Chapter 26: Epilogue… Tachibana Ayane (2)
Epilogue… Tachibana Ayane (2)
I still remember that night when Ryou-chan confessed to me and I accepted his feelings. I was so happy that I finally got to tell him about the love I had kept hidden in my heart for so long that I could hardly fall asleep.
The next morning, I went to school feeling different from usual, both embarrassed and happy. I skipped morning practice and walked to school with Ryou-chan along our usual route. When we entered the classroom, Minato-kun looked like he was in a panic.
“Morning, Minato. You look busy already.”
“Morn… No, Ryouta, now’s not the time. Death… death is closing in on me.”
“It’s your fault for not doing it at home yesterday, Minato-kun.”
“Tch… then kill me already!”
“What are you, a female knight? Oh wait, you’re a guy.”
“Minato-kun, the teacher will be here in five minutes.”
“Ayane-chan, you’re a saint. Please, save me. Ryouta, just show me your homework.”
“No way. If Takakura-sensei finds out, I’m dead too.”
“Then let us die together, my comrade.”
Teasing Minato-kun while he panicked was fun, but I poked Ryou-chan’s back, urging him to say what we had talked about.
“…S-so, Minato.”
“What is it? You sound serious all of a sudden.”
“Well, Ayane-chan and I started dating.”
“We did.”
“…Huh?”
Minato-kun froze mid-movement, then finally lifted his head to look at us.
“I see… you two finally got together. I’ve been thinking you should just hurry up and date already, so it feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. Yeah, congratulations.”
“Thank you.”
“In that case, I’ll go back to calling you Tachibana-san. I don’t want Honami-chan to get the wrong idea.”
“Eh? You don’t have to. I don’t mind if you keep calling me Ayane.”
“Maybe I’ll still use your name until I get used to it, but if I call any other girl besides Honami-chan by her given name, she might get jealous.”
“Yeah, I might get jealous too.”
“See? Isn’t that right, Tachibana-san?”
“Hmm… it feels a little strange, but I guess I’ll have to get used to it.”
“Minato, we’re childhood friends. You don’t have to change how you call her, do you?”
“Nah, it just wouldn’t feel right otherwise, so I’ll stick with this.”
Minato-kun got a girlfriend, and Ryou-chan and I started dating in June of our first year of high school. Even when the rainy season came and the weather grew damp, the three of us stayed close and happy. I thought things would stay that way for the rest of high school, but something happened to us on the first day of our second year.
“Ryou-chan, looks like we’re in different classes.”
“Yeah, I’m the only one in a different one.”
“Yeah…”
“Minato’s still not in the same class as his girlfriend Seta-san either. Things don’t always work out.”
“Yeah, but let’s still eat lunch together like always, okay?”
“Of course. When lunch break comes, I’ll head to your classroom.”
“Thanks. If I finish early, I’ll go to yours too.”
We kept the promise we made that day when we saw the new class lists. But as I became one of the main members of the tennis club and started having morning practice every day, the days we could walk to school together became fewer. When tournament season came closer, that became our routine, and before I knew it, lunchtime was the only time we saw each other at school.
“Ayane, do you have club practice this weekend too?”
“Yeah, we have half-day practice on both Saturday and Sunday.”
“I see. Since second year started, we’ve only been able to see each other during lunch break.”
“I’m sorry, Ryou-chan.”
“It’s okay. I actually started a part-time job at a convenience store.”
“Really? Which one?”
“It’s embarrassing, so I’ll keep it secret for now. Hint: it’s the blue one.”
“I see. I’ll secretly try to find you from outside then, okay, Ryou-chan?”
“You can’t, Ayane. You’ve got club practice.”
“Oh, that’s right.”
On weekends, my club practice and Ryou-chan’s part-time job made it harder for us to meet, so we made up for it by messaging and calling each other to stay connected.
One day, our homeroom teacher suddenly decided to rearrange the seating. I drew a good spot by the window, and the seat in front of me turned out to be Minato-kun’s, which made me feel a little relieved.
“Tachibana-san, it’s been a while since our seats were close.”
“Yeah. If Ryou-chan were here too, it’d feel just like the old days.”
“Well, I’m looking forward to sitting near you again.”
“Yeah, me too, Minato-kun.”
Feeling reassured after the seat change, I looked around the classroom and sighed when I didn’t see Ryou-chan. I didn’t realize that Minato-kun, sitting in front of me, was watching me at that moment.
If I had noticed that gaze, I probably wouldn’t have made the wrong choice at the crossroads that awaited me.