My Friend Doesn't Hesitate 32

 ACT32     What Can Be Relied on During Anxious Times?


「Good morning, you two.」

「Oh, good morning... wait, huh?」

「Mashiro-san?」


About 10 minutes before morning HR, Mashiro arrived at the 1st year Class 2 classroom and was greeted by her friends Kiriko and Natsu.

The two people who greeted her had puzzled looks on their faces when they looked at Mashiro just now.

No wonder.


「Shiro-chi, what happened to Aka-chi?」

「You're always together in the morning, so why not today?」

「Yeah... I got a message from Akami this morning.」

『?』


Mashiro took out her smartphone and showed them the contents of the conversation she'd had with Akami on the message app.


「Ooh, Aka-chi has a cold today?」

「Even though it's early summer; how rare.」

「Yeah......」


It seemed Akami's body was heavy when she woke up this morning.

When she checked her temperature, it was 37.5 degrees, and although that wasn't a high fever, it was high enough to be considered a slight fever, so she was playing it safe and not attending today.


「Well, that should be safer. Final exams are soon.」

「She needs to be in perfect physical condition when it's the actual time.」

「That's true, isn't it...」

「... Or rather, Mashiro-san, you're incredibly depressed.」

「The exemplar of the phrase there in body, but not in spirit.」

「Isn't that natural......!」


After Kiriko and Natsu respectively commented on her state, Mashiro suddenly opened her eyes wide.


「Akami feels unwell? That Akami, who's always energetic, cute, and innocent, that Akami! Of course I'm worried! When I think about how she's suffering from a fever even now! What if! By some chance! They find out it's not just a fever, but an incurable or serious illness! When I think about that possibility, I can't sit still...!」

「That's too overblown.」

「It's not overblown!」


Her voice came out conspicuously loud, so not only Kiriko and Natsu in front of her, but all of her classmates started looking at her, but Mashiro didn't care about that as she looked down and chewed her lip.


――She faintly remembered something.


When Mashiro was very, very small.

The person her mother loved.

Even though it was only a small cold at first, that person suddenly――


「Mashiro-san.」


Just as that flashback was about to heighten Mashiro's anxiety.


「...... Midoriya-san?」


Natsu tightly grasped Mashiro's right hand. Very kindly.


「It's fine. Mashiro-san, Akami-san will surely be fine.」

「...... But.」

「I understand you're anxious. I understand you're worried. But let's believe in Akami-san. Let's believe that Akami-san will be fine.」

「............」

「Yeah, it's just as Onatsu said.」


And this time, Kiriko grabbed Mashiro's left hand. It was strong and a little painful.


「Sorry, Shiro-chi. It's only natural to worry about your friends!」

「Kiri-yan.」

「Just as Onatsu said, if you think she'll be okay, she'll be okay. Everyone will be okay!」

「... It's kind of sloppy, but I understand what you want to say.」


Fully feeling the warmth of Natsu and Kiriko, Mashiro felt her heart calm down little by little.

It was a slightly different energy from her usual morning『replenishment』with Akami.

Receiving that, Mashiro said,


「I'm sorry, you two. I blew my cool.」

「No, no, friends help each other when times are tough.」

「We're good friends, after all! We'll support Shiro-chi any time!」

「Yeah.――Truly, thank you.」


As she expressed her thanks, she smiled at them.

For some reason, Kiriko and Natsu's shoulders simultaneously shook slightly.


「... Eh, w-what? You two? What's wrong?」


Once again, simultaneously, almost as if it were the most natural behavior in the world, they started stroking her head.

From the tall Kiriko, lightly from above.

From the petite Natsu, hand stretched out to the limit.

As if they were patting to comfort a small child.

For some reason, Mashiro found that pleasant, and at the same time, embarrassing. She could clearly feel the heat on her face.


「W-why are you stroking me!?」

「No, well, Shiro-chi, you're cute.」

「For some reason, I started feeling like I got a little sister.」

「Why!? H-hey, stop!」

「Cute!」

「Mashiro-san is cute!」

「I told you, stop... whaー, wait a second!? Why are all the girls in the class lining up this way!? What in the world is this queue!?」


Before she knew it, the girls in 1st year Class 2, wearing soft expressions like Kiriko and Natsu, had made a line.

By the way, the boys in the class were watching them from afar, muttering things like『...Nice』and『How nice』.

Everything in its entirety was incomprehensible.


「For that reason, Mashiro-san, get along well with us today.」

「Usually Aka-chi hogs Shiro-chi all to herself, but today everyone's hogging Shiro-chi!」

「Isn't everyone hogging kind of pointless!? No, I get it, we'll get along well, so don't come at me at all once!? It's kind of scary!?」


And so, each and every girl came to look after her.

Mashiro didn't have time to worry about Akami.


... But that's exactly why she thought it was fine.

She couldn't help but feel grateful.

She was glad she became friends with them.


　　☆　　★　　☆　　★　　☆　　★


Mmm, my body is still a bit listless...

I wonder if Shiro-chan is doing well?

I hope she doesn't get lonely without me there, but... I'm worried...


「... Mm? Incoming message?」


There's an incoming message in my message app.

Looking at it, the sender is Shiro-chan.


『Today, I'll get along well with everyone.』


The message says, and there's a three person picture of her, Kiri-yan, and Onatsu-san with smiling faces.

Shiro-chan's smile alone has a slightly wry feeling to it, but... well, it looks like she's okay.

I'm relieved, but also a little jealous... wait, another message.


『So, get well soon, Akami, and let's get along even better.』


「............ That's right.」


I unconsciously muttered.

Yeah.

Let's get well quickly.