa Misaki wasn’t very good at comforting people, and after saying that, her face turned bright red and she ran out.

After Namazawa Misaki left, Yoriko Arisu looked at Kenma Kotsume and noticed his ears were bright red—he was clearly awake.

And he’d obviously heard their conversation.

She didn’t call him out, pretending not to notice.

She gently shook Kenma Kotsume’s arm: “Kenma, wake up. It’s time to go home.”

Kenma Kotsume slowly sat up from the bedside, rubbing his eyes and pretending he’d just woken up: “Oh.”

Yoriko Arisu stared at the tiles under her feet, asking cheerfully, “I missed today’s lessons. Kenma, can you teach me?”

Kenma Kotsume: “Mm, sure.”

The two walked quietly toward their classroom to get their bags.

Kenma Kotsume’s gaze shifted, sneaking a glance at the person beside him.

When Yoriko Arisu got hit by the ball while protecting him, it was the first time he regretted how weak his body was.

If only I could react a little faster.

If only I could be a little taller.

If only I had a bit more strength.

Then I wouldn’t have to rely on others.

So frustrating.

I’ll drink more Milk from now on, Kenma Kotsume resolved.

This time, Kenma Kotsume took the initiative and held her hand, saying softly, “Thank you for protecting me.”

The black-haired girl looked at him in surprise, then quickly flashed her usual brilliant smile: “It’s nothing.”

“Because we’re friends!”

Although the two had made up, perhaps because of the shock, Kenma Kotsume came down with a fever.

It was the weekend, but he had to pitifully lie in bed.

Tetsurou Kuroo had volleyball practice on Saturday, so only Yoriko Arisu came to visit him.

“It’s not just that, it’s also from lack of sleep.”

Miwako Kotsume placed a wrung-out towel on Kenma Kotsume’s forehead, touched his dark circles, and let out a soft hum.

Kenma Kotsume closed his eyes and played dead.

Yoriko Arisu held her breath on the side, not daring to make a sound.

An angry mom is so scary!

After falling ill, Kenma Kotsume’s secret late-night gaming was finally discovered.

Miwako Kotsume, face dark, confiscated the controller, declaring that until her anger subsided, Kenma shouldn’t even think about touching it.

Kenma Kotsume looked a little dead inside.

After Miwako Kotsume left the room, Yoriko Arisu finally dared to approach the bed, lying on the edge and peeking at her childhood friend’s face, unsure if it was red from the fever or from embarrassment, and secretly touched his palm.

It was burning hot.

“Kenma gets sick so easily…” she whispered, feeling like this scene was a lot like the one in the Nurse’s Office before.

Only now, it was Kenma lying in bed instead of her.

Kenma Kotsume’s breathing was hot, and he weakly coughed twice, whispering, “Do you want to come up?”

Yoriko Arisu: “Eh? Can I?”

She hesitated, “I’m worried I’ll squish you…”

After being rejected so many times, she was at least a little self-aware.

Kenma Kotsume insisted: “Get up here.”

Yoriko Arisu: “Okay.”

With his permission, Yoriko Arisu quickly climbed onto Kenma Kotsume’s bed, solemnly declaring, “Kenma, you just rest. I’ll watch over you.”

Then promptly fell asleep.

“Idiot…”

Kenma Kotsume’s voice was a little hoarse, but there was an irrepressible smile in his tone.

He moved his hand and gently held the black-haired girl’s hand before closing his eyes.

This time, he actually had a good dream.

After Kenma Kotsume recovered, he took the initiative to ask for Milk.

Miwako Kotsume was shocked: “Oh my, I thought you didn’t like Milk? You always said it tasted weird.”

Kenma Kotsume looked away: “…Mm, I just suddenly feel it’s okay now.”

Miwako Kotsume gave him a mysterious smile, almost making his hair stand on end before she finally said lightly, “All right then, but if you can’t finish it, you can’t ask Arisu to help you.”

“I won’t!”

He still ended up bristling.

***

The day of Sports Day arrived quickly.

On this day, any parents who were free could come to watch, bringing homemade lunches to share with their families, creating a lively atmosphere.

Yoriko Arisu’s parents couldn’t make it off the Operation Room table, but Miwako Kotsume would be there to cheer them on!

Miwako Kotsume cupped her face: “I’m going to take lots of pictures of Arisu being active. Yuri will be so happy.”

Then she glanced at Kenma Kotsume: “It’s just a shame Kenma isn’t competing. Kids change so fast, I wanted more memories.”

She sighed loudly on purpose.

Kenma Kotsume munched away, pretending not to hear.

Yoriko Arisu struggled to swallow her mouthful of sushi: “I’ll be fine.”

Kenma Kotsume quietly shifted away, avoiding a possible rice spray.

Yoriko Arisu glared at him.

Tetsurou Kuroo said, “There’ll be a team event later, everyone has to participate in that.”

He handed Arisu a tissue and wiped the rice from the corner of her mouth.

Ever since Yoriko Arisu started calling him “big brother,” he seemed to have unlocked some strange switch, completely addicted to this make-believe family game.

Kenma Kotsume glared at him: “Kuro!”

Miwako Kotsume smiled: “Oh my, that’s wonderful. I’ll be looking forward to taking lots of photos~”

On the Kuroo side, Kuroo’s Grandmother had come.

Watching the three little ones together, she said warmly, “How wonderful, Akira has made such good friends here.”

Tetsurou Kuroo scratched his head in embarrassment.

The morning was for individual competitions, the afternoon for team events, and the most nerve-wracking and exciting game of all—the Borrowing Race.

After victories in tug-of-war and group jump rope, it was finally time for the much-anticipated Borrowing Race.

Because of frequent accidents, this event had become a staple of Sports Day.

After sprinting a lap around the field, Yoriko Arisu, panting lightly, reached into the box.

The slip of paper read: [Cat].

She stood there, dumbfounded, for a long time until the event coordinator asked, “Aren’t you going to find your item?”

Yoriko Arisu stared blankly at him: “What if I can’t find it?”

The coordinator shrugged regretfully: “Then it’ll count as forfeiting.”

Yoriko Arisu: “That’s not allowed!”

Second Grade, Class 2 was in the lead.

If she forfeited and they lost first place because of her, what then?

Worried, Yoriko Arisu ran around the campus but couldn’t find a single Cat anywhere.

Come to think of it, she’d never even seen a Cat at school.

Yoriko Arisu was exhausted and out of breath, her hair sticking to her head with sweat.

“Is it a really hard thing to find?”

Suddenly, a pair of shoes appeared in front of her. Yoriko Arisu, supporting herself on her knees, looked up—and something cold pressed against her face.

She blinked in confusion, hearing Kenma Kotsume say, “Mom saw you looked tired and told me to bring you water.”

“Oh… Oh…”

Yoriko Arisu answered reflexively, her eyes gradually lighting up as she looked at Kenma Kotsume.

She grabbed her childhood friend’s wrist, “Kenma, come with me!”

“What”

Kenma Kotsume didn’t even have time to finish before he was dragged away.

Fortunately, they were close to the finish line.

When they arrived, Yoriko Arisu hurriedly handed over the slip of paper.

Two other classes had already finished!

The coordinator looked at the paper, then at Kenma, and said coldly, “Not accepted.”

Yoriko Arisu: “Why not?!”

“The paper says Cat. You can’t just bring a person.”

Yoriko Arisu blinked, looked at Kenma, and her face lit up with sudden understanding.

Kenma Kotsume: “…”

Sometimes he really wondered what he looked like in his childhood friend’s eyes.

On the side, Yoriko Arisu argued with the coordinator, “There aren’t any Cats at school!”

“You can look for something with a Cat pattern on it.”

Yoriko Arisu: “…”

Why didn’t she think of that?

Yoriko Arisu was convinced, but still a little unwilling.

She stared at Kenma Kotsume for a while, and Kenma suddenly had a bad feeling.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll go…”

The black-haired kitten tried to slip away, but his arm was grabbed tight.

“If Kenma meows, will you let it count?”

Yoriko Arisu bargained with the coordinator.

Kenma Kotsume: “!”

His eyes turned into slits as he tried to pull his hand away, but failed.

The coordinator glanced at the unwilling Kenma, then at Yoriko Arisu’s eager face, and grinned mischievously: “If you add the Cat Paw Pose, then sure. Like this.”

He demonstrated the Cat Paw Pose.

Kenma Kotsume looked like he’d been struck by lightning.

Yoriko Arisu’s gaze shifted over: “Kenma, please~”

Kenma Kotsume protested, “If that’s all it takes to pass, why don’t you do it?”

Yoriko Arisu had a revelation: “Oh right! Kenma, you’re so smart!”

The coordinator ruthlessly shattered their dreams: “Nope, the participant can’t do it. That wouldn’t be fair to the others.”

Yoriko Arisu turned her teary gaze to him again: “Kenma…”

Kenma Kotsume silently turned his head away.

Yoriko Arisu circled to face him, grabbed his hand, and shook it gently: “Please, please, you’re my only hope!”

Kenma Kotsume’s face scrunched up: “Ugh…”

Yoriko Arisu pulled out her trump card: “I’ll give you all my Lunch Snacks for a week!”

Kenma Kotsume: “I don’t even want those… Fine.”

Kenma Kotsume thought of how she’d protected him a few days ago.

And how she’d stayed by his side while he was sick.

He sighed deeply.

Did he really have to pay his debts like this?

Under everyone’s gaze, Kenma Kotsume, face red, raised his hands in a Cat Paw Pose: “…Meow.”

Click! Everyone turned to see Miwako Kotsume waving her Camera in delight: “Got a great photo!”

Kenma Kotsume bristled: “Mom!”

With a bang, he turned into a fluffy little cake.

The kind with Strawberry Jam on top.