65 Where Is Our Secret Place?
“Seriously, Suzuna, you’ve been the dangerous one lately.”
Riri-chan hugged herself and distanced herself from me.
“Dangerous?”
“Your… pervertedness.”
“…?”
“Making me undress, biting my chest… I wonder whose influence that is.”
Well, the answer is obvious.
“Your influence, Riri-chan.”
“I haven’t done anything that extreme!”
I think that is what influence means…
But Riri-chan wasn’t listening, so I kept quiet.
As long as the mark remains on Riri-chan’s chest, I can endure a little bit of unreasonable behavior.
“Come on, let’s go back to the classroom.”
Riri-chan took my hand and started walking, as if to say there was no point in staying here any longer.
Despite her words, she’s still leading me.
—Clatter
As we opened the music room door, someone happened to be passing by.
“Hinase-san and Amatsuki-san…? What are you doing here?”
It was the student council president, of all people.
“Ugh, it’s Kanaori…”
“…You have some nerve making such a blatant expression of disgust.”
The two of them were already at odds.
“You’re the one who just happened to walk past us.”
“That’s a ridiculous accusation. In the first place, what were you two doing in the music room during lunch break?”
“I-It’s none of your business!”
Riri-chan, unable to react quickly, just blurted that out.
That’s just asking for Kanaori-san to pry further…
“That’s suspicious. Were you doing something… indecent?”
“N-N-No way!”
Her reaction was as if to say, “Yes, we were.”
Apparently, being bitten by me is considered indecent by Riri-chan.
…Well, I guess it is.
“If that’s the case, you should be able to say it without hesitation. What were you doing?”
“N-Nothing! We were just… reviewing… music!”
“I didn’t know you were so studious.”
“Hmph, I’m focusing on my studies now that I’m a second-year. I can be serious when I want to.”
“It’s strange that such a studious person would be reviewing music, which isn’t even on the midterm exam, three days before the test.”
“…Um…”
You dug your own grave, Riri-chan.
“And your face is redder than usual, isn’t it?”
“H-Hey, that’s not true!”
…It’s probably because she was embarrassed about undressing…
But I can’t say that.
“Your flustered state is proof enough. Why don’t you just confess what you were doing?”
“I wasn’t doing anything weird! …Or rather, I was on the receiving end…?”
“The receiving end…?”
She’s talking like she’s the victim.
That makes it sound like I’m the perpetrator.
Kanaori-san’s gaze shifted to me.
Riri-chan, don’t try to shift the blame onto me just because you can’t handle it.
“Amatsuki-san is a calm and composed person. There’s no way she’d do anything strange to an unreasonable person like you. Stop trying to shift the blame with lies.”
But Kanaori-san didn’t believe her at all.
“Hey, I’m not shifting the blame! I’m only telling the truth!”
“Then tell me what you were doing.”
“Well, that’s… ugh…”
Riri-chan was cornered.
She can’t tell anyone that she was bitten on the chest.
So I kept quiet, and so did Riri-chan.
“Well… technically, entering the music room isn’t prohibited, so there’s no problem…”
“S-See? What are you complaining about?”
“But that doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want without permission.”
Kanaori-san’s firm words silenced us.
“I’ll let it slide this time, but please refrain from any actions that could be misunderstood.”
“Yes, I’m sorry…”
“Okay.”
I guess school isn’t a good place for this… since it’ll be suspicious.
But the bite mark on Riri-chan’s chest will disappear soon.
I have to bite her regularly if I want it to stay.
Then… her house again, I guess.
I had that thought.
◇◇◇
The next week, midterms began.
Test periods aren’t very fun.
I don’t know how my grades in this world will affect my future.
But precisely because it’s unknown, I decided I should get decent grades, so I studied diligently.
Thanks to studying with Riri-chan and holding the study session with Shindo-kun and the heroines, I felt somewhat confident about the tests.
After finishing the tests, the days passed by with me going home and reviewing.
◇◇◇
“Finally, it’s over.”
Shindo-kun sat down and stretched widely.
The last midterm exam was finally over.
“Suzuna, how did your tests go?”
Shindo-kun turned around and asked me.
“They were… okay, I guess. I don’t think they were terrible.”
“I see, that’s good.”
“…Yeah.”
“…”
Shindo-kun remained silent, still facing me.
“…How about your tests, Shindo-kun?”
He seemed like he wanted to be asked, so I asked.
“Well… let me see.”
Shindo-kun suddenly looked out the window with a distant gaze.
“Look, Suzuna, there’s a bird flying.”
There were no birds in sight.
“I wonder how it feels to soar through such a vast blue sky.”
It was a cloudy, rainy day, so there were no birds flying.
“What I’m saying is, from the perspective of the Earth, test scores are insignificant.”
He’s talking about an “Earth perspective” when he can only see the view from the classroom window. That’s ridiculous.
“…”
“Say something!”
“You can escape reality all you want, but please don’t force your low-quality poetry on me.”
“That’s harsh!”
Apparently, Shindo-kun’s tests didn’t go well.
It can’t be helped since he didn’t study with any of the heroines.
There was no development between Shindo-kun and the heroines during the midterms, the first event.
But there are still other events.
I’ll just have to prepare for the next one.
I’ll make sure to avoid the bad ending.
“Suzuna, how were your tests?”
Riri-chan called out to me.
“They were decent. How about yours?”
“Hmm. I think I did pretty well. Thanks to you, Suzuna.”
I didn’t really do anything, but I’m happy that she got good results.
“Well, the tests are over! Let’s go home!”
“Yeah.”
We left the school.
66 Rain and Umbrellas
As I headed towards the entrance, a gray sky stretched overhead.
—Pour
The sound of rain hitting the ground and the roof.
I hate rain.
It’s cold, it’s humid, and it makes my hair frizzy.
Nothing good comes of it.
“This rain is crazy.”
Riri-chan also muttered languidly.
The rainy season was approaching, and this was a heavy downpour for just a prelude.
It would be impossible to go home without getting drenched.
“Well, at least we have umbrellas.”
I had a navy blue umbrella, and Riri-chan had a clear plastic one.
So we didn’t have to worry about getting wet.
“Hmm…”
But Riri-chan was looking at her umbrella with a troubled expression.
“Riri-chan?”
Riri-chan started looking around.
As if searching for something.
“Ugh, this is the worst! I forgot my umbrella!”
“Oh dear, that’s too bad.”
Tachibana-san and her friend arrived, sounding disappointed.
Riri-chan noticed them and walked briskly towards them.
“Kaede, you forgot your umbrella?”
“Ah, Riri. Yeah, I didn’t check the weather.”
“Klutz.”
“Leave me alone.”
What’s this?
Did she just leave me to talk to Tachibana-san?
…She’s that eager to talk to her.
It’s fine.
I suddenly felt like going home alone, but I’ll endure it.
I don’t want to act so childish.
“Here.”
Riri-chan offered her umbrella to Tachibana-san.
“Oh, are you offering it to me?”
“Yeah, I’ll lend it to you.”
“Eh, no, I’m just kidding. That would be too much trouble.”
“It’s fine.”
…Hmm.
I see.
She’s that worried about Tachibana-san.
She’s so concerned that she’d run over and lend her her umbrella.
Riri-chan would rather get drenched herself than let Tachibana-san get wet.
Hmm.
It’s fine.
I think I’ll just go home.
“What about you, Riri?”
“Don’t worry about me. See you later.”
Riri-chan practically forced the umbrella on Tachibana-san and hurried back.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“…It’s fine.”
“Are you… upset?”
“I’m not.”
“Then look me in the eye.”
“I won’t.”
I don’t want her to look at me with the same eyes she just used to look at Tachibana-san.
I want her to cleanse her eyes first.
“You’re not angry just because I talked to Kaede, are you?”
“It’s not a big deal. And I’m not angry in the first place.”
“Then smile a little.”
“I don’t feel like it.”
“So you are upset.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
I’m not upset that she talked to her.
I’m just a little annoyed that she made such a big deal about lending her her umbrella, as if she’s so important.
“Then you can go home soaking wet, Riri-chan.”
“No way!”
What is she talking about?
“…Then why did you lend her your umbrella?”
“Because Kaede and the others were in trouble.”
“But then you’ll be in trouble, Riri-chan.”
“I won’t. I’ll share your umbrella, Suzuna.”
“…Mine?”
So that means…
“Sharing… an umbrella.”
“…”
I remembered Riri-chan looking around with her umbrella earlier.
“Riri-chan, were you looking for someone to lend your umbrella to so we could share mine?”
Did she really go to such lengths just for that?
“Who knows? But sharing an umbrella isn’t bad, is it?”
“…It is.”
Riri-chan grinned, but I looked away.
“Eh, you hate sharing an umbrella with me that much?”
“I don’t.”
“Then why?”
I don’t hate sharing an umbrella.
But I don’t think she needed to lend hers to Tachibana-san.
She could have lent it to someone else.
“Come on, Suzuna, let me in! I’ll catch a cold!”
“Then catch a cold.”
“Suzuna, you’re being mean!”
Riri-chan started complaining, pouting.
But she’s the one who caused this.
I don’t want to do this either.
“I’m not mean.”
“That attitude is mean.”
“I’m always like this.”
“Ugh, you’re so annoying! Seriously, won’t you let me in?”
“No.”
Riri-chan has been bringing up Kaede-san way too much lately.
I think she deserves to learn a lesson.
“Hmm, fine. If you won’t let me in, Suzuna, I’ll ask Kaede.”
“…”
Now Riri-chan is the one looking away, sulking.
“Is that okay? I’m going.”
Riri-chan asked again, as if to confirm.
Does she think I’ll give in to her attention-seeking behavior?
“…Do what you want.”
That was the trigger.
“You’re so mean, Suzuna! Fine, I’m going!”
Riri-chan sniffled and started walking towards Kaede-san.
“…Seriously…”
I still feel uneasy.
I think I’d feel uneasy either way, but I’d rather not have her share an umbrella with Tachibana-san.
I followed her and grabbed the hem of her blazer.
“…Suzuna? What’s this?”
Riri-chan’s voice was cheerful, happy that I stopped her.
I felt like I was being manipulated, and it annoyed me.
“Hold this.”
I thrust my umbrella at Riri-chan.
“You want to share an umbrella now?”
“I don’t.”
“Then what’s this?”
Riri-chan pointed at the navy blue umbrella I made her hold.
“My hand gets tired holding an umbrella, so you hold it, Riri-chan.”
“…Suzuna.”
“What?”
“You can be more honest, you know?”
Even as she said that, she couldn’t hide her smile.
She’s happy that she got her way.
That annoys me.
“I am being honest. You’re just my servant now, Riri-chan.”
“Hmm?”
Riri-chan smirked and held my umbrella.
“What’s with that face?”
“You’re so cute, Suzuna, no matter what you say.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Just hold the umbrella.”
“Okay, okay.”
It’s ridiculous that we have to talk so much just to share an umbrella.
I started to think that.
“Here you go, my princess.”
We went outside, and Riri-chan held the umbrella.
I probably shouldn’t have called her a “servant.” She called me “princess” or something, but I’ll let it slide.
As I stepped under the umbrella, I heard the pitter-patter of raindrops.
The umbrella, held by Riri-chan, who is taller than me, was a little high.
“Shall we go home?”
“Yeah.”
We started walking side-by-side, our shoulders brushing against each other.
The outside world was dark and gloomy because of the rain.
My vision was blocked by the umbrella, and instead, I could only feel Riri-chan’s presence beside me.
“By the way, I haven’t asked…”
“What?”
“When’s your birthday, Suzuna?”
My birthday…
“June 24th.”
“Eh, it’s soon!”
“Well, next month.”
“Good, I’m glad I asked.”
Riri-chan seemed relieved.
“Do you have any plans that day, Suzuna?”
“Of course not.”
Don’t underestimate an introvert.
“Well, with your family or something…”
I don’t know, but they haven’t contacted me.
It can’t be helped.
“I don’t.”
“Then I’ll celebrate with you.”
“…Really?”
“Of course.”
That might be nice.
I think it’ll be a fun day if I spend it with Riri-chan.
…Then I realized something I had forgotten.
“When’s your birthday, Riri-chan?”
“July 21st.”
“Next month too.”
So that means…
I looked at her, and Riri-chan was also looking at me.
“…What are you looking at?”
“Well, you look like you want to say something, Suzuna.”
Riri-chan’s eyes sparkled.
She’s making me say it even though she knows what I’m thinking. That’s so Riri-chan.
“…Do you have any plans that day?”
“I’ll cancel them all.”
“…I see.”
It seems like she does have plans, which is also very Riri-chan.
She’s different from me.
“Then, if you’d like, I’ll celebrate with you.”
“Yes! I’m looking forward to it!”
Riri-chan started giggling.
Her reaction was so exaggerated that the umbrella shook.
“Riri-chan, stop moving the umbrella so much! I’m getting wet!”
“Sorry! I was just so happy.”
“You’re not a child anymore.”
“Ehehe, sorry, you got a little wet, didn’t you?”
…Well, it’s fine.
I hate rain, but I don’t mind getting wet if it’s from Riri-chan’s umbrella.
Because she’ll probably get wet with me.
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