"I'm not good with heights."

When the crow said that, the boy laughed.

"That's a strange story, considering you're a crow."

The crow was kind of embarrassed...

Ok, the next person read.

T-The crow...

Didn't fly...

But instead sadly...

Wa... Walked...

See? She's doing it again. Look.

She's rushing too much.

Ok, stop chatting.

Sakiguchi-san, continue.

Yes...

Sakiguchi's an apple!!

Blushes right away.

Like an octopus.

When I think about it now, it wasn't to the point of bullying or badmouthing.

Walked on the ground.

But I hated it about myself

And, along with the laughing, when I was made fun of, I wanted it to disappear.

It would be nice being a crow...

No matter how much he blushes,

Ok, next person.

No one would be able to tell. I was jealous of birds.

The Crimson Setting Sun's Blind First Part

Health Committee Meeting

Health committee members don't have much work aside from the athletics festival and extracurricular activities.

So whenever you can, help out other committees and club activities...

Ummm...

I guess there really isn't anything else.

Well, let's adjourn.

Don't forget the printout.

Huh? We're not going to introduce ourselves?

Introductions? Ah, I guess we can?

Now that you mention it...

What?

Let's start with the 1st years.

What's this guy doing, saying something unnecessary?

I was really pissed off.

The printout has a list of the committee members, so it's fine.

The meeting was clearly about to end just now!

I'm Ichimatsu, year 1 class 2.

I heard that during the athletics festival, I could be in the shade in a tent, so I joined.

Hey, hey, do your job.

He's a 1st year, huh... Then I'll have no direct relationship...

Hey

Introduce yourself. They said to start with the 1st years.

Eh

Aren't you next?

I... I'm a 2nd year...!

Eh? Then why are you sitting in the 1st year section?

U-Umm, this is the 2nd year's seats!

You sat in the wrong place.

Then next is the 2nd years.

Ah...

I... I'm a 2nd year, Sakiguchi.

Nice to meet...

Huh? She's kuchisake (slit-mouth), right?

Stop it.

Because of my complex,

I cover to just under my eyes with cloth.

So I've gotten a really terrible nickname, like they're laughing at me.

Nice to meet you...

Slit-mouth Sakiguchi.

Ever since elementary school, this sort of thing never went away, and even though they think it's a joke,

I'll probably never be able to forget this nickname that was given to me for the rest of my life.

Apple

Boiled octopus

Mail, tomato, slit-mouth Red is the color of the Japanese Postage Service.

Well, let's end with that.

If we have another meeting, we will call you over the loudspeaker...

Hey

Aren't you going to go back to your classroom?

This... Is my class...

Ah, I see.

Earlier, weren't they kind of badmouthing you? Were you being made fun of?

Like I thought, everyone could hear that...

Since you're "Sakiguchi", isn't "kuchisake" too easy?

Ah, I see...

He doesn't know that I've worn a mask for a long time...

You shouldn't let it bother you.

Eh?

I hope you get over your cold soon.

I wish

I had

A cold.

You shouldn't let it bother you.

He said that to me first.

Does he think I'm pathetic... He probably does.

A bright person like you

Is kind of dazzling.

I said, it's one with a strap attached to it.

A checkered pattern strap!

Ehh?

I haven't gotten a cell phone.

What? Checkered?

Yeah

Ok, if I get it, I'll let your homeroom teacher know.

What's your class and name?

Year 1, Class 2, Ichimatsu...

The pattern of your strap is checkered, right? I got it already. Ichimatsu, aside from being his name, almost means checkered.

What's your name?

No! I'm also Ichimatsu!

He's loud.

He's "Ichimatsu-kun", who's also a committee member...

You shouldn't let it bother you.

Ever since then it's been swirling around in my brain.

Your voice echoes well

So it hasn't really gone away.

But it doesn't feel bad.

I wonder why.

What's that?

I found it.

It fell in the hallway.

Shouldn't you bring it to the office?

Eh, that's a pain.

It's locked, so I can't see anything.

Don't mess with it.

It looks like a chess board.

It's that kind of pattern.

Ah...

"I haven't gotten a cell phone."

"A checkered pattern strap!"

Could that be Ichimatsu-kun's...

I wonder...

But it might just look similar...

What? Slit-mouth

Eh? Slit-mouth?

She's always wears a mask since elementary school.

Eh, I thought she was allergic to pollen or something.

No, no.

When she gets nervous, she blushes.

Huh? Is that all?

She's probably bright red like an octopus right now.

Were you being made fun off?

Isn't it too easy?

You shouldn't let it bother you.

Umm... That cell phone...

It might be... An acquaintance of mine...

Huh?

Ahh

Your voice is muffled.

I can't hear what you're saying at all.

What am I doing? I don't even know if it's Ichimatsu-kun's phone.

What am I doing?

Can I... See...

Eh? I can't hear you.

If you want this,

Then take off your mask and talk.

I picked this up after it was dropped.

Ah, we have to change classrooms next.

Umm

T-Thank you...

For picking it up...

That might be the cell phone... Of an acquaint... of a kouhai of mine...

Maybe.

Whoa

She really is red.

Ahhh

Hey, you did as I said.

I really thought she had a slit mouth.

I don't need this.

I'll give it to you.

Ah

What am I doing.

Wah

Incoming Call

Wh-What should I do?

Maybe it's from... The person who dropped it.

Ah, hello?

This is the person who dropped that cell phone.

Y, Yes.

Umm... I-I pic...

I'm the one who has it right now...!

Huh?

Sakiguchi-san?

Do you recognize me? I'm Ichimatsu...

Maybe you don't. I'm a member of the same committee.

No...

I know you...

I recognized your voice... right away.

Really?

You're the one who recognized it was me

Right away.

I panicked since it was the first time I lost my phone.

I'm borrowing a friend's cell phone.

Eh...?

Aren't you in class right now? Where are you calling from?

The PE storage room.

Sakiguchi-san, why did you pick up?

U-Umm...

I'm skipping class!

Seriously~

But I'm glad the one who found it was someone I know~

Me too... I'm glad I was courageous.

I'll come to get it right now. Where are you?

Eh? ...In the classroom.

Sorry, but

Please wait there.

That's right. It's something important, so he's coming to get it right away.

I don't need to be on my guard for it.

Since he's coming not to see me, but for his phone.

I know this, but...

Being able to hand it over to him is just a little...

Somehow, for me,

I guess I might be looking forward to it.

Ah

You really are skipping.

Thank you.

U-Umm, it wasn't me who picked it up...

It was a classmate...

Ah, I see.

But thank you for holding onto it for me.

If it was someone I didn't know, I'd just have them leave it at the office.

Because I'm "someone he knows" "a member of the same committee", he came here.

It not just me, but any "person he knows" would give him the same comfort.

Obviously.

Is your cold still really bad?

Your face is really red?

Are you ok?

I-I'm ok...

Do you have a fever?

D-Do I? Though I don't think so.

Do you want to go to the infirmary?

Don't look.

Don't look.

It's shameful.

I said I'm ok...

Don't look.

I don't want to be seen by you.

Ah

I thought so, you're hot.

You have a fever.

I'm sure of it.

...Maybe so.

A cold would be better.

My hands

Are cold, aren't they? Everyone says so.

It's true...

Right?

Just a little of the heat was stolen by you.

But my skin still feels hot.

Why did you recognize my voice right away before?

Do you do that with everyone?

Do you let them touch your hands?

Why did you protect me back then?

If that was just on a whim...

Umm, I'm really ok, so...

Thank you for your concern...

My fever

Has gone down, maybe, just a bit.

See you later.

At the committee meeting.

I wanted him to think that I'm taking a break from class because I'm feeling bad.

I look flustered and blush just from talking to someone.

Until now, I've been made fun of lots by the girls.

But for some reason, I didn't want to be seen like this by you.

Take care of yourself.

Ah...

Lying to him made me feel suddenly embarrassed.

I didn't think

That he would say such kind words.

So I...

...Thanks.

Afterwards, he went back to his own classroom.

With his cell phone.

I wonder what he thinks of me.

No matter what anyone thinks of me,

I just think, I don't care.

But I'm scared of breaking your illusion.

For some reason, I deeply regret

Lying to you like that.