CH 42

After Sakai-san wiped Takane-san’s body, we talked for a little bit and she decided to go home first.

Takane-san stayed in the room to rest and I walked Sakai-san to the entrance.

“Thanks for today. Without Senda-kun, I would’ve left without seeing Takane-san.”

“I’m the one who should be thanking you. I couldn’t have done it if it was just me.”

As expected, even as a boyfriend, I was not in a position to wipe Takane-san’s body yet – So I thought.

I didn’t know if that was even possible in high school, or maybe it was different for everyone. Wasn’t it unusual to encounter a situation like this in the first place? In any case, what was important would be Takane-san’s feelings. It was always better to ask for help from the same gender.

“…I’m the only one who saw Takane-san’s… Well, I saw it, but it’s not like I’m thinking anything weird.”

“…T-That’s natural, I think… If Sakai-san had that kind of interest, I won’t deny it.”

“Y-You’re wrong! …That’s not the case. When I was in junior high school, there were rumors about me because I called Takane-san’s name so much. Anyway, it’s not like that. I genuinely want to do something for Takane-san.”

“I wonder why Sakai-san…adores Takane-san so much.”

“We have been in the same class since first grade. Takane-san has been an amazing person since then… I was really shocked to know that there is such a person. She can study well, run faster than anyone else, swim well, draw well, and write beautifully. If I had copied Takane-san’s handwriting, I would’ve won an award for calligraphy.”

I knew that Takane-san was great, but I didn’t know she was that great – She was a perfect superhuman.

But I already knew. Takane-san was so perfect because of her tireless efforts.

“Besides, Takane-san is also very good at the piano… Ever since elementary school, Takane-san was always the one to accompany the chorus. All the boys and girls thought that Takane-san was a special person…”

“…I think that Sakai-san wanted to be friends with Takane-san.”

You couldn’t be a ‘friend’ if you kept looking at them in a special way. As I talked with Sakai-san about what a friend was, I began to see the answer in my mind.

To be in a casual relationship. Not to be overly reserved with each other.

–And it’s the kind of relationship where we could play together when we felt like it.

“On the 3rd of May, I’m going to hang out with my classmates… Do you have any plans, Sakai-san?”

“U-Um… On the 3rd, huh? I’ll be at my mom’s parents’ house then. The whole holiday weekend in fact.”

“I see… Then it can be another time. It doesn’t matter if I’m not with you, even if Sakai-san and Takane-san don’t hang out together, I think they are already friends.”

“…Me… And Takane-san…?”

“Otherwise… I don’t think she’d ask a classmate to do something like that just now.”

I was wondering if I was not somehow trying to round her up. Sakai-san was just about to leave, but I kept her for a long time talking to her.

Sakai-san herself seemed to get it too. I had to go back to Takane-san’s place soon – Right before that,

“…I’ve always wondered why Senda-kun. But I think I understand that a little bit now.”

“That’s… Can I take that as a compliment?”

“I think so. We’re going to be in the reading club together from now on.”

Sakai-san said that, and gave me a friendly smile that I’d never seen before.

Sakai-san looked at me for a moment, fiddling with the ends of her hair, and then turned on her heel.

“Well then. Senda-kun. Give my regards to Takane-san.”

“Y-Yeah… See you at club activity.”

“Yeah, at club activity. If it’s okay, you can invite me again like just now, whenever you want to hang out with Takane-san.”

Sakai-san walked out the front door. I had to follow her to make sure the gate was locked.

After she stepped out of the gate, she looked back at me and waved, and her steps seemed light and bouncy.

I came back to the front of Takane-san’s room and knocked lightly.

“Yes, come in.”

“Sorry for the intrusion… Takane-san…”

“…Yes. I’ve been refreshed with the help of Sakai-san.”

As I looked at Takane-san who was beaming as she said this, I sat there, feeling so relieved.

“Nagito-san… I’m sorry for making you worry.”

“I’m glad to see you, Takane-san. After all, I was very worried about you… No, that’s not a bad thing at all, it’s important to me.”

“…Important?”

“Yeah. Um… How do I say this… I think it’s natural for a ‘boyfriend’ to worry about his ‘girlfriend’. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense.”

“…Yes. I’m sorry about not wanting to see each other until I get better…”

“I know that you were worried about me. But I still wanted to see you, Takane-san.”

I had come this far, and I was finally able to say what I really thought. There were many things in this world that couldn’t be conveyed well with a message.

“On Friday, Takane-san was gone for the whole day and I understood it well. I’ve been thinking about Takane-san ever since I met her… That has become part of who I am now.” (T/N: SIMP! But I’d be one too for Takane, and Asatani, and especially Ruru-nee >_<)

“…You’ve been thinking about me that much…?”

I was just thinking. It’s natural to think.

But Takane-san didn’t seem to think so. However,

I thought I had to talk to Takane-san now. On the day of the orienteering, I was alone with Asatani-san. I wondered how Takane-san felt about that.

“…That day when it rained. A kid in our class got hurt and two of the class committee members and Inagawa-san were supposed to be with us.”

“…Yes. Asatani-san told me afterwards, ‘I was with Nagi-kun, but we didn’t try to do anything together. But I am sorry    anyway.’ “

“I see… That’s very like Asatani-san.”

Even though she didn’t want to do so herself, Asatani thought she should apologize to Takane-san for being alone with me.

What we talked about back then. What kind of distance we were in before the teachers came looking for us. Thinking about that, it’s probably not unreasonable to think she should apologize.

It wasn’t between ‘friends’. We were probably like an ‘ex-boyfriend and ex-girlfriend’ at that time.

“When I heard that… I thought Asatani-san was very disciplined. She’s been trying to keep what she said about supporting us as ‘friends’…”

I didn’t know Asatani-san very well. I didn’t know what she was thinking, maybe she was a person who changed her mind easily, or so I once thought.

But now, I thought she was not the kind of person who would easily change what she had said without any reason. No matter how much I couldn’t see her true feelings, I believed that she had a definite belief inside her and she didn’t bend on it, though I didn’t know anything about it.

“…I said she had nothing to apologize for. It was raining, and if someone had been injured, I would have done the same as Yamaguchi-san and what the others did.”

Still, even with no one to blame, even when she herself didn’t want to,

Asatani-san thought she should apologize to Takane-san for being alone with me in that rain.

“But… When Asatani-san told me… I felt relieved.”

Takane-san, who said that, wasn’t looking at me. She was on the bed, looking down at her hands.

“…She said, ‘I’m sorry for borrowing Nagi-kun.’ If Asatani-san hadn’t said this, I would have felt much differently if I had stayed home alone.”

“…Sorry.”

I apologized. If there was nothing to feel guilty about, or so Takane-san said, then I shouldn’t have visited her… I had made her so anxious and I didn’t even know about it.

But when she looked up, Takane-san was smiling. Her eyes looked a little moist.

“It’s okay. Because you came here…”

I didn’t care if the cold might be contagious. What was more important now was something else.

If I hadn’t come here today, I would have regretted it later. If I had not accepted what my sister said – Just thinking about it, it made me not even know where I stood.

“…Nagito-san?”

If I suddenly do this, I will startle Takane-san – but my body lost strength and I sat down.

“…I’m relieved that we could talk like this… And when you almost collapsed earlier, I thought my heart was going to stop. I’m glad I’m here now.”

“…My parents are out of town for work and the maid will be here in the afternoon. Until then, I figured I’d just sleep.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“No… There’s nothing to apologize for.”

Takane-san got out of the futon and sat on the edge of the bed. She tried to keep her eyes as low as possible to match mine as I was sitting on the floor.

“I was happy. Nagito-san said he would be here, and he came a little earlier than he said… I was waiting at the front door, hoping to see you as soon as possible.”

“…I see. Thanks for waiting.”

“…Yes. I’m always waiting for you.”

We laughed at each other. But Takane-san’s eyes suddenly changed – They looked sad just by looking at me.

Takane-san stood up.

Then she snuggled up behind me as I was sitting down and she gave me a hug.

Her body was warm – Maybe it’s because she’s in her nightgown, but I could clearly feel the soft feeling on my back.

“Takane-san…”

“…For now, let me do this just a little bit longer.”

“…Y-Yeah…”

Takane-san put her cheek against the back of my neck. Then she boldly rubbed it against me.

“Thank you very much, Nagito-san.”

“My pleasure.”

I hoped this moment would last as long as possible. With this in mind, I looked at the room where Takane-san had spent her time and was once again thrilled to be there.