The homeroom teacher announced the end of class.
Thinking I needed to hurry, I stood up and tried to look toward Ichikawa, who I planned to leave the classroom with, when a fluffy twin-tail suddenly popped into my field of vision, blocking my view.
"Takuto-kun, let's go home together today! Erina doesn't have club activities!"
Erina-san said this with a beaming smile on her face.
"Konuma, you... Princess Erina is calling you by your first name...?"
Ah, it feels like it's been a while since I've heard Ando say something.
"No, today is, well..."
"We have practice today."
Just as I was about to gently decline, a blunt voice interjected from the side.
Looking to my left, Sako was standing there with her bass on her back.
For a split second when she saw Sako, Erina-san's face seemed to stiffen.
Then, in the next moment, she wrapped her hands around my... my... arm!
"Eeeh, where at?" she asked Sako in a carefree tone.
"What are you doing?"
Sako didn't answer the question; she simply frowned and asked that instead.
"Konuma, just how far are you going to go...!?"
Ando, shut up.
"Eeeh? This much is normal for Erina and Takuto-kun, you know?"
I could feel Erina-san's body trembling slightly against my right arm, even as she answered in a flippant voice.
"Right? Takuto-kun?"
Looking up at me, she gripped the sleeve of my upper right arm tightly.
I felt a strong will there, as if she were saying, 'Please, just play along.'
What are you trying to do, Erina-san...?
"Uh, ah, yeah..."
The words I squeezed out in my hesitation were meaningless, and I felt truly pathetic from the bottom of my heart.
While this was happening, Sako's eyes began to narrow sharply.
Staring straight at Sako, Erina-san took on a look of determination and softly opened her mouth.
"Because, you see... Erina is..."
Erina-san was about to say something.
The strength she was putting into my right arm grew stronger and stronger.
"Erina, towards Takuto-kun..."
Wait, me?
The moment Erina-san took another breath.
"Konuma-kun, Sako-san, sorry to keep you waiting! Oh, Erina-chan too."
Ichikawa, carrying her acoustic guitar, interrupted.
"I-Ichikawa..."
Ichikawa tilted her head slightly. It seemed she didn't do it on purpose; she had truly just happened to call out to us at that timing.
The strength clinging to my right arm weakened like a balloon losing air.
When I looked at Erina-san, she had a disappointed, yet somehow relieved expression on her face.
And then,
"Erina is... really no good..."
She whispered that softly and gently let go of my arm.
"Erina, weren't you about to say something?"
Sako pressed further (probably).
"...No, it's nothing. Sorry, Sakosh."
"I see."
Sako tilted her head as if wondering what this girl was talking about.
Ichikawa remained as spaced-out as ever.
"Kichijoji."
Sako suddenly muttered a station name.
"Huh?"
"Today's practice."
Apparently, that was her answer to the previous question.
"Ah, right, I see..."
Erina-san said while fidgeting with her hair.
"Are you coming with us?"
To Sako's question (probably),
"No, I'll pass after all."
Erina-san smiled somewhat lonely.
"Erina-chan looked like she was in a real bind, didn't she?"
Ichikawa said on the way to the studio.
"What was she trying to say?"
As she said that, she peered into my face.
"No, I don't really know myself..."
I really didn't know. I thought I understood the plan, but the truth is I was bewildered by her unexpected actions.
"I see, it's Konuma-kun after all. Do you know, Sako-san?"
Ichikawa said, turning the conversation toward Sako.
...Wait, didn't you just use 'I see, it's Konuma-kun after all' as a line of resignation?
"Erina, is that so..."
Sako was mumbling something under her breath.
Tell me what's going on.
"Sako-san?"
When Ichikawa called out again, Sako looked at me and,
"Why so suddenly..."
She frowned by a fraction of a millimeter.
I didn't really understand what Sako wanted to say either, but Ichikawa was looking dejected because she wasn't getting any answers, so I wished Sako would say something.
"Ahaha, that's right, I'm in the way, aren't I..."
See, now she's getting negative.
Ichikawa-san's emotions were leaking out completely. I wonder if this is part of her 'putting everything into words' movement.
"No, Sako is just in her own world, so I think it's fine."
"Is that so? I was happy because I thought we got a bit closer this morning..."
"I guess so."
Actually, I had never seen Ichikawa and Sako talk together. Well, they only spoke for the first time a week ago, so that makes sense.
That's why I thought it was rare for Sako to bring up the topic about her fingertips being hard this morning.
"I guess it won't be straightforward after all," Ichikawa whispered softly.
"It's not that, Sako just doesn't show much expression; she doesn't hate people."
When I said that,
"That's not what I meant... for Konuma-kun..."
She glared at me and then,
"It's nothing..."
She dropped her shoulders.
Eh, what? It's really bothering me when people stop mid-sentence...
""Sigh...""
Unexpectedly, Ichikawa and Sako's sighs overlapped.
...You two are actually quite in sync, aren't you?