Chapter 36: Preview
After pausing for a mont, Tomonaga-san lifts her head and begins to speak,
"Kousuke-kun, you know, I'm weak-willed and easily swayed by others, and people are always making fun of ... But even soone like can change... I'm such a hopelessly lazy girl who has to push herself... And you saw when I confessed... Then the next day, you caught and listened to my complaints... and you gave the chance to change. Kousuke-kun, you saved . ...That's why, Kousuke-kun, you're special... Ah! I can't put it together! Basically, what I want to say is—"
Tomonaga-san's hands are trembling, her eyes dart around, and her body moves awkwardly.
...But I'm not an idiot—I know this is sothing important, so I listen carefully.
"Please give confidence and courage. ...If I succeed in my diet, if I really succeed, there's sothing I want you to hear on the second day of the culture festival..."
Maybe because she was nervous, her voice faded at the end.
Even her wording is stiffer and more awkward than usual.
I can't bring myself to look directly at Tomonaga-san, who's blushing furiously and looking down.
I'm probably blushing too! My heart's pounding, and my throat is dry.
Huh?
Is that... what this ans? Right?
I can't say anything.
The more I think I should say sothing, the less I can speak, and my mind is even blanker.
I'm not just overthinking this, am I?
Tomonaga-san pats her cheeks and says seriously,
"So, watch , okay? Like always. Make sure I don't run away, make sure I can't make excuses—I might end up whining or taking things out on you because I'll be at my limit with the diet, but I'll do my best. Even if I fail, it's okay. This is how I feel!"
Girls are really strong, aren't they.
Just two months ago, this girl was so down, and in only two months she's pushed herself this far, beco this beautiful, and even pledged to beco even more beautiful.
She's even cut off her escape route.
She's seriously so cool.
Right now, Yukari Tomonaga shines so brightly, it's enough to make fall for her.
No, I am falling for her.
Honestly, I can't take my eyes off Tomonaga-san right now...
Was she always this beautiful?
I've been confessed to by a girl before, but Satsuki was there at the ti, so I didn't consider it at all and just politely turned her down.
But now, my heart is being shaken this much.
Tomonaga-san gives a wry smile, trying to ease the tension between us,
"Ahaha, well, think of this as a preview. After making a declaration like that, I can't end things in a miserable state, right...? I've officially cut off my escape route."
I nod seriously, but still don't know what to do, so I end up asking,
"...O-okay, I get it. So what should I do?"
Tomonaga-san laughs again with "Ahaha!",
and after laughing, she tells seriously.
"Please, just treat like you always have... No, um, can you, could you call Yukari? Ah! I an, it's fine if you don't want to."
She blushes again and looks down.
She said it, but then her timid side peeked out again,
No, Yukari... Yukari-san.
"...Yu-Yukari-san."
"K-K-Kousuke-kun."
Even though she's always called Kousuke-kun, Yukari stumbles over it.
Hahaha! We both laugh together.
After that, we both make an effort to talk about sothing else and don't touch on that subject again.
Even so, I can feel the atmosphere between us changing since Yukari-san's declaration.
While drinking tea, we repeat a bunch of silly, casual conversations.
After enjoying tea for a while, we leave the café and take the train from the terminal station.
Since we're headed in the sa direction, we take the train together.
Two stops later, we arrive at Toko Station, her nearest station.
Pshoo! The doors open,
Just like always, she gets off—sothing that's happened so many tis since sumr break.
What did we always say to each other?
"...See you tomorrow."
"Good job today, get so rest, okay?"
"Have a nice day off."
No, that's not it.
What should I say today?
I...
"...I'll ssage you again tonight, okay? Yukari-san."
"!! Yeah! Kousuke-kun! See you!"
I'd never said I'd contact her first before.
Even I'm surprised by how my own feelings are changing.
I arrive at Shinkawa Station. Turns out a middle school classmate was on the sa train; it happens a lot, so we chat and part ways, then I head to the bicycle parking and ride ho.
I act as usual, but even as I head ho, my mind is sowhere else.
That's how much that girl's preview—no, her declaration—shook to my core.
It's not unpleasant at all; honestly, since Satsuki rejected , this is the happiest and most fun I've felt.
Since my last relationship ended the way it did, I don't know how to handle my own feelings.
At night, we ssage on LINE a few tis, I praise Yukari-san for doing more than her exercise quota today.
Yukari: "Praise more!"
"I can do my best because Kousuke-kun cheers on!"
"Fufufufu, I wanna eat pumpkin cake..."
Yukari-san's ssages on LINE are starting to fall apart, and it makes laugh.
It'd be nice if we could both be a little less reserved with each other.
I think about how my relationship with Yukari-san is changing as the night goes on.
What can I do for her?
Yukari-san says I saved her, but that's not it.
When I was overwheld after being turned down by Satsuki, being able to support Yukari-san is what saved . Now I can see that clearly.
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