From the bus to the Shinkansen, then from Tokyo Station to Chiba, they didn’t return to Sobu High together. They parted ways just like that.
Yuu suggested that the three of them, mbers of the Service Club, could share a taxi back. He didn’t mind covering the cost—of course, that was rejected by Yukino, the proud little rich girl.
But if the fare was split three ways, Yuigahama’s small wallet wouldn’t be able to handle it.
After coming to Kyoto for food, drinks, and fun, she’d nearly spent all her pocket money. A taxi fare split three ways was still expensive for an ordinary family like hers, and it wasn’t a necessary expense.
Considering this, Yuu didn’t say anything. He naturally switched to taking the bus back.
However, Yukino’s apartnt was in a different direction. She had to take a different bus route. They had to part at the bus stop.
"Are you okay? Do you know how to take the bus? Do you know how to pay the fare?" Before Yukino boarded her bus, Yuu asked with a concerned face, like a parent sending their child to kindergarten.
"Don’t treat like an inexperienced princess. Unless you want to underestimate your intelligence."
Yukino ignored him. She flicked her glossy black hair, which shimred like translucent graphite and carried a clean floral scent. She pulled out her SUICA card and joined the queue.
"Yukinon, be careful on the way~"
"Yuigahama-san, you too." Only when facing Yuigahama did Yukino’s expression soften. "If that guy does anything inappropriate to you, don’t hesitate. Use that thing I gave you right away."
"Oh, that thing..." Yuigahama glanced at Yuu secretly. She scratched her flushed cheek and laughed awkwardly. "Haha, thanks for the concern, but I don’t think I’ll need it..."
Yukino advised seriously, "Being trusting is good, but always being cautious of the opposite sex around you is a necessary mindset for a girl who doesn’t know how to defend herself."
Hearing this, Yuu imdiately understood—(Good grief, Yukinoshita even gave her pepper spray to use against ?!)
(How low is her trust in ?!)
"No, that’s not the issue. If anything, if I really had to use it, it’d be more fun..."
"What?" Yuigahama muttered, and Yukino couldn’t hear clearly. She tilted her head slightly.
Not daring to look at Yuu, Yuigahama quickly urged her to board the bus. "It’s nothing! Yukinon, hurry up. The people behind you are waiting!"
"Even if you say that, I’m also waiting for the person in front to board..." Yukino sighed helplessly. She shifted her gaze to the boy beside her. Her cold, clear eyes seed hesitant.
After a mont’s hesitation, she pursed her lips. Her clear voice was flat as usual. "Tenkuji-kun, if you’re not feeling well, get so rest. Don’t show that kind of face and affect other people’s moods."
"Huh?" Yuu widened his eyes slightly in surprise. He instinctively touched his face. "What kind of face? Do I look sad?"
He turned and asked Yuigahama the sa question. She shook her head, looking at Yukino with a puzzled expression.
"...Then assu I saw wrong."
Her tone was as soft as a feather. She turned away, her back looking colder.
"See you at the club tomorrow."
After saying that, she quickly disappeared into the crowd boarding the bus.
After seeing Yukino off, Yuu and Yuigahama boarded the sa bus.
Though they didn’t get seats, the bus wasn’t too crowded. There was no manga-like scene where a boy stretches out his arms to protect a girl from being pushed.
Though unspoken, when they got off the bus, Yuigahama clearly looked disappointed.
Dead winter branches stretched out from the walls, but so roadside trees still had a few green leaves refusing to wither, proudly showing what it ant to stay vibrant in the cold wind.
Her clothes fluttered, and her light pink hair gently brushed her shoulders and neck.
As she walked down the familiar street, she tilted her head and asked the boy beside her with concern, "Yuu-kun, are you really not going through sothing sad?"
"No, really." Yuu rolled his eyes. "Do you believe everything Yukinoshita says? We easily won the championship. Why would I be sad?"
"It’s not just about the match. It’s also about human relationships." Yuigahama put her hands behind her back. She lowered her head, looking at the tips of her shoes walking in sync with his. She said softly, "Though I’m a bit reluctant to admit it, I think Yukinon understands you better than I do."
"Understands what? Do you know who my favorite male voice actor is?"
"Huh? If I’m not mistaken, Matsuoka Yoshitsugu..." Yuigahama raised her head in confusion, answering reflexively.
She’d heard him talk about this in a conversation before. When Yuu recomnded JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, he specifically ntioned that one of the famous lines in the first part was voiced by Mr. Matsuoka.
Since Yuu rarely ntioned things he liked, Yuigahama rembered it well. She even looked up a lot of information about the voice actor, just so she’d have more topics to talk about with him next ti.
When with soone you like, this was just the basics.
"And Yukinoshita definitely doesn’t know that." Yuu patted her dango-styled hair. He smiled casually. "We’ve known each other for almost three years. She hasn’t even been around for three months. How could she understand better than you?"
"I see..." Yuigahama muttered. Her ears turned slightly red, and she lowered her head, chuckling softly.
Though she wanted to say, That’s not what I ant by understanding, Yuigahama had her own intentions—she was thrilled to hear Yuu praise her like that. How could she argue with him?
As for Yukino, maybe she really misjudged?
Because no matter how she looked at it, Yuu didn’t seem sad at all...
He could talk and laugh, even tease her (about her hairstyle). He was no different from usual!
"Then I’ll walk you this far."
Ti passed quickly. Yuigahama hadn’t fully savored the warmth and happiness of chatting with him alone, and now they had to part at the intersection.
Though they lived fairly close, there were still a few blocks between them... If she lived next door, maybe she could’ve been his childhood friend.
She heard there was an ani called My Teen Romantic Cody SNAFU or sothing about childhood friends not losing. If she were his childhood friend, she might not have to worry so much and could go to school with him every day.
Though, she probably couldn’t do sothing like climbing onto him to wake him up...
"Yui?"
"Yes!" Hearing Yuu call her, Yuigahama snapped out of her daydream. She stood upright like soone caught guilty. Her face flushed, her expression tense. "Childhood friend—No, Yuu-kun, is there sothing I can help with?!"
"What are you talking about? I said I’m leaving. Be careful on the way, don’t walk into a pole." Yuu flicked her forehead, speaking helplessly before turning to leave.
"I know. I’m not that clumsy..."
Pouting, she touched her forehead. She couldn’t tell if she was happy or not. Yuigahama watched his back as he walked toward the street corner. Her long eyelashes fluttered.
In the cold wind, the warmth on her face chased away the chill. Her eyes were fixed on his silhouette. Her heart pounded fiercely, its rhythm seeming to say—
It was still early. She didn’t want to part with him like this.
Ti spent with soone she liked, even a single second, felt precious.
And she, now greedily wanting more, wanted to take a step further.
"Yuu-kun!"
Summoning courage from who-knows-where, Yuigahama suddenly stepped forward. She chased after his figure and grabbed the edge of his jacket.
Raising her flushed face, even if she was shy, anxious, and her heart raced, she couldn’t escape his gaze.
She’d already done sothing like confessing her feelings. If she chose to run away now, wouldn’t that an her feelings for him were fading year by year?
So, Yuigahama chose to charge forward, to make him understand from the depths of her heart once again:
"You don’t have any plans this afternoon. Can I... co over to your place?"
(I still like you. I want to get closer to you.)
"Besides, you don’t have a girlfriend... Inviting a female friend to your house shouldn’t be anything to avoid."
As for that last sentence, it was just the girl’s way of covering herself, so he wouldn’t think she was a shaless girl.
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