Chapter 43: On the Way Home
Anyway, thanks to Kagetora-san and Sho, we finally have a plan for the festival booth!
Tomorrow, when we have our class discussion, I'll suggest a hamburger shop!
The two of us head toward Toko Station, chatting about the festival booth.
"It'll definitely taste great! What about the costumes?" While getting excited together, we make sure not to get too close and keep a proper distance as we walk home.
After walking for a while, we arrive at Toko Station, the nearest station.
Right there is Toko High School, where Sho and Kureha-san go.
I'm taking the down platform toward Shinkawa. Nagase-san is heading toward the terminal station, so she takes the up platform.
Since we're going in opposite directions, we part ways at the platform.
We wait for our trains in spots where we can see each other from the facing platforms.
Since Nagase-san's house is close to the school, we usually split up at the intersection on the way to the nearest station after leaving school. This way of saying goodbye is rare.
After a little while, my train comes, and as I get on, Nagase-san keeps waving her hand from the other platform, getting smaller in the distance.
She keeps waving and waving, so a nearby high school boy says,
"That girl is super cute!"
"Is she waving at me?"
"I should wave back at her!"
I can't help but think that Nagase Aya really stands out as a girl.
I wave back at her from the train window, and after the train leaves and I can't see her anymore, I stop waving and feel a bit lonely.
Piron, a LINE message comes in.
Nagase
Today was really fun!
It almost felt like a date, so I was happy.
Parting ways at the platform feels kind of lonely, doesn't it?
While I'm thinking about that,
Kousuke
I'm glad we were able to make progress on the festival booth!
I'm looking forward to the festival booth.
I intentionally change the subject.
After all, I have Yukari-san.
The distance between me and Nagase-san won't get any closer than this, and I can't let it.
I haven't confessed, and she hasn't either. This distance is difficult.
I sigh, thinking about the distance between me and the now out-of-sight Nagase-san.
"Haa."
Obata: "Hey, don't just sigh. Don't ignore me, okay?"
"Whoa?!"
Whoa! Obata-san?!
See Chapter 28: Right Before the New Term
Chika Obata, the smart glasses girl who was the class president back in middle school.
A tall beauty. A trustworthy female friend, and also someone's girlfriend.
Obata: "You came in right in front of me, but didn't respond when I waved, just kept waving at that girl on the other platform... Kousuke-kun, you've changed, lol."
She teases me with a grin.
Stop that!
"It's not like that."
Obata: "Wasn't it Tomonaga-san at Toko Station the other day? This is a different girl, right? Two-timing?"
That's a terrible thing to say—people will get the wrong idea.
"...Excuse me, I was at OreKare for the cultural festival booth."
Sho's part-time job. Do you know it?
When I say OreKare, Obata-san gives a little jump.
Obata: "Hearing you say 'OreKare' out loud, Kousuke-kun..."
She starts mumbling something—she was called the queen of our generation for her brilliance.
Obata: "Kousuke × Sho? Or maybe Kousuke × Tanaka is a possibility...!"
She keeps mumbling; she seems to have a dark side.
*By the way, Obata-san is a fujoshi, but Kousuke doesn't know this.*
She coolly adjusts her glasses like nothing happened and says,
Obata: "Well, if you have the energy to juggle two girls, that's good."
"...I'm not two-timing anyone."
Obata: "But, the cultural festival, huh? It's that time for us too... Last year was so much fun."
*She's talking about falling for the class president in the main story. Last year at the cultural festival, Kousuke and Obata-san's group had a fierce battle with their best friend Sho and Kashii-san.*
We reminisce about last year's festival and get excited talking about the cultural festivals at each other's schools!
The train arrives at Shinkawa Station, and we get off together and part ways at the station.
Obata: "Kousuke-kun, you're not as good at handling things as you think you are, okay? Don't push yourself. Also, you should try making a new, trustworthy girlfriend."
With a softer smile than she used to have, Chika Obata leaves, saying "Fufu!"
Don't act like you know everything!
Still, that glasses girl is someone I can trust. Thinking she's probably right, I head home.
A trustworthy girlfriend... The one who comes to mind, after all, is Yukari-san.
I really do have feelings for Yukari-san...!
☆ ☆ ☆
Meanwhile, Yukari-san.
"...My friends signed me up without asking... No, it's true!"
Just now, she found out from Osada that she'd be entering the beauty contest, and, almost in tears, is filming her comments for the documentary.
Tanaka: "...So friends really do sign people up without asking? I always thought people did it themselves and then claimed 'my friends did it!' to look more innocent...!"
"That's what I thought too! If someone else really signed you up, you could just not enter, right? But, but, if I back out, Osada-san will... end me!"
Yukari's escape route was cut off.