Chapter 4.5  

Ichinose appeared serious about coming up with strategies and being a trusted ally. Every time she wanted permission to try something she'd contact us, even though she'd already said to leave things to her. I didn't think she needed to limit herself so severely. Upon returning to the dorms, I'd thought that we'd go our separate ways, but Horikita followed me all the way to my room. She seemed to still want to talk.

"Sorry for the intrusion," said Horikita as she entered the room, even though no one else was there.

I wondered why I felt a little nervous being alone with Horikita behind closed doors.

"Oh, just to check, do you have one too? A spare key?" I asked. "For your room? Ike-kun asked earlier if I wanted one. I refused."

Just as I'd expect from her. It seemed she was the only one with any common sense.

"After all, it's rare for me to visit your room, Ayanokouji-kun. Besides, coming here is a shameful act in itself. A disgrace. Understand?"

I'd assumed she'd respond like that. I wasn't hurt at all. I definitely wasn't thinking anything like, Wow, that was unexpectedly harsh.

"Why are you tracing letters on the wall with your finger?" "To hide my pounding heart. Or something."

The scariest part was that she didn't really have any bad intentions. I'm

sure that if asked, she'd probably say something like, "But I only spoke the truth."

"Ayanokouji-kun, I want to hear your thoughts on Sudou-kun's case once again. Also, I find Kushida-san's actions a bit concerning."

"If you're concerned now, wouldn't it have been better to participate earlier in the process?"

"Impossible. The very person in question didn't recognize what was happening. I'm only now reluctantly offering to help for the sake of our class.

Frankly, I still think it would have been better to abandon him."

"Even though you pitched in to help Sudou during the midterm?" "That was different. Even if we managed to miraculously prove his

innocence, do you think he'll mature? Saving him might have the opposite

effect."

Her defiant glare seemed to say, Do you understand my point?

"So you're giving up on proving Sudou's innocence and letting him face punishment for his own sake?"

Horikita wore a slightly disgruntled expression, but then it looked like realization struck. "Knowing Sudou's flawed personality, you realized from the very beginning how difficult it would be to prove his innocence, didn't you? That way, it's easier to think he'd be better off accepting his punishment. Especially better for those who hate him."

Horikita seemed to want to add, "You thought the same thing, right?" I felt like I'd been backed against a wall, unable to run. If I tried to forcefully deny, she would just dig deeper.

"Well, wouldn't it be clear to anyone who took just a moment to think?"

"Probably. Kushida-san and Ike-kun and the others haven't noticed at all, it seems. They simply believe in Sudou-kun, and want to save him from the lie for his sake and our class's sake. They don't understand the urgency of the situation."

Her remarks towards her classmates, those who'd already shared joy and sorrow together, seemed completely merciless.

"Kushida seems to understand at least a little bit, and despite that is working to save Sudou," I said.

"A little bit? So she realized it by herself, then?" "Huh? Well, no, it…"

"You told her, didn't you?"

She cornered me with her words. It was like being interrogated. A little

scary.

"You came up with the idea of getting the old test questions, and

purchasing exam points. I can't say I'm surprised. You do seem quite cunning at times, but…I'm dissatisfied."

Those who want to someday live honestly, must sometimes be cunning,

too.

"Don't keep overestimating me," I replied.

Although it wasn't my intent, Horikita laughed. However, her smile

immediately faded.

"Honestly, there's so much about you that I don't understand. You're a mystery. You're the most difficult person to predict in our class. You're versatile, yet you often idle your time away. You never seem to stay still. It's as though you cannot be categorized."

"All of those are really questionable ways to describe someone. They aren't the sorts of things you'd say as praise…"

There were nicer ways to phrase all of that. Horikita stared at me with suspicion.

"I guess what I should say is that you're just blending in and hiding your true talents. You're hiding in plain sight. You disgust me more than anyone else."

I see. I wondered if being called out like that was normal. It seemed I'd taken the bait and gotten caught in Horikita's trap. A small failure on my part.

"Come on, saying that I disgust you more than anyone else is going too far. Kouenji has his fair share of mysteries, too."

That was undoubtedly my trump card. If I disgusted Horikita more than he did, that would really hurt.

"He's surprisingly easy to understand. He studies well, is athletic, and gets excellent grades. His personality is the problem. In the end, I can easily categorize and summarize his behavioral problems in only a few words: he's self-centered."

Honestly, that explanation was easy to understand. Kouenji was simple, after all.

"You'd probably make a good teacher," I said.

At this rate, when she reached adulthood, she'd probably become a teacher like Chabashira-sensei.

4.6

There were four dorm buildings on campus. Three were for students, who stayed in the various dorms to which they were assigned from first through third year. In other words, our dorm building this year was the same one where last year's third-year students had lived. The fourth building housed the instructors and school employees.

What I'm saying is that since all of the first year students lived in the same building, inevitably we would meet students from the other classes.

Someone entered my field of vision. Our eyes naturally met.

"Thank you very much. It's been a pleasure." The girl spoke these grateful words to the dormitory manager, then called out to me.

"Hey, Ayanokouji-kun! Good morning. You're early."

She had beautiful long, wavy hair and big eyes. The second button of her blazer strained over her large chest. Her upright posture matched her dignified personality. I found myself more attracted to her cool temperament than how cute she was. Ichinose Honami, that first-year Class B student, had found me again.

"I woke up a little earlier today. What were you talking about with the manager?" I asked.

"Some people from my class wanted to make requests about their dorms. I gathered everyone's thoughts on the matter and told the dorm manager. Stuff like water usage, noise, and so on."

"You did all that, Ichinose?"

Usually, individuals handled their own room issues. I wondered why Ichinose had gone to the trouble of gathering everyone's complaints.

"Good morning, Class Rep Ichinose!"

Two girls who were getting off the elevator called out to Ichinose. She said hello back.

"Class Rep? Why Class Rep?" I asked.

I hadn't heard of any "class rep" position before. Perhaps they called

her that because she seemed to study too much.

"I'm my class's representative. It seems like that, anyway."

"Your class's representative? Do all classes except for D have someone like that, too?"

That was the first I'd heard about this. Normally I would've been surprised, but considering who our homeroom teacher was, she'd probably decided to leave that part out.

"No, that's just something Class B set up on its own. I think it's good to have some assigned roles, right?"

I understood her point, but we certainly weren't going to assign our own class representative.

"Are there other positions besides class representative?"

"Yeah. Whether or not they serve a function is a different question, but we do have other roles for formality's sake. Stuff like vice class representative, and secretary. They could be more useful when we have a cultural fair, or sports festival, or something. We could try deciding things on the spot, but that might lead to trouble."

I recalled seeing Ichinose in the library before, studying with a small group of boys and girls. Even back then, she'd probably already been fulfilling her class representative duties. Most people wouldn't want to be class representative. They'd be forced to do annoying stuff, and it'd be necessary to participate in face-to-face discussions about school matters.

However, with Ichinose taking the initiative for Class B, she probably didn't foist things on others. I'd bet she handled her duties smoothly.

"Seems like you've taken the lead. Of Class B, I mean."

Without meaning to, it appeared I'd expressed my honest feelings. "Do you think it's weird? It's all purely informal. Besides, there are

quite a few troublemakers. We have to deal with a lot of stuff."

As she said, "We have to deal with a lot of stuff," Ichinose laughed.

The two of us began walking to school together.

"Aren't you usually a little late? This reminds me that I've never seen you around this time."

Ichinose's question sounded harmless, as if she were following some kind of template. After hearing those words, I felt a little relieved and accomplished. It seemed I could have normal, relationship-building conversations after all.

"I don't have to leave so early. I usually hang around my room for about 20 minutes."

"So I guess you make it just in the nick of time, then."

As Ichinose and I got closer to the school, the number of students around us multiplied. Strangely enough, some of the girls turned one after the other and looked at us with envy. Was this the so-called popularity phase I was told would occur three times in my life? I hadn't experienced it yet; it was about time that I entered my first phase.

"Good morning, Ichinose!" "Good morning, Ichinose-san!"

Ichinose, who was walking next to me, monopolized all of the girls' attention.

"You sure are popular," I said.

"I just stand out because I'm the class rep. That's all."

It didn't seem like she was trying to act modest. Apparently that's what she truly thought. She had this charismatic force about her that pulled everyone's focus.

"Ah, that reminds me. Did you hear about summer break, Ayanokouji-

kun?"

"Summer break? No. I mean, isn't it just summer break?"

"I've heard rumors that we might be taking a vacation to a tropical

island."

That sparked a memory. I'd forgotten about it, but Chabashira-sensei had mentioned a vacation.

"I can't believe it, though. Could we really go on a vacation?"

It probably wasn't a normal school field trip. I mean, just look around. It was no exaggeration to say that this school was fancy. Going to a tropical island in the summer and visiting a hot spring in the winter…

It was all incredibly suspicious. I really didn't think our school was going to be so good to be true. They had to be keeping something from us. I wondered what Ichinose thought. But I saw from her bitter smile that she also had doubts.

"It's suspicious, after all. I think it's going to be a turning point."

"In other words, you think our class points could fluctuate wildly over summer break?"

"Yeah, yeah. I think there might be a hidden task, one that has a bigger impact on us than the midterms or final exams. Otherwise, the difference between Class A and us wouldn't close much. We could diminish the gap little by little."

That was certainly true. A big, earthshaking event might very well occur soon…

"What's the difference between you and A?" I asked.

"We have about 600 points, so our classes are around 350 points apart."

It was only natural that their points would drop since the start of the year, but it was amazing how many points they'd retained.

"So far, the midterm is all that's given us a chance to raise our class points, so losing at least a few points was unavoidable for us. I mean, even Class A has lost points."

However, as a result of the midterm, we'd managed to gain back points.

"You don't seem to be panicking."

"I'm concerned, but I think that there's a chance for us to make a comeback. I intend to focus all of my emotional energy on making those preparations."

I thought the first part of what she'd said was definitely correct.

However, their cohesion as a class made such things possible. Class D had only managed to get 87 points this month. We weren't anywhere close to being able to compete with the others.

"I wonder how much this event will change things?"

It would probably be worth more than 10 or 20 points. However, it was difficult to imagine that it would change things by 500 or even 1,000 points.

"We're in a tight spot ourselves. If the gap widens any further, we won't be able to catch up."

"I guess we both have to do our best, then."

Actually, the ones who had to work especially hard were Horikita, Hirata, and Kushida.

"At any rate, it doesn't seem like this will get worse." I didn't want to complain, but I felt that something annoying was on the horizon.

"But if we actually did vacation on a tropical island, that would be awesome!"

"I wonder about that…" I said.

"Huh? That idea doesn't make you happy?"

Only people who have meaningful friendships can enjoy a vacation to its fullest. There's nothing quite as uncomfortable as traveling without close friends, especially when you're traveling with a group. Just imagining it made me feel like throwing up.

"Do you hate traveling?" Ichinose asked.

"I don't hate it. I don't think I do, anyway…"

While we chatted, I tried to imagine what it would be like. I'd never traveled with a friend before. I had gone to New York with my parents a long, long time ago. Not a single millisecond of it had been fun. Just remembering that bitter time wore me out.

"What's the matter?"

"Just recalled something a little bit traumatic."

My dry laugher echoed through the hot hallway. No, this wasn't good. If I let my negative aura spread, Ichinose would grow troubled. However, it seemed like my anxieties were unfounded. Ichinose continued talking, seemingly untroubled by my words.

"Hey, I still have some things on my mind. May I ask you some questions?"

Ichinose had a radiant presence, though it was different from Kushida's. I could say that she acted without an ulterior motive. Even when talking with a person like me, she put her best foot forward.

"We've been separated into four classes from the start, right? Do you really think they separated us by ability?"

"I understand that it wasn't entirely tied to our exam results. There are people in our class that, based on grades, should have gotten into the top ranks."

Horikita, Kouenji, and Yukimura were undoubtedly three people who deserved to be at the top based on their academics alone.

"So, do you think it's something like overall ability?"

I gave a noncommittal answer. I'd thought about it many times, but couldn't find a thorough explanation.

"I've been thinking about it since we started here. Someone might be good at studying, but bad at physical activity. Another might be good at physical activities, but bad at studying. But if students are ranked by overall ability, doesn't that mean that the lower classes are at an overwhelming disadvantage?"

"Isn't that how societal competition works, though? I don't think there's anything particularly strange about that," I said.

Ichinose crossed her arms and hummed to herself, as if she weren't convinced.

"If we were competing as individuals, sure. But this is a competition between classes, right? If you simply put all of the superior students into Class A, then doesn't that mean the rest of us have virtually no chance of succeeding?"

That pretty much explained the current, miserable state of our class points. However, Ichinose seemed to think differently.

"There's definitely a big difference between classes A through D right now. However, I think they're trying to hide something, but going about it in a weird way. Don't you agree?"

"Okay, I have to ask. What's your reasoning?"

"Ha, no reason, really. It's just something that popped into my head. If it weren't true, then it'd be fair to say the whole situation is cruel. I think that good students and good athletes were placed into Class D for a reason, as a countermeasure."

Wasn't that different from the usual system, though? If the classes were solely divided according to academic ability, there'd be no way to win against the others. In a system like this, it was important to be an expert in many different fields.

"Wouldn't it be wiser not to talk to someone from another class about this?" I asked Ichinose, feeling slightly worried.

"Hmm? About what?"

"About what you said just now. Horikita already mentioned this, but you're helping the enemy."

After all, it was possible she could've given me a valuable hint, and I'd do something with it.

"I don't think so. There's a lot to be gained from an exchange of ideas.

Also, since we're cooperating now, there shouldn't be any problems."

She wasn't complacent about being in Class B. That was just Ichinose's natural personality. I could understand her disposition and way of thinking. At any rate, she was a good person with no hidden side to her.

"I'm not smart enough to engage in an exchange of ideas. All I can say is, 'I'm sorry.'"

"I don't mind if I'm the one who does the talking and thinking. If you think it's helpful information, then it's okay for you to use it."

Ichinose stopped, almost as if she'd just remembered something. I tried reading her face, noting that she wore a serious expression.

"Hey… There's something I want to ask you, Ayanokouji-kun. Is that okay?"

It was like that bright, cheery Ichinose of a moment ago had disappeared. My body stiffened slightly.

"If it's something I can answer, I will."

Besides, what question couldn't I answer with my massively

impressive brain, filled with the knowledge of a hundred million books? (A huge lie, of course.)

"Has a girl ever confessed her feelings to you?"

That…wasn't in the any of the hundred million books I'd read. "Really? Do I look like a guy who's ever had a girl confess her feelings

to him?"

Was she going to call me disgusting, or a virgin, or a shitty moron? Would I cry? I was still only a first-year high school student, you know? It was way too early for this. Right? Hey. You think so too, right? Besides, I was certain that, proportionally, the number of people who had confessed their feelings was low compared to those who hadn't. It was a baseless theory, though. Who knew the real number of people who had died in solitude, hidden in the shadows of humanity's prosperity?

"Oh no, I'm sorry. It's nothing."

It didn't look like it was nothing. However, it did look like she didn't plan to make fun of me. Rather, she was actually worried about something.

"Did someone confess to you?" I asked. "Huh? Oh, yeah. Kind of."

It seemed like many students were striving every day to couple up like Hirata and Karuizawa.

"Well, if you're okay with it, can you spare a little time after class? I have some questions about confessions. I know all too well how busy you are with the incident right now, but…"

"Sure, that's okay. I don't really have much to do." "Don't have much to do?"

"I don't think there's much point in looking for evidence or another

witness. Doing that would be a waste of time and a headache."

"But you went to the scene of the crime the other day to investigate, right?"

"That was for something else. Anyway, it's fine." "Thank you."

I wondered what all this confession stuff had to do with me. Had she made up a lie like "Ayanokouji is my boyfriend" to mislead people? I considered it for a moment, but then thought it'd be smarter for her to use a more reliable, pretty boy.

"I'll be waiting at the school entrance after class." "O-okay. I understand."

Even though I knew absolutely nothing was going to happen, I was

pretty excited. That was what being a man was all about.

4.7

Students overflowed through the school doors as they made their way home. I was a little worried about finding Ichinose, but my anxieties quickly disappeared. She stood out even in this sea of students. Although her cuteness could have been one reason why, she also had the type of presence that dominated wherever she was.

To be honest, I didn't really know how to describe it. I could only describe it as an intoxicating, gentle power. A power that was amplified by how many of the first-year students recognized her. It was similar to Kushida, but even more so. Ichinose was popular with boys and girls alike. They greeted her one after another. Because of that, I wasted about five minutes just trying to find the right time to call to her myself.

"Ah. Ayanokouji-kun. Over here, over here!"

Ichinose eventually noticed me and called me over. Pretending like I'd only just arrived, I casually raised my hand.

"So, what should I do next?" I asked.

"I plan to finish this as soon as possible. Follow me."

I put on my shoes and followed Ichinose to the other side of the building. We arrived at a spot right behind the gymnasium. This did seem like the kind of place where someone would confess their feelings.

"Now then…"

Ichinose took a deep breath, and faced me. No way… Did Ichinose plan to confess to me?!

"I think…"

No way, there was no way this could—

"I think someone will confess their feelings to me here," she said. "Huh?"

With that, Ichinose took out a letter and showed it to me. It was a cute love letter adorned with a heart sticker. Although she wanted me to read it, it felt rude to look. The handwriting was pretty, much like the letter's exterior.

The handwriting was cute, definitely not like a boy's.

I noticed something that concerned me. The meeting time and location were written in the letter. It was set for Friday evening at 4:00 PM, behind the gymnasium. That was about 10 minutes from now.

"Wouldn't it be better if I weren't here?" I asked.

"Love is kind of alien to me. I don't how to respond without hurting her feelings. I also don't know if we can stay good friends afterwards. I want you to help me."

"I don't really think I'm the person to ask for this. I don't have any experience with romantic confessions. There are probably other people in Class B who could help."

"The person confessing her feelings to me…is from Class B."

Ah, that's what it was. I now understood why she'd asked me to come. "I'd like for you to keep this secret. If not, things will probably get

unpleasant. Knowing you, Ayanokouji-kun, I doubt you'll go around telling

people."

"But Ichinose, aren't you used to people confessing their feelings to

you?"

"Huh?! N-no way. Not at all! I've never experienced this before."

If she hadn't told me herself, I absolutely would not have believed it. "I really don't understand why this is happening."

I didn't think this confession was surprising, because Ichinose was so

cute. Furthermore, judging how she'd interacted with the other students, she had a great personality.

"So…will you please pretend to be my boyfriend?"

Whoa! Had this situation seriously devolved into such a cliché?

"I did a bit of research, and discovered that the rejected person hurts less if the object of their affection is already in a relationship…"

"I understand that you don't want to hurt anyone, but won't it be worse if they find out you lied?"

"I could say that you and I broke up, or that you left me or something."

I didn't think that was the solution here…

"Honestly, I think it would be much better for you to talk with this person one-on-one. Truthfully."

"But— Ah!"

Ichinose seemed to have noticed something, and awkwardly raised her hand. Apparently the person in question had arrived earlier than expected.

What in the world kind of visual kei guy was this person? The new arrival had a boyish, androgynous face. He was even wearing a skirt.

No, no. First impressions aside, she was a girl. I'd suspected as much after seeing her handwriting. Unlike when a boy revealed romantic feelings for another boy, this confession would probably be smooth. I might've thought that because I was a guy myself, though.

"Um, Ichinose-san… Who is this person?"

The new girl seemed a bit unnerved by the unexpected appearance of a male student.

"This is Ayanokouji-kun, from Class D. I'm sorry for bringing someone that you don't know, Chihiro-chan."

"Is he by any chance…your boyfriend, Ichinose-san?" "Ah… Well…"

Ichinose probably meant to say that yes, yes I was. But guilt over lying

seemed to stopper her answer. The words got stuck in her throat. "So why is this Ayanokouji-kun person here?"

Confused by this unexpected situation, Chihiro began to cry. Tears welled up in her eyes.

Is he her boyfriend? Why would he be here if he wasn't? Chihiro was probably struggling to understand what was going on. Ichinose, seeing Chihiro's tears, grew flustered. Uncertain of what to do, she started panicking. I'd expected Ichinose to be a stalwart, reliable person, but apparently she had an unexpected weak point.

"Um, do you mind going somewhere else, please? I have something important that I need to talk with Ichinose-san about," Chihiro said.

"P-please wait a minute, Chihiro-san. That's, um… Well, to tell you

the truth, Ayanokouji-kun is…"

Ichinose was trying to make the first move and turn her down. She probably thought it would be harder if Chihiro directly said, I like you.

"What is it?" Chihiro asked.

"So, Ayanokouji-kun, he's… Well, he's my—"

There was nothing I could do in this situation. Well, nothing except… "I'm just a friend."

I cut Ichinose off before she could finish.

"Ichinose. I didn't think this was something I should say, considering no one's ever confessed to me before. But I think it was a mistake for you to call me here."

I spoke honestly, for both their sakes.

"It's true that confessing your feelings isn't easy to do. You spend every day in complete anguish, as you create the experience in your head over and over. And yet, you still can't confess your feelings. Even when you think the time has come to actually do it, you can't say the words 'I like you'. They get stuck in your throat. That's what I think. Don't you think you should answer someone when they desperately long to express their feelings? If you make the situation unclear, both of you may regret it later."

"Uh…"

Ichinose had probably never experienced seriously falling in love with someone before. Therefore, she didn't really know what to do, or if she were doing something wrong. Trying to prevent someone's pain was useless. If you turned someone down, their feelings would inevitably be hurt.

Well, if you managed to come up with a suitable excuse, you probably could make things a little easier. An excuse like "I want to concentrate on my studies" or "There's someone else that I like." Or, like what Ichinose had attempted here: "I'm already dating someone." But no matter what answer you gave, the other person would definitely be hurt.

Even more hurt if the excuse were built on a lie.

I left without waiting for Ichinose's reply. I headed back, but didn't return to the dormitory right away. Instead I stopped by the tree-lined

pathway, leaned against the handrail, and sighed as I looked up at green leaves.

About five minutes later, a girl ran past me. There were tears in her eyes. Despite that shocking image, I loitered there a while longer to kill time. Around sundown, Ichinose trudged back from the gym and walked over to me.

"Ah…"

Upon seeing me, she looked a little awkward and hung her head. But then she immediately glanced back up at me.

"I was wrong. I didn't respect Chihiro-chan's feelings. I just wanted to avoid hurting her, and to run away. That was my mistake. Love is really tough, huh?" Ichinose muttered as she leaned against the handrail next to me. "I asked her if we could carry on like usual, but… I don't know if we can go back to how things were."

"That depends on you both."

"Yeah… Thanks for today. For coming along with me for such an odd request."

"It's okay. Days like this happen, anyway."

"I guess our positions got reversed, huh? I planned on helping you, but then you ended up helping me."

"I'm sorry for acting so full of myself back there," I said. Ichinose blinked a couple of times, as if I'd said something odd.

"There's no need for you to apologize, Ayanokouji-kun. None at all." She stretched her arms towards the sky, and hopped off the railing. "Now it's my turn to help you. If there's anything I can do, I will."

I wondered how Class B's Ichinose Honami planned to resolve this difficult situation. I had to admit, I was looking forward to seeing it.

4.8

That evening, I got a call as I was doing some online shopping. My phone was plugged into the wall next to my bed when suddenly its screen lit up. Caller ID displayed the name: Kushida Kikyou. I did a double take to make sure of what I saw. Knowing I wouldn't have the guts to call her back, I rolled my chair across the room, snatched my phone off the stand, and dove onto the bed.

"I'm sorry for calling you so late. You're still up?" she asked.

"Hmm? Oh. I was thinking of going to bed in a little bit. Did you need something?"

"Sakura-san's digital camera was broken, right? I feel like I'm partially to blame since I made her so flustered. So I wanted to take responsibility for that…"

"I don't think you should feel responsible, Kushida. Not in the least.

Besides, she's going to get it fixed, right? Since it's so important to her, wouldn't she get it repaired no matter what?"

However, as I spoke I realized it probably wasn't that simple. Sakura was extremely inept at social interaction, and probably lacked the self- confidence to go to a store by herself. It was probably similar to how someone might feel about dining alone in a restaurant.

It was a little hard to believe she could be that shy, but in this world there were all sorts of different people with different personalities. So it wasn't particularly surprising to find a person who lacked all communication skills, right?

"So, did you offer to help her then, Kushida?" I asked.

She'd probably been proactive about establishing some common ground with Sakura.

"Yeah. She seemed hesitant at first, but then said that she'd be fine with the day after tomorrow. I think that Sakura's digital camera is probably really important to her."

Kushida had done a wonderful job taking the proper first steps to earn

Sakura's trust.

"But why are you telling me this? Won't it go more smoothly if it's just the two of you?"

"If we were just going to get it repaired, I suppose. But, there's another thing. I'd like your help with it, Ayanokouji-kun."

"Do you want me to ask if she knows anything about Sudou's incident?"

"Horikita-san seems convinced that Sakura saw everything. After getting a bit closer to Sakura-san, I also think she knows something. But there has to be some reason why she's keeping quiet, since she keeps denying that she witnessed it."

While taking Horikita along would probably be the best option, it was delusional to think that Horikita and Kushida would spend their day off together. Kushida had probably chosen me through the process of elimination, as I was the least harmful candidate. If she'd invited Ike or Yamauchi along, they would have had eyes only for Kushida.

Moreover, it was convenient. I'd wanted to visit the electronics store for a while now. I sat up and leaned against the wall. For some reason, it felt kind of rude to make plans while lying down.

"Okay, I understand. Let's go."

My voice cracked with a little too much excitement. Fortunately, Kushida didn't seem to notice anything strange, and didn't press me about it. I chatted with Kushida about this and that for a little while. I didn't get too worked up over the conversation; it was casual, so there was nothing to be nervous about. It was proof that she could invade my personal space without causing discomfort. In my mind, I'd firmly recognized her as my friend.

"That reminds me. It was really scary when Kouenji-kun and Sudou- kun looked like they were about to start fighting."

"Yeah. It was a critical situation. It looked like their fists were going to do the talking for them."

Kouenji always seemed laid-back, but if Sudou started taking swings at him, he would fight. If that happened, it'd be a disaster.

"I couldn't even move. Hirata-kun was so amazing, though. He's

definitely an admirable person." "Yeah."

Hearing her praise Hirata like that made me a little jealous. I reminded myself that it was only natural to admire someone with the courage to step up in a situation like that.

"Class D was able to come together, thanks to you and Hirata. The fact that the boys and girls are separated plays a big part, too."

Sometimes, only a girl could solve another girl's issues.

"I'm just doing what I normally do. It wasn't anything special." "I think Hirata would definitely say the same thing." Oftentimes, special people did not consider themselves special.

"Speaking of special, don't you think that Horikita-san is way more special than someone like me? She's great at studying and excels at sports. It makes me wonder why she's in Class D."

Horikita wasn't special. She belonged to a unique class of people. I kept quiet, though, afraid that if I badmouthed her she'd find out about it.

"Wasn't she assigned to Class D in part because she's not very sociable?"

"But doesn't she behave normally with you, Ayanokouji-kun?" "You think that's normal?"

Based on the Horikita I knew, I'd have to describe the way she treated

others as miserable… I trembled a little to recall Ike fainting in agony.

"When I think of my relationship with Horikita, it's like there's a wall between us. Or perhaps I should say that's the extent of our relationship, if you understand what I'm getting at."

"Hmm?"

She sounded amused yet slightly doubtful. I didn't like being misunderstood by Kushida.

"Ah, that reminds me. I wanted to ask you something. Your room is on the ninth floor, right, Kushida?"

"Huh? Ah, yeah, it is. Why? What about it?" "Oh, no reason. Just curious."

Suddenly, Kushida fell silent. It was unexpected silence, without warning. Our conversation, which had been smooth up until now, came to a screeching halt. Usually, Kushida would resume the conversation immediately, but now she'd stopped. Perhaps asking her floor number had been in bad taste?

I started fidgeting. Unable to calm down, I began pointlessly looking into every corner of my room. Ah, if only I were a pretty boy with excellent communication skills. I couldn't help but wish for that. We were so quiet that we could hear each other breathing.

"It's getting late. Should I hang up now?" I asked, unable to bear the silence.

It was painful to stay on the phone with a girl and not say anything. "Hey—"

"Hmm?"

Kushida broke the silence, but then stopped talking again. Her hesitation was unusual. This was a far cry from the usual Kushida, who always tried to brighten the conversation.

"I-If… Well… I… I—"

She stopped talking again. Another period of silence followed. Five seconds, then ten seconds passed.

"No, it's nothing."

That sure didn't seem like nothing…

However, I lacked the courage to say, "Hey, what is it? Spill!" to her, so I let it go. Sorry, Kushida. If I were on the battlefield, I'd be the sniper, the chicken who would stay far away from the fighting. Forgive me.

"Well, I'll see you the day after tomorrow, Ayanokouji-kun."

With that, Kushida ended the call. I wondered what she'd been trying to say. I felt like it was going to be a bad, sleepless night.

4.9

On Sunday afternoon, I went to the shopping mall to meet Kushida and fulfill my promise. For someone who generally spent Saturdays lounging in his room, this place made me nervous. One person was sitting on a bench up ahead. I wondered if that person were waiting for someone, like me. After all, most students just went around freely on their days off. While pondering the matter, I sat down on the other available bench.

I'd thought we would go together since we lived in the same dorm, but Kushida was a little fastidious when it came to these things. I decided it'd be better if we met at the agreed location.

"Good morning!"

In the surrounding hustle and bustle, Kushida drew nearer, a wide smile on her face.

"O-oh, hey. Good morning."

My heart started pounding. I fumbled over my words and managed an awkward wave.

"Sorry. Were you waiting long?" "Oh no, I just got here."

Our back and forth felt like the template for a date. I unintentionally glanced over Kushida's whole body. She was cute. Kushida was really cute. Seeing Kushida in casual attire for the first time was so overwhelming,

I couldn't look away.

"This is the first time we've met up on a day off. It's refreshing."

Kushida laughed, maybe because she felt the same way. What the heck was with that cute smile? Something that adorable was against the rules.

Perhaps Ike and the others hadn't seen this before. Did that make me happiest of all? I had to contain my excitement in front of her. Kushida spoke up, as if she had just remembered something.

"Weren't you really busy during your downtime last week? I'm glad that you came despite that, Ayanokouji-kun."

Last week? Really glad I came despite that? What the heck was she talking about?

"I'm talking about Ike-kun and the others going to that café, of course." This was the first I'd heard about it. I didn't recall any previous, hidden

event.

it."

"By any chance…" Kushida began.

"A-ah. That's it. Now that you mention it, I didn't… I didn't hear about

I looked up to the heavens and lamented my worthlessness. It's not like

Ike and the others were bad for not inviting me. I was the bad guy, the one who hadn't been invited.

"I didn't mean anything… I'm sorry, I guess I said something wrong…"

"Don't worry about it. Really, I don't care. Was it fun?" "You do seem to care…"

If I handled this poorly, instead of being the happiest I'd ever been with Kushida, it'd be the worst. Even if it was for just a moment, spending time alone with her made me feel like the luckiest guy. The students who passed us would occasionally steal a glance at Kushida in her casual clothes. In the case of passing couples, the girlfriend would appear upset and grab her boyfriend by the cheek. Even though I was the one with Kushida, I couldn't help but feel bewitched by her cuteness.

What the heck? I was really flattering Kushida a lot. What I'd said had been completely true, but there was also a whiff of bashfulness.

"What's the matter?"

Kushida froze, which I thought was strange. Every movement she made, or didn't make, was cute.

"I think we've had really nice weather lately."

Worried that we were heading into clichéd territory, I steered the conversation in another direction. I needed to calm down. How many times had I used the word "cute" today? At this rate, I'd probably end up using it 100 or 200 times.

"Ah. Sorry. I think I might look a little out of place next to you," I muttered.

I could easily move. I looked simple. I didn't look good next to Kushida by any standard.

"No, no, that's not true at all. I think we're great together," she replied. "So, you're saying someone simple like me is a good match for you? I

should accept an insult like that?" "Yeah."

I felt the quick thrust of a knife. Maybe I'd dug my own grave by

setting myself up like that, but it was still a shock.

"You're that surprisingly delicate, Ayanokouji-kun? I don't really care what others say. I don't think it's an insult at all. I really think we suit each other."

I felt like she was teasing me somehow. Normally, I'd get angry, but since this was Kushida talking it just felt unfair. She'd teased me so casually with only a few words.

"So, what about Sakura-san?" "I don't see her yet."

It was the exact time we'd agreed to meet, but there still was no sign of

her.

"But was she okay with it? Inviting me out, I mean."

"She asked me to invite you, Ayanokouji-kun. Didn't Sakura-san contact you?"

"Sakura? No. I haven't really talked to her."

I recalled meeting up with Sakura at the special building. That had been about the extent of our contact.

"Perhaps it was love at first sight?" I said, laughing and grinning. Such a dramatic scenario would be absolutely ridiculous.

"Right now, how about we sit and wait?"

"Sure. Well… Hey, uh, isn't that Sakura-san sitting next to us?" Sakura, clearly flustered and indeed sitting on the bench next to us,

stood and gave a sheepish bow. Had Sakura really been sitting there the entire time? Amazing that we hadn't noticed her at all. Not a sign of her presence or aura.

"I'm sorry, I don't stand out much, I suppose… Good morning," Sakura said.

"No, I don't think you blend in too much. I definitely felt your presence," I said.

"Oh, you don't need to say that for my sake, Ayanokouji-kun."

Sakura bowed her head apologetically, and slowly straightened. I wanted her to forgive me for not noticing her. Sakura was wearing a hat, and even a surgical face mask, which made it difficult to recognize her at a glance. I wondered if she'd caught a cold or something.

"You kind of look suspicious…"

"Rather than saying you look suspicious, I think you actually stand out more."

"Yeah, I suppose so. I think I do stand out, especially here," Sakura responded. Sheepishly, she removed her mask.

She didn't seem to have a cold. Rather, she seemed like the type to wear the mask in order to avoid attention. She must have really hated standing out.

"So anyway, about my digital camera. Is it okay if we go to the electronics store in the mall?" Sakura asked.

"Well, yes. We did certainly come here to get the camera fixed." "I'm sorry…for making you come along with me."

Sakura bowed apologetically, as though begging forgiveness from the bottom of her heart. For some reason, I felt sorry for coming here.

4.10

There were some incredibly famous, nationally known stores that did business with our school. Even though their customers were only students and the stores themselves weren't too very big, they sold items for everyday use and electronic appliances.

"Let's see, I'm sure they have a repair counter somewhere. Let's check it out."

While Kushida headed towards the back of the store, I wondered just how many times she'd come here. Sakura and I followed close behind.

"I wonder if they'll fix it right away…"

Sakura, looked rather anxious as she took out her digital camera and held it tight.

"You really love your camera, don't you?" I asked. "Yeah. It's weird, isn't it?"

"No, not at all. It's a good hobby to have, isn't it? I get the feeling

there's a significant story attached to that camera. It'd be great if they fixed it soon."

"Yeah."

"There it is! The repairs counter."

The store was crowded with a huge number of products and difficult to navigate, but towards the back was the place where they handled repairs.

"Ah…"

For some reason, Sakura suddenly stopped in her tracks. When I glanced over at her, I noticed she was wearing an expression of blatant fear and revulsion. It seemed that something had upset her quite a bit. However, when I followed Sakura's line of sight, I saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"What's the matter, Sakura-san?" Kushida asked.

She also must've thought Sakura's behavior was strange. "Ah, umm… Well…"

Although it seemed like she was about to say something, all Sakura did was shake her head and take a deep breath.

"It's nothing."

She donned an earnest smile, and walked to the repair counter. Kushida and I exchanged looks, but decided to follow her. Maybe it really was nothing, like she said. Kushida talked to the store clerk and asked him to repair the digital camera. Meanwhile, incredibly bored, I checked out the appliances on display.

Kushida's worldly wisdom was certainly impressive. Even though it was her first time meeting the store clerk, she was soon talking to him as if they were longtime friends. Sakura, the camera's owner, spoke only when she needed to give her consent or to clarify something. Even so, the store clerk appeared pretty fired up. He aggressively engaged Kushida in conversation, without even pausing for a breath. Although I could just barely hear the conversation, it sounded like he was asking Kushida on a date. He asked if she wanted to see a certain female idol's concert, which was being screened over in the theater.

He seemed like quite the otaku, judging from how passionate he was about a wide range of subjects, from idol elections to idol magazines.

Because Kushida didn't show any signs of disliking the conversation, he probably thought he could successfully ask her out. However, I believed she would try her hardest to sidestep the invitation.

He seemed to be getting excited over talking to such a cute girl, but their conversation didn't proceed any further. As I'd expected, Kushida began to feel awkward. In order to conclude their business, she urged Sakura to hand over the camera. When the store clerk opened up the camera to confirm the contents, he saw that part of it had been damaged from the fall.

That was why the camera wouldn't turn on properly. Fortunately, because Sakura still had the warranty card, the item could be repaired free of charge.

Finally, all Sakura had to do was fill out her contact information, and we'd be done. But Sakura's hand suddenly stopped as she filled out the form.

"Sakura-san?"

Kushida, thinking that something strange was going on, called out to Sakura. She seemed to be hesitating for some reason. I didn't intend to say

anything at the time, but her attitude seemed to weigh on my mind. And also

—

The store clerk, who had previously been absorbed in his conversation with Kushida, now stared directly at Sakura. Both Sakura and Kushida were looking down at the form, so they didn't notice. But the clerk had unsettling eyes. Even men would find it a little creepy.

"Can I see that for a second?" I asked. "Huh?"

Standing next to Sakura, I reached for the pen she was holding. She didn't seem to understand why I wanted it, but she anxiously handed it over.

"When the repairs are finished, please contact me."

"H-hey, wait a minute. Contact you? She's the owner, isn't she? That would be…"

"The manufacturer warranty explicitly shows where the item was sold and the date of purchase. Also, I doubt there'd be any legal problems with me putting my information down. It should be perfectly fine if the user's name is different than the purchaser's."

Before the clerk could say "I understand", I'd entered my name and my dorm room number into the required fields.

"Or, is there a reason why she specifically has to enter her information?" I added, still without looking back up.

"N-no, not at all. I understand. There's nothing to worry about," the clerk said.

Shortly after I'd completed the form, I handed it over with the camera.

Sakura gently patted her chest and sighed in apparent relief, but when she learned it'd take two weeks for the camera to be repaired, she grew discouraged. Her shoulders slumped.

"That clerk sure was something else. He talked with such incredible passion, I was just so shocked," Kushida said.

"Didn't you feel kind of disgusted?" Sakura asked.

"N-no, I wasn't disgusted by him. Do you know something? About that clerk?"

Sakura gave a meek nod. I guessed that something had been off even when she first purchased the camera. Turning to me, she asked, "What do you think, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Well, he had this sort of vibe, like he's kind of hard to approach.

Especially for girls."

"That was kind of what I was trying to get at before… I was scared to go to the repair shop alone because of that…"

Kushida seemed to have an epiphany. She turned to me with wide eyes. "Did you know about this, Ayanokouji-kun?"

"Well, she's a girl. I thought she might be reluctant to write down her

address or cell phone number."

Being a guy, I wouldn't be troubled if my information got out there. "Th-thank you…Ayanokouji-kun. You really…saved me."

"Nah, I didn't really do anything. I just wrote down my address. When

they contact me about the repairs, I'll get in touch with you right away, Sakura."

Sakura nodded, looking glad. If that's all it takes to please you, then it actually makes me sorry for you.

"You really looked out for Sakura-san," Kushida said.

"Well, you're making it out to be bigger than it was. Honestly, I was only watching out for that rather weird clerk. I guess he gave the impression that he really, really loved girls."

"Ha ha… That's certainly true."

Even Kushida appeared nonplussed. For someone like Sakura, though, who wasn't accustomed to fawning male attention, I thought it was the right answer.

"Since you were with me today, Kushida-san, we completed our task without me having to talk at all. Thank you."

If Sakura had faced that store clerk one-on-one, she probably would've run away.

"Oh, no need to thank me. If you're okay with my help, then I'm happy

to lend a hand any time. Sakura-san, you really like your camera. Don't you?"

"Yeah… I've liked cameras ever since I was little. My dad bought me one before I entered junior high, and I absolutely fell in love with it. Or I suppose you could say that I just love taking pictures… I'm not really well- informed when it comes to this stuff, though."

"I think being knowledgeable and liking things are separate matters.

It's wonderful to be so passionate about something."

"Sakura, you usually take pictures of landscapes, right? Do you ever take pictures of people?"

"Huh?!"

Sakura stepped backwards, looking quite flustered. Did she find that question unpleasant? It'd seemed like an extremely natural question to ask. Like, did she just take pictures of landscapes or were they her specialty?

Sakura shut her mouth, and her body stiffened. "Th-that's a secret."

Well then. It sounded like she didn't want to go into the details with

me.

"W-well, it's just… It's embarrassing," replied Sakura, her cheeks

reddening. She looked down as she spoke.

Although my imagination ran wild, I couldn't let it show on my face. I had to remain neutral.

"Oh hey, that reminds me. Sorry to ask, but since we're here, is it okay for me to look around the store?"

"Was there something you wanted?"

It wasn't so much that I wanted something, as there was something on my mind.

"The two of you can wander around, if you want." "I think we'll come in, too. Right?" Kushida said.

"S-sure. After all, I feel bad you both had to come with me… Besides, I do have the time."

I didn't exactly want them there, but apparently they'd decided to come along. Kushida and Sakura. When I watched the two of them walk side by side, I realized that they'd managed to grow closer in just one day. Kushida, I wish you'd share a little of your people skills with me.

Since they seemed to be having girl talk, I decided to leave them alone and went to look for what I wanted. I went into my phone's contacts. Back when Ike had involved me in the whole gambling thing, I'd exchanged contact information with some people. Even though I still only had a few names in my address book, it was clear that my number of friends was increasing. I selected the name "Sotomura (Professor)" and called him.

"Hey Professor, do you have a minute?"

"Hmm? It's rare to get a call from you, Ayanokouji. What do you need?"

Sotomura's nickname was Professor, which undoubtedly made it sound like he was rather intelligent. In reality, he was just a huge otaku. He gathered information daily, comprehensively spanning a wide variety of topics, from dating sims to anime and manga.

"Professor, did you buy your laptop computer from the school, with your points?"

"Yes, I most certainly did. It cost 80,000 points. But what of it?" "I'm looking for something."

I explained the gist of what I wanted. Although many similar products

sat on the displays in front of me, I didn't know which one to choose. It probably would've been faster to just ask the store clerk, but I didn't want to for various reasons.

"Ayanokouji. Though I am considerably well-versed in that particular electronic field…"

"It's okay if you don't know."

"Please wait," said the Professor as I was about to end the call. "I do

know. In fact, I have two of them at my parents' home."

"No way! You've had them since junior high? Isn't that bad?"

"Do not misunderstand me. They were only for experimentation, for

the sake of my language studies."

"Well, could I trouble you to help me set it up?"

"Puh, leave it to me. I'm sure that someday I will have a favor to ask of you in return."

Clearly, he was the man for the job. When entering a subject that I didn't understand, it was important to find an expert.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," I said to the girls. "Have you already finished?"

"Today was just a preliminary inspection. I don't have enough points to buy anything."

Suddenly, Kushida froze while glancing over at Sakura's profile. "Sakura-san, have we met somewhere before?" Kushida murmured. "Huh? N-no. I don't think so, but…"

"Sorry. It's just that when I look at you, I get this feeling that we've met before, Sakura-san. Hey, weird question, but could you try removing your glasses?"

"Huh?! B-but that's… My eyesight is so bad, I wouldn't be able to see a thing…"

Sakura put her hand up and waved it, signaling to Kushida that she did not want to.

"We should hang out together again, Sakura-san. Not just with me, but with my other friends, too."

"That's…"

Sakura looked like she wanted to say something, but she couldn't find her way to the end of the thought. She said nothing. Kushida seemed to feel that it would make trouble if she pressed the issue, so she kept quiet. Or rather, she didn't ask anything else. In the end, we returned to where we'd started.

"Umm… Thank you for everything today. You really helped me out," Sakura said.

"It's okay, it's okay. There's no need to thank us. Actually, Sakura-san,

you can talk to us normally, you know? If it's okay with you. We're in the same grade. It sounds a little weird when you speak so formally to us."

It was certainly true that Sakura's speech patterns weren't exactly what you would expect from a peer. But changing that might be easier said than done for her; she was visibly perplexed.

"I didn't mean to sound that way. I wasn't aware of it… I sound weird?"

"It's not really a bad thing! I mean, I'd be happy if you didn't speak so formally to me, though."

"Ah… O-okay… I…I got it. I'll do my best."

I thought that Sakura would have rejected the notion, but she managed to squeak out a few words of agreement. It seemed like she wanted to accept Kushida's proposal. Perhaps this was how people became friends, little by little. Even Sakura, who seemed to have hardly interacted with another person ever, was steadily growing closer to Kushida.

"It's okay, though. You don't need to force yourself." "I-It's okay. I…will."

Sakura kept her eyes down as she spoke. Partway through her sentence

she began to sputter, and her words faded so much that we couldn't hear them. However, it didn't seem as though she felt uncomfortable. Kushida smiled in satisfaction, but didn't try to coerce anything more from Sakura. That specific distance felt exactly right for where they were at the moment. If you tried to strong-arm people who weren't good at socializing, it could backfire. Rather than be grateful, they'd probably find it off-putting. Rather than draw them nearer, being overbearing would probably end up pushing them further away.

"Well then, we'll see you at school. Okay?"

With that, Kushida thought the conversation had ended. However, rather unexpectedly, Sakura didn't move.

"Well!"

Sakura spoke in a small voice, but looked straight at us. When our gazes met, however, she immediately averted her eyes.

"About Sudou-kun… As my way of saying thanks for today, I… Well, that might be a little misleading, but if you like…"

She paused, and started again more clearly.

"I-I may be able to help you with Sudou-kun's case."

In her own words, Sakura told us that she was the witness. Kushida and I exchanged glances.

"So, does that mean that you saw Sudou-kun fight with those other students?"

"Yes. I saw everything. It was a total coincidence, though… I'm sure you don't believe me."

"No, we do. Why did you decide to tell us now, though? I mean, I'm happy you did, but I don't want you to force yourself. You don't have to do this just because you're grateful, you know?"

Sakura couldn't seem to get her words out. She lightly shook her head.

The fact that Sakura had waited until now to talk proved that she was more concerned about Sudou's case than anything else. I wondered if getting a foothold on friendship made her want to cooperate.

"Is that really true? You're not forcing yourself?" Kushida asked. She must've been thinking the same thing as me.

Sakura nodded sheepishly, as if she could feel that we were worrying about it.

"It's okay… I think that if I kept quiet, I'd probably come to regret it.

I…don't want to cause trouble for my classmates. But, if I spoke up as a witness, then…I would definitely stand out. I hated the thought of that… I'm sorry."

While Sakura apologized to us repeatedly, full of remorse, she also promised Kushida that she would testify.

"Thank you, Sakura-san. I'm sure Sudou-kun will be really happy."

Kushida took Sakura's hand, and Sakura looked at Kushida's smiling face. I wondered if a new friendship had been born right here, right now. At any rate, we had Sudou's witness.

4.11

That night, I clutched my phone tightly. My hand was sweating so much you'd think the air conditioning in my room wasn't working.

"We got closer to Sakura, but… Is it really okay for me to say that?" "Yesterday I would've said no, but our chances are better today. Ahh…

I think we still have a way to go yet, though. You're making yourself all

frazzled."

I'd guessed that Sakura would probably grow closer to Kushida, specifically. But I had a feeling that Sakura had erected a rather high wall between herself and other people. Unless we could get her to climb over that wall, calling on Sakura as a witness would be difficult.

"That reminds me, why did you try to get Sakura to take off her glasses?" I asked Kushida.

"Well, I mean… I thought saying so might be kind of cruel, but… I just feel like her glasses don't really suit her, for some reason. It's like she

doesn't really need them, or something. I don't understand it myself. I also thought that we'd met somewhere before, but that was probably just a misunderstanding."

"Well, perhaps that was just your imagination, Kushida? I mean, Sakura is pretty far from being stylish, right? I mean, so am I, but she even chooses clothes with plain colors so she stands out as little as possible."

"Yeah, there's that. I don't think that she's concerned with fashion or anything. But I wonder why?"

Back when her camera fell and Sakura had bent down to pick it up, I'd seen her glasses from the side. Something about them had struck me as being out of place.

"I felt like there's something a little off, like she's wearing fake glasses."

"Huh? Sakura-san wears fake glasses? But she said that her eyesight was really bad…"

"Although real glasses and fake ones appear similar at first glance, there is definitely a difference between them. Real glasses show some distortion on the lenses. There wasn't any distortion on Sakura's glasses. At first, I thought that there was definitely some link between those fake glasses and Sakura's fashion sense, but then I found myself puzzled over something she said today."

"Appearing fashionable with glasses? Hmm, that doesn't sound normal."

If she wanted to liven up her appearance with decorative items, she should have bought other clothes or make-up.

"Or maybe it's to cover up some kind of complex? Like how someone thinks they'll appear intelligent by putting on glasses?"

"There's that. Wearing glasses does make you look smart."

"In Sakura's case, though, she probably wears them because she doesn't want others to see her true self. She's always slouching and won't look people in the eye. I doubt it's simply because she dislikes other people."

I felt like there was some hidden way to get over that wall. Something. "I knew it was right to bring you along, Ayanokouji-kun. I feel like

you're very observant of people."

I was a little embarrassed. The best part of interacting with Kushida was how we were able to connect and converse naturally. People who didn't know how to get closer to another person would bungle and compromise until they got to a point where they just gave up.

"So then—"

Just as I was about to continue the conversation with Kushida, my phone buzzed. I checked the caller ID without Kushida knowing. If it were Ike or Yamauchi, I'd call them back later. But if it were Horikita…I'd have to think about it. That's what I was prepared for, but…

The name on the screen read "Sakura."

"I'm sorry, Kushida. Can I call you back in a bit?" "Oh, sure. Sorry for talking so long."

Though there was a heavy regret in those parting words, I didn't have

the time to address it. I answered Sakura's call before it cut out. After pressing the call button, I waited several seconds, but the line remained silent.

"Um… Hello. This is Sakura…" "This is Ayanokouji."

Even though we'd exchanged contact information, I found it a little

strange that she'd called me. Even when I formally exchanged contact information with someone, nine times out of ten I wouldn't get a call.

"Thank you for coming out with me today," Sakura said.

"Oh, no problem. It wasn't really a big deal. Don't worry about it. You shouldn't fuss so much and keep thanking me."

"Okay…"

Silence followed, but it wasn't Sakura's fault. I didn't really know how to respond to her. I thought of how Kushida took the lead in our conversation. Still, I had to do my best on this call.

"What's the matter?" "Umm…"

More silence. What should I do? Please, Hirata. Teach me.

"What were you…thinking about?"

Sakura asked me a rather ambiguous question. What was I thinking about? She likely didn't want to know my thoughts on how cute Kushida looked in casual clothing, or how exceptionally interesting I found Sakura herself. I had no idea what Sakura was expecting.

"Did something happen?" I asked.

Something about the emotion behind her words made me uneasy, so I cast a verbal line to see if I could reel in anything else. However, the line tautened and snapped as soon as it touched water.

"I'm sorry, it's nothing. Goodnight."

Sakura ended the call without even giving me a chance to reply. No "please wait" or "hold on." I thought about calling her back, but I couldn't understand why I'd failed in our conversation. I thought about it carefully while washing my face. I'd spent about 10 minutes talking with Kushida, but

during that time, there weren't any signs that Sakura had tried to call or left messages.

Perhaps Sakura had planned on calling Kushida after talking to me? I had a hard time imagining that. Normally when you had to call two people, the first person you'd call would be the one you knew better. In this case, I was the only person she could call and see, so I was the reasonable choice. Just to be sure though, I went ahead and sent a chat message to Kushida and asked her if she had heard from Sakura.

A few minutes later, Kushida confirmed that she hadn't heard back from Sakura. Just as I'd thought.

"I was asked to invite you as well, Ayanokouji-kun. Did you talk to Sakura-san?"

When I'd met Kushida that morning, she'd said something like that. Because Sakura got really nervous when she was alone with Kushida, I had thought she'd just invited someone else who was suitable for the task, but… was it not like that? Aside from a crazy dream like it being love at first sight, was there some reason I had been chosen to go? I remembered something I'd felt while talking with Sakura today.

Sakura and Kushida struck up most of the conversations, but I'd broached a topic. Namely, the clerk at the store who'd helped with the repair order. I hadn't brought up anything else. What if that's what she'd meant when she asked, "What were you thinking about?"

All of the puzzle pieces I'd collected were too small, and too few. I was able to conjure up several scenarios and speculations, but they all lacked credibility. I didn't have enough information to come to a definitive decision.

Normally I'd have thought that asking around at school would be fine, but in Sakura's case, things wouldn't be so simple. If I just went up and started talking to Sakura, who normally didn't talk to anyone, it would make her stand out. She wouldn't like that. I prayed that the anxieties I'd developed over the phone call were unfounded, and decided to get ready for bed.