Chapter 12: First Encounter part 3

After tending to Peter’s injuries, we joined the second period class.

Flash kept glancing at me, clearly wanting to strike up a conversation.

But Gwen, baring her fangs like a guard dog, scared him off, and in the end, he never said a word.

Class ended, and the school day came to a close.

Peter met up with Ned, who was shocked by Peter’s injuries. Gwen went home ahead of us.

“Then… should we cancel today’s movie?”

That’s what Ned said.

“No? It’s just an injury, it’s not like it stops me from watching a movie.”

Peter replied.

I stood by, watching the two of them.

“…Um, Michelle?”

“What?”

“Why are you following me around? Wouldn’t it have been better to go with Gwen?”

It wasn’t unreasonable for Peter to ask that. I’d been sticking to him like glue all day.

“…Was that bad?”

“No, it’s not bad or anything… Do you have some kind of reason?”

“Not really.”

Driven by guilt for what I did to Peter yesterday, I’ve been overcome by the urge to help him… somehow.

But the problem is, even when he’s battered and bruised, Peter insists on handling everything by himself…

And before I knew it, the day had ended.

“Ned.”

“Hm? What?”

“I want to see the movie too.”

Living out my days as Peter’s stalker… with that absurdly half-baked resolve, I expressed my intent to tag along with them.

“Eh? But the movie we’re watching is a superhero flick, you know?”

“That’s fine. I like superhero movies too.”

Or rather, I just like heroes in general. Like Spider-Man, Iron Man, Spider-Man, Captain America, Spider-Man, Spider-Man, and Spider-Man.

…Ah, wait, since they exist in this world, I guess it’s not so much that I like fictional superhero movies—more like I’m a celebrity fangirl?

Ned reacted to my hero-loving comment with exaggerated surprise.

“You do!?”

“I do… but why are you so surprised?”

“Well, I totally thought… how do I put it… like you’d be into reading books or something… Right, Peter?”

“Ned, that’s just prejudice against Michelle… But you do like reading, right? Michelle?”

“I do. History books, literature, comics.”

““You read comics?””

Hmph.

For some reason, they’re both surprised.

“So… like Superman?”

“I like Batman. My favorite work is Watchmen.”

“Ehh…?”

Ah, right. In this world, there are no Marvel comics, but DC Comics do exist.

I like Marvel more… but I like DC too.

My favorite hero is still Spider-Man, though.

“Then… I guess it’s fine, right?”

“Yeah, I’ll come along.”

Even though I felt guilty about forcibly changing my plans, I decided to go with them.

Ned looked really happy.

I get it.
When you’re a nerd and you find someone with the same interests, it’s exciting.

Peter… had a strange expression on his face.
Happy… embarrassed… what’s going on?

“Peter, is something wrong? Would it be better if I didn’t come?”

“No, not at all. Actually, I’d be happy if you came along too, Michelle.”

Then why the weird look?
I tilted my head in confusion.

◇◆◇

In front of me sat Michelle and Ned.

After the movie, the three of us were now at a café in front of the cinema.

I had coffee.
Ned had iced tea.
Michelle… had a giant parfait in front of her.
She was happily stuffing her cheeks with custard pudding, melon, and whipped cream.

…She looked just like a squirrel.
Come to think of it, I think Mr. Stark once mentioned there’s a girl with squirrel superpowers.

Apparently, she’s a ferocious girl who speaks in a heavy accent and has huge buckteeth.
He said his suit got ruined because she bit through it…

Yeah, no way that’s Michelle.

“That was really fun.”

“Glad to hear it… What about you, Ned?”

“I thought it was awesome too. Especially the main character’s obsessive hatred of evil, the way the dark scenes were shot, and that black suit symbolizing shadows and fear…”

Ned was passionately talking, and Michelle kept nodding along enthusiastically.

Despite everything, the three of us—plus Gwen, even though she wasn’t here right now—seemed to get along well.

…But.

‘I’m a bad person.’
‘I don’t deserve to be friends with you guys.’

This morning’s words came back to me.

Michelle Jane.
She’s a girl my age who moved to Queens about a month ago.

She’s not great at showing emotions, and sometimes does the most unpredictable things.
But she’s smart, thoughtful, and kind.
Whenever someone’s in trouble, she quietly steps in to help.

Not perfect, but somehow that just makes her cuter.

…She’s a good girl. Kind, cute, and good.

Which is exactly why I couldn’t understand what she meant by ‘bad person.’

At that time, Michelle… looked so sad, like she was carrying something unbearably heavy.

Something is tormenting her.
Something is making her believe she’s a ‘bad person.’

The frustration of not understanding, the irritation of her not telling me, and above all, the anger at my own powerlessness for not being able to help her—all of it weighed on my heart.

Yesterday… I lost to a mysterious villain… a man in a black suit and red mask.

As Spider-Man, I failed to save people I should have been able to save.

…It reminded me of Uncle Ben, who died right before my eyes. Of the words he left me.

‘With great power comes great responsibility.’

Those words are both a warning to myself and a vow to keep fighting as a hero.

No matter how overwhelming the challenge, I won’t run.
I’ll fight and fight.
And never abandon someone I can save.

That’s why… I have to become stronger.

For those I couldn’t save, and… for my friend, who can’t even bring herself to talk about her pain.

“Peter?”

Suddenly, Michelle was staring at me.
Her beautiful cobalt blue eyes.
Like the deep ocean… calm yet endless.

“Ned, Peter’s acting weird.”

“Michelle, he’s always weird.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

…And just like that, they were having a rude conversation about me.

“Come on, that’s not fair. I was just thinking about something.”

“Something bothering you?”

Michelle tilted her head, looking genuinely curious.

…It’s about you, actually.

“Sweet things are good for when you’re troubled. Want some?”

With that, she scooped up some fresh cream from her own parfait and held the spoon out to me.

“M-Michelle?”

“What? Don’t want it? You don’t like sweets?”

“No, it’s not that I don’t like sweets…”

Michelle… she was trying to feed me cream with the very same spoon she’d been using just a moment ago.

Was she even aware of what she was doing?

It’s basically an indirect kiss… plus, a girl feeding a guy like this—this isn’t normal.

Ned was watching the whole thing with a squinty, knowing look.

And then—

“Are you and Michelle dating or something?”

He just dropped that bombshell right there.

“Wha—Ned!?”

“Hm? I’m not dating Peter,” Michelle answered, completely unfazed, like it was no big deal. I was the only one freaking out.

…No, wait—right. Gwen said something like this this morning too.

‘Peter, you know Michelle doesn’t even see you as a guy, right? Doesn’t that bother you?’

Of course it bothers me!
I mean… Michelle’s really cute.

I don’t know if I’d call it love… but I’m a guy too, you know.

…No, this isn’t the time to be thinking about that.

“…If you’re not dating, why are you doing something like an indirect kiss?”

That’s what Ned said, straight to the point.

“Ah.”

Michelle pulled the spoon back to herself, realizing it only now.

“Sorry, Peter.”

Michelle apologized, looking genuinely sorry.

“W-Why are you apologizing?”

“Because… you don’t like it, right?”

That’s a dirty trick… the way she asked that.

Was she teasing me? I thought maybe she was… but her expression was completely sincere.

Gwen was right… Michelle seriously has a low opinion of herself.
Way too low.

“N-No, it’s not like I hate it or anything…”

“Really…?”

Ahem.

I heard Ned clear his throat.

“Ah, Ned.”

“Ah, Ned.”

“Why the hell do I have to sit here watching you two flirt?”

“Wha—We’re not flirting!”

“Like hell you aren’t! What is this, are you just rubbing it in my face!?”

“Do you… want some parfait too, Ned?”

“Ah—no, that’s not what I—huh?”

“Here, open up.”

With that, Michelle brought her spoon up close to Ned.

“Wait, Ned! You can’t do that!”

“Hah!? Don’t get in my way, Peter! You coward! Getting fed by a cute girl has always been my dream! Move it!”

As Ned and I squabbled, Michelle… was laughing.

‘I’m a bad person…’

…No way.
That’s not true, Michelle.

Because right now, you’re smiling so softly… looking so happy.