158 - A Difficult Conversation (Patreon)

RAW

After the first period ended, the break before the second period began.

Having been forced to battle drowsiness and stare down equations in their first class back after the break, the students, eager to release their pent-up frustration, all started chatting with their friends at once.

Amid the lively classroom, Saki stood up from her seat and headed straight for Ayaka, who was sitting nearby.

"Ayaka."

"……"

"Heeey, Ayaka?"

"…Huh? Oh, what?"

Ayaka, who had been lost in thought, took a few seconds before turning to face Saki.

"You were deep in thought. Were you thinking about this morning?"

"Y-yeah…"

Ayaka gave a small nod, her expression clouding over as she lowered her gaze.

"It's about Shizuku… I want to do something for her, but I don't think I can…"

"Hmm."

Saki crossed her arms and observed her troubled friend before leaning in to whisper so no one else could hear.

"Shizuku likes Otsuki, right? And you know about it?"

"Eh!? W-wait, did Shizuku tell you that?"

"Nope, just a guess. But your reaction confirms it."

As Ayaka’s eyes widened in surprise, Saki flashed a confident smile.

"How did you figure it out?"

Ayaka looked puzzled.

Saki then brought up the time when Ayaka had gotten injured in P.E. and was taken to the infirmary.

"Back then, you and Shizuku suddenly got close, right? Seeing that, I figured maybe you two had an open heart-to-heart."

"Wait, you figured it out just from that? Saki, your intuition is way too sharp."

"Not really. At the time, I just thought something must have happened. But after watching Shizuku's behavior, everything started to make sense when I factored in her relationship with Otsuki."

Saki lowered her voice again, now speaking with confidence.

"I see… That’s amazing, Saki."

"Right? But this isn't the time for me to brag."

Saki briefly made a smug face before quickly switching back to a serious expression.

"You said earlier that you want to do something for Shizuku, right?"

"Y-yeah… She's an important friend, after all…"

"Of course."

Saki let out a thoughtful hum before choosing her words carefully.

"Wanting to help a dear friend is natural, but… to be honest, your current relationship with her is unnatural. Right now, it might be best if you don’t do anything."

"Unnatural? My relationship with Shizuku?"

"Yeah. I mean, it's kind of unbelievable that you and Shizuku are just casually close."

"Because of Haruto, right?"

Ayaka looked down slightly, a hint of sadness in her expression.

Saki nodded.

"Shizuku is really mature and understanding, so things have gotten complicated, but… let’s put it this way. Imagine if I were dating Otsuki. How would you feel?"

"…I don’t even want to think about it. It’d be unbearable."

"Exactly. And then, imagine me, dating Otsuki, telling you, 'Kaito-senpai likes you, so I’ll help you out.'"

"That would be… the worst…"

Imagining such a scenario, Ayaka frowned deeply.

"It’d be absolutely awful. Like hell itself, right? But that’s exactly what you’d be doing if you tried to help Shizuku."

"Ugh… So I really shouldn’t get involved with Shizuku too much?"

"Hmm, that’s the tricky part."

Saki crossed her arms and frowned.

"Let’s take my example again. If I were dating Otsuki and felt guilty about it, so I started avoiding you, how would you feel?"

"That… would be scary. Like we’d never be able to go back to how we were before…"

"Right? So, helping Shizuku would make things worse, but avoiding her isn’t the right answer either."

"Then what should I do…?"

Faced with an impossible question, Ayaka slumped forward in despair.

Seeing her friend like this, Saki spoke up in a cheerful voice.

"Well, that was just an example between us. Shizuku’s situation is a little different. And besides, Kaito-senpai to you and Kazuki-senpai to Shizuku are completely different cases, so not everything applies."

"But… it’s still better if I don’t try to help Shizuku, right?"

"Yeah. Honestly, she might not even need help in the first place. If Kazuki-senpai has no feelings for her, then there’s nothing to do, right?"

"I guess… that’s true…"

"In other words, we need to figure out how Shizuku feels before doing anything."

Just as Saki said that, a group of girls gathered around Ayaka’s desk.

Seeing them, Saki quickly wrapped up the conversation.

"Alright then, I’ll talk to Shizuku during lunch today."

"Okay. Thanks, Saki."

"No problem. I want to be friends with her too, after all."

As Saki said this, their classmates arrived, and the topic was dropped.

After finishing her morning classes, Saki grabbed her lunch and headed toward the first-year classrooms.

Since an upperclassman rarely visited, the first-years sent curious and cautious glances her way.

Feeling their eyes on her, Saki continued toward her destination.

"This should be the one. Now, let’s see if Shizuku’s here…"

She stopped in front of the classroom labeled "1-C" and peeked inside.

Since lunch break had just begun, the classroom was still crowded, making it difficult to see.

As she searched the room, a first-year girl approached her.

"Um, are you looking for someone?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. Is Shizuku still in the classroom?"

Saki smiled warmly at the girl and asked about Shizuku.

"Yes, she’s still here. I’ll call her for you."

"Thanks!"

Saki smiled as she watched the girl walk off.

A moment later, she returned, pulling Shizuku along by the hand.

Despite being led, Shizuku remained expressionless as she spoke in her usual strange manner.

"Maeda-san, I understand your desire for a romantic getaway with me, but I already have someone in my heart."

"That’s not it! A senior wants to talk to you!"

"Are you an accomplice in a mugging? I’ll fight back, you know?"

"No one's mugging you! Just—look! This senior was looking for you!"

"Hmm? Oh, Saki-senpai. What brings you to this remote corner of the school?"

Expressionless, Shizuku tilted her head.

"'Remote corner'…?" Saki chuckled wryly before getting to the point.

"I was wondering if you’d have lunch with me today. What do you think?"

Shizuku stared into Saki’s eyes for a few seconds before turning to the girl she had called Maeda.

"Maeda-san, I will be having lunch with Saki-senpai. Please stay strong even if she steals me away from you."

"What kind of nonsense is that!? Thanks, I guess!?"

The girl, flustered by Shizuku’s odd comment, hurried back to the classroom.

"Haha, you’re as quirky as ever, Shizuku."

Saki chuckled as she watched Shizuku wave blankly at the retreating girl.

"It’s tough being popular. So, where will our passionate lunch date be?"

"'Passionate,' huh? Well, I’d rather not have people watching us flirt, so how about the rooftop?"

"Oh-ho. Then let’s enjoy a lunch so hot even the sun blushes."

"Haha! Go easy on me, okay?"

Laughing, Saki played along with Shizuku’s jokes as they headed toward the rooftop together.