Strawberry Milk | EDITING

22 || Cat & Mouse 2

How long has it been since the game of cat and mouse started?

To answer that question, it has been a week— a week that felt like it had been going on for months.

Our friends in Class 3-E were becoming more confused as the day passed; Natsumi ignored them or gave them vague replies. Not even Karma Akabane could have a proper conversation with our blonde female lead.

"What if Natsumi is just really ignoring us because of our differences— our classes?" Rio sighed and slumped onto her desk. "I highly doubt that we all know how Natsumi would defend our class like last time at the train station," Nagisa prompted. "Then why would she act like that?" Everyone sighed at Kaede's question; they couldn't rack their brains for an answer.

"Whatever the answer is, it ends now," Karma whispered to himself. Out of all of them, Karma grew the most impatient to find an answer. Well, who wouldn't be? Imagine the person you like, someone you find solace in— suddenly ignores you. Wouldn't that be confusing?

"Achoo!" Natsumi sneezed as she covered her nose and mouth with a handkerchief. "Are you sick?" Gakushū asked as he was handing Natsumi her Strawberry Milk.

"Yes, but with a fever? No... Someone just misses me!" Natsumi exclaimed, taking the carton from the male. "And who might that be?"

"I don't know, maybe Kei? But that's just gross," she shivered while the other chuckled, "He would just give you a bonk on the head, you know."

"And I'll give him twice as much."

"Can you even reach his head?"

"Maybe— HEY! Are you making fun of my height?!"

Gakushū stuck his tongue out and walked away, chuckling, "You know what? you will be the one receiving a bonk!" Natsumi ran after.

And thus, the class was in session.

Natsumi's POV

We'll be having our trip to Kyoto this time around. This would've been so much fun if I was in Class E... they might be plotting a grand assassination during the trip.

I sighed. "Shuuu~ should we form a group?"

"I don't mind, but with who?"

"Well, for starters, me, you, Ren—" Ren turned around. "Shouldn't you ask me first before making a decision?" "You'd say yes either way, though."

"She's not wrong," Shū added with a nod. Ren sighed in defeat, "Then." Ren turned around and pulled Yuna, "I was about to ask Yuna, would you like to join us?" I propped up. Yuna glanced at Shūkun before looking at me, "Sure!" Although I hadn't asked the rest of the guys if they wanted to join the group, it seemed like they were, as they were already talking with Ren and Shū about the trip.

With that, the group consisted of Me, Yuna, Gakushū, Ren, Teppei, Natsuhiko, and Tomoya.

"Can we bring things to do on the train?" Ren questioned the strawberry blonde next to him. Field trips are one occasion for this class to be 'relaxed' as no studying is involved. "We can. Should we bring some? Also, we should bring some snacks to eat for the rest of the trip when we look around," Shū suggested, to which I, the snack connoisseur, happily agreed.

We ended up making plans for where to go during the trip. Gakushū and I were on the snack duo—we were in charge of buying the snacks. Ren and Yuna were on the entertainment, and the last three were assigned to make a list for our itinerary.

"Should we make a list of snacks to buy? What do you guys want?" I asked while taking out my phone.

"Get something salty to balance out the sweetness!" Yuna exclaimed, "You tend to buy snacks that lean towards the sweet side," she pointed out. "That's true..." I nodded.

"We already have Asano for the salt," Ren joked, earning a side-eye from Gakushū and a burst of laughter from all of us,

"And I thought my brother was the salty one, anyway, so! Potato chips, cola, water, biscuits and cookies, chocolate, mochi..." we listed things we would want to bring and eat during the trip.

The following day came, and we had a day before the trip.

Gakushū and I decided to buy the snacks after school, but something came up that needed his— well, the student council's attention about the trip, so I'm just waiting near the vending machines.

The opening, or well, the entrance to the hill, was in front of me. I sighed.

I feel bad for practically running away from them, but I'm getting too attached. I think I made the right decision to distance myself from them before we got too attached.

Just when I was about to leave, someone suddenly pulled me and trapped me between him and the wall—a familiar face, "Finally, I caught you," he smiled.

"Karma?"