Part-3 Ch-03 Ep-04

 Seishuku’s POV

Just as Asahina-kun came to pick me up after finishing his make-up test, I said goodbye to Kagami-kun and the others and left the classroom together with him.

While we were heading toward the entrance, he asked me, “What were you talking about?” and I replied, “About Nagase-san and the others.”

When I said that, he nodded with an understanding “Ah,” as if everything made sense now.

Apparently it seemed strange to him that we were having such a long conversation, since I don’t really have much else in common with them.

“Speak of the devil, there they are.”

In the direction Asahina-kun pointed, I could see the backs of Nagase-san and Ichinose-san, who had just stepped out of the school building.

The two of them were holding colorful umbrellas and walking toward the school gate.

Since we were still inside the building, we couldn’t hear their conversation from this distance.

Even so, as I kept watching them closely, I suddenly saw Ichinose-san murmur something, and Nagase-san nod in response.

Right after that, Ichinose-san quickly closed her umbrella.

She then slipped smoothly under Nagase-san’s umbrella and pressed herself close.

“…Ah,” I murmured without thinking, and Asahina-kun said, “They’re sharing an umbrella.”

The umbrella belonging to Nagase-san, now sheltering both of them, was tilted slightly toward Ichinose-san’s side.

When the two of them passed through the school gate, Ichinose-san looked up at Nagase-san with upturned eyes and gave a soft, melting smile.

And yet those two are still trying to keep their relationship a secret.

The scene was so unintentionally sweet that I couldn’t help pressing my own cheeks, feeling them grow warm.

“Those two… they’re really trying to hide that they’re dating, huh? I’ve never seen Ichinose-san make a face like that before.”

“…Yeah, that’s true.”

Realizing that Asahina-kun had been thinking the exact same thing, I couldn’t help laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

“Ah, no, it’s just that I was thinking the exact same thing, so…”

I answered like that, then turned my eyes toward the window again, following the figures of the two who had already disappeared from sight.

“Ichinose-san and the others are in the college-prep track, right? Do you think they’ll go to the same university?”

“Hmm… who knows.”

But it was hard to imagine a future where the two of them would be separated.

From now on, I plan to keep quietly watching over them.

Of course, at least until the day of graduation.

I’ll watch over their future, eliminate any obstacles if necessary, and continue running the fan club.

…Lately I feel like the amount of time I spend on the fan club has been increasing quite a bit, but I think that can’t be helped.

It’s one of the things I want to do, after all.

I have my own life too. I have to follow my heart.

I steal a glance at the side profile of Asahina-kun walking beside me.

He was originally supposed to be a capture target too.

I never imagined that I myself would end up together with a capture target, causing such a massive deviation from the story.

“If you like him, why don’t you just date him?”

That was what Ichinose-san told me before I started going out with Asahina-kun.

To me, who had hesitated because he was a capture target, she, knowing nothing about the circumstances, naturally pushed me forward.

“What about your own feelings?”

“Lately Mari seems to be getting along well with Asahina-kun, and she seems interested in you too, so I’d be really happy if the two of you got together.”

Her straightforward focus on winning Nagase-san for herself was almost refreshingly bold.

“But anyway, the most important thing is to be honest with your own feelings. If you like someone, you shouldn’t give up.”

I could feel Ichinose-san’s own determination in those words. That was what gave me the final push I needed to make up my mind.

In the first place, the fact that she doesn’t even see the capture targets as romantic prospects already means that Ichinose-san has deviated the furthest from the story this world was supposed to follow.

No one can stop it anymore.

This world has begun moving forward according to the story we ourselves are creating.

We are the ones making this world.

Well, even so, that doesn’t mean everything goes perfectly smoothly.

Last night, for the first time in a while, I did a reading about their future.

I thought things were going smoothly, but some concerning signs appeared in the results.

…But I believe that if it’s the two of them, they’ll surely overcome it.

If not, I’d be the one in trouble.

No matter what happens, I’ll fulfill the role I believe in.

Not the role that was given to me, but the role I want to play.

I’ll protect that red thread so that Ichinose Maki can be together with the person she wishes to be with.

We arrive at the entrance, change into our outdoor shoes, and step outside the school building together with Asahina-kun.

We had plans to go to a nearby fast-food place afterward and study together.

“Ah, look, it’s clearing up. The rainy season might really be over.”

Holding his plastic umbrella, he said that and smiled at me.

I return a soft smile to his words.

“Yes, it seems so.”

At some point, the rain had stopped without us even noticing.

The clouds had vanished as if the earlier downpour had been a lie, and a refreshed sky dyed in sunset welcomed us.

The scent of the wet school grounds tickled my nose.

“The rainy season is probably ending for good now.”

When I looked up at the sky, a straight contrail stretched across it.

End of Part 3, Chapter 3

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Authors Note

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I wanted to try writing a Seishuku Kokoa perspective chapter, and this is the end of it.

I’m kind of yelling at myself, “Just do it as an extra chapter already,” but I really wanted to show, through her eyes, how Mari and Maki are perceived by the people around them who are close to them.

…it was harder than I expected, though.

I hope you enjoyed it even a little.

Next we move into summer vacation.

I’d be happy if you enjoy watching how their relationship changes and grows as the college entrance exams draw closer.

Thank you so much for reading despite my turtle-like update pace.

See you in the next chapter.

by Chirichiri