Friday morning.
When I went to the nearest station to my house, I saw a familiar face just inside the ticket gates.
She was leaning against the wall, fiddling with her phone.
Should I call out to her? No, but I don't know what she's waiting for...
While I was hesitating, she looked up and said,
"Ah, Takuto."
Sako put her phone back in her bag just like that and walked over to stand beside me as I headed toward the stairs to the platform.
"Can I go with you today?"
Sako whispered in a small voice.
The end of her sentence didn't rise in pitch, but she was probably asking a question.
"O-Oh, sure."
When I answered, the corners of Sako's mouth rose by 0.something millimeters, and she started walking.
"What did you talk about with Erina after that yesterday?"
"Ah, well, something about Sako..."
I stopped myself right there. That was close.
"...No, nothing special. She just asked if you were isolated in Class 6 or something."
"Huh... What's that?"
Sakosh looked considerably suspicious. Well, that makes sense. If she were really asking stuff like that, Erina-san would be like a teacher or something.
"Whatever. Takuto, LINE."
Saying that, Sako took out her phone.
"Hm?"
"Let's exchange."
"O-Oh."
It's here, the LINE exchange...!
As usual, I don't know how to exchange LINE contacts, so I just opened the LINE screen and handed my phone to Sako.
Taking it, Sako started tapping away on my phone.
After a few seconds, Sako's hand stopped.
"Ah."
"Hm?"
"Are you friends with Yurisuke?"
"Ah..."
I really make a lot of mistakes like this...
"Uh, well, it seems I missed receiving my change when I was shopping at the convenience store where Azuma works part-time, so we exchanged contact info because of that."
I instantly reused the excuse Azuma had used.
"Hmm..."
Sako looked a bit displeased as she fiddled with the phone and then handed it back to me.
"Here."
"Oh, thanks."
Looking at the screen, I saw 'Sako Hasu' displayed under 'Friends'.
At that moment.
'The express train for Ikebukuro will shortly be arriving on Track 3.'
With a loud roar, the train pulled into the station platform.
The first morning commute and school rush from a bedroom community is no joke.
Literally speechless at the packed train, Sako and I boarded.
Pushed in by the people lining up behind us, Sako was pressed tightly against me, facing me.
While feeling flustered, I reached for a handstrap by the window and braced myself.
Sako placed both her hands on my chest area, perhaps to avoid being pressed too tightly against me.
When I looked down slightly, Sako's well-shaped head and her blonde hair—which was silky despite being dyed—were right there.
Sako looked down slightly to the side. Was her ear turning red because of the summer heat?
I hope my breathing isn't bothering her, but man, she smells nice. Shampoo? Is she a morning shower person?
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I looked up, and then a small voice came from below.
"My heart is pounding so fast..."
Without knowing whose heart she was talking about, I simply followed the train route map with my eyes pointlessly.
After transferring between several of those packed trains and walking from the station, we finally arrived at school. Since she makes this round trip every day from so far away, she’s quite impressive...
There's quite a distance from what looks like the back entrance of the school to the classroom.
How far is it okay for me to walk next to Sako? Is it okay for people to see her with someone like me? Like Kenji-san.
While such questions popped into my head and I was flustered all by myself,
"Morning!"
Saying that, a girl cut in between Sako and me from behind.
"Ah, Yurisuke, morning."
It was Yuri Azuma.
"What’s this, what’s this? Sakohasu and Konuma, what’s the relationship!?"
Yuri said in a theatrical voice.
"Childhood friends," Sako replied.
"Heh~ you guys were talking during lunch break yesterday too, but I've never seen you talk before that! Right?"
"Well, we started talking again since yesterday."
"Hmm?"
After smiling in a teasing way, Yuri whispered gently into my ear in a voice only I could hear.
"You did good, Konuma."
It tickled. Not just my ear, but mainly my heart.
Yuri was making a fuss while Sako gave blunt replies.
While feeling somewhat soothed by the sight of the two of them, we reached the classrooms.
I'm in Class 6. Yuri and Sako are in Class 4.
Coming from Shin-Koganai, the Class 6 classroom comes first, so—
"See ya!"
"Bye-bye."
I entered the classroom while being seen off by the two of them.
Immediately, I felt gazes from all over the classroom.
What...?
When I looked around, my eyes met Ichikawa's for a moment. At that time, I felt like she giggled a little bit.
...Every single one of them is looking at me like they’re in an older sister position.
When I reached my seat, the guy in the seat behind me, Ando, spoke to me.
"Hey, Konuma, what’s your relationship with those two?"
"Those two?"
"Sako-sama and Lady Yuri."
"Sako-sama and Lady Yuri?"
What is this, Japanese history?
"The two you just walked into school with!"
Ah.
"No, we don't really have any special relationship... Acquaintances?"
"Just acquaintances wouldn't be able to walk to school with two beautiful girls that popular on campus! What kind of cheat did you use?"
Whoa...!
I was secretly moved.
When did I enter a space-time like a school rom-com?
"No, not really... are those two really that popular?"
If that's the case, I should act the part, I thought, and tried to answer while pretending to be dense and innocent.
"It's not 'are they popular?'!"
Then, a girl's voice came from the side in a spoiled tone.
"Princess Erina...!"
Princess Erina?
"Geez, stop calling me that."
Standing there was Erina-san. Apparently, Ando calls every single girl by some weird title.
"Konuma-kun, do you remember what I said at Mac yesterday?"
She glared at me with fixed eyes.
"Mac? You went to Mac with Princess Erina too!?"
Shut up, Ando.
"I remember, but..."
I remember, but was there something specific I was told?
"Then—don't do anything that stands out too much."
"Right..."
While I was giving my usual blank response,
"...Surely, you didn't come from your hometown together with Sakosh, did you?"
Erina-san put her hands on her hips and pouted.
"Eh, ah, uuum."
I unintentionally found myself at a loss for an answer.
"Huh!?"
Shut up, Ando.
"Sigh... Konuma-kun, you really are something else..."
Erina-san let out a sigh.
"Geez, if you're like that, Erina's decision will waver..."
That small murmur wasn't entirely hidden by the preliminary bell and reached my ears.
...Decision?