Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/2912051603008595869
That day, “Anemone” was enveloped in a strange sense of tension.
The cause was the enormous parfait sitting prominently in the center of the counter seating area.
The glass was a size larger than usual, and the ice cream was stacked in three layers. Chocolate sauce was generously poured over the mountain of whipped cream, and the sides were adorned with wafers and bananas—and, thanks to the manager’s kindness, even strawberries.
If you had to give it a name, it would probably be the “Post-Breakup Recovery Parfait.”
“That’s huge.”
“I need something this big today.”
Saying that, Natsume gripped her spoon tightly.
She was calmer than she had been right after crying on the field, but the corners of her eyes were still a little red.
“Senpai’s girlfriend was a nice person.”
“Is that so?”
“That’s what pisses me off the most.”
Natsume scooped up a generous spoonful of ice cream and shoved it into her mouth.
“I wish she’d been a terrible person. Then I could’ve told myself that Senpai just had no eye for women. But she was beautiful, kind, and really understood Senpai.”
If the person you lost to were a villain, you could hold a grudge.
If the winner has flaws, you can use that as a reason not to accept the outcome.
But reality isn’t that convenient.
Just like Ren, who chose Kotonoha, was a good guy.
Just like President Kuze sincerely turned down Himuro.
Just like Shinohara-senpai’s girlfriend returned Shiina’s letter without even reading it.
Since the winner isn’t necessarily the villain, the loser is left struggling with where to place their emotions.
“Kasugai.”
“What?”
“I really did lose, didn’t I?”
“Yeah.”
“You should deny that part.”
“It’s easier to move on if you admit you lost, isn’t it?”
“That’s a valid point… it really hits home…”
Natsume rested her forehead on the table.
Himuro, sitting across from her, sipped her tea and said matter-of-factly,
“In your case, Natsume, your defeat was a foregone conclusion even before you confessed. I think admitting defeat is a necessary process.”
“Himuro, are you trying to comfort me?”
“Yes.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Then let me rephrase it. You held up well until the very end today.”
At Himuro’s words, Natsume slowly lifted her head.
“…So you can say things like that, too.”
“What do you take me for?”
“Someone trying to socially eliminate the woman sitting next to Kasugai.”
“That’s a misunderstanding.”
“That’s about half true, isn’t it?”
Uncharacteristically, Himuro didn’t retort.
Instead, she tried to silence Natsume with just a glance.
Next to them, Shiina was writing something in her notebook.
“Shiina. What are you writing today?”
“I’m organizing Natsume-san’s heartbreak story to see if I can adapt it into a narrative.”
“Don’t do that in front of her.”
“I’ll change the names.”
“That’s not the point!”
When Natsume shouted, Shiina tilted her head with a serious expression.
“But it was a really great scene. Acknowledging the happiness of the person you loved while accepting your own defeat. It’s incredibly beautiful for a coming-of-age novel.”
“The real me wasn’t beautiful at all, though.”
“You were crying, weren’t you?”
“Don’t say that!”
“But the part where you were crying while clutching Kasugai-kun’s uniform—it was so moving I almost wanted to use it as an illustration.”
“Don’t use it as an illustration!”
Natsume’s face turned bright red as she continued eating her parfait.
Watching her, the manager chuckled cheerfully from behind the counter.
“Youth, huh?”
“Manager, aren’t you finding this amusing?”
“Just a little.”
“Please stop it.”
“As long as Yuto-kun is handling things properly, I’ll just watch over them.”
“Am I handling it properly?”
“At the very least, all three of them look better than they did before they came here.”
At the manager’s words, the three of them fell silent for a moment.
Heartbreak, tears, anger, resentment, and venting their lingering feelings.
Even so, I definitely felt that all three of them were better able to look forward now than they were on the day they first came to this shop.
I probably feel the same way myself.
“Senpai.”
As if to cut through the silence, the doorbell rang.
It was Shirasaki who walked in.
She was holding a stack of student council documents.
“I brought some additional materials for the cultural festival café space.”
“You went out of your way to come all the way to the shop?”
“Yes. Because I could see you, Senpai.”
“You don’t hide your intentions, do you?”
“if I did, you wouldn’t notice.”
Shirasaki smiled brightly and, with a natural motion, tried to sit down in an empty seat at the counter.
But at that very moment, Himuro beat her to it and set her bag down first.
“That’s the luggage rack.”
“It was empty just a moment ago, wasn’t it?”
“I need it now.”
“Then, how about the other side?”
Just as Shirasaki was about to move to a seat closer to me, Natsume slid her parfait plate to the side.
“That’s my elbow rest.”
“Isn’t that a little too wide for an elbow?”
“A woman who’s just been dumped needs plenty of space.”
“I see. Then I’ll sit next to Shiina-senpai.”
“I don’t mind.”
Shiina was the only one who willingly gave up her seat.
Shirasaki sat down there and handed me some documents.
“Apparently, we’re going to discuss costume ideas for the Culture Festival café during tomorrow’s lunch break in the student council room.”
“Costume ideas?”
“Yes. They want to gather opinions on what the staff in charge of serving customers should wear.”
I had a bad feeling about this.
“I’m just there to offer advice, right?”
“President Kuze said he’d like you to try them on, too.”
“Why?”
“As someone with experience running a café, it’s to make sure the outfits are comfortable to move in.”
“Someone else could do that, couldn’t they?”
“I think so, too.”
Shirasaki paused for a moment, then smiled cheerfully.
“But I’d like to see you in something other than your school uniform.”
“You’re giving away your true motive.”
“I’m not hiding it.”
Himuro’s gaze sharpened.
“Shirasaki. Please don’t treat Kasugai-kun like a dress-up doll.”
“Don’t you want to see him, Vice President?”
“I’ll check if it’s necessary for work.”
“So you do want to see him.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Then please close your eyes.”
“I can’t just abandon my duty to verify.”
“So you really do want to see him.”
Himuro fell silent.
Natsume was smiling as she ate her parfait.
“Kasugai in a butler’s uniform, huh? The cultural festival’s going to be a blast.”
“Don’t get caught up in this too.”
“I’d be fine serving customers in a tracksuit, though.”
“The customers wouldn’t feel at ease, would they?”
“What do you think, Shiina-senpai?”
When Shirasaki asked Shiina, she thought for a moment before answering.
“I think a black vest and a white shirt would suit Kasugai-kun. Rather than a flashy outfit, something understated yet eye-catching would be best.”
“That’s pretty specific.”
“I’ve already described it.”
“Where?”
“In Chapter 3 of my next work.”
“Don’t go putting me in your story without my permission.”
Shirasaki tried to peek at Shiina’s notebook.
“Can I read that story?”
“Not yet.”
“Why not?”
“I’ve decided that Kasugai-kun will be the first to read it.”
Shinomi clutched her notebook to her chest and, unusually, refused outright.
“Kasugai-kun is the first person to read my work.”
At those words, Shirasaki’s smile deepened just a little.
“You’re quite the tough one, Shiina-senpai.”
“I’m weak. That’s why I write so that I don’t lose in my stories.”
“In real life, too?”
“……If possible.”
Shiina answered in a small voice.
I don’t know if she realizes it herself.
But with that one remark, the atmosphere in the shop changed again.
The girls, who had been merely comforting each other over their lost loves, were gradually beginning to move on to the next stage.
And for some reason, I find myself standing right in the middle of where they’re headed.
“Yuto-kun.”
The manager called out from the kitchen.
“Take some photos of tomorrow’s fitting, okay?”
“Even you, Manager? What are you talking about?”
“It’s for the cultural festival, isn’t it?”
“You’re definitely saying that for a different reason.”
“Half of it, anyway.”
“Half of it?”
The manager laughed cheerfully.
After that, we spread out the materials Shirasaki had brought, and the discussion about the cultural festival began.
Himuro offered her opinions as the operations manager, Shirasaki aimed to sit next to me, Natsume freely suggested costumes she wanted to see as a customer, and Shiina turned all of it into material for her novel.
I was just desperately trying to keep the conversation from going off track.
But then I suddenly realized something.
Amid all this commotion, Natsume wasn’t talking about Makabe-senpai anymore.
Himuro didn’t mention Chairman Kuze’s name either.
And Shiina wasn’t clutching that unopened letter anymore.
The pain of heartbreak hasn’t gone away.
But the day no longer ends with just that pain.
That surely can’t be a bad thing.
“Senpai.”
Shirasaki looked at me over the documents.
“I’ll come pick you up during lunch break tomorrow.”
“I can go by myself.”
“I want to be the one to pick you up.”
“Kasugai-kun, you’ll head over from the classroom with me,”
Himuro said immediately.
“I’m coming to watch, too!”
“Natsume, this has nothing to do with you.”
“I have the right to see the butler uniform!”
“You don’t!”
“I’ll… be tagging along to review the materials, too.”
“Shiina, you’re in the Literature Club, right?”
“We’re exhibiting a novel at the cultural festival, so it’s relevant.”
All four pairs of eyes are fixed on me.
There was absolutely no sign that tomorrow’s lunch break would end peacefully.
Just then, the store manager muttered under her breath.
“Honestly, this feels less like a hangout for losers and more like the waiting room for the battle to win over Yuto-kun.”
“Did you say something?”
“No. I just said I’m looking forward to the cultural festival.”
As for me, even at this point, I was already filled with nothing but anxiety about tomorrow.
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