Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818622176550308690/episodes/16818792437490132492
“S-Suzukita-san? Why are you here…?”
Fate—that’s what Suzukita-san said, but no matter how you look at it, a coincidence like this couldn’t possibly be real.
I was so stunned I’d completely passed through surprise and found myself strangely calm instead.
“Hehehe, you’re so weird, Ayata cchi. Of course I came to hang out! Right, Mae-chan?”
Saying that, Suzukita-san turned her gaze to the black-haired girl standing beside her.
The girl called Mae-chan smiled brightly over her glasses.
“Right, Miyuki-chan. What a coincidence, huh?”
I recognized this girl from somewhere.
We weren’t in the same class… but wait. I’m pretty sure Suzukita-san used to walk to and from school with this girl.
Just then, Sena lowered the smartphone she’d been holding,
“S-Suzukita-chan. And Maeda-chan too. What a coincidence, ahaha…”
Her tone sounded vaguely awkward. Even Sena seemed surprised by this unexpected encounter.
“W-well, we should be going now! See you at school, Suzukita-chan—”
“Whaaat, Senarin, you’re so cold! Hey, come on! Since we’re all here, let’s hang out together!”
It was summer, around eleven in the morning.
Faced with Suzukita-san’s full-power smile, bathed in the bright, shining sunlight, Sena let out a voice that sounded like she’d taken damage: “Ugh…!?” …Even Sena couldn’t stand up to Suzukita-san’s sunny personality power, it seemed.
“W-wait, Suzukita!”
As if shielding Sena, Hideki leapt forward.
“If it were just Suzukita, fine, but that Maeda-san over there has no connection to us, right? It’d be awkward, honestly. Maybe we should just go our separate ways—”
“Hmm, that’s true. What do you say, Mae-chan?”
“Yes, yes! I wanna hang out with Renka-chan and the others! I mean, she’s the school idol, Renka-chan! I absolutely can’t miss a chance like this!”
Despite her plain appearance (sorry to be blunt), Maeda-san, aka Mae-chan, chattered away in a bright, cheerful voice.
Then, for some reason, she looked straight at Yuri and said,
“We do have connections. Right, Hasegawa-kun?”
“Huh? Ah, yeah, I guess.”
“Wh-what… Hey! What’s going on here, Yuri?!”
Hideki pressed Yuri, looking flustered.
But Yuri, for his part, didn’t break his usual cool composure.
“What do you mean? Maeda-san and I are classmates and friends. She’s also the only one who talks to me during breaks.”
Yuri gave a slight lift to his glasses. A pleased smile slipped out from his calm profile. …So that’s it. The only one who talks to him. I really need to be nicer to Yuri from now on.
“…Haaa. You idiot, Yuri.”
“Ah—oh, right, that’s what it was. Sorry, I just got so happy I blurted it out…”
Yuri looks down slightly, apologetic, as Sena puffs out her cheeks.
But… what is this feeling? This atmosphere.
Sena, Hideki, Yuri, Suzukita-san, Maeda-san. Between them, there was this… well, this mysterious tension, like they were all keeping each other in check. The meaning was completely unclear.
…It was incredibly awkward. I glanced over at Renka.
Then Renka gently tugged at my sleeve. It was a gesture like a small animal. How cute.
“…Suzukita-san. Long time no see, huh?”
Renka’s voice trembled.
Was she nervous? If so, why? I wondered.
And “long time no see”? Had these two actually become surprisingly close behind my back?
“Yeah. Long time no see, Renren.”
“………………”
“………………”
Renka and Suzukita-san.
The two beautiful girls, silently, smiling, glaring at each other.
(…Huh. What is this…?)
Apparently, I’m the only one not used to this situation.
Being left out in the cold is exactly what this is. There wasn’t a single opening for me to slip into their circle.
“—Yeah, Suzukita-san’s right. Since we’re here, let’s hang out together. Okay, Sena?”
It was Renka who finally broke the silence.
Sena, still wearing a sulky expression, turned her gaze away somewhere else.
Hideki gently patted Sena’s shoulder.
“Renka said so, let’s go with it.”
“…But…”
“That’s how it is. Nice to meet you, Suzukita. And you’re Maeda-san, right?”
Hideki tried to create a softer atmosphere, restraining Sena’s blatant sulking.
Then, Maeda-san flashed a bright smile,
“Yeah! Nice to meet you, Yuzuka-kun! And Ayata-kun too, nice to meet you?”
“Huh? Oh, uh… Nice to meet you…”
Still, what an incredible coincidence.
No—really, is this just a coincidence?
I couldn’t help but think back to Suzukita-san’s confession. Could it be that Suzukita-san somehow found out about our trip and planned this whole operation to join us by pretending it was a coincidence? To spend her summer vacation with me.
(…Yeah, I don’t know. I should stop thinking about it…)
Between Renka’s attitude and Suzukita-san’s words and actions…
Lately, I’ve been constantly reminded of how poor my powers of deduction are.
As compensation, I’ve learned that resignation is key. …Or should I say, I’ve been taught it.
“Well then, Akito. Let’s check in?”
Renka said, looking up at me.
Behind her, Maeda-san’s dark eyes were fixed intently on Renka.
(Huh… What is this feeling…)
It was a gaze that reminded me of something.
For some reason—a chill ran down my spine.
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