Volume 3 - CH 7

Volume 3, Chapter 7: Make or Break

→ Tell them to come

Head on first

"―― Hanae! Reika!"

I went to school with Hareyama and Azumi, and the moment I passed through the school gates, I heard a guy's shout.

They turned around when they heard the voice, and I belatedly followed as well.

There, was Tendo Susumu, who had a very grim expression on his face. He was wrinkling his eyebrow and glaring...at me?

Well, I might have some idea as to why.

However, although only a few students came in at around this time, not so few gazes were directed at us.

Did he ever think about the girls who were under those stares?

"...You knew each other?"

""Well...""

So, you were acquainted...just joking.

I wasn't the only one who knew that Tendou and these two were often together, and I was plenty sure others were also aware of that.

I think everyone knew they weren't in a relationship, but they might be wondering why they were with me instead.

Although what was even stranger was that he just called out to us, no intention of coming any closer.

What does he want to do? He just stared at us and didn't say anything nor moved.

"...Let's go."

"Um..."

"Okay."

When I turned around and urged them on, Azumi tried to walk away as well, but Hareyama didn't.

Her expression seemed to say that she couldn't go against Tendou.

Still, Azumi's feet kept moving, and Tendou, seeing this, raised his voice without any regards to his surroundings.

"Wait! What are you two doing? Don't go with him, come here!"

Wow... Okay, we're done here, and thank you for your time. I was tempted to say that.

Who did he think he was? It was obvious to everyone that his actions, and his choices, were wrong.

"Huh? What do you mean by that? You should be the one coming here."

"..."

Azumi rightfully felt angered by his words. Why did I have to go the opposite direction of the shoe lockers, she grumpily continued her words.

In contrast, Hareyama  who didn't say anything, had a puzzled look.

"I'm telling you to come here!"

"...I don't know what you mean by that. Let's go, Jimichi."

Azumi pulled my arm and tried to head for the shoe lockers. I didn't go against it and just let her drag me.

At that moment, the onlookers got heated. Azumi chose someone other than Tendou.

"―― Sorry, you two. I'll go talk to Susumu-kun."

After she said this, Hareyama began to move in the opposite direction.

Azumi was slightly surprised by her actions, but didn't call out to her.

Although I had my own thoughts about what Hareyama preferred, I also just went along with the situation.

"...Reika, you come over here, too."

"Like I said, what are trying to say?! Why do you have to say it like that?!"

Did Hareyama’s choice gave him a bit of confidence?

The grim expression he had earlier was gone, and although his voice was quiet, his words were sharp.

"Why you mean, it's because you're always my side."

"S-so what?"

"Why are you there? You're being crazy!"

"...What's wrong with that?"

With those words from Tendou, color drained from Azumi's expression.

That was an expression I remembered seeing a while ago. It was the look when someone you didn't care about talked to you about something unimportant.

―― Well then, it was about time.

His accumulated actions, words, behavior, and choices had erased your route with her.

Up next, a split in the road of fate.

There was only one path left.

If he didn't go down that road, he would ultimately arrive at that point.

A happy end, or catastrophic end.

"―― Azumi doesn't belong to you, you know?"

I was watching over the whole thing, and I couldn't resist blurting that out because of Tendou's words.

My words brought back some light to Azumi, and Tendou's expression turned grim again.

"She's not yours, either!"

"That's a given, Azumi belongs to no one."

"Then just like as usual ――"

"―― Aren't you misunderstanding something here?"

I interrupted Tendou's words. Even if he wanted to continue, I started to pity Azumi and Hareyama.

The students around us gradually increased. The number of eyes the two gathered also did.

"It was Azumi's own will to stay by your side."

"What are you trying to say? Are you saying she lost the will to do that?!"

"I keep telling you, you have no right to force her."

"I-I wasn't trying to force her..."

What a dense remark. If you were doing it unconsciously, what would that tell about you as a person?

Azumi must have also been frustrated in that sense.

Tendou looked surprised at my words, and it seemed like he was beginning to regret his outbursts ―― but it was too late.

"R-Reika...can you come here?"

"..."

You can't swallow what you spit. Once you showed that side of yourself, it was hard to recover.

It was bad enough that the other party was Azumi. You could tell just by looking at her, she didn't like that kind of thing.

"R-Reika...?"

"...I don't know what you mean by that."

Azumi muttered and turned away from Tendou.

When Tendou saw this, he was filled with despair.

As for me, I already told Tendou Susumu that it was too late.

"We should get moving ―― Reika."

"Ah, yeah...huh?"

"H-hey! Wai――"

After confirming with Reika, who replied a bit happily, we ignored Tendou and headed for the shoe lockers.

Behind us, Tendou seemed to be shouting something towards Reika, but she never looked back.

When we reached the lockers and turned around, there, was Reika who looked like she had something to say while lightly glaring at me.

"Was it fine to do that with Tendou?"

“I-I don't know what you're talking about..."

Well definitely, if you said something like that out of nowhere, it would get pretty embarrassing.

Why did he do that?

Did I do something to offend him? I just went to school with the two of them...

―― Now, was he going to notice?

The only route left was with to be with the one next to him until the end.

If he couldn't realize that, he was beyond saving.

"M-more importantly! You just called me by my name while we were all confused, didn't you?!

"Isn't it fine?"

"No, it's...not fine, but! Let me call you by your name, too?!"

"No."

"W-why?! I'll definitely do that!"

"If you really want to, that's okay."

"I-I don't really have a problem with it...Ikuto..."

"What's up, Reika?"

"~~~~"

Bright red? How cute.