Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/2912051603008595869
When Fuyuka Mishima walked into “Anemone,” the atmosphere inside the shop froze for a split second.
Himuro narrowed her eyes, still holding her cup of tea; Natsume stopped bringing the parfait to her mouth; and Shiina even froze the tip of her pen on the paper.
“…What is it?”
Mishima asked, looking puzzled.
“Nothing.”
Himuro was the first to reply.
“I just didn’t expect Senpai to come to a place like this.”
“That’s rude.”
“It’s a fact.”
“I heard you come here every day, too.”
“I’m a regular.”
“Does that title hold any value?”
A strangely cold atmosphere flowed between the two of them.
I set a cup of freshly brewed coffee in front of Senpai.
“Here you go. It’s the darkest roast.”
“Thank you.”
Senpai took a sip and furrowed his brow slightly.
“It’s bitter.”
“You ordered it yourself.”
“I know.”
As she said that, she dropped one of the sugar cubes I’d placed beside the cup.
The way she stirred it quietly with a spoon was exactly like the perfect treasurer she was at school.
Except today, there were no stacks of documents or calculators.
Just that alone made her look a little like an ordinary high school student.
“So, did you lose too, Mishima-senpai?”
Natsume threw a straight ball.
“Natsume-san.”
Himuro glared at her immediately.
“Please choose your words more carefully.”
“Then, have you experienced defeat in love?”
“That’s just a longer way of saying the same thing.”
Mishima-senpai stared at Natsume for a moment.
Eventually, she lowered her gaze to her coffee.
“I suppose so.”
That was all.
Twelve years.
To me, who knew just how long that was, that brief reply sounded strangely heavy.
“Me too,”
Shiina said quietly.
“I do as well,”
Himuro added.
“Me too!”
Only Natsume was full of energy.
Mishima looked around at the three of them, finally resting her gaze on me.
“You, too, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“So, it really is nothing but losers here, then.”
“Watch your language,”
I blurted out without thinking, and the corners of Mishima’s mouth relaxed ever so slightly.
Himuro didn’t miss that moment.
“Kasugai-kun.”
“What?”
“Again?”
“What?”
“Never mind.”
Clearly, her expression didn’t say “never mind.”
As I tilted my head in confusion, Natsume laughed cheerfully.
“Himuro, are you jealous?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then is it okay if Mishima senpai comes here every day?”
“That’s up to the store.”
“Even if she’s just talking with Kasugai?”
“……It depends on the situation.”
“You’re doing it, aren’t you?”
“Please be quiet.”
Himuro’s ears turned red.
Mishima-senpai watched the exchange in silence.
“It’s noisy in here.”
“Want to go home?”
I asked.
“No.”
Senpai cupped her coffee cup with both hands.
“I’ll stay just a little longer.”
After that, Mishima-senpai didn’t mention Chairman Kuze to anyone.
Himuro didn’t ask either.
Natsume tried to ask a couple of times, but Himuro and I stopped her.
Shiina was silently taking notes.
Just the four of us losers and one “hero of defeat” spent our time at the same café, each drinking what we liked and making small talk.
Fifteen minutes before closing time.
Mishima-senpai stood up.
“Thanks for the meal.”
“Thank you.”
“Kasugai-kun.”
“Yes?”
“Will you be here tomorrow, too?”
“Yeah, I’ll be here.”
“I see.”
After just confirming that, Mishima left the shop.
The doorbell finished ringing.
Immediately afterward.
“Kasugai,”
“What?”
Himuro looked at me with a serious expression.
“Please take tomorrow off.”
“Why?”
“Let’s just say you’re feeling under the weather.”
“I’m fine.”
“Start feeling sick right now.”
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
Natsume doubled over with laughter, while Shiina silently recorded the conversation.
Feeling exasperated, I cleared away Mishima’s empty cup.
At the bottom, there was just a tiny bit of sugar that hadn’t completely dissolved.
Twelve years’ worth of bitterness couldn’t possibly be washed away by a single cup of coffee.
Still.
Next time, maybe I should add one more sugar cube.
As I was thinking that,
Himuro was staring at me with the scariest look I’d ever seen on her face.
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