Chapter 32: I Want to Go to the Aquarium [side Yukari Tomonaga]
After joining the top clique girls' group, I was made to wear a messy black wig and live my life with a mask on under the pretense of infection prevention.
Osada-san "Don't stand out too much, okay?"
"Yes!"
I'm just a peripheral member on the edge of Osada-san's flashy group in the top clique.
Osada-san "I want a café au lait..."
jara
The sound of coins coming out?
!!
"Yes! Shall I go get it?"
Osada-san "Huh? Yukaricchi, you don't have to do that kind of thing, okay? More importantly, don't draw attention to yourself."
"Yes!"
Osada-san "Ah—sorry? Could you go buy it?"
The nondescript boy in class gets sent on errands...
I'm not used to this... Is this what life is like for top clique girls?
Tense, messy, nerve-wracking, and anxious.
Ever since the new semester started, that's been my life.
Second week of September.
My diet's going well, from 61kg down to 58kg!
Just a little more, just a little more to reach my initial goal of a healthy 55kg...
My final goal is the beauty weight of 50kg... The time limit is until November.
I'm at my absolute limit too.
Thanks to Kousuke-kun cheering me on every day,
Because he supports me when I lean on him, complain, or need someone to listen, I'm just barely getting by.
On days off, my body is sore and I end up just walking or doing a light routine, but when I grumble, Kousuke-kun comes to see me.
Kousuke "...Can't be helped..."
He says stuff like that and comes all the way to my nearest station, even though it's one stop away!
He doesn't say sweet things, and he doesn't talk much.
Kousuke "...Tomonaga-san, you're working really hard... Don't push yourself too much, okay?"
He smiles at me when he says that.
For myself, for Kousuke-kun, who's working hard together with me, and for everyone in the film club, starting with Tanaka-kun, who's helping me out, I want to succeed at my diet and finish the documentary...!
...What will happen once it's done?
If I succeed at my diet and finish the documentary, what will happen then?
Will I get back at Kuzu-kun and Mishima-san?
Become slim and beautiful?
Then what?
Maybe it's because I'm so preoccupied with dieting, but none of it makes sense to me.
Every day, Kousuke-kun is there, encouraging me, chatting on LINE, working hard with me... I can't stop thinking about him.
He's also the one who saw me at my absolute worst, at my lowest point.
I... want to show everyone how far I've come, but at the same time, the feeling that I want Kousuke-kun to notice me is growing...!
Is this growth or is it just greed?
I don't know, but I've started thinking about what might be waiting for me on the other side of dieting success!
I made up my mind and decided to take a step forward.
I wonder if we can go out again?
It's almost the weekend, Friday after school!
I waited until after club activities and then asked Kousuke-kun!
"Kousuke-kun! Sunday!"
Kousuke "...Huh? What about Sunday?"
"On Sunday, do you want to go out? My diet has gotten kinda rough... I need a change of pace..."
Kousuke "...A change of pace?"
"The aquarium! I want to go to the aquarium!"
I squeeze my eyes shut and silently wish while asking Kousuke-kun!
Kousuke-kun looks like he's thinking it over?
He always agrees right away and comes with me, doesn't he?
But Kousuke-kun looks apologetic,
Kousuke "...Sorry, I have plans on Sunday..."
"Oh, I figured... Sorry for asking so suddenly! ...I guess I was getting ahead of myself... haha."
Kousuke-kun still looks apologetic,
Kousuke "...Yeah, but... leave it to me, okay?"
Second Sunday of September.
In front of the aquarium.
Airi "What?! Kousuke-kun invited me to the aquarium on Sunday...? That's why I came, you know?"
Airi-senpai looks super put-together and so cute I can't help but stare.
She's got on a fall dress with a beret, totally the refined lady style!
I thought maybe, just maybe, Kousuke-kun might come too.
I showed up in a thin knit cardigan and a pale green plaid two-piece dress, barely pulling it off at my current weight, waiting...
"...I set up a substitute, so forget the diet and just have fun."
That's what the LINE message said, and then Airi-senpai arrived!
Airi-senpai was holding two envelopes and told me to open them once we got there.
Two aquarium tickets...
The other envelope is supposed to be opened when we leave the aquarium.
I used my diet stress as an excuse to go to the aquarium with Kousuke-kun,
But even Airi-senpai only came because Kousuke-kun invited her to the aquarium!
When I said that, Airi-senpai turned bright red and looked down,
Airi "...Last week, I... told Kousuke-kun, like, 'Ahh, I haven't been to the aquarium in forever, I really want to go!' totally on purpose... He just brushed it off at the time..."
Then on Friday night... he asked, 'How about the aquarium on Sunday?'
Kousuke-kun! Both of us wanted to go to the aquarium!
He couldn't make it, so he figured we should just go together!
Is that what this is?!
The two of us grumbled a bit about Kousuke-kun while we walked around.
We looked at the tanks—big sharks, schools of sardines, the dolphin show, sea otters.
We complained, but we still had fun together.
Yeah, it was fun!
The two of us pouted and enjoyed the aquarium to the fullest!
After thoroughly enjoying ourselves, the two of us took the bus back to the terminal station.
Airi "Oh, the other envelope...?"
Airi-senpai peeled it open.
"What did Kousuke-kun say?"
Airi-senpai showed me what was inside.
A meal voucher for the popular conveyor belt sushi place by the station...!
"After the aquarium? Sushi? Right after seeing all those pretty, adorable fish?"
Airi "..."
...Gulp.
I had sushi with Airi-senpai.
It was a free day for my diet, but I still felt really guilty about eating.