CH 281

“—“

The blankness of my thoughts was momentary.

I couldn’t move right away due to the shock of being disappointed, but after a few seconds my body was back to normal.

“Kirari…”

Then, finally, I followed.

I walked faster, trying to catch up with Kirari, who was walking out of the rooftop with rough steps.

I reached within arm’s reach as she was approaching the stairs, but it was quickly rejected.

“Don’t follow me.”

Her cold voice echoed.

It was at that moment.

“… Huh? Why did I… reject Ko-kun?”

She turned to me with a huff.

It was as if she had not meant what she had just said.

Then she had a puzzled look on her face, as thought she had suddenly regained her composure.

“Hey, Ko-kun… why am I so angry?”

“It’s because I’m not worthy of … you.”

“No. I’ve known that for a long time, and I’ve accepted even that kind Ko-kun, so … why do I feel so bad about it now?”

Something was wrong, she told me.

But not knowing what it was, Kirari was puzzled.

“Something is wrong, isn’t it?”

“Strange…”

What?

She was about to continue, but before she could, Kirari’s body shook.

“…Ahh.”

Without any context or warning.

Her body lost her balance and… fell down the stairs.

If there was a strong reason, it might be that she was so upset that she lost her footing.

But that’s not how I saw it.

It was as if she was being pulled by some invisible thread.

With such an unnatural movement, Kirari fell down the stairs.

“Kirari!?”

I reach out my hand. She and I were in close proximity, and if she and I had extended our hands to each other, I think I could have somehow reached her.

I tried to help her.

But Kirari didn’t … reach out her hand.

“……Eh?”

Or maybe she couldn’t.

Kirari was looking at me. It looked like she was trying to grab my hand.

But her hand didn’t reach me, as if it had hit a transparent wall.

If I didn’t do something, Kirari would get seriously hurt – that’s how I felt, and my back went cold.

That’s when it happened.

“Hey, hey!”

Too abruptly.

With unnaturally convenient timing, Ryuzaki came out onto the staircase.

It was as if he had timed it perfectly.

“Look out!”

Ryuzaki jumped out at the spot where Kirari would fall.

He caught Kirari’s body and fell to the floor with her.

But thanks to that, Kirari didn’t hit … her head or back hard.

“Ouch… h-hey, are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“… Uh, no. Thank you.”

Thanks to Ryuzaki’s role as a buffer material, serious injury was averted.

Kirari was also overcome by the sudden situation, but she seemed to have escaped unscathed.

But there was one thing that was different from usual.

Her face was bright red.

“Hey, are you sure you’re okay!? Your face, it’s so red. … I think you hit something hard. If you want to go to the infirmary, I’ll take you there myself, okay?”

“Huh? I’m so embarrassed to do that…, I don’t want to be carried in someone’s arms at this age.”

“Is that what you’re saying! It’s impossible for your face to be this red!?”

“No. I’m not… rather, don’t bring your face too close. My heart is pounding too much and I’m going to get even more red.”

“Huh? Did you just say something? Your voice was so quiet I couldn’t quite hear you.”

“… I-t’s nothing!”

…I could only stare blankly at Kirari, who was having a conversation like one of those romantic comedy clichés.

A very unnatural fall.

The too unnatural appearance and rescue of Ryuzaki.

The convenience of the situation was too unnatural.

t was as if everything had been planned from the beginning.

A convenient development for Ryoma Ryuzaki unfolded before my eyes.

As a result, Kirari’s heart was also stolen.

“U-ugh … what is this? How is this possible? Having a boy save you from a life-threatening situation? … I’m like a heroine in a romantic comedy.”

“Oh, hey, you’ve been whispering something to me for a while now, but you need to say it a little louder. My ears aren’t so good, I can’t hear anything.”

“Nothing, nothing. I just said thank you for helping.”

I was taken aback by a scene that could have started a romantic comedy at any moment.

Kirari turned to Ryuzaki with a face she’d never shown me before.

And she wasn’t even looking at … me anymore…