CH 78

Chapter 78: (Extra) Sara’s POV Part 6

”Hey, I’d like to talk to Shiori-san this time, would that be okay?””

Tomoda-senpai suddenly asked as soon as we returned to Shiori-san and Yoko-san.

Why does she want to talk to Shiori-san? Could it be that she was serious about her being a love interest?

While I stood surprised, Shiori-san agreed. Those two were going to sit on that bench over there. Could she be planning on hitting on her!? I was beginning to feel gloomy, but Tomoda-senpai said to me, “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything unnecessary.” So maybe it’s different.

Shiori-san warned me to be careful around Yoko-san, but I want to tell Shiori-san to be careful! Oh, no, Tomoda-senpai is a nice person, there is nothing to be worried about. But. . !

As I watched those two walk away, before I could say anything. Yoko called out next to me “Do you mind?”

“A little. . .”

“Yeah, I’m curious too. Well, let’s just relax and wait over there.”

“Okay.”

She talked to me with a grinning friendly smile, but I’m still a little uncomfortable with her. She doesn’t seem like a bad person, but there is a certain feeling that she is probing for something.

However, I have no other choice right now, so I did as I was told and sat beside Yoko.

“You seemed to have had a good talk with Tomoda.”

“Yeah. I did, I was able to talk it out. She even accepted my request, but. . .”

“Ahaha I could imagine. If you both understand each other then you’ll be fine.”

She said that as she sipped her bottled tea. She asked if I wanted something to drink, but  it was pretty cool under the tree shade, and the breeze made me believe I would be okay.

Come to think of it, I’m the one who dumped her friend, perhaps her impression of me isn’t so good. Even now she went out in this hot weather just to meet my selfish request.

“Um, thank you for coming out today.”

“Hm? Ahh, well I was the one who introduced you to Tomoda.”

“Yeah thank you for that as well.”

If she did not call Tomoda-san I might not be here now. Because it ended up like this, I am grateful to Tomoda-senpai, and Yoko-san.

“That is also because Shiori asked me to do it, and I only talked to Tomoda and others because of that.”

“Regardless, thank you. Thank you very much.”

“I see. Well, you are welcomed.”

With that talk over, silence fell once again. The pine trees blowing from the wind were very comfortable. Shiori-san and Tomoda-senpai who are talking to each other seem to be enjoying themselves. What is she talking about? The only thing they have in common is knowing me or Yoko-san.

“. . .It was the first time Shiori asked for help.”

It was Yoko-san who broke the silence. I couldn’t help but say “eh?” back to her, she narrowed her eyes a little and looked at me.

“Shiori-san in her first year was very selfish. She had no interest in other people. She never showed any weaknesses nor let anybody inside. Could you believe she had that personality?”

“Um, I can’t imagine it, but Shiori-san’s mother said something similar.”

However, it doesn’t mean she was cruel though. It makes Shiori-san look like she had a bankrupt personality.

“As you’d expect from a mother. So then, what caused Shiori to suddenly become more mellow all of the sudden? That’s what I was wondering.”

“When I met her, she was kind from the beginning.”

“I see. Honestly, I wonder what happened then~. Well, for someone who didn’t show any weaknesses, she asked me for the first time with a serious face, and it was only for Sara-chan.”

Oh my gosh. Yoko-san shrugged her shoulders, she seemed pretty serious. There was no joking behind her smiling eyes.

“That’s why I’ve been interested in Sara-chan from the start. Because Shiori treasures you, you might have been the reason for her to change. Even if it is just a coincidence, I’m glad I got this chance to talk to you.”

“Um, I’m aware that I’m cherished, but whether or not I triggered her to change is. . .”

“That’s fine. The most important thing to remember is that you are cherished, and it would be nice if you also cherish Shiori.”

I see, I’m sure that’s what she wanted to say.

The sense of bitterness that I felt a moment ago was slipping away. I am sure that she also cares about Shiori-san.

“She is the most important person in the world to me.”

Yoko’s eyes rolled a little and she broke into a smile as those words spontaneously came out of my mouth.

That probing look was gone. I wonder if she has accepted me as a friend of Shiori-san now. I’m a little embarrassed to say out loud that she is my most important person. I wonder if she thought it was too heavy of a statement.

I hope she doesn’t tell Shiori-san and others.

I wonder what was going on with Shiori-san and Tomoda-senpai. When I looked over, for some reason Tomoda-senpai’s body was shaking, I didn’t understand what was happening. . .

“Ahaha, I’m glad Tomoda is doing better. Sara-chan if you have any problems just let me know. I’ll give you my contact information.”

“Ah, okay. Thank you!”

As we exchanged numbers, Yoko muttered as if she remembered something.

“I’d like to know about Shiori too though, if you think something is wrong let me know. Of course as much as you are comfortable with.”

“Alright, ah. I’m beggin you too. If Shiori-san is having trouble at school or club, please let me know.”

“OKAY-. I’ll do something like “Today’s Shiori-chan” so that you know to comfort her if she is feeling depressed.”

“I’ll do my best!”

I clenched my fist to show my motivation. Yoko-san gave a big smile and a thumbs up. It seems that our initial awkwardness is gone.

“Yoko-san really cares about Shiori-san.”

Does she perhap like her? It’s probably because of my talk with Tomoda, so I haven’t fully moved on. Regardless, Yoko-san seemed to genuinely care for Shiori-san.

“Yeah, she is important or rather it’s because I owe her. Although It wasn’t anything huge, I think the feeling of wanting to return the favor is pretty strong.”

“Favor?”

“Yeah, the happiness I feel these days is thanks to Shiori.”

Shiori-san, what the heck did you do? Could I ask?

Maybe she wouldn’t feel comfortable going into detail. I don’t have enough social experience to know what to do in this situation.

”Sara-chan you are so obvious. If you want to hear it, you can ask me. If I don’t want to tell you I won’t.”

“I-I want to hear!”

“Okay. But there are some parts that I can’t talk about in detail.”

She gave the exposition. How Yoko-san was dating the student council president at Yuri Nomiya, and that there were many twists and turns in their relationship(this part she kept vague) and it looked like they were on route to the worst ending of saying goodbye. How Shiori-san stopped then when all felt lost, and created an opportunity for them to face each other properly.

Hearing that, it did sound like something Shiori-san would do.

“So that’s why I’m in her debt. I can help her with things at school, but there is stuff I can’t help her with. Sara-chan, do your best in healing her!”

“Eh, I’m in charge of healing!?”

“I’m not the type of person who can do that.”

I’m not either! I would like to say that, but I might be better at it than her. The person who is wearing a flashy pineapple patterned Hawaiian shirt. It fits her, but there is no healing factor she gives off.

“. . .I’ll do my best.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

While we were talking, Shiori-san and Tomoda-senpai seemed to have finished talking. I saw them stand up from their bench. They seemed to have opened up to each other quite a bit, the expressions on both of them were bright as they walked towards us.

“Ah that’s right. There is one more thing.”

Yoko-san said with a mischievous smile on her face.

“When I was asked to help Sara-chan, I said only “If you’d let me rub your boobs.”  Shiori was a little troubled. Normally she’d refuse immediately. However she didn’t.”

“Huh!?”

“How she was uncharacteristically rushed. I was also in a rush that I asked her to do me another favor that didn’t involve her boobs, I regret doing that.”

“Of course you shouldn’t ask for that! You mustn’t touch them!”

What was this person thinking! I thought she was a good person! Shiori-san also, geeze! For my sake. . .It does make me happy.

Rather than touching Shiori-san’s breast, if it was mine. . . Well there isn’t enough to enjoy touching. . .No no, in the first place, there are other options that rubbing breasts for compensation!

“She really takes care of you, Sara-chan.”

“I can’t be happy about it when she’s willing to do that though!!”

After this, when Shiori-san came back, I thoroughly preached to her on the importance of modesty, but she seemed a little happy. Despite me being angry! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Even though it was only the third day of summer vacation, so much has already happened. 

At the closing ceremony, Tomoda-senpai confessed her feelings to me, and then the next day I stayed over at Shiori-san’s house for a few days. I thought that maybe Shiori-san was thinking about me. I was then told how much she cares about me through other people. 

I still haven’t digested what Tomoda-senpai and Yoko-san told me, and it is still swirling around in my heart.

I never thought much about it, because Shiori-san always seemed kind.

(But why do you care about me so much?)

If we were just friends, she wouldn’t have gone this far. Even I, who has no friend experience, understand this.

The same goes for Tomoda-senpai. Normally just because you ask a friend for help, they won’t care that deeply. It would be just like Yoko-san’s approach: “Tell me if there is anything you need.” and that’s it. Like Tomoda-senpai, every time I see her, she’d stop and talk to me.

Tomoda-senpai is a kind person, so I’m sure she was nice from the start, but halfway through it turned into love. 

As I wondered about it, I peered at Shiori-san as she walked beside me. I’ve gotten so used to seeing her profile these past months, but right now I thought again that she was a beautiful person.

I hope this beautiful person likes me.

I still don’t know how she feels about me. But I want to be special to her. I want to be worthy of being taken care of.

“Could Shiori-san fall in love with another girl?”

I asked. I could see her mouth twitching. She was pretending to be calm, but her eyes were shaking, she was secretly swallowing her saliva.

I always thought she was an honest person, but now she is more cute and lovable.

“. . . .Maybe I could.”

After a short silence of my heart pounding, I could answer back.

“I see.”

Joy gradually spread throughout my body, as if I might be able to admit it easily.

I’m not sure about love. I don’t have a good impression of it, and now I’m scared.

But if I’m going to fall in love, it should be with her.

Abruptly those hard to digest words from Tomoda-senpai softly melted away deep into my heart.

Ah, I see. It seems that everyone was right. Perhaps I’m starting to feel attracted to Shiori-san. Just the thought that she might love me makes me so happy, I’m sure that is what it is.

This feeling that is still in its infancy is growing, and I’m convinced. This is growing into love- – –

That will surely come in the near future. 

I hope that day will come soon. I watched the sunset with this feeling of looking forward to it, it felt like the anticipation for Christmas. The sunset was the most beautiful and red it has ever been.