The next morning, I woke up at my usual time and did my morning routine of studying.
After studying for about an hour, I went to the living room, ate the breakfast my mother had prepared, and left the house.
On the way, I studied while looking at my smartphone, and before I knew it, I had arrived at the station.
It was while I was idly staring at my smartphone while waiting for the train.
"Ak-kun. Ak-kun."
I heard a familiar voice from behind me.
"...Ah, Kanade."
"Good morning!"
When I turned around, Kanade was there.
"Good morning. What a coincidence."
To think we would be waiting for the same train when we hadn't even made plans to meet up.
"It really is. Such a coincidence. I feel like it's destiny."
"...No, I wouldn't go that far."
"I feel destiny!"
"...Right."
It was something I had been thinking since I reunited with Kanade yesterday, but it feels like Kanade's overall pressure has increased compared to when we were little.
Well, since she always had a pushy personality, I've been accepting it relatively positively... but I don't know. Sometimes, it's a little scary.
"...Ak-kun. Is something wrong?"
"Eh? ...Oh, no, it's nothing."
"Really? You look pale. Do you want to take a break?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine."
"Are you sure? You shouldn't push yourself, okay?"
...To think Kanade would be the one worrying about my health.
"Look, the train is here, let's go."
"Yeah."
We boarded the train that had arrived.
"Ak-kun."
For a while, there was no conversation between us, but Kanade opened her mouth.
"Is school fun?"
It was a very sudden question.
"It's not about being fun or not. School is a place to focus on your studies, right?"
And studying is not exactly fun.
"...Hmm."
"..."
"Ak-kun. Are you perhaps being bullied by your classmates?"
"What?"
That was quite a leap. I couldn't help but widen my eyes.
"...That's not happening, though?"
"Really? But even though we just reunited yesterday, you don't seem to be enjoying yourself as much as you used to, Ak-kun."
...I wonder whose fault she thinks that is.
"That's why I got worried."
"...I'm fine. I'm not being bullied or anything."
"Really? Don't push yourself."
"I'm not pushing myself..."
"If anything happens, talk to me."
"If I talk to you, will you do something?"
"Of course."
Kanade smiled brightly.
"If it's for the sake of no one other than Ak-kun, I can do anything, you know?"
I see. In that case, I definitely can't talk to her.
"...Kanade, are you okay after how you acted yesterday after school, ignoring the mood?"
While looking at the scenery outside the train window, I suddenly remembered what happened yesterday after school. Kanade had been invited out by many other classmates, but in the end, she brushed them all off to stop by my house.
She prioritized spending time with me, who probably has a particularly low caste in that class, over time with other classmates.
"...They might think you're getting ahead of yourself."
"If they think I'm getting ahead of myself, what will happen?"
"...You might get bullied."
"Ahaha. I see, I see."
Kanade laughed.
"From my perspective, as someone who almost died once, being bullied by mere high schoolers is nothing."
...I don't know why, but right now, Kanade has the aura of a soldier who survived the battlefield and returned to their home country.
"...You can't. Bullying is bad."
"Hmm?"
"...You finally got cured of your illness and can enjoy school life again. You have to enjoy your one and only school life."
Kanade widened her eyes at my argument.
"Are you the one saying that, Ak-kun?"
And then, Kanade fired back with sound logic. It's true that I just said school was a place for studying and not for enjoying yourself. For me to tell Kanade to enjoy it... it's a huge contradiction.
"...Then, if Ak-kun enjoys school life too, I'll enjoy school life."
"...Is that so?"
"Yes."
Kanade nodded firmly.
"After all, we are a destiny-bound community."
I see. A new setting has popped up. Before long, the train arrived at the station nearest to the school.
"Ah."
Just as we passed through the ticket gate, I remembered.
"By the way, Kanade, didn't you leave something in my room yesterday?"
I asked while rummaging through my bag.
"..."
"...Kanade?"
"Ah. ...Yeah. I might have forgotten my charger."
"Right. Here."
I held out the AC adapter I took from my bag, but Kanade wouldn't readily take it.
"You could have just used that AC adapter yourself, you know? It's just a consumable item."
"No. I have to be proper about these things."
"..."
"Because it's you... I want to be proper."
"Well then, it can't be helped!"
In a complete reversal from her hesitation just a moment ago, Kanade snatched the AC adapter from my hand with a beaming smile.
"Ak-kun! What are you spacing out for! Come on, let's get to school quickly!"
"...You're suddenly very energetic."
A little over a day since our reunion. It seems I haven't quite caught up with the tension of the survived Kanade yet.