Volume 1 - CH 3

Volume 1, Chapter 3: One Week

The very next day, I immediately sprang into action.

"G-good morning. Mom."

"Ah, good morning. Manato."

I was staring in her direction as I said my greetings, but she was busy getting ready. She didn't turn to look at me.

Nana also came down from upstairs after a while. Mine and Nana's room were on the second floor, next to each other.

Nana walked past me, sleepily rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning, Nana."

"..."

Nana looked at me for a bit, but she soon removed her gaze and went off to wash her face without saying a word. ...I wasn't done yet.

"Mom."

"What?"

As usual, my mother was preparing to go to work.

"...Um, I just wish I could eat food that my mother made some time."

Going on the offensive. If I didn't take the initiative, it was all going to be the same as before. I didn't want that any longer. I didn't like that Nana was the only getting affection and that I was the one who didn't get any of my mother's love.

"Sorry, your mother is busy recently, so it be a bit difficult."

"That's right, isn't it."

I knew. I knew, but I was still in shock.

"I left some money on the table today, so you can go buy breakfast with it."

Saying that, Mom walked the front door and headed to the office, just like she did yesterday.

"Have a good day..."

I let a small sigh. I hadn't had Mom's cooking in years. It wasn't just breakfast. Even our dinner came from the convenience store.

"Oh, Nana. You can buy your breakfast at the convenience store again today. I'll take only 1,000 yen."

I called out to Nana as she came out of the bathroom.

"..."

...I was somehow getting kind of used to this already. It had been six months. If someone had been ignoring you for that long, you would inevitably treat it as the just norm.

Huh? I was used to this? Being ignored? No, this was different. This was my place. This was what I had to work on.

"Nana, will you go to school with me today?"

After all, if I was going to interact with them like the usual, this routine wouldn't change. That wasn't how I would want things to be.

"..."

Nana ignored me, but I continued.

"What are you going to buy at the convenience store?"

"..."

"If you're going to buy something, you would need to leave the house soon..."

"Hey."

!!!

Nana...called out to me?!

"W-what is it?!"

Hooray! I couldn't believe Nana was talking to me!! So glad I didn't give up. All the work I did wasn't in vain...

"Annoying."

Those were the first words she said to me in a long time. There was nothing familial about it, nothing. Just rejection. Did she really hate it that much? Why was that? Was it because she didn't like me after all?

"...My bad."

I should stop. It seemed to me that it couldn’t be helped even if racked my brains about it.

I gave out a few words of apology and went upstairs.

"...ah..."

Haa, it was getting tough already.

One week from now. It was supposed to be my birthday. If things continued on like this until the morning of that day, I would give up. Until then, I was going to do my best.

It might be pointless, though.

"I'm off."

I said this in a small voice and walked the front door to head to school.

"...Why! Why am I always...!!!"

-------------------------------------------------------

"Oh, morning, Manato."

There, was Sayaka at the convenience store, just like always.

"Eh, Sayaka...why?"

"Hmm? What?"

What did this mean? Sayaka must have had someone she liked. When she told me that yesterday, didn't she mean that we couldn't go to school together anymore?

What would Sayaka's person of interest think if they saw her going to school with me? I knew what. Even if they didn't think that Sayaka and I were dating, they might unavoidably consider that we had feelings for each other, right?

"...Are you sure you want to go to school with me? Sayaka has someone she likes, right? And yet you wanted to go school with me, so wouldn't that person you like misunderstand you?"

As I said that, Sayaka's face turned a bit red.

"I-it's fine!"

She said out loudly. I wasn't sure what was fine with this.

Was Sayaka really that unfaithful? The feelings I had for Sayaka seemed to have changed at this moment.

"...Convenience store again, after all? Is that okay with you, Manato?"

Sayaka peeked into my face with a worried expression.

"Ah, it's fine."

Only a week more. If nothing worked out, I would give up.

When we arrived at school, someone approached Sayaka.

"Good morning, Sayaka."

Wondering who it was, I turned towards the voice. There, was a refreshingly handsome guy.

"Oh, good morning! Senpai."

Oh, so it was a senpai, huh. ...I see, so Sayaka liked this person. Sayaka was so easy to understand that I could even tell at a glance.

To that extent, Sayaka was happily chatting to this person she called 'senpai',

It wasn't me, like I thought.

Even though I should have understood that, I somehow felt as if energy was drained from my body.

Haa.

"...I'm going ahead first."

"Huh? Manato? Wait!"

Sayaka was calling out from behind me, but I could bring myself to look back.

"Manato's been kind of weird lately..."

"Is he the person Sayaka was talking about?"

This was a conversation between Sayaka and her senpai after Mato was gone.

"Huh?! Um, that...yes."

Sayaka replied as she lowered her head, her face bright red.

"I see, then I hope those feelings of yours bear fruit."

"Yes! I'm sorry. I'm always asking you for advice."

"Don't worry about. It's a kouhai's request."

Her senpai laughed as he said so.

"As expected of Senpai. You have a cute girlfriend, don't you?"

Sayaka chuckled mischievously.

"Of course. No woman can match my girlfriend!"

Sayaka let out a wry laugh.