Chapter 29: Referring to Kagemitsu as Nekono, the day of the Furuya disaster...
Rei Furuya would never fall into the same pit twice in the same way, so out of respect, he took a completely new posture when he fell this time.
Achievement: Two goals scored.
When Furuya Rei crossed his arms, shifted his weight onto one foot, and stubbornly and resolutely looked coldly at Nekono-kun, who had uninvited himself to sit next to him and was unusually early that day, he had no idea that he had mistaken someone for someone else.
Furuya Rei was merely trying to stir up the weak sense of guilt in the person in front of him with his cold, accusatory gaze. Putting everything else aside, he had just caused the other person to sprain his ankle not long ago, so at least he shouldn't be blocking the door now, right? Hurry up and move aside.
Rei Furuya's gaze was intense.
Get out of here, Nekono-kun. Maybe he shouldn't have insisted on going to school today. He's only walked a few steps, and his sprained ankle is already hurting a lot.
Rei Furuya remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was already crying out in pain.
Morofushi Kagemitsu stared blankly at the person in front of him, whose expression seemed to be filled with annoyance and reproach. He clearly saw that the person he was calling out to was Nekono-kun.
"???" Did I hear that wrong?
He blinked his azure cat eyes and glanced around discreetly, but did not see Nekono Ikuya. So Morofushi Kagemitsu tilted his head in utter confusion.
What a strange classmate. Why would he want to see Nekono-kun? Morofushi Kagemitsu wondered.
The number of strange classmates has increased!
Rei Furuya probably never imagined that when he labeled the classmate who had mistaken him for someone else with a strange label, that label would one day be applied to him as well, and the boomerang he had thrown would come back to haunt him.
Morofushi Kagemitsu was indeed perceptive, so he noticed the strange blond student's somewhat awkward posture and the way he unconsciously glanced towards the inner seat.
Oh, Morofushi Kagemitsu suddenly understood. This must be the classmate that Nekono had mentioned to him before, the one who was resting at home yesterday because of a sprained ankle.
I see. The other person just wanted to go back to their seat.
Perhaps he really did mishear.
Morofushi Kagemitsu silently got up and made way for him, and as expected, the other party couldn't wait to go in.
He had guessed correctly. Morobuchi Kagemitsu nodded happily, and only silently returned to his original seat after watching the other person sit down.
Rei Furuya put down his schoolbag, carefully looked at the timetable he had posted on the upper right corner of his desk, took out the textbook he would use for the first class of the day from his schoolbag, opened it carefully, and picked up his pen to do his pre-class preparation.
He didn't even look up while doing his preparatory work. "Aren't you going back to your seat, Nekono-kun?"
Rei Furuya wasn't without his doubts either. Nekono-kun was acting strangely today, remaining completely silent. Could it be...?
Rei Furuya thought, "Some people seem to be wearing masks, but in reality they have taken off their disguises. Could it be that Nekono-san, who is not wearing a mask, has become more reserved?"
If that's really the case, it might be a good thing. Furuya Rei casually underlined the sentences in the text with wavy lines. Surely it's not that Nekono-kun is really too guilty to speak?
Who is he talking to?
Morofushi Kagemitsu glanced ahead at the empty seat of Nekono Ikuya with a puzzled look, and then stole a few glances at Furuya Rei next to him, who was sitting in a serious posture and seemed to be doing his pre-class preparation.
Is he talking to Nekono-san? But Nekono-san isn't here at all.
Morofushi Kagemitsu blinked his blue eyes in confusion, then carefully looked around again to make sure he hadn't missed anything.
Nekono-kun isn't here, I'm not mistaken. So who is this blonde girl talking to? Is she talking to an illusion?
Things started to get strange.
Morofushi Kagemitsu meticulously ruled out the possibility of a "friend without information" because the other party called him "Nekono-kun," and Nekono-kun is a real person whom Morofushi Kagemitsu knows, so it couldn't be a friend without information.
Then it must be a hallucination. But can a sprained ankle cause hallucinations? I've never heard of that.
Or perhaps... someone else is actually experiencing hallucinations, like himself?
It's possible, after all, the blond classmate looked like a very diligent student who had prepared for the exam, or it's possible that he didn't say anything at all.
Could it be that he was really hallucinating?
Zhu Fujingguang's heart sank. He decided to ask about his condition when he went to see the psychologist for his usual weekend appointment. He hoped to find out and treat it as soon as possible. Sigh.
Despite thinking this way, Morofushi Kagemitsu, for safety's sake, quietly moved a little further away from Furuya Rei without making a sound, and increased his attention to Furuya Rei's every move.
What if, what if the problem isn't with me but with this strange classmate?
He knew what kind of things a mentally unstable person was capable of doing that were incomprehensible to normal people, so he had to be extra careful to ensure his safety.
All the hidden figures silently entered a state of alert.
At this moment, Rei Furuya is unaware that his new deskmate is treating him as a potential mental patient and is on guard against him.
He just felt that the classroom was very quiet.
"..." It was too quiet.
The people around him did not respond.
"???" Why isn't he saying anything?
Rei Furuya frowned and turned his head, unable to remain calm any longer. Nekono was being quiet; she might be up to something. He had to check.
"Nekono-kun?"
Is this some new way for Nekono to attract his attention? If so, Nekono has succeeded.
After all, Rei Furuya's expression turned slightly somber, because in his eyes, the quiet Nekono was much more terrifying than the restless Nekono.
"!!!" Jianggu Ling was shocked.
Is the other side gathering strength again? No way!
His gaze gradually became wary.
The strange blond classmate called out to Nekono-kun again, and this time he turned his head and pointed clearly. Morofushi Hiromitsu finally realized that he had not just imagined it.
Although he was glad that he was alright, Morofushi Kagemitsu couldn't help but remain silent for two seconds. He looked around again, but still couldn't see even a trace of Nekono Ikuya.
"..." Moribu Kagemitsu closed his eyes.
He finally gave up struggling, turned his head and suddenly pointed to his nose, staring wide-eyed at Furuya Rei with obvious astonishment in his eyes.
"???"
Ah, Nekono-kun, who is it? Are you talking about me?
Morofushi Kagemitsu was questioning his existence. Did I really look that much like other people? Not only did that person admit their mistake, but even his new deskmate admitted their mistake?
Rei Furuya noticed the astonished look in Kagemitsu Morofushi's eyes, and his hand holding the pen froze.
He had already vaguely sensed that something was wrong, and recalling his unforgettable experience when he first transferred schools, a sense of unease began to creep into his heart.
His expression gradually froze.
No way... right?!
Unfortunately, before Furuya Rei could verify his ominous suspicions, a familiar greeting came from the doorway, shattering his last glimmer of hope.
"Good morning, Nekono-kun. You're here so early today, that's quite rare."
"Hmm, you're good too. I don't always arrive at the last minute. Sometimes I want to get there earlier."
...
It's Nekono's voice. Although it changes slightly every day, he would never mistake it!
His heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally died. Furuya Rei no longer wanted to hear what happened next. His heart was filled with gloom, and his purplish-gray eyes suddenly lost their light.
Oh no, what I feared most might have come true.
Under the influence of his mind, Furuya Rei suddenly felt his feet hurt even more, and now even his head started to hurt!
He looked at Morofushi Kagemitsu beside him with a heart full of despair. Morofushi Kagemitsu returned his smile with a gentle smile that contained a hint of wariness.
It was both awkward and polite.
Phew~ As expected, my new deskmate sees me as a weirdo. Rei Furuya instantly felt hopeless.
My new deskmate must be refusing to talk to me because he thinks I'm being unreasonable.
Nekono Ikuya, you really are my nemesis!
I knew I shouldn't have insisted on coming to school today. Rei Furuya, the person involved, is now filled with regret, deep regret.
...
Nekono Ikuya walked into the classroom with light steps, smiling and responding to all the classmates who greeted him along the way.
He's in a pretty good mood today.
As is his word, Nekono Ikuya always keeps his promises. The day before yesterday, he promised Furuya Rei that he would go to school in his original form the next day without disguising himself. Yesterday, Nekono Ikuya truly did go to school in his original form all day, even though he knew that Furuya Rei needed to rest at home for a few days and would most likely not come to school.
Not only that, Nekono Ikuya didn't change his appearance today either. He has decided to maintain this look until Furuya Rei returns to school, or even until Furuya Rei is completely recovered.
After all, Nekono Ikuya smiled. He wasn't the kind of person who would break his promises. He had to let Furuya see what he was curious about.
When Nekono Ikuya stepped into the classroom and found that Furuya-kun had also come to school today, she was both surprised and delighted, but for some reason, she didn't feel much surprise.
Perhaps it's because Furuya has such a stubborn personality?
cute.
Nekono Ikuya's eyes clearly lit up, but unlike when she had blue eyes, she didn't fly over to Furuya Rei as quickly as a cheerful little bird.
His pace quickened slightly, yet it appeared light and elegant, showing no sign of haste, but rather as composed as a cat surveying its territory.
One thing Rei Furuya guessed right: Ikuya Nekono is indeed more reserved when he takes off his disguise.
However, his reserve couldn't stop him from showing his joy.
The next second, Nekono Ikuya happily waved her right hand and greeted Furuya Rei and Morofushi Kagemitsu with a smile. Her voice was melodious and clear, and her bright green cat eyes shone with pure joy.
He flashed a bright, infectious smile, free of any gloom: "Good morning, Furuya-kun, Hiromitsu."
Morofushi Kagemitsu couldn't help but laugh along with Nekono Ikuya, his similar but different blue cat eyes curving lightly as he nodded in response.
But I'm not good.
The only one who seemed out of place was Rei Furuya, who had suffered a setback early in the morning. He forced a smile at Ikuya Nekono, but couldn't manage to force it.
Nekono Ikumi's clear, bright emerald cat eyes immediately showed worry, which was immediately apparent. Her tone also softened: "Is Furuya-kun's foot feeling better?"
Rei Furuya replied listlessly, "Thanks to you." It hurt even more.
The most painful part wasn't his feet, it was his head. Furuya Rei didn't know how to face his new deskmate.
Should I give a serious explanation? It seems a bit strange, since strictly speaking, he didn't do anything, or rather, he didn't have time to do anything.
Being too formal will only exacerbate the awkwardness, especially since the new deskmate seems quiet and introverted with social anxiety.
But I can't not explain, otherwise I'll become a very strange person in my new deskmate's eyes.
Suddenly, he empathized with those classmates who were at a loss back then, not knowing how to face themselves. Now, he was also quite at a loss, and Furuya Rei was extremely distressed.
The most crucial point is that Nekono-kun is here now, and it would be too embarrassing to confess to Nekono-kun that he mistook someone else for him.
Nekono Ikuya blinked slowly, then blinked again, her gaze shifting back and forth between Furuya Rei and Morofushi Kagemitsu.
Why does it feel like there's something off between Furuya and Hiromitsu?
What happened?
Nekono Ikuya sat sideways on the chair, deliberately raising his voice and showing a bright laugh to create a relaxed atmosphere, and introduced them:
"Furuya-kun, this is Morofushi Kagemitsu, our new transfer student. He's not very talkative, but he's a nice guy. He'll be your new deskmate from now on."
"Kagemitsu, this is Furuya, the guy I've often mentioned to you. He's my favorite friend, and you'll like him too."
"Are you a really good friend?" Furuya Rei's resentment seemed to have subsided a bit, but the name "Kagemitsu"—did they know each other before?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com