Futaba's Decision

Futaba’s fingers lingered on the hem of my uniform even after I sat down next to her. It was as if she were using that hold as an anchor or maybe to siphon courage from me. In any case, she became conscious of it soon enough and let go. She then folded her hands in her lap like she was trying to keep them from fidgeting.

I caught how her cheeks were tinged with a faint pink despite her unwavering expression. Furthermore, her eyes kept darting from left and right, watching the city blur by through the window and also checking on Akane and the others.

“Alright, Futaba,” I started, “It looks like you finally managed to straighten up everything with the girls. And… you came to a decision. Unlike that last time we spoke, where you seemed to still be unsure of what to do next.”

She stared at me for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. “Don’t make it sound like I’m up to something weird, Onoda-kun. I just… wanted to clear things out. Privately.”