Chapter 22: I’ll Tell You Next Time

On the day of the field trip, under the Teacher’s direction, they gathered in front of the bus with their class sticker, feeling like they were entering a giant can, one by one being eaten—special Sardines for the jar.

Yoriko Arisu covered her nose as soon as she got on the bus.

“What a strange smell.”

Kenma Kotsume sniffed lightly.

“There really is a scent.”

It was like sun-baked leather or gasoline.

But it was faint—if you didn’t pay attention, you wouldn’t notice.

Ryouta Kise also twitched his nose, looking puzzled.

“Is there?”

Namazawa Misaki instantly grew alert.

“Yoriko, are you getting carsick?”

Yoriko Arisu blinked in confusion.

“No.”

It wasn’t her first time on a bus, but this was the first time she’d noticed the smell.

“Just in case, sit by the window so you can get some fresh air.”

Namazawa Misaki cautioned worriedly.

“I heard that people who get carsick can smell strange odors in vehicles.”

“Okay.”

Yoriko Arisu nodded obediently.

After checking with the Teacher and finding out they hadn’t brought any carsickness medicine, Namazawa Misaki’s face fell in frustration.

“As Class Representative, I should’ve prepared better.”

Ryouta Kise said,

“It’s not the Class Representative’s fault; even the Teacher forgot.”

Namazawa Misaki replied,

“Even so…”

She opened the window for ventilation and handed Yoriko Arisu a Plastic Bag.

“If you feel unwell, let me know, okay?”

Yoriko Arisu answered,

“Got it.”

From the back seat, Kenma Kotsume called Yoriko’s name and slipped a Mint Candy through the gap between the seats for her, to distract her.

Yoriko Arisu popped the Mint Candy into her mouth, puffing out her left cheek.

“I’m fine, Misaki. It’s not necessarily carsickness.”

Her voice was muffled.

Namazawa Misaki still looked worried.

“…I hope so.”

She patted her chest in assurance.

“No matter what, I’ll take care of you!”

Yoriko Arisu closed her eyes in happiness and nuzzled against Namazawa Misaki’s shoulder.

“It’s so good to have Misaki here. I like you~”

Namazawa Misaki blushed a little.

“I like you too, Yoriko.”

Sitting behind them, Kenma Kotsume listened to the childhood friends’ conversation and stared quietly at Ryouta Kise for a while before losing interest.

He looked away.

So the real enemy was someone else.

Ryouta Kise tensed.

He didn’t know why, but he felt underestimated!

Yoriko Arisu was still smiling and leaning on Namazawa Misaki, but as the bus started and merged onto the highway, her complexion gradually worsened.

She covered her mouth, her stomach churning.

She closed her eyes.

So I really do get carsick.

She thought.

Then, she knew nothing more.

When she woke up, the Astronomy Museum had arrived.

Yoriko Arisu lay by the window, wind in her face, wilted like a frostbitten vegetable.

“Victory.”

She shakily gave herself a thumbs-up.

Ryouta Kise complained.

“No, you completely passed out.”

Yoriko Arisu’s face was still pale.

“But I held on until the destination…ugh!”

She hurried off the bus and vomited freely, then lay peacefully on a Bench by the roadside, hands over her stomach, eyes closed.

“Everyone, I’m going on ahead. I’ll miss you all.”

“Don’t say things that sound like a character death flag.”

Kenma Kotsume sighed and gently placed a Handkerchief over her face, covering her eyes.

Ryouta Kise hesitated beside them.

“Your actions aren’t exactly polite either, right?”

This scene is really weird!

Yoriko Arisu sniffed.

She smelled something refreshing, making her a little hungry.

“Kenma, did you put something on the Handkerchief?”

“It’s Orange. Kenma asked me to get some from other students. He said it helps with dizziness.”

Ryouta Kise explained.

“Wouldn’t it be better to just eat it directly?”

Kenma Kotsume said,

“You were asleep on the bus, so I couldn’t give you any.”

He had simply placed some peeled Orange Peel near her nose.

Yoriko Arisu murmured,

“No wonder I dreamed about picking Oranges.”

A girl timidly popped up from behind.

“If it’s Oranges, I have some.”

She carefully approached and placed an Orange in Yoriko Arisu’s hand.

Then she shrank back into the crowd.

The others:

“……”

Her action seemed to trigger something.

People began to come over, piling Oranges on her, and when her hands were full, placing them on her stomach, arranging them so they wouldn’t roll off.

Namazawa Misaki laughed and stopped everyone.

“That’s enough, thank you!”

Yoriko Arisu, eyes covered by the Handkerchief, couldn’t see what was happening, but guessed she was being fussed over.

“Thank you, everyone!”

Because Yoriko Arisu was still woozy, the Teacher suggested she rest a while and catch up later.

“We need someone to stay with you.”

The Teacher looked around.

“Class Representative, you’re in charge.”

Namazawa Misaki hadn’t replied when a small voice spoke up.

“I’ll do it.”

It was Kenma Kotsume.

Everyone stared at him in surprise.

Kenma Kotsume lowered his head uncomfortably.

“Class Representative took care of her on the bus for a long time. She should rest a bit.”

The Teacher didn’t know much about this boy—just that he wasn’t sociable, rarely spoke, and didn’t have a strong presence. He hesitated to leave him in charge but didn’t want to dampen a student’s initiative.

This hesitation showed on his face.

Ryouta Kise, skilled at reading the mood, spoke cheerfully.

“Let’s leave it to Kenma, then.”

Namazawa Misaki looked conflicted.

“But…”

“Come on, it’s rare for Kenma to volunteer. They’re childhood friends. He won’t let anything happen to little Yoriko.”

Ryouta Kise deliberately raised his voice and nudged Namazawa Misaki toward the main group.

“They need you over there anyway. There’s roll call at the Astronomy Museum, right, Teacher?”

The Teacher was persuaded and nodded.

“Then, it’s decided—Kenma, you’re in charge.”

Kenma Kotsume nodded as well.

“Okay.”

And so, it was settled.

Once everyone else had gone, silence fell.

Kenma Kotsume sat beside Yoriko Arisu.

“What does carsickness feel like? Does it make the world spin?”

Yoriko Arisu thought for a moment.

“It’s not that bad. It just feels awful. Like you want to throw up.”

“Do you still feel like vomiting?”

Yoriko Arisu shook her head, then stopped because of dizziness.

“No. I probably threw up everything just now.”

Kenma Kotsume picked up an Orange left on her by classmates, peeled it, and held it to her mouth.

Yoriko Arisu bit into it, then sat up because it was hard to chew while lying down, resting her head on Kenma Kotsume’s shoulder.

“Kenma, your shoulder is hard.”

She mumbled.

“My head hurts.”

Kenma Kotsume said nothing, only handing her another Orange slice.

One fed, the other ate.

After finishing the Orange, Yoriko Arisu felt much better.

She stared vacantly at a Sparrow hopping on the ground, questioning reality.

“Why did I suddenly get carsick? It never happened before.”

Kenma Kotsume clapped his hands, his fingertips stained Orange and difficult to clean.

“It was a new bus. Several people felt carsick. But you had it the worst.”

Yoriko Arisu felt embarrassed.

“Hehe, sorry for causing trouble.”

“So, should we head out? I feel better now.”

“It’s not trouble.”

Kenma Kotsume reached out his hand.

“Let’s go.”

Even though the place was unfamiliar, Kenma Kotsume led the way confidently, as if he knew the route.

“Wow—”

Yoriko Arisu stared at him in amazement.

“Kenma, you actually know the way?”

She and Kenma rarely went out. Usually, Tetsurou Kuroo led the way—he’d been acting more like an older brother lately. Seeing Kenma move with such calmness was a surprise.

Kenma Kotsume avoided her gaze, brushing his hair aside.

“…Because the Teacher gave me a Map. And there are signposts.”

He often used Maps and signboards in games, so he was good at observing.

Yoriko Arisu looked at him with starry eyes.

“Kenma, you’re amazing!”

“I’m completely hopeless with directions!”

“There’s nothing to be proud of in that…”

Kenma Kotsume was a little happy at the praise and gave a small smile.

“It’s only a bit impressive.”

When zoning out, Kenma Kotsume would imagine real-life game items and shared these thoughts with Yoriko Arisu.

He pointed at a Trash Can by the road.

“In games, sometimes you find treasures here.”

Yoriko Arisu asked curiously,

“Why put treasure in a Trash Can?”

“It’s a game mechanic…to make exploring less boring. Easter eggs and such. Sometimes searching a Trash Can in front of an NPC lowers favorability, but with others, it goes up. It’s interesting.”

“Eh~”

“And here,”

He pointed at a small protrusion on the wall.

“Skilled players can climb to the roof from here, instead of using the main entrance…”

“And here…if you smash it, you might find a secret passage.”

They chatted all the way.

By the time they reached the Astronomy Museum, Kenma Kotsume was thirsty enough to drink a whole bottle of water.

Yoriko Arisu skipped ahead, hands behind her back, walking backward with a grin.

“Listening to Kenma’s explanations is more fun than playing games.”

Kenma Kotsume froze, then smiled softly.

“Then I’ll tell you more next time.”

“Okay.”