After school that day, I was waiting at the main gate to go to IRIA-san's house.
At IRIA-san's house, there was IRIA-san's equipment, and her older sister—Hirosue Hichika-san—who had also handled our recording, would be there. It was the perfect place to go for professional advice.
While waiting for IRIA-san, I grew restless and rubbed my palms together.
Guilt first struck me for leaving the classroom without saying anything to Konuma-kun, whom I had walked home with every day until then. Then, a wave of loneliness followed, realizing I didn't even have the right to feel that guilt anymore.
Even though I was the one who did it, even though it was my own decision, what was I even thinking?
‘Konuma-kun, you idiot!’
Suddenly, the words I said one day in June at the convenience store parking lot where Yuri works echoed back to me. I wondered if I should have at least said a quick "I'm heading home first" today.
Even before we started dating, I used to get angry when Konuma-kun would just head home on his own.
...No, seriously, what was I thinking back then?
As I was frowning at my past self from six months ago—
“Are you waiting for someone?”
A voice called out to me.
When I looked up, amane's bassist, Sako Hasu-san, was standing there with her hands thrust into the pockets of her duffel coat.
“Sa, Sako-san...!”
“What's with that face? You look like you just got caught meeting up for an affair.”
“N-No, it's nothing like that... Oh, what about club activities today?”
“I was told to go home today.”
With that, Sako-san raised her left hand, which had been tucked in her pocket, to her chest.
Her wrist was wrapped in tape.
“What happened to that?!”
I cried out in surprise, and Sako-san narrowed her eyes by a fraction of a millimeter, looking annoyed.
“I figured you’d react like that... Erina and Ichikawa-san are both so dramatic. I'm just wearing it so I don't get tenosynovitis. It's strictly for prevention.”
“If that’s the case, then okay...”
“...I just wish they'd let me practice to my heart's content.”
Sako-san's muttered words suddenly pierced somewhere deep in my heart.
Whether she noticed that stinging sensation in me or not, Sako-san continued.
“I'll peel it off starting tomorrow. Everyone is so annoying about it.”
“Sorry...”
“Anyway, my question.”
She glared at me, as if to say I hadn't answered her yet.
“Oh, I'm supposed to go to IRIA-san's house, so I'm waiting for her...”
“Huh? Why?”
To a clearly displeased Sako-san, I explained what I was trying to do.
I glossed over the part about the numbers and just said I was planning to upload acoustic cover videos by myself.
“...Did you consult Takuto about that?”
“I... haven't...”
“Did you tell him you were heading home early today?”
“I... didn't...”
As I answered while shrinking back, Sako-san spoke bluntly.
“I see. Fine, I'm going back.”
She turned on her heel after throwing those words out flatly.
“Where are you going back to?”
Even so, Sako-san was kind after all, and she turned back when I asked.
“I’m going to pick up Takuto. He might still be in the classroom.”
“I guess... he might be...?”
“You don't have to look so guilty about it, do you?”
To me, biting my lower lip, Sako-san continued.
“I mean, Ichikawa-san, you're his ex-girlfriend now.”
Sako-san emphasized the word 'ex-girlfriend' as she said it.
“I think it’d be weirder to go home with an ex-girlfriend. In that regard, since I'm his childhood friend, it's only natural for us to go home together. Because I'm his childhood friend.”
“Guh...”
I was rendered completely speechless. (Well, I made a sound, but still.)
While Sako-san's logic was usually a bit of a stretch, this time she was being far too reasonable...
“Well then, goodbye.”
Sako-san raised her right hand pointedly, signaling her intent to leave.
“...”
Somehow, I couldn't bring myself to say a simple "Yeah, see you tomorrow," so I just stood there staring at her.
“'Wait,' 'Don't go,' 'I don't want to.'”
For some reason, Sako-san took a step closer to me and stood right in front of me.
She, being slightly taller than me, looked down at me with a face like she was looking at an unreasonable younger sister.
“—I’m sure you don't think you have the right to say things like that anymore, do you?”
“...Yeah.”
“Then why are you glaring at me? You dummy.”
Contrary to her words, Sako-san gently placed her hand on my cheek and traced the corner of my eye with her thumb.
“...I'm not glaring.”
“Then what, is that just your natural face?”
“...Yes, it is.”
Sako-san looked exasperated—but with a gentle face, she smiled a fraction of a millimeter, and then.
“Hey, if you're going to make a face like that, why did you even break up with Takuto?”
She asked me that in that same warm tone of voice.
If only she had said it in a blaming tone, or a cold tone, I could have kept my mouth shut.
“—Because the way I am now, I'm not a match for Konuma-kun.”
I accidentally let slip the words I should have kept hidden.
“Haa.”
And this time, Sako-san let out a sigh of genuine exasperation.
“Honestly, Ichikawa-san, you really aren't standing beside Takuto. It feels like, are you seriously still stuck back there?”
“That's why I'm saying—”
“I changed my mind. I'm going to Hirosue's house too.”
“Eh? Why did it turn out like that?”
I blinked my eyes in confusion, even I could tell.
“Knowing you, Ichikawa-san, you'll probably get so impressed by the equipment at Hirosue's house that you'll head straight to a music store and let some smooth-talker convince you to buy even more expensive gear.”
“That’s...! That might be true, but...! Wait, what happened to our previous conversation?”
“Shut up.”
“I'm not being loud?!”
“Then, you're annoying.”
“Annoying?!”
As I was pestering the now-dismissive Sako-san with "Hey!", someone else appeared.
“Uge, Sako Hasu-san...!”
IRIA-san was standing there with a look of pure disgust on her face.
“Hey, Hirosue. You just said 'uge,' didn't you?”
“I-I did not say such a thing, your highness...!”