Chapter 5 | From Now On, Henceforth

 

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It was about seven years ago when I, Asanagi Umi, first met Amami Yuu.

After classes ended, as I was walking home with friends as usual, I spotted a small figure trembling alone.

At first glance, I thought she was incredibly cute. Her long, shimmering golden hair and skin so pale it was almost startling—I couldn’t help but call out to her right away.

“W-What…?”

The girl who timidly looked up at me was like a living doll. Her round, crystal-clear blue eyes were so perfect, I wondered if they had marbles inside them.

“I’m Umi. Asanagi Umi. And you are?”

“Huh? Um… I’m Yuu. Amami Yuu… desu.”

“Yuu-chan, huh? What grade are you in?”

“Third grade… I just moved here recently.”

She was shorter than me, so I assumed she was younger, but it turned out we were the same age. Now that I think about it, a friend from another class had mentioned a transfer student. This must be her.

“Why are you walking home alone? What about your classmates?”

“Friends… um, well…”

“You don’t have any?”

At my question, Yuu gave a tiny nod.

That surprised me. Someone this cute should’ve been swarmed with friends in no time, right?

“Before I transferred, everyone avoided me… because of my hair color, my eye color… So I thought it’d probably be the same here too. I was scared…”

She told me a bit about her old school after that, and honestly, it was awful. Just hearing it made me angry.

Sure, in a class where everyone looks similar, a girl who stands out like her would draw attention—but that’s no excuse to ostracize her.

“I see. Then how about we walk home together from now on?”

“Huh?”

Yuu blinked at me, her face blank with surprise.

Was it really that shocking? If someone’s in trouble, you help them out.

Other kids might not care, but to me, it’s only natural.

“I mean, walking home alone is lonely, isn’t it? Or do you not want to with me?”

“N-No, it’s not that… but, is it okay?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“…I mean, if you hang out with someone like me, Asanagi-san, you might—”

“It’s fine. I don’t mind.”

With that, I took both of Yuu’s hands in mine, holding them firmly as if wrapping them up. She looked a little startled, but I didn’t let go.

“Even if I get left out, I won’t be alone. …Because I’ve got a friend right in front of me.”

“Asanagi-san…”

“Just call me Umi. I’ll call you Yuu from now on too.”

I’d already decided the moment I spoke to her. I wouldn’t let this girl stay alone, no matter what.

“Hey, Yuu.”

“What, Umi-chan?”

“Could you smile for me? Just a little?”

“Ehh!? S-So suddenly… that’s embarrassing!”

“Please? Just for me, secretly. I want to see Yuu’s cute smile, even if it’s only for a second.”

“Ugh… O-Okay, just a little, then?”

On that empty back alley path, Yuu gave me an awkward smile.

“Cute.”

The instant I saw it, the word slipped out of my mouth. And at the same time, I thought to myself:

This girl doesn’t belong on the sidelines with a gloomy face like this. With her golden hair swaying softly, she should be shining brightly, lighting up everyone around her with that adorable smile.

“So, let’s head home together, Yuu.”

“Yeah, Umi-chan.”

“No ‘-chan,’ Yuu.”

“O-Okay… U-Umi…”

“Good job! You said it perfectly. Great, great.”

“Really? Hehe.”

And just like that, me and Yuu officially became friends. That’s where this story begins.

The next day, I decided to introduce Yuu to my other friends right away.

They were Nitori Sanae and Houjou Manaka—two girls I’d been especially close with since starting elementary school. We always walked to and from school together.

“Come on, Yuu.”

“O-Okay, but…”

“It’s fine. They’re both my friends, and they’re nice.”

I wondered if introducing her to others so soon after yesterday was a bit much, but the sooner, the better. Even now, Yuu was already clinging to me. If I waited too long, with her shy personality, she might never make friends beyond me.

I want to be with Yuu as much as possible, but I can’t always be there every second.

For the times I can’t, it’s better if she has more allies.

“…I’m Amami Yuu from Class 3-1. Um, nice to meet you.”

“Yeah, nice to meet you, Yuu-chan!”

“Nice to meet you. You’re so pretty and cute.”

Of course, Sanae and Manaka welcomed Yuu with open arms.

Well, I’d asked them beforehand to be nice to her, so that helped.

“See, Yuu? All good.”

“Yeah, thank you. Thanks to you, Umi, I’ve already made two new friends.”

I hate to brag, but I’ve got a pretty wide social circle. I hang out with Sanae and Manaka a lot, but I’ve got acquaintances in other classes too.

If I could just pull Yuu into the center of my friend group, she’d have way more than two friends to spend her days with.

I was certain of it, and sure enough, things went exactly as I’d predicted.

Yuu started smiling brightly in front of everyone. She regained the confidence she’d lost at her old school, lighting up everyone around her with that dazzling smile.

Up to that point, everything went according to plan. Seeing Yuu grow cuter and more radiant by the day as I stood by her side filled me with pride.

Up to that point, everything was perfect.

…Or at least, it was supposed to be.

I started noticing something strange around the time we moved up to middle school.

A few years after meeting Yuu, just as I’d hoped, she’d become a central figure—not just in our class, but in the whole grade.

As a result, I’d faded into the background a bit, but I wasn’t jealous of Yuu over it. My worth isn’t in my looks—it’s somewhere else.

“Morning, Umi!”

“Whoa—hey, hold on, don’t just hug me out of nowhere! What are you, a puppy…? Well, you’re cute, so I’ll pat you anyway.”

“Hehe~”

Yuu, despite her increasingly mature appearance, was still as clingy with me as ever. She wasn’t shy with others anymore, but with me, she’d still flash that innocent smile from when we first became friends.

“Sanae, Manaka, morning.”

“Morning, Umi-chan.”

“Mornin’~”

As for Sanae and Manaka, not much had changed. We were close, but they didn’t cling to me like Yuu did. Honestly, that’s normal—Yuu’s just a little too attached.

“Oh, right, Yuu, aren’t you on class duty today? Did you grab the log from the teacher?”

“Huh? …Oh, yeah!”

“Geez. Hurry up and go get it. You’ll get scolded if you’re late.”

“R-Right! Be right back, everyone!”

With that, Yuu dashed out of the classroom, her increasingly brilliant blonde hair fluttering behind her.

It was just a trip to grab the log, nothing more, yet she looked like a butterfly taking flight from a flower. Even our classmates seemed captivated by her.

“Oh, hey, by the way. You two free next weekend? Saturday or Sunday?”

“The weekend? Uh, let’s see…”

“Depends on my lessons, but why?”

“Hehe, well…”

I pulled something out of my uniform pocket: free movie tickets for an upcoming release. My mom got them from a friend and passed them to me, saying I should go with my friends.

“There’s four, so how about we all go? Then hang out somewhere after. What do you think?”

Actually, since starting middle school, the four of us hadn’t hung out as much. Sanae and Manaka were busy with their lessons, and it was common for one or both of them to miss out.

When that happens a lot, the excitement fades a bit, but I still made a point to keep inviting them.

I didn’t think our friendship would weaken just because we hung out less, but still, I wanted to spend time together and reaffirm it every now and then.

“Uh, Saturday… Sunday… Hmm…”

“Next week might be tough.”

I’d had a feeling, and sure enough, neither of them could make it.

“Sorry, Umi-chan. You went out of your way to invite us…”

“No worries, no worries. If you’ve got stuff you can’t skip, that’s that.”

I patted their shoulders reassuringly as they looked apologetic.

The movie thing was a bummer, but there’d be other chances. Friends don’t just vanish, after all.

“Oh, how about the Sunday after next? I’m free then. What about you, Manaka?”

“Yeah, I’ll ask my parents. Tell them I need a break once in a while.”

See? Just as I thought. If you make a move, things work out.

“—Sorry for the wait! I got the log from the teacher!”

“Speak of the devil. Alright, I’ll let you know the meet-up time later.”

It felt a little lonely, but I’d go to the movie alone. I could’ve asked Yuu, but that’d feel unfair to the other two, and watching solo once in a while might not be bad.

So, on that day off, I headed into town without telling anyone—only to curse my terrible timing.

It happened that day, while I was heading to a theater farther out than usual.

A voice that shouldn’t have been there reached my ears.

“Yuu-chan, come on, let’s go there next!”

“W-Wait up, you two…”

In that instant, my heart squeezed tight.

I heard three voices.

Sanae, Manaka, and Yuu.

Yuu aside, why were those two here? Didn’t they have stuff to do?

Trying to calm my racing pulse, I peeked at the three of them from behind cover.

“What’s wrong, Yuu-chan? You look down… Aren’t you having fun?”

“Huh? No, it’s really fun being somewhere new, but… it’s still lonely without Umi.”

“Y-Yeah… but it can’t be helped. Umi-chan’s busy today or something.”

“Yeah. I asked Umi too, but she said today wouldn’t work.”

That’s not true. I only told Yuu that because Sanae and Manaka were supposed to be busy.

So why… why am I the one being left out?

“They lied…”

The moment I realized that, my eyes burned.

I didn’t know why, but they’d excluded me to hang out with Yuu in a different place.

…Unforgivable.

I wanted to confront them. Why did they leave me out? Was I the only one who thought we were friends? Did they start hating me?

Those words bubbled up in my boiling mind.

But even so, my feet wouldn’t budge an inch from the shadows.

“Why…!”

At the last second, my reason held back my anger.

If I exploded here, everything would fall apart. Venting my rage might feel good, but it’d destroy the four of us in exchange.

In that moment, I got scared.

“…I have to pretend I didn’t see this.”

I told myself that—and I did. It hurt, and I was mad, but if I held it in, our friendship would stay intact for now. Yuu’s smile wouldn’t have to fade.

Yuu could stay as she was. She didn’t need to know.

I just wanted her to keep smiling like always.

With that in mind, I slipped away home without them noticing, like I was fleeing.

The movie ticket, smudged with some kind of drip, I tore to shreds and tossed into a convenience store trash can.

In the end, that was the only time they lied to me. But the shock of being betrayed by friends I trusted hit harder than I’d imagined. As I kept up surface-level interactions, I eventually couldn’t take it anymore. Without anyone knowing, my heart reached its limit.

That was around the fall of my third year of middle school. I was supposed to move straight to the high school division, but I told my parents everything and switched my path to a nearby co-ed school—the one I’m at now.

1. ※※※

“—So, that’s the story up until I started high school, I guess.”

Asanagi finally paused to catch her breath. She must’ve planned out what to say since yesterday, because even I—who didn’t know about their middle school days—could follow it clearly.

Even now, Asanagi was so Asanagi. Too serious for her own good.

By the way, I’d asked Nitori-san and Houjou-san to step away, and that was the right call. If they were here, Amami-san might’ve lashed out at them.

I’m sure Asanagi wouldn’t want that either.

“No way… So when you changed schools and said it was because of tight tuition costs…”

“That was a lie. I gave a plausible excuse, but really, I just wanted to run away. Though in the end, Yuu followed me here anyway.”

“No way… I mean, Umi’s my best friend! Sanae-chan and Manaka-chan are important too, but to me, Umi’s number one. My parents were super mad, and studying for the entrance exams was brutal, but I couldn’t stand the idea of high school without Umi.”

It’s no wonder Amami-san felt that way.

If Asanagi hadn’t found Yuu trembling alone back then—if she hadn’t reached out—who knows what would’ve happened to her?

“Yuu, you just said ‘number one,’ right?”

“Huh? Y-Yeah.”

“…That’s probably what messed it up. I’m happy you’d say that, Yuu, but it ended up backfiring.”

“Huh?”

“—The thing is, I actually asked Sanae and Manaka about it at graduation. ‘Why did you lie to me back then?’”

That’s why those two looked so awkward the moment they saw Asanagi.

“They said they wanted to get closer to Yuu more than I did. Back then, Yuu was popular but barely hung out with anyone besides me in private, so other classmates got jealous.

Sanae and Manaka saw that up close and thought, ‘Then why not us too?’ They apologized, said it was a spur-of-the-moment thing. To me, it just sounded like excuses, though.”

Hanging out with someone popular can make you feel important too—maybe that’s the mindset they fell into back then.

Getting thanked for setting up time with Amami-san or making plans with her must’ve felt pretty good for them.

But to do that, they had to take that role away from Asanagi somehow.

“While Yuu was reclaiming her true self, I could feel myself getting pushed out of the center. Kids who used to talk to me started only talking to Yuu…”

Building something up with effort, only to realize it’s not yours anymore—that’d feel awful just imagining it.

Asanagi had been carrying that feeling alone all this time.

“But it’s all my own fault, isn’t it? I mean, I’m the one who told Yuu to be like that, who wanted her to be like that. Telling her to stop now, to go back to being that lonely, isolated person from before—that’s something I could never say. …There’s no way I could.”

In this whole mess, Amami-san didn’t do anything wrong. She was just being herself. As Asanagi admitted, the fault was hers.

If she hadn’t reached out, hadn’t helped, Asanagi could’ve stayed at the center of her own community. But then she wouldn’t have saved Amami-san.

How did it end up like this?

“Asanagi, so the reason you didn’t tell Amami-san about me was maybe…”

“…Yeah. I didn’t want the friend I worked so hard to make get taken away.”

Keeping it a secret and distancing me from Amami-san would lower that risk as much as possible. Plus, since I didn’t want a wider social circle either, it worked out perfectly for Asanagi.

Me, wanting to avoid the class’s noise, and Asanagi, not wanting to repeat past mistakes—

Our needs meshed perfectly, maintaining this secret friendship all this time. But now, that’s been forced to change course.

“Hey, Yuu.”

“…What?”

“Do you like me?”

“Of course I do! Since the day we met, you’ve been my favorite best friend!”

“Right? I really like you too, Yuu, even now. …But at the same time, I kinda hate you just as much.”

“Umi…”

She likes her but hates her.

It sounds contradictory, but I think I get how Asanagi feels now.

“…Sorry, I need to cool off for a bit.”

“! Umi, wait—”

“It’s fine. I’m not running away anymore. …But sorry, I just need a little time.”

With that, Asanagi vanished into the lunchtime crowd.

I could guess where she went. With people swarming both inside and outside the school, there’s only one place she could go to cool off alone.

“Amami-san, I’m gonna go after Asanagi. There’s still stuff I haven’t talked to her about.”

“Maki-kun… Yeah, okay. Please take care of Umi.”

She said to leave her alone, but that was to Amami-san. She didn’t say anything about me, so it should be fine to follow her.

She’ll probably call me an idiot again or something. Well, if it’s Asanagi, I don’t mind.

As expected, Asanagi was on the rooftop.

“Yo.”

I called out to her as she leaned against the railing, staring blankly below.

“What’re you moping about? That’s not like you.”

“Shut up. I said to leave me alone, didn’t I? Got no ears?”

“Then lock the door from the inside next time. If you’ve got a way to isolate yourself and don’t use it, it’s like you’re asking to be followed.”

“…Maehara, you idiot.”

“Yeah, yeah. Here, take some tissues and clean your face.”

“Mm…”

Asanagi snatched the pocket tissues from my hand and blew her nose.

Today, Asanagi’s a real crybaby—unlike her usual self. Or maybe she’s just been holding it together this whole time.

“You’re amazing, Asanagi. Carrying all that and acting normal this whole time—it’s impressive.”

Neither I nor even Amami-san had a clue until she let it all out.

Distrust from being betrayed by friends, the anxiety and loneliness of watching people drift away, and even an inferiority complex toward her best friend, Amami-san.

If it were me, I’d probably have shut down long ago.

“You worked hard, Asanagi. Good job.”

“…Yeah, I did. So praise me more.”

“Sure, I will.”

I patted Asanagi’s head, just like she’d done for me once before.

“…Ugh, I really spilled everything. All of it—the past, the liking, the hating, everything… And saying it didn’t even make me feel better. I’m the worst. Just awful.”

“Do you hate yourself, Asanagi?”

“Obviously. In the end, I did to Yuu the same thing I hated being done to me. Keeping you a secret, lying, having fun with you all by myself… How am I supposed to like someone like that?”

And not just once—over and over.

But part of that’s my fault too. By saying I wanted to keep it secret from the whole class, including Amami-san, I made it easier for Asanagi to lie.

“…So, Asanagi, what do you want to do from now on?”

Waiting for her to calm down a bit, I brought up the main point.

“…What do you mean by that?”

“With Amami-san. Do you want to keep things as they are, take some distance for a while, or something else?”

Words spoken can’t be taken back, and feelings that’ve spilled out can’t be undone. That’s why we need to talk about what comes next.

About Asanagi and Amami-san—and about me too.

“…What do you want me to do, Maehara?”

“Throwing it back at me, huh… Well, since I brought it up, I’ll say it.”

“…Okay.”

“I think we should take some distance for a bit.”

“You mean… between who?”

“Me and you, Asanagi.”

I’d been thinking about it ever since Amami-san found out.

Given our personalities, even if we hung out later, we probably couldn’t enjoy it purely anymore. The guilt toward Amami-san we’d been hiding with lies would always linger somewhere.

So, we reset our relationship for now. Asanagi should focus on making up with Amami-san first, and we can figure things out after everything settles.

“Oh, by ‘distance,’ I just mean not hanging out alone for a while—not ending our friendship. Don’t get that twisted.”

“Maehara, but then…”

“We’re in the same class, so we’ll see each other plenty. We can keep messaging like we’ve been sneaking around. We’ve got the class committee excuse too, so no one’ll bat an eye if we talk in class…”

“Maehara!”

“What?”

“You’re rambling about yourself too much. Listen to me properly too, okay?”

“Oh…”

Asanagi’s words snapped me back to reality.

Her feelings matter most here, yet I’d started this talk only to push my own opinion on her.

“…Sorry, I got a little flustered.”

“No, I’m sorry. I was so caught up in my own stuff I didn’t think about you. I should’ve known you were more overwhelmed than me.”

She’s right. For me, making friends like this was a first, and so was being caught up in a mess like this.

Thinking I could solve Asanagi and Amami-san’s long-standing issue was pure arrogance.

“Maehara, come here. Hold my hand and take a deep breath.”

“…Okay.”

I did as she said, breathing deeply two, three times.

Just like I’d done for her this morning.

“How’s that? Calmer? How many fingers do you see?”

“Three… I didn’t hit my head, you know.”

“Haha. Looks like you’re fine now. But let’s keep holding hands a bit longer.”

“…Sure, okay.”

And somehow, I ended up being the one comforted by Asanagi.

I’d told Amami-san something cool, but facing Asanagi, I’m clinging like this… Man, I’m so lame.

“Maehara, can I ask you something?”

“…What?”

“Tell me your honest feelings. …Would you be lonely if you couldn’t hang out with me?”

“…Uh, well…”

No point in acting tough when Asanagi can see right through me, so I went with the truth.

“…Yeah, I’d be lonely. Obviously.”

No amount of bravado changes how I really feel.

I used to think being alone suited me better. I wasn’t against having friends, but I figured socializing was just a hassle with no real payoff.

But I was wrong. I’d just never known how nice it felt to be with someone I could relax around—I wasn’t strong in solitude at all.

Sure, friendships come with headaches, but even so, the time I’d spent with Asanagi was a blast. We could laugh off all the annoyances.

Taking distance doesn’t mean our friendship ends.

But still, lonely is lonely.

“Hey, Maehara.”

“…Yeah?”

“Do you want to keep this relationship going with me from now on?”

“…I do, and I want you to make up with Amami-san properly too.”

“Wow, that’s pretty selfish. Even Yuu might snap at that one.”

“I know, I know. That’s why I said we should take some distance, right?”

“True. Since we’ve been lying to Yuu this whole time, we need to draw a line somewhere, or neither of us can move forward.”

Getting Amami-san to forgive everything and still keep my convenient setup with Asanagi—that’s way too greedy.

We need to think that through properly too.

“But I get how you feel, Maehara. Thanks for being honest.”

“You’re welcome. …So, decided what to do?”

“Yeah. I’m still a little unsure, but… I believe this is the best choice for us and for Yuu.”

She seemed to have made up her mind. The gloomy Asanagi was gone, replaced by the usual cool Asanagi Umi.

“Got it. Then let’s head back to Amami-san and apologize properly.”

“Yeah.”

I took Asanagi’s hand and hurried back to Amami-san.

I’d keep holding her hand the whole way—to show her we were still connected.

When we got back, Amami-san greeted us with a smile.

“Welcome back, Maki-kun. Thanks for bringing Umi.”

“Well, it’s the least I could do. …Asanagi, go on.”

“Yeah.”

Reluctantly letting go of my hand, Umi stepped in front of Amami-san.

“Umi, you and Maki-kun got pretty close, huh?”

“…Yeah. It’s only been recent, but he’s an important friend.”

“More than me?”

“Yuu and Maehara are both equally important to me. No ranking.”

With her resolve set, Asanagi’s hesitation had vanished.

I’d been worried, but it looked like I could just watch from here.

“—Yuu, I’m really sorry for lying to you and hiding Maehara all this time.”

With that opener, Asanagi bowed deeply to Amami-san.

Because she’s her closest friend, she wouldn’t brush it off—she faced it earnestly and sincerely.

“…Seriously, Umi, you idiot. I was so scared. I kept thinking maybe you didn’t see me as a friend anymore. That Maki-kun, with his smarts and kindness, was more important than a shallow doll like me.”

Just like Asanagi, Amami-san had been hiding her own fears behind her smile.

I could kinda understand that terror of losing a best friend now that I’d made some myself.

“Sorry, Yuu. I’m such an idiot for making my best friend feel like that.”

“Then I’m an idiot too. I didn’t notice Umi’s struggles, always leaning on her… So I need to apologize too.”

Tears welled faintly in their eyes as they held hands.

Going back to how things were might be tough, but I still hoped they could be best friends again.

“…Yuu, I’m thinking of taking some distance from Maehara for a while.”

“Huh…?”

Amami-san’s gaze shifted to me.

Her look asked, Is that okay? I nodded firmly.

“Maki-kun, are you sure? When Umi says ‘a while,’ it’s not just a week or two. It could be a month, two months, maybe more…”

“Yeah, maybe. She’s stubborn like that.”

We hadn’t set a specific time for “a while,” but knowing Asanagi, it’d probably drag on. Losing the fun times we’d had honestly sucked.

“Even so, you’re going along with what Umi says?”

“Yeah. This time, no matter what, I want to respect Asanagi’s decision.”

“I see…”

Confirming that both me and Asanagi were set, Amami-san continued.

“You two… you’re both such idiots, honestly.”

I couldn’t argue—she was right. She’s saying she’d forgive us, and here we are asking her not to.

“Sorry, Yuu. But I feel like I can’t move forward otherwise. Not just a superficial ‘best friend’—I want to be real, equal friends with you.”

“Umi…”

Unlike Amami-san, I think Asanagi never fully trusted her deep down. Looking back, not consulting her about the Sanae and Manaka mess might’ve been part of that.

“Hey, Yuu.”

“What?”

“I’m stubborn, an idiot, drowning in inferiority, and I’ve been awful to you all this time… Even so, would you be my friend again?”

Asanagi was reflecting on herself, trying to change.

Instead of bottling it up alone, she was laying out her flaws and ugly sides, aiming to truly be friends with Amami-san this time.

“Friends… not best friends?”

“Yeah. I want to start from a proper equal footing, then become best friends later. Jumping straight to ‘best friends’ without even being proper friends yet—that’d be weird, right?”

To do that, she’d shift all her time with me to Amami-san, working to fix their bond.

That was the real reason for distancing herself from me.

“Umi, you’re serious about this, huh?”

“Yeah. This time, it’s no lie. …Absolutely.”

“Geez, what am I gonna do with you…”

Amami-san let out a big sigh, meeting Asanagi’s unwavering gaze.

It seemed she’d caved, realizing Asanagi’s resolve wouldn’t budge—

“…Yeah, no way that’s happening.”

—or so I thought, until Amami-san threw out an unexpected reply.

“Huh? Yuu, why not?”

“Because that’d be unfair to Maki-kun! He wants to hang out with his friend Umi too, and me hogging you… that’s just swapping my place with his. No way that’s okay.”

“But then nothing changes…”

Keeping my thing with Asanagi as is while making up with Amami-san—wouldn’t that make Amami-san too nice?

“Hehe, don’t worry. Instead, I’ve got a request for you two.”

“Huh?”

Apparently, Amami-san had a brilliant idea to solve this in one shot.

A way to settle things that both Asanagi and Amami-san could accept.

“Hey, you two… remember the day I showed up at Maki-kun’s house?”

“Well, yeah… right, Maehara?”

“Yeah, uh, that was…”

That time we were messing around under the guise of festival prep—seeing Amami-san on the intercom, smiling sadly, still sticks with me vividly.

“What were you two doing behind my back that day? I wanna see the rest of Umi and Maki-kun’s secret playtime.”

Her usual angelic smile felt downright devilish just then.

A few days after the festival, once we’d finished cleaning up the exhibit and tossing the cans, it was set in motion.

—Ding-dong.

“…Yes, Maehara here.”

“Yahoo, Maki-kun!”

“…Uh, who’s this?”

“Hey! Just give up and open the door already!”

I couldn’t let her camp out at the entrance and bother the neighbors, so I let her in for now.

Amami-san, buzzing with energy all day, and beside her, Asanagi, her cheeks faintly flushed.

“…Yo, Maehara.”

“…Hey, Asanagi.”

We greeted each other like always.

Amami-san’s proposed penalty game had already kicked off.

“Hehe, I’m just air today, okay? You two don’t need to mind me—just relax like usual.”

Amami-san plopped down in front of the table, grinning as she watched us sit shoulder-to-shoulder on the sofa.

…Good for her, having fun.

“We agreed to this, but… now that it’s happening, I’m kinda nervous.”

“Y-Yeah… Wait, what were we even doing that day?”

To wipe the slate clean, Amami-san had given me and Asanagi a task:

“I want you to show me what you two usually do together, right in front of me (pretending I’m not even there).”—That was the gist of it.

“For now, I’m thirsty, so coffee… uh, the usual okay?”

“Y-Yeah. Oh, but today, can you add a ton of milk and sugar?”

“That’ll make it super sweet, you sure?”

“Yeah. I’m in the mood for that today.”

“Got it. T-Then I’ll have the same, I guess.”

I wasn’t sure if this was fine, but looking at Amami-san (who’s supposed to be air) would break the rules, so I held it in.

“Uh… here.”

“Oh, thanks.”

Asanagi took the mug from me, her movements stiffer than usual.

“…Phew, it’s sweet. Really sweet.”

“Well, I made it super sweet like you asked. Order fulfilled.”

“Yeah. Exactly the sweetness I imagined. Well done, I commend you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Sitting side-by-side on the sofa, sipping coffee sweeter than café au lait together.

Normally, our shoulders touching wouldn’t be a big deal, but now it felt insanely embarrassing.

Still, that’s exactly why it worked as a penalty.

“…So, wanna play a game or something?”

“Yeah. Oh, and just so you know, I’m totally beating you today, Maehara.”

“Give it a shot. Though, I’m weirdly off my game today, so you might have a chance.”

“R-Really? Well, I’m also weirdly off my game, so it’s a fair fight.”

Anyway, we just had to act normal. Amami-san wasn’t asking us to flirt or anything.

“Hey, Maehara, that move’s annoying.”

“Nah, it’s standard.”

“Wait, hold up. Let that slide.”

“Nope.”

“Take this!”

“Hey, don’t touch my controller!”

“Huh? Did my hand do something? Sorry, it moved on its own.”

“You little—”

It started awkward, but as the match heated up, me and Asanagi slipped back into our usual groove.

“W-Wait, what’s wrong, Asanagi-san? Tummy ache today or something?”

“Grr… One more round, you jerk!”

“Sure, sure, bring it on.”

“‘Sure’ once! Your mom taught you that, right?”

“Sure, sure.”

“Don’t get cocky!”

“…Sorry.”

We were bickering a bit more than usual, but this was pretty much me and Asanagi’s vibe.

No clue if this’d satisfy Amami-san, but we weren’t lying, so we kept going.

“Ugh, I’m done! Never playing this again!”

“Haha, well, I’ll await your next challenge.”

“You jerk… Next time, I’ll make you eat your words. Just wait till next week—”

“Fine by me. I’ll take you on next week or anytime—”

““…Oh.””

That’s when it hit us both.

We’d decided not to meet up, but here we were, instinctively craving each other’s company again.

This was how we’d been spending every week.

“…Ugh, geez!”

“Asanagi? What’re you—”

“I’m telling Yuu properly this time. My real feelings, for real.”

Asanagi stood and turned to Amami-san, the overseer.

“…What’s up? Need something from this air me?”

“Yuu, sorry. Hanging out with Maehara is just too much fun. Not seeing him for a while—I can’t do it. …No way.”

With that, Asanagi bowed again, just like the other day.

Making up with Amami-san while keeping things with me the same—seems Asanagi felt the same way I did deep down.

“Even if I spend more time with Yuu, I’ll end up thinking about Maehara at some point. Thinking about someone else while Yuu’s right there—that’s way more dishonest to you.”

“…See? I told you so. You get it now?”

“…Yeah. This time, I lose.”

Looks like they’d talked it out before the penalty game.

Maybe Amami-san set this up to make us realize that Maehara Maki and Asanagi Umi can’t just distance themselves that easily.

“Hey, Yuu, can I be selfish one more time?”

“Yeah, sure. I’ve taken so much from you, Umi, so I want to give back properly for once. …Because you’re my number-one best friend.”

“Oh…”

Right. Even if Asanagi’s “second place” to most, she can still be “first” to someone.

Amami-san, her parents, others—and sure, me too… though since she’s my only close friend, I’m not sure if “first” counts.

“Then, one more time… Yuu, is it okay if I keep giving my weekends to Maehara? I feel bad it might leave you lonely again, though.”

“Yeah, it’s fine. In exchange, I’ll lean on you even more from now on.”

“Got it. …Thanks, Yuu.”

“Thank you, Umi.”

They hugged, apologizing for their mistakes as a sign of reconciliation.

It might not fully go back to how it was, but with how they are now, they can probably grow even closer.

“Well, then. Since I’ve truly made up with Umi, I’ll head out. It’s dark, and I’m hungry.”

“Yeah. Then I’ll go with—”

But Amami-san stopped Asanagi from following with a hand.

“No, no, I’ll head back alone today. Umi, stay and hang out with Maki-kun a bit more. You’d like that too, right, Maki-kun?”

“Nah, I’m tired today, so I’m fine—”

“You’d like that, right?”

“…Y-Yes.”

Amami-san’s unexpected pressure made me nod on reflex.

For a split second, she reminded me of Asanagi—was it my imagination?

“Air-me’s disappearing now, so enjoy your weekend alone together. See ya~”

“Oh, Yuu… wait a sec—”

Ignoring Asanagi’s call, Amami-san vanished from sight in a flash.

She’d stormed in like a whirlwind and left with a beaming, sun-like smile.

These past few days taught me one thing: like Sora-san, Amami-san’s someone you don’t wanna piss off.

““…””

Left behind, we looked at each other.

“…S-So, wanna watch a movie or something?”

“Y-Yeah, sure.”

Back in our usual spots, we decided to start a movie.

No one else was around, but it felt even more awkward than before, and we instinctively kept a little distance.

“Asanagi, what do you think?”

“Hm… Anything you wanna watch is fine with me, Maehara.”

“Saying ‘anything’ is the hardest… Oh, how about this?”

Scanning the TV guide, I spotted something: [Special Feature: Autumn Night Shark Movie Marathon—12 Hours Non-Stop!] From timeless classics I knew to B-grade stuff reeking of obscurity. I love how niche channels do this sometimes.

“Oh, nice. Let’s go with that. Perfect for us.”

“Yeah.”

With all its flaws to riff on, we wouldn’t run out of things to talk about.

“—Achoo!”

I sneezed just as I grabbed the remote to change the channel.

I hadn’t noticed till now, but it’d gotten pretty chilly as night set in.

“! Maehara, you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a tickle in my nose—achoo!”

“…You’re not fine. If you’re cold, just say so instead of pushing it.”

“I-I was fine until a minute ago!”

“Geez, you’re such a handful…”

With that, Asanagi grabbed a nearby blanket and beckoned me over.

“Here, come on.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t ‘huh’ me. I’m saying get in here with me.”

“Uh… so, like, we’d be under the same blanket, together—”

“W-What else would it mean? …Figure it out, idiot.”

Seems I got that right.

“Y-Yeah, sorry. —Achoo!”

“Ugh, see? You’ll catch a cold like this, so hurry up and get in.”

“…Pardon the intrusion.”

She was right—I might actually get sick—so I obeyed.

I cautiously sat beside her, and Asanagi scooted closer, wrapping us both in the blanket.

“Oh, might as well put this scarf on you too. Face this way.”

“Uh… but—”

“No arguing. Hurry up.”

“…Okay.”

Following orders, I ended up with a blanket, a scarf, and Asanagi right beside me.

—

“Alright, I’ll wrap the other half around my neck… There.”

The two of us huddled together under the blanket, now connected by a single scarf.

“How’s that? Warm enough now, right?”

“Well, sure, but… this is a bit much, isn’t it?”

…More like embarrassing, honestly.

“Q-Quiet down. I’m putting up with it too, so you deal with it, Maehara. Come on, let’s watch the movie.”

“Y-Yeah.”

I turned my eyes to the TV screen for now, but of course, I couldn’t focus with her right next to me.

I’d been cold just a moment ago, but now my body felt hot from embarrassment and nerves.

A faint, sweet, pleasant scent drifted from Asanagi—and from the scarf she’d been wearing—making my heart pound despite myself.

We’re pressed together, but is my body odor okay? I haven’t showered yet today—hope I’m not making Asanagi uncomfortable.

I sneakily sniffed myself.

“Maehara, what are you doing?”

“Oh, uh, since we’re so close, I was wondering if I smell or something.”

“Oh, so you do care, huh? Well, even if you do, it’s too late—it’s already pretty bad.”

“! S-Sorry! I haven’t showered yet, so…”

“Kidding.”

“…”

I reached out and pinched Asanagi’s cheek firmly.

“Owowow, s-stop, seriously, stop pinching!”

“Shut up, idiot.”

That Asanagi—teasing me the second she knows I’m nervous.

“Ouch… Sorry, sorry. For real, you don’t smell, so relax.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Actually, am I okay?”

“You don’t need to worry about that. Honestly, to me, it’s more like—”

“…Hm?”

“Oh—”

The moment it slipped out, I knew I’d messed up.

Even if it was my honest opinion, saying Asanagi smells nice?

That makes me sound like some creep!

“Oh—no, I meant I don’t mind it either, it just came out that way… So, uh, it’s not like I got weird vibes or anything, definitely not—”

“…Pfft.”

“W-What?”

“Nothing. Just thought you don’t have to scramble to cover it up—you could just be honest.”

I braced for more teasing, but for once, Asanagi answered seriously.

It’s not like pinching her cheek earlier changed her personality or anything.

“…You’re not gonna mess with me?”

“Nah, I wouldn’t. I mean, when it comes to smells, we’re kinda even.”

“Even?”

“Remember that sleepover the other day?”

“Oh…”

Come to think of it, during that sleepover, Asanagi had wrapped herself in my blanket and slept in my bed—both when she passed out and when we settled in for the night.

I’d aired out the bedding not long before, but it wouldn’t have completely erased my scent, so I’d felt a little bad about it.

“Even… so you mean—”

“Yep. You’re not the only one getting all flustered sniffing someone else.”

With that, Asanagi scooted even closer to me.

“…Yeah, your scent really calms me down, Maehara. It’s not exactly a good smell, but it’s not bad either.”

“Oh. Good… I guess?”

“Yeah. It’s good.”

I could feel Asanagi’s warmth and softness through our uniforms.

The movie was at the part where a man-eating shark battled a local superhuman fisherman, but our eyes weren’t on the screen—they were on each other.

“Hey, Maehara.”

“What?”

“Can I call you Maki?”

“…If that’s what you want, Umi.”

“—!”

In an instant, Umi’s face turned bright red.

“H-Huh? Umi?”

“…Take this!”

“Ow! Why’d you flick my forehead?”

“Because you’re getting cocky for a Maki!”

“I just used your name! How’s that unfair?”

“Heh, that’s just how I am, so deal with it~”

She looked annoyed, but her arms were still wrapped around mine. What’s with her?

Happy one second, mad the next, smirking, then shy—she’s all over the place.

But that’s what makes Umi so cute.

“…Hey, Umi.”

“Hm?”

“I don’t usually say stuff like this ’cause it’s embarrassing, but…”

“Yeah, what?”

“When you’re smiling like this, I think you’re cuter than anyone else. …At least, that’s how I see it.”

“—”

Umi seems to think she’s completely outclassed by Amami-san in looks, but that’s not true.

The real Asanagi Umi has a charm no one can beat.

“So, yeah. If people saw this side of you—not just the cool, composed vibe—they’d rethink how they see you, I bet.”

I’m not sure if now’s the time to say this, but it’s how I feel right now.

“Hey, Maki.”

“W-What?”

After hearing me out, Umi’s expression slowly shifted into a mischievous grin.

“You really do like me, don’t you, Maki?”

“Ugh…”

I’d dodged it with “just friends” excuses before, but that’s not cutting it anymore.

It’s a first for me, so I can’t say for sure.

Still, I know I feel something for Umi beyond friendship.

At first, she was just a friend I clicked with, but as we hung out more and spent time together at school for festival prep, she kept growing bigger in my world.

Wanting to treasure the girl in front of me more—that’s not something you feel for just a “friend” or “best friend.”

I’m still too shy to say it outright, though.

“N-No, I don’t like you or anything…”

“Oh, come on, that’s way too forced~ Look, ‘cuter than anyone else’? You don’t say that unless you’re totally into me, right?”

“Hey, even I can toss out a smooth compliment now and then!”

“Liar, liar~ Just admit it already~ Come on, look at me and say ‘I like you.’ Oh, how about I kiss your cheek? You’d love that, huh?”

“Ugh, shut up! Get off me, idiot! No, I wouldn’t!”

“Aw, playing tough again~ Poke, poke.”

“Hey, stop jabbing my cheek!”

And so, she kept messing with me until it was time for her to leave.

In the end, it was just another typical weekend alone with her.

Our fun time together flew by, and night fell.

“Ahh, playing with Maki all day was a blast~ Huh? What’s wrong, Maki? You look kinda worn out.”

“Yeah, ’cause you turned me into your toy the whole time.”

Even after that, Umi kept poking at me. I tried to escape, but she’d catch me with “You’ll catch a cold!”—and thanks to her, I completely forgot about the chill.

Plus, calling her “cuter than anyone” and all that other stuff… Ugh, just thinking about it now makes my ears burn.

“…Man, what are we even doing? We promised not to hang out just the other day, and here we are messing around like this. Yuu even forgave us for everything.”

“…Yeah. We’re hopeless, huh?”

Maybe Amami-san dragged Umi here on purpose, aiming for this exact outcome.

The timing of bringing her over, that sneaky side of her—natural, calculated, or both?

“Alright, let’s head out.”

“Yeah.”

Since walking home alone at night’s risky, I decided to walk Umi to her place. Not that it’s really about that—I just wanted to stretch out our time together a little longer.

“Brr, cold! Gotta start wearing tights next time~”

The second we stepped out of the apartment building, a sharp, cold wind hit us. It’s mid-November, but it feels like full-on winter already.

“You okay? Here, a hand warmer.”

“Thanks… Wait, Maki…”

“What?”

“I know you’re all about practicality and stuff, but… seriously, that outfit?”

Seems she’s got complaints about my clothes again.

A puffy black down jacket, black jeans, and thermal pants underneath for extra warmth. Perfectly functional, and obviously, totally uncool.

“Even if no one’s around, you’re still walking with a girl, you know? Plus, dressed like that at night, you’re begging to get hit by a car.”

“Hrm…”

Can’t argue with facts. If I wanted to avoid accidents, I could slap some reflective tape on, but I’m not trying to look like a traffic worker.

“Really? …I dunno, whenever I pick clothes, I end up with boring dark stuff like navy, black, or gray. Bright colors just… don’t feel right on me.”

“That’s just ’cause of your fa—uh, I mean, your hairstyle or something. Trim your bangs a bit, and it’d change your vibe completely. Probably, maybe, possibly…”

“Sorry for having such a dull face.”

“Heh, don’t pout. Compared to your old grumpy look, you’ve softened up a lot, so with some tweaks, I think you’d be fine. You’ll be okay.”

Will I? Well, if Umi says so, maybe I should trust her.

“Got it. Then next week, teach me some more.”

“Yeah. Next week, huh.”

Next week. Same time, same place, just the two of us.

With that promise made, we walked silently, slowly, toward the Asanagi house.

“…Umi, uh—”

“…Yeah, it’s fine.”

On a quiet street lit by evenly spaced streetlights, with no one else around, Umi and I held hands—neither of us sure who reached out first.

Since it was cold, I pulled her hand into my pocket.

“…It’s warm. Hate to admit it, but the functionality’s top-notch.”

“Right? It’s already warm, plus the hand warmer.”

“So old-man-ish… Fine, I’ll let it slide just this once.”

“Thanks. Well, it’s too embarrassing to do in front of people anyway.”

“…Yeah. This is pretty bad.”

If a classmate saw us like this, it’d be a hassle, but even then, I wouldn’t stop hanging out with her.

I’m not planning to flaunt our friendship at school or sneak around too much. From now on, I want to keep things with Umi casual like this, even there.

“Maki… We’re almost at my place.”

“…Yeah.”

We’d been walking at a leisurely pace, but now our steps slowed even more.

A freezing night on the way home.

Normally, I’d rush inside to warm up, but right now, I wanted to stay like this. To feel the warmth of her hand in mine just a little longer.

“Hey, Maki.”

“…What?”

“Do you like me?”

“…”

My heart skipped a beat at her words.

“Uh… in what way?”

“Hmm, who knows?”

“Hmph…”

Another sneaky question.

Umi’s an important friend, and in that sense, I definitely “like” her. That’d make it mutual, right?

“I-It’s too complicated a question… I don’t really get it.”

“…You just have to say if you like me or not.”

“Liking or disliking isn’t that simple, is it?”

Umi should know that from her stuff with Amami-san.

Liking but hating, or wanting to like even more because you already do.

What’s the right answer for how I feel?

“What about you, Umi? Do you like me? That’s what your question’s getting at, right?”

“Hmm, it’s tricky when you put it like that…”

After a moment of thought, Umi mumbled under her breath, looking down.

“…I might not like you, Maki.”

“Another vague answer… So not hate, then?”

“Yeah. ’Cause I don’t just like you, Maki…”

She paused, then continued.

“…I love you.”

“—Huh?”

Not just like.

Love.

What did she mean by—

“—Oh, look, we’re already at my house. …W-Well, I’ll head in!”

“Oh, uh, yeah. See you next week.”

“Yeah. Next week.”

Umi, ears bright red, bolted inside in a flustered rush.

“Man, that kinda thing…”

Unable to process the sudden bombshell, I stood frozen in front of the Asanagi house for a while.

…That’s so unfair.

After that, through the weekend and into Monday, I naturally spent my time stewing in frustration.

—Not just like, I love you.

“Hrm…”

That quiet confession from Umi Friday night stuck in my ears and wouldn’t leave.

“What did she mean by saying that…”

Going out of her way to say “love” instead of “like” probably means it’s not just friendly affection… I think.

I don’t know her true intent, but it suggests she feels something more than friendship.

If that’s the case, then her words that night… were a confession?

If so, that’d make me happy, of course. A girl I care about saying she “loves” me?

“I should reply… No, wait, I need to figure out my own feelings first.”

Is it romantic or friendly? If it’s the former, I just need to answer, but if it’s the latter, I’m just a delusional idiot.

I want to know what Umi really thinks of me, her true feelings. But asking straight-up, “Do you want to date me?”—no way I could be that tactless.

It’s early Monday morning, but no calls or messages from Umi, and obviously, I haven’t sent any either.

“Morning, Maki. Mom’s got a meeting out of town today, so I’m heading out early… Wait, what are you doing on your bed? Practicing for the caterpillar audition?”

“…Nothing, really.”

“Oh? You’ve been like this since the weekend, though. …I haven’t asked till now, but did something happen with Umi-chan on Friday?”

Seems she’s been watching me. I’ve been too caught up in Umi’s “love” comment to notice much else all weekend.

“…N-No, nothing happened…”

“Hmm. Well, if you don’t wanna say, that’s fine. But if you’re bringing her over, let me know. I’ll leave extra money for you.”

“…Got it. Have a good day.”

“Sure, sure. See ya.”

After seeing Mom off, I started my morning routine. Thanks to all that circling in my head, I barely slept.

The bags under my eyes are worse than usual. It’s not a bad worry, but Umi might think something’s off.

I’ve had plenty of Mondays where I didn’t feel like going to school, but never thought a girl’s confession would be the reason—not even a few months ago.

“Even a guy like me, Umi loves…”

My warped reflection in the boiling kettle—sulky-looking, with sharp eyes but no real standout features.

Umi’s probably the only one—past or future—who’d care about a guy like me. Plain looks, a twisted loner personality, and she still said “love.”

That’s why I have to tell Umi how I feel, honestly.

…Though if I got it wrong, it’d be a disaster.

“…Alright, I’ve decided.”

I gulped down some hot coffee to psych myself up, just as the intercom announced a rare morning visitor at the Maehara house.

“Yes?”

“Ehehe, morning, Maki-kun~”

“…M-Morning, Maki.”

“Amami-san… and Umi.”

The monitor showed the same faces as last weekend.

Amami-san with her bright smile, and Umi, cheeks flushed and looking down.

I let them in and asked for details.

“Sorry, Maki-kun. Dropping by out of nowhere like this.”

“No, I’m already ready, so it’s fine… What’s up?”

“Yeah. Umi talked to me about Friday. After I left, of course.”

“…Oh, I see.”

Just as I suspected—she’d told Amami-san everything.

So, Umi really—

And under Umi’s eyes, rare faint bags stood out.

“Umi, uh, your eyes—”

“…D-Don’t look, idiot!”

…Maybe Umi’s been feeling the same way I have all weekend.

Too awkward to meet eyes, we both looked away.

“But, Amami-san, why come here this morning?”

“Yeah. There’s one more thing I want you two to do.”

“Huh…”

Another request? That’s unexpected.

“W-Wait, you mean right now?”

“Yep. I’ll explain later, but there’s some stuff going on… It’s up to you two if you wanna do it. I won’t undo last week’s stuff if you say no.”

“So, just a pure request from you, Amami-san?”

“Exactly. That’s the vibe.”

Meaning it’s totally up to me and Umi to decide.

Given last week, it might be another embarrassing hit for us. Since we’re heading to school soon, it’ll definitely be in front of a crowd.

“…Alright. I’m in.”

“Maki…”

Umi gave me an anxious look at my casual agreement.

“A-Are you sure? We don’t even know what Yuu’s gonna ask yet.”

“True, I’ve got a bad feeling, but… with last week’s flow, I figured we could take it as part of the penalty game. Plus, Amami-san seems kinda stuck.”

Come to think of it, Amami-san asking someone for a favor like this means she’s genuinely troubled by whatever’s going on.

Since she’s my “friend,” I want to help if I can.

If she’s important to Umi, she’s important to me too.

“And, uh… Umi.”

“What?”

Amami-san’s right here, but screw it—I’ll say it. Better than chickening out.

“I feel the same way you do… Just wanted to get that out now.”

“Oh… uh, y-yeah. Got it.”

Realizing what I meant, Umi’s face went red, and she looked away.

Her mumbled “idiot” felt oddly pleasant this time.

“Hehe~ So, Maki-kun’s on board. What about you, Umi?”

“…If Maki’s doing it, I will too. That was my plan anyway.”

“Then it’s settled!”

We’re both braced for whatever—bring it on.

“Alright, how about you two head to school together all lovey-dovey? …Hehe.”

I didn’t expect it’d be this embarrassing.

“…M-Maki, your hands are way too sweaty.”

“Y-You’re one to talk, Umi. Yours are pretty damp too.”

“C-Can’t help it! This is my first time doing this!”

Right now, we’re walking to school hand-in-hand—fingers fully interlaced, the so-called “lover’s hold.”

—What’s with those two? Showing off this early?

—First-years? The girl’s super cute. The guy’s some gloomy loner, though. Penalty game?

It’s peak commuting time, so people toss comments our way—probably looking like a cozy couple. Ten percent envy, ninety percent jealousy aimed at me, I’d guess.

I’d love to click my tongue, but I don’t have the bandwidth for that right now.

All I could think about was finishing Amami-san’s “request” ASAP.

“Umi, where’s Amami-san at?”

“Hmm… about ten meters behind us… hiding behind a pole, grinning to herself.”

“…As long as Amami-san’s having fun, I guess?”

Her request: “Hold hands in a lover’s grip from leaving home until you get to the classroom.”

Naturally, we’d draw every eye the moment we stepped inside, but after that, we could act normal—no need to flaunt anything.

Whether we admit it or not, holding hands like this proves we’re pretty close, lovers or not.

“More importantly, I can’t believe there was a rumor going around that me and Amami-san were dating… Did you know, Umi?”

“Yeah, actually. Nina and some kids from other classes asked me about it too. It was just baseless gossip, so I brushed it off. Happens all the time, so I forgot about it.”

No clue where it started, but apparently, since festival prep or sometime after, that rumor’s been floating around class and beyond. I’m a loner, so it never reached me.

Back there, Nitta-san’s joined Amami-san now. Amami-san’s gently stopping her from snapping pics, but we should brace for other prying.

“Nina… heh, that jerk’s so dead later…”

“U-Umi-san, uh, could you not squeeze so hard? It kinda hurts…”

I calmed Umi down from her ominous muttering as we passed the school gate and headed to class.

The reactions from those already in the room? Predictable, to say the least.

“W-Well, I’m over here.”

“Y-Yeah.”

We let go like it was nothing and went to our seats, but our classmates—who’d just found prime gossip—weren’t about to let it slide.

—Yep, figured it’d be her.

—Who spread that fake rumor about her and Amami-san?

—No idea… Hey, go ask one of them.

—No way. Asanagi’s been scary as hell since earlier.

Umi, meanwhile, chatted with Amami-san like usual after she walked in late—while planting a brutal iron claw on Nitta-san’s temple.

“Alright, everyone, time for roll call… Wait, what’s up with you all? Something happen?”

“Nothing, Yagisawa-sensei. Let’s start homeroom already.”

“Asanagi-san? Wait, are you on duty today?”

“No, but let’s get going.”

“I know, but something’s clearly off today—”

“Same as always, right?”

“Eek…”

Seems the teacher instantly clocked that messing with Umi right now was a bad idea.

“R-Right, my mistake. Sorry. Let’s take roll…”

Umi strong-armed Yagisawa-sensei into moving homeroom along with some mysterious intensity.

“Hey, Maehara-kun.”

“Sorry. For this one, just use your imagination, Ooyama-kun.”

Oh, and during classes after that, Umi stayed red up to her ears the whole time—super cute, just saying.