“And so, you ran away.”
“Yes...”
In a Kichijoji studio, Sako stood with her arms crossed while Ichikawa sat in a chair, looking pathetic.
After spotting Tokugawa-san—the person who had apparently confessed to Ichikawa in the past—in front of the school studio, we ended up doing a full U-turn and retreating to our classroom.
By the way, while the name Tokugawa might make one imagine a rather stout, Shogun-like figure, he was actually a fairly slim, but not scrawny, handsome guy. Rather than just calling him an ‘ikemen,’ it felt more accurate to say he was manly.
“Look, drumsticks are consumables and I have plenty of spares, so that's fine. But we can only dodge him for today. It’s physically impossible to keep avoiding him like that for the next year and a half until graduation.”
I let out a sigh as I spoke from the drum throne.
“Yes, you're right... Wait, am I being scolded about human relationships by Konuma-kun right now...?”
I’m not really scolding you. And isn't that a bit rude? Should I get mad?
...No, I won't. But I feel kind of restless. I wonder why?
“That person is a good man.”
Sako declared this with mysterious certainty.
“Sako, how do you know? Did you talk to that upperclassman?”
“No, he just joined my class. Apparently, he was in Class 4 last year, so he stayed in Class 4.”
“Oh, I see.”
Which meant Ichikawa was trying to avoid passing by Class 4 to get to the studio. Everything was clicking into place.
“Yeah, and since his seat ended up being next to mine, we talked a bit. He said he was a Rock Club member, so when I told him I was too, he asked who I was in a band with. When I mentioned Ichikawa-san and someone named Takuto Konuma—who he probably wouldn't know—he seemed genuinely happy, saying, ‘Amane-san was finally able to form a band.’”
Hee. Sako has that athletic-club vibe, so she’s surprisingly good at using honorifics with upperclassmen. Also, that ‘probably wouldn't know’ part was unnecessary. Though he probably doesn't.
“And then I remembered—ah, this is the person Ichikawa-san was talking about so proudly on the night of the summer camp.”
“I wasn't talking about him proudly!”
That must have been an important point for Ichikawa; she denied it strongly while flailing her arms.
“Yeah, I know.”
What do you mean, you know? You’re the one who said it first, Sako-san.
“Anyway, even from my perspective, I thought he was a good person. For the record, it’s pretty rare for me to think someone is a good person.”
“Is it?”
For some reason, Ichikawa turned toward me to ask.
“Hmm, well, yeah. Sako doesn't really go around hating people, but I've hardly ever heard her admit that someone is a ‘good person.’”
“Is that so... Hmmm...”
Ichikawa held her head in her hands.
“Also, we hit it off talking about Western music.”
“Heh...”
Well, I have no idea how much the other guy felt they had ‘hit it off’ from Sako's perspective...
“Ugh, I feel like I understand that he’s a good person too. It’s just that I haven't seen him since last year's camp, so it’s awkward...”
Since last year's camp? Ah, right, since schools abroad start in September, it sounds like he only participated in last year’s camp before heading over there.
Even if Ichikawa had accepted his confession, it would have been a long-distance relationship either way.
“A whole year has passed, and he was abroad for that entire time. He probably doesn't feel anything anymore.”
“...You think so?”
Ichikawa looked up with a faint glint of hope in her eyes.
“Yeah, normally. You're being self-conscious, Ichikawa-san.”
“...I guess so~”
And then Ichikawa got slightly grumpy after being told she was self-conscious.
“But Sako might be right. If you haven't talked for a year, those feelings usually fade away, don't they? Not that I’d know.”
As I nodded in agreement with Sako—
“...No, I might have been wrong.”
Sako countered in a low voice. ...What?
“If you can't talk for a whole year, you end up thinking about it all the more because of that silence, and there's a high chance your feelings grow larger. No, rather, I'm sure of it. I'm certain.”
Saying that, she glared sharply at me. What gives?
“Sako-san, don't say things that make me anxious...”
Ichikawa looked completely troubled.
“Anyway, why do you hate talking to him so much, Ichikawa-san?”
Sako (presumably) directed the question at Ichikawa.
“...When he confessed to me, I said something horrible without understanding anything.”
“Something horrible?”
Was she talking about the line she used to reject him?
“Um... ‘I’m sorry, I have issues with human distrust. Because of that, I can't form a band with anyone. I can't bring myself to fully trust you either’... Ugh, seriously...”
““Whoa...””
Sako and I spoke in unison.
Wouldn't a normal ‘I can't date anyone right now’ have sufficed? Was Ichikawa-san really that scary during her dark period?
“At that time, I hadn't experienced love yet, and I didn't understand what kind of resolve or feelings were involved... I just thought I had to tell the truth, and that was the result...”
Ichikawa covered her face with both hands as if she wanted to crawl into a hole.
Wait? I feel like there was a curious choice of words just now...
“But if that's the case, then all the more,”
Before my thoughts could sink into the depths, Sako whispered as if to advise her.
“You have to face it head-on without running away.”
She looked straight into Ichikawa’s eyes and told her.
“They are important feelings, right?”
She said it with a slight upward inflection.
“...Yeah, you're right.”
Ichikawa nodded firmly.
“In any case, I'll try to talk to him properly. Yes, that's what I should do.”
She said it repeatedly, as if confirming it to herself.
“...Well, it'll be seriously embarrassing if he doesn't feel anything anymore, though.”
“That's true!”
Sako added an unnecessary comment, nearly shaking Ichikawa’s resolve.
“Good luck.” “It'll be fine, it'll be fine.”
Sako and I cheered Ichikawa on in a monotone.
“Although ‘Do your best’ and ‘It’ll be okay’ are irresponsible, and there is little I can say...”
“Hey, you two are being totally irresponsible!”
“I hope you won't forget that there is at least one ally here for you.”
“Ahaha,” Sako laughed aloud, which was rare for her.
“No matter how much of a fool you make of yourself,”
She declared with a slight, mischievous smirk.
“There are at least two allies here for you.”
...Could I really be one of them?
I covered my slightly darkening heart with a forced smile.