I opened his door without a knock, which under any other circumstances would've been extremely rude of me, but there was really no point in partaking in such an action now: my friend's ability to shut down all his senses was well-known not only by me…
"Rise and shine, lazy bones! It's time for your manly breakfast!" I shouted, pulling his covers in one smooth motion, polished by months of practice.
"Ugh, so noisy" – came a cute, high-pitched voice that belonged to someone else. Of course, my friend had this a lot of features some people might consider girly to him, but he definitely was male. At least, this is what I always thought…
"Ah, it's the Muscle-Brain!" the girl from behind the covers shouted and pointed her delicate finger at me. This time, she looked like an angry cat. Fortunately, I like cats a lot!
"Just a few more minutes," my friend muttered, still in the daze, his eyes only half-opened. He tried to sit down on his bed, only to find his right hand restrained by something – or, to be more precise, someone. Clutching his hand was the girl who has given me the nickname of "Muscle-Brain." Quite fitting for I possess both, muscles and brain!
"Eh?!" my friend said, looking at the girl clutching his arm. If they weren't wearing pajamas, this whole situation would've looked quite indecent, but I knew better. After all, this wasn't the first time something like that happened.
"Geez," my friend said, "I told you to stop doing that, Nana!"
Nana Hazuki is an underclassman and a friend. During an incident that happened not so long ago, she turned from a stoic and cold-hearted girl into someone full of affection and energy. As a self-appointed follower of the manly path, I approve such a change, especially since the catalyst was no one other than my friend. That said, she became quite clingy, too.
With her silky gray hair and a cute face, she would've been popular, if her way of talking wasn't so rude. Also, puberty still didn't touch her body, it seems. Not that there are no guys who are into that. It's just that this way you might go to prison.
"But! The night was so cold and I felt so lonely… so I decided to sneak into your bed, senpai!" this cheeky girl said with a smile. Compared to her from a year ago, it's like she's a completely different person. Also, there's this way she looks at him from time to time. I'm not sure if she noticed it herself.
"I'm off to make breakfast. Nana, you want some?" I said.
The girl just nodded, while my friend said something outrageous.
"Hey, what about me, then?"
"For you," I said with a smile, "a breakfast goes without a question."
///
The Umarekawari student uniforms were pretty plain, consisting of a white shirt, a red necktie and a black jacket coupled with formal pants. That is to say, there were no strict rules about modifications. For me, since the jacket was too tight, I decided to go without one, ditching the necktie as well.
On our way to the classroom, we found a familiar face. In my friend's case, more than simply familiar. The every-trustworthy childhood friend of his and the class representative, Alice Kozuki. Adjusting her red-rimmed glasses with one push, she looked at us, her glare still intact.
"Haru," she said, making my friend flinch. "I see you're not late this time."
And then, her gaze fell on me and her countenance softened a great deal. This time, I really understood why so many students admired her. She apparently had some history with my friend, Haru Mitsurugi, though I didn't know the details. It would be rude of me to impose like that, after all. A man must know his boundaries, too.
"You have my gratitude," she said with a smile, bowing slightly, making me feel self-conscious. A real man shouldn't blush though, even when praised by a beautiful girl. And Alice Kozuki sure was a beautiful girl.
Now, the class is starting I should better…
[] Pay attention.
[] Take a nap.
[] What's happening outside the window?