Chapter 2
The next day.
Hah... It really is cold outside. Even jus' goin' out into the hallway fer a lil' bit makes my skin all shivery.
Mikarin, welcome home~. It's still cold, huh? That's why we should relax by the kotatsu today.
Hey Mikarin, hurry up and get in here. Aren't you cold?
Oh man! I can already tell that if I get possessed by the kotatsu's supernatural powers, I'll end up not bein' able t' do anything.
It's a valuable day off, and I gotta focus on my art, or I'll be too ashamed t' look Oshi-san in the eye.
You say that, Mikarin, but you don't do very well in the cold either. If you don't keep yourself warm, you'll get sick, and I don't think that would be very efficient~
Come on, there's nothing better than snuggling up by the kotatsu while drinking some warm tea~ ♪
Ugh, if it was jus' fer a lil' while... But I know just that lil' bit can be fatal.
But... It is real cold! Maybe jus' fer five minutes or so...
Hm-hmm. Mika-nii~chan and the supernatural powers of the kotatsu? It looks like he can't resist it after all.
Uwah?! Why's Mitsuru-kun under the kotatsu?!
Woah?! Mika-nii~chan found me! I'll dash away~!
So fast?! What the heck was that...?
He came while you were out of the room, Mikarin, so I decided to let him in. I figured he might want to get under the kotatsu with me.
But to escape from the evil clutches of the kotatsu with that kind of speed... It's quite a good job~
He jus' wanted t' use the kotatsu? I wonder if that's really true. I feel like y'all were talkin' about me...
Another day.
I get real emotional when thinkin' about how I'll only get t' work in the clubroom for a lil' while longer.
Would it be a good idea t' try an' come up with a design based on graduation or the beginning of spring? Well, I haven't brought my sketchbook back home yet...
Sta~re...
I feel someone lookin' at me from the entrance?! Who's there?!
Tch...?!
Ah, they ran away!
Dash dash! Today, Mika-nii~chan was working hard on designing again~!
Aah, I can't see them fully anymore. But the voice jus' now sounded like Mitsuru-kun.
Lately, I feel like Mitsuru-kun's been hangin' out around me a lot. I wonder why...?
Yet another day.
(I came here t' buy some art supplies that I needed, but...)
(Whisper) ...I'm gonna start investigating, I hope Mika-nii~chan doesn't find me.
(Whisper) Hm-hmm. Looks like he's going out today. I wonder if it'll be to anywhere fun?
(Whisper) But playing by yourself would be boring. Maybe he's just going shopping...?
(Whisper) I'm curious either way! Looks like I'll get some good intel on Mika-nii~chan. ♪
(Ugh... It really is Mitsuru-kun. I wonder why he's been followin' me?)
(It's makin' me nervous bein' followed around with no end in sight. Okay, if things go as planned, I'll ambush 'im around that corner over there...)
Oh, I lost him! I've gotta hurry and catch up with—
Mitsuru-kun! Caught'cha!
Uwah?! Mika-nii~chan, you were waiting to ambush me?!
I noticed that you've been followin' me around. More importantly, why would ya do somethin' like that?
Th-that's...
O-over there, it's Oshisan-senpai!
Huh?! Why'd Oshi-san be here?! He never said anythin' about comin' back...!
Huh? I can't find Oshi-san anywhere...
Sorry, Mika-nii~chan! I gotta run now, zip-whoo~sh.☆
Wait, ya tricked me! I can't let ya get away, but yer already that far...?!
As expected of someone in th' track and field club... I don't have the energy t' run after 'im.
(In the end, Mitsuru-kun always runs away from me, and I still dunno the reason he keeps chasin' me around.)
(It's like I'm on the lookout fer Mitsuru-kun all the time, so I can't dedicate myself to my creative work...)
Fer now, I'll drink some tea an' calm down...
Haah, seriously. If I did somethin' to Mitsuru-kun, I jus' wanna apologize properly.
...You seem extremely worried, Mika-kun. If something has happened that's troubling you, I'll listen to you.
Nnah?! Ran-senpai, ya started talkin' t' me outta nowhere! I got real surprised.
...Sorry. I was in the room first, but I guess you didn't notice me.
Oh, I see. I'm sorry fer intrudin' on ya while ya were relaxin' in here?
...It feels like there is a slight undertone to that apology. Should I take that to mean you don't actually want to apologize to me?
...Ugh, forgive me. Whenever I think about an old member of fine, I instinctively put my guard up.
When ya said ya'd listen t' me talk jus' now, I know ya said it with goodwill, but...
...The fact that I've hurt you all in the past cannot change. It's expected that you wouldn't be able to accept my help without issue.
...This is because of my nosiness. You are free to reject or take my hand. I don't mind either way.
...Judging from your soliloquy earlier, it seemed that Tenma-kun was also involved in your troubles, Mika-kun. I wonder if I should listen to his side of the story too?
Wait, wait a sec! Jus' now, did ya say yer gonna talk t' Mitsuru-kun?
...Because I'm good friends with Tenma-kun. If he's in trouble, I'd like to help him.
Nnah~, it's hard t' say no when ya put it that way. I don't want ya t' do anythin' unnecessary, but...
(Sigh)... I'll talk with ya honestly this time. I also wanna hear what Mitsuru-kun has t' say.
To tell ya the truth, what's troublin' me is how Mitsuru-kun's been followin' me around lately.
Even when I ask him why, he jus' runs away, an' I can't do anythin' about it.
...I see. Even if I tried to guess the reasoning behind his behavior, I wouldn't have enough information and could not deduce an answer.
...It would be faster to ask Tenma-kun personally. Right now, he should be in the library.
Really? Isn't it a bit surprisin' fer Mitsuru-kun t' be in the library?
...He looked to be writing something. If you want to corner him so that he can't escape, now may be a good opportunity.
Doesn't it sound kinda dangerous when ya put it like that...?