Chapter 10
As I thought, today was Valentine's Day, so the entire school building had been bustling since morning.
Watching the female students come to the class to replace them and hand them over to Yuuta almost made me mistake my own class for having this many students in it Yuuta, who apparently went straight to school because he didn't have morning practice today, had both hands full the moment he entered the classroom, so I observed him as if it had nothing to do with anyone else.
From there, the female students came rushing in like a surging wave upon hearing the information that Yuuta had gone to school, so I was forced to realize later that it had all started after I sat down.
"That's mean. There's still break time and after school."
It doesn’t look like the crowd of people coming to give it to me first thing in the morning will disappear for now.
In this situation, they couldn't even go talk to Yuuta, let alone follow him, so Amane and Ituki had no choice but to support their friends, who were surrounded by their own seats, from a distance
It was so successful that I couldn’t help but think it might be better to call him a security guard or something.
"There's someone who's already betting on it”
"Every time the number of bundles on my desk increases, the jealousy around me burns.. Or so I thought, but now I feel pity for them."
“Ifyou go that far, it'll probably be more than just jealous... It'll be tough."
Seeing Yuuta respond to the endless stream of female students with a smile and properly grasping their names and thanking them, there must have been a lot of people who didn't feel envious ofhim.The exhaustion of being able to handle him so casually outweighed envy.
"I'm starting to worry about whether I'll be able to take it home with me, even if it's someone else's problem. I don't think it'll fitin my locker. No, it won't”
“Ifit comes down to it, I think it’ll probably be a taxi. Yuu-chan seems to be thinking about that too, though."
Unfazed by Chitose’s sudden appearance, I threw her a "good morning" greeting and she responded the same way with a rather bright smile.
"Ah, Amane, here you go. Chocolate. Be grateful."
She holds out a cute, warmly wrapped box that Chitóse would normally wear to Amane, which must have been why she came here in the first place.
No matter how you look at it, it’s a stylish and elaborate design that makes anyone happy, but there's also a part of me that can't honestly be happy just because I know what's inside.
“Oh my, thank you. ..I'll ask first, but how dangerous is it?”
"..More than last year?”
“Why did I put it up there...?”
As of last year, it had been a sweet-smelling weapon that attacked Amane’s tongue and stomach quite a bit, but hearing that it had undergone further improvements made his body tremble on its own with a shudder
“Don't worry. Mahirun was able to eat it normally."
"There’s a difference in reaction between those two.”
“I don't want to get a stomachache, so make sure you do. That aside, I recommend putting milk or yogurt in your stomach first.”
“Think of it as strange when I have to warn you to keep your stomach safe. Any way, thanks." "Guess you’re still heartless enough to tell me first," I thanked her, thinking back to whether or not there was yogurt in the fridge.
It’s definitely a stimulant, and it's frightening to fight, but it should contain Mahiru's stopper, her conscience, so I want to believe that it isn't the contents of an all-out attack on Amane's tongue.
Considering the size of the box she handed me, there seemed to be a few normal ones in there as well, so all I could do was pray that I could neutralize them there.
“It's fine, it's okay. You've done so much for me. I put a lot of love into it. Ah, as a friend, of course. Tomoa.”
“Just pour a lot into Ituki, okay?”
“Don’t sell me so casually. I’ve already poured a lot into it!”
“I have seconds for you!”
"Eek!”
“Hey, hey, don’t make Ituki despair."
“Don't you think that's a bit harsh?”
"No, I think Itsuki would've been genuinely happy if Chitóse had made everything normal." "That wouldn’t be enough stimulation."
“You don’t want physical stimulation, do you?”
It didn't matter if it looked novel or if the way it ate was novel, but if it moved at full speed in a direction that stimulated the tongue, it would be unbearable and some people would be thrown off and drop out.
Chitóse seemed to be enjoying even that, because she was making a kind of cruel declaration to Ittsuki with a big smile on her face that said, "Look forward to it!” She cheered him on, albeit faintly, telling him to do his best in his body, especially in his guts, and left his seat with chocolate in one hand
I should probably keep it in my locker until I get back.
Even though she was technicaliy carrying a bag, carrying it to the side and shaking it inside wasn't good for food, so she decided that and headed for the private locker at the back of the classroom when a voice called out, "Fujimiya-kuuun."
I turn around to see my classmate, a girl, standing there.
I couldn’t think of anything in particular to talk to her about as I remembered that Eve had spoken to me last year, so I exclaimed, "Yeah?” and she smiled as she approached me even closer with her bag.
"Yes, Happy Valentine's Day.”
Just as I was wondering what was going on, she.. Hibiya, with a carefree smile, held out a small bag of bright red packaged chocolate wafers to Amane
“..Yes?”
“Oh, don't worry, it's obligatory chocolate. It's for handing out in class. I'm 100% pure obligated to hand it out to everyone."
She seems to be buying several Family Packs, and she's carrying a large bag in her bag.
No matter how you look at it, you can't find any special intentions, and it's easy for others to see it as obligation, and on top of that, it isn't a package with Valentine's design on it, but a prayer package for passing. I can tell that she really only thinks about handing it out.
Looking around, there were classmates with chocolate wafers in hand in the same way, men and women alike, so they were probably going to hand them out to all of their classmates, just as they’d declared.
“Th-Thank you.”
"Come on, put Shina-san at ease. She's really looking at us.”
"Mahiru..."
I glanced in Mahiru’s direction, and although she didn’t look dissatisfied, she was staring at
“I-I don't have any. I'm not trying to take it.”
Judging by Hibiya’s good-natured smile as he waved his hand, it was obvious that he didn’t have any affection for me, no matter where I went wrong.
She might at least have some friendship as a classmate, but Mahiru didn’t see anything to worry about in the slightest
"Yeah, I don't think so.”
I don’t think there's any particular reason for her to like me in the first place, so Mahiru says it flatly, partly because she’s worried about me too much. Hibiya’s eyes go wide, and then he stares at Amane.
"..Fujimiya-kun."
“Yeah?”
“How much do you like Shina-san, Fujimiya-kun?”
I almost coughed.
I froze for a moment and stared at Hibiya, not expecting my classmate to ask me that so directly, but he just looked up at me curiously—more like he was checking me out.
"What are you talking about? It’s embarrassing to say that.”
“No, Fujimiya-kun, you're already showing signs of doting on Shina-san, aren't you?”
"That much?”
“That's how soft your face is."
From Amane’s point of view, it was his usual expression, but he touched his own cheek, thinking that his cheek might have become more flexible than it had been in the past, since he’d been trying to keep people at bay, but as usual, it only felt much harder than Mahiru’s.
I almost feinted from embarrassment when it was discovered that even my classmates thought of me that way, but if I grunted here, I would definitely stand out, so I somehow swallowed it and tried to act calm.
"Ahaha, I'm fine now. Shiina-san isn't by my side. She's sharp."
"Regardless of whether it was sharp or not, it would've been too embarrassing if it had been too loose, so I'm glad."
“You should take a look at your own face when you're next to Shiina-san. Do you want me to take a picture of Fujimiya-kun next time I'm by her side?"
“I'll pass."
"Whaaat?”
“Unfortunately," he said, but it didn’t seem like he was disappointed in the slightest, but because it sounded so smooth that it didn’t sound like teasing or sarcastic, Amane was able to remain soft.
“Well, I get that you really like Shina-san. ..Jt has to be you, right?"
"Of course."
I don’t remember giving Mahiru any half-hearted love that could be replaced and replaced.
I was aware that it was heavy, if I do say so myself, but I had to be Mahiru, and I didn't want anyone besides her to be next to me at all. It was precisely because ofMahilu that I had the current Amane, and it was almost impossible for me to look at anyone other than her.
Hibiya winced slightly when Amane, who was willing to say it with confidence no matter who asked, affirmed his neck.
“Whoa, it's not stagnant Yeah, I think so too. I think it is too."
“But?"
“..Hmm,there's nothing I can do about it”
Before she could bite down on the meaning of the small dropped words, Hibiya flapped his hand, carrying a smile full of the same person-like smile as before.
“No, I'm just talking to myself. It must be tough for you too, Shina-san."
“Why are you here, Mahiru..?"
“I'm worried that my boyfriend won't be able to talk to me.”
“Isn't that my line..?"
“I wonder?”
He tried to somehow grasp Hibiya’s feelings as he smiled, but he couldn’t read anything from her, so Amane could only cock his head.
“Here you go, Fujimiya-kun."
During lunch break, Ayaka came to Amane with Souji in tow. In terms of the class she was enrolled in, it was more accurate to say that Souji had come.
She's carrying a long, thin, wrapped box.
This year, thanks to the widening range of friendships, I received some chocolates from the girls in my class. Of course, they were the ones everyone had approved of as obligatory dishes. They had been spoken to all day today and given them to me, so I guessed the atmosphere when they were given them.
It seemed that even Ayaka, who had friends with her, was grateful for it, and a box was placed in Amane’s hand with a truly bright, bright expression.
"Pfft”
“It's not a protein chocolate bar, so don't worry. What do you think I am?”
"Protein distribution lady.”
He’d put it on something and recommended protein, or he’d given it to her directly, so that image had taken root enough to make me think, Oh, so it's protein when you get food from her.
I thought it was an extension ofthat, but apparently it was different this time, because she pursed her lips and complained, saying, "My image."
“I think you reap what you sow, Ayaka... but look at all the gifts you’ve received."
“Uuuu.”
“Well, it's my fault. Even Kido didn't carry protein around with her today.1’
“No, there's a protein chocolate bar, too.”
"I knew it”
He’d been agonizing over the image himself, but in the end, he’d taken it out, so he didn’t feel like he could say much about her image.
Souji looks at Ayaka as if he's used to it, so I wonder if the two ofthem have noticed that it's trying to establish a diagram of Ayaka equal protein.
“I don't wanna... It's good, you know?"
"I know. I eat sometimes too.”
"Fujimiya-kun, you're finally awake."
“I don't.”
"Whaaat?"
“Why are you suggesting that..?”
“Well yeah, I'd be happy if I got to be your muscle training buddy, and Shina-san would be happy too. In other words, two birds with one stone!"
“Kayano, let's talk about muscle training at work.”
"You're right."
“That's terrible! A roundabout way of declaring that you're an outcast!"
Talking about muscle training in front of Ayaka already seemed like it would cause a lot of trouble with excitement, so when Amane and Souji decided to talk in a quiet place, Ayaka insisted with a pouty look of regret on her face.
“Now that it's come to this, I have no choice but to embrace you. Don't worry, Shina-sanhas potential too."
"She doesn't try to teach me anything unnecessary."
"Auh!”
Apparently, Ayaka usually took care of Souji, but when she got excited, Souji's side usually acted as a stopper
Ayaka lightly pushed her forehead with the pad of her finger, and just as she took a step back, she seemed to understand that the momentum was too strong for her too, and she hung her head in an easy-to-understand manner.
“..Well, muscles aside, thank you. I'm happy.”
“No, no, Fujimiya-kun's been taking care of me."
“I don't remember doing anything."
“No, look, you're getting along with So-chan.”
“Is Ayaka your mom or something?"
"She's your cute girlfriend, you know?"
“...Even if that's the case, that part of you isn't good."
"Ah, you're making me blush." As Amane guessed, Ayaka seemed to have noticed something was wrong with Souji, too, as she said, “Okay,” with a satisfied expression and a lilting reply.
"Thank you for the meal."
Souji was staring at Ayaka, using his normally unmoving facial muscles properly in Souji, so I watched the two of them with a smile, thinking they were happy, when Souji's somewhat menacing gaze turned toward me.
Reflecting on the fact that it's not a good idea to stare at them too much, Amane moved away from them as if nothing had happened, with a friendly expression on his back.
In a way, Valentine's Day started after school.
Yuuta, who apparently had been ordered to stand by by by the coach not to go to club today, had been surrounded, as expected after school, since he had no plans to attend club today—or rather, if he did, it would affect the club if he left.
The way the female students, who seemed to have been waiting patiently for the class to end, and the way the girls, who had gathered regardless of grade level, attacked as presents, was such a flashy sight that it seemed like it would become a legend in this school.
Amane and the others watched her from a distance.
Don't call me heartless. If I get between them now, they'll probably, no, definitely resent me, and it'll affect my school life going forward.
Besides, the girls’ goodwill its elf was certain, so it probably wasn’t something someone else should get in their way.
And so, all Amane and the others could do was wait for the crowd to settle down.
"Good work.”
After a little less than an hour, the wave of people finally subsided, and I could see the desk, which still had the shape of a well-entrenched, no-holds-barred, well-wrapped goodwill, and Yuuta, who was exhausted, saying there was no need to hide it thanks to the absence of people.
It was still better since it was crowded in the morning, but even so, more people were replacing him than it had been this morning, so Yuuta’s popularity made Ituki, who should have known him for a long time, recoil normally.
"..So you've been waiting for me."
"I-I guess we'll just have to wait. We were in the middle of something."
'You can tell that you’re really exhausted. Good work, really.”
“Thank you.. You guys didn’t come near me for the rest of the day.”
His eyes, which felt a little heavy and humid, turned to Amane and the others, but Amane and his friends exchanged glances.
"Well, yeah, I mean..."
“I can’t. I don’t want to be stabbed. My gaze is dangerous."
“I’m sorry. I didn't want to interfere with their goodwill."
“If I got in the way of someone's love life, I'd probably get kicked by a horse. Also, I didn't have the courage to cut through that crowd to get close. Sorry.”
"Don’t apologize over there..."
Shaking her head from everyone present, Yuuta leaned back in the back of his chair, looking exhausted.
The affection of the female students was building a mountain that looked like it would collapse just from bumping into a desk a little, but the lockers were still packed with evidence of the morning’s rush, so no matter how he looked at it, there was physically more than enough for him.
"Kadowaki-san, can you take this home with you?”
“..Probably.”
"By the way, you’re planning on taking it home with you, right?"
"I-I made sure to prepare the bag. I’m not sure if 111 have enough space for my arms, though." Considering last year, she had apparently brought some goods to take home this year.
But no matter how you look at it, there might be enough bags to put it all together, but it doesn't seem like there's enough skill to carry it so the estimate seems naive again this year. It's something Yuuta can't do anything about, though.
By the way, Chitóse and Ituki were in middle school with Yuuta, and their house was relatively close by, so they seemed to be planning to help him take them home. That was why they'd been waiting until this time for Yuuta’s surroundings to settle down.
It’s Ituki's story that when I left him last year, he was dejected later.
“There's so many of them... Man, I’m really sorry, Yuu-chan. I’ll add one more to them now.” Chitóse, who had made sure to prepare them even though she said there were too many of them, plopped down a Valentine’s Day gift she seemed to have prepared in an empty space at the very edge of her desk.
Yuuta loosened his handsome face, perhaps happy to receive chocolate from a friend he knew well, and secretly thought that if he showed it to the other girls, it would probably be the end of the world.
It was just that those thoughts immediately flew away, and Amane’s eyes were glued to the chocolate on the desk.
The wrapping was different from the one Amane had received, but what was inside?
“Wow. Thanks, Shirakawa-san.”
"Chitóse, don’t tell me you're...”
“Don't worry. Unlike Amane's, Yuu-chan's is only normal."
“I would’ve been happy if you only made mine normal!”
Apparently, what she’d given Yuuta was a special, chocolate-free version, so she didn’t know if she should be happy that her fri end’s stomach was protected or lament that she was the only one getting weird special treatment.
“You’re making me blush again, you little..”
“It's not embarrassment, it's heat. My heart's beating just imagining it.”
“Don't worry, I kept it small. It's a rare case."
“I'll take you at your word.”
“Huh? What's in there...?”
Yuuta hadn’t been there when she’d been talking about the specifics, so she probably didn’t know how close the product had been after Chitose’s playful idea.
“Don't worry, Yuu-chan's is fine!”
“It doesn't look like Fujimiya's okay.”
"So Kadowaki is the only one who genuinely cares about me.."
Chtholly rushed forward, saying she could do it, and Ittsuki was mentally prepared to die. Her request, Mahiru, had become a stopper, which was all well and good, but she wouldn’t stop herself from making chocolate itself, respecting Chitose’s free will as much as she could Meanwhile, Yuuta gave me a concerned look despite knowing nothing about it, and I decided to treat him to some juice later today to thank him for his help.
As for Mahiru, she waited for Yuuta to calm down before gently taking out two boxes wrapped in calm colors from her bag.
One to Yuuta, and the other to Ituki.
"I was thinking of giving it to Kadoowaki-san and Akazawa-san as well. I wanted to give it to you two after the number of people decreased as much as possible, so I'm late."
"Ah.. You're jealous of the two ofthem, aren't you?”
It was widely known that he was dating Amane, so there was no mistaking it, but that aside, the fact that Mahiru was giving him friend chocolates could cause him to get jealous. From the perspective of the boys around him, Mahirou’s chocolates were probably double drool, whether out of obligation or not
“You’re giving it to me too?”
“You’re always taking care of me, so thank you for everything you do. Besides, you’re helping me out too, Amane-kun.”
“..It's more like Mom."
"Wait, Ikkun. If you say any more, Amane will get angry to hide his embarrassment, and Mahirun will freeze for a while."
"You're right."
“I won't ask what you were trying to say, but stop teasing me."
Somehow, I could imagine what she was going to say, but I could see a future where if I said it out loud, she’d tease me for being self-aware.
“You really mean it, huh?”
Even as she said that, the corners of her mouth twitched, so she definitely thought it was pleasant
Amane sighed deeply theatrically at Ituki, who would probably say something he shouldn’t if he poked at him, and picked up his bag.
“Huh? Why are you sulking?"
"No. I'm going to buy some juice. It'll help refresh the tired Kadowaki."
“Huh? Then I'll have orange juice.”
“Ore cider.”
“You guys...”
Even though I said it was for Yuuta, when I half-closed my eyes to the two ofthem, who were trying to get me to go buy it, they begged me, “I’U pay you properly!" so I had no choice but to agree and cast my gaze at the remaining two.
“What do you want, Kadowaki and Mahiru?"
“Huh? Are you sure?”
“It's fine, it's okay. Come on, what do you want?”
"Coffee, then. Thanks.”
When I looked at Mahiru, who hadn’t expressed her hopes while thinking about how each of them had their own individuality to choose from, she looked a little troubled.
"What about Mahiru?”
“Then I’ll have some black tea.. Oh, should I come with you? There'll be too much.”
“I have my bag, so don’t worry. Also.”
"After that?"
“..It'll probably be a lot of work to put this much in the bag, so it might be better to help." This is the many sweet feelings that were offered to Yuuta.
There’s a little—no, there’s quite a bit of it—to deal with on my own, and considering what’s still in the locker, I'm sure the sun will set if I don’t get ready to withdraw soon.
She couldn’t just touch the gift without permission, but even Yuuta seemed to have realized from the start that trying to do something about this on his own was impossible, and he was trying to escape reality by looking a little far away.
“Sorry, I’d appreciate it if you gave me instructions. I’m not good at putting these things away, so..”
“Th-That’s right, this amount is., amazing."
“It’s amazing how much Mahirun pulls back.”
Smiling wryly at Mahiru, who winced at the sight ofYuuta’s popularity once again, Amane quietly left the classroom to hurry to the vending machine and get what he’d ordered.
Since it was Valentine’s Day, more than an hour had passed since the end of class, but there were still a few people around. There didn't seem to be a track team, but some of the students were in the club, so the students' voices echoed softly in the distance.
I glanced at the classroom as I passed by and saw the shadows of two unfamiliar men and women overlapping, so I hurriedly averted my eyes as I quietly and quickly headed for the vending machine.
“Fujimiya-kun.”
On the way, someone called out to me.
It was a familiar voice, but I hadn’t really spoken to it before.
I stopped and turned in the direction ofthe voice to find a female student from my class standing there in a reserved manner.
“Konishi, huh? So he’s still here."
We didn't interact much, but even Amane had the faces, names, and voices of all his classmates matched in his brain.
I lowered my guard a little when I quickly realized that I was Konishi, who I’d seen in class, getting close to Hibiya, who’d given me 100 percent pure obligatory chocolate today, and she showed me a gentle smile that I often saw in class
For Amane, who had no idea why he’d spoken to her, a question mark popped up in his head, and Konishi, who seemed to have picked up on that, added a hint of a bitter smile to his feint smile.
“Sorry for stopping you so suddenly. I have some thing to do.”
“For me?”
"Yeah. To Fujimiya-kun.”
All the more reason why he’d stopped her, but whether he knew Amane’s bewilderment or not, Konishi held out the small paper bag he was carrying in his arms to Amane "..I wanted to give you this.”
The school had been in an uproar over Valentine’s Day all day today, and thanks to the spread of friendship, I'd gotten a decent amount of obligatory chocolate, so it wasn't so bad that I didn't know what was in front of me.
But the question is, why me, and now, of all times?
“Umm, thank you. Why me?”
As I politely accepted it, I still racked my brain.
Since we were classmates, we talked about things like daily greetings and group work, but we didn't have any personal connections.
I had plenty of time during the day if I was going to give it to her on the spur of the moment like Hibiya did, and I would have taken the measure of handing it over with her when we were getting along.
Amane couldn’t hide his bewilderment at what he'd just been given.
As if to answer Amane’s question, Konishi’s cheeks reddened in embarrassment “You helped me out a long time ago, so this is my personal way of repaying you.”
"You saved her?"
“Umm, do you remember how the soup spilled during cooking practice a long time ago?" "Ah, there it is.”
Naturally,I remember the cooking practice that happened over half a year ago.
The usual four of us had decided on a menu and cooked it together, but thanks to the incident that some of the boys had messed around and nearly spilled the soup onto Mahiru, it had become something we couldn't forget
“I was the one who spilled the beans when I bumped into him.”
At the time, my thoughts were occupied with protecting Mahiru on the spur of the moment, so I couldn't think about the details, but it seemed Konishi was the one holding the pot of soup “Back then, Fujimiya-kun protected Shina-san, so she didn’t get burned, and on top of that, she got mad at the boy she bumped into. I couldn’t pay attention to her... I was frozen in place, and I really couldn’t do anything. Thank you for your help back then."
That wasn’t Konishi's fault; it was his fault for messing around with the boys. In fact, even though Konishi was on the victim's side, he seemed to have continued to worry about it As fer as Amane was concerned, he hadn’t done anything to her, and he didn’t think there was any reason for her to thank him, but it was probably different in her mind “No, I didn’t do anything. You were the one who scolded me in the end."
“Even so, I thought it was amazing that you were able to do such useless things."
“Thank you. But I should’ve admonished you more softly and calmly. I’m sure the one who did it would’ve been irritated if you got scolded."
After Amane reprimanded him indifferently, albeit with some anger, they gave him a threatening look, but he had no regrets about the scolding itself.
If he took a step back and thought about it, he could understand that if he’d phrased it a little more gently considering his future relationships, there would have been no conflict, but even if the same thing had happened again, he still felt strongly reproached.
“Weren’t you burned back then?”
"Yeah.”
“That’s good to hear. I don’t want you to get hurt or anything."
I felt bad that Konishi's follow-up had gotten a little more playful because Mahiru’s worry had won out, but I was relieved again that she didn’t seem to have any burns or other injuries.
If she felt indebted to him at the time, it would be wrong for Amane to deny it, so he obediently accepted it and lightly shook the paper bag he had received with a 'Thank you” once more, and Konishi hesitated for a few seconds before slowly raising his head.
“Fujimiya-kun.."
“Yeah?”
“Did you already love Shiina-san back then?"
I can tell when that time will come from the flow of the conversation, but saying it out loud is embarrassing.
“..Do I have to say that?”
"Hehe, I can already tell from your attitude."
I felt my cheeks grow hot as Konishi laughed funnyly, but the tone of Konishi's voice didn’t have a hint of teasing in it, so I was impressed.
“Fujimiya-kun really likes you, doesn't he?”
“Everyone's going to ask about that.”
Hibiya had asked me something like that this morning, too, but I wondered if it was something that bothered someone else.
"Because she's more important to me than anything else."
It’s embarrassing to declare it in public, but there’s no way I can deny it to hide my embarrasses. There’s absolutely no way that's a lie.
To Amane, Mahiru was irreplaceable, someone more important to him than anything else, someone he loved more than anyone else and wanted to envelop and protect, and someone who understood better than anyone that he intended to walk within the future.
It wasn’t just that he felt soft and naive. He was confident that he could overcome any hardships that awaited him together. He had a strong trust that he would be able to walk beside him, and he was someone who could do the same.
Amane had fallen in love with her so much that he could say with absolute certainty that if they separated, he would never meet someone with the same feelings and passion again.
Of course, I had no intention of leaving.
"I see."
As Amane declared it as short as he could, but with all his feelings, Konishi gave a soft, somehow lonely smile.
“Hey, Fujimiya-kun."
“Yeah?”
I asked her back, worried that she might have sounded strange, and I saw her grip the hem of her skirt with her small palm.
“I loved you, Fujimiya-kun."
Time stopped.
Words from completely out of his mind that had stopped Amane’s thoughts enough to make him think that way.
I couldn't help but think I'd misheard her, so I focused my gaze on Konishi, who was quietly looking at Amane with a gentle smile that didn’t seem nervous, and also exuded a hint of loneliness.
There was no sign of a strong passion in the eyes that captured Amane, but there seemed to be something feint in them, which only added to Amane’s confusion I hadn't noticed it at all until now.
He hadn’t been particularly close to her, but he’d come to understand over the past ten months that she wasn't the kind of person to joke around and say such things, which only served to further agitate Amane.
I hadn’t had much to do with Konishi, and I couldn’t think of an opportunity, to the point where I almost laughed at myself for wondering where the cause of her affection had come from. And I didn’t see any signs of that from her at all.
If Amane was said to be slow, that would be it, but Amane really didn’t have a single clue "Ah, I know that Fujimiya-kun likes you, and I wasn't thinking of interrupting. ..I knew it would be a problem if you told me that”
“..Sorry.”
“If anything, I'm the one who's sorry. It's a problem."
“It's not that it's a problem, but, umm, I definitely can't respond to that feeling."
It was such an unexpected confession, but there was only one answer Amane could give, and it didn't waver.
Amane had Mahiru with him, and he had no intention of looking at anyone but her, and it was hard to imagine him walking with anyone other than her The only one in Amane was Mahiru.
So the only thing Amane could do was not accept it, but simply accept it gently and return it politely.
Even if it hurt Konishi, he had feelings he couldn’t give in to Amane.
'Yeah, it'd be a problem if you answered. Shina-san's here."
Konishi smiled and nodded at Amane, who felt deeply apologetic and returned her favor as softly as possible.
She affirmed it so easily that it was less of an anticlimax and more of a question swirled in my brain, making the chaos peak.
He couldn't sense any deception, lies, or bravado from her expression, and his thoughts were thrown into disarray precisely because he could tell that she really was thinking that and conveying the words to Amane.
My heart constricts with a loud thud.
I understood in my head that it wasn’t out of excitement or joy, but out of impatience and confusion, but it wasn't something I could consciously calm down about.
“I'm sorry. It's like I used Fujimiya-kun to settle things. I'm really sorry.”
Konishi, who seemed to sense that Amane was stiffening up with questions swirling around his apologetic face, had a troubled look on his brow, so Amane took a slow, deep breath and asked in a slightly trembling voice, taking care to regain as much of his composure as possible “..Why me?”
This was the most incomprehensible part
Even though he understood that there was no way to know where a person’s feelings of love would sprout, Amane still had no idea.
Honestly, I don't remember forming any deep friendships with Konishi. We interacted normally as classmates, and I didn't recall doing anything that would make her particularly fond of me.
I think I’m grateful that she likes me in and of itself, but I have no idea why.
There's cooking practice as a point of contact, but I can't help but wonder if that's enough to make someone of the opposite sex clearly fell in love with her. Konishi seems to understand Amane's bewilderment and smiles funnily.
"..It all started with the cooking practice I mentioned earlier. Fujimiya-kun, you're usually., the kind of person who's quick to notice, aren't you?”
'Yeah, I'm aware of that”
Amane was aware that his appearance was cold-hearted enough to keep people away, and that he was someone with exclusive thoughts.
He was on the side that had been largely mitigated by now, but his first impression of the people who didn't know about Amane would be that of a gloomy, unsociable man Amane didn't think anything of being called curt, and in feet, he was so proud of himself that he almost wanted to nod in agreement that he was right—he was sly and wouldn’t want others in his personal space
However, to Konishi, it seemed he had found a different side to Amane than the one on the surface.
"But Fujimiya-kun, you're a rather softhearted person, or rather, a caretaker. You're the type to help people when they're in trouble, as long as it's not a problem for you, aren't you? You carry heavy things in their place, teach people you don't know how to study, protect others from danger, and reach out without hesitation."
“You're overestimating me. I'm not that kind of person."
“But isn't that right?"
Amane pursed his lips, unable to firmly deny it, as he tilted his head to the side with an expression that suggested he was certain of it.
“I, um, think of it myself, but I can't say it too strongly. If you push it on me, 111 do it as much as you push me. It's not that I'm kind, it's just that I feel convenient. Fujimiya-kun, you're the type who saves people by yourself, doesn't make them owe you anything, and you don't seem to be in any pain. ..You're kind, and look around you.”
Konishi continued with a calm smile before I could deny that wasn’t the case.
“You're firm at heart, and you don't bend what's important to you. You're working hard toward something. When you think you should do that regardless of your interests, you reach out without hesitation. ...You just look at one person earnestly. That's what makes you so wonderful."
“Konishi,"
“But you know, I don't think I can take it from you, or take it away from you. ..It's because you're by Shina-san's side that I think Fujimiya-kun is here now, and it's different for me to stand there.”
The faintly trembling tone of her voice was lonely, but she had a clear core.
Even the palm of her hand trembled, but even so, she didn’t burst into tears, piercing straight through the circumference as far as she could go.
“That’s why I gave it to you because you really helped me sort out my feelings. I'm sorry for being so selfish. I caused you a lot of trouble.’’
“No. ..Thank you for felling in love with me. I can't respond to your feelings. ...I'm really sorry.”
It was precisely because he understood Konishi’s resolve and feelings that Amane responded to her pure and sincere confession with the same straightforwardness
Even though she knew it might be a kind of cruelty, if she flatly refused in order to respond to her sincerity, her face contorted in pain for a moment, but then she softly pursed her lips as if she was strangely relieved.
“Why are you apologizing, Fujimiya-kun? If anything, I’m the one who’s bothering you."
“But I'm sorry. I couldn't accept it”
“It's fine. It's because you're like that that I fell in love with you. I knew you'd treasure being alone.”
Konishi probably had a better view of Amane than I’d expected.
After all, he was confident that even if Amane made a mistake, he would never look elsewhere.
“It's a shame I couldn't be one of them... But the only reason Fujimiya-kun is like that is because he's only like you, Shina-san. The reason he changed is because you were there. So it's okay."
Ah, he was painfully aware that she really had looked after him and respected him after he’d liked her, and Amane, who’d turned her down even though Konishi was probably the one who wanted to cry, felt a pain like a needle had been inserted deep into his chest.
“Come on, we have to hurry. You’re making people wait, aren’t you? So hurry up and go.
Don't worry ab out me.”
He was probably actually hurt, but Amane was hurting him, and yet he still smiled stoutly and waved to Amane.
The palm he’d been holding blushed and he could see small claw marks, but there was nothing good about Amane pointing that out now
Amane swallowed all the words he’d wanted to say and waved his hand lightly, his expression the same as always, as Konishi wished.
“..Yeah. See you tomorrow;'
“Yeah, see you tomorrow"
Amane bit down on his lip and turned his back on her, feeling grateful and guilty for Konishi's unchanging smile and attitude.
Even when a small sob reached Amane’s back as he moved away, he didn’t turn around.
I couldn’t hear it. I had to.
As I bite down on the bitter feeling and the feeling that I’ve clearly hurt her, I put strength into my molars for awhile in front ofthe vending machine to endure the apology that came up, and I hear footsteps behind me.
“..Shuu-kun.”
I hear her soft, cool voice every day.
I don’t have to turn around to know who it is.
I could see my own face distorted slightly in the acrylic of the vending machine, and I took a deep breath once, determined that I couldn’t let Mahiru see my expression like this, before turning around with the same expression as usual as much as possible.
From there, I guessed from looking at Mahiru’s face, 'Yeah, it doesn’t look like I’ll be able to smooth things over."
“Sorry I’m late, so I thought I’d go check on you."
“Yeah, I know.”
And he wasn’t lying. They probably thought it would be too late to come back just to buy juice from the vending machine, so it wouldn’t be strange for Mahiru, his girlfriend, to go check on him if anyone was going to check on her.
She really had probably just come chasing after Amane to help him.
Just seeing what Mahiru didn’t want to see there.
It doesn't look like she's hurt It's just a troubled, apologetic expression. Mahiru's eyebrows are heavy, as if she feels a slight sense of guilt.
"..Ah, Mahiru."
"You don’t have to tell me the details. It’s a private matter between you and her. I’m not allowed to go into it”
From Mahiru's point of view, hiding it would seem like a betrayal, so she was about to say what she’d been told, but stopped herself.
Mahiru’s long hair billowed as she shook her head, reminding her once more, "I can’t." I could tell from her eyes that she was conflicted, but she still respected Konishi and Amane, saying she shouldn’t talk ab out it.
"..Are you sure?”
“I know you won’t let go of me, Amane-kun. I believe in you.”
"Yeah. I swear I didn’t do anything to embarrass myself"
"Yes.”
He didn't know how much he’d heard or where he’s been listening, but Mahiru took the stance of trusting Amane and not asking him anything
Honestly, it wasn’t as if Mahiru didn’t have worries and worries, but she took a step back and trusted Amane.
Feeling his eyes gradually heat up from the trust and respect he felt, Amane intertwined his slender fingers, which had been scratching at the air unreliably in an attempt to reassure Mahiru as much as possible
"To be honest, I thought you were late."
Mahiru murmured softly to herself as she returned from shopping for drinks and split off from Itsuki, Chitóse, and Yuuta, who were carrying a large amount of luggage, and returned home.
“What do you mean?”
"..This is what happens."
“Like this” was a vague expression, but I could tell that was on purpose.
“..I know you’ve been worried about Mahiru up until now, but you thought she was here." “Of course. I thought everyone would understand that you’re wonderful without the desire to fell in love with you. ..Since other people saw you working so hard, didn’t you expect someone to be attracted to you?”
“Honestly, most of it No, I understood what Mahiru and the others were saying logically. ..It’s something I don’t understand myself"
He understood and felt that it had gone in a positive direction compared to a year ago, but Amane couldn’t sense whether it would look attractive to someone else.
It’s because I've been looking up and only looking forward since the days when I wasn’t confident in myself, that I stopped caring about the people around me.
Amane’s perception, based on the premise that Mahiru existed, had unconsciously eliminated the feet that he could get favors from people no matter what
"Your self-esteem really is low. ...I think that stoic side of you has attracted me."
“I wonder if that’s true.”
“That’s right ..I think it’s a wonderful thing about you too, Amane-kun. It’s not good to be slow, though."
“S-Sorry. ..I was only looking at Mahiru, so I didn’t mind at all.”
“That’s just how it is.”
Mahiru often accused him of “that sort of thing," but lately Amane had noticed that this 'thing like that" was mixed with exasperation and admiration
At that point, Amane could understand exactly what the words that followed were.
As Mahiru lowered her eyes in embarrassment and patted Amane’s arm, Amane gently reached out and wrapped both hands around Mahilu’s as she hit him with a bashful attempt to hide her slight dissatisfaction.
Amane caught Mahiru looking up at him in surprise, flinching for a moment at being stopped, with quiet eyes.
“You know.. I care about Mahiru the most, and I won’t take my eyes off her. I intend to stay with her because I love her;’
“You can’t say for sure, can you?”
“Of course, emotionally, I’m sure of it, and you can swear on it. However, it’s true that you made Mahiru uneasy this time, and I don’t think there’s any point in you suspecting me, so 111 always work hard so that you can believe in me. I will show you with my actions, so please take it as determination."
“..Yes.”
There was no changing the fact that Amane had destabilized Mahiru’s heart as a result. She believed in Amane and swallowed it, believing that Amane would be fine even if she had something to think about.
He couldn't keep relying on her loveliness, and Amane should show his determination through his own behavior.
“The only one I like is Mahiru."
"I know. I know all too well."
Mahiru shook her head gently and lowered her eyes, then slightly opened and closed her lips as if she wanted to say something and acted hesitant, so she gently adjusted her grip on his hand, accepting everything he wanted to tell her.
I stroked it to ease the trembling of her small fingers, and Mahiru must have been pushed from behind, because after a while, she opened her mouth.
“Can I really tell you the truth?”
"Yeah."
Even if they blamed him, Amane had no intention of complaining
As Amane waited for her to form the words slowly, Mahiru continued in a reserved tone.
"I am certain that Amane-kun will never affect anyone else. He will only look at me. I know from personal experience that he loves me. He made me feel that much love, and he showed me. There is not a single doubt in that."
"Yeah.”
“Shuu-kun. What I really hated most was you getting hurt.”
"..Me?”
Just when he thought he could be blamed, he was told that he hated in a completely different direction, and Amane felt an unexpected confusion.
Mahiru’s side was the one getting hurt, so why was she worried about Amane? No matter how you looked at it, it was Mahilu who felt uncomfortable, not Amane "Because Amane-kun is a much kinder person than you realize.’’
As Amane waited for Mahiru's words, unsure of what she was trying to say, she let out a sigh, something bitter mixed in with a feint smile
"I knew that if other girls genuinely liked you, you would definitely feel guilty when you turned them down, and hurt yourself along with them. I knew you were the kind of person who felt that you should be hurt too, since I hurt your partner."
For some reason, I understand what she’s trying to say.
Mahiru must have seen Amane’s expression back then. That fece reflected the pain she felt when rejecting Konishi.
“That’s why I didn't want to let anyone else get close to me. I hated the thought of hurting you more than the anxiety of being taken away. ..I hated thinking about her for even a little while.”
Her voice wavers.
"I think I'm a bad woman because I didn't pay any attention to the other girl getting hurt, and instead thought of Amane-kun's pain as the top priority. Even I think of myself as a heavy woman and the worst of the worst. ..J don't want to be disillusioned."
As if wringing it out, Amane let go of Mahiru, who was probably trembling as she revealed what she was actually holding deep in her chest
Mahiru twitched in fear, but she didn’t try to ask for it She stared at Amane’s hand as it pulled away, shaking her body. Amane enveloped her small body.
“I don't think of Mahiru as a perfect good person with no personal interests or ill feelings." Mahiru seemed afraid of being disappointed in Amane, but if she thought that would lessen Amane’s affection for her, then she must have been underestimated quite a bit.
From the start, Amane hadn’t thought Mahiru was just an innocent girl who was beautiful Her reputation as an intelligent, merciful, calm, and kindhearted girl.
It's true that Mahiru has that side to her, and I think Amane is right.
However, that wasn't all Mahiru was capable of. Amane, who was closest to her, could say with absolute certainty that it was simply a assessment of a portion ofthe gradation that had been captured and cut out
“You know, whenever Mahiru provokes you, you get all worked up and become childish." “..Huh?”
“I'm surprisingly jealous. No, I know it's my fault, but I also act harshly toward people who are out of line with common sense, and I know that they spit poison surprisingly well. I know they build walls to deal with people they don't like in a relatively easy-to-understand way. I also know that people who say bad things about me have hostile intentions."
"Eh, um."
“I know you think so much ab out me that you end up restraining yourself by putting too much effort into it, and then fall into self-loathing."
At the end of the day, because he loved Amane, and because he was worried about Amane, he focused his priorities on Amane. It wasn’t that he was neglecting his opponent; it was just that his concern for Amane won out
There was no way she would be disillusioned with Mahiru like that.
"As for what I'm trying to say, I really like that kind of Mahiru, and I want you to know that if you say you're heavy, then that weight is what makes you a comfortable person."
Mahiru took that as a bad thing, but as far as Amane was concerned, she was more than welcome.
“I like that about you too, Mahiru. ..Even if you don’t like that part of yourself, I still like you.”
"So please don’t look like you’re about to cry.” Mahiru’s face crumpled when I brought my lips to her forehead.
He thought even that sight was adorable, so why did he think Amane would be disillusioned with Mahiru? He couldn’t help but wonder “Why do I lose my confidence? Seriously.”
“I don't want to hear that from you, Amane-kun. Besides, you'll understand that I wouldn't be disappointed in the person I love.”
"I get it ...But if I'm going to be disappointed, it'll be when Mahiru dumps me, right? I think I'd be disappointed in my own incompetence."
When the time came for a conscientious, earnest, and single-minded girl to choose someone other than Amane, when she was pushed away because she didn’t want to talk about it anymore, Amane intended to quietly accept it
If he was going to make that Mahiru do that, he definitely had a cause for it, and his own power hadn’t reached it, so he’d been abandoned by her.
I’m the one who's disappointed in my suspicions. Even if I make a mistake, it won't be directed at Mahiru.
“..Then it doesn't seem like it'll be forthe rest of my life."
"Okay, there's no problem."
She was aware that Mahiru was loved so much that she didn’t think in the slightest that she would choose anyone but herself, and she had sworn to herself that she wouldn’t do anything to harm her mind or body, so she didn't think such a future would come, and above all, she would do her best
Ifs precisely because he understands that if he pretends to be in love with someone, a relationship of trust will collapse easily, that it’s essential that he never lacks the effort to be loved or to love them.
I had no intention of being that foolish, and I didn’t want to lose Mahiru, so I felt it was important to express my love and effort after all. If I held her soft limbs tightly, the person I loved would move a single thing in my arms.
“..Shuu-kun."
“Yeah?”
"..Umm, can I have rice and Valentine's chocolate a little later?”
Mahiru timidly whispered a reserved, fawning request from within her arms, and Amane gave her two replies.
I sucked on her sweet, sweet lips in order to draw out more greedy wishes from her lips, which had spilled out a lovely wish.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login