GenderSwitchs Vol. 5 (English)

Epilogue

It was about 5:30 P.M. Classes had ended satisfactorily, and most students were going home, while some others stayed behind to do their club activities. In my case, since I wasn't involved with any clubs, I simply decided to wander the halls, until I reached the roof, where I asked someone to go there.

Sitting on one of the benches that was right in front of the fence, I could watch the sunset slowly set over the sky, as a cold feeling ran down my back, and the winter wind slowly blew my hair.

"Ah, there you are." Said he, the person I had asked to come, Takahashi Atsushi.

"Geez, you're late." I replied while looking at him with a disapproving face.

"Kimigawa, but it was you who asked me to come here just a while ago. Besides, why at this hour, and in this lonely place?"

As Atsushi, slowly approached and sat down next to me on the bench, a strange feeling came over me. I was shivering a little, but I had to be strong to stand that strange trembling.

"It's pretty cold today, isn't it?" I said as I tried to change the topic, looking at the sunset.

"...And you're ignoring me, huh? Anyway. I guess so, it's getting pretty cold."

"Do you think someone sell hand warmers near here?"

"But you're wearing gloves."

"They're not enough to repel the cold..." I say while interlacing my fingers. "Though..."

"Hm?"

"Ah, no, it's nothing. It's just that I was thinking about something." I said as I tried to get back to the conversation. This had been the first Valentine's Day I had celebrated with many people, and I was still kind of dumbfounded that it actually happened.

Come to think about it, how had Mayo been doing? I remember seeing her quite happy, but she didn't tell me anything about what happened when she gave her chocolates to Hotarou.

I assumed that everything went well, and I felt good for her. On the other hand, I glanced sideways at my bag, where I had a box of chocolates hidden.

"Even so, I still don't understand why you called me here, Kimigawa." He was saying in a somewhat relaxed tone, but with some annoyance and doubt in his tone of voice.

"Well, about that..." I started to say as I started to feel somewhat nervous.

Come on, don't be such a wimp now, me. It's a gift for your best friend, right?

I thought as I encouraged myself a little. Then, determined, I slowly opened my bag, and took out the box of chocolates.

"Here, for you." I said, and extended the box of chocolates towards him, while trying to keep a serene attitude, but with some nervousness and embarrassment to give it to him. I blushed a little and, strangely enough, acted rather subdued about it. I preferred to make a "safe" move and not have things misunderstood.

"..."

"Say something."

Atsushi, who was showing a huge poker face, said: "Why out of the blue are you giving this to me...?"

"D-Don't get the wrong idea! This is a gift from a friend, that's all."

"... Right, so that's why you didn't give it to me before, because it was bigger than the rest."

"... W-Well, it's because you've done so much for me all this time, and I wanted to... You know, give you something special to thank you."

"... I see." He said, taking the box of chocolates, and flashing a gentle smile. "Thank you for this then."