Vol 5 Chapter 42 (2/2)

Up until this ossip with a female student over soht noould have undoubtedly had a happy expression looking as if it were subuilty pleasure I remained silent as she continued

“Since the two of the, for three days now, fukube-senpai’s become some pitiful creature that can only repeat ‘I’ to Ibara-senpai for so happen?”

Oh come on To think Satoshi+’s situation would be found out by his sister and even passed along to his junior, talk about a pitiful story At least the saving grace was the fact that Ōhinata apparently didn’t know any of the specifics Certainly enough, in order to remedy the fact that he had put off his answer for over a year, Satoshi+ probably had a lot of things he needed to tell her

That said, I really wasn’t all that interested I prepared a brief answer to appease Ōhinata as she looked at me expectantly

“He was probably just apologizing forwhen he didn’t deserve her patience in the first place”

As I said so like this, Ōhinata sat there dumbfounded for a second

I had assu to question me further, but instead, she smiled unexpectedly and simply said this:

“How nice I like how friendly it all sounds when you say it like that”

I didn’t kno to respond Ōhinata continued to stare atAs I tried to force some idle chitchat between us, she stopped me and said, “Um, senpai”

“Yeah?”

I stopped and turned around Calling out to arbled iven up on what she was trying to say

“Please wait up for a second”

She then headed back over towards the doorfra from and jumped up to it once more

I was understandably surprised As a result, I didn’t really have it inand simply waited like I was told

I stared at Ōhinata’s back as she dangled there Her skirt still had some white dust on it frorettable that the school-wide cleaning had been so glossed over

“At any rate, it gets really tiring hanging like this”

I thought that it looked tiring as well, but Ithere of your own volition”

“Yeah, well, I guess I just felt like doing it,” she said as if she were hiding so

I asked a question

“Oryou from there”

“I feel like that also ht be that case”

I thought for a little bit If she was hanging there because of someone else, I truly felt sorry for her I had often been in the same situation with my sister, so I understood what it felt like

“If that’s the case, you should just pull yourself up, yeah?”

Ōhinata turned her head to look at me

“I don’t have enough strength in my arms to do that Wait a sec”

I’m pretty sure it had only been for so this tiht smile

“It’s probably easier to just let go Sorry to keep you waiting”

At that e On the day of the New Recruit Festival, when Ōhinata caht that she fully tall for a first-year Perhaps I had even thought that her constantly s, snow-tanned face and ever-excited disposition were somewhat of a hassle

Yet, at this ’s fourth floor hallway, Ōhinata began to resemble a normal first-year, perhaps even a middle school third-year, she appeared so small

“Well then, should we get going?”

I felt a false bravado eo-lucky voice and kneasn’t far from the truth

I wondered what Chitanda was doing by her loneso her textbooks and dictionary in aan exceptionally serious student When she realized we entered, she looked up with a wide grin and closed her books

“What were you two talking about?”

I wasn’t surprised in the least Not only was the Earth Sciences lecture rooh she wasn’t able to suss out the exact details, she was probably at least aware of the fact that ere talking in the first place I didn’t feel like lying to her, so I spoke truthfully

“We were talking about how Satoshi+ seemed really busy”

It wasn’t the whole truth, but it wasn’t a lie either Chitanda nodded without a trace of doubt

“Yeah, toaya Cup after all”

Itsomeone other than Satoshi+ call the Marathon Coaya Cup

“It’s been three days since I’ve seen you Ōhinata, hasn’t it?”

“Oh… is that so?”

Ōhinata responded halfheartedly as her eyes wandered around the rooan to approach Chitanda

“Uht if I sat next to you?”

Chitanda appeared to be started, but responded with a kind expression regardless

“Yeah, feel free”

I suppose the reason the door was open was to allow for ventilation after all Several of the s overlooking the school grounds were pulled open as well, and the bundled up curtains were swaying to a ree Because it was already the end of May, the wind that blew inside wasn’t cold

I set up a chair in the third row fro the school grounds I sat down and pulled out a paperback fro

I heard the sound of a chair being pulled back Looking up, I saw that Ōhinata had situated herself at the desk directly in front of Chitanda’s As I found the page that I left off on and started to follow the characters on the page, I beca

How long had it been, I wonder

“Yes”

My concentration broke after hearing that one word

The book was very interesting, but there were a few boring scenes as well As I was losing interest during one of these portions, an unexpected voice suddenly broughtaway from me It didn’t look like she had turned around in my direction at all

I thought I ined it No, I was fairly certain that I heard someone say the word “yes” It had to have been Chitanda I suddenly realized so else Ōhinata must’ve disappeared at soe She probably just left to go home

At any rate, I tried calling out to Chitanda from behind

“What’s wrong?”

My voice wasn’t very loud, but it wasn’t so quiet as to not reach her either However, she didn’t budge an inch At first I thought she ht’ve fallen asleep, but there was no way anyone could’ve slept with their spine as straight as hers was sitting there I tried calling out to her again, this ti sure I did so in a louder voice

“What’s wrong?”

Chitanda’s body jerked in surprise

She slowly looked back over her shoulder She wore an expression I had never seen up until this very ht present in her stiffened eyes She briefly shook her head like she was frightened of so position I thought sorave could’ve happened in a classroo that even had there been a problem, Chitanda would have certainly told

I suddenly realized that the wind outside had becohout the Earth Sciences lecture rooinning to drop I stood up to go close the s Chitanda reht as she stared into the space in front of her

I returned toonce more

I began to fly through the passages, and by the time I raised my head once more, I had finished one more chapter I doubt much time had passed in that period

I had intended on finishi+ng it, but it was gradually beco that I should leave shortly, the door suddenly opened and Ibara walked inside

“Hey, did so happen?”

When Chitanda ly with a “no,” Ibara turned back towards the hallway and then spoke with a somewhat concealed voice

“I just passed by Hina-chan over there, and she was saying she wasn’t going to join”