diaLOG "II"

"G'morning!"

Even though there was a huge gap between us, I rushed down the crowded hallway to greet her. Everyone's gazes were fixed right on me. She narrowed her eyes then waved to me weakly. It took only an instant for me to run to her, and in my excitement I blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

"I'm super happy we're in the same class this year! Please look out for me, 'kay?"

"You really never change, do you? If you keep darting around like that, the teachers'll call you out as soon as you get to school."

Even though she looked annoyed, I still grabbed her hand and shook it violently.

[REDACTED]

"I can't believe we're going to have a fitness test... Ugh, just thinking about the sound is giving flashbacks," she grumbled, sitting sideways in the seat in front of me and pecking away at her colorful homemade bento.

"That sound? …Oh, you mean the PACER test noise? I dunno. I kinda like it. Like, when I hear it, I just kinda lock in."¹

"Of course you would like it…"

I munched on the bento my mom made for me and ignored the girl's wry smile and bombastic side-eye.

To be honest, I took my dad's bento instead of mine, but the size wasn't that much different, so it wasn't a huge deal. I guess I'd usually be annoyed by the size of the chopsticks, but it didn't bother me today.

"But y'know, I guess a part of me is looking forward to it. I love watching you run," the girl said.

For some reason, she was interested in me because I liked running, which is a pretty childish hobby when you think about it. Personally, I never thought running around was just for little kids, but because I'm not a child anymore, I get scolded more often for doing it. I got hurt all the time as a little kid, but it was when I had to take my high school entrance exams with crutches that I really had to suck it up.

I was in the sports club in middle school and whenever we had rallies during long weekends or holidays, she'd come to watch even though she wasn't part of the club. I don't think she really cared about the outcome. Watching me run was just fun for her. I don't really get it, but I'm happy as long as she's happy. Either way, I kinda stick out like a sore thumb and I don't exactly have a magnetic personality, so I'm really happy when my one friend is happy.

The dusty speaker shivered as the five-minute bell rang.

"Oh, the bell at this school goes off five minutes before the period ends huh? I guess that won't really matter today, though." Just as she said, the bell today really had no significance. All of today's plans for the entrance ceremony were finished this morning. She turned away from the speaker to face me and spoke again.

"Naaah, I don't feel like it!" I rejected her invitation before she could finish talking. She slumped in her chair and her body sank a few centimeters.

"You're no fuuun… But it's fine, I had a feeling you'd say that." She smiled pitifully at me, as if she was looking at a helpless child.

"I was thinkin' of trying out a few different clubs today. There were a few that seemed cool!"

"Ah, so that's why."

For some reason, she cheered up right as I told her that.

"Can I tag along with you?" she asked, her eyes shining with a sparkle I often saw when we were in middle school.

"I don't mind, but you're not planning to participate, right? Aren't you gonna be bored?" I asked.

"It's okay. I'm fine just watching." She stood and skipped back to her seat.

She's a little bit strange, just like me.