「Yah! Hah! Tei!」
It’s been two weeks since I made the wooden sword ‘Immovable Masamune’. Every day since then, I’ve been practicing my swings with it.
「Yah! Hah! Fuu! Tei!」
I was in the yard at home, and today, Father was watching me. Having the Sword Saint himself as my audience made me swing harder than usual.
…Well, putting in “more effort” might not necessarily be a good thing in swordsmanship, though.
「Tei! Tei! …Fuu」
「Good work.」
「Thanks, Father.」
Father handed me a towel and a waterskin filled with water.
「By the way, Alec… what exactly are those shouts of yours?」
「Is it no good? For me, it just feels the most natural.」
Yeah, it fits me. …It does, but it also feels like it doesn’t carry much power. Maybe I should try something like in kendo, screaming 「Kyeeeeeaaaah!!」 or something?
Ah, no, wait. I just reminded myself that putting too much strength into it is bad, didn’t I? Then I guess 「Tei」 is fine after all.
「Yo, working hard, huh?」
「Ah, Jered-kun. Sorry, could you wait a moment?」
As I wiped off my sweat with the towel, my childhood friend Jered-kun showed up. Right, today I was supposed to hang out with him. I got so caught up in training I completely forgot.
「So, how’s the sword coming along?」
「Not great, I think.」
「…Not great, huh?」
「Yeah. You can tell just by looking at Father’s face.」
「Eh?」
Father hurriedly covered his face with his hands. …Which of course made it even more obvious.
「Hello there, sir.」
「Ah, yeah. Welcome, Jered-kun.」
Father replied while mushing his own face around awkwardly.
「Um… so Alec’s swordsmanship is… not very good, then?」
「W-Well, how should I put it… I guess when it comes to swords, I can’t help but be strict…」
While I was rehydrating, Father and Jered-kun were exchanging opinions about me.
Seeing them both trying to tiptoe around my feelings only made me more self-conscious.
「Well… I’ll just keep training steadily.」
「Yeah, I see. Swords, huh… Personally, I think elves shine brightest with bows.」
「You might be right.」
「But still… you know, I think it’s pretty impressive that you’re working this hard every day. J-Just a little bit, though.」
「…………」
Why is Jered-kun so tsundere? It’s not like there’s any demand for male tsundere…
—Wait. Hold on. Jered-kun’s handsome. I’m also handsome, though I sometimes forget that. Doesn’t that mean… his tsundere-ness ‘does’ have demand?
Specifically, from ‘fujoshi’. Every time he says a line like that to me, it might fuel their imagination in dangerous ways…
What a nightmare. The more tsundere lines he throws at me, the more fujoshi eyes will be cast upon us…!
「H-Hey. Say something, will you?」
「…Eh? Ah, r-right. Thanks, Jered-kun.」
「D-Don’t get the wrong idea, okay!? Just a little bit, that’s all!」
Stop it, Jered-kun. Don’t feed the demand any further.
◇
「Well then, Father, I’m off.」
「Take care.」
I waved to Father and left home with Jered-kun. Our destination was an empty lot that served as a training ground.
「Still though… Jered-kun, doesn’t it feel like it’s been a while since we last hung out?」
「Really?」
「Yeah, it feels like it’s been ages. …When was it again? Wasn’t it the time we played house and became sworn brothers?」
「What the heck is that? …Wait, wasn’t that the very first time we played together? Wow, that takes me back.」
Ah, that’s right. The first time the three of us played together. We were five back then, so that was already two years ago… huh?
「But now that I think about it, I don’t remember talking to you since then… Jered-kun?」
「Hah? What are you talking about? We just met recently, three days ago, wasn’t it?」
「…Yeah, that’s right. I guess. Huh, that’s weird. Sorry, just forget I said anything.」
「You’re a weird one… well, you always are.」
How rude, Jered-kun. Still, he’s right, I said something strange.
Three days ago, I definitely played with him. We were on stilts, playing tag at full speed. The stilts broke.
So why did I just think it had been two years?
I don’t know. It just suddenly felt like, “Even though he’s supposed to be my childhood friend, Jered-kun hardly ever shows up…”
「But honestly, we don’t meet all that often, do we? Are you busy or something?」
「Busy, huh…」
Jered-kun crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and went “hmm” while walking. That pose is dangerous while moving, you know?
「It’s not like they say it out loud, but… it’s kinda like, I get this vibe that says ‘Don’t get in the way.’」
「…I have no idea what you’re talking about.」
What vibe? Is Jered-kun secretly communicating with supernatural beings too?
「No, never mind. Forget it.」
「Ehh…? Oh, wait. Is it Jered papa? Because I’ve been busy with Reversi, so he doesn’t want you disturbing me? If that’s it, then it’s fine now.」
「That’s not it. …And stop asking already.」
「O-Okay…」
What was that about?
Well, whatever it is, I’ll take Jered-kun’s warning seriously. Somehow… this topic feels like it’s hiding some kind of quiet darkness.
Next Chapter: Eyes of Fujoshi
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