"Hey."
"...Ugh."
Not her again...
The final class of the day had ended, and I was in the middle of preparing to go home. Standing before me was a girl with her arms crossed, looking as if she wanted to say, "I am in a bad mood."
Her father is Japanese and her mother is a foreigner, giving her blonde, semi-long hair that looks nothing like a typical Japanese person's. She has long eyelashes and sharp almond eyes. Her pupils are a burning crimson. Her beauty and sex appeal are perfectly refined, a trait of being half-Japanese. Without a doubt, she ranks among the most beautiful girls in this school.
—However.
"What do you mean, 'ugh'! That is so rude!"
"How would you feel if I suddenly stood in front of you?"
"I'd punch you."
"Stop it, you violent girl."
I was put off by her overly violent remark. This girl hates me way too much. ...Well, I can't exactly talk, though.
Her name is Kuonji Riran.
We've had a cursed bond since middle school, and she's always picking fights with me—a woman who is like my natural enemy.
◆
"Sanada. You're the only one left who hasn't turned in your math notebook."
"How do you know that? Are you a stalker?"
"Wh-Wha?! Th-That's not it! I was asked by the teacher to collect the notebooks!"
I looked where Kuonji was pointing. There was a stack of notebooks for the whole class, and the volume was quite large.
"...Here you go."
"Hmph."
She took it with a satisfied look and tried to lift the mountain of notebooks. But... because of the weight, she was unstable. Well, there are forty people in the class. It’s bound to be like this. Honestly, don't make a girl carry this much...
"Hey, are you okay?"
"H-Hmph. This much is fineeee...!"
Her limbs were trembling; she didn't look okay at all. ...Sigh, I can't just watch this...
I approached her and snatched away most of the notebooks that looked like they were about to collapse. Kuonji looked stunned, alternating her gaze between me and the five or so notebooks left in her hands. Then, her face turned bright red, and she began to get as angry as a raging fire.
"H-Hey! This is the job I was asked to do! Give them back, you idiot!"
"If you carried them like that, it looked like it would take you two hours."
"I-It wouldn't take that long! ...It would be about an hour and a half!"
"That's basically the same thing."
"Hmph! ...Thanks."
"...Yeah."
What a dutiful person.
Well, even if she is my natural enemy, my conscience would hurt if I just ignored her. Plus, I can make her owe me one. Hehehe, all according to plan.
"Fufu. Are you two doing your married couple's comedy routine again?"
""We are not a married couple!""
Wait, that voice...!
"Ryuguin. I've told you before, stop teasing us like that."
"Th-Th-That's right! Who would ever with a guy like this!"
"That's my line."
"What did you say?! What part of me are you dissatisfied with?!"
"Actually, I have nothing but complaints."
"Mugigigigi...!"
Ryuguin, who was watching our interaction with amusement, hugged Kuonji and patted her head.
"Sanada-kun, please forgive her. This girl just isn't honest with herself."
"Wh-Wha?! What are you saying, Rion! There is no girl more honest than me!"
"Yes, yes."
She had the smile of a holy mother. Truly, Ryuguin is cute. She has fine, straight black hair. Black eyes to match her hair, and a gentle gaze. Her chest is modest, but her long limbs and small face make up for it. She is a Yamato Nadeshiko. That term fits her perfectly—she is Ryuguin Rion.
Honestly, I wish Kuonji would take a page out of Ryuguin's book...
"Speaking of which, tomorrow is the Day of Destiny."
"Oh, right, I guess it is."
I remembered because of Ryuguin's words. April 22nd, the Day of Destiny. For boys and girls turning sixteen this year, a red thread appears on the ring finger of their left hand on that day. It is a strange condition called 'Red Thread of Fate Syndrome.'
It is said that if you are the same age, you are definitely connected to someone else in the world, and it suddenly appears on the Day of Destiny. It is a mysterious condition of unknown cause that cannot be cut or burned. In society, it is considered a miracle given by God rather than a disease.
The reason is that if two people connected by the red thread get together, good things will surely happen. Their compatibility is perfect. They both bring good fortune to each other.
That is why the thing that appears on the left ring finger is called the 'Red Thread of Fate.'
"I wonder what kind of person I'm connected to. I'm looking forward to it."
"Eh, really? Don't you hate having the person you're supposed to love decided regardless of your own will?"
"Riran-chan, the person who doesn't make you feel like that is your 'fated person.'"
"Hmm..."
True... my parents also said they liked each other from the moment they first met. The Red Thread of Fate, huh... I wonder who I'm connected to... If possible, I'd like an older sister type. Someone kind who will pamper me and has a large chest.
As my imagination (not a delusion) expanded... out of the corner of my eye, I saw Kuonji glancing at me repeatedly.
".........."
"...What is it, Kuonji?"
"Nyeh?! W-What?"
"You were looking at me. If you have a complaint, I'll hear it anytime."
"I wasn't looking, you're way too self-conscious."
"You were looking."
"I wasn't!"
She's so stubborn. Well, it doesn't matter to me whether she was looking or not.
When we carried the notebooks to the faculty office, the math teacher, Minowa-sensei, looked at us with a heartwarming expression. Minowa-sensei is an elderly teacher who is loved as the school's grandmother. That grandmother teacher, Minowa-sensei, was smiling as if she were watching over her first grandchildren.
"Oh my, oh my. Riran-san and Akito-kun are as close as ever."
""We are not close.""
"Look, you're perfectly in sync."
""We are not in sync!""
"I would be so happy if you two were fated partners."
""I wouldn't be happy. ...Stop copying me!""
Good grief, she's so irritating. It's been like this since middle school. She's always, always picking on me. Honestly, I don't know what she's trying to do.
When we left the faculty office, Ryuguin, who had apparently been waiting outside, ran up and hugged Kuonji.
"Welcome back~"
"Mugyu. Rion, I can't breathe...!"
"Ah, sorry."
Ryuguin stuck out her tongue playfully. Cute.
"Ahhh. I wish Rion was my fated person."
"I wouldn't mind being held by Riran-chan either."
"Sorry, that's impossible."
"How mean."
What's with this yuri atmosphere between them?
...I have nothing else to do, so I guess I'll go home.
"Ah! Wait, Sanada! You're on day duty tomorrow! Don't forget!"
"Yeah, yeah."
I'm going to go home quickly and read my new light novel.