Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093087122434729/episodes/16818622176734636843
“Hey, you two?”
The road to school was illuminated by the setting sun.
An awkward atmosphere hung between the three of us as we faced the rain god.
This was completely unexpected. I don’t know why, but Shiramine and Nishimiya had strangely frightening expressions on their faces.
“Who do you think you are, anyway?”
“Can you just shut up? I’m talking to Hayami Ren right now…”
“What you’re saying isn’t a conversation. If you want to snap at someone, go snap at that lamppost over there.”
As if to protect me from my confusion, Nishimiya steps forward. …Ugh, she’s so handsome. Cool. …No, wait. I have to stop this.
“Hey, hey. You two, there’s no need to get so worked up…”
“—Ren-senpai, just shut up.”
“—You shut up!”
“I’m sorry.”
Wait, why did I just get scolded? I realized it after apologizing, but it was too late.
“Why are you calling him by first name when you are not even friends? Especially since you’re younger.”
“There’s no such thing as seniors and juniors for someone who ran away. Just because you can’t say anything, I have no respect for someone who is protected by girls.”
“….You said you were Amagami, right?”
Shiramine walked briskly forward.
“Shiramine-san?”
“Ren-senpai. I know everything.”
Everything. It was as if her words enveloped me
“I know why you quit soccer, and what a kind person you are. I know everything. That’s why… I can’t forgive him.”
Shiramine’s thin, white hand was pulled back slowly, and then…
She slapped Amagami’s cheek.
“!”
“You can’t take back the words you’ve said. Even as a high school student, someone who doesn’t understand the weight of words has no right to insult Hayami Ren .”
Calmly, yet fiercely.
Shiramine seemed to be angry.
“Huh. As expected of Hitan. You calmly do things that I could never do. That’s what makes you so fascinating…”
That sounds familiar. Even if I wanted to make a joke, it wasn’t the right atmosphere.
“Come on, let’s go home. Ren-senpai, Aira-senpai.”
Shiramine exhaled and turned around. The anger from earlier was gone from her face, and she looked somewhat refreshed.
“Yeah. Right. Come on, let’s go, Ren.”
“Oh, okay.”
I was led by Nishimiya, half-dragged along.
I slipped past Amagami
It was in that instant.
“Is that really okay, Hayami-san? The Hayami Ren I admired wasn’t like that.”
My heart suddenly began to beat unusually loudly. As soon as I realized it, I stopped in my tracks.
“…I’m sorry, both of you.”
“Ren?”
I let go of Nishimiya’s hand and turned to face Amagami.
“Amagami. I’m sorry if I disappointed you. But…”
On that day, when I told Aota that I was quitting soccer, I…
“Compared to the me of that time, I might be lame, weak, and hopeless, but I actually like the me of now.”
The old me would never have thought of doing something for someone else.
“See you, Amagami. Keep up the good work at practice.”
After saying that, I started walking again.
As I walked, I thought to myself.
Amagami’s words were pretty harsh, but from the outside, me with two girls by my side… I mean, saying something like that makes me look like an idiot, right?
＊＊＊
“Thanks. You two got mad for me… But why a hot pot?”
Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle. In the center of the living room table was a pot boiling on a portable stove.
“If we’re all going to eat together, I thought a pot would be best.”
“Well, I guess so…”
“Hurry up and eat, or the meat will be gone! … Hehe, I got the meat!”
Nishimiya reached out with her chopsticks and picked up a piece of pork. Her expression was so wild, it was as if she hadn’t eaten meat in years.
Nishimiya-san, you’re drooling…
“That’s right, if you don’t eat quickly, onee chan will eat it all”
“Nee san… ugh, you smell like alcohol!”
Hey, hey, the hot pot hasn’t even been ready for twenty minutes yet… and you’re already drunk…
“Ren-senpai. I just couldn’t help myself, so don’t worry about it.”
Shiramine put some tofu on a small plate and cut it into four equal pieces. Ah, I understand. The tofu in the hot pot is too big to eat in one bite.
“But if you’re grateful, I have one request.”
“What is it?”
“──The next ball game tournament. I want you to play seriously.”
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