Chapter 39 Irara and I...?

Irara and I…?

I walked side by side with Irara.

By now, I’ve lost track of how many times we’ve gone home together like this.

But when I stop to think about it, it really is strange.

Me—someone who’s always been alone—walking home with the most popular girl in school.

“The pair dance was amazing! And to think we even won Best Pair! I’m still in shock!!”

“Yeah.”

It’s honestly unbelievable.

This whole situation feels like a dream.

“Really, I’m so happy. Winning Best Pair with Kyogoku-kun made me so happy.”

Irara said, her face glowing with a radiant smile.

“…O-oh, I’m happy too. Seeing you, Irara… you know, so happy…”

“Really!? If my happiness makes Kyogoku-kun happy… and Kyogoku-kun’s happiness makes me happy… Huh? Isn’t this what you’d call a perpetual motion machine? Ah! This is groundbreaking, Kyogoku-kun!! Edison? No way, even he couldn’t invent something like this!”

“No, that’s not… Wait a second. If that’s true… is it really a perpetual motion machine?”

“Exactly! We should register it! Do you think the city hall handles stuff like this!?”

“No, probably something at a higher level… Wait, what are we even talking about?”

“Haha, true.”

These silly conversations are absurdly fun.

“But what should we do now? I mean, we won Best Pair, so… from now on, we’re going to get a lot of attention, right?”

“Huh? Well, yeah, probably.”

The fact that Irara and I won as a pair is common knowledge now. If people see us talking, it’s bound to lead to misunderstandings.

“K-Kyogoku-kun, doesn’t it bother you? Y-you know… the jinx, or whatever?”

Irara muttered, her eyes darting nervously.

“Hey, Irara. I—”

“Y-you don’t need to worry about it! Just because there’s a jinx doesn’t mean we have to date or anything! I-I mean, being destined to be together forever is just a jinx! It’s not guaranteed to happen, and it doesn’t have to be romantic in the first place…!!!”

“…Eh?”

“…Eh?”

“Dating? Destined to be together forever? W-what are you even talking about?”

“What do you mean, what am I talking about? The jinx that says if a boy and girl win Best Pair, they’ll end up together…”

“That’s what the jinx means!?”

“You didn’t know!?”

“No, I seriously had no idea…”

I buried my face in my hands.

No way… That explains why everyone’s been acting a bit strange.

So that’s what it was all about.

A jinx… Now I get it.

“S-so that’s it. Kyogoku-kun didn’t know…”

“Y-yeah.”

“H-heh… I-I see.”

“…Y-yeah.”

“…”

“…”

No words came to mind.

I fell silent without meaning to.

The awkwardness was unbearable.

After all, we did win Best Pair.

And if the jinx is true, Irara and I are supposed to end up together…

No, no, no!

This is me we’re talking about! The guy everyone calls a murderer!

Someone like me, with someone like Irara—just imagining it is…

…But, me and “Irara.”

“…Ah.” “…!”

Our eyes met, and we both quickly looked away.

I couldn’t deny it—I was definitely conscious of Irara.

And this feeling… Maybe Irara was, too…

“Uh, hey!”

“Y-yeah!”

“Kyogoku-kun… You don’t… hate it, right? That… we won Best Pair together?”

Irara looked down, staring at the ground as she spoke.

I couldn’t see her face clearly, but her ears were bright red.

Her small, pale hands were trembling slightly.

What did she mean? In what way?

Even if I asked, I probably wouldn’t understand. And I couldn’t bring myself to ask anyway.

The air felt like it demanded a straightforward answer.

I swallowed hard.

I’m terrible with people.

While I’ve gotten a little better, I’m still awful at talking to girls.

I can’t say anything clever, and I don’t know what’s “right.”

…So I’ll just honestly say what I feel.

I took a deep breath, then let it out softly.

Without looking at Irara, I spoke as if to myself.

“…No, I don’t hate it.”

“Ah! …I-I see. You don’t hate it, huh. …Hehe, I see.”

“Wh-what is it?”

“N-nothing!? I just wanted to ask!!”

“…I-I see.”

That was all I could say.

Because I didn’t have the composure for anything else.

But Irara looked genuinely happy.

She walked ahead with a noticeable spring in her step.

Then she stopped, turned back to face me, and said,

“I’m really, really happy I got to be Best Pair with you, Kyogoku-kun!”

“!!!”

W-what’s that supposed to mean?

Seriously… What does that mean?

I didn’t understand anymore.

I didn’t understand Irara Akari.

…But I couldn’t help being conscious of her.

Of this girl, Irara Akari.

No matter how unattainable she seemed, no matter how different our worlds were.

Even with the vast distance between us.

I couldn’t help but notice her.

Pathetic as it was, and yet strangely fulfilling.

That day, I’m sure my relationship with Irara went just a little beyond “friends.”

Looking back, I’m positive.

Yuya’s PoV

The warmth drained from my body.

Cold… It’s so cold.

Why is Akari… with someone like Kyogoku…?

“…Akari.”