Three days until release!!
A twenty-minute run. I finally arrived at the apartment where Ryūya lives.
I pressed the room number at the entrance, and the call bell rang.
Wait a few seconds.
Click—.
That guy, he hung up on me...!
I buzzed again.
Click—.
Again.
Click—.
I didn't give up.
Click—.
I buzzed persistently.
“You're annoying!”
“Oh, you finally picked up.”
What do you know, he sounds energetic enough.
“Open up. I came to talk.”
“No.”
“I'll keep ringing this annoying chime forever if I have to.”
“I'll call the police on you for being a suspicious person.”
“Then I'll spam your phone with calls.”
“I'll block you.”
“Then I'll climb up the side of the building.”
“That's trespassing?!”
“Who cares! Just hurry up and show your face! This is a conversation between you and me!”
Don't make me lose my cool, damn it!
“…………”
“...Hey, don't go silent on me? That really does make me a suspicious person.”
“…………”
“Hey, I'm gonna cry. I'm gonna wail.”
“That's genuinely annoying, so stop it.”
Good. He hadn't hung up.
Then, the auto-lock door finally opened.
“*Sigh*... come on up.”
“Got it.”
I rushed inside before the door closed and ran up the stairs to Ryūya's room.
Ah, damn it. My stamina has dropped. I really need to do some rehab.
I ran up and somehow made it.
My heart was pounding like a bell.
Ugh, I feel like I'm gonna barf. I feel sick.
“Seriously... you're supposed to be in school right now. Why are you here?”
“*Wheeze*, *gasp*. *Ugh*... Ry-Ryūya...”
Perhaps having resigned himself, Ryūya was standing at the entrance with a wry smile.
He looked perfectly healthy. As I thought, the poor physical condition was a lie.
“I-I won't let you... escape... *wheeze*, *gasp*... Behave...!”
“I'm not escaping. ...First, come inside.”
Prompted by Ryūya, I entered the room.
The air conditioning was on, which was perfect for cooling down my heated body.
When I sat in a chair, a glass of barley tea was placed in front of me.
I drank one glass, then two, then three, and finally caught my breath.
“Phew... Okay, Ryūya.”
“Yeah, I know. I got a message from Nei earlier... We should talk—”
“First, let me punch you.”
“Stay!!”
Huh? What, are you begging for your life?
“I won't listen to pleas for mercy.”
“Listen! Didn't you come here to talk?!”
“That was the plan, but seeing your face just made me feel irritated.”
“Uoooooooo! I'm not gonna die like thissssss!!”
Ryūya grabbed my hands, trying to push me back.
Ryūya is taller, but I'm stronger. When I gripped his hands with all my might, he easily fell to his knees.
“Oh ho. Don't underestimate a 90kg grip strength.”
“Ugyaaaaaaaa! Ogre! Demon! Gorilla!”
“Who are you calling a gorilla, hey?”
Good grief... it can't be helped. Since I got to see a wailing Ryūya, I'll forgive him with just this much.
I let go of Ryūya's hands and sat back in the chair.
However, Ryūya was in a half-crying state from the pain.
“What are you doing? We're talking, so sit down.”
“You bastard... I'll make you cry one day...!”
“Hmph, I haven't fallen so low as to be made to cry by you.”
“…………”
“”*Pfft*. Ahahahaha!””
Ah, damn. We just burst out laughing.
“What's this? You're the same as always.”
“I told you, I'm the same as always. It's just, well, I haven't been able to sort out my feelings.”
“Sort out your feelings?”
Ryūya sat across from me and looked away awkwardly.
“Look, even if it was an accident, that thing happened. I feel responsible... even if Akito says he forgives me, I can't forgive myself...”
“Are you an idiot? No, you've always been an idiot.”
“Wh-! I'm seriously reflecting here!”
“I'm saying that itself is idiotic. Are you really such a virtuous guy?”
Good grief, what is it? Just that?
“Saying you can't forgive yourself, you're just drunk on your own words.”
“You... let me ask you instead, Akito, don't you feel anything? You went through a terrible time because of me.”
“Not really.”
“What do you mean 'not really'!”
Eh, could it be you haven't noticed?
“Riran's and my lives were semi-forcibly decided because of the trouble between you and Neika. I don't regret it, but compared to that, this is a trivial matter.”
“I am truly sorry for that incident.”
Oh, a genuine dogeza from Ryūya. This is rare. I should take a picture.
“Besides, the relationship between me and Ryūya—it's ridiculous for one of us to be all reserved. We're the kind of pair that fools around together, laughs together, and when Ryūya says something stupid, I give the retort. That kind of relationship is just right.”
“Is it certain that I'll say something stupid?”
“Do you have the confidence not to?”
“...I don't.”
“See.”
This guy doesn't understand himself at all.
“I'll say it as many times as it takes. There's absolutely nothing for you to worry about. That's all.”
“...*Sigh*...”
“What's with the sigh?”
“No, I just suddenly lost all my tension.”
“Well, that's good. You were overthinking things way too much.”
I lightly tapped Ryūya's head.
Exhaustion must have hit him all at once, as he slumped over the desk and melted like a slime.
Immediately after.
“Hey! Akky!”
“Ah, Neika.”
“Oh, Nei.”
Neika, who had followed me, burst into the room.
She entered and glared back and forth between me and Ryūya.
Then, her face suddenly turned into one of confusion.
“A-Are? Where's the bloodshed? Where's the fistfight?”
“”We're not doing that.””
“Wh-What... Rira was so desperate, I thought for sure...”
Sorry for my Riran causing a misunderstanding.
“...From the looks of it, is the talk over?”
“Yep, yep! It's all perfect now!”
“Sorry, Neika. For making you worry.”
“...U-Waaaaah! You idiots, idiots, idiots! I was really worried about both of you!”
“Wait, Neika-san, real punching—*ogheb*?!”
“Ne-Nei, calm do—*pugera*?!”
Ryūya and I were knocked out before Neika.
We managed to avoid a fight between ourselves, only for this to happen!