Chapter 29: Typhoon

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Translator: Soafp

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On Thursday, I replied to Amanatsu, which had almost become part of my routine.

Of course, she had said she might go visit the place where Sakura was staying.

Officially, that was the reason.

But in truth, she probably wanted to find out whether I was there too.

“Do whatever you want. But just so you know, a typhoon is coming tomorrow.”

By the time the typhoon passed, I'd already be gone.

Once I got back home, I could send her a photo proving I was in my own room, and Amanatsu would have no choice but to accept it.

If Amanatsu came here, it would only make things messier.

This was a peaceful solution.

After handling that before work, I got started with Toshie-san.

Just as he had warned me, every task was heavy labor.

We hauled the boat up, put away the benches and equipment outside Blue Note, and by the time everything was done, the sun was already setting.

During the work, I called out to Sakura a few times, but she only gave distracted, half-hearted responses.

She'd been like this since last night.

After all that back and forth, the final task was finally done.

Toshie-san smiled broadly and slapped me on the back.

“Whew, you really helped me out. It was a short stay, but thank you so much.”

“Likewise. I'm grateful you took me in on such short notice.”

“You even looked after Shizuka and Fujimaru every day. As far as I'm concerned, Subaru's welcome any time. Oh, and about your pay—I'll include Friday in the daily wage too.”

“I wasn't working on Friday, though.”

“Take it as thanks for all your effort.”

If that was the case, I had no reason to refuse.

I thanked him and accepted gratefully.

“I had fun helping out at Blue Note too.”

I got to eat delicious seafood, and I learned how enjoyable diving in the ocean could be.

Above all, meeting Fujimaru-kun had been nothing short of wonderful.

“Come back anytime. Well, sorry to say it, but you'd better head home early. It'll be dark soon, and tomorrow the trains might be suspended.”

“Yeah, I'll take Sakura home with me.”

“Count on it.”

So this was really the end…

Well, it wasn't like we were saying goodbye forever.

It wasn't that far away, and maybe I'd come back to visit again someday.

When I tried to check with Sakura so we could coordinate the time to leave, she wasn't in the lobby.

That was odd. She'd been there just a moment ago.

Maybe she'd already gone to her room to pack.

I'd mostly finished preparing the night before, so all I needed was to change clothes and I could leave anytime.

I sent Sakura a message and waited in my room while resting.

But even after a while, not even a read receipt appeared, and there was no sign of a reply.

I had a bad feeling about this.

If I lingered too long, I'd get home later, so I went to her room.

I knocked lightly on the door.

“…What?”

I heard her voice from behind the door.

“It's about time to head back. Are you done packing yet?”

“…I don't want to go home.”

Exactly as I expected.

Given how unstable Sakura's behavior had been over the past few days, I had been somewhat prepared for this possibility.

So I wasn't that surprised… but I still didn't know what to do next.

“Can I come in?”

“…Yeah.”

When I opened the door, Sakura was sitting with her back to me.

I looked around the room and saw a suitcase sitting there half-packed.

It wasn't as though she had no intention of leaving at all.

“You said you'd keep your promise. That means it's no good if I'm your boyfriend in name only.”

“I will keep it. I just want to stay here until the weekend. Hatsukade can go home before the typhoon comes. I'll still go to school.”

“I can't trust the words of someone who already broke one promise.”

“…”

“Sakura, look at me and say that properly.”

But she didn't even try to turn around.

She refused to face me no matter what.

How did it end up like this?

It was always the same. Once you got too deeply involved with someone, nothing ever went the way you expected.

“Sorry. I think I might not be able to stay beside Hatsukade after all.”

“Why not?”

“I… I wasn't planning to lie. But after spending time with you, I was trying to give up on these feelings, and I just keep falling more and more in love… This is impossible…”

At the sight of her thin back trembling, I scratched my head.

What was I supposed to do from here?

And then it hit me.

Maybe the reason I was bad at romance was because there was no clear correct answer.

With Amanatsu and Shinonome, it had been simpler.

They had done wrong in the fake-confession incident and had been tormented by guilt, and by forgiving them, I'd been able to push them forward.

Everyone makes mistakes.

That's why what matters is what comes after, at least that's what I believe.

But what about Sakura?

She'd been saved by me in the past, and because of that she had come to want to help and support others. She chose friendship over her own love life as an act of self-sacrifice.

Could you really call that wrong?

And why was I worrying about something like this in the first place?

I had never even intended to get involved with anyone in high school.

The reason I could stay indifferent to whatever others said or did to me was because I didn't care about the people at school.

Because I stood in a place apart from everyone else, I could treat it all as something unrelated to me.

Come to think of it, it was the same when Amanatsu made that almost-real confession to me on the rooftop.

By looking away from the feeling of being liked, I was able to avoid stress.

…No, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn't find the right answer.

But that was exactly why what I needed to do hadn't changed.

I sat down with my back against Sakura's.

“I'll stay too.”

“Huh?”

“Your parents asked me to keep an eye on you, so I have a duty to supervise you. Besides, the boyfriend deal lasts one week, right? Until then, I'm staying right by your side, Sakura.”

“…!!!”

If I couldn't find the answer, then we'd just keep thinking together until we did.

And yet, in a situation this awful…

Why did her warm back feel so strangely comforting?