Shimizu-san Ties Up Her Hair 4
“You changed your hairstyle from the usual.”
“Ah, yes.”
Shimizu-san took her seat.
I wondered why she chose today of all days to change her hairstyle?
“Why are you staring at like that?”
“Ah, sorry.”
It seems I was unconsciously staring at Shimizu-san because I was curious.
“You don’t need to apologize…I knew it, does it not suit ?”
Shimizu-san asked with a lack of confidence.
“It’s not like that. I just thought you have a different atmosphere from usual and it’s pretty cute. Well, it’s more like beautiful rather than cute.”
“Hey, I didn’t ask for such a detailed complint!”
For so reason, Shimizu-san seed flustered and her voice was louder than usual.
“But why did you decide to change your hairstyle today?”
“Ugh, well… it was just a whim.”
Shimizu-san claid so while avoiding eye contact.
“I see. You always had the sa hairstyle, so I was surprised.”
“T-this much is normal.”
The bell rang, indicating the start of the morning horoom, and Yuasa sensei, our class teacher, entered the room.
It seems like it’s ti to stop chatting.
“Well then, Shimizu-san, see you later.”
“...Okay.”
***
“Huh, Shimizu-san hasn’t arrived yet again?”
When I arrived at school as usual the day after Shimizu-san appeared with her hair in a half-up style, Shimizu-san was still not here either.
Then, about five minutes after I arrived in the classroom, Shimizu-san appeared.
“Good morning, Shimizu-san.”
“Morning.”
Shimizu-san had her hair in the sa half-up style as yesterday.
“Oh, you kept the half-up hairstyle today as well?”
“Yeah.”
Shimizu-san took her seat.
As I was searching my backpack for the assignnt I had to submit today, I felt soone staring at .
I looked around and realized it was Shimizu-san.
“What is it, Shimizu-san?”
“No, it’s nothing…”
Shimizu-san seed restless contrary to her words.
I wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Do you have sothing you want to tell ?”
“It’s more like sothing I want you to say rather than sothing I want to say…”
I managed to hear Shimizu-san’s mumbled words.
“What do you want to say?”
“I heard you say it before…that…”
“That?”
“…Never mind. Horoom is about to start.”
“O-okay then.”
In the end, I never found out what Shimizu-san wanted to say.
***
The next day when I entered the classroom, there was already a female student sitting in Shimizu-san’s seat.
I called out to her from behind.
“Good morning, Shimizu-san?”
“Why are you greeting like it was a question?”
“Your figure from behind looked different, so I wasn’t sure…”
Today, Shimizu-san’s hair was tied back in a single ponytail, different from the previous days.
I could see the nape of her neck, usually hidden by her long hair, and it took by surprise.
“You changed your hairstyle today?”
“Ah, yeah.”
“The half-up was nice, but the ponytail suits you too.”
“I, I see…”
For so reason, Shimizu-san covered her mouth with her hand.
“Anyway, why did you decide on a ponytail today? Another whim like before?”
“The weather looked clear and warm today. This hairstyle should help alleviate so of the heat.”
“I guess so.”
That’s true, the weather today was clear with no cloud in the sky, and the sun had been shining down since morning.
After that, I didn’t bring up Shimizu-san’s hairstyle again, and soon it was ti for horoom.
Ever since then, depending on the day, Shimizu-san would co to school with a different hairstyle.
So days, she had a bun, another day in a braided half-up, and other days, she sported a French braid.
The variety was astonishing.
Why did Shimizu-san change her hairstyle every day?
I wondered about this, but Shimizu-san would only say it was a whim.
Before I knew it, about ten days had passed since she started switching up her hair.
Watching Shimizu-san change her hairstyle every day, the class had various reactions.
So said it was a harbinger of rain, others a sign of an impending storm, and so were simply bewildered.
***
“…haah… haa…”
One weekday morning, I was rushing to class, panting.
The reason for my haste was simple: horoom was about to start.
(I should have tried a simpler hairstyle.)
The reason I was on the verge of being late today was that I tried a more complicated hairstyle than usual.
I couldn’t get the braids right, and as I kept retrying, ti slipped away. That’s why I had to leave my house in a hurry.
Last year, I wouldn’t have cared about being late, but now things were different. If I were late, Hondō would undoubtedly be worried.
That’s not what I wanted.
(I feel like I’ve been thinking about him more than before.)
The reason I started styling my hair before coming to school from last week was to get even a bit of Hondō’s attention.
Every ti I changed my hairstyle, Hondō would say it suited or that I looked pretty.
Just hearing those words made feel that waking up early and struggling with my hair was worth it.
(Well, since I didn’t style my hair today, he probably won’t say anything.)
Lost in thought, I found myself already in the classroom.
It looked like I had narrowly avoided being late.
As I walked to my seat, Hondō, probably alerted by the sound of my footsteps, turned to look at .
“Good morning, Shimizu-san.”
“Morning.”
After putting down my bag and shifting my gaze to Hondō, he had a gentle smile on his face.
“Why are you looking at and smiling?”
“Huh, was I smiling?”
He seed genuinely unaware.
“You were. What’s so funny?”
I unintentionally furrowed my brow.
Most classmates would back off with just that, but Hondō was as unfazed as ever.
“I think I was probably relieved.”
“What do you an?”
“Well, Shimizu-san, it’s been a while since you had your usual hairstyle.”
Why would Hondō feel relieved when I don’t tie up my hair?
As I was struggling to grasp the connection, Hondō began speaking again.
“Shimizu-san, you’ve been changing your hairstyle every day recently, right? Every unfamiliar hairstyle felt like a new side of Shimizu-san I hadn’t known, and honestly, it made my heart race.”
“Wha…?”
“And so, I was thinking that my heart couldn’t take it anymore, but when you ca today with your usual straight hair, I think I felt relieved. …Wait, why are you covering your face?”
“D-Don’t look at now.”
It couldn’t be helped that I needed to hide my face with both hands.
Why does Hondō always manage to shake my emotions like this?
After several monts, I regained so composure and moved my hands away from my face.
“…So you get, you know, you get excited when I tie my hair?”
“Y-Yeah.”
“And you feel relieved seeing my usual hairstyle?”
“That’s right.”
Then, I knew what I needed to do.
“…I see. Then I’ll keep this hairstyle from now on.”
“You don’t need to do that for my sake, you know? I think I’ll gradually get used to seeing you with tied-up hair.”
“I’m not doing it for you or anything. I just got tired of tying it up.”
“If that’s the case, then okay…”
Of course, it wasn’t because I found it troubleso.
I decided to keep the hairstyle adjustnts as my trump card for crucial monts.
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