Chapter 30: CH 30

After-school Date

Depending on how you feel, the landscape could change its color in any way you wanted.

Halfway through April, the weather had warmed up completely. The scenery on the road to the station was different from usual, because….

“We can still be seen by the people from our school, right?”

“People come by here a lot, don’t they? Ah… Those seniors.”

The girls of the tennis club, who were upperclassmen, and had tried to recruit Takane–I wondered what happened to their practice, but it was not good to worry too much about other people’s circumstances.

“It’s a relief to have Nagito-san here. But I should also be able to handle this on my own…”

“You can count on me anytime, you know. That’s what I’m here for.”

“…No. I want Nagito-san to keep smiling. When you saved me from those people earlier, it was cool, but it was also a little…overwhelming. I felt the same even during the physical fitness test.”

“I-Is that so…? Sorry, I hope I didn’t scare you.”

Takane-san didn’t answer right away – after all, a fight was not something you would feel good about seeing, no matter the reason.

“It may be inappropriate for me to say this, but… Nagito-san at that time was…”

While I was waiting for the time of absolution–I had such a sense of trust that Takane would not say anything that would push me away.

“…Very cool.”

“…That’s… Um, that’s an honor…”

I was taken aback completely by surprise, and I couldn’t stop my face from getting hot.

When people don’t say ‘cool’ in a teasing way, but rather when they say it sincerely, it feels completely different.

If we were in a place where no one was looking, I’d be in a state of agony. Was this what it meant to be in a relationship? – No, this kind of exchange couldn’t go on all the time, and if it did, my heart wouldn’t be able to handle it, to put it mildly.

I could tell that Takane-san was using a lot of effort to say those things. However, I couldn’ t stay embarrassed forever.

“…Nagito-san, you’re sweating a little. I wonder if it’s because it’s so sunny today.”

“Ah… I-I’m sorry. Surely, today, we could wear summer clothes.”

She wiped my forehead with a handkerchief – it was so natural that I didn’t even have time to refrain.

“Are you okay, Takane-san? Our school’s blazer looks pretty warm.”

“Yes, I’m fine. I seem to have a low normal temperature.”

I had a feeling that a lower body temperature did not necessarily mean that you were more resistant to heat – but I didn’t know if that was actually true.

“I might be a little chilly.”

“Eh…?”

Takane-san reached for my forehead–and touched it as if to measure my temperature.

“What do you think?”

“U-Um… It’s a comfortable temperature… Certainly, Takane-san’s hands are cool. Bu-But, it’s kind of bad to have them do that…”

“If you need to cool off like this, I’ll take care of it.”

“Haha… Takane-san, won’t you melt if you get too warm?”

“I’m not a yuki-onna, so I think I’ll be fine.” (T/N: Snow women)

It was a casual conversation – But if you were listening to it from the side, it might look like flirting or something. This kind of exchange made me happy.

I was not going out with her with some logical idea that there was no reason not to be attracted to such a perfect person.

“This is just an analogy, but… Nagito-san, what would you do if I were a yuki-onna?”

An analogy. Imagine – if Takane was a Yuki-onna.

“I think you’d look good in a kimono, Takane-san.”

“…Is that so…?”

“Jo-Joking… That’s not what we’re talking about, right? Yuki-onna can only be around when it’s cold, and she seems to like winter better.”

“Winter…?”

“Yeah. So, maybe I’ll find a way to keep you around in the spring or something…”

“…That’s…”

Takane turned red up to her ears and stopped mid-sentence.

It was only an analogy, should I have said something a little more joking? I was once again aware of the fact that we were ‘in a relationship.’

“That means always being with me…”

Once again, Takane turned to me coyly and tried to continue.

“Na-Gi-Sen!”

“……”

When Takane-san and I turned around together, Nakano-san was there, waving her hands in the air without any ill will.

“Na-Nakano-san, how long have you been there?”

“What the…? If you wanted to take a detour, you could have invited me… Kidding. Nagisen and Takane-san, are you on an after-school date?”

An after-school date – come to think of it, was that what this was? After-school detours, if two people in a relationship do that, it was unquestionably a date. I didn’t even realize that we had come all the way here together from school.

“I thought you had already left, so I’m happy to see you here. I, Nakano Yui, couldn’t resist interrupting your date.”

“N-No, it’s fine. Since you’re here, would you like to join us, Nakano-san?”

“Nozomi-chan… It’s bad, I’m really nervous. Nagisen, how can you walk with Takane and stay calm? Isn’t she too beautiful? Her legs in those tights for example.” (T/N: She knows the deal…)

“Nakano-san looks good in high socks too.”

“Eh, is that so? I’m confident in my legs. Nagisen only praised my legs, too.” (T/N: She said uchi instead of watashi. That’s the pronoun most gals use.)

“…’My’? “

I swear to the heavens, I have never done anything fetishistic like complimenting her legs or anything like that. I mean, her skirts used to be knee-length, but as soon as she entered high school, Nakano-san shortened her skirts to a rather risky line above her knees.

–Now was not the time to be worrying about Nakano-san’s leg. Takane-san was questioning the ‘my’ that she just mentioned.

“Ah… U-Um. It’s not uchi, but watashi. Takane-san’s not familiar with this kind of thing, right? For example uchi.”

“No, I was just wondering if that’s how Nakano-san is when she talks to Nagito-san.”

“You mean when I talk to Nagisen, my true colors come out? Ah… I guess you could say that.”

“I know it sounds like she’s making it up as she goes along, but it’s simply the tone she used in middle school, and she’s decided to change it for her high school debut.”

“Hii~i, stop revealing my secrets so easily. I told you that we have an Oath of the Peach Garden, Nagisen!”

“…Oath of the Peach Garden? Shouldn’t that be a three-way vow?”

It’s a serene point, but it’s a bit off in that there’s no way Nakano-san and I would have made such a pact in the first place. That’s typical of Takane, though.

“Then there are three of us, Takane-san, me and Nagisen. We’ll keep it a secret that my hair was lighter in junior high school and that I used to skip class. Okay?”

Wasn’t she revealing everything herself? I was tempted to follow Takane’s lead–Or rather, I wondered what Nakano-san’s groove was like from Takane’s point of view.

“Ah…U-Um. It’s not that you really have to care about what I have to say. I talk too much, right? Sorry. It’s a bad habit. I know it myself.”

Nakano-san said in an anxious manner, holding the index fingers of both her hands together – She seemed to be feeling pressured from Takane-san, but I felt the same way. A silent Takane-san gave me a feeling of ‘pressure’ or something like that.

However – Takane-san was still Takane-san. She smiled and held out her hand to Nakano-san.

“That’s not true. I’m curious about Nagito-san’s friends, and I want to know about them too.”

“Really? Thank God… Nagisen, Takane-san said she wants to know about me.”

“Haha… You recover pretty quickly, don’t you, Nakano-san?”

“That’s because I’ll be all better when I know I’m not hated anymore. I’m a mentally unstable, but I’m simple.”

Nakano-san was laughing hysterically, but she was definitely sensitive in a surprising way. When I saw her acting cheerfully, I felt at ease too – Even though she was my classmate, she looked at me as if I were her brother. Maybe it was because she was small and had a sisterly air about her.

“So, can I follow you for a moment? Since we’re in the same book club.”

“Yes. Do you have any recommendations, Nakano-san? A place where we can hang out.”

“Let’s go to the cafe over there. It’s got a nice atmosphere. Nagisen, with two girls, you’re winning a lot, aren’t you?”

Having said that, Nakano-san took Takane-san’s arm and walked away – the distance between them was closer than mine, but I shouldn’t feel envious.

“Just walking next to Takane smells so good… Nagisen, how did you manage to keep your sanity?”

If Nakano-san says so, that’s fine, but if I say so, I’ve got a little perversion in me.

However, when I thought about it, stopping by after school with two girls from my class, even at a café – This was a situation I could never have imagined in junior high school. It was different from working together in club activities.

“This is Nagisen singing at the Christmas party. He looks like that, but he’s a really good singer.”

“…Na-Nakano-san, when did you get that picture…?”

“It’s not a picture, it’s a video. It’s outside, so there’s no audio.”

“…Nagito-san in junior high school… This, is this around the second year?”

“Yeah, we couldn’t get together in the third year. It’s cute, right? Nagisen and I. Ah, I’m not so cute, am I?”

“Nakano-san, this… Your hair color, it’s gold, right?”

“Ahaha… That’s just one of many. Ah! Nagisen, why don’t we all go to karaoke sometime? Invite Kiri-chan and Nagisen’s friends, too.”

“Well, I’ll think about it…But it’s been a while since I’ve done karaoke.”

After listening to Takane’s piano, it was embarrassing to let her hear me sing – However, Takane’s own eyes were expecting it. If she was also interested in karaoke, I would like to go with her. My imagination had almost reached such a point that I started to wonder what kind of song Takane would sing.

“Nakano-san, can I ask you something?”

“Yes, ask me anything. I’m totally open right now.”

“How much has Asatani-san told you about her and Nagito-san?”

–Not exactly a landmine, but Takane-san went right to the heart of the matter.

Nakano-san, who had been worried about Asatani-san and me and had been taking care of us in many ways, must have been wondering what to say.

“U-Um… That… I’m sorry! I, Nakano Yui, have done something unnecessary! I’m sorry I got carried away when I didn’t need to, and I got too carried away with karaoke and stuff!”

“Nakano-san, it’s okay now…”

“That’s right. If Takane-san is going out with Nagisen, that’s a bit of an escalation of my imagination… It’s really no good, isn’t it, running off like that?”

This was – I was sure I hadn’t told Nakano-san, so it was not surprising that she thought so.

Nakano-san didn’t know or even realize that Takane-san and I were dating. She used the term ‘after-school date’ not because she thought we were boyfriend and girlfriend, but because we were together.

“………..”

Takane appealed to me with her eyes – her puppy dog eyes seemed to be asking me what she should do in such a case.

If there was a good time to bring it up, I would tell her, or maybe Asatani-san would tell Nakano-san later. But Asatani-san would never spread that kind of information – though I was aware of the fact that I was always at the mercy of her, and I was not sure if I should assume that.

“Well, I guess we have a lot to talk about. Today’s on me, so you can drink lots of soda and stuff.”

“I’ll pay for it myself, so don’t worry about it.”

“Hey, take my word for it. I’m desperate to regain your trust too.”

Nakano-san was always in this kind of mood, but she was not a bad kid. I was sure she was thinking of Asatani-san and me when she gave me the ticket for the public recording.

“Ah, I knew it, you smell so good. Why don’t you take a deep breath near Nozomi-chan, Nagisen?”

“Um… There’s a mix-up in the names, but I’m fine with either.”

“Thank God~ Then, it’s Nozomi-chan. You can call me Yui, too. My friends in middle school used to call me Yupo, but that’s a name I’ve already abandoned.”

I was impressed by how quickly Nakano-san closed the distance between the two of them. When I first met her, her hair was still dyed gold, and she was always intimidating – but now, with her pigtails tied in two, she looked like an overly friendly rabbit.