◆ Chapter 2: “Something’s Suspicious,” the Childhood Friend Said
“—So, the ‘one person’ you’re allowed to tell is me, huh?”
“That’s right.”
After listening to my tale of woe, Naotsuka Sou let out a rather uninterested “Huh.”
We were in the chaotic food court of a nearby shopping mall. At a table as far in the back as we could get, we faced each other, picking at an order of french fries.
My distorted, secret relationship with Yunagi-san.
The person I had chosen to confide in was this troublesome friend of mine.
But, as expected of a troublesome friend, his reaction was hard to read.
“Well, there’s one thing I can say at this point.”
“…”
“You and her both are idiots.”
Sou said it with a completely straight face, neither surprised nor amused.
Honestly, I couldn’t deny it.
As a small act of resistance, I moved the ketchup container we were sharing far away from him.
“But if I had to say, Yunagi-san is just a little bit more of an idiot.”
“Yeah, you’re absolutely right.”
You get it, my friend.
“First of all, what’s so great about you, Aoto? She’s a beauty, but she’s got no taste.”
“I don’t disagree, but that’s still irritating.”
“And on top of that, she insists that she absolutely has to date you. Even after being rejected.”
“According to Yunagi-san, if she couldn’t get me to go out with her on the first confession, she felt like she’d completely lose her chance.”
“Hoh. Well, that might actually be right. Especially with you as the opponent.”
Sou nodded as if impressed.
In manga and dramas, it’s not uncommon for a character to be shot down on the first confession, only for their relationship to deepen from there until they eventually fall for each other.
But as Sou said, I could declare with certainty that that would never happen with me.
In that respect, Yunagi-san’s refusal to back down might have been the right move.
Of course, for me, it was just a massive pain.
“If you were the one who broke in the end, it’s Yunagi-san’s strategic victory. She’s surprisingly pragmatic, that one.”
“…I didn’t intend to break, you know. But at that time, we were just completely deadlocked.”
If things had continued like that, my only remaining option would have been to run away from the scene with all my might.
But in the end, that would have only been postponing the problem.
To make her, a girl who would absolutely not give up, back down, I had to make her lose interest in me entirely.
“And now for the idiotic part about you, Aoto.”
“…”
“How do you plan on winning this?”
Sou said, pointing a long fry at me.
“That’s… by getting her to lose interest in me, of course. Even someone as amazing as Yunagi-san should eventually figure out that I’m a boring guy. Besides, as long as the conditions I set are followed, it won’t be much fun for her, either.”
She was, without a doubt, a modern high school girl.
She’d surely want to spend the precious time of her youth with a more interesting partner.
Right now she’s lost her way due to a temporary lapse in judgment, but being as smart as she is, it shouldn’t take long for her to come to her senses.
“So, it’s just a matter of enduring for a little while.”
“And there’s the idiot.”
“What?!”
A strange sound escaped my lips.
But Sou’s remark was uncalled for. My plan, if not perfect, was quite excellent.
“You’re naive. Too naive. You’re going to lose, Aoto.”
“W-Why…?”
“First of all, one of those conditions is already starting to fall apart. You weren’t supposed to tell anyone about the relationship, right?”
“Ugh… Th-That was with both her and my consent… And besides, not being able to tell anyone was inconvenient, and there were risks.”
“Consent? You were just persuaded by Yunagi-san and compromised. And for starters, can you really be heartless enough to keep rejecting a beautiful girl like that, who’s so earnestly directing her affection at you?”
“…”
“You need to realize that you’re a reasonably ‘good guy.’ Crushing someone’s feelings isn’t that easy.”
Having said his piece, Sou roughly tossed a fry into his mouth.
He might have a point. I thought so, but I couldn’t say it out loud.
All I could do to prevent Sou’s prediction from coming true was to tell myself that I just had to have a stronger will.
“Still, what a luxurious problem to have. Well, do your best. I’ll at least listen to you talk about it again.”
With that, Sou crumpled the empty paper fry container.
He put the straw of his drink in his mouth and stood up with his bag.
“Hey, we’re not done talking.”
“Too bad. I’ve got a date.”
Waving one-sidedly, Sou quickly left the food court.
Left behind, I felt a kind of unreliable, floaty sensation and couldn’t move from my spot.
I should have told Tsubaki.
I had that thought, but then I also had a feeling that that would have caused its own set of problems.
◆ ◆ ◆
The week began, and it was Monday.
Having learned nothing from my late night the day before, I spent a sleepy morning, and before I knew it, it was lunch break.
In the corner of my eye, Yunagi-san, who had come to visit our class yet again, was surrounded by several students.
She’s really persistent, I thought.
And more than anything, she was coming here too often. What’s more, she would occasionally glance over at me. Of course, I maintained a non-reaction.
“Yunagi-san has been coming here a lot lately, hasn’t she?”
Tsubaki, who had started eating lunch next to me, watched the small crowd with a puzzled expression.
You think so too, right?
“Now that you mention it, yeah. Wonder if there’s a reason.”
Sou, sitting on my other side, said in a flat monotone, a smirk on his face.
He’s already enjoying this, that jerk…
“Oh, right, Aoto. You haven’t turned in your field trip report, have you?”
Just as I finished my lunch and was thinking about relaxing, Tsubaki’s sharp voice cut in.
Come to think of it, I had a feeling there was something like that. I also had a feeling there wasn’t.
“You’re the only one left in our class.”
“Wow, that makes me feel pretty special.”
“A special idiot. Hurry up and turn it in. Today. No, right now.”
Tsubaki moved to the seat in front of me and crossed her arms, glaring at me as if to say, You’re not getting away.
I reluctantly searched for the report paper in my bag and put it on the desk.
There were various sections, but the only things filled in were my class and name.
“Whoa, I haven’t written anything.”
“Why are you the one who’s surprised…?”
“Tsubaki, could you write it for me?”
“Special idiot. Come on, I’ll watch over you, so just get it done.”
Despite her words, Tsubaki didn’t seem particularly angry.
It was a pain, but it would be wise to get it over with while she was being nice.
“Alright, I’ll just fill it in with whatever.”
“Don’t declare your low ambitions out loud.”
“Still, having to take care of someone like me… being a class representative must be tough.”
“If you think so, how about you try to improve?”
“You know I can’t, Tsubaki.”
“Yeah, well, I know.”
Shaking her head in exasperation, Tsubaki let out a quiet little laugh.
I think it was since we were in the fourth grade. I’ve known Tsubaki for a long time now.
“You know, Tsubaki, if you had a softer expression like that more often, you’d be more popular.”
“Wh-…! What’s that… all of a sudden?”
“You’ve got a pretty face, and you can actually be charming. You should try to be a little nicer to people.”
“Sh-Shut up… I’ve gotten better than before, haven’t I?”
“Well, you have been calmer lately.”
Tsubaki has always been serious with an unusually strong sense of justice.
Because of that, she especially didn’t get along with the handful of rowdy boys in class.
Clashing with them so often has given Tsubaki a reputation for being a little scary among the boys.
That was probably why, despite her good looks, she had never been confessed to.
As her childhood friend, it felt like a real waste.
Though, that part of her was one of her good points, too.
“Jeez, just hurry up and write.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m thinking about it.”
Despite what I said, my pen wasn’t moving at all.
This was a report on a short trip out of the prefecture we’d had right after the class shuffle.
What was the most memorable event? Right, it was that the movie I watched after getting home was a dud. And I’d had such high hopes for it, too.
“…Hm.”
Sensing a gaze, I reflexively looked in the direction of the feeling.
Immediately after, I regretted it. The one looking at me was probably—
“Huh?”
As expected, the owner of the gaze was Yunagi-san, who was still in the classroom.
But she wasn't wearing her usual relaxed expression; she looked like she was glaring, or more accurately, like a pouting child.
It was also a little different from the harsh look she’d given Tsubaki last week.
What’s up with her?
“Aoto, hey, don’t look away.”
“Right, ah…”
Warned again by Teacher Tsubaki, I returned to my report for the time being.
When I looked over to where Yunagi-san had been a little later, she was gone, probably having returned to her own class.
It was a strange incident.
At the same time, I had a feeling that I was experiencing some kind of unidentifiable, fuzzy feeling.
◆ ◆ ◆
“Sakuraba-kun.”
“…What is it?”
Later that day, after school.
As soon as she entered the usual empty classroom, Yunagi-san stared straight at me with a truly serious expression.
“I have a favor to ask.”
“…I said, what is it?”
Being summoned by Yunagi-san had become a regular occurrence.
I was just thinking of asking her to reduce the frequency, and instead, she has a favor to ask.
It’s probably not going to be anything good.
Thinking that, I waited for her next words.
“…Can we just tell everyone after all?”
“No.”
See?
“Pleeeeeease! I want to tell them!”
“No. That was the promise, right?”
“B-But…”
“Alright, I get it. Then our relationship is over as of right now.”
“Waaaaah! Wait! You can’t! Anything but that!”
“…”
A sigh escaped me.
I didn’t want to resort to threats like this if I could help it.
So why did she have to ask for such impossible things…?
“…I’ll ask just in case, but why? I don’t think anything good will come from telling everyone.”
From my perspective, it would just lead to being conspicuous, scrutinized, and envied—nothing but bad things.
She might be used to all that, but it wouldn’t be a merit for her, either. This was different from telling one best friend.
“…Yes there is.”
“For example?”
“…We could be together more.”
Yunagi-san said, looking down slightly, her cheeks blushing with embarrassment.
I quickly averted my gaze so as not to look at her face too much.
Yunagi-san was still incredibly cute.
Even if I had no feelings for her, I felt like I was about to say something sweet.
But I couldn’t lose here.
“Because even if I go to see you during lunch break, all I can do is watch from a distance without talking… I want to talk more, I want to be with you more…”
“W-Well, but you’ll have to put up with that…”
“Mmmph—. I am putting up with it, but…”
As she spoke, Yunagi-san wriggled her body anxiously.
From her perspective, it was only natural to want to spend more time with me.
But the fact that she was finding her relationship with me unfulfilling was, to put it bluntly, exactly what I was aiming for.
If she couldn’t stand it, she could just give up on me.
Well, I did feel a little… no, a lot of guilt, though.
“Ah, I know! Then what about being friends? We’ll pretend we became friends!”
“…What do you mean?”
“So, if we say that you and I became friends, it won’t be weird for us to be together at school, right? And this way, it doesn’t count as telling everyone.”
“…Well, that’s true.”
Like an idiot, I found myself agreeing.
As if spotting an opening, Yunagi-san’s eyes glinted as she continued.
“There were only three conditions you gave for us to go out. As long as I’m following those, I think you could grant my request!”
Yunagi-san said, saluting smartly with a triumphant look.
She wasn’t entirely wrong.
At the very least, if I were to refuse her ‘favor,’ I would have to present a valid reason to be fair.
I might be the only one who thinks of this as a contest, but a battle must be fought fairly.
—Well, that aside.
“So, please! Let’s pretend we’re friends!”
“…No, that’s still not okay. There’s a problem with that request.”
“Why?!”
Yunagi-san’s confident face instantly crumpled into a sad, tearful one.
If we were going to be fair, then of course I would get to make my case for refusing.
“You and I have no connection. Our positions in the school are different, and we’re in different classes. It would be unnatural for us to suddenly become friends. I don’t want people to find it strange.”
“I-It’ll be fine! I’m friends with everyone, and I have lots of friends from all over!”
“Even so, if we pretend to be friends, you’ll be coming to see me all the time, won’t you? If, out of all your many friends, the frequency with which you come to see me is especially high, it’ll still be suspicious.”
“I-It’ll be fine! I don’t think people pay that much attention to others!”
“Normally, yes. But you’re not normal.”
When I said that, Yunagi-san’s eyes welled up with tears again, and she pressed her lips into a thin line, falling silent.
The fact that she didn’t deny she’d be coming to see me all the time must mean I hit the mark.
In that case, my argument was correct this time. I had fairly and squarely explained the risk. My win.
Sorry, but you’ll have to give up this time—
“…”
“…Yunagi-san?”
“Please, Sakuraba-kun.”
Suddenly, Yunagi-san gripped my hand tightly.
She pulled me toward her, her shimmering, tear-filled eyes staring into mine.
In the face of this unexpected development, I felt my heart begin to pound.
“Come on, please? I’ll try not to come see you too much, and just talking a little is fine.”
“Ugh… E-Even if you say that, I just can’t trust you!”
And besides, you have no logic or basis for that!
While I thought that in my head, my mouth was clearly not working as well as it was a moment ago.
This was a plea. She had given up on debate and was now appealing to my emotions.
How cowardly. It wasn’t fair!
I tried to steel myself, psyching myself up internally.
“…And besides, today, you were talking to that girl even though you knew I was watching.”
“Th-That girl? Oh, you mean Tsubaki? And you really were watching, huh…”
“So that’s Tsubaki-san… You know, Sakuraba-kun. I like you, you know?”
“Ugh… I-I know. I’ve heard it plenty of times.”
“…If you know, then try to imagine it. The feelings of someone who can only watch from afar as the Sakuraba-kun she loves talks happily with another girl.”
“Th-That’s…”
At her words, I remembered the pouting look in Yunagi-san’s eyes I had seen during lunch today.
When Tsubaki was scolding me about the report. In other words, that was—
Yunagi-san’s eyes became the same as they were then, and she pursed her lips.
“…I get really jealous. But I can’t tell you not to talk to other girls… So I thought if we pretended to be friends and could talk in front of people, it would be a little easier than it is now…”
Yunagi-san squeezed the words out, her voice growing smaller and smaller.
My heart started to race again.
At the same time, I felt like I was doing something terribly wrong to her.
Like I was forcibly exposing feelings she probably didn’t want to show…
“Hah… I ended up saying it.”
“…So that’s the real reason for this request.”
“…Yes.”
Releasing my hand, Yunagi-san finally slumped over the desk, burying her face.
Before I knew it, the ears peeking out from her hair were bright red.
I suddenly realized my hand was unconsciously reaching for her head.
Startled, I quickly grabbed it with my other hand, averting disaster.
That was close… How careless of me.
“…But Tsubaki is just a childhood friend. I don’t think she’s someone you need to be jealous of.”
“I am! …A childhood friend, huh.”
Yunagi-san said in a voice that was barely a whisper.
If she knew the actual state of my relationship with Tsubaki, she probably wouldn’t worry so much…
Well, I should probably stop arguing any further. For some reason, it felt a little scary.
“Um… Sakuraba-kun. So, how about it, my request…?”
“Eh, ah, right. Hmm… but still.”
Trying not to look into Yunagi-san’s eyes as she clasped her hands in prayer, I thought again.
But… to be honest, I could feel my resolve weakening considerably.
To be precise, I was starting to feel sympathetic toward her.
The jealousy of seeing the person you like talking to another person of the opposite sex. Yunagi-san, who had worried about how to deal with it and was now honestly making a request.
Ultimately, I found myself moved by her earnestness.
“…Ah! Then how about this!”
Suddenly raising her voice, Yunagi-san began to rattle on.
I’m probably going to end up agreeing in the end.
As I listened to her, that’s what I found myself thinking.
◆ ◆ ◆
And so, during lunch break the next day.
I put the materials from the previous class into my bag and let out a breath.
I could tell I was a little nervous.
In the end, yesterday, I had accepted Yunagi-san’s proposal—or rather, her request.
That is, the method of ‘becoming friends’ so that she and I could talk naturally at school.
Of course, that was only after incorporating the idea she had presented at the end.
Since I had agreed to it once, I had no complaints about the content itself anymore.
However, the problem was my state of mind yesterday.
Yunagi-san’s direct, earnest words and attitude. To be honest, I had been swayed by them.
Of course, I knew it wasn’t a good thing.
If I was going to win this contest with her, sympathy was forbidden. And I shouldn’t give her any more hope when I had no intention of reciprocating her feelings.
…Yes, that’s right.
From now on, I had to refuse her demands with a more resolute will.
To win the contest with her. So that neither she nor I would end up unhappy.
With renewed determination, I moistened my throat with some tea and gave a deep nod.
“Sakuraba-kun.”
Suddenly being called, I slowly turned my head in that direction.
I had been waiting, so I wasn’t particularly surprised.
“Hey, you’re Shirato-san, right?”
“Right. I’m Yunagi Shizuno’s friend, Shirato Kasumi.”
A glossy bob cut and sleepy, narrowed eyes.
A petite girl with a somewhat mature air about her.
Shirato Kasumi-san gave me a small nod.
She then sat down smoothly in the seat across from me.
“I heard from Shizuno. This is rough, huh.”
“…Well, yeah, it is.”
I hesitated for a moment before replying, but decided to just be honest.
The friend Yunagi-san had said she wanted to tell about our relationship. That was Shirato-san.
Even though we were in the same class, I had never spoken to her before. But perhaps because she knew my secret, it didn’t feel like we were talking for the first time.
Shirato-san continued in a low, conspiratorial whisper.
“It’s unreasonable, isn’t it? Forcing someone who doesn’t want to be her boyfriend to do it.”
“Yeah, it’s really unreasonable.”
“Uh-huh. But, well, Shizuno’s just that desperate, probably. So I hope you can forgive her. I think this is the first time she’s ever liked someone like this.”
Shirato-san said this without changing her expression.
She was a person with a strange sort of air about her.
For being the best friend of the energetic and lively Yunagi-san, she was remarkably calm.
“If she gets too persistent, I’ll give her a scolding, so just let me know then. You seem like a nice guy, Sakuraba-kun.”
“No… well, yeah. I will.”
I considered arguing, but for various reasons, I decided against it.
It was a kind offer. I should gratefully accept it.
But it seemed she wasn’t completely on Yunagi-san’s side either.
Or rather, she was probably just an extremely sensible person. Everything she said was completely reasonable.
“So, about what Shizuno asked me to do yesterday.”
“Ah, right.”
Time to get to the point.
There was a proper reason why Shirato-san had come to see me today.
The proposal Yunagi-san had made to me yesterday was this:
First, her best friend, Shirato-san, would become friends with me.
Then, Yunagi-san would join in, making it seem to others that she and I had become friends through Shirato-san. In other words, we would fabricate a connection.
“‘This way I can be with Sakuraba-kun naturally! So please! Help me, Kasumi!’ …is what she said.”
Shirato-san said, mimicking Yunagi-san’s tone and gestures.
Her voice and atmosphere were different, but the impression was surprisingly similar. As expected of a best friend.
“But to actually agree to help with that, you’re a good person, Shirato-san.”
“I turned her down twice, but she was persistent.”
“I don’t know why, but I feel like I knooooow exactly how you feel.”
When I said that, Shirato-san’s cheeks relaxed slightly, and she let out a small chuckle.
It felt like I was seeing something rare.
“So, well, let’s get along, more or less, Sakuraba-kun.”
“Yeah, you too.”
After exchanging light greetings again, Shirato-san placed her bento on my desk.
Today, we would have lunch together.
According to the plan, the first step was for me and Shirato-san to be recognized as friends by those around us.
We would work together and steadily increase our interactions.
Luckily, we were both inconspicuous types, so no one would probably care if we suddenly became close.
“By the way, Shirato-san, don’t you have friends you usually have lunch with?”
“Hm, yeah, not really. If Shizuno comes to visit, I’ll talk with her, though.”
“Ah, I see. So when Yunagi-san comes to our class, she’s looking for you.”
“That’s how it used to be. Now she’s completely obsessed with you, Sakuraba-kun.”
“O-Obsessed…”
“I mean, it’s true. Lately, even her messages are full of her gushing about you.”
Shirato-san said this with a perfectly serious face, not looking the least bit exasperated.
I was starting to get genuinely embarrassed, so I decided to change the subject.
“I usually have lunch with Naotsuka Sou. That flashy guy over there. You know him?”
“Mm, I know him.”
Shirato-san nodded without hesitation. As expected of Sou, his infamy precedes him.
Well, we were in the same class, so it was only natural she’d know him.
“And he, like you, knows about me and Yunagi-san. He’s probably watching us eat together right now and getting all sorts of ideas.”
For a while now, I’ve been catching glimpses of Sou out of the corner of my eye.
The fact that he wasn’t calling out to us was probably his own way of reading the room, for better or for worse.
“This whole thing seems more complicated than I thought.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.”
I couldn’t think of an excuse, so I just apologized.
As she said, it felt like our relationship had been getting more and more complex lately.
“If you just went out with her for real, things would settle down quickly.”
Shirato-san muttered.
I didn’t respond to her remark, instead taking a bite of my cream-filled bread as if to escape.
I thought that, when it came down to it, she was probably on Yunagi-san’s side after all.
◆ ◆ ◆
And so, during lunch break the next day.
Continuing from yesterday, Shirato-san and I were leisurely eating lunch across from each other.
Shirato-san wasn’t one for many words, but she wasn’t quiet, either. She was calm but not too calm, a perfect balance that I found comfortable.
Thanks to that, I was grateful that I didn’t have to get weirdly tired from being on edge.
Just then.
“Ah! It’s Yunagi-san!”
As a voice like that rose, the area near the classroom entrance became noisy.
Starting today, she will finally be joining us.
“Shirato-san is in the classroom!”
“Okay, thanks.”
After that exchange, Yunagi-san immediately turned to face us.
And when her eyes met mine perfectly, she flashed a full-faced smile for just a moment.
But she immediately put on a tense expression and cleared her throat with a single cough.
“K-Kasumi. Wh-What are you doing?”
Yunagi-san approached us, speaking in a wooden monotone that would sound unnatural to anyone.
The gazes of the entire class suddenly focused on us.
Try to stay calm, I told myself, and put a mixed sandwich into my mouth.
“What do you mean, what am I doing? My lunch.”
“Oh, r-right! Of course!”
Shirato-san didn’t even try to hide her exasperated expression.
It seems that even the all-capable Yunagi-san was no good at acting.
“Oh, hey? Isn’t that Sakuraba-kun with you? Are you friends, Kasumi?”
“…I guess so. We only recently got close, though.”
The two of them seemed to be intentionally letting those around them overhear their conversation.
They were probably trying to spread the information and establish recognition quickly.
After that, their lighthearted exchange continued for a while.
For the sake of realism, I decided not to participate in the conversation today.
Still, this was an elaborate method.
“Aoto.”
Just then, my name was called suddenly from the side.
Of course, it was neither Yunagi-san nor Shirato-san.
There were only a handful of people who called me by my first name, anyway.
“Tsubaki, what’s up?”
My childhood friend, Yuno Tsubaki, was standing there with her hands on her hips.
She kept glancing over at Yunagi-san and seemed to be in a bad mood.
“Come here for a second. I need to talk to you about that report from the other day.”
“Huh? I turned it in, didn’t I?”
Even as I said it, my content had been pretty slapdash, to be honest, so I couldn’t make a very strong case.
Resigned, I gathered the trash from my just-finished lunch.
I stood up from my seat and followed Tsubaki.
When I glanced back at my seat, I saw Yunagi-san, just like that other time, with a pouting, angry expression on her face. She was glaring at our backs—or rather, at Tsubaki’s back—with teary eyes.
As the still-expressionless Shirato-san waved at me, I followed Tsubaki again, my heart growing heavy.
◆ ◆ ◆
“Kasumi, let’s eat lunch. Sakuraba-kun, you too?”
“Yeah, yeah, sure.”
For the next several days, Yunagi-san came to my class every day.
In parallel, Shirato-san and I also increased our opportunities to talk.
This was something I had recently realized, but Shirato-san and I had a lot in common from the start.
We were both indoorsy, had a similar pace of conversation, and were both logical. To top it all off, we had the shared experience of being pushed around by Yunagi-san, and we gradually opened up to each other.
“You come here every day, don’t you, Shizuno?”
“I was worried you might be lonely, Kasumi.”
“Sakuraba-kun, let’s just the two of us eat.”
“Yeah, that’s a good idea.”
“Waaaaah! I said I’m sorry!”
Of course, at first, it felt like we were only together for the sake of Yunagi-san’s plan.
But after a while of doing so, we must have developed a strange sense of kinship. We started having more and more unrelated chats, and now we were more like normal friends.
And at the same time, the opportunities for me to naturally be present when Yunagi-san came to see Shirato-san also increased.
Thanks to that, the sight of the three of us—me, Shirato-san, and Yunagi-san—talking together during lunch break was becoming a familiar one in the class.
Looking at it this way, it seemed that the ‘Friendship Operation’ was proceeding smoothly for the most part.
However, apart from that, there was one strange thing.
“…Aoto, a minute.”
“Hm? Tsubaki, what is it today?”
Lately, Tsubaki had been calling out to me with strange frequency.
To be precise, it seemed to have started right around the time the ‘Friendship Operation’ began.
Of course, Tsubaki was my childhood friend, and we already talked a lot.
That said, we didn’t hang out much at school, and if it wasn’t urgent, we would often just use messages. Hmm.
“Fifth period is math, and it’s a day for homework problems, right? Did you do them?”
“Huh? Seriously? Today?”
I had completely forgotten, or rather, I didn’t even know. Well, that was to be expected since I hadn’t been listening in class.
“So, Tsubaki, let me copy.”
“Of course not. I’ll teach you, so come over here.”
“Aww. Well, I guess I have no choice.”
I quickly stuffed a roll into my mouth and gathered my trash in a bag.
I prepared my writing utensils and notebook to move over to Tsubaki’s desk.
But just as I was about to stand up, Yunagi-san said,
“Oh, then I’ll teach you. Show me your textbook.”
“Huh?”
Yunagi-san, smiling, pressed her hand down on my notebook.
Her grip was stronger than I expected, and it wouldn’t budge.
It was a little scary, but if she was offering, I might as well take her up on it—
“No. Aoto, hurry up.”
Tsubaki narrowed her eyes and said sharply.
This was even scarier. About seventy percent more than usual Tsubaki.
“Don’t worry, Tsubaki-san. I’m pretty good at the part we’re doing now.”
“…You’re in a different class, Yunagi-san. The way you were taught might be different, so I’ll look after him.”
“We’re in different classes, but we have the same math teacher, so it’s fine.”
“Tch… Besides, you’re still eating, aren’t you?”
“Mhm! Munch, munch. Mmph. There, I’m done.”
What on earth were these beautiful girls doing?
That said, as the one being taught, I couldn’t just say, “Either one is fine with me.”
But the gazes of those around us were starting to sting. Our exchange had, before I knew it, drawn the attention of the entire class.
Tsubaki and Yunagi-san, letting sparks fly. Our classmates, giving us strange looks.
As if pleading for help, I glanced over at Shirato-san.
She had a subtle expression that was somewhere between smiling and exasperated.
Noticing my gaze, she let out a small sigh.
“Oh, right, Shizuno. There was something I had to buy at the school store. Come with me for a bit.”
“Huh? Kasumi? Wait!”
Shirato-san stood up, grabbed Yunagi-san’s arm, and started walking with purpose.
Though she was small, she was dragging the struggling Yunagi-san with her.
As the two of them disappeared into the hallway, the surrounding gazes dispersed.
However, a few were still watching me and Tsubaki with interest, whispering about something.
It was extremely uncomfortable. Maybe I should run away somewhere too…
“Aoto.”
“Yes!”
My scheme was thwarted, and I moved my seat, following a Tsubaki who was even more peeved than before.
And so, under the guidance of a pricklier-than-ever Teacher Tsubaki, I solved the homework problems.
By the way, before lunch break ended, I got a message from Yunagi-san saying, “I want to see you after school! Absolutely!”
Also by the way, I was called on in math class, but I managed to get through it.
As expected of Tsubaki. Thank you.
If possible, I would appreciate it if you could teach me a little more gently next time.
◆ ◆ ◆
“I want to be alone with you, Sakuraba-kun.”
When I went to the usual empty classroom, Yunagi-san, who was already waiting, said this the moment she saw me.
I’ve somehow grown attached to this classroom.
No, I’m just being summoned here way too often.
“We’re alone right now, aren’t we?”
“That’s not it! I want to go on a date with you! Without anyone bothering us!”
Yunagi-san shouted, her voice tense.
I had mostly guessed from her message, but it seemed she was indeed in a bad mood.
“No way. If we went out together and got seen, we’d be under suspicion in a second.”
“Mmmmmmph.”
Yunagi-san trembled, her fists clenched.
Just like that other time, tears were welling in the corners of her eyes.
“…”
I realized I was about to say something sweet again.
But, of course, I stood my ground.
It was almost unavoidable that I would be swayed by Yunagi-san, who was super beautiful and, on top of that, so earnest.
That’s precisely why I had to be aware of that feeling and exercise proper self-control. It was my duty.
After all, I had just resolved a short while ago not to accept any unreasonable demands.
“…Huh? Sakuraba-kun, what did you just say?”
“Eh…”
“Your reason for not wanting to go on a date… what was it?”
Yunagi-san asked a strange question.
Wasn’t she on the verge of tears precisely because she had heard my reply?
“Because it would be bad if we got found out. A date is—”
“Th-Then! You’re not against the date itself?!”
“…Ah.”
How careless…
“N-No, that was just a figure of speech—”
“Sakuraba-kuuuuun!”
“Whoa! Hey, don’t come over here! No clinging!”
“I don’t wanna! Waaaaaah! I love you, Sakuraba-kun!”
I forcefully peeled Yunagi-san off my arm, where she was clinging, and jumped back to create distance.
Breathing heavily, Yunagi-san still edged closer, looking like she was about to pounce. Was she a wild beast?
Still… ah, how could I have been so careless?
Even after we both sat down and calmed down, Yunagi-san was still grinning, her cheeks cupped in her hands.
She swayed her body back and forth, her face flushed red.
A complete turnaround from a moment ago, she was now in a great mood.
…It wasn’t that I was completely against going out with just Yunagi-san.
In fact, I thought that with her, no matter where we went or what we did, it would probably be fun.
But that was completely different from having feelings for her.
It was just that Yunagi-san was that bright and nice, and she didn’t seem like she would be boring to be around.
Of course, I wouldn’t tell her that.
“Hmm. But I still want to be alone with you.”
“…Why all of a sudden?”
“It’s not sudden! I’ve been thinking it for a long time!”
“You didn’t say so until now.”
“U-Until now, just being able to meet and talk was enough to make me happy… Human desire knows no bounds, you see.”
“That’s not something to be proud of.”
In other words, if we went on a date, she would then ask for more.
More… which would mean…
“…And besides, even when we finally get to talk in the classroom, we’re always getting interrupted.”
Yunagi-san said, while I was thinking unnecessary thoughts.
Her voice was laced with resentment.
Interrupting, as in, the meddling from other classmates, and also—
“Today, too… Tsubaki-san… Grr… my Sakuraba-kun…!”
“…I’m not yours, and I don’t think Tsubaki was trying to interrupt.”
When I said that, Yunagi-san glared at me with narrowed eyes.
Since she’s quite beautiful, she’s genuinely intimidating and scary.
“I’ve been thinking this for a while, but maybe you, Sakuraba-kun…”
“Wh-What is it?”
“…Hah, forget it.”
I felt a little annoyed.
But I had a feeling that if I said anything, I’d just dig myself into a deeper hole, so I decided to keep quiet.
“Anyway! I have a new request for you, Sakuraba-kun!”
“How did it come to this…”
Isn’t she getting more and more demanding?
“To be blunt, I want to do more couple-like things!”
“…Specifically?”
I decided to at least hear the details.
It wouldn’t be fair to just dismiss it out of hand.
“That would be, of course, a date.”
“No. I already told you the reason.”
“…Then holding hands.”
“Even more no. Reason omitted.”
“Ugh…! Oh, I bet you’re just scared of falling in love with me, aren’t you, Sakuraba-kun?”
“Terrified. So it’s rejected.”
“Jeez—!”
Yunagi-san flailed her arms and legs while still sitting.
Even though I asked, it didn’t seem to make much difference.
I mean, that’s impossible, right?
“Ugh… at least just a date…!”
“I said no… Putting me aside, you’re especially conspicuous.”
“Not even if I disguise myself? Sunglasses and a mask!”
“No.”
When I answered immediately, Yunagi-san’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.
Her atmosphere was so gloomy you could almost hear a thud.
She’s so dramatic… It’s not like going out with me is such a great prize.
“…Ah.”
“Wh-What is it?”
Suddenly, Yunagi-san’s head shot up.
Her eyes, which had been clouded just a moment ago, were now sparkling.
Naturally, I had a bad feeling about this.
“I want to go on a date. But being conspicuous is a no-go. …Which means!”
“…”
“Yes! Yunagi Shizuno has a great idea!”
With that tone, it’s definitely not a great idea…
Feeling a sense of déjà vu, I listened to her talk in silence for the time being.
◆ ◆ ◆
“Tsubaki, good work today.”
“See ya!”
“Yeah, see you. Take care.”
After the girls’ basketball practice ended, around six in the evening.
I waved to my fellow second-year friends and took a breath in front of the school gate.
“…Hah.”
I felt like going home alone.
I don’t usually feel that way, but today… well, a lot happened.
On days like this, I’ll walk slowly and quietly, maybe get some thinking done.
“Oh, Yuno.”
“…Why on a day like this?”
The one who called out to me so casually was Naotsuka, from my class.
Naotsuka Sou. Aoto’s friend and… someone I didn’t really like.
It’s not that I disliked him, though.
Naotsuka slung his tennis bag over his shoulder and gestured down the road with his thumb.
“I’d like to go home alone.”
“Now, now, don’t say that.”
“…”
A sigh escaped me.
But our way home was the same for a while, and he would probably tag along by force anyway.
I gave up and started walking, and Naotsuka immediately fell into step beside me.
“How’s the club? Vice-captain of the girls’ basketball team.”
“Are you asking because you’re interested?”
“Not really. Just some idle talk to get started.”
“…Must be nice to be so carefree.”
“Oh? Is Yuno feeling down?”
With a smirk, Naotsuka leaned in to look at my face.
“It’s partly your fault, you know.”
“Who else besides me?”
“…”
He always knew exactly where to poke to be annoying.
I still didn’t understand why he was so popular.
But to be honest, right now, I was a little grateful.
Because this was a conversation I could only have with Naotsuka.
“Aoto… or rather, Yunagi-san. I feel like… something’s suspicious.”
Saying it out loud, it sounded unpleasant.
It made it sound as if—
“Ooh, is the childhood friend’s cheating sensor going off?”
“Wh-…! Th-That’s not it!”
Even as I said it, I was actually thinking the same thing about myself.
Even though I don’t have any right to.
“You… don’t think so? That it’s weird.”
“Well, it’s weird. Obviously.”
“…Do you, by any chance, know something?”
“Nope. But I see them every day. I can have the same impression, at least.”
Well, that was true. So that means, those two are really…
“At the very least, I think something’s up with Yunagi-san. She’s suddenly… kind of, all over Aoto.”
“‘All over him,’ huh. So you’re saying it looks like Yunagi-san is into Aoto and is making a move on him?”
“Hmm… when you put it like that, maybe not.”
“Then are they both into each other?”
“That’s not it either. With Aoto, that’s absolutely not possible.”
“Hoh, you say that with such certainty. Then the mystery deepens.”
“…What do you think?”
“Who knows. We’ll find out eventually, I guess. Though I imagine that’s a problem for you.”
“…”
“But you know, instead of keeping an eye on everyone, shouldn’t you be the one taking action? Hm?”
Naotsuka’s words made my chest ache.
He was an annoying guy, and the things he said were irritating, but today, Naotsuka was undoubtedly right.
More important than what Yunagi-san was doing was…
“…I know. But… there are reasons why I can’t do anything.”
Was that an excuse?
If so, what did I did to Yunagi-san today…
Trying to pull Aoto away was just jealousy and possessiveness.
To interfere with others when I don’t have the guts to do more…
“Well, I get how you feel, Yuno. The downside of being a childhood friend.”
“…”
“But I think you could be a little more cowardly. That’s what love is like. Your way of thinking is too pure.”
“…Shut up.”
Even as I said it, I felt my heart lighten just a little.
Could he be… trying to comfort me? …No, no way.
Before I knew it, we had arrived at the station.
I passed my card through the gate. As I was waiting for the next train, Naotsuka spoke again.
“Well, if I were to give one piece of advice to a maiden in distress.”
“Wh-What is it?”
The crossing adjacent to the station began to clang.
As I listened to the sound of the approaching train in the distance, he continued.
“With Aoto, being a little forceful might be more effective, you know? He’s a softie, after all.”
“…I’ll think about it.”
The doors of the train car opened with a hiss.
After we boarded the train, we sat separately and didn’t speak another word.
◆ ◆ ◆
I had always thought that love was something that had no connection to me.
I’ve always had a strong sense of justice.
In other words, a serious, inflexible girl.
Because of that, I often got into fights with others.
Mean kids, kids who didn’t follow the rules, kids who fooled around a lot. I couldn’t turn a blind eye to them, and I was afraid that if I did, I would become just like them.
I was often scratched or slapped, and my injuries frequently made my parents worry.
It was when I was in the fourth grade.
That day, too, I went alone to reprimand a group of boys.
They had brought a commercial card game to school and were secretly playing with it behind the school building during recess.
Of course, bringing such things was forbidden. The fact that they didn’t take it out of their bags in the classroom showed that they knew it.
I marched over to them during lunch break and said,
“You’re not supposed to bring that. You need to follow the rules.”
Because we were in elementary school, I, being a girl, was actually a little taller.
But there were four of them. I was outnumbered. They were unfazed and all glared at me.
“Shut up. We’re not bothering anyone.”
The leader of the group said, emphasizing the end of his sentence.
The other boys, emboldened, echoed him.
“Yeah! Is anyone getting upset over this?!”
“And besides, it’s weird that playing cards are okay but this isn’t, right?”
“In the first place, the rule itself is weird.”
They were wrong. And they were idiots.
But at that time, I have to admit that I was an even bigger idiot.
Because I had expected them to make a much more nonsensical argument.
So when they came back with a more decent rebuttal than I expected, I couldn’t immediately retort.
They weren’t bothering anyone, that was true.
What was the difference between playing cards and a card game?
What was this rule for, anyway?
I wracked my brain, trying to come up with a logical argument to persuade them.
But with panic and anxiety, and the embarrassment of not being able to do it right away, my thoughts became more and more jumbled.
My voice wouldn’t come out. The words wouldn’t form.
Wait? Is what I’m doing even right?
Rough taunts flew at me, telling me to say something or get lost.
I was getting scared, and my legs began to tremble.
“Aren’t you guys idiots?”
Suddenly, a voice came from behind me.
I turned my head and saw a boy from my class, his hands spread wide in exasperation.
That was Sakuraba Aoto.
“Huh? What’d you just say?”
“Who the hell are you all of a sudden?!”
“Does it matter right now whether the rule is right or not? A rule is a rule, and the one who breaks it is in the wrong. If you have a problem with the rule, you should talk to the teacher, not Yuno-san.”
He walked past me and stood in front of the four boys.
Though he was the smallest one there, he seemed dignified and calm for some reason.
“If you present your case in an orderly way, they’ll listen to a reasonable argument. To not do that, and instead get all proud of yourselves for winning an argument against Yuno-san, who just came to warn you, is idiotic. No, maybe it’s cowardly. You run away from the adults you can’t beat, and then act tough when your opponent is a girl. Don’t you think that’s lame?”
“You bastard!”
“Hey! What are you all doing!”
He’s going to make them angry. Just as I thought that, a teacher came running from the school building.
The boys hurriedly hid their cards, but there was no way they could talk their way out of it.
In the end, the teacher sorted things out, and Aoto and I were also called to the staff room.
But we were just asked a few questions about the situation separately and were let go soon after.
After school, I chased after him as he left the classroom, wanting to thank him for helping me.
While I was trying to find the right time to talk to him, Aoto met up with a friend. They moved to a spot hidden by the stairs and started talking in hushed voices.
As I watched them from hiding, Aoto took out a DVD case or something from his backpack. The other boy did the same, and it looked like they were trading cases.
“…That’s against the rules, too.”
The words had escaped my lips before I could stop them.
It was the same as bringing the cards. You weren’t allowed to lend or borrow personal items unrelated to studying at school.
Aoto’s shoulders jumped with a start, and he turned to face me.
The friend he was with took one look at me and quickly ran away.
“Er, well, yeah. Could you keep this from the teachers?”
Aoto just laughed, not looking the least bit sorry.
“…Why did you help me? When you’re doing the same thing yourself.”
Looking back now, I was quite uncharming at that time.
But I wanted to understand. About today’s events. And about him as a person.
“Because if I didn’t, it looked like you were in trouble.”
When I heard that answer, I’m sure my eyes must have been wide as saucers.
What’s that? So this person, he just tried to help me? That’s all?
Oblivious to my feelings, Aoto continued.
“Honestly, like those guys, I think it’s fine as long as you’re not bothering anyone. In fact, I’m breaking the rules right here. But if I get caught, I won’t make pathetic excuses like they did.”
“…”
“So, please let me off the hook. I’m begging you.”
Aoto pressed his hands together and closed his eyes as if in prayer.
I laughed. It was funny, and absurd, and probably, I was happy.
I clutched my stomach and laughed, a little chuckle escaping me.
Since that day, and even now, I have been in love.
Unable to move forward, unable to do anything, only time passes.
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