It was finally October, and the gymnastic festival was approaching. I was at Keyaki Mall after school.
I was there with Kei, as we were on a date. The oppressive stares from the third-year students were as usual, but Kei didn't seem bothered by them despite being involved.
"I'm used to it by now," she said.
Today, Kei had a few stores she wanted to visit, and we had co to an electronics store first.
"What are you planning to buy?"
"Huh? I don't really want anything. Well, it's not that I don't want sothing, but I'm not here for myself today."
Not for herself? It ans that she ca for soone else.
"Isn't it Kiyotaka's birthday soon? I thought about a surprise, but I thought it would be nice to give you sothing you want."
Co to think of it, it is almost my birthday.
"I thought we could look around together and see what Kiyotaka wants."
"I see."
I recall that Kei had been repeatedly asking about various things I liked and planned to buy recently. Since she had been saying random things without thinking too much about it, she decided to find out what I wanted directly and give it to as a gift.
"That's going to be an expenditure of private points, isn't it?"
Especially for Kei, who doesn't have a lot of money saved up.
"I know what you an, but it's at least your birthday. Don't hesitate to tell what you want."
She seems to be ready to buy anything, but it's not going to happen. That said, in this situation, I know it would be incorrect to answer that I don't want anything, and it is obvious that she would not be convinced if I wanted sothing extrely inexpensive.
Choose sothing that is kind to Kei's wallet. That's the kind of answer that is required.
"I know what you're thinking about right now~" She turns her cheeky, sticky eyes on and forcefully crosses her arms in mine.
"I'll buy whatever Kiyotaka wants! Okay?"
"If you say so..."
At least it ans I won't get sothing I don't need. As we walk around with our arms crossed, Kei pulls her cheeks into my arm.
"Fufufu~ I'm on cloud nine." Then she tightened her arms around . "I have nothing more to hide from you. Kiyotaka knows everything about . I never thought I would have soone more important than my own parents!" She blushes and squints her eyes, looking truly happy. "You can't hide anything from either, right, Kiyotaka?"
"Ah."
Hiding things. What does that an?
My family.
About the white room.
What I'm trying to do at school.
Friendships, romantic feelings.
If any of these apply to her, then it's probably nothing more than hiding sothing. In other words, I'm not telling Kei the truth about anything.
"Oh!"
As I was looking around the store, talking about the products, I bumped into Satō, who had co to the store alone.
As soon as we t, Satō's eyes fell on mine and Kei's crossed arms.
"Oh my god you two are so in love! I'm so sorry to bother you."
"Hold on!
Kei tries to stop her, but Satō runs away from the scene at once.
"Well, shit." Kei says, putting her hand on her own forehead.
"Are you still worried about Satō?"
"It's not like that, but... I still don't feel good about it."
"Then I guess we'll just have to refrain from crossing our arms outside from now on."
"I don't want to do that." She feels bad for her friend, but is not going to give up that part of her life.
"Huh? Yo, Ayanokōji!"
While walking around the rice cooker and hot water pot section, I ran into Ishizaki and Albert.
I could feel a squeeze in my arm when they showed up.
"You're on a date with Karuizawa? And you're arm-in-arm... isn't that cute?"
Ishizaki cos over to look at enviously, but I am more conscious of Albert standing beside . He is holding a large branded pot in his hand.
It's strange that it doesn't look that big because Albert is so big.
"Oh, this? Ryuen-san's birthday is on the 20th of this month. We were just choosing a present."
"What? Is the 20th is the sa birthday as..." Surprised, Kei cos looking up at , sowhat alard.
"I've never heard of this before either."
"Is it the sa as soone's birthday?"
When Ishizaki pointed his gaze toward Karuizawa, Kei glared at him and hid a little behind .
"What the hell, you brought it up..."
At that mont, Albert lightly places his hand on Ishizaki's shoulder.
It was there that he finally seed to have an idea as to why Karuizawa was so wary.
"Oh... I get it."
Even though it was Ryūen's order, Ishizaki called Kei to the rooftop and took part in what can be called abuse.
It is only natural that Kei would not be pleased with such a man.
Ishizaki was angry at himself for being obtuse. He clicked his tongue and then lightly slapped himself on the head with his clenched fist.
"I should have said I'm sorry... I was on the rooftop when you...."
"Don't talk about it here."
Ishizaki tried to apologize, but he still lacked delicacy.
This is the Keyaki Mall. It would not be surprising if soone he knew showed up at any mont. Kei would not be happy to have the incident on the rooftop brought up at such a ti. I'm sure there will be more than a few opportunities to get involved with Ishizaki as long as the relationship between Kei and I continues.
"Shall we move sowhere else?"
There are a few blind spots even in the wayward of Keyaki Mall.
Kei, looking disgruntled, does not interrupt and follows with her arms still entwined around .
Albert also returned the rchandise to the shelves and followed with Ishizaki. By the ergency exit, we can keep away from the store and at the sa ti keep the students out of sight but not out of earshot.
Even if soone you know shows up, you can stop the conversation there and it won't be a problem.
"I'm so sorry! All the ti, even before I was apologizing, really!"
"I don't need an apology. In fact, it makes even more angry."
"What..?"
"You people were beaten to a pulp by Kiyotaka. You lost, so you're just apologizing because you had no choice."
"No, no, that's not..."
"If Kiyotaka hadn't saved on the rooftop..... or if I had lost to you and Ryūen, you wouldn't be apologizing to like this. No? That's why it's annoying."
Kei has a point when she says that it was annoying.
Now I have beco friends with Ishizaki and Albert, but that was all after the rooftop incident. It is no wonder that there are "if's" like Kei said.
"I know I'm to bla, but still, ..."
"I don't bla you. It's natural for the strongest to be the best. I've always hated being the underling, so I've always managed to stand on top and be overbearing to the underlings. Isn't that right?"
Despite differences in degree, the essence of Kei and Ishizaki is the sa. They have the sa values, to understand their place.
"I understand what you an. But now that I've co into contact with Ishizaki, I've learned a few things. He has definitely grown for the better since then."
"What do you an, 'for the better'? It seems to that nothing has changed."
"This is just how I feel, but I don't think Ishizaki would easily go along with what Ryūen did to Kei if he tried to do it to soone else now."
"Yeah? It doesn't look like you can rebel against Ryūen, though."
The point must have been made right on the mark. Ishizaki chokes on his words. Unable to say anything back, his frustration overflows, and he hits his knee hard with the palm of his hand.
Kei, seeing this, sighed.
"That's enough. You're friends with Kiyotaka now, aren't you? I don't forgive you, but I'm done blaming you."
"Are you sure?"
"That's why I said so. It's over, okay?"
"Ah, ah!" Ishizaki looked up happily.
"Let's see.... So, that's it. Whose birthday was it that you were talking about earlier?"
Ishizaki asked Kei again . Still in disbelief, Kei pointed her index finger at .
"What? Seriously? Ayanokōji's is also October 20?" Ishizaki was surprised, as if in disbelief.
"Maybe it's fate!"
There are more than 400 students in the school, so it's no wonder there are people with the sa birthday."
"But isn't it amazing that it's Ayanokōji and Ryūen-san?"
Rejoice in re coincidence. As Kei said, it was nothing strange, but for so reason, Albert seed a little bit happy too.
"Can we go back to the store?"
"Ah! Yes! Just a minute!"
Perhaps the loud voice was too loud, or maybe Kei was just annoyed, but she started plugging her ears with her fingers.
"I have a suggestion. How about we celebrate our birthdays together on the 20th? Ryūen-san and Ayanokōji's birthday party, wouldn't that be great?"
No, I didn't think it would be great the mont I heard the idea. I try to imagine it, but I can't visualize it well.
"If you say he's going to apologize, that's fine."
"What?"
"I said I could accept it if Ryūen would bow down to and apologize."
That's a good return for an excuse to refuse. Ishizaki opens his mouth wide, then realizes how difficult it is to do sothing like that, and his mouth turns into a pout.
"Ryūen won't apologize to , right?"
"Yeah, that's never going to happen..."
It would be impossible for Ishizaki to even advise Ryuen to apologize. Ishizaki froze, but then, as if he had made up his mind, he opened his mouth once more.
"If the two of you say yes, I'll make the proposal to him myself!"
"Will you ever give up?"
If he did so, Ishizaki might be t with an iron fist sanction. I know Ryūen very well at this point.
"I'll do sothing about it! If I ever get an apology, it'll be your birthday party!"
"Well, if... that really happens, I'll think about it..."
Ishizaki is overflowing with enthusiasm, but his cheap shots may lead to his own downfall.
I should clearly reject this idea.
Certainly, Ishizaki has recently shown a stronger sense of self-will. It is also certain that so change in his thinking is beginning to appear in Ryūen, as he did not expel anyone from the school after the unanimous special examination. However, this should not be interpreted as instinct or true feelings.
People do not change easily even if they want to. Ryūen is not trying to change, but to evolve. A man who until now has fought only with evil as a weapon has only begun to use good.
He is beginning to freely control the two sides of the coin. If Ishizaki is misreading that...
"You shouldn't do that."
Kei stopped him, but Ishizaki's resolve was unwavering.
"If Ryūen-san says he's sorry, it's okay, right?"
"But, you know..."
"Okay! Plus, let apologize again. I'll get you sothing more thoughtful than Ryūen's gift, I promise!"
Kei reluctantly admits that she was defeated by Ishizaki's high level of enthusiasm.
"Fine, whatever."
"Ha, it's decided! For now, let's go pick out a birthday present for Ryūen-san!"
Albert nodded his head and Ishizaki went back to the mass rchandiser a step ahead of him. As expected, they seem to understand that they can't go with the two of us.
"Why did you accept Ishizaki's proposal? I thought you were going to say no."
Although she heard his honest feelings and accepted his apology, I have to admit that I didn't think she would choose to face Ishizaki regarding my birthday.
"Well, I'd prefer a birthday alone with Kiyotaka, too, but..."
"You bet on the possibility that Ryūen will apologize?"
"No, I doubt that's possible. It's just that that..."
Kei turns and looks behind her at Ishizaki, who is happily talking with Albert.
"I could feel that Ishizaki-kun likes you as a friend. I'm sure Kiyotaka needs friends too, you know."
I knew imdiately that she was referring to the disintegration of the Ayanokoji group. Kei, realizing what I had guessed, blushed and looked away.
"Besides, Ishizaki-kun wants to apologize to again. I just thought it would be okay to accept it."
The fact that she is not being honest is very Kei-like.
However, I still don't think it will happen. It would be better to keep Ishizaki's proposal as a half-baked idea.
And so the days leading up to the sports festival pass by.
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