Chapter 4 (1/2)

Hayasaka Akari

Birthday: December 3

Horoscope Sign: Sagittarius

Blood Type: O

A close friend of Natsuki’s In the Art Club Has an easygoing personality, and her friendly sained her many fans, but in reality, she’s actually pretty shy

—–

practice 4

The first weekend of summer vacation started off hectically

Natsuki had been strangely too nervous to sleep the previous night, but by the ti She couldn’t remember what happened after that, and when she opened her eyes the second ti time

“Shoot… I wanted to wake up early to spend ti out what to wear, too…”

Natsuki tried on one outfit after another in front of her full-length o with

‘I’ to meet Yoshi+da-sensei, so I can’t look too sloppy…!’

The text that she’d received froning event with theto be at the a, but naturally, a large bookstore in the city

Since she’d be anticipating where they’d be going, at first she’d been a bit taken aback after reading the text, but truthfully, she was very excited to be aka who she admired so much

Natsuki had hurried to book her own reservation for the signing event, and waited for this day to come

“I’ll just have to go with my best clothes…!”

From the mountain of clothes piled at her feet, Natsuki picked up a dress with cute lace down the chest area

She’d fallen in love with it at first sight and bought it when she’d gone out with Miou and Akari

“I’ve never really worn these kinds of clothes before, though… I wonder if it’ll be okay”

Holding the dress up in front of her pajamas, she looked at her reflection in the mirror She felt like it made her look much more clean and proper than usual

“It’s kinda like… a liuess?”

Srabbed the bottom of her T-shi+rt

“So, an invitation for a date, huh?”

She suddenly remembered Miou’s words, and her hands froze

‘There’s just no way…’

Koyuki had never said that it was a date, and anyway, they were going to aevent Even if they did share the sa like that for a date

In the first place, he’d never even confessed to her, so she was definitely just over-thinking it

Beep beep! Beep beep!

As if to interrupt her thoughts, the cell phone that she’d left lying on her bed starting ringing

“Oh, right, I set an alarm”

She hurriedly checked the time, and saw that there were only thirty minutes left

There was no tiracefully took off her T-shi+rt

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

“Heeey, Natsuki! I’ame!”

As soon she caate called out to her

The y guide and the ga up

“Sorry, I’o out Could you leave them in the sobx?”

“Going out with Aida and Hayasaka?”

‘…H-Huh? But, doesn’t it look like I’m dressed really nicely today?’

Feeling a bit uneasy under Yuu’s gaze, Natsuki shook her head

“No, I’ out with Koyuki-kun today”

The moment she answered, it felt like the air around them had frozen

A crease formed between Yuu’s eyebrows, and he stared at Natsuki with a sharp gaze

“Wh-What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Is Haruki fine with that?”

Yuu’s voice ca out Natsuki had said

She had no idea why, but it was clear that he was angry

Angrier than she’d ever seen him before

Resisting the urge to take a step back, Natsuki stared back at Yuu

When she saw his slightly shaking hands, the way he bit down on his botto back, Natsuki realized that she’d misinterpreted him

‘Yuu is… trying not to cry?’

He er, there was another e there

When she realized that, she lost the will to give a strong reply

“It’s been decided that Akari’s going to be the one drawing for the movie So it’s not like I have toAnyway, Koyuki and I are just going to hang out It’d be the sao with Mochita”

“You weren’t chosen, so you’re just giving up?”

When he immediately asked her that unexpected question, Natsuki held her breath

It wasn’t like she’d given up or anything It was just that it’d already been decided that Akari would be the one drawing the pictures She was sure that Yuu knew this, so as he asking so like this now of all times?

“I don’t… really get what you’re trying to say…”

“You didn’t answer h you see you… I’ve never even seen you look like that before”

Even when she’d honestly said she didn’t understand, Yuu continued to press her for answers

In all of her confusion, there was just one thing she was certain of

‘I have absolutely no idea what he’s talking about!’

Had so happened that Natsuki wasn’t aware of yet? No, there would have been a text about it, and she was sure that Yuu would also be explaining it to her right now, if that were the case

‘Then, what? What is it? What’s going on here?!’

As Natsuki held her head in confusion, Yuu let out a sigh

Wondering what he was going to say next, she lifted her head, and saw a large hand fill her vision

She tensed up on instinct, but Yuu only patted her head with the palm of his hand

“Eh? Yuu…?”

With heropen, she looked up at her childhood friend’s face

He was standing the almost like an entirely different person with a mature smile on his face

“Sorry, that wasn’t really my place to butt in, was it?”

See, this was exactly why I can never figure out what you’re angry about, or what’s bothering you

Even though things would probably turn out fine as long as she replied with that, soth to

Yuu patted Natsuki on the head again, like he’d do for his little sister, Hina

“After all, I’m the one who said I’d cheer you on no matter who you like,”

The words that Yuuclearly in Natsuki’s ears

However, she still couldn’t bring herself to say anything in response, and could only stand rooted to the spot like she was paralyzed

“Shouldn’t you get going soon? You don’t wanna be late Oh, right, this goes in the sobx, right?”

Waving his hand, Yuu opened the front door of Natsuki’s house

Even though it was so, for some reason, it made her chest hurt terribly

‘Will Yuu and I always stay as just childhood friends…? Are we going to be like this forever?’

Ever since she’d started doing the confession rehearsals, Natsuki would tell him “I like you” at the end of every day, instead of the usual “See you tomorrow”

And with each ti about how she should just tell him for real already

‘What’ve I been doing all this time…’

All she was doing was running away fro their relationshi+p as “childhood friends,” and the “confession rehearsals” as a safety net, and building up a wall so that she’d never have to get hurt

Even though she’d tried to keep that up, in the end, tears of regret threatened to spill

“I’m so useless…”

Natsuki’s voice was drowned out by the cries of the cicadas, reaching no one’s ears and left unheard

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

“Enoht?”

“…Huh?”

Her shoulders shook in a reserved fashi+on, and Natsuki looked up at the other with slow movements

She blinked, and Koyuki, as sitting there looking worried, came into focus

Asounds came back as well She could hear the voices of other people talking from around them

‘Where is this…? The signing event… Right, it already ended’

The ice in the glass between her hands made a sound as it shi+fted, and she remembered that she’d ordered an iced cafe au lait Since she’d left it alone for so long, a puddle of water had forlass

“You don’t seem like you have much of an appetite, huh Is it because of the summer heat?”

“No, it’s nothing like that! I think I’ Yoshi+da-sensei Sorry for spacing out like that,”

Because the words just came out so naturally, even Natsuki was convinced that was the reason why

However, Koyuki still looked puzzled, and continued to look at her inquisitively

“…Did souchi-kun?”

That question instantly made her heart waver

Like a ripple of water, the sensation spread throughout her whole body, and she nodded weakly

“It’s not a big deal or anything, though… It’s just, I don’t really get what Yuu’s thinking lately”

“Have you talked to him about it?”

“Of course not! There’s no way I could just bring that up”

“But why? It’s bothering you, right?”

Natsuki was at a loss for words at Koyuki’s quick and sharp reply

What he said made sense, but what bothered her was the fact that she didn’t kno to say it

And what bothered her even ured out her situationOf course, he was sh to score in the upper levels in the nationwide ht process of his was to be expected

Once he’d figured it out, he’d just gone ahead and said it outright…

‘Like ai around, huh’

“Koyuki-kun… You’ve really changed a lot Not just with the way you look, but you’ve gotten ressive, like with the way you talk”

“Do you… think so? If I have, then it’s because you gave me that push from behind,”

As if he was telling her a secret, Koyuki lowered his voice

“Huh? Wait, huuuh?! Me? But I haven’t done anything!”

“Ahaha! I thought you ht say that,”

Koyuki see hilarious, and bent over the table in a burst of laughter

When he lifted his face again, he wiped the tears that had gathered in the corners of his eyes, leaving Natsuki bewildered

“Did I really say so so funny…?”

“No, I was just thinking about how completely opposite it is”

After taking a drink froiving the solution for a mathematical formula

“The reason I changed was because of you, Enomoto-san But to you, the specific reason that causedso ‘natural’ that you didn’t pay any particular attention to it So that’s why you don’t remember”

“Is that… really how it is?”

Unable to follow his explanation, Natsuki couldn’t honestly say that she understood

However, Koyuki quickly clarified

“That’s how I think it is Applying it to your situation with Setoguchi-kun, since the two of you are childhood friends, it was ‘natural’ for you to understand what the other is thinking On the other hand, that ht’ve caused you two to lose the chance to talk to each other about your feelings”

Talk to each other about our feelings…

As Natsuki repeated the phrase to herself, she felt the fog that been obstructing her vision begin to clear

‘…I see So I got too used to as “natural”’

She felt like she didn’t understand the conversation, but she’d hesitated in taking another step forward