Part-3 Ch-03 Ep-03

Seishuku’s POV

“Reeeally sorry!!”

With a sharp clap, he presses both hands together in front of his face, and Asahina-kun bows his head, looking deeply apologetic.

Seeing that, I give a wry smile and reply gently, “It’s okay.”

One day, as the rainy season was finally nearing its end, I was waiting after school for Asahina-kun, who had a make-up test.

He’s good at science-track subjects like mathematics and the sciences, but apparently he’s completely hopeless when it comes to humanities subjects such as modern Japanese and classical literature.

He said “sorry” in such a guilty tone, even though it was me who told him, “I’ll wait for you.”

I spent some time passing the time in the library, and when I judged the timing was right and returned to the classroom, Kagami-kun and Todoroki-kun were still there.

Todoroki-kun is writing something in the notebook in front of him.

Kagami-kun is sitting in the seat ahead of him, peering at what Todoroki-kun is writing.

Empty snack boxes are placed beside the two of them, so I can tell they’ve already been here for quite a while.

“Oh, Seishuku.”

Kagami-kun raises one hand and calls my name, so I give a small, polite bow.

Todoroki-kun also lifts his head, looks this way, and says, “You were still here?”

When Todoroki-kun follows up by asking, “Fan club again today?”, I reply, “No, I’m waiting because Asahina-kun has a make-up test.”

When I say that, both of them make faces as if to say, “I see.”

Since they spoke to me first, I ask why they’re still here, and it seems Todoroki-kun is on day-duty cleanup, while Kagami-kun just happened to be waiting for him.

“Well, we didn’t really make any promise or anything. This guy’s just gonna head straight to club activities once he submits the day-duty notebook,” Kagami-kun says while laughing and stretching.

They really are close friends.

These two also know about the fan club.

In fact, Kagami-kun sometimes even shows up at the club gatherings, saying things like, “Looks like you’re doing something interesting.”

Sometimes I worry that he might be a little too adaptable.

Today as well, rain continues to fall outside the window.

It has lightened to a drizzle compared to earlier, so if it keeps going like this, it might stop by the time Asahina-kun comes to pick me up.

Suddenly I feel like asking something that’s been on my mind for a while, so I turn to face the two of them.

“Um, this might be a sudden question, but…”

“Hm?”

“What is it?”

Kagami-kun looks at me curiously, while Todoroki-kun responds without lifting his eyes from the notebook.

After a brief hesitation and a short pause, I gather my courage and ask them.

“You two are usually quite close with Nagase-san and Ichinose-san, but… what do you think of them?”

At my rather vague question, Kagami-kun and the others tilt their heads.

I feel like I might’ve stepped too far.

“The meaning of ‘what do you think,’ huh. You’re probably worried about the same kind of thing Nagase is, right?” Kagami-kun asks to confirm.

“…Yes, that’s right. More than how you feel about the fact that the two of them, both girls, are dating… I was a little curious whether you, Kagami-san, and the others have no romantic feelings toward Ichinose-san or Nagase-san… I’m stepping too far, aren’t I? I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Kagami-kun says, and then Todoroki-kun nods as well.

Relieved by their reaction, I let out the tense air that had been building inside me.

Even if they disliked me for it, I still wanted to know.

What these two, who were supposed to have the role of capture targets in this world, really think about Ichinose-san and Nagase-san.

“Actually, I got a girlfriend.”

Kagami-kun says it in a very light, matter-of-fact tone.

“Ah, uh, girlfriend… congratulations.”

“Oh, you’re actually saying it,” Todoroki-kun remarks.

“Well, it’s not like I was keeping it a secret or anything,” Kagami-kun mutters, looking a little embarrassed.

“She’s the class committee president from our first year. We planned the cultural festival together, and while we were managing the class, I started thinking, ‘this girl’s really nice.’”

“I see…”

Apparently he had a good impression of her back in first year, steadily built their relationship afterward, and only recently they started going out.

“So yeah, that means I’m really just watching over those two like a guardian.”

I slowly nod at that answer.

Todoroki-kun, who had been watching Kagami-kun, now looks up at the ceiling as if thinking.

“I probably like Nagase, but if I ever made it obvious, Ichinose would beat the crap out of me, so I’m just staying on the sidelines.”

At Todoroki-kun’s words, I couldn’t help letting out a loud “Eh?!”

“Oh, you’re just spilling it,” Kagami-kun says with a grin.

From the look of it, he already knew.

“…For some reason, I felt like it’d be better to tell you, Seishuku. Also Ichinose already knows anyway, and because of that she intimidates me from time to time.”

“Yeah, sometimes she gets really harsh with you,” Kagami-kun laughs.

“But well, there’s no chance anyway. Nagase is the only one who hasn’t noticed,” Todoroki-kun says without looking particularly bothered.

“Nagase is kind, but… for example, if me and Ichinose were both about to fall off a cliff at the same time and she could only save one of us, I think she’d choose Ichinose almost without hesitation,” Todoroki-kun says.

“Ah yeah, I think so too. On the other hand, Ichinose would desperately try to figure out a way to save both of us no matter what, and in the end she’d probably manage to save both.”

“Right? Ichinose has that kind of side to her.”

I somehow understand what the two of them are trying to say.

“So yeah, I’ll just keep watching over them too.”

'Or rather, if I ever tried to make a move, Ichinose would just get fired up, and in the end that would only end up helping them," Todoroki-kun says while scratching his cheek awkwardly.

I ended up looking at him with eyes that held a little pity.