V3Ch3: Part 2

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Translator: Soafp

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Along the way, we made a promise not to pry into the matter regarding Aisaka since it wasn’t confirmed yet.

“…Fue”

Walking to school with Ayana, and then Iori joining us midway… Today felt particularly eventful from the morning, and as soon as we reached our seats, I felt a wave of exhaustion wash over me.

I was just thinking about closing my eyes and resting a bit until the morning assembly when suddenly…

“Yukishiro.”

“Eh?”

I was startled by the sudden voice and turned to see Todo-san.

Todo-san was one of Ayana’s friends who always had something to talk about lately, especially between her and Ayana.

“What’s up?”

“What’s up, you ask? Well, look over there.”

Todo-san pointed to a corner of the blackboard, urging me to take a look.

“…Ah, I see.”

Written there were mine and Todo-san’s last names—meaning we were on duty for the day.

“I just wanted to let you know, you know?”

“Thanks for that.”

“…But Ayana’s kind of jealous about it.”

“Eh?”

Taking my gaze off Todo-san for a moment, I glanced at Ayana sitting at her seat.

Although she nodded along to the conversations of her other friends, her gaze was firmly fixed on us, showing her skill in multitasking. Wait, was she actually paying attention to the conversation?

“What… Sorry?”

“…Well, it’s not a big deal. But ever since you started dating Ayana, she’s been showing even more adorable faces than before. Since Ayana’s kind of like an idol to us, it’s a feast for the eyes.”

“I see… It’s fresh to hear you talk about Ayana like this, considering you never really did before.”

“Yeah, now that you mention it. We’ve talked before, but we never really got into discussing Ayana like this.”

I nodded in agreement.

Even with someone I don’t usually talk to, my natural disposition allows me to not be wary or to easily adapt to their conversation.

(Well, I do enjoy talking to people.)

As I nodded to myself, Todo-san gave me a strange look.

“Is Yukishiro-kun a bit of an oddball?”

“That’s a misunderstanding.”

I knew Todo-san often spoke without filtering her words.

Although we had such an exchange, our conversation with Todo-san heated up, and before we knew it, Ayana had come over.

“You seem to be having quite a lot of fun.”

“Oh, you’re here!”

“Sorry, don’t talk about people like they’re ghosts, please.”

Ayana shot Todo-san a sharp look before stepping behind me.

She pressed her chest against the back of my head, leaned in close, and gently rubbed my shoulder as if it were just an extra touch.

“You naturally stick close like this. Just how much do you like Yukishiro-kun?”

“Can’t you see?”

“I can… It’s really strange, to be honest.”

“What’s strange?”

“Even when you’re being like this right in front of me, I don’t get annoyed at all. I always think, ‘I want to keep watching you more,’ you know?”

Well….being thought of like that was quite an honor.

Ayana’s friendliness and kindness were evident from our conversation, and it seemed like Todo-san genuinely thought highly of her.

“So, Ayana? Did you have something you wanted to talk about?”

“Oh, right. It’s not like I was concerned about you two getting along unexpectedly well or anything like that.”

“Ayana, you’re talking too fast.”

“You’re annoying.”

Despite Todo-san being told off with a fairly strong tone, she didn’t seem the least bit offended and instead laughed heartily.

“Sorry, sorry. I never thought the day would come when I’d enjoy teasing Ayana like this. It’s just so amusing.”

“You always seem to be having fun.”

“You mean I’m carefree?”

“I mean you’re energetic and wonderful. Your smile cheers everyone up, including me.”

“Thanks…”

Uhm… My position is a bit awkward being suddenly presented with such a strange atmosphere.

Well, the teacher should be arriving soon, and it’s the start of the day as the class representative, so I need to gather my energy.

“Ah, Towa-kun.”

“Yeah?”

“When you receive the journal from the teacher, please pass it to me.”

“Eh? Why?”

“Why?”

Both Todo-san and I voiced our doubts simultaneously at Ayana’s words.

Ayana stepped away from behind me and, with a bright smile on her face, continued.

“I’ll finish everything for you.”

“No can do.”

“No you won’t.”

Both Todo-san and I retorted simultaneously, and Ayana pouted in response.

---

Time has passed, and it’s now after school.

The duty shift with Todo-san went smoothly, and without any issues. We managed it ourselves without needing to rely on Ayana to handle the journal.

After submitting the journal to the teacher in the staff room, Todo-san and I returned to the classroom.

“Welcome back, Towa-kun. And you too, Setsuna.”

As we entered the classroom, Ayana greeted us first.

“Hey there. You must be tired, Todo-san.”

“Yukishiro too. Thanks for being my partner today♪”

No no, well I’m really happy to hear that from her.

In truth, although I thought she might have preferred doing the class representative duties with Somiya instead of me, it’s a relief that everything went smoothly.

“Hey, Yukishiro. Did Setsuna cause any trouble?”

As Somiya, who was still in the classroom, said this to me, Todo-san responded with a puzzled expression as she stood in front of Somiya.

“What do you mean by trouble? Can you be more specific?”

“W-well, it’s just that…”

“Come on now~ Tell me. I’ll listen, okay? Ah~n?”

“…Sorry.”

Although Somiya bowed his head, when he lifted it after a moment, he seemed to be enjoying himself, and Todo-san appeared to feel the same.

“Hey, how about going to karaoke now?”

“That sounds great! Let’s go! Just let me finish this first.”

“You can take your time.”

“Even if you say that, I’ll hurry up! I want to go soon!”

Somiya swiftly finished preparing to leave, just as he promised.

It’s a bit heartwarming to see how eager Somiya is to go out with Todo-san, and seeing Todo-san’s similar reaction, I couldn’t help but grin a little.

“Towa-kun, you’re grinning.”

“Oops, sorry… but you get it, right?”

“Yes, I do. It’s a heartwarming scene.”

While exchanging such words, I finished getting ready to leave and left the classroom with Ayana.

“Should we stop somewhere?”

“If there’s somewhere you want to go, Towa-kun, we can go anywhere.”

Oh, that’s a bit thought-provoking.

Whether we should just go straight home or head to a café or karaoke… Hmm, what should we do?

Let’s think about it while walking. We stepped outside through the sliding doors.

As we walked together, we spotted Mari running toward us from beyond the school gate in her gym clothes.

“Oh! Ayana-senpai, Yukishiro-senpai!”

The moment she spotted us, Mari beamed and hurried over.

If she had a tail, she’d be wagging it back and forth like a little animal, and her demeanor reminded me of that, naturally bringing a smile to my face.

“Mari-chan is like a puppy, isn’t she?”

“I thought the same thing.”

It’s quite endearing, and considering Mari’s petite stature, she seems younger than her age… so you feel like wanting to spoil her.

That’s something Ayana seems to feel more than I do.

“Are you two heading home now?”

“Yes, we are. You’re working hard in your club, Mari-chan.”

“Yes! We have a tournament coming up in two weeks, so I’m going to work even harder!”

Mari clenched her fist with determination, her expression shifting from a smile to one filled with determination.

But she still looked adorable, and even though there was a hint of determination in her expression, it remained fresh.

“Mumu, I feel like we’re being looked at warmly by you two!”

“Is that so?”

“Is that right?”

“Huh… Am I imagining things?”

Mari bowed her head, scratching her cheeks, saying she was sorry for saying something strange.

“No need to apologize.”

“That’s right, Mari-chan. It’s not entirely wrong, you know?”

“Eh?”

From a smile to a dignified expression, and then to a blank stare.

Ayana seemed to be amused by the way Mari’s expressions changed so quickly, and she reached out to pat Mari’s head.

“There, there, Mari-chan, you’re so adorable.”

“Ehehe♪”

“…She’s more like a cat than a dog.”

She’s more like a cat than a dog… Well, both expressions work fine, but overall, Mari’s expressive face is just cute.

As I watched Mari like this, I remembered what Iori had said. Even though our meeting was originally orchestrated to some extent, Mari should have developed some affection for him after experiencing Shu’s personality… It’s not like she came to dislike him or be surprised by him, but Shu changed so much to the point where Mari seems to want to keep her distance… He changed her…

“…”

I shook my head, realizing I might be overthinking it. While it’s true that I’m somewhat responsible for it, ultimately, when I think about Ayana, there was no other choice but to move forward… Of course, I have no regrets. I think things would have turned out even worse if I had just let them drag on.

Ayana immediately notices the change in my expression… With that in mind, I switch gears and address Mari.

“Even though we’re here chatting like this, Mari is still in club activities, right?”

“Oh, it’s totally fine! I take about a fifteen-minute break before I go back!”

Seems like there’s no problem. Well, even if that’s the case, we’re already planning to leave… But I hope Mari won’t look sad when we say we’re going.

“Um… ah, yeah… well…”

“Ayana, what’s wrong?”

“Oh, no, um… well, what should we do, Towa-kun?”

“Why’s it gotta be up to me?”

“??”

Probably, Ayana was thinking the same thing as me. Mari’s cute, animal-like charm has a way of keeping people in place… It wouldn’t be like this with a complete stranger, but because Ayana and I have some level of friendship with Mari, it’s even harder for us to move our feet.

Come on… come on, Towa Yukishiro, muster up some courage!

“Ayana, let’s head back…”

“…Ah, right, you’re going home, aren’t you?”

“………………”

The moment I suggest we leave with some courage, Mari’s shoulders droop as if she’s deflating.

Damn it… imagining her drooping shoulders and hearing a dejected dog’s whimper is just my imagination, right? Anyone, please tell me it’s just my imagination!

“…Mari-chan, you’re scary.”

“Huh, w-why am I scary!?”

“Your unconsciousness is scary.”

“Why’s that!?”

…Ayana seems like an older sister dealing with a little kid from the neighborhood.

Well, if it goes on like this, we might really lose track of when to leave, but just then, a sound catches the attention of the three of us.

A metallic clang… the sound of a bat hitting a ball.

“I hear that sound a lot when they’re doing club activities outside, and every time, I can’t help but look over there.”

Mari says this.

From this spot, we can’t see the entire schoolyard, but Mari keeps her eyes fixed over there as she continues speaking.

“When I see them chasing the ball so earnestly, it makes me feel like I need to run and work hard too!”

I see… She’s using the efforts of the baseball club members, who are working hard in sports, as motivation for her own efforts.

Always positive, always forward-thinking… those are Mari’s characteristic words.

“Oh, it’s Aisaka-senpai!”

And with that, Ayana and I shift our gaze with an enthusiastic “gyuin” sound.

There’s no way we wouldn’t react to the combination of Mari and Aisaka. In front of our gazes, Aisaka is picking up the ball.

“…Ehehe, Aisaka-senpai is working really hard too, isn’t he? I used to have this scary image of baseball club members being big and intimidating, but Aisaka-senpai is really kind and fun. I think you two are in the same class, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Exactly. You had some interaction with him, right?”

Oh, nicely done, Ayana.

When Ayana asked her about it, Mari didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding anything and spoke freely.

“There wasn’t anything special, really. It started when a ball rolled over to me while I was stretching in the corner of the schoolyard, and I handed it to him. Sometimes when he is running, even from over the fence, our eyes meet, and I wave.”

“I see.”

“…Heh”

There’s something incredibly bittersweet about this, like the scent of youth.

Just as I felt like I sort of understood Aisaka, Mari hurried back to her club activities, but not without turning back a few times. It’s troublesome.

“Well then, now that Mari’s gone back to her club activities, let’s go… Ayana?”

Since Mari had gone back to her club activities, it seemed like a good time for us to leave, so I was about to suggest it when I noticed that Ayana seemed a bit off.

While watching Mari walk away, Ayana muttered quietly to herself.

“I was trying to hurt such a good kid not too long ago.”

Hearing those words, I placed my hand on Ayana’s shoulder.

As she trembled slightly under my gaze, I conveyed this to her:

“That’s all in the past now, right? Ayana, you’re okay now──you’ll never do anything like that again.”

She was trying to… but she won’t anymore.

If that’s the case, then there’s no need to dwell on the process. So I told her not to make such a face, and Ayana smiled softly.

“While the things I tried to do will remain as my sins, I shouldn’t let them become shackles on the path forward… right? Towa-kun, thank you. Your words always save me.”

“It makes me happy to hear you say that. If something were to happen and you feel like you’re slipping into darkness again, I’ll embrace you tightly and pull you back to this side.”

“That’s… fufu, yes♪”

Though that’s something that will probably never happen again!

“Towa-kun, would you like to go bowling with me?”

“Oh, you want to go?”

“Yes! I’ll throw with all my might and blow away any unpleasant feelings!”

Ooh… Ayana’s eyes are on fire!

I was planning on thinking about what to do next while walking, so it’s perfect that Ayana suggested it herself.

It’s been a while since just the two of us went bowling, so let’s have a blast together!!

---

It was a certain day approaching May.

With the next day being Saturday, after school, Ayana arrived at my house with a bag containing her change of clothes.

“Sleepover♪ I’m staying over at Towa-kun’s house♪”

As tomorrow was a holiday, it wasn’t unusual for Ayana to come over for a sleepover. Since we had communicated well with Seina-san after that incident, my feelings were much lighter compared to when I hadn’t reconciled with her.

“You’ve been looking forward to coming to my house even while at school, huh?”

“Well, of course. Because it means more time with you, Towa-kun♪”

Seriously… every word she says hits me right in the heart.

I feel like embracing her, and as I reach out my arms to do so, Ayana jumps into my chest from her side.

“Hafuu… I’m so happy♪”

She’s adorable… that’s the only word that comes to mind.

As I hold Ayana like this, I check the time… it’s already seven o’clock.

My mom already knows that Ayana is coming over today, so she plans to make a slightly more luxurious dinner than usual, with shabu-shabu.

Since Ayana and I bought all the ingredients together, all we have to do is wait for my mom to come back.

“Mom’s late.”

“Yeah… I hope nothing happened.”

“Knowing Mom, it’s unlikely.”

“That’s true.”

It’s not that we’re not worried about my mom, it’s just that we trust her because we know her well.

We spend some time cuddling and watching TV, and finally, my mom comes back.

“I’m home~!”

I stood up to greet my mom, but… in a sense, I was completely caught off guard as I witnessed a sight that left me speechless.

“….Haa?”

It wasn’t just my mom who was there… there was someone else.

“W….Why?”

The words slipped out unintentionally.

And that’s because… because the person with my mom was Seina-san.

“I bumped into her in town! So I thought it would be a good idea to bring her along!”

“….Good evening, Towa-kun.”

With a smile on my mom’s face as she leaned against Seina-san, the latter wore an exhausted expression, suggesting that she had been brought along reluctantly.

Can I say just one thing?

Mom… what exactly are you trying to do?