Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818093075629868223/episodes/16818792437802769234
The day after Shiori came to our house.
As expected, or rather, predictably… Kirishima’s reply was rather curt.
“Nothing much, really?”
“Maybe I just been busy lately and feeling tired, so that’s why it seems like that.”
If she were simply tired, it would show as fatigue, not this kind of preoccupation.
If it were that kind of thing, Shiori, who’s so attuned to people’s feelings, wouldn’t just pretend not to know. Besides, even gentle Yuzuki knows Kirishima is busy and would always be concerned about her being “tired.”
(Which means Kirishima’s statement is doubtful… I don’t want to say it, but it must be that kind of thing.)
I have no interest in prying out things people don’t want to talk about.
But this time, it’s Yuzuki… a friend who’s terribly worried. If I can solve whatever problem Kirishima is carrying, I want to help.
(Still, forcing a meeting to hear it directly… that’s out of the question.)
Asking “Can I see you? Give me some time?” here would be easy.
But Kirishima being busy is an undeniable fact. I want to avoid taking his time by force at all costs.
(Still, thinking about it that way, how do I get her to talk…?)
───That’s what I pondered while climbing the stairs to the rooftop.
A quiet place is best for gathering my thoughts. Fortunately, even during lunch break, the rooftop doesn’t get many visitors.
Maybe they just don’t want to eat outside, or maybe it’s getting too hot.
If any students are up here now, they’re probably either looking for solitude like me, or have something they don’t want anyone to hear.
(Or maybe couples sneaking around to make out… That time I bumped into them was super awkward…)
Just then.
The door leading to the rooftop opened, revealing a male student.
“…Damn. Thought I had this covered.”
His expression, though, looked slightly irritated.
A fight? I wondered, but he brushed past me quickly.
Feeling puzzled, I opened the now-closed rooftop door.
And then—
“Huh, Irie-senpai…?”
There stood a girl with lustrous peach-colored hair flowing behind her.
(…I see.)
I figured it out.
That boy’s irritated expression and the junior left behind.
Probably… well, she must have been confessed to.
“Being a beauty is tough, huh?”
“Huh!? Wh-wh-whwhy are you suddenly saying that!?”
“Well, weren’t you just confessed to?”
“Ah, u… yes, but—”
According to Yuzuki, she’d been confessed to at the forest school too. Sakurazaka really is popular, it seems.
With the cultural festival coming up, I can understand wanting to confess around this time, hoping to enjoy events together… But judging from that guy’s expression, his feelings were crushed.
“Um, why are you here, Irie-senpai…? I heard the rooftop isn’t a place many people come to…”
“Just thinking, I guess. Boys sometimes get this urge to watch the sunset.”
“…You mean that whole ‘twilight’ thing?”
Unfortunately, he’s a second-year high school student.
“Oh, I heard. So you ended up joining the same agency as Kirishima after all.”
When I sat down in front of the rooftop fence, Sakurazaka followed and sat down a little ways away beside me.
“Yes. I don’t know if I’ll continue modeling forever… but it’s a rare chance.”
“Your parents agreed to it?”
“They knew I’d always wanted to change this part of myself. When I explained, they understood.”
“Hmm…”
“But I’m just a rookie now, so I won’t get work right away. Unlike Kirishima-senpai, I’ll probably just live a normal school life.”
Sakurazaka gave a troubled, wry smile.
Even that slight expression made her seem incredibly cute, so it was easy to understand why guys were drawn to her.
“Speaking of which, do you ever get a chance to meet Kirishima? You’re at the same agency, so have you run into her since then…”
“Not since then… Even though we’re at the same agency, we’re not always at the office.”
“I see…”
I thought I might hear a bit about Kirishima… but it seems even within the same agency, they don’t meet.
Well, since she’s not desk work but operates independently, it’s unlikely they’d cross paths.
“But since we have the same manager, I do hear stories about Kirishima-senpai?”
“Really?”
“Yes! Kirishima-senpai seems to be really popular right now, in high demand everywhere!”
Hearing that, I felt a little worried, but… also happy.
I know she’s working hard to balance her studies, and if that effort is paying off, it’s amazing. As someone rooting for her, it’s wonderful she’s gaining popularity.
“Because of that, her manager seems really busy too… She’s always saying, ‘I could use an extra pair of hands!’”
“Well, that manager probably isn’t just handling Kirishima…”
Just as I started to say that.
Something suddenly popped into my mind.
“…An extra pair of hands, huh?”
“Is something wrong, Irie-senpai?”
Her lovely, delicate features peered up at me.
Normally, that sight would have made my heart leap, but my thoughts were focused elsewhere.
…I was sure that business card I got back then was in my room.
(Nothing to lose. I won’t know unless I try.)
And then—
“Thanks, Sakurazaka. Turns out talking to someone was better than just staring into the twilight after all.”
I thanked Sakurazaka for giving me the opening, then gently ruffled her hair.
“Huh!? I-Irie senpai!?”
“Ah, sorry… just an old habit from doing it to Yuzuki.”
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