Haibara’s Teenage New Game+ - Volume 6 - Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Back to Normal

The day after the interclass sports meet.

It was already deep into the night. The chilly autumn wind swept through Maebashi Station’s south exit. The only ones around were Serika, me, and one other person—a girl sporting a bob cut with the tips distinctively curled upward.

“Long time no see, Haibara-senpai! Yamano Saya here. It’s a pleasure!”

The new band member candidate Serika had just introduced me to was someone I already knew.

“Huh? Long time no see? Do you know each other?” Serika asked in surprise.

Looks like she had no idea. Well, I’m shocked too. I don’t have many old acquaintances, but I never imagined I’d run into one like this! Dang, it’s a small world. I don’t know if I can even call her my friend. I mean, I didn’t have any friends... Man, I’m feeling down now.

“Yep! I went to the same middle school as Haibara-senpai!” Yamano replied with pep, in contrast to the way I was getting depressed.

“Ah, gotcha,” Serika said with a nod and then continued on. “That’s a crazy coincidence.”

“Um, I’ve known that Haibara-senpai’s the vocalist since your school festival concert, so it’s not a coincidence. Sorry, I didn’t mention that... Actually, him being in your band was like ten percent of why I wanted to join.”

“Really, only ten percent?” I managed to jump into their conversation after recovering from the shock.

I never thought I’d meet Yamano again here. In my first round of life, I didn’t see her anymore after middle school. Though she spoke to me in a friendly tone, she treated everyone this way.

We weren’t particularly close or anything. And she’s got no reason to intentionally seek me out. She didn’t attend Ryomei High the first time either, probably. Though, I might just not have known... Did our concert cause Yamano’s future to change? Where she goes for high school isn’t set in stone yet, but it’s possible. Well, no point thinking about this now. 

Because I’d leaped through time, it only made sense that my actions would alter history. But my worries would be endless if I mulled over that, and I wouldn’t be able to achieve my goal of repainting the color of my youth.

“Ah ha ha! Yep, and the other ninety percent is because Serika-senpai is here! Duh!” Yamano said, unabashedly affirming my gripe.

She hasn’t changed one bit. She’s always been like this. No matter the situation or who she’s talking to, she never lies.

“Anyway, Haibara-senpai, when I saw you at the festival, I couldn’t believe my eyes, or my ears. Like, the vocalist guy that obviously wasn’t you introduced himself onstage as Haibara Natsuki. Talk about a makeover, am I right? Plus, you were hella good at singing. I was super surprised.” Yamano gleefully smacked my back.

That hurts!

“Is he really so different?” Serika asked, puzzled.

Yamano nodded. “In the past he was more gloomy... I mean, it was like he exuded an aura of darkness.”

Hey now... That was your best attempt at choosing the right phrasing? What do you mean by darkness? Was I a chuunibyou or something?

“I went through a glow up for my high school debut,” I added with a sigh. It’s embarrassing to explain that, so please cut me some slack.

“Come to think of it, Miori might’ve mentioned that before. Eh, whatever,” Serika said. She clearly wasn’t interested, as she promptly changed the topic. “Anyway, it’s great that you know each other already. No need for introductions, then.”

If you didn’t care in the first place, then I didn’t need to explain!

Serika didn’t pick up on my grievances whatsoever. She continued speaking, blasé as always. “She’ll join our next practice for a test run. You’re fine with that, yeah?”

“Yeah, of course.” I nodded. Despite my surprise, I didn’t have any objections. Besides, someone I knew was hands down better than a stranger. I was gradually gaining more friends, but I was still shy at heart. “I mean, if it’s someone you’re happy with, I’ve got no reason to oppose.” Serika’s judgment would be far better than mine or Mei’s.

“Well, it’s just a tryout. Saya should see what we’re like first before committing too.”

“That’s true. It’s possible that it won’t be what she expects.” Even if she says she wants to join the band, she might be disappointed once she practices with us. Well, mainly with my guitar skills. My performance at the school festival was a miracle. Ha ha ha.

Yamano glanced at her phone and then yelled in a panicked voice, “Oh, sorry! My train’s almost here!”

I checked my watch; my train was scheduled to arrive in three minutes too. Right, Yamano and I went to the same middle school, so obviously we’re going home on the same train.

“Then we’ll call it a day. See you guys later.” Serika waved goodbye.

“Yeah, see ya,” I said.

“Senpai, you’re catching the same train, right? Let’s go!”

Yamano and I left Serika and ran to our platform. Our train arrived right as we descended from the stairs. We rushed on, and the doors closed behind us.

“Phew.” I wiped the sweat off my forehead.

It was past rush hour, so the train was empty. Though, it wasn’t like the train we took from Takasaki Station was that crowded during rush hour either. When I rode the trains in Tokyo for university, I had experienced firsthand what true congestion was like.

“Sooo, let’s sit down,” Yamano suggested.

“Yeah,” I said in agreement and sat next to her.

Once I finished catching my breath, I felt awkward. After all, it wasn’t like we were particularly close friends, but that didn’t mean I should distance myself from her on our train ride home. And if everything went smoothly, we would be part of the same band in the future. I needed to be on good terms with her.

Is there anything we can chat about? It’s safest to talk about the old days, right? I glanced at Yamano—she looked a little more mature than I remembered. The last time I’d seen her was ages ago, though, so my memories might’ve just been fuzzy.

“Senpai, so you went through a high school glow up?” Yamano questioned while I was still searching for a topic.

“Yeah. I wanted to have a fun high school life, so I changed myself,” I replied.

“Never saw that coming. You didn’t seem to care about stuff like that in middle school.”

I certainly kept my distance from people back then. “I was just bitter back then. I was actually jealous of everyone else.” I had hidden those feelings in my heart.

Well, forget about hiding anything. I didn’t have anyone I could talk to about it. Basically, I wasn’t a loner, but a proud lone wolf. It’s not that I didn’t have friends: I didn’t make any on purpose. Yeah, I could’ve made friends whenever I wanted if I felt like it, but I like flying solo! That’s what I kept telling myself! Those excuses quickly ran thin, though.

“Does that mean you hated the time you spent with me in middle school?” Yamano asked, her face falling.

“I don’t remember spending that much time with you in the first place.”

We’d gone to the same elementary school, so I’d known about her existence. She was a cute girl in the year below mine. That was all I knew about her. We had pretty much graduated from elementary school without ever interacting.

I hadn’t carried on a real conversation with Yamano until my second year of middle school. Since I’d had no place in the classroom, I generally ate lunch on the roof. The staircase landing connected to the roof had a lot of unused desks and chairs. If you climbed over the stack, you’d find that the door wasn’t locked. But doing that was a pain, so most didn’t go near it.

“Huh? There’s someone else here... Oh, aren’t you Haibara-senpai?” Yamano had been a foreign body suddenly intruding upon a space that used to be only mine. “I was looking for a place I could be alone... Oh well, it’s fine if you’re around.”

I still remembered what she’d said that day. My presence was so nonexistent that she would essentially be alone. It was an incident that had corroborated the fact that it didn’t matter whether I existed or not.

“Hello, senpai. You don’t look so good today, as usual.”

“Shut up.”

At any rate, after that, sometimes we’d eat together on the roof. Can I even call it eating together? It felt more like strangers sharing an area for lunch. I mean, there was enough space for a whole other person to lie down between us. We talked on occasion, but we normally ate in silence. Can we even say we were friends? We were just acquaintances. That’s all it amounted to.

“Yamano, I didn’t know you played the drums,” I said.

“I was in the light music club in middle school, remember? Though, I quit midway.”

I had absolutely no idea. Maybe it’s because we haven’t seen each other in a while, but boy am I learning a lot of new info today... I’ve never asked her any questions, so I guess that’s why. To be fair, I avoided human interaction as much as I could in middle school. My relationship with Yamano was shallow at best.

Unless directly asked, Yamano would never talk about herself, and neither would I. We only ever had silly conversations about trivial stuff, like the weather, how boring class was, or how annoying a teacher was. Our peculiar relationship felt just right that way, which was why it had continued until I’d graduated.

“I’m the one who’s surprised. Did you pick up the guitar in high school? You were pretty good.”

“Quit the flattery. If Serika hadn’t covered for my mistakes, then it wouldn’t even have been palatable.”

“You’re being too modest. You sounded great, so have some confidence.”

“With Serika playing next to me, it’s outright impossible to be confident.” At Serika’s level, it sounded like she was playing a completely different instrument from me. I’d almost lost my motivation more than once or twice.

“Ah ha ha! Yeah, that’s probably true!” Yamano laughed loudly. She seemed more expressive than when I knew her in middle school.

I only ever saw Yamano on the roof... Who would’ve thought I’d reunite with her like this.

“How’s Miori-senpai doing these days? She goes to your high school, right?”

I hadn’t expected her to bring up Miori out of the blue. I blinked at her in surprise. “Huh, are you guys close?”

“Yep. We live near each other. Plus, our parents know each other too, so we go way back.”

“I see, but I don’t really know how to answer that.”

More often than not, I would catch Miori wearing a frown lately. I knew she was distressed about something, but I didn’t ask for the details. I was worried, but since I wasn’t her collaborator anymore, it might’ve only annoyed her if I had poked my nose in.

“Don’t tell me—did you two fight?” Yamano asked. Her expression grew serious.

“No, not really... We haven’t even talked much lately.” The last time we’d held a proper conversation was a few days before the sports meet, when we’d practiced basketball in the park. It felt like she was avoiding me now.

“You guys were so close in elementary school, though. It was always the four of you.”

Four of us, huh? The other two must be Takuro and Shuto. Back in elementary school, Miori, Takuro, Shuto, and I were always together. Miori had been our leader, and the three of us were constantly running after her.

“I’m surprised you remember. That was a long time ago,” I said. Then again, it was only four or five years ago for Yamano. I’ve got an additional seven years on top of that, so my memories of that time are hazy.

The only period I recalled vividly was my first round of high school. Before that, I only remembered the impactful moments.

“Of course I’d remember. The four of you really stood out.”

“But Miori and I barely talked in middle school. You knew that, yeah?”

“I heard from Miori-senpai that you guys patched things up, though.”

Yeah... Guess we did. Although, our relationship has gotten dicey again.

I gave Yamano a quick rundown of how Miori and I had reconciled in high school. In short, it was all about how Miori had helped me with my high school debut.

“...And then our partnership ended. That’s why we haven’t been talking much lately. We’re in different classes, and we’re both going out with other people, so there’s no reason for us to.”

Yamano looked like she had mixed feelings after hearing my story. “Gotcha. So that’s how it is... I see,” she muttered to herself as though a light bulb had gone off in her head. All the while, she didn’t take her eyes off me. “Boy, didn’t see that coming.”

“Didn’t see what?”

“I thought you were into Miori-senpai,” Yamano said without hesitation.

Me? Into Miori? I was about to laugh and say, “No way,” but for some reason the words didn’t come out. The night I had caught Miori in my arms suddenly flashed through my mind.

“Judging by that look, my guess wasn’t too far off.”

“I like her as a friend, obviously. But not romantically.” I shook my head.

Is that true? I didn’t have very much confidence in my own claim. What I felt for her was somewhat different from what I felt for my other friends. However, that was because we were childhood friends—she knew who I was at heart extremely well, which was why I had a special sort of trust in her. Surely that’s all it was.

“But at the very least, you used to crush on her, right?” Yamano’s question dug up memories of the past that I had long forgotten.

That’s right. Looking back on it now, there was a period where I was in love with Miori. Just think about it. She was a tomboy in spirit back then, but she was still cute. Of course I’d catch feelings when I’m close to a girl like that. Even if it’s only a fleeting affection that’d naturally melt away.

“That’s when we were little. I didn’t even realize it back then,” I said.

“Aha, so you admit it. Wow, I totally knew it!” Yamano smirked widely as she poked my shoulder.

Her face is annoying.

“I’ll let you in on a secret. You were Miori-senpai’s first love!” she whispered.

If the old me had heard that, I would’ve immediately thought she was lying, but I believed her now. Besides, it was a story of the past, when all was said and done. Truth or not, it wouldn’t have any effect on the present.

“Doesn’t matter. We’re both different now,” I said. Regardless of how we’d felt in the past, I loved Hikari now, while Miori loved Reita. So there was no reason to ruminate about irrelevant things. Reminiscing on what used to be was pointless now.

“Mmm, true that.”

While we were chatting, the train reached our town’s unmanned station. Although Yamano and I alighted together, we immediately went our separate ways.

“Welp, senpai, I’m this way.”

“Uh-huh. See you. Though, we’ll be meeting up pretty soon.”

“Yep! I’ll blow your mind with my glorious drumming!” Yamano’s broad grin was suddenly replaced by a solemn expression. “Anyhoo, you’ve changed a lot.”

“Hm? Yeah... I was really fat in middle school.”

“I didn’t mean your looks—well, that’s part of it... I’m talking about your personality.”

Yamano knew the old me, so it made sense she’d feel that way.

“In middle school, you always avoided other people. You weren’t interested in them either. Compared to back then, you’re way easier to talk to now. Put in a bad light, you’re a weaker person now.”

“Did you have to spin it in a bad light?” I griped.

Yamano cackled loudly. She was right, though: I used to be quite difficult to talk to in middle school. I’d turned into a loner and misanthrope, and pushed other people away. I’d been convinced that I could live without friends as long as I had my otaku hobbies. But that was just bravado. What I had truly wished for was friends, and a youth full of laughter. That’s why I’d gone to a high school quite a ways away from my hometown and planned my high school debut.

“Back then, I was comfortable with how you were. That’s why I hung out with you on the roof. Because you weren’t interested in me.” Yamano stared off into the distance with a nostalgic look on her face.

Even I had realized Yamano was going through something back then. Why else would she have undertaken all the effort of maneuvering past a cluster of dusty desks to eat on the rooftop next to an upperclassman she wasn’t particularly close to during lunch break? I’d heard rumors that a girl was getting the cold shoulder in one of the first-year classes, but I had no idea whether that was Yamano or not.

“Senpai, you graduated without a word, so I missed my chance to tell you...” To my surprise, Yamano bowed to me deeply. “Thank you for everything. And I look forward to playing with you in the future.”

I hadn’t done much to deserve such earnest gratitude. In fact, I hadn’t done anything at all, even if she had felt moved back then.

“It’s too soon to be talking about the future,” I said.

“Ah ha ha! True that! I need to pass the tryout first!” Yamano flipped the switch on her mood and smiled brightly. “Welp, this time I’m going home for reals. See you later!”

I lightly waved goodbye, and she responded by vigorously waving her hand before turning away.

“Yamano, huh. What a throwback,” I murmured as I watched her go.

In my first round, I hadn’t met her again after graduating middle school. Changing my actions can revive unexpected connections... Just like what happened with Miori.

If I hadn’t happened to go for a jog, we wouldn’t have reunited before entering high school, and if I hadn’t accidentally joined Reita’s friend group, we wouldn’t have formed our partnership.

I was who I was right now thanks to Miori. Alone, my high school days would’ve remained a dull gray. The thought made me hate the idea of staying distant from Miori. After all, I’d received so much from her, but I hadn’t given anything back.

***

I had a shift at the café today. I’d somehow managed to keep my eyes open during a sleep-inducing class.

“Shall we go, Haibara-kun?” Nanase said.

“Right,” I replied.

We were working the same shift, so we left the classroom together.

“See you two later!” Hikari waved with a smile.

My girlfriend’s cute as ever today! For the record, Hikari had a literature club meeting today. Though she mainly spent her time working on her entry for a novel contest, the literature club’s activities were like a breath of fresh air to her. She seemed to enjoy chatting about it during lunch. I want her to have a happy life.

Nanase giggled and teasingly asked, “Hikari, are you sure? You’re okay that Haibara-kun and I are leaving together all alone?”

Well... Not gonna lie, but I was wondering about that too. Even though we’re part of the same friend group, is it still okay to be alone with a girl? But when we work at the same place, there’s no particular reason to purposefully head over separately. Also, wouldn’t it be pretty creepy if I told Nanase, “Since Hikari and I are dating now, we can’t walk to work together anymore,” out of nowhere? I mean, it’d be way too self-conscious of me. I guess it all depends on what Hikari thinks in the end.

“I wouldn’t like it if it were someone else, but I’m fine with you, Yuino-chan. You both work at the same place, so there’s no way around it,” Hikari explained. She became somewhat abashed, and her voice fell to a whisper as she added, “Besides, I don’t want to be too possessive.”

I’m gonna get embarrassed too if you act like that. Daw heh heh.

“Really? Then I won’t be shy.” For some reason, Nanase grabbed my hand and started walking.

“Y-You can’t do that!” Hikari yelled and stepped between us.

“Oh my. Weren’t you trying not to be possessive?” Nanase questioned.

“Touching is forbidden! That includes you, Yuino-chan!”

“Are you suggesting that you’re the only one who’s allowed to touch Haibara-kun?”

“Yes... Yes, I am. Is there a problem? He’s my boyfriend!” Though Hikari tried to counter Nanase’s points, her face was so red that there was no weight behind her words.

“C’mon, Nanase. Stop teasing Hikari so much,” I said.

“I’m sorry. Hikari’s reactions are just too amusing lately.”

“I can’t disagree with that.”

“But you’re supposed to disagree with her! Hello, Natsuki-kun?!” Hikari looked shocked that even her boyfriend had betrayed her, which was cute.

“I’m joking. I won’t snatch Haibara-kun away, so don’t worry.” While Hikari pouted, Nanase patted her hair.

“Maybe I should work at Café Mares too,” Hikari muttered.

My eyes widened in surprise. Working with Hikari? That’s a good idea.

“Would Sei-san give you permission?” Nanase asked.

“W-Well... I’ll just have to try and see.” Contrary to her words, Hikari sounded meek. Though her opinions were getting through to her father these days, that didn’t mean everything would pass.

“Unfortunately for you, the café is not looking to hire anyone right now.”

“Yeah, we’ve got enough people working the floor,” I added.

“Natsuki-kun, why didn’t you consider the possibility that I might apply to work in the kitchen?” Hikari pushed her face up close to mine. She was smiling, but she looked scary.

“Um, because... You know?” I said, evading her question. My eyes met Nanase’s.

“Hikari, he has no clue that you can cook.”

“Jeez, fine then. I was thinking of making Natsuki-kun a bento, but now I won’t.”

“Whaaat?!” I yelled. A homemade bento made by the girl I love?! That’s an event with a strong dose of vitamin youth, and I was going to get it?! I want to eat it. And if all goes well, I want to flirt with Hikari. Doesn’t matter what it tastes like. Awful, delicious, normal, who cares! What’s important is that Hikari makes it for me. I can’t let this opportunity get away from me, no matter what.

“I-I’m sorry! Please do! I’m begging you! By all means! Have mercy!” I was so gung ho about getting a homemade bento from Hikari that my pleas came out completely unfiltered.

“Wh-Why are you so desperate?” Hikari cringed away, taken aback by my sudden one-eighty.

My heart took massive damage from that. My inner otaku accidentally slipped out. I normally keep him in check, though...

“B-Because... I wanted to eat it,” I said.

Hikari giggled. “Gosh, you’re hopeless. Then I’ll make one for you next time,” she promised.

Whoooooo! I’m a winner!

“I hate to interrupt your flirting, but we’ll be late if we don’t leave now,” Nanase said, pouring cold water on us.

Crap, I completely lost sight of everything except for Hikari... Is this what people call a world of our own? It’s like we’re turning into a pair of stupid lovebirds! I’d better keep in mind the correct time, place, and occasion for flirting.

“G-Good point! All right, Nanase, let’s go to work!” I exclaimed.

“Y-Yeah! I’m off to my club meeting now! I’ll see you two next week!”

After exchanging awkward goodbyes, we parted ways with Hikari. Her face was flushed scarlet, and probably so was mine.

“‘See you next week’... Which means the two of you aren’t going out this weekend?” Nanase questioned.

“Yeah. I have band practice this weekend, and Hikari’s going to work on her novel at home,” I replied. Plus, we don’t have enough money to go out and play every week. Reality is tough.

“It’ll be a good break for Hikari. I don’t think her heart will hold out if she’s constantly around you.”

“I’d be the one in trouble if her heart didn’t hold out, though.” Not like I’m one to talk. Being with the one you like... Being with your girlfriend or boyfriend can be a little tiring. I feel like I’m on cloud nine, but I’m cautious and get nervous around her because I treasure her. Besides, we only started dating recently, so we’re still trying to figure out each other’s boundaries. All I can think about is how far she’ll allow me to take it.

“That shows how much she loves you. Be more aware of that.”

“I’m pretty sure I know that already.”

“You’d better not make Hikari sad, got it?” Nanase reminded me.

I nodded. “Of course I won’t; I’m gonna make her happy.”

“Good. I believe it, coming from you.” Nanase chuckled merrily. Evidently, her hobby these days was observing us.

***

I was on the clock from six to ten today. There were four people on shift. The manager and I were working the kitchen, while Mei and Nanase manned the front. I completed my work in silence, and before long it was past nine. Once dinnertime had ended and the stream of guests subsided, I took a breather. I washed dishes as I glanced at Mei from behind the counter.

“Come to think of it, it’s our first band practice in a long while tomorrow,” Mei said. Serika and I had shared our conversation from yesterday with him over RINE. We’d conveyed everything concisely, including the fact that Yamano and I knew each other.

“Though, it’s more like a tryout for Yamano than practice,” I remarked. Then again, she was guaranteed to join since she had Serika’s seal of approval. Mei must’ve known that as well, because he spoke under the assumption she would pass.

“What kind of person is Yamano-san?”

“She’s the cheerful type, I guess? I think she’s easy to talk to.” I didn’t know her well enough to properly describe her. She appeared vibrant on the surface, but I got the impression that she didn’t let others into her heart much.

“Ch-Cheerful? That’s a little scary.” I thought I’d described her innocuously, but Mei started getting the jitters.

“Would a gloomy person be better?”

“No... That would be difficult in its own way...”

Then what kind of person were you hoping for? Well, he’s probably being really shy is all. “No matter who we get, they’re going to make a better first impression than Iwano-senpai, right?” I said with a shrug.

Mei burst into laughter. “That’s no good, Natsuki! You can’t say that!”

“You laughed, which means you thought the same thing, right?”

“N-No, I’ve neeever thought that.” Mei clumsily whistled and averted his eyes as though he hadn’t heard a thing.

“Are you talking about your band?” Nanase asked.

“Yeah. Serika found a new drummer. Though, she’s still in her third year of middle school,” I replied.

“I see. If Hondo-san found her, then she must be quite skilled.”

“The real issue is if she’ll get along with us... No, with me... What do I do if she says she doesn’t want to join us because our bassist is creepy? Will I be kicked out?” Mei muttered pessimistic delusions, as per usual.

Yamano’s not the type to say stuff like that, but this is funny, so I’ll keep that information to myself.

“Shinohara-kun, you certainly never change,” Nanase told him. “I thought you’d gain some backbone after getting a girlfriend.”

“I’m hopeless... It takes all my strength to merely hold her hand even now... And just sending her a message on RINE makes me extremely nervous... I never know if I’m doing the correct thing.” Mei let out a hollow laugh, and a gloomy aura enshrouded him.

I feel you, Mei. I’m the same. I nodded in agreement.

Nanase gave me the side-eye. “It’s about time you start getting used to it, understand?”

“Y-Yes...” Apparently I’m not allowed to stay a romance newb forever...

“Then again, you easily succeed at everything you do, so I’d actually feel irked if you weren’t at least atrocious at romance. But Hikari is a delusional otaku girl beyond help...”

That’s a mean thing to say. To me and Hikari both. Nanase’s the only person who’d call our school idol a delusional otaku girl. Well, there has been an unfortunate testimony that she’s a self-proclaimed idol in the first place.

While the three of us chatted, the bell rang—it was the sound of a customer opening the door. I glanced at the entrance; a girl wearing our school uniform had entered the café.

“Huh? Mei, it’s your girlfriend,” I said.

The black-haired girl wearing glasses bowed to us. It was Funayama-san.

“Wh-Whaaat?!” Mei exclaimed, his eyes as large as saucers.

“Don’t fall apart now—go seat her.” I pushed his back and forced him towards her.

“Wh-Why are you here?”

“Um, I wanted to see what you were like at work.”

I listened to their heartwarming exchange. They’re both so nervous and awkward, but most importantly, they look like they’re getting along swimmingly. Although, just watching them is giving me secondhand embarrassment...

“Do you understand what I feel when I watch you two now?” Nanase asked.

“Shut up. You didn’t have to say it out loud; I’m not that dense.” So this is what everyone else feels when they watch us... That doesn’t sit great with me.

“Those two look happy. I heard you helped get them together.”

“I didn’t do much. They were crushing on each other from the get-go.” They’d started dating on the day of the sports meet, so only two days had passed. It was still their honeymoon phase. I wasn’t one to talk, though, since Hikari and I had only been dating for two weeks.

“While we’re on the topic, what about you, Nanase? Is there someone you like?” I asked. She looked somewhat envious as she watched the new couple. Come to think of it, I’ve never heard Nanase mention she’s into anyone or that she wants a boyfriend.

“Good question... I wouldn’t go as far as to say I loved them, but there was someone who caught my eye.”

Nanase’s answer took me by surprise. From her nonchalant tone, she didn’t sound like she was joking.

“Was? So not anymore?”

“Unfortunately, yes. Unlike other girls, I didn’t know what true love was.”

I see... I don’t know how to react, though. How much should I push this sort of topic? Although I was the one who’d broached the subject, I was at a loss as to what to say next. “I hope you find it one day. True love, I mean.” In the end, that was all I could muster—a hackneyed and naive response.

Nanase flicked my forehead for some reason.

“Ouch!”

“Instead of worrying about me, you’d better cherish Hikari,” she said, and smiled.

“You don’t need to tell me that. I was already planning on it.” I strengthened my resolve as I watched Mei and Funayama-san’s heartwarming spectacle.

While we chatted idly like that, night fell upon Café Mares.

***

The next day was Saturday. I woke up early, so I went for a run and worked out to kill time. Why is it that when I want to spend a day loafing around, I always wake up early?

“Onii-chan, what about breakfast?”

“Just toast some bread.”

After I dealt with Namika’s pestering, I took a shower. When I returned to the living room, my mom was there with Namika. In the end, she had made Namika’s breakfast.

Mom noticed me come in and asked, “Natsuki, do you want some too? It’s nothing crazy, though.”

I nodded.

“Onii-chan, you wouldn’t make me breakfast, so I asked mama instead.”

“Does it not occur to you to make it yourself?”

“I can’t cook!” Namika declared proudly. She was eating bread, sausages, fried eggs, and a salad. Forget about cooking—besides the salad, all she would’ve had to do was heat the food up. “Onii-chan, whatcha got planned today?”

“I’m meeting up with the band, so I’ve gotta go soon.” On top of practice, it was also Yamano’s tryout day. We were supposed to meet up at ten.

“Huh? Didn’t you guys break up?”

“We took a temporary break and decided to start up again.”

“Didn’t your drummer leave because of entrance exams?”

“Yeah, so we found a new one. Though, it’s not set in stone yet.”

“Hmmm... Good for you. Not that I care,” Namika said indifferently as she stared at her phone.

Doesn’t sound like you don’t care, but if I point that out, you’ll probably flip out... Are we gonna pretend like you weren’t waving penlights in the audience? “Our new drummer’s a year younger than me. She’s your senpai.”

“She’s from our middle school? Come to think of it, we do have a light music club.”

“Have you heard of Yamano Saya?”

“Ohhh yeah... I’ve heard the name.” She sounded like she was hiding something.

“Just the name? So you’ve never talked to her before?”

“Nope. No reason to. She’s older, and we’re in different clubs.” Namika finished off her breakfast and brought her hands together, saying, “Thanks for the food.” Then she gazed out the window and whispered, “I see. So she’s joining your band.”

She looked like she was brooding over something, so I asked, “Something bothering you?”

“Mmm, not really. Welp, don’t run yourself into the ground,” she said, then vanished into her room.

Hey, clean up your dishes! “I’ll clean this up, mom.” I bit the bullet and offered to help my mom with the housework.

“Go right ahead, thanks a bunch. I’ll leave you to it.”

In my first life, I’d depended on my mom for everything, so I tried to help with housework as much as I could this time. In return, it feels like Namika is rapidly becoming lazier and lazier, though... That’s weird; she was a hundred times more put together than me last round, but these days she’s more like a deadbeat... Wait, is that my fault? Am I turning Namika into a deadbeat?

I fretted over that unanswerable question as I washed the dishes, and finished just in time. I tidied up my appearance, then left the house. It was fifteen degrees Celsius outside, a little cold but not enough that I needed to wear a coat.

I got on the train and headed to the music studio that Serika had reserved. It was only a short walk from Takasaki Station. Apparently, she used this place often.

“Oh, Natsuki! Good morning!” When Mei spotted me, his eyes twinkled.

He and Serika were already inside the room, setting up their instruments. Serika didn’t react. She was too focused on her guitar.

“You two are early,” I said.

“We haven’t practiced in so long! I’m pumped!” Mei cheerfully exclaimed as he haphazardly strummed on his bass.

“No Yamano yet?”

“I messaged her just now, and she said she’s almost here.” Serika showed me her phone screen. Displayed was her chat with Yamano. In response to Yamano’s message of “I’m almost there! I’m sorry!” Serika had sent a barrage of stickers of an angry anime character that said, “When?”

Hey, stop that!

“Senpai! Good morning! I’m sorry for being late!”

The door flung open with a bang as Yamano arrived. She was out of breath and seemed panicked because of Serika’s stickers.

“Morning.”

“Hey.”

Serika and I greeted her naturally, but Mei was taken aback.

“G-Good morning...”

“Nice to meet you! You’re Shinohara-senpai, right?! I’m Yamano Saya!” She grabbed Mei’s hand and vigorously shook it up and down. Apparently, that was her attempt at shaking hands.

“N-Nice to meet...you?”

“Yep, nice to meetcha! Your bass was wicked! It really hit me in the feels!”

Mei flinched back as Yamano drew close to him with a big smile. I couldn’t tell who was the older one here.

“Okay, okay. We don’t have a lot of time, so let’s get started. Get ready.” Serika clapped her hands and brought the situation under control.

I’d better set up my guitar and mic too.

“I-It’s an extrovert... I can feel that sunny aura... But I’m happy...” Mei muttered. His delight at Yamano’s compliment had made an objectively creepy smile spread across his face, but I decided not to point it out.

“Hm, this should be good...” Yamano finished adjusting the drum set provided by the studio and skillfully twirled her drumsticks. Then she suddenly slammed the crash cymbal. A high-pitched noise reverberated throughout the room, signaling the start of her drum solo.

I didn’t know the song she was pounding out, but just by listening, I could tell she had a superb sense of rhythm. She’s really good. And she looks like she’s having a blast when she’s playing... I wasn’t concerned, since Serika recommended her, but damn she’s good!

After Yamano finished her drum solo, Serika suggested, “If everyone’s ready, then let’s start with ‘Black Witch.’ Saya, you can play it, right?”

“Of course! I know all of Mishle’s songs by heart!” Yamano replied proudly.

“It’s been a while, so I’m worried my fingers won’t move properly,” Mei muttered insecurely, holding his bass at the ready.

“Okay, I’ll kick us off with a three count. Does that work, senpai?” she asked.

We nodded. Evidently, we were going to play through the whole thing. The song began, and intense rock music filled the studio. It’s been a long time. I felt my voice and the timbre of my guitar intertwine with the song.

Yamano’s drumming was aggressive. She beat out expressive and belligerent notes that violently transformed the melody. At any rate, it was a huge contrast to Iwano-senpai’s precise, mechanical drumming. Her drums ran rampant, like the wind pushing at our backs, but never threw us into disarray.

It was so different from playing with Iwano-senpai that I didn’t feel like I was playing an existing song. The tune was turning into a completely new “Black Witch.” The phrase “off-the-wall” would’ve been a good way to describe it. For all that, I wasn’t perfectly in rhythm with Yamano at the moment. I wouldn’t have said that the quality of the song was higher than when Iwano-senpai was our drummer, but I could sense the potential. I was confident that we could put on an even better performance.

“H-How was it? I know I made a bunch of mistakes...” Yamano asked after the song, exhibiting a rare show of unease. She had hammered out beats like she was having the time of her life during the song, so it was an amusing contrast.

“Hey! Wh-Why’re you smiling?! I’m serious! I practiced super hard for this tryout! Or did I suck that bad?!” she exclaimed in a fluster.

Serika looked at us. “Mei, Natsuki, what do you think? I like her drumming.”

I glanced at Mei, and he met my gaze. We were both silent. Yamano looked like she was waiting for fate to take the wheel.

“Um, well, there’s not much to say,” Mei said.

“Yeah, pretty much that,” I agreed. We nodded to each other.

I could practically see the word “shock” painted across Yamano’s face as she hung her head. “N-No way...”

“What’s with the dumb look? Of course you passed,” I said.

“It’s strange that you would even consider failure as a possibility after showing us that,” Mei said.

Yamano’s eyes widened. “Huuuh?!” she yelled.

“You shouldn’t tease your junior too much, you two.” The corners of Serika’s mouth quirked up slightly, and she shrugged.

I mean, she looked at us so seriously that I just couldn’t help it...

“D-Don’t scare me like that!” Relieved, Yamano straightened herself in her seat.

In the first place, I’m not in a position where I can act snobby towards Yamano for passing. If anything, wouldn’t I be the reject? I can see that being a valid point. I wanna get better at the guitar...

“Then with Saya joining us, we’ll restart as a band of four,” Serika said.

“Are we going to stick with Mishle as our band name? Or should we change it?” I asked.

“Hm. We’re a different band without Iwano-senpai, so let’s think of a new name,” she replied.

We’re not a makeshift bag of mixed leftovers anymore. It’s for the best.

“Our current goal is performing at the music club where I work,” Serika said.

“A... A music club? That’s intimidating...” Mei said.

“But that’s what we gotta aim for. The school festival’s a thing of the past now,” I added. Besides, if we didn’t have a goal, we would lose sight of what we were practicing for. Jamming out together was fun enough, but the thrill of performing live was on a different level. I wanted to taste the sensation of becoming one with the audience that I’d experienced during the school festival.

“No way, senpai, you’re all dreaming too small! Let’s play at the Rock in Japan Festival! Rock in!” Yamano shouted something absurd with a big smile.

She’s really feeling herself.

“It’s good to dream big, but we’ve gotta polish our skills first,” Serika reasoned with Yamano in a matter-of-fact tone.

Yeah, we hyped up the crowd at the festival, but our band is still inexperienced. Serika’s the exception, but my guitar skills are so crap that I can’t even joke about it. It was a miracle that I played just about everything smoothly at the festival. Miracles like that won’t happen every time.

“Yamano, are you gonna be okay for your entrance exams?” I asked.

“I’m probably getting in by recommendation!” she answered.

“Wow, so you’re a smart kid.”

Ryomei’s academic standard scores were fairly high, and there were a lot of aspiring applicants. Getting in by recommendation meant maintaining top grades for your year.

“Looks like I don’t need to worry, then.”

Yamano shot me a peace sign in response.

“Now that Saya’s with us, we’ll start practicing for real next week,” Serika said.

“Okey dokey!” Yamano exclaimed.

“Understood!” Mei said.

“Yeah, time to do our best again,” I said.

We all nodded to each other. And so, our band activities resumed. That was one more thing to look forward to in my high school life. It was already shining like a rainbow, but now those rays were even brighter. This new band would surely add a fresh color to my youth.

“Oh yeah... Natsuki,” Serika said, suddenly remembering something. “Miori was absent from school yesterday. Have you heard from her?”

“Huh? No, not really... Is she sick?”

“That’s what our teacher said, but she hasn’t responded to my texts.” Serika stared at her phone with her head tilted to the side.

“Who would’ve thought she could catch colds too.” Since we were kids, she’d always been the picture-perfect image of good health. Idiots don’t catch colds, after all. And as far as I knew, Miori had never been stuck in bed with a cold before. Though, I didn’t know much about how she’d fared in middle school.

“I hope it’s just a cold,” Serika said after a slight pause.

“Flu season is starting around now.” Still, I am a little worried.

“Yeah, guess so,” she said with an uncertain nod.

Serika didn’t bring up Miori again, and we resumed practice. It’s just one day off. I don’t need to worry about her too much. More importantly, I need to focus on practice. I’m the worst one here; Yamano will look down on me if I don’t improve. Well, it might be too late for that already...

***

After our practice session ended, with a break sandwiched in between, it was already evening. Yamano and I parted ways from Serika and Mei at Takasaki Station, and boarded our train home together. Yamano absentmindedly stared out the window, likely exhausted from her first day of practice.

“Come to think of it, senpai, you’re going out with Hoshimiya-senpai, right?” she said after a while.

“Yeah. You know Hikari?” I asked.

“’Cause she’s famous on Minsta. My friends all think she’s a model. She’s hella cute, stylish, cheerful, and she seems nice... Argh, I’m sooo jealous of you!” She flailed her legs around, vexed.

Serika said the same thing before, and it looks like she was right: Hikari really is famous in my town.

“Why the heck did she choose you?”

“Hey, quit it! I ask myself that all the time.”

“Hey, you are handsomer than you used to be.”

Whether it was Miori or Yamano, all the people who knew the old me reacted the same way. They were overestimating me more and more these days, which was kinda concerning.

“Miori helped me out a bunch when I was trying to get close to Hikari,” I said.

“Tell me about it,” Yamano muttered for some reason and covered her face with her hands. “By the way, what’s Miori-senpai like with that Shiratori-senpai guy?”

“They look like they’re close. I saw them going home together too.”

“Is that so...” Yamano frowned skeptically.

“Haven’t you heard the details from Miori?”

“Mmm, well, we chat but... Y’know,” she replied evasively.

Then again, when you go to different schools, you get fewer chances to talk.

“Do you have a pic of Shiratori-senpai? I wanna see.”

I dug through my picture folder on my phone. The only one I had was the group photo of us when we’d gone on that trip together over the summer. The girls snapped pictures at every opportunity, but us guys don’t take pictures often. I’m finally living the rainbow-colored youth of my dreams. Maybe I should try to be more proactive and take pictures a little more often to preserve these memories.

“Whoa, he’s hot! He’s in a different league from you, Haibara-senpai.”

“Do you have to put me down every single time? You have a terrible personality.”

“I mean, Miori-senpai claims she’s only into hot guys, sooo... Though, it’s still just a claim in the end,” Yamano grumbled as she stared at the picture.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

She lightly shook her head. “No, it’s not like anything’s wrong with you. Don’t sweat it.”

The moment I was about to say, “Even if you tell me that, it’s still going to weigh on my mind,” the train came to a halt. We had arrived at our stop.

“Why are you so worried about Miori anyway?” I asked, suddenly curious, as we alighted from the train. I knew they were close, but I feel like Miori’s all she ever talks about.

“Oh, you know, she’s just been asking me for some advice,” Yamano answered vaguely, implying that she couldn’t say anything more than that.

Advice, huh? Miori doesn’t come to me for advice anymore. And I noticed that something was bothering her too. She must’ve confided it all to Yamano. I’m a little jealous.

“See you, senpai. Let’s hammer away together in the band!” Yamano said goodbye as though she were ending the conversation, and waved to me as she left.

***

The week after our band resumed practice went by smoothly. I’d had work on Monday, band practice on Tuesday, and now it was lunch break on Wednesday. One week had passed since the interclass sports meet.

“Huh? Miori’s absent?”

“Yeah. Apparently, she’s been out since after the sports meet.”

We were gathered near the classroom windows. Our usual group of six, together as always, exchanged glances.

“Reita, have you heard anything?” I asked.

“I messaged her on RINE, but she didn’t respond.” He gazed at his phone, face full of concern.

“I heard from a teacher that she has a cold,” Uta said.

“This feels much too long for only a cold,” Nanase replied.

We were all worried about Miori.

Maybe Serika will know more since they’re in the same class. “I’ll go ask Serika,” I said. While I was out searching for her, I passed by the girls’ bathroom. I heard voices coming from inside.

“Is that rumor about Motomiya true? Is she really flirting with Shiratori-kun and Haibara-kun?”

“Apparently someone saw it all. She was hugging Haibara-kun in the park.”

“Ew, that’s seriously low! She acts like she’s all that just because she’s a little cute.”

“Remember how she always insisted Haibara-kun was just a childhood friend? It felt like she was bragging. She’s such a bitch. I feel bad for Shiratori-kun and Hoshimiya-san!”

My legs instinctively stopped moving. What are they talking about? I couldn’t process what I’d just heard. However, worried that they would leave the bathroom, I hastily moved on. I walked a little bit away, pretending as though I’d heard nothing, before looking behind me.

The ones gossiping had been a group of girls from class one. Standing in the middle of them was a girl named Hasegawa. She was someone who stood out in class one. I remembered her because when the guys had debated who the cutest first-year girl was, her name had come up a lot together with Hikari’s and Miori’s. But people said she had a nasty personality.

“What do I do?” My mind was a mess. What should I even do? Calm down. I need to sort out the situation first.

If it was a baseless lie, then I could just deny it, but the worst-case scenario came to mind. The rumor that Miori was flirting with both me and Reita was, of course, false. However, I recalled what had happened a few days before the sports meet. If someone had seen me catch Miori when she was about to fall that night in the park, misunderstandings likely would have arisen.

It must’ve looked like Miori was hugging me. That’s why the rumor going around is that Miori made a move on me, not that I made a move on her. In that case, how do I behave to clear up the misunderstanding? Ugh, I’m starting to sweat. Based on my past experiences, it’s hard to stop these sorta rumors.

Anyway, the first step is collecting info. I need to figure out how far the rumor has spread and who’s spreading it. This might also be related to why Miori’s been absent.

“Yo, Natsuki, lunch is almost over,” someone called out to me from far away.

I looked up. Tatsuya and the others beckoned to me.

“Yeah, I know.” There’s a lot of stuff on my mind now, but I can’t skip class. Let’s just quietly go back.

As I walked through the hallway on my way back, I felt an awful lot of gazes on me. I scanned my surroundings out of the corner of my eyes—it felt like I was being watched, mainly by the class one girls. Looks like the rumor’s already spread to all the girls in class one. 

For better or for worse, we stood out. Me and Hikari, Reita and Miori—apparently, people called us the two biggest couples of our year. If two of us got involved in a scandal, everyone would obviously be curious. The vicious gazes on me made that explicitly apparent.

I entered the classroom and took my seat. The teacher came in, and class began. I observed my surroundings for a while but didn’t feel any unpleasant stares coming from the class two students.

Looks like the rumor hasn’t reached class two yet. But it’s just a matter of time now. Once this rumor picks up speed, it’ll spread through the whole school and become even more exaggerated. It’s completely groundless, though. So I want to deal with it as soon as possible before that happens.

“Natsuki-kun, something wrong?” Hikari whispered from the seat next to mine. She looked concerned.

I must’ve been frowning, and she picked up on it. I’m not sure what to say. Should I tell her or keep quiet? If I clue her in, then what and how much do I say? I don’t have a clear picture of the entire situation yet either.

“Kind of. I’ll tell you later,” I said after some deliberation.

Hikari was my girlfriend. Even if I didn’t know everything, it was better to share the news with her. If the rumors reached her ears, she might feel insecure. But it was a long story, and we were in the middle of class now. I needed to find somewhere we could talk calmly.

***

Before long, it was after school. Tatsuya and the others went to club practice, and Nanase had piano lessons today, so it was just Hikari and me.

“Can you tell me about it now?” she asked.

The go home club students were still hanging around the classroom chatting.

“Yeah. Can we move somewhere else?” I didn’t want other people to overhear if possible. I led her to an empty staircase landing. When I looked behind me, Hikari appeared uneasy. Right, I haven’t explained anything yet.

“So, what happened?”

“Apparently, a nasty rumor is going around. Mainly among the class one girls,” I answered.

She blinked at me. “What kind of rumor?”

“That Miori...flirted with me while dating Reita.” It was hard to say aloud, but the conversation wouldn’t get anywhere if I didn’t spit it out.

“Oh... I see.” Hikari’s expression was unreadable.

“It’s not true, of course.” I need to make that clear first. To dispel any of her unease.

“I don’t doubt that...but what started those rumors?”

That was a reasonable question. It would’ve been easy if someone had started a baseless rumor out of malice, but we were in a tricky situation because there was a base for the rumor to stand on.

In all honesty, I was terrified that Hikari would misunderstand. At the time, I truly had caught Miori in my arms on the spur of the moment because she was about to trip, but what Hikari would think after hearing about it a week later was another story. That was why her question made the words stick in my throat.

“Because someone saw Miori hug Natsuki.” The one who answered her wasn’t me, but a voice from behind us. I turned around—standing there was Serika.

“Why are you here?” The question spilled out of me before I could ask if she’d been listening the whole time.

“I was looking for you. We talked about ironing out our practice schedule after school, remember?”

Oh... Now that she mentions it, we did. I completely forgot about that.

“Though, now’s probably not the time to be discussing that.” Serika let out a dejected sigh. She always wore a deadpan expression and only ever showed emotion when it came to music, so this was a rare sight.

“Um, what does she mean by that?” Hikari asked again.

I needed to give her a proper answer. “I think it’s about what happened a few days before the sports meet.” I was making Hikari feel insecure right now. And that was precisely why I had to honestly tell her everything. “That day after school, I was practicing basketball with Mei. He was also playing basketball in the sports meet, so I was giving him some pointers. Miori happened to pass by, so she joined us for practice. After we finished, we took a break and chatted, and when we were about to go home, Miori suddenly tripped, and I caught her.”

Hikari and Serika silently listened to my story.

“If someone saw that, I wouldn’t be surprised if they thought Miori was hugging me. I think if there’s any basis for the rumors going around, it’s that.”

“I see.” Serika nodded understandingly.

“Do you think that rumor is related to why Miori-chan has been absent?” Hikari questioned.

“I don’t know. I overheard it by accident, and I’m still investigating.” I shook my head.

“I see,” she murmured.

“How about I tell you what I know to start,” Serika said after taking in our expressions. “Like Natsuki said, the girls in class one are spreading that rumor. It won’t be long until it reaches your class too. Everyone loves this sort of gossip.”

Serika confirmed the conjecture that I’d hoped wasn’t true.

“The one who claims to have seen it is a girl from class one, Minase.”

“Oh, the quiet girl with glasses?” Hikari asked.

I had no idea who that was. She must not have been the type to stand out in class.

“Yep. But Minase isn’t the one spreading the rumors; it’s Hasegawa’s groupies.”

“I knew it. When I overheard the rumors, Hasegawa was the one telling other people,” I said.

“Well... Hasegawa-san doesn’t get along very well with Miori-chan, right?” Hikari pointed out.

Really? That was news to me, but Serika nodded as if it were obvious. Evidently, this was common knowledge among the girls. I’m way too clueless about interpersonal relationships between girls...

“Miori’s cute, the girls’ basketball team’s star player, an excellent student, dating Reita-kun—the most popular guy in our year—and childhood friends with the second-most popular guy in our year, Natsuki. She’s got a lot of enemies. She’s got people on her side too, but Miori’s headstrong. She’s not like Hikari-chan, who can get along with anyone, so haters despise her. Eh... I’m sure it’s just jealousy, though.”

I mean, she keeps up a mature appearance on the surface, but she hasn’t changed one bit at heart since elementary school. She’s really strong-willed, and she doesn’t mesh with everyone.

“Class one was already split between Hasegawa’s group and Miori’s group before this,” Serika continued. “Though, they never fought openly.”

“R-Really? I had no idea,” I said.

“Well, girls have a lot going on. Most boys probably don’t know about it,” Hikari added.

The world of girls...is kinda scary.

“Now that Hasegawa-san’s found Miori-chan’s weakness, she must be happily spreading the rumors,” Hikari said.

“In reality, when I asked Minase about it, apparently she’d just told her friends that it looked like Miori had hugged you. But Hasegawa was eavesdropping and grilled her for more details. Minase didn’t even know if that was actually what happened, and she didn’t expect it to blow up like this, so she feels bad.”

Thanks to Serika, I could roughly see the full picture of the situation. It’s my fault. If I had pulled away from Miori immediately, this misunderstanding might not have happened. Instead, I ended up holding her for a few seconds. I mean, she couldn’t move, after all.

“What would you do...if I told you I love you?”

The scene from that moment flashed through my mind. She had sounded awfully close to tearing up.

“Natsuki-kun?”

Next thing I knew, Hikari was staring me in the face. “Oh, sorry. It’s nothing.” I’d accidentally gotten lost in my thoughts. I hastily shook my head.

“You mean it? It’s really nothing?” she asked as though she were looking for reconfirmation. “If the rumor was baseless, I think Miori-chan would deny it.”

“I agree. Once she’s pissed, she’s quick to pick a fight.”

Serika and Hikari nodded at each other. I agreed with them. Miori wasn’t a timid person who’d lose to a stupid rumor.

“The only thing I can think of is what I explained earlier.” Although there was something else sitting on my mind, that was all I could tell them. Anything else would’ve been mere speculation. I didn’t know how Miori felt.

“I don’t know what’s going through Miori’s head. She’s been absent since the sports meet, and I haven’t had the chance to ask her. ’Cause of that, the rumor’s gaining credibility,” Serika said, summarizing the situation.

Wearing a serious expression, Hikari nodded, urging Serika to continue.

“Our group wants to defend Miori, but because she’s been gone and no one can get in touch, we can’t come out strong against this rumor... Some girls even doubt Miori.” Serika sighed. “It’s such a pain.” She didn’t have much interest in anything besides music, so she must’ve found this whole debacle annoying. “But I can’t leave Miori alone. We’re friends, after all.”

“That’s right,” Hikari said in agreement. “The biggest problem is that we can’t get in touch with Miori, right?”

“Yep. If she just has a cold, then she should be able to reply. Sure, she’s not the most responsive, but it’s weird that she isn’t replying to her boyfriend either, not just us.”

Hearing it phrased like that made the situation feel even more severe.

“Natsuki-kun, don’t you live close to her?” Hikari asked.

“Yeah, I’m about a fifteen-minute walk away.”

“I’m worried about Miori-chan; do you think you could visit her?” She put her hands together and earnestly said, “Please.”

“Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

“I trust you.” She gazed into my eyes and slowly nodded.

“We do need to check whether she’s actually in terrible shape...or if something else is going on,” Serika murmured.

True, that’s an important job. All of this revolves around Miori. Without her opinion, we’ll hesitate over how to handle the rumor. “Got it. I’ll check on her.”

Not gonna lie, I’ve got a bad feeling. If she was just really sick, then she’s bound to have at least sent a message over RINE. So no doubt, something must’ve happened.

***

Before I got on my train home, I sent Miori a message. However, even after an hour had passed, she hadn’t so much as read it. Looks like I’ve got no choice but to visit her in person. But my body felt awfully heavy. I had a bad feeling about this, because I had a vague foreboding about the situation. I could only pray that I was wrong.

I got off the train and picked up a get well gift from the convenience store. After walking about twenty minutes, I reached Miori’s house. It was a large, old Japanese-style house located in the residential area. In the spacious and beautifully well-kept garden, there was a basketball hoop that stuck out like a sore thumb. A white Alphard minivan was parked in the nearby lot.

Nothing had changed from when I used to come here in the past.

A gray-haired lady with a crooked back sat outside on the engawa-style porch. She noticed me at the entrance and slowly stood up. “What’s this? Is that you, Natsuki-kun? You’ve grown up.”

“Hello, granny. Long time no see.”

Miori’s grandma came up to me, cane in hand. I hadn’t visited their home in four or five years, so I hadn’t expected her to remember me.

“Miori talks about you often. Just as she said, you’ve become quite the handsome young man.” Granny gazed at me with a cheerful smile.

“Miori...talks about me?”

“Of course! She talks about how you did this or you did that every chance she gets. Though, a large portion of it is filled with complaints about how you try to show off, or calling you stupid or a moron. But she seems to enjoy talking about you.”

I laughed wryly in response. That sounds like Miori.

“She must be beside herself with joy that you two are good friends again.”

“I hope she is. She’s not honest with me, so I can never tell. By the way,” I said, steering our small talk to the reason I was here, “is Miori all right? She’s been absent from school for a while now.”

Granny answered my question with her own: “Did you come to visit her?”

I nodded.

Her expression darkened. “Her health is in a sorry state. She’s shut herself in her room and won’t come out.”

“I see. May I go inside for a bit? I want to talk to her.”

“Of course, come on in. Miori will be delighted. Please drink some tea while you’re here too.”

I took off my shoes and stepped into the house. Granny led me to the tatami-floored living room first. There was a long table lined with a few floor cushions. A plate of mikan oranges and Japanese sweets sat on top of it, as well as a cup of tea at the end of the table, most likely granny’s.

“Wait here for a bit,” she said.

I obeyed and sat down on one of the cushions. She brought out a cup of tea for me. I’m so sorry! I gave her the get well present, but I’m visiting without prior notice, so I’m just a bother, aren’t I... Visiting a sick friend is standard in manga and anime, but there’s actually not much to do in reality. You just give more work to whoever’s sick, and if you catch their cold, then that defeats the whole purpose of the visit. Well, maybe bringing food is helpful if they live alone... It’s a special case this time, though, so please forgive me.

I looked around as I drank my tea. A travel program was playing on the TV. It rested on a stand that also had a picture of a young Miori with her parents decorating the edge. Both of her parents worked, so they probably weren’t home yet. Miori and granny were the only ones here right now, as I’d heard that her grandpa had passed away.

After a short wait, granny came back into the room once more. “I’m sorry, Natsuki-kun. She doesn’t want to see anyone right now... Her health should’ve recovered considerably by now, though. I find it unlikely you’d catch her cold.”

“I...see.” Thought so—she wasn’t out sick.

“Perhaps something happened at school. Natsuki-kun, would you happen to know anything?”

“I might, but I need to ask her if that’s really why she’s been absent.” My eyes met granny’s, and without averting my gaze, I said, “Can I go stand outside of Miori’s room?” I knew she didn’t want to see me, but the situation wouldn’t change if I obediently turned back.

Granny smiled widely and, in a gentle voice, said, “I’ll leave that girl to you.”

***

I stood in front of Miori’s room, when I heard the soft pitter-patter of footsteps as her dog approached me. I think its name is Ku. Is that right? Ku sniffed my toes and nuzzled against my leg. After that, it fixed its eyes on the closed door.

“You’re worried about her too, huh.” I petted Ku on the head and then knocked on the door. “Miori, it’s me. You okay?”

I heard what sounded like blankets rustling around. However, she didn’t reply.

“We’re all worried about you. At least reply to us on RINE.” There was no response, but I continued talking anyway. “Are you feeling all right? I brought some stuff that’ll make you feel better, so can you open up? Oh, Serika gave me some handouts too. She said it’s the homework and info that you missed.”

I tried to keep my tone bright, but all I got in return was frigid radio silence. Should I bring up the rumor or not?

While I hesitated, a voice came from inside the room. “Tell everyone I’m sorry.”

Miori still didn’t open the door, but I could sense her presence through it. She stood on the other side and spoke to me from there. “I don’t want to see anyone right now...and that includes you. So...go home,” she said, her voice a faint whisper.

No matter how you slice it, she’s clearly not acting like herself. “If you don’t want to see me, then let’s talk like this. But could you tell me what’s going on?” I sat down cross-legged in front of her door. I was determined to stay until I got an explanation. “You didn’t just catch any old cold, right? What happened?”

“Didn’t you come here because you already know what’s going on?” she murmured softly.

“If you’re talking about the rumor spreading around class one, then yeah, I heard about it.”

Miori breathed in sharply. Her reaction confirmed my theory—the rumor was related to why she’d been skipping school.

“Sure,” I began, “it might’ve looked like you did that on purpose, but that was just an accident. Just be confident and quash the rumor. I’ll deny it too. It’s not like you to give up without a fight.”

“Yeah, maybe.”

“I heard that the Hasegawa girl who’s spreading this rumor doesn’t like you. That’s why the story is getting twisted. At this rate, if we leave it be, it’s only going to get more and more exaggerated.”

“It’s not really twisted.”

Her reply made me furrow my brow. I didn’t know what she was getting at.

“Hasegawa-san and her friends asked me about it directly. The rumor going around is just the plain truth.”

“What do you mean it’s the truth? What the heck are you say—”

“Don’t pretend you don’t understand. You’re not that thickheaded,” Miori interrupted.

I had no rebuttal, but I did have an inkling as to what she meant. I merely prayed that my premonition was wrong. On that day, what had gone through my head after I’d caught Miori?

“S-Sorry... My legs won’t listen to me.”

“What would you do...if I told you I love you?”

“I’m going home! If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss the last train!”

Moiri had been unsteady on her feet due to exhaustion, and that’s why I’d caught her. I’d assumed she didn’t pull away and stayed in my arms for a while because she was waiting for her legs to recover. However, immediately after that, she had become worried about the last train and hastily ran off.

“Her legs are completely fine.”

At the time, I’d thought, “What if...” An absurd, all too convenient delusion had flashed through my mind.

“It was all on purpose,” Miori continued, confirming that very delusion. “That’s why I couldn’t make any excuses. I’m dating Reita-kun, but I still hugged you. I thought it would be fine if I tripped, even though it couldn’t possibly be okay... Stupid, right? I failed. I was supposed to keep these feelings sealed up.” Her voice was laced with sobs.

I couldn’t get a word in. I didn’t know what to say. There’s so much I want to ask, but is it okay to pry? Because if she’s telling the truth, then Miori is in love with me.

“Tell everyone else that I’m sorry for making them worry. But the rumor is true, so don’t try to stop it or deny it... Don’t go after Hasegawa-san and her friends either.”

I didn’t remember what happened after that very well. Unable to find the right words to offer her, I left as though I had something to run away from.

***

(Motomiya Miori)

“Are you sure you wanna do that?” Saya asked after confirming Natsuki had left.

“What else can I do? It’s all my fault.”

I sat on my bed hugging my knees while she stood by the window. The reason for her presence was simple: she had come in through the window without asking.

Saya was my childhood friend who lived two houses down. Though she was a year younger than me, we’d been good friends for a long time. She often sneaked in through the window like she’d done today, and I let her.

“You could just say your legs were wobbly and it’d all be fine. What happened wasn’t that big a deal anyway. No one would put you on blast for sneaking a little hug in,” Saya suggested in a light tone.

I’d be lying if I said that idea hadn’t run through my head before. “I can’t. I could never forgive myself if I did.” I couldn’t lie to protect myself when I’d already done something so horrible.

“You’re surprisingly fussy.” She shrugged and sighed.

“Sorry. I asked you for advice, but it turned into this mess.”

“I don’t really care.” She paused. “But don’t torture yourself over this too much.”

I’d been consulting Saya for all sorts of advice since a few days before the sports meet, explaining how I had a boyfriend, how I liked someone else—and how that someone was my childhood friend. I told her how I wanted to fall in love with my current boyfriend, but I just couldn’t, and it pained me.

I only confided my worries to people I didn’t interact with on a daily basis. Though I’d been good friends with Saya since we were young, we usually spent our time with different people, so she was the perfect person to go to.

“On the flip side, you could say Haibara-senpai’s at fault here for not rejecting you.”

“Stop. Natsuki trusted me.” And I betrayed his trust. I’m causing him trouble because of that.

“I don’t think that’s the only reason he didn’t let go of you immediately,” Saya murmured as she gazed out the window.

I didn’t understand what she was implying. I knit my brows in confusion, and she smiled dryly.

“Welp, at any rate, endlessly moping around isn’t going to help anything,” she said.

“Yeah, you’re right. I know. I need to go back to school soon.”

Logically, I understood that. I couldn’t stay locked inside my room forever; I needed to go back to school. But no matter how much I tried, my feet refused to carry me there. It wasn’t because of the rumor Hasegawa-san and her groupies were spreading. It was because I couldn’t face Natsuki and my friends.

“Saya, what would you do?” I asked.

She hummed in thought for a moment. “I’m not as sensitive as you are, so I’d apologize pronto and be done with it.”

Yeah... She’s right. In the end, I’m just running if I keep this up. First things first, I need to apologize to the people I’ve troubled.