Even after going back to the classroom, we didn’t talk, and we didn’t even make eye contact with Sumire. Sumire, who came back late, was talking with other classmates as if nothing happened, blatantly avoiding me. And I was avoiding her too.
During the next P.E. class, Sumire went off with the other kids just like that.
And so I thought, oh, I see. That’s how it is. So, there was no need to talk about anything anymore.
Even so, it doesn’t change the fact that our seats are right in front and back of each other.
Whether I like it or not, Sumire sits behind me. She looks at me from a position I can’t see. We just changed seats, so there’s nowhere to run.
I can’t turn around the whole time.
Every time a sound comes from behind, my shoulders get tense. Even before class, I was nervous, wondering what I’d do if hand-outs were passed back.
Why did I do something like that? Even now, I don’t really understand it myself.
For some reason, I felt like I didn’t want to lose. Even though Sumire is my childhood friend and should be my friend.
Because every time something happens, I usually give in and feel like I’m losing.
Sumire doesn’t care, but I do care—it feels like that. Even now, the contents of the class aren’t getting into my head at all.
See, as expected, it’s my loss, right?
While I was thinking about stuff like that, the class ended.
In the noisy after-school classroom, I slowly got ready to go home.
I was still hesitating whether to talk to Sumire or not. I pretended to check the notebooks and textbooks I had already put in my bag.
I heard the sound of a chair standing up behind me.
My spine stiffened. My ears became sensitive.
I heard the sound of a chair being put back, and I could tell the presence behind me was moving away.
When I timidly turned around, Sumire was nowhere to be seen. I saw her back as she walked out into the hallway while talking to someone.
Ah, I see. So that’s how it is.
Well, but it can’t be helped, right?
The one at fault is me.
But if this kind of thing keeps going on every day from now on, it’s like hell.
I mean, during P.E. and moving around earlier, I was all by myself. On the other hand, because Sumire is like that, she can get along with someone right away.
Of course, the way home was alone too.
The road to my house felt extremely long.
Yet before I knew it, I had reached the front of the station.
I took a quick peek at the anime shop inside a nearby building.
It’s a place we often come to when Sumire invites me on the way home.
I don’t have any business there, but just sort of.
If we accidentally bump into each other or so I thought, but what if she’s with someone else? I got scared and left right away.
I checked my smartphone over and over.
Even before getting on the train at the station and after getting on, I kept staring at it, but there are no notifications from anyone.
Face-to-face is a bit much, but through a message.
Should I send at least one word, like sorry or something?
But is this something I should apologize for?
If I say sorry, what do I say after that?
Even in this matter, if you trace it back, Sumire started it.
If Sumire hadn’t confessed in the first place, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.
I mean, what was all that stuff about liking me and wanting to date me? Was it just the mood of the moment after all?
If everyday life gets ruined by someone’s whim, I can’t put up with that.
Sumire is definitely the one at fault. It feels wrong for me to apologize.
Without taking any action in the end, I reached home.
My apartment is on the fourth floor, a short walk from the station.
At this time, no one is home.
On weekdays, basically I’m the first one to come home.
I unlocked the entrance and went into the foyer.
Past the glass door, I pressed the elevator button. The elevator opened right away.
Just as I was getting on, I realized I hadn’t thought about tonight’s dinner at all.
This is Sumire’s fault too. But I’m not in the mood to go grocery shopping now. I guess I’ll just make do with whatever we have…
While thinking things like that, I pressed the number 4 button, and a figure smoothly slipped inside.
Huh, was someone there? This is a little awkward.
As I took a step back while giving a small bow, a familiar skirt caught the corner of my vision.
Huh, the same uniform…
The moment I thought that, my wrist was grabbed rather firmly.
Huh? As I lifted my face, a shadow rapidly approached right before my eyes.
Big round eyes. White skin. A slightly thick lower lip.
“Nhn…?”
My voice leaking from the back of my throat was blocked by those lips.