“*Huff, huff...*”
In front of me, Ichikawa was panting heavily.
“Um, did you run here...?”
“I did, but...”
I still couldn’t process it. Why was Ichikawa here instead of Sako?
I mean.
“Ichikawa, didn’t you leave already?”
When I asked that, Ichikawa made a grumpy face and thrust out her right hand.
“Take this!”
“Hmm...?”
Looking down, I saw the drumsticks I had forgotten at the studio gripped in her hand.
“I waited in the studio forever thinking you’d come back for these, but Konuma-kun just went home on his own!”
“Ah, no, I thought you had already left...”
To be honest, I had completely forgotten about the sticks.
“Then you could have just sent me a LINE or something!”
“Huh...?”
Couldn't Ichikawa have done the same thing...?
“Besides, the atmosphere wasn't exactly right for that...”
“Konuma-kun is the one who made it so we couldn't do that!”
As Ichikawa glared at me with puffed-out cheeks, I scratched my cheek, realizing she was right.
“...Um, thanks for the sticks.”
“Yeah, it’s fine... here, take them.”
“Thanks...”
When I changed my attitude, Ichikawa seemed to tone it down as well, handing the sticks over quite obediently. In contrast, I felt embarrassed by how awkward my own movements were as I took them.
“U-um...”
“Sako-san isn't coming.”
Ichikawa anticipated what I was going to say and slowly shook her head.
“Why?”
“I took those sticks from Sako-san.”
“...I see.”
I didn't quite understand the circumstances that led to that, but for now, the message 'Make up already, you idiot Takuto' came through loud and clear.
Feeling the weight of the sticks, I carefully put them in my bag.
Alright.
“...Hey, Ichikawa.”
“...Hey, Konuma-kun.”
Despite finally gathering the courage to speak, our voices overlapped.
““Ah, go ahead.””
We harmonized again.
What is this? This is embarrassing...
Looking over, Ichikawa was mumble-mouthing with her cheeks flushed.
“Um, well, Ichikawa?”
...Good, we didn't overlap that time.
“W-what is it?”
“About... about this whole thing...”
“Y-yeah...”
“I... I still can't apologize.”
“...Eh?”
Ichikawa’s expression turned stern.
“What do you mean by that...?”
“How do I put it? I kind of understand that I'm probably the one at fault, but I don't really know *why* I'm at fault, or why things ended up like this.”
“Haa...”
As Ichikawa looked at me with an exasperated, yet somewhat deflated expression, I continued.
“I’ve been thinking about it since yesterday. I’ve been scolded and lectured by various people, but even so, I still can’t find an answer.”
I can't apologize, but at the very least, I decided to explain myself thoroughly to avoid any misunderstandings.
“Um, so. The 'fuzziness' started when Ichikawa tried to take a weird route to the studio to avoid meeting Tokugawa...-san. After that, I felt fuzzy for a while. Azuma warned me, and Erina-san warned me too—well, maybe she was just teasing me... Anyway, even though everyone around me was saying things, I didn't know what they meant. Well, I still don't really know now. But yesterday after school, when I heard Ichikawa was called out by Tokugawa-san, and when I heard that Tokugawa-san and Ichikawa would be using the Rock Club studio together, I just snapped, or rather, the fuzziness exploded... Wait, was that just yesterday? I haven't slept much, so it feels like it was a long time ago... And well, as I stood here waiting for Sako, I came up with a hypothesis, and it seems the most likely, but my reasoning isn't solid yet... Uh, Ichikawa?”
I became anxious because there was no reaction after my long explanation, so I looked up.
In front of me, Ichikawa was smiling happily.
“...What are you laughing at?”
“Nothing?”
I couldn't help but frown.
“Were you thinking that much about... that?”
“I told you I was...”
“Even with those dark circles under your eyes?”
As Ichikawa leaned her face in close, I instinctively covered my eyes with my hand. What is this? Is she a girl from a manga who blushes and says, '...Don't stare at me,' when she's seen without makeup at a training camp? (An imaginary creature).
“No, this is just a byproduct, it’s not like my goal was to get dark circles...”
“Ahaha, of course it wasn't.”
After Ichikawa smiled gently, she spoke.
“About the business with Tokugawa-senpai.”
She clasped her hands behind her back and suddenly started talking about the core of the issue.
“O-oh...”
In response, I braced myself so hard it was almost comical, waiting for her words.
“He confessed to me again.”
The moment I heard those words, it felt like my heart was being squeezed.
I knew it, as I thought...?
“A-a-and then...?”
Don't stutter, damn it... While being exasperated with myself, I searched Ichikawa’s expression.
“I turned him down.”
For a moment, I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Why was that...?”
“Why, you ask...”
Ichikawa caught her breath, as if gathering her resolve.
“P-probably, because I have the same feelings as Konuma-kun, I think...”
With her face bright red and her eyes moist, Ichikawa said it anyway.
“I see...”
“...Yeah.”
In a tree somewhere nearby, an out-of-season evening cicada was chirping *kana-kana*.
“As I thought, I felt that way too...”
“That way...?”
Ichikawa peered into my face with expectant eyes.
Yeah. I thought that might be the case.
“...You thought that during this important time right before the school festival, we shouldn't be indulging in romance, didn't you?”
“.........................Huh?”
Ichikawa’s face suddenly changed to one of suspicion.
She seemed quite shaken. Her eyes widened in shock, then her face turned bright red as if in indignation, and then she let out a sigh of exasperation until finally, all emotion vanished from her expression.
“Um, Ichikawa-san...?”
“Sako-san, I’m sorry, I was wrong...”
She bowed lightly toward the direction of the school and let out another massive sigh.
She crossed her arms and looked up at me.
“So... that's what Konuma-kun's 'feelings' are...?”
Ichikawa raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah... uh-huh.”
...I'm sorry, Ichikawa.
“Being confessed to at such an important time, worrying about it, taking up time—Ichikawa, your emotions are easily swayed, so it might affect your performance, right? That's why I thought it wasn't the time to be responding to that... Ichikawa?”
The beautiful girl was looking at me with picture-perfect scornful eyes.
“...Even though you're getting along with all sorts of girls yourself.”
“Excuse me...?”
Ichikawa glared at me.
“Then, I suppose Konuma-san, who went home so early yesterday, made great progress with his practice?”
She leaned her face in close again.
“N-no, I didn't make much progress...”
“Oh my? Why is that? I feel like there’s a contradiction in what you’re saying?”
“No, that's because,”
She’s too close... unable to bear the sudden pounding of my heart while looking away, I blurted out the next words without thinking.
“It's because I was thinking about Ichikawa!”
“~~~~~~!”
Ichikawa let out a soundless cry as her cheeks turned red.
“Konuma-kun, that's exactly the problem with you!”
“What problem...?”
“You say things like that to anyone and everyone, that's why you're you, Konuma-kun!”
“What...?”
She looked at me with her cheeks slightly puffed out.
“...Well, I've realized that Konuma-kun is the kind of person with zero sense of romance who tells people not to confess before a school festival.”
“It’s not about romance...”
I mean, you were the one who said you felt the same way...
“...Then, well.”
Ichikawa asked softly while looking up at me.
“What about on the day?”
“The... the day...?”
At the sudden captivating expression she showed me, I found myself at a loss for words. While I was flustered, Ichikawa took a small breath and nodded to herself.
“I've decided.”
“On what...?”
Leaving me behind as I was confused by the rapid change in topic, Ichikawa took a deep breath.
“No matter what happens, I will sing the new song at the school festival.”
“...I see.”
However, her expression was exactly that of the singer-songwriter I had once admired.
As expected, amane is cool, I thought, as a strange sense of deep emotion welled up. Even though I’m so pathetic.
Looking up at the sunset sky, I let out a little laugh.
“Here.”
Ichikawa held out her right hand.
“Hmm?”
“A handshake to make up.”
“Oh...”
I gently shook her hand back.
At that moment.
“Wait...!?”
My right hand was pulled hard.
Ichikawa’s lips came so close to my ear they almost touched.
“So, be prepared for the school festival, okay?”