Volume 4 Short Story

✧･ﾟ: * Part 1 * :･ﾟ✧

 Shiori and Sendai-san.

The two of them should have almost no connection at all, yet perhaps they are actually close.

That thought has been lingering in my mind the entire time.

When Shiori bumped into Sendai-san in the hallway, the way they reacted made it seem as though it would not be strange if there were some kind of relationship between them.

But no matter how many times I asked Shiori, she said that Sendai-san was not her friend and that they were not close. Other than the fact that they were former classmates, I could not find any clear connection.

So I tried to believe what Shiori said. However, after getting the chance to speak directly with Sendai-san, that feeling has begun to waver.

In the noisy classroom, I look at Shiori standing beside my desk.

“Shiori, um…”

When I mentioned Shiori’s name to Sendai-san after she bumped into her in the hallway on the way to the school store, Sendai-san seemed more surprised than necessary, and she reacted to it with unusual intensity.

Ever since then, Sendai-san has been on my mind.

“What?”

As she says that, Shiori turns her gaze toward me.

I want to ask her about Sendai-san, but I have a feeling that even if I do, it will just lead to the same exchange as always, and so the words do not come out.

As I sit in my chair, hesitating over whether I should bring up Sendai-san’s name, Shiori speaks again in a puzzled tone.

“What is it?”

“What are you having for lunch today?”

“…Maika. That’s definitely not what you actually wanted to ask just now, is it?”

Shiori places her hands on my desk and presses me further, saying, “So what is it you really wanted to ask?”

“What I’m having for lunch today is exactly what I wanted to ask.

I was thinking you could share some of your lunch with me, Shiori.”

If we could talk somewhere quiet with just the two of us instead of in a classroom, maybe I could get a different answer if we spoke slowly and carefully. But that feels a little too serious.

On the other hand, if we keep talking like this, I feel as though Shiori will simply say, “Sendai-san isn’t my friend and we’re not close,” and that makes it difficult.

“Ami-chan will answer for you. Shiori’s lunch is…”

Ami, who is standing on the opposite side of Shiori, suddenly declares in an unnecessarily loud voice, “It’s bread, right!”

Between second and third period, during the break, the classroom is noisy, but there is no need to shout that loudly.

“Ami, your voice is too loud.”

Shiori says it in an exasperated tone.

“Huh, Shiori. It’s not bread today?”

“It is bread.”

“If you only eat bread all the time, your nutrition will be unbalanced.”

Ami says it in an unusually serious voice, and Shiori replies, “There are days when it’s not bread too.”

Then she adds, “More importantly, Maika. Didn’t you have something you wanted to say?”

✧･ﾟ: * Part  2 * :･ﾟ✧

“Um, about Sendai-san, is it okay if I ask?”

It falls into the usual pattern, and I find myself asking Shiori the same question as always.

“Even if you ask, there’s nothing I can answer. I don’t really know Sendai-san.”

“Yeah, I figured.”

Today, I decide to back off.

That’s what I think, but Ami’s strong voice interrupts.

“Ehh. Shiori, when you bumped into Sendai-san in the hallway, something felt off, didn’t it?”

“I don’t think it was that off.”

“It was off.”

“Where was it off?”

“Like, it just was, right? It was off, wasn’t it? Right, Maika?”

Ami glances at me and taps my shoulder.

“Well, yeah, it was kind of off.”

When I answer, Shiori says “It wasn’t” and continues speaking a little faster.

“If it seemed off, it’s probably just because I bumped into her while I was spacing out. I got really surprised, so it felt weird. Anyway, you two are just talking about Sendai-san and having fun, right?”

Shiori says it in an annoyed tone, and Ami laughs, saying, “Busted, huh.”

“Come on, enough with this topic already. Get bored of it soon.”

Shiori looks troubled while Ami, clearly amused, continues teasing her, and I quietly watch the exchange.

The day I bumped into Sendai-san in the hallway, I learned that her first-choice university and mine are close to each other.

I also ended up telling her that Shiori is taking the same university exam as me.

At that time, Sendai-san’s reaction seemed to hint at a connection with Shiori, but in reality, there aren’t many ties between them.

However, if I imagine Shiori and Sendai-san as “friends,” even unconnected lines start to seem connected.

This kind of thinking isn’t good.

Assumptions breed false accusations.

There are more important things I should be worrying about.

“Shiori, you’re taking the same university exam as me, right?”

I ask Shiori, who is still playfully messing with Ami.

It’s something that has been bothering me ever since I talked with Sendai-san.

I need to address it.

“Yeah, but why so suddenly?”

“Just felt like asking. Do you talk about university stuff with anyone else?”

“No. No need to.”

“I see.”

“So that means, huh. Shiori’s university talk is a secret conversation only Maika and I know about.”

Ami says it as if sharing a secret.

“Yeah. For now, that’s the case. I haven’t told anyone else, just you two.”

Shiori’s voice is neutral, neither bright nor dark, as she offers an ambiguous smile.

Looking at her like this, I realize I’ve done something wrong.

I told Sendai-san about Shiori’s first-choice university.

I regret it.

At some point, I should apologize.

But to apologize, I would have to explain everything that happened with Sendai-san to Shiori.

Thinking about the day that will probably come, I feel a little disheartened.