Too Many Losing Heroines! - Volume 4 - Chapter 2.3

Aichidaigaku-Mae Station. It’s the closest station to Tsuwabuki High School.

Teiara-san and I disbanded there. It was starting to get dark when I left the platform with Yakishio.

We’re waiting for the traffic lights at the zebra crossing. I checked my watch.

It’s already past 4 PM. It’s been an hour since the promised time.

“I told you that the last song was unnecessary. We missed the train, right?”

“Wasn’t Nukkun pretty excited too? You were pretty good at shaking the maracas.”

Eh, really? Perhaps I did pay attention to the beat and rhythm.

I’m embarrassed due to receiving praise. Yakishio poked me with her elbow.

“Hey, did Komari-chan message you? My phone ran out of battery.”

“Yeah, I guess she contacted me already.”

I stuttered as I took out my phone. By the way, Komari has contacted me via Line, SMS, telephone, email, and Twitter DM. I didn’t answer any of them.

Yakishio peeked at my phone next to me. She made an “uwah”.

“Isn’t she messaging you constantly? Nukkun, you’re a bad boy.”

…Ah, another “go die” came from the chat.

Yakishio covered her eyes with her palm. She stretched her back and watched the other side of the pedestrian crossing.

The board game cafe is right across the road. However, I can’t see what’s happening inside from here.

“Shikiya-san is that beautiful yet terrifying girl from the student council, right? Is Komari-chan okay being with her alone?”

“Komari has been getting used to that person lately. It should be fine for them to have a one-hour chat.”

In front of us is the national highway with two lanes on each side. The traffic is heavy.

The lights aren’t going to change any time soon. Then, I saw a woman entering the board game cafe.

-Her hair is tied into a twin tail behind. She seems familiar. Yakishio pulled my clothes.

“Hey, Nukkun. Isn’t that Tsukinoki-senpai? Did you tell her to come here?”

I shook my head.

Tsukinoki-senpai has no idea about this whole fiasco nor that I have asked for Shikiya-san’s help.

As for why Tsukinoki-senpai is here- I don’t think it’s a coincidence.

…I have a bad feeling about this.

I waited for the signal to change anxiously.

Yakishio started running the moment it turned green.

I quickly walked through the crossing and chased after Yakishio.

Something definitely happened between those two. I can feel a barrier between them.

However, they talk normally when they meet with each other face to face. I’ve never seen them arguing with intense emotions.

So, I must be worrying too much.

Yakishio started running with a worried look.

An unusual aura radiated from Tsukinoki-senpai’s back.

…I followed Yakishio and opened the cafe’s door. The two were glaring at each other across the table.

No, Tsukinoki-senpai is standing before the table with a stern face.

Shikiya-san is emotionless, as usual. She’s sitting on the chair. Her beautiful white pupils are staring at Tsukinoki-senpai.

Yakishio is standing at the entrance. I asked her.

“I don’t know. It was like this when I came in.”

Komari had been fussing between the two of them. Then, she immediately ran toward me upon noticing my presence.

“H-Hey, I told Tsukinoki-senpai that I was here with t-that person. Sorry, uh, I-I didn’t expect this to happen.”

Tears are filling Komari’s eyes. She handed me a small wooden model of a chicken.

I understand the whole story now, but where did this chicken come from?

“Not bad, Komari. So, what happened?”

“W-We have been glaring at each o-other ever s-since senpai joined in.”

I see. There’s still something else.

Tsukinoki-senpai smacked the table.

“Shikiya, what are you trying to do?”

Tsukinoki-senpai snapped and spoke up first.

Shikiya-san tilted her head in disbelief. She seems unfazed by her fury.

“What’s…wrong?”

“I know you have been taking care of my kouhais, but you have gone too far lately.”

“Is that a bad thing…? Everyone is really kind…”

Shikiya-san stood up while wobbling. Her long curvy hair sways gently.

Shikiya-san’s white pupils noticed me.

Tsukinoki-senpai followed her line of sight. She saw me, and then her face twitched.

“So, it’s Nukumizu-kun this time, Shikiya? Perhaps all of this seems like a game to you, but have you thought about us?”

“Isn’t…a game nice…?”

“Tck! You!”

-Eh? Me? Are they talking about me? I quickly cut in between the two of them.

“Wait a minute! I asked Shikiya-san for help when senpai’s novel got confiscated. She’s not doing anything weird.”

“Nukumizu-kun, is that true? For me, Shikiya and-”

Tsukinoki-senpai went silent in the middle.

“Eh? Well, yeah. It’s not something that serious.”

“Senpai, …Koto-san, …the president asked me for help, you know?”

Shikiya-san stood next to me quietly before I even knew it.

“That’s why. You-”

“Everyone…is cleaning after Koto-san’s…mess.”

Shikiya-san approached Tsukinoki-senpai somewhat provocatively.

“Do you…understand?”

Tsukinoki-senpai glared at Shikiya-san’s face silently.

She stepped back and looked away before the tension was about to boil.

“I’m sorry, Nukumizu-kun. Komari-chan and Yakishio-chan, I’m sorry for dragging you two into this mess.”

Tsukinoki-senpai bowed to us deeply.

“Don’t involve yourselves in this anymore. This is my fault in the first place, so I’ll take full responsibility.”

Tsukinoki-senpai lifted her head with a powerless smile.

“So- don’t get too close to Shikiya.”

All of us fell silent upon hearing those words.

The whole place was quiet. I carefully chose my words as I asked.

“...Is this your advice as our senpai?”

“I suppose, even though it’s not my obligation to say it.”

“I understand. However, senpai- is already a retired member of the Literature Club.”

“Hey, Nukkun!”

Yakishio grabbed my shoulder from behind.

Tsukinoki-senpai bit her lips and lowered her head.

“...You’re right. I’m sorry. I won’t cause any more trouble to everyone.”

“That’s why you should leave the doujinshi and other things to the current members like us. Whether you’re retired or whatever, senpai is still part of the Literature Club. Leave it to your kouhai. Please believe in us.”

…I don’t know whether this is the correct answer.

But, at least, I’ve always been helped by this troublesome senpai.

I have suffered a lot at her hands, but she has given me a lot more in exchange.

That’s why I don’t want to see the senpais hurting anyone or themselves for our sake.

I don’t know whether she understands or not. Tsukinoki-senpai lowered her head once again.

“...My most sincere apology, everyone. I’m also sorry for causing trouble to everyone in the store.”

Then, she noticed Shikiya-san looking at her. She hesitated for a while before speaking up.

However, the one thing we hoped a little she would say to solve everything didn’t appear. Such magical words don’t exist, after all.

“Sorry for bothering you, Shikiya-san.”

With that, Tsukinoki-senpai quietly left the store.

I stood still. Komari was the first one to move.

“I-I’ll go after Tsukinoki-senpai.”

“Ahh, I’ll leave her to you, Komari.”

Komari nodded before dashing out of the cafe.

After a while, the hustle and bustle finally returned to the shop.

Shikiya-san stood silently. She then took a bill from her wallet and placed it on the table.

“I’m sorry. …I’ll leave my pay here…”

Shikiya-san walked out of the store with wobbling steps.

I hesitated to chase after her. Yakishio gently pushed my back.

“Go, Nukkun.”

“...Can I?”

Shikiya-san just got rejected by her close friend.

Thoughts circled around my head, yet the answer seemed nowhere to be found.

“I think she wants to be alone at times like this.”

Yakishio pushed my back again. Pretty hard this time.

“-Being alone and feeling lonely are different.”

Yakishio’s dark brown pupils are conveying an indescribable feeling.

I left the cafe. For some reason, I looked up at the darkened sky while pressing against my burning cheeks due to the sunlight a while ago.

-It’s starting to rain.

*

Shikiya-san is heading toward Tsuwabuki High School on the sidewalk.

The sporadic cold rain quickly drowns out the faint winter twilight.

Shikiya-san was walking in the dark. The headlights of passing cars illuminated her.

I dashed toward her and walked next to her.

“Are you alright? Uh, where are you going?”

“Going…home…”

Shikiya-san mumbled in her usual helpless, childish tone.

“Where’s your house? I’ll walk you halfway through.”

Sha. The sound signals that the rain is getting heavier.

I urged Shikiya-san to keep walking. We went under the roof of a nearby apartment building.

Even though it’s before sunset, the sky is already dark, as if someone puts paint on it.

I sighed in relief and glanced at Shikiya-san next to me.

A drop of water dripped down from her wet bangs through her pale cheeks.

I searched my pocket and realized I had forgotten my handkerchief somewhere.

Messing up in the moments that actually matter is usual for me.

“The rain isn’t stopping yet. I’ll buy an umbrella there. Can you wait for a second?”

“It’s fine. …I called a taxi…”

The rain soaks the screen of Shikiya-san’s phone. She looks at it emotionlessly.

Her face seems even paler than usual due to the phone’s light.

“Aren’t you cold?”

“...I don’t know.”

Shikiya-san mumbled powerlessly.

Is she so sick that she can’t even feel the cold? This is quite worrying.

“I don’t understand…what Koto mentioned.”

She mumbled even more powerlessly.

“Well, that person can be one-sided sometimes. Please don’t worry about it too much.”

Shikiya-san pinched the hair sticking on her forehead as she tilted her head.

“Am I…causing you guys trouble…?”

“Eh, no, that’s not true. We’re the ones who asked you this time.”

I handed her a packet of paper tissue I had found in my pocket.

“Thank you. …You’re so kind.”

Shikiya took one out and wiped her soaked forehead.

“My little sister put it there for me. She’s really kind.”

It feels like a rom-com when I was told I’m kind just by giving her a piece of tissue paper.

Shikiya-san’s fingertip touched mine when I was thinking about that.

“Then, …just for now, ...please be kind to me.”

Eh? What does-

My hand turned stiff. Her finger touched mine again.

Is this…handholding?

No, wait. Will this be sexual harassment if I take it too seriously and touch her?

It is said that many tragedies occurred due to misunderstandings around the time head pats became popular.

“Hey, Shikiya-senpai…?”

No reply.

Shikiya-san is standing so close to me that our shoulders are touching. She’s not moving.

The taxi isn’t here yet.

Then, Shikiya-san touched my fingertips with hers slightly before moving her hand away again.

She repeated it three times. Then, she didn’t let go after touching my fingertips for the fourth time.

…I wonder how long it has been since?

It probably wasn’t that long, but it definitely felt like an eternity to me.

That’s why I grabbed Shikiya-san’s hand just as her fingertips were about to depart once more.

Shikiya-san’s fingers are very delicate and cold.

She gently holds my hand as if she’s taking care of a tiny bird.

It’s simpler than romantic feelings or anything like that.

Wanting to be in touch with people. Her emotions are painfully transmitted to me.

Shikiya-san’s side profile remains emotionless as usual.

That was my first time realizing it.

-This girl doesn’t shed tears when she cries.