repeated:
“‘Addlepated’…”
Why had he said that to her? She worried a bit, but before long, she understood.
Oh, I see! Elliot-kun was—
Ada Vessalius
Back inside the school building, Ada strode enthusiastically down the corridor.
She was raring to go, and she exuded an imposing aura that said “Discipline must be maintained!” That said, she hadn’t discarded her usual soft, benevolent atmosphere, which meant something about her felt undeniably mismatched. Still,Ada herself was attempting to seem as strict as she possibly could.
Elliot-kun cheered me on. “Do a decent job,” he said. I’ve got to do my best!
She’d looked out into the back garden a little while ago because she’d been worried about Elliot and the someone he was waiting for. She’d tried to arrange it so that people wouldn’t go to the back garden, but she wasn’t sure it had worked. Were they having a wonderful time, undisturbed?
I wonder what sort of person Elliot-kun was waiting for…
That curiosity had also been there, in a corner of her mind.
He must have seen through it. That was why he’d scolded her so harshly.
“I don’t care if you play disciplinary committee member, but at least do a decent job.
“Don’t let me see your face again (until you finish your job)!”
She was sure that was what he’d meant.
In that case, she thought, after she’d fully performed her duties as a disciplinary committee member, she’d go to see him again, and she’d greet him properly this time. She was positive he’d return her greeting then. …After all, she was sure he was a good person. No doubt they could become friends.
Although she wasn’t aware of it, it was more that Ada wanted to believe this than that she actually did believe it.
And so, first of all, she’d perform her disciplinary committee duties properly—
As she was thinking this and similar things, she turned a corner in the corridor and came face-to-face with Elliot again. Elliot was running without looking where he was going, and they very nearly collided.
“Waugh!” Their voices overlapped.
I’m sorry
, Elliot was about to apologize, when he realized it was Ada.
“You?!”
“Wa-wa-wa, I didn’t meet you, I haven’t seen you, I—”
“……Huh? Dammit, whatever, just
move
!”
She’d thought she’d be scolded again, but Elliot only pushed her out of the way and ran off, without taking the time to yell at her. He was looking this way and that, and he wasn’t watching where he was going. Ada tilted her head, puzzled. What had happened to the secret date? Was it over?
No, that wasn’t it. She remembered their exchange in the back garden.
“What are you talking about?”
As he’d responded to Ada’s unfounded suspicions, Elliot’s face and voice had been cold.
From what she could tell from her memories, that had been an honest reaction.
In that case, her idea about a secret date might have been mistaken. In that case, what was he doing? He’d seemed to be looking for something. If he was, in fact, looking for something, she wanted to help him. …She
did
want to, but Ada shook her head, erasing the thought.
I have to perform my own duties properly.
He was kind enough to scold me, after all. He wouldn’t want me to set aside my work as a disciplinary committee member to help him. I’ll do my best at my own job.
Right!
Ada thought, firing herself up again, and began to walk faster.
And then.
Everywhere she went, Ada ran into Elliot.
She ran into him in a deserted classroom, peering under the teacher’s desk. When he saw Ada, Elliot started, sent a sharp glance her way, and went off somewhere.
She ran into him outside the bathrooms. Unless she’d been imagining things, Elliot had just emerged from the girls’ lavatory. As before, when Elliot noticed Ada, he was startled, but this time he ignored her and ran off.
The next place she saw him was outside another restroom. She began to worry that his stomach might be
“‘Addlepated’…”
Why had he said that to her? She worried a bit, but before long, she understood.
Oh, I see! Elliot-kun was—
Ada Vessalius
Back inside the school building, Ada strode enthusiastically down the corridor.
She was raring to go, and she exuded an imposing aura that said “Discipline must be maintained!” That said, she hadn’t discarded her usual soft, benevolent atmosphere, which meant something about her felt undeniably mismatched. Still,Ada herself was attempting to seem as strict as she possibly could.
Elliot-kun cheered me on. “Do a decent job,” he said. I’ve got to do my best!
She’d looked out into the back garden a little while ago because she’d been worried about Elliot and the someone he was waiting for. She’d tried to arrange it so that people wouldn’t go to the back garden, but she wasn’t sure it had worked. Were they having a wonderful time, undisturbed?
I wonder what sort of person Elliot-kun was waiting for…
That curiosity had also been there, in a corner of her mind.
He must have seen through it. That was why he’d scolded her so harshly.
“I don’t care if you play disciplinary committee member, but at least do a decent job.
“Don’t let me see your face again (until you finish your job)!”
She was sure that was what he’d meant.
In that case, she thought, after she’d fully performed her duties as a disciplinary committee member, she’d go to see him again, and she’d greet him properly this time. She was positive he’d return her greeting then. …After all, she was sure he was a good person. No doubt they could become friends.
Although she wasn’t aware of it, it was more that Ada wanted to believe this than that she actually did believe it.
And so, first of all, she’d perform her disciplinary committee duties properly—
As she was thinking this and similar things, she turned a corner in the corridor and came face-to-face with Elliot again. Elliot was running without looking where he was going, and they very nearly collided.
“Waugh!” Their voices overlapped.
I’m sorry
, Elliot was about to apologize, when he realized it was Ada.
“You?!”
“Wa-wa-wa, I didn’t meet you, I haven’t seen you, I—”
“……Huh? Dammit, whatever, just
move
!”
She’d thought she’d be scolded again, but Elliot only pushed her out of the way and ran off, without taking the time to yell at her. He was looking this way and that, and he wasn’t watching where he was going. Ada tilted her head, puzzled. What had happened to the secret date? Was it over?
No, that wasn’t it. She remembered their exchange in the back garden.
“What are you talking about?”
As he’d responded to Ada’s unfounded suspicions, Elliot’s face and voice had been cold.
From what she could tell from her memories, that had been an honest reaction.
In that case, her idea about a secret date might have been mistaken. In that case, what was he doing? He’d seemed to be looking for something. If he was, in fact, looking for something, she wanted to help him. …She
did
want to, but Ada shook her head, erasing the thought.
I have to perform my own duties properly.
He was kind enough to scold me, after all. He wouldn’t want me to set aside my work as a disciplinary committee member to help him. I’ll do my best at my own job.
Right!
Ada thought, firing herself up again, and began to walk faster.
And then.
Everywhere she went, Ada ran into Elliot.
She ran into him in a deserted classroom, peering under the teacher’s desk. When he saw Ada, Elliot started, sent a sharp glance her way, and went off somewhere.
She ran into him outside the bathrooms. Unless she’d been imagining things, Elliot had just emerged from the girls’ lavatory. As before, when Elliot noticed Ada, he was startled, but this time he ignored her and ran off.
The next place she saw him was outside another restroom. She began to worry that his stomach might be
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