On the way home from school, the two of us stepped out of Kichijoji Station together.
“W-What should we do...?”
“Y-Yeah, let’s see...”
Since it was Wednesday, the Dance Club should have been off, but Sako had left the school studio saying, “I have plans.”
So, it was just the two of us about to head home.
I knew I had to talk about her and me soon.
I had to, but...
“I-Ichikawa Amane-san, is there anything you want to do?”
“Ah... Um, I don’t particularly... What about you, Konuma Takuto-kun?”
...The two of us were in this pathetic state.
During a moment of silence, I recalled the way home on the first school day after the school festival, about a week ago.
That’s right, that day also started at Kichijoji Station.
* * *
Inside the train, side by side.
Since the results of the school festival’s Miss Contest had just come out, we were making small talk about that, but I was internally tilting my head at how I had become slightly more awkward than before.
‘Next stop, Kichijoji, Kichijoji.’
Before long, the recorded voice announced the arrival at the station nearest to Ichikawa-san’s house.
It makes sense; it’s only two stops from Musashi-Sakai Station.
“Ah, well, then... see you tomorrow, I guess.”
I softly said my farewell to Ichikawa-san as she prepared to stand up.
Then,
“Um, you see.”
She tightly pinched my left sleeve. From that spot, a tingling sensation spread through the left side of my body.
“I want to stay... together, just a little bit longer...”
While blushing and looking down, she didn’t look at me and softly asked,
“If I say something like that, does it... trouble you?”
This is exactly how I conveyed my pure feelings at that time to Ichikawa-san.
“Ah... O-Oh, ah, ooooh...”
“...Eh?”
Yeah, nothing got across at all.
No, I mean, you understand, right? I had never been in a situation so sweet I could vomit sugar before, you know?
“F-F-For now, I’ll get off too.”
“Um, you’re getting off with me?”
“Y-Yesh.”
After saying that, I stepped onto the platform while moving like a robot.
“So, what should we do?”
“I-Ichikawa, is there somewhere you want to go?”
“...I don’t have a specific place I want to go, but there’s something I want to talk about right now.”
I broke into a cold sweat at her suddenly pouting expression.
We changed locations to Inokashira Park and sat on a suitable bench. We were overlooking the pond where boats were floating.
“Um, about... how we call each other...”
She started the conversation while fidgeting and looking down.
“Can you... not call me by my first name anymore...?”
Then, she looked up at me and asked.
In that expression, there was no trace of the former genius singer-songwriter, amane.
“W-Well...”
I gave a vague reply while thinking for a bit.
I’ll confess my honest feelings.
First, it’s extremely embarrassing. It’s a bit different from being shy. It’s just plain embarrassing.
Next, I was also a bit concerned about what Ariga-san had said.
‘Romance within a band is strictly forbidden.’
I don’t give a damn about that! I had talked back like a comedian from years ago, but putting that aside, I felt that bringing romance into the band might not be a benefit for the group.
If we change how we address each other and the change in our relationship becomes obvious, will the four of us be able to stay the same as before?
Therefore, the solution I derived was—
“...When it’s just the two of us, I’d be happy if... I could call you ‘Amane’.”
I managed to mutter that while looking at the pond. I was at my limit.
“............!”
“Um—...?”
Since no voice came back, I looked to my side in worry, and Ichikawa-san had her eyes wide open with an expression that was either deeply moved or completely stunned.
“...Is something wrong?”
“Um, I might be a little, no, a lot, in trouble...”
“In trouble...?”
This is bad, it seems I’ve troubled her. Does she hate the idea of it being only when we're alone? Or did she actually hate being called by her first name when it finally happened?
“How should I put it, you see? Um, that is...”
“Yes, what is it...?”
Ichikawa-san placed the sleeve of her cardigan over her mouth and whispered softly.
“I realized I love you so much... If I get special treatment like that, my heart won’t hold out...”
“...!?”
Now it was my turn to be in trouble. What is that, what am I supposed to do!?
“Hey, Taku—” “Wait a minute.”
I held both my palms out toward her.
That’s bad. Truly bad.
“Wait a bit before calling me by my first name.”
“Why...?”
I said to Ichikawa-san, who had a somewhat dazed expression.
“If you do that, it seems I’ll ascend to heaven just like the other day.”
When I said that with my ears burning, she looked blank for a moment, and then—
“Hmm? You mean you’ll lose consciousness?”
She asked with a slightly mischievous face.
“No, you saw me the other day.”
“Yeah, I saw, I saw.”
Ichikawa-san’s eyes were smirking. Seeing my weakness, she suddenly regained her composure...
“But I also want to do something special when it’s just the two of us. I’m actually not very satisfied with you just calling me by my name, you know?”
“Why is that...?”
“Because Erina-chan and Sako-san call me by my name too.”
“Ah— I see...”
I pondered for a moment.
“But for now, it’s okay!”
She laughed happily.
“We can just get used to it gradually! ...Because,”
She said with a bashful smile,
“We’re going to be together forever from now on. Right?”
Hey, Azuma. Now I understand how you felt when we first met.
Facing the cuteness of this angel, anyone would lose their conscious—
* * *
...Cough, let’s return to the present. There was a disturbance in the expression of the flashback, but it was not a typo.
“Um, Konuma-kun, if you don’t have anywhere particular to go, I’d like to go to Mac...”
“Mac? Of course, that’s fine, but...”
That proposal felt like I might encounter a certain little devil again after a long time...
“Then, let’s go, Konuma-kun.”
“Yeah, sounds good.”
“Hmm—...?”
Ichikawa-san peered into my face as if begging for something.
“Yeah... Um... Amane.”
“Yes, with pleasure! Ehehe, thank you, okay?”
At that bashful smile, today as well, I was about to lose my con—”