Volume 45Chapter 1 Part2 (1/2)
Part 2
Who the hell actually thought it was a good idea to go see a fortune-teller
”I may have messed up”
I knew it, but the late Augusthell I could even see aon the concrete that lies ahead near the roadside trees Of course the school facilities are all air conditioned and so we don't feel the heat in there In corridors, in lobbies or in our rooms However, when directly exposed to the sun, one instantaneously starts to sweat
So this is how huhts like that, I desperately attempt to find some shade Fortunately for rounds has quite a bit of trees planted Thanks to that, there is no shortage of shadows to obstruct the sunlight It is currently 9:30 before the students start their various activities I' towards the rumored fortune-teller's location It see at 10:00, but I don't plan to stick around for long I'll just have them quickly divine my fortune and just as quickly leave That is ot closer to my destination, I realize that my expectations have been betrayed
At Keyaki Mall which I had expected to besummer outfits were already there While I had hoped not all of them would be here for the same reason I am, that is unlikely to be the case For now, to escape the burning hell outside, I decided to take shelter inside Keyaki Since the event seems to be hosted on the 5th floor, I looked around for a nearby elevator
”Geeh”
Such a voice unexpectedly leaked out of me Because close to ten students had already formed a crowd in front of the elevator I wonder if people with the same communication deficiency I have would be able to understand too Whenever I take the elevator alone, I'm the type of person to repeatedly hit the 'Close' button as soon as I get in But I'roup of people the saet in with the crowd
It ht be a bit troublesome, but for now let's take a detour and choose another elevator elsewhere There is another elevator in the opposite direction that is currently unused by students and is kept as a reserve
”This is cal” I muttered
This did require additional effort on avearrived on the 5th floor, I quickly search for the fortune-teller's location
And there I encountered a situationthan the one before
”There are only couples here”
Boy and girl Two-in-one groups In other words, a crowd made up predominantly of students in a lovers' relationshi+p Of course there are groups with only boys and groups with only girls here too, but they are the minority
Fortune-telling was originallyafter all
Just divining the coirlfriend is not such a special thing in and of itself However, it's just I realized this place is a lot more uncomfortable than I had expected
There's not many people who came to the fortune-teller on their own More so if it's just a boy likeI decided to line up with the the queue called out to me
”Goodlater?” she asked me
”Partner? No, I'm alone” I replied to her
Of course, given that the people around us are mostly couples it's natural to ask that question, but I'd like her to think les
”Ummm”
Perhaps she still has soetic face continued on
”I' is for couples only” she told me
”So it's impossible for me alone?” I asked
She nods slightly and points forward I could not see it well through the crowd of people, but there was a certain note that warned about the requirements
'We will be guiding you as a pair Please be aware of this fact' it said
Reasonable There shouldn't be a single person like me here after all Since I had not been confronted with an aard situation like this before, it couldn't be helped It seeht now, I'm in a very difficult position
And also, I understand now the reason why Sudou wanted to invite Horikita out here In this for ti up for the fortune-telling and they can spend a long ti is over
”That also means I never even mattered from the start” I muttered
Having realized it all now, Sudou's words and behaviour start to take on an entirely newThat I was never even invited in the first place And even if I had been, I wonder if he would have found an excuse to shake me off What a sad story
”By the way, the queue beside you is the same, is it not?” I asked
”Yes Ukon-sensei's only telling the fortune for pairs” the female clerk answers
”I understand”
I bowed my head towards the clerk and left the queue And the students, ere already lining up behind me, simply took one step forward I never expected this kind of trick to be involved As forwas that of an old wo her job, so like that But recently, it see like this also exists
I thought it wouldn't be too bad to experience fortune-telling once at least, but it see to invite Horikita out again, so I'd better retreat here quietly
”Huh? So you're telling et in alone?”
It seele victiry could be heard froaze their way, my eyes unfortunately met with that person's
”Ah”
That short answer came from a person who happened to be an acquaintance of mine When I pretended to have not seen her and atte, she walked in the same direction I did I quicken my footsteps
”Wait”
Perhaps she thought I was atte to run away), but she chased after me
”Is there so I can help you with?” I asked her
”Where is Horikita?”
Having asked that brief question, the girl quickly scanned her surroundings
She was Ibuki Mio, a student of Class C She too, like Sudou, seeh me However, unlike Sudou, Ibuki's actions in this case is reasonable
It's just, it would be a great help if she could get to Horikita without needing to pass through me
”It's not like I' out with her, I'm alone today” I told her
”Ahh I see”
In the previous uninhabited island test, this Ibuki was sent to Class D as a spy and tried to throw the class into chaos And then she later fought with Horikita, and since then, Ibuki has been antagonistic towards Horikita A rivalry would be more accurate for their relationshi+p
Although her usual tsun attitude has not changed, she does have a pretty good fashi+on sense and definitely leaves a good impression If she acted a bit more mature, I wouldn't be surprised if she became popular
”Nor is done one-on-one isn't it? I didn't expect this at all, don't you agree too?” Ibuki asks me
”I suppose so I did have that sort of ie” I replied to her
”So? Didn't you ask Horikita out for this?” she asked
First it was Sudou and now Ibuki The topic of the conversation is always about Horikita, who's not even here
”I didn't If you want to talk to Horikita that o and see her yourself? Tell her you want to go see the fortune-teller together” I told Ibuki
”Huh? Absolutely not It's not like I have anything to talk to her about anyways”
If that's the case then I'd like you to not talk about Horikita again and again
”I never was really interested in fortune-telling frorets here How about you?” I asked her
”I'd be lying if I said I have no regrets” Ibuki told me It seems the pair requirement presents a difficult problem for her which she realized, as she shook her head while stating her regret
”I can't do anything but give up now I'” Ibuki said
That was an answer that wasn't really an answer at all She did say she was bad at talking, but unlike Sakura, she didn't see on a nor todown on me
”Why don't you invite Ryuuen?” I asked Ibuki
I said that as an added joke, but she reater than Horikita's
”I'd absolutely hate to see his face even during the holidays You ” Ibuki replied to me
”But you were together with him on the shi+p, weren't you? Isn't it normal to think you two are intimate?” I asked her
”that's only because I felt responsible for not figuring out the leader of Class D” Ibuki said