Chapter 13: Face to face

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Translator: Soafp

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I left the screening room as if fleeing.

Trying to keep a straight face, I lined up again at the ticket machine to buy another ticket.

It's a nice day today (indoors).

“…Um, Shark Shark… no one's here.”

Sadly, the empty seats occupy 4 out of 5 spaces.

Such movies are usually popular in the summer.

Not so much at this time of year.

“1800 yen, please.”

“…Alright.”

I received the ticket.

Well, it's something decided by chance, so there's no helping it.

I have no regrets. Although I can think of a list of things I could do with 1800 yen, I have no regrets.

A list of things to do in two hours (omitted below).

By the way, soon—

“—So, shall we head home?”

“Yeah!”

“Sorry, Momo. Thanks for coming along.”

“No worries, Ayanon is bad with machines, so I didn't think you'd know how to buy a ticket.”

“W-Wait, stop it, it's embarrassing…”

The three people came out of the venue.

What to do? Should I approach them…?

—[Who are you?]—

“Ugh…”

Her voice from the past pierces me like a knife.

—but.

I'm not the old me anymore.

I've changed.

With rainbow-colored hair and 20 hobbies planned (hopefully).

Be confident, Hajime. Greeting classmates is a piece of cake.

“Oh? What a coincidence!”

““…?””

“Hello there.”

Pretending it's just a coincidence.

I spoke to them.

“It's been a while, hasn't it?”

“Hahaha, yes… Hello, Hatsune-san. And Kisaragi-san as well—”

“…Rainbow!”

“Eh?”

“W-Wait—Kanon!”

“Rainbow! So pretty!”

“Ah, thank you… W-Wait—”

Little Kisaragi-san… Kanon-chan was raising both hands and pointing at my head.

I thought she wanted a closer look, so when I crouched down, she began to ruffle my hair with her tiny hands.

…What am I supposed to do?

“R-Rainbow!”

“—Oh! Sorry, Toumachi-kun, Kanon-chan is very energetic.”

“I'm really sorry…”

Then Hatsune-san picked up Kanon-chan and spoke to her.

And next to them was Kisaragi-san, looking apologetic.

…Isn't this a difficult reaction?

“It's fine.”

If I smiled too widely, it might come off as a creep who's happy being touched by kids, so I kept a calm, albeit awkward, smile.

Good thing I didn't have any wax in my hair. It's good to be a wallflower.

“So—Toumachi-kun, were you watching something?”

“Eh?”

“Oh, maybe before you came in?”

A genuine question from Hatsune-san.

Of course, they wouldn't know whether it was before or after.

Even so, sweat was trickling down my back.

It's not like they'd catch me in a lie.

I should just change the topic to the shark movie—

“I'm sorry, Toumachi-kun… for disturbing you before you watched it. Is your time okay?”

“—!”

Surely, it's just an ordinary conversation.

But now—Kisaragi-san used my name.

—“Who are you?”—

It's different from before.

She remembered me.

I'm happy. And… I don't want to lie.

Even if it might be awkward.

I want to be sincere—this is what I thought.

“Actually, I was watching ○× Cure earlier.”

“Eh?”

“Eh, why are you saying it yourself—”

“—Rainbow!”

I was scared to meet the gazes of the two frozen in place.

In the moment I looked away, Kanon-chan, who had escaped from Hatsune-san's arms, came over to me.

I, too, crouched down to escape the gazes of the two and spoke to the little girl.

I don't get too nervous around kids.

So I'll just try to stay here…

“It was fun, ○× Cure.”

“○× Cure!”

“Everyone did their best.”

“Yeah!”

“It was nerve-wracking in the middle.”

“It was scary!”

“The part where they ate together at the end was so emotional.”

“…Emo?”

Our exchange of impressions continued smoothly.

But… what am I supposed to do in this situation?

“Oh, Kanon! It's time to go home!”

“Eh!?”

Ah, now Kisaragi-san picked up Kanon-chan.

That's a relief. Well, I could talk about ○× Cure for about 50 hours if I wanted (mesmerized).

“Oh. I need to head to the next movie!”

““Eh?””

“Well then, Kanon-chan, Hatsune-san, Kisaragi-san—”

“Bye-bye!”