Chapter 52: An Unexpected Visitor, New Developments

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Translator: Soafp

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The next morning, soft sunlight streamed through the window of the hospital room.

In the room, faintly scented with disinfectant, I lay on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Last night, I had been told by Kyoko-nee that Suz-chan had passed away, and I was left speechless in shock. Her smile kept appearing in my mind, and my chest tightened as if squeezed.

Seeing this, Miyabi and Aoi had said,

“We’re staying over because we’re worried.”

But it goes without saying that Kyoko had sent them away.

In the end, I spent the night unable to sleep, and before I knew it, it was morning.

Now, the same Miyabi and Aoi, who were supposed to have gone home yesterday, were back in the hospital room, taking care of me diligently.

Apparently, they were both skipping school for the day, taking extra precautions.

Up until this point, everything had been fine, but things started to get awkward when Kagura and Marin showed up and witnessed the situation.

Already by my side, Kagura and Marin were glaring at me with their arms crossed, clearly unhappy.

“Hey, you two! You’ve been all over Hajime since earlier!”

Kagura said, arms crossed, glaring at Aoi and Miyabi with an exasperated look.

Marin, pouting slightly, joined in.

“Kagura’s right. Hajime, aren’t you overdoing it with these two?”

I could only give a wry smile as I observed the situation, holding a spoon in my mouth.

“It's fine, right? We’re just doing what we can for Hajime.”

Aoi said cheerfully with a smile. Her previous hesitation had disappeared, and she seemed genuinely happy now.

“Yeah, yeah. There's no point in dwelling on things, so we might as well help Hajime out.”

Hibiki added lightly, offering the spoon to my mouth. Despite my confusion, Masa and Aoi continued to happily care for me.

“You’re not just brushing this off, are you?”

Kagura sighed deeply, furrowing her brow.

“Can you really switch your mindset that easily?”

Marin asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked at Masa and Aoi with mild confusion.

“Is it really that different?”

Aoi tilted her head innocently.

“I'm done with worrying. Whether I face forward or backward, I've come to accept that I'm a complicated woman… So I've stopped overthinking things. I'm not going to get in your way, but we just want to stay by Hajime’s side and do what we can. Is that wrong?”

“It's not that it's wrong… But isn't it a little much? From the former childhood friend, no less.”

Kagura remarked sarcastically, looking at Aoi and Miyabi.

“I don't mind.”

Aoi and Miyabi exchanged glances and smiled lightly.

“Hajime, don't you think your childhood friends are getting a little carried away?”

Kagura crossed her arms, looking at me with a bemused expression.

I wasn't sure how to respond, my gaze shifting between them.

“Well, I mean…”

“Honestly… But Hajime, I have something I'd like to ask you…”

Marin spoke up, her voice calm, but there was a hint of pressure behind it.

Kagura, Hajime, and Aoi all held their breath, sensing the change in the atmosphere. When Marin’s gaze turned to me, everyone exchanged looks, a slight tension in the air.

The charged silence made everyone careful with their words.

“Eh, me…?”

“You were supposed to have lunch with us yesterday, but you suddenly disappeared and then ended up in the hospital with an injury. What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

Marin asked, her gaze fixed on me, though she smiled faintly. But there was no warmth in her smile, only a quiet, sharp intensity.

“Uh… Well, as I mentioned in the message yesterday, I… ah, no, what I meant was…”

“Ha… Honestly, you're such a troublesome person.”

Marin sighed quietly, her smile faint, but her eyes cold as ice.

She stood there with her arms crossed, her gaze unflinching. The silence that followed only made the atmosphere feel heavier.

“So this is how you listen to people's words…?”

She asked, her voice calm, but there was an undeniable force behind it.

“Huh? Ah…”

I found myself sitting upright on the bed without realizing it.

Kagura, Miyabi, and Aoi watched me in silence, holding their breath as the tension mounted.

No one spoke. The weight of the silence seemed to fill the room, with Marin's cold eyes at the center.

Suddenly, the door was knocked on.

“Y-Yes, come in!”

I quickly turned to the door, eager for a distraction.

“Oh! The conversation isn't over yet!”

Marin protested, clearly flustered as I interrupted her.

But the person who entered the room did so without hesitation.

The door opened, and in walked my editor, Hizaki-san.

“Ah, Hajime-sensei… You seem to be in better spirits than I was told. I'm relieved,”

She said with a gentle smile, scanning the room to check on me.

“Ah, thanks to you.”

I replied, scratching my head a little embarrassed.

“Well… We were in the middle of a conversation…”

Marin puffed her cheeks in frustration.

“Now, now, don't be so upset.”

Kagura chuckled, lightly patting Marin on the shoulder to calm her down.

“I'm sorry to interrupt at a time like this, but…”

Hizaki-san hesitated, glancing around at everyone, before turning her gaze back to me.

“Oh, it's fine. I can tell everyone here, right?”

I replied with a light smile, assuring her it was okay.

“Then, Hajime-sensei… The anime adaptation of ‘Two and One’ has been confirmed.”

“…Eh?”

I responded, completely taken aback.

The room fell into a brief, stunned silence.

“Eh?”

Miyabi, Aoi, Kagura, and Marin all chorused in unison, their voices filled with shock.