Chapter 28: 2.2

Shiina’s PoV

 

I left my house and walked to a park a short distance away. There, I found Kirishima-san sitting on a bench under the shade.

 

She was wearing a short-sleeved shirt, her club’s uniform. There was a towel draped around her neck.

 

“Mai-chan!~ You look cute today too! Yay~”

 

When she noticed me, she raised her hand in high spirits.

 

“Y-Yay?”

 

I followed suit and raised a hand. In response, she immediately clapped my hand with hers. It seemed I made the right response. It was the first time that I had ever done a high-five. Somehow, it felt moving.

 

She, then, patted the empty space next to her. I obediently sat there.

 

Seeing her up close like this, I realized once again that she was really pretty and stylish.

 

She had a large pair of breasts, thin legs and waist. Overall, she beat me in every aspect.

 

Her personality was bright, cheerful and kind. I wanted to be someone like her.

 

“It’s another hot day, today. Ah, don’t get too close to me, I’m covered in sweat, so I don’t think I’ll smell that good.”

“Ah, sorry…”

 

I was trying to sneak closer to her, but it seemed like she noticed it.

 

She gulped the cider she bought from the vending machine. How should I put it? She looked a little erotic? …Wait, what the hell was I thinking? Calm down! (T/N: Cider here is a brand of lemonade, not alcohol.)

 

Anyway, why did she call me out here?

 

Maybe she just wanted to see me? If that so, that would be blissful for me. Hehe~

 

“I want to talk about the schedule for watching the movie. I know we could talk it over the phone, but since I was nearby anyway, I figured I could just call you out instead. Sorry if it inconveniences you!”

“N-No, not at all!”

 

She clapped her hands together with an apologetic look. I shook my head in response.

 

After that, we checked on the movie’s schedule and decided on a date.

 

Since Shindou-san and I were free during the vacation, we only needed to adjust to Kirishima-san’s schedule. After figuring out the days when she didn’t have her club activities, we decided on a date easily. I’m really looking forward to the day.

 

When I was thinking about the movie, I noticed Kirishima-san smiling happily while looking at her phone.

 

I tilted my head in confusion. Noticing that, she apologized to me before showing me her phone screen.

 

It was a RINE from Godou.

 

“So I tried to invite him to watch the movie. Surprisingly, he said that he was interested.”

 

…That means Godou will be coming too? Oh no, what should I wear then? I couldn’t wear the same dress I used the other day, could I? I should wear some cute clothes.

 

I started racking my brain, but suddenly Godou’s next response came and doused all my excitement.

 

[Ah, but I have a shift on that day.]

 

“Oh, jeez.”

 

Seeing that, Kirishima-san looked totally unamused.

 

I understood her. I was a fool for being so happy. My shoulders slumped.

 

After that, both of them tried to work on a schedule.

 

“Ngh… I don’t think this will work out. Let’s just go with the three of us.”

 

That was the end result. It seemed like everyone was quite busy during the summer vacation.

 

But still, those two communicated casually like this all the time, huh?

 

…How envious. The figures of both of them walking together came to mind.

 

They were perfect for each other. Anyone could see that Kirishima-san was so pretty that one could mistake her as an idol easily. Meanwhile Godou, although I hated to admit it, he was the coolest guy in this world.

 

Moreover, they had known each other since their childhood.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

As I was deep into my thoughts, Kirishima-san called out to me.

 

“N-Nothing. I-It’s just, you and Godou seem to be getting along really well, Kirishima-san.”

“…From my perspective, you get along better with him, though.”

 

Me and him? Was that really the case?

 

It was true that we got closer than before ever since we reconciled, but our relationship was incomparable to his relationship with Kirishima-san. I mean, we argued a lot still.

 

“…Mai-chan, what do you think of Godou?”

“Eh?…”

 

I couldn’t come up with an answer.

 

What do I think of him?

 

Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t even know why I don’t know.

 

Back in our previous lives, we were enemies, but now we’re friends.

 

He was the one who saved me.

He taught me what happiness looked like.

 

He was my hero.

 

Whenever I was with him, I felt nervous, but at the same time, I felt happy. Whenever I looked at him, I realized that he was the coolest guy in the world. Whenever he found me doing something silly, even though he would laugh at me, his smile made me very happy.

 

Words couldn’t describe the feelings I had toward him.

 

But it seemed like Kirishima-san understood my feelings.

 

“Mai-chan, you look like a maiden-in-love, do you know that?”

“Eh?…”

 

I froze for a moment, not knowing what she meant by that.

 

Then, she pulled out a hand mirror and pointed it at me.

 

The mirror reflected my face, which was bright red from the base of my neck to the tips of my ears.

 

…It was exactly the kind of expression a heroine would make whenever she was thinking about the hero.

 

“You love Godou, don’t you?”

 

When she asked me without any pretense like that, I couldn’t make any excuse to deny it.

 

All this time, I pretended not to notice what this feeling was.

 

Even though I knew what exactly this feeling was. The feeling that had been occupying my heart.

 

The feeling of wanting to meet him, the feeling of yearning for his touch.

 

I wanted him to hold me close, to kiss me with his lips again…

 

I wanted to be his lover.

 

When Kirishima-san confronted me boldly like that, the chain that had been keeping this feeling in check broke down to pieces. With that, realization came to me.

 

I’m disappointed in myself.

 

I couldn’t admit this feeling.

 

If I were to do it, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.

 

Because Godou asked me to be his friend.

 

He reached out to me to start a new relationship with me. A relationship filled with warmth.

 

If I were to ask for something more, I would be betraying him.

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Godou wouldn’t say anything, but I knew that he’d be annoyed if he were to know about my feelings. That was why, it would be better for me to keep this feeling to myself.

 

“I don’t…”

 

So I shook my head and denied my feelings. That was the only option available to me.

 

“There’s no way that I’d fall in love with him…”

 

When I said that, Kirishima-san shut her mouth for a long time.

 

My gaze was facing downward, so I didn’t know what kind of face she was making.

 

She probably felt uncomfortable since my tone came off strongly.

 

“…I see. Sorry for asking you a strange question.”

 

She apologized in a low voice.

 

“Me too. Sorry, I didn’t mean to deny it strongly like that…”

“No, don’t be. I’m at fault here. Prying into people’s feelings is just the worst thing someone could do…”

 

Kirishima-san’s cheerful atmosphere was gone.

 

I wanted to cheer her up, but with my lack of social skills, I didn’t know how to.

 

That was why I apologized to her, thinking that it’d make her feel better. But, her cheerful smile never returned.

 

“…Alright, that’s all. See you at the theater, okay?”

 

She smiled weakly and walked away.

 

I couldn’t say anything to stop her.

 

*   *   *

 

Godou’s PoV

 

By the time I finished my part-time job, the sun had already set.

 

It was 8pm, but it seemed like it didn’t want to linger around any longer, even though it was supposed to be the summer sun.

 

A cool breeze ruffled my hair. Only on summer nights like this would I appreciate the strength of Gunma’s wind. Unlike on summer days where it only made the day hotter as it blew the hot air around, on summer nights it blew the cool breeze around.

 

I was holding a leaflet in my hand, a notice for the upcoming firework festival. A while ago, right before I left the store, Kawasaki gave it to me.

 

Maebashi Firework Festival. They held it every year in Shikishima Park and I always went to see it together with Hina. It would take me twenty minutes by bike to get there from my house and thirty minutes by bike to get there from Shiina’s place.

 

They will hold it next Saturday, August 13th.

 

It was a perfect excuse to ask Shiina for a date.

 

Even though I saw her just the other day during the pool trip, I couldn’t wait to see her again.

 

During this summer vacation, I didn’t get to see her much.

 

Well, I saw her occasionally because I had to treat her curse, but that wasn’t enough.

 

I wanted to see her everyday if possible.

 

I miss school.

 

…I said that, but I’d probably be embarrassed if I were to be with her on our own.

 

“A-Alright…”

 

I took out my phone and opened up my RINE. I opened my chat screen with Shiina.

 

Now, how should I invite her? Should I just drop the subject without beating around the bush? It was the first time I’ve ever felt conflicted when trying to send her a message. Usually, I’d just state my business clearly.

 

Even after racking my brain for a while, I failed to find a way to ask her out. You know what? Whatever, I should just call her.

 

I let momentum carry me and called her. Almost immediately, she answered my call.

 

“H-Heya.”

{…Hello. What’s wrong?}

 

Her calm voice reached my ears.

 

“I just want to ask you something. Are you free next saturday?”

{Next saturday? Well, yeah. Actually, I’m always free.}

“Ah, I-I see…”

 

I didn’t know how to feel after hearing that response.

 

Anyway, I should cut to the case.

 

“If you’re free, let’s go to the firework festival together.”

{Firework festival? …Ah, come to think of it, it’s that time of the year already.}

 

Muttered Shiina. After that, there was a short silence.

 

Was she still contemplating? Was the thought about being in the crowds intimidating her?

 

The few seconds of silence felt longer than it actually was.

 

{Who else are you inviting?}

 

It took a bit of courage for me to answer her question.

 

“…No one. I want to go with you only.”

 

Will she realize the meaning of those words?

 

She probably won’t. I mean, this was Shiina, someone who had communication disorder.

 

Perhaps because I felt really nervous, I felt unusually thirsty. I sipped the tea in my hand.

 

{Only us two? …A-Are you asking me out on a date?!}

 

I almost spit out my tea.

 

Contrary to my expectations, she realized it almost immediately.

 

“W-Well, you could put it that way…”

 

I couldn’t think of a proper response. My state of mind was in chaos.

 

{O-Okay… S-Sorry, I misunderstood your intentions…}

 

She apologized for some reason. Even though she didn’t misunderstand anything.

 

I really was asking her out on a date. I wanted to be with her.

 

I wanted to say those words to her so badly, but I could only give ambiguous affirmation to her words.

 

{I-I see it’s all good then… A-Alright, I’ll go with you…}

“O-Okay.”

 

It was great that she agreed to go with me, but part of her words gave me a sense of discomfort.

 

Sadly, I didn’t have enough courage to point it out.

 

After that, we decided on the time and place for us to meet up and said goodbyes to each other.

 

“Alright, see you later.”

{I’m looking forward to it.}

 

Shiina’s voice, which had been sounding so happy, suddenly turned monotonous.

 

{We’ll be staying as friends, right?}

 

It felt like I was being stabbed by countless nails.

 

But this was Shiina, there was no way she’d use that roundabout way to reject my advances.

 

I still have a chance. For sure.

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