Chapter 45: The Appointed Day
The Appointed Day
After arriving at school, I threw myself into class for a while. But today, thanks to that app, concentrating was even harder than usual.
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Was there some hint I had missed? Closing my eyes, I mentally sorted through the information I had just seen, clinging to any possible clue.
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“Iori, don’t fall asleep—”
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“…Sorry.”
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Laughter rippled through the classroom.
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Sugo-sensei had scolded me, though I hadn’t actually been sleeping. But given the circumstances, it certainly looked that way, and I wasn’t exactly participating in class with model-student enthusiasm.
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Growing restless, I watched as one class, then another, came to an end.
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“Hey.”
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At lunchtime, the one who called out to me was Tachibana-san.
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“…Lunch. Let’s go.”
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“Ah, yeah.”
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“Let’s decide on the plans for our next date.”
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The moment she said that, I felt sharp gazes stabbing into my back. When I turned around, I was met with the murderous glares of my male classmates.
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Now that I thought about it, Tachibana-san was ridiculously popular in our class—especially among the guys. It seemed they had overheard our conversation.
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“Someday, I might actually get stabbed.”
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“Hah? What are you even saying?”
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Tachibana-san tilted her head, but I couldn’t bring myself to answer.
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In the cafeteria, I ordered a plain bowl of udon. It wasn’t exactly a luxurious meal, but the reason was simple—I was saving up for the trip.
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“You’ve been eating just that lately… Is it enough?”
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“I’ll eat plenty at dinner, so it’s fine.”
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“You do know you should eat more at lunch than at night, right?”
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I knew that. But I had no other choice.
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“…I made an extra bento for you, just in case. Want it?”
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“Huh?”
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“D-Don’t get the wrong idea… I just figured you wouldn’t have enough energy for the whole day if you keep eating like that.”
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“Ah… Thanks.”
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My eyes brimmed with tears as I accepted the bento from Tachibana-san.
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“It’s just leftovers thrown together, so don’t complain.”
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“Like I ever would. I can vouch for how good your cooking is.”
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Even now, on days I worked my part-time job, I still dropped by Tachibana-san’s place for dinner. It couldn’t be helped. It was practically part of my employee benefits. Besides, I couldn’t endure hunger all the way home, and we could use the time to discuss the trip.
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It wasn’t just killing two birds with one stone—it was three.
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“So, when are you planning to go back to your hometown?”
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“…Ah, right.”
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My mouth felt heavy.
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In a previous conversation, we had decided that the trip would take place sometime this month, during spring break.
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“Probably at the end of the month?”
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“Do you have something to do before then?”
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“Not really…”
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“Then why are you putting it off?”
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With a tone like a boss reprimanding an employee for delaying work, Tachibana-san shot down my reasoning.
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“I’ve been thinking about going earlier, but… I’d rather wait until I get my paycheck this month.”
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After calculating the cost for both of us—travel, food, and everything in between—I realized we’d go over budget. That’s why I planned for the end of the month, after payday.
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“…But this morning, I saw you grinning at your budgeting app. Doesn’t that mean you’ve saved up quite a bit?”
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“Yeah, but covering two people is still a lot… and who knows what unexpected costs might come up.”
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“Two people?”
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Tachibana-san tilted her head. It seemed she had forgotten our agreement—that I’d be covering her expenses for the trip.
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“I’ll pay for my own share.”
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“No, that won’t do. I made the offer, so I’ll cover both of us. No exceptions.”
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“Just because you offered doesn’t mean I agreed. That’s not how a promise works.”
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“But you did say yes under those conditions, didn’t you?”
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“I never said that. From the start, I planned to cover my own expenses. …I have my own allowance, you know.”
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“…Still—”
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“Th-this is… a date, right?”
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“Yeah.”
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Tachibana-san stammered, her cheeks tinged red, and I nodded.
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“This isn’t a trip—it’s a date. So, of course, I should pay for my share. Do you think all girls expect guys to cover everything on dates?”
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“I know there are girls who treat guys like ATMs.”
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“Hah. Do you really think there are that many?”
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Tachibana-san scoffed, speaking as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
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But to be blunt… that was absolutely not true.
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“…Let’s go this weekend.”
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After a brief pause, Tachibana-san said those words.
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“This weekend?”
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“We have the Coming of Age holiday, so it’s the perfect time to go, don’t you think?”
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“But isn’t that way too soon?”
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“What, do you not want to go on a date with me?”
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She leaned in, eyes blazing with indignation.
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The sheer intensity of her expression made me wonder if I was reading too much into this.
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“That’s not it. I want to go soon, too.”
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“Then it’s settled.”
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“…Alright.”
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If I didn’t have to cover expenses for two, then my current funds might actually be enough.
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Still, I never expected Tachibana-san to push this trip forward with such enthusiasm.
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To be honest, I almost wondered if she was out of her mind.
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She was just that eager to go on a date with me.
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That, at least, I could wrap my head around.
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But the fact that this was happening not with a fifteen-year-old Iori, but with a thirty-five-year-old me… Yeah, there’s no way that’s the reason.
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