After Shibuya-sensei picked a fight with me, Kanade pulled me by the hand as we left the classroom.
Our destination was the library.
“Ayaka-chan! Sorry we’re late!”
Takagaki-san was already in the library, diligently reading a book by herself.
“Ichinose-san, please be quiet in the library.”
“Eh? But there’s no one else here besides us, you know?”
Maybe because it was the day before summer vacation...
Or perhaps it was just the usual state of things, but there were no other visitors in the library besides us.
“…It’s a matter of morals.”
“I see. In that case... I’ll be careful from now on.”
Kanade smiled brightly.
“…So, Hagiwara-kun. Did you manage to avoid getting into any weird trouble?”
“Weird trouble?”
“With Shibuya-sensei. You usually never go out of your way to involve yourself with others, yet you suddenly went to talk to her.”
“Yeah. It was really surprising, wasn’t it?”
As Kanade agreed, there was no light in her eyes.
“The pressure is so intense...”
Takagaki-san’s voice trembled.
“…S-So, you didn’t end up causing any weird trouble with Sensei, right?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“…Whew. That’s a relief.”
“Of course I did!”
Takagaki-san held her head in her hands.
For now, I explained to Takagaki-san the trouble that had occurred between me and Shibuya-sensei.
“…Well, as long as it doesn’t cause any real harm to me, it’s fine, but you sure have it rough every time.”
“Yeah. I wonder if it’s because I’m bad with words.”
“…No, in this case, it’s more like...”
Takagaki-san glanced at Kanade.
“Hmm? What is it, Ayaka-chan?”
“I-It’s n-nothing...”
Ah, the timid Takagaki-san appeared again.
Even so, I wonder what the trigger is for this timid Takagaki-san to show up?
“She’s doing this knowingly...? How wicked...”
Takagaki-san’s mutter was too quiet for me to hear.
“Come to think of it, why did you two call me over in the first place?”
I remembered just as the talk about Shibuya-sensei had settled down.
“…Ufufu. Akkun, did you already forget about this morning?”
“This morning?”
“Akkun, this morning Ayaka-chan asked about your plans for the day after tomorrow and asked you out on a date, didn’t she?”
“I did ask about his plans for the day after tomorrow, but I never said anything about going on a date, okay?”
Ah, right, now that she mentions it, that did happen.
“I wonder what you wanted with him. I wonder what it was. I’m so curious.”
Kanade offered a thin smile toward Takagaki-san.
“…What happened to your promise not to pressure me?”
“I’m not putting any pressure on you at all. Geez, Ayaka-chan, you’re so mean.”
“…Well, whatever.”
Takagaki-san sighed in exasperation.
“…Hagiwara-kun. I heard you know a lot about airplanes, is that true?”
I widened my eyes at Takagaki-san’s question.
Where on earth did she hear that?
It was true that... due to an incident involving a certain person, I developed an interest in airplanes and started visiting airports. Before I knew it, I grew to love going to airports, and by extension, my knowledge of airplanes deepened as well.
However, I hadn’t told a single person at this school about that.
...Ah.
“…During one of my few conversations with Ichinose-san, she told me.”
“…Ahaha...”
“Honestly, whenever I talk to her, she only ever talks about you. And if I don’t listen properly, she immediately starts pressuring me. That’s why there was a part of me that was actually avoiding you, you know?”
“W-Wait, Ayaka-chan! Saying you avoided me is fine to share, but the part before that is off-limits!”
“You’re fine with that part...?”
Kanade was unusually flustered.
This was the first time I’d seen her this flustered, except for when she interacted with her mother.
...These two actually seem to get along pretty well.
“Well, whatever. Anyway, you’re knowledgeable about airplanes, right?”
“More or less. ...What about it?”
“…Actually...”
Takagaki-san took her smartphone out of her pocket.
On the screen was a cute little child.
“My little brother.”
“Heh, Ayaka-chan. You have a younger brother! He’s so cute!”
...Just as Kanade said, although it was only a photo, Takagaki-san’s brother seemed to have sharp, handsome features.
Takagaki-san also had well-defined features, so perhaps it was genetics.
“In reality, he’s not cute at all. He’s cheeky, plays pranks all the time, and no matter how many times I tell him, he never cleans up his toys.”
“…Oh?”
“But, well... sometimes? I guess there are times when I think he’s cute.”
“Tsundere.”
“Quite a tsundere.”
“S-Shut up!”
Takagaki-san blushed.
“…Anyway. My brother was watching the news the other day.”
“Watching the news at such a young age? He has a bright future ahead of him.”
“Then, just at that moment... there was a report about a certain airline’s decal-wrapped plane... and it happened to be wrapped in his favorite anime theme.”
“…I see.”
I was starting to see where this was going.
“So... Hagiwara-kun! Please!”
“Yeah, sure.”
“I want to take a picture of this plane, so please guide me around the airport...! This is really okay?”
“Yeah.”
Takagaki-san widened her eyes at my immediate decision.
“…Whoa, that was a quick decision.”
“Fufu. When someone shows interest in something you like, you naturally want to support them unconditionally, right?”
“…!”
It seemed like Kanade had just realized something.
“Yes, yes! Akkun! I just fell in love with airplanes right this second!”
“Really? I’m so happy.”
“He doesn’t even try to doubt her...”
Takagaki-san let out an exasperated sigh.
“Well then, the day after tomorrow. I’ll be in your care, Hagiwara-kun. And you too, Ichinose-san.”
“…Eh?”
I blinked in surprise.
“Why Kanade too?”
“Huh? Isn’t it obvious?”
Takagaki-san crossed her arms.
“…Because I value my life.”
“Huh?”
I didn’t really get it, but for now, the three of us were going to the airport the day after tomorrow.
End of Arc 9.
Next chapter, returning to the airport once again.