Part-3 Ch-05 Ep-03

After practicing for a while, the fortune-telling group’s session for the day wrapped up earlier than expected. 

From here on, it was up to each of us to continue practicing on our own at home. The plan was to memorize the meanings of the cards and rehearse the procedures individually, so that when we were at school, we could practice properly with a partner.

Glancing over at Maki’s group, they seemed to be at that ambiguous stage where it was hard to tell whether they were finished or still in the middle of something, which left me unsure if I should just head home ahead of her. Calling out to her would only end up distracting them, but staying in the classroom felt like I was lingering and silently pressuring them to wrap things up, which made me feel awkward.

“Nagase-san, aren’t you heading home?”

As I sat in my chair, idling and lost in my thoughts, Haruno-san, who I’d been practicing with until just a moment ago, spoke up while slinging her school bag over her shoulder. I glanced back toward Maki’s group one more time to check how they were doing.

Honestly, I wanted to go home together with Maki. But at the same time, I didn’t want to get in her way.

“Hmm... I think I’ll head out.”

It didn’t take long for me to make up my mind to leave first. Figuring I could just message Maki later, I picked up my bag and left the classroom alongside Haruno-san.

We were chatting casually as the two of us were about to step out of the school building.

“Oh, sorry, I’m getting a call.”

“Go ahead.”

I excused myself from Haruno-san, who was walking beside me, and answered the phone.

It was Maki. The instant I picked up, a sharp "Ah! Where are you right now!?" practically drove itself straight into my left eardrum.

I instinctively yanked the phone away from my ear and screwed my eyes shut.

Talk about loud.

"Could you be any louder?" I said, the words slipping out before I could stop myself.

"...But! The moment the discussion wrapped up and I looked over to where you were sitting, you'd already vanished! Then I saw your message saying you'd gone home first, and I completely panicked!"

"I was planning to, but I'm still here. I'd only just been about to walk out of the school building."

"I'm on my way right now, so don't move!"

Even as she said it, I could already make out the heaviness of her breathing through the phone, a sure sign she'd broken into a run. She didn't need to rush; it's not like I was going to bolt or anything.

Well, okay, I had been trying to slip out before she noticed, but still.

The mental image of Maki bolting out of the classroom flashed through my head, and I found myself letting out a quiet laugh.

"Alright, I'll wait for you," I said, and ended the call. Then I turned to Haruno-san and pressed my palms together in an apologetic gesture. "Sorry, Maki's on her way, so I'm going to have to stay."

"Oh, what a shame."

She gave a small shrug, a faint trace of something like disappointment flickering across her face. It seemed her wish to grow closer to me was, surprisingly enough, something she'd actually meant.

"Come to think of it, Nagase-san, you and Ichinose-san are childhood friends, aren't you?"

"Yeah, that's right. We've known each other for a really long time, since we grew up together. ...I guess you could say we're... best friends, or something like that."

"Ah, I see. That would explain why you two seem so close."

'Actually, we're a lot closer to lovers than best friends, but don't mind that.'

Since I couldn't exactly blurt that out right here in the middle of the hallway, I just brushed it aside and played along.

"It's just..." Haruno-san's cheeks took on a faint tinge of pink.

"Whenever I see the two of you together, there are moments where you're so close to each other that you honestly look just like a couple. It actually makes my heart do a little flutter just from watching," Haruno-san murmured with a shy lilt to her voice, lifting a hand to rest against her cheek.

"......"

'Nail on the head.'

She was probably just sharing her honest impression, but all I could do was stand there, completely frozen, with a polite smile locked onto my face.

"Ah, that came out weird, didn't it? S-Sorry!"

The color in Haruno-san's face deepened rapidly until her cheeks had gone as red as a freshly boiled octopus.

"I really am sorry! I don't mean that I've been watching you two through 'that' sort of lens or anything, okay?"

“N-no, ah, I mean, it’s not weird at all. Not weird. It’s totally fine! It’s true that we’re physically close, so… I guess I should be a bit more careful. Haha.”

“Oh, no! I didn’t mean I want you to be careful. If anything, I’d rather you stay exactly the way you are—or wait, what am I even saying?”

“……”

Should I just come right out and tell her that we’re actually dating?

My hesitation created a short silence, and that only made Haruno-san grow even more flustered.

“Uwah, sorry! Just forget I said anything! Well, I’d hate to get in the way of you two, so I’m heading home now. A-and I don’t mean that in a w-weird way either!”

With that, she gave a quick wave and finally made her exit.

Given how shaken she was, I’m sure it was nothing more than a genuine slip of the tongue on her part. Still, though…

“Uwaaaaah…”

My legs gave out beneath me, and I sank down into a crouch right there on the spot.

Maybe I really should’ve just told her after all. Considering Haruno-san’s personality, I had a feeling it wouldn’t have been a problem to let her in on the secret about me and Maki.

After all, Kagami and his group already knew, and with how Maki and I acted around each other in class, there were bound to be others who suspected the truth just like Haruno-san did.

But warning a “capture target” is one thing; going out of my way to tell anyone else requires a completely different kind of courage. Or rather, I guess there wasn’t really any need to say anything at all.

Lost in those thoughts, I kept my eyes on Haruno-san’s back as it grew smaller and smaller in the distance.