ch21-ch40 · 025-ch25

Chapter 25: Girls and Dance

　Though there was quite a commotion centered around Sumi this morning, once classes started, the classroom for High School Year 1, Class 1 had returned to its usual state—aside from Ai's absence.

　However, some of the girls were secretly getting excited in groups during class, chatting about Sumi's love life. Even so, there was an unspoken understanding among them to endure until lunchtime without directly asking Sumi during the short breaks between classes.

　Also, no one went to ask Kiriko, Sumi's best friend, either.

　Kiriko is completely open about her otaku hobbies, but she doesn't stand out too much from the other girls, and she has normal friendships with classmates other than Ai and Sumi.

　The main reason they didn't ask Kiriko was the same as why they avoided Sumi, but in addition, Kiriko's behavior today was unusually... no, stranger than ever.

　Kiriko, who usually sits by the window during breaks and often reads books like light novels or setting material collections, was today just grinning without looking at anything.

　That expression made her a bit hard to approach even for her friends, so Kiriko was able to enjoy her time lost in thought alone.

　...At least until the end of third period.

　The one who appeared before Kiriko, who had been smiling to herself since class time, was Yamanai Sousuke.

　He's the boy who was controlled by Melkid yesterday and ended up participating in the kidnapping of Kiriko and the others.

"...What?"

　The smile disappears from Kiriko as she looks up. From the tone of her voice, Yamanai could tell he wasn't welcome.

"...Shirakawa's not here, right? I was just worried if she was okay."

"Huh? Why would you be worried, Yamanai? It's not like you were on good terms with Ai or anything."

　Kiriko wasn't particularly angry at Yamanai for the kidnapping. Since he was being controlled, she had forgiven him for that.

　What she was angry about was how he had picked a fight with them before being controlled, hurled insults at Ai, and made Sumi angry.

"No, um... after all that happened, I'd be worried, wouldn't I?"

"You've got some nerve saying that, even though you were calling Ai 'shrimp' before."

"Th, that's... that was wrong. I'm sorry to Shirakawa, and to Ōnaki too."

　Yamanai bowed his head as if folding his tall frame in half to apologize.

　Seeing this, the classmates who were watching from a distance got a bit stirred up.

　But even after receiving his apology, the look in Kiriko's eyes didn't change.

"...Yamanai, aren't you getting a bit ahead of yourself, trying to go after Ai just because Sumi rejected you?"

"Th, that's not it, I don't mean to..."

　Seeing Yamanai flustered more than necessary, Kiriko became convinced that her guess was right.

　That's right—Yamanai is panicking because she hit the nail on the head.

―――'I'm so glad you weren't hurt either, Yamanai-kun.'

　That smile of Ai's, from back then, looking as if she was truly relieved, was burned into his chest and wouldn't leave.

"I, I'm..."

"Sigh... don't get the wrong idea just because she was a little nice to you, you know. Ai's considerate to everyone. Yamanai, don't think you're cool just because you're a bit popular with girls, do you? I mean really, switching to Ai right after being rejected by your best friend Sumi—what are you thinking?"

　The truth hurts.

　When it came to Sumi, Yamanai's confidence came from the arrogance of thinking "I could totally date her if I wanted to."

　Also, he thought it was clumsy to immediately go after Ai just because Sumi had rejected him. But even so, thinking "I can't help who I fall for," he acted without taking time to cool off—Yamanai was still a child.

　In comparison, girls their age are much more mature when it comes to the subtleties of human relationships.

　Kiriko could see right through Yamanai's shallowness and was exasperated. For one thing, even now he had waited until Sumi went to the bathroom and wasn't here before talking to Kiriko. From a girl's perspective, this didn't seem like a very sincere action at all.

"There's no way Ai would fall for a brat like you. When there's someone right beside her who's a hundred times cooler than you."

"Huh? What do you mean by that..."

"Yooou're meeeessing with Kiri again, aren't you?"

　Startled by suddenly being called, he turned around to see Sumi, who had returned from the restroom, and her friends surrounding Yamanai, glaring at him.

"No, I was just..."

"Sumiii, is Yamanai being annoying again today?"

　With Kiriko's follow-up attack, Yamanai turned pale.

"Yamanai, not again!!"

"Wait, I, I just wanted to apologize!"

"No need for talking!!"

　Kiiin koohn kaaon koohn.

　Yamanai was in a desperate pinch, but he was saved by the chime signaling the end of break time.

"Tch, don't come near asshhi anymore!"

　Faced with Sumi, who had an overwhelming presence completely opposite to her lovestruck girl mode from this morning, not only did Yamanai flee to his seat, but the nearby boys were also trembling, or so they say.