Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu

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Encounter


　A hero who shows up when I am in trouble.

　That's who I fell in love with.

　It was the same when we met, and it is still the same today.
　He appeared before me in trouble.

　Somewhere along the way I became aware of my admiration and fondness for him.

　... I have been lying to him for such a long time.

　The more I think about him, the more my heart tightens, the more painful and sad it becomes.

　I am sure it was my punishment for continuing to deceive him, I think so now.


☆


　I met him in the summer of my second year of elementary school.

　Around the time of Obon, all the relatives in my family gather with my grandparents in the countryside.
　I hated this gathering.

　I am always with friends close to my age, such as Haruma and Touka-chan, but at this time the adults make as much noise as they can. A child like me is left alone with no time to spare.

　That day I was bored out of my mind, left the house alone and found a park nearby.

　There, several boys about the same age were playing together.
　I wanted to play with those kids, so I approached them.

"Hey, can I play with you?"

　In response to my voice, one of the boys turned around.　

"Who are you?"

　I tried to explain to the boy, who questioned me with a dubious look on his face, that I was not from around here.

"I……" (Note: She says watashi)

　But when I opened my mouth, the boys around me laughed funny.
　I was stunned, not knowing why they laughed at me.

　The boys pointed their fingers at me and laughed.

"What, you say 'I' like a woman, even though you're a man!" (Note: Watashi is usually used by a woman)

"An effeminate, he's an effeminate man!"

　Hearing the boys' ridicule made me very sad.

　I preferred to play outside rather than inside the house, so I always dressed for ease of movement and rarely wore skirts.
　And because I kept my hair short at the time, I was often mistaken for a boy.

　So everyone in my class always teased me by saying, "You are Natsuo, not Kana".

　Normally, I would be sad, but I would not cry.
　However, I couldn't help but feel sad and tearful when I was told in that way by the children close to my age whom I had found at an opportune moment.

　I don't care if I'm bored anymore, I want to go back to my grandma's house.
　――When I think so,

"Bullying the weak, it's so uncool!"

　A boy appeared in front of me.
　A boy with unfriendly eyes and a wild look.

　The boy stood there protecting me in front of several boys who laughed at me.

"What did you say!"
"Who are you!?"
"Cheeky bastard!"

　The boys are naturally angry at the boy who suddenly appeared and provoked them.
　The biggest boy comes toward me with his arms sticking straight out, trying to grab a boy with unfriendly eyes while shouting, "I'm going to beat you up."

　The boy with the unfriendly eyes smirked, dodged it, and kicked the off-balanced, well-built boy in the stomach with a mighty kick.

　The well-built boy said, "Ugya!" He grunted and fell to the ground.

"What's up, you all come at me!"

　The boy with the unfriendly eyes said gallantly.
　The other boys saw the bigger boy who had fallen and decided they were no match for him.

"Hmph, strangers are fit to get along!"

"I will never play with you guys!"

　They all ran off together with the sharp parting words.

　Once he saw them off, he muttered with a sigh, "What douchebags."

　Then a boy with unfriendly eyes looked at me and smiled.
　Surprisingly, when he smiles, he appears to be charming.

"Actually, I watched you talk to those guys from the very beginning. ...... I bet those guys felt inferior because you're "handsome"!"

　The boy, with a grin on his mouth, said in a gentle tone of voice.
　Even though I was treated like a boy ......, I was not strangely uncomfortable.

"You're not from around here either, are you? I only come here during summer vacation, so I don't know anyone at all. If you don't mind, I'd love for you to be my friend and hang out with me!"

　I was happy to hear those words.
　A little scary, but kind and cool boy who wanted to be friends with me.

"I'm Yuuji. Hey, what's your name?"

　…… But I was at a loss for words when he asked me that question.

　If I tell the truth now.
　If I told Yuuji-kun, who thinks I am a boy, that I am a girl.

　Maybe he will withdraw his offer to be friends after all.

"... Natsuo"

　So, instead of my real name, I took the nickname that my classmates always made fun of me by.

"I see, nice to meet you, Natsuo."

　Yuuji-kun called my name, smiled and extended his hand.
　I answered his smile and squeezed his hand back.


☆


　This was my first encounter with him――.

　It was the first lie I ever told him.