“Um...?”
With my hand pulled by Ichikawa Amane, who was carrying an acoustic guitar on her back, we walked through the streets of Kichijoji toward the Inokashira Park area.
When I was stopped, Sako, Azuma, and Tsubame-chan each gave their own somewhat cryptic reactions before waving and leaving.
“I thought she didn’t feel anything about it.” “As expected of amane-sama to manage her own emotions so well...” “What is the matter...?”
“Hey, are we... heading toward your house, Ichikawa... Amane-san?”
“Yeah, my parents aren't home today.”
“Ah, okay...”
I wondered if that was really a valid reason.
When we arrived at the Ichikawa residence, she said, “...This way,” and led me to her room.
This room, which I had visited a little while ago, was wrapped in a strange tension today.
Part of it was because this was so sudden. The other part was because Ichikawa-san wasn't saying much.
“You want to hear the CD audio soon, right?”
“Y-Yeah, I guess...”
“This is my laptop.”
Amane placed the laptop that was on her desk onto the bed.
“Ah, okay.”
Wait, okay...?
“Could you import it for me? I might mess up the encoding or something.”
“I don't think someone who uses words like that would mess it up... When did you learn a word like that anyway?”
“Just do it. Here, the CD drive.”
“...Alright.”
I wasn't quite sure what was going on, but I sat cross-legged on the floor, opened the laptop on the bed, and connected the CD drive.
Just as I inserted today's master CD.
“...Oh?”
A soft sensation pressed firmly against my back.
Before I knew it, I was being hugged from behind, as if she were leaning on me.
“I-Amane...?”
Through my back, I heard a voice so calm it sounded like she was about to cry.
“...I know. I know.”