Epilogue

“We’re holding a reflection meeting today.”

It’s the day after the trip. Hanamitsuji held her glass of oolong tea as she said that to me. We’re at the family restaurant, even though it’s Friday. Her determined eyes are even more stern than usual. It’s clear that she wants to have a nice, long talk with me.

“Uh, do I have to be in this reflection meeting as well?”

I spoke up tremblingly. Hanamitsuji pointed at me sternly.

“It’s all because of you!”

Her teary eyes are filled with resentment. I looked away awkwardly as I remembered the reason for this after the trip.

*

This morning, I was a bit late for school as usual. Some classmates glanced at me in secret. What’s wrong? No one cares whether I’m late or not normally.

I only figured out the reason during the break after the first lesson.

“Nanamura-kun, come over here.”

Shiramine appeared in front of my table. She dragged my arm and pulled me to the corridor.

I already apologized to her on Line about leaving her group during the trip. Is that not enough? Just as I was thinking she wanted me to pay her back with my body, she went ahead and asked a weird question.

“You sure had fun yesterday, right?”

“Huh?”

“Ah, ah, even though I spent so much effort trying to make you part of the group. Don’t I just look like a clown now? …Sheesh, how are you going to pay me back?”

Shiramine’s eyes turned dark. I hastily asked her.

“Wait, I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“Ask yourselves.”

“No, what did I do yesterday…?”

“Who did you meet after leaving our group?”

An unpleasant imagination came into mind after hearing that. Don’t tell me.

“The people in Class F saw you. Precisely, they saw you were with a cute girl.”

“…………”

Cold sweats dripped from my back. I fell into silence. How should I explain? No, I don’t think she’ll believe in anything I say.

“Of course, it’s not rare for couples to break off the group during the trip. However, I was surprised to know that you are one of them. That’s all. I hope you and Hanamitsuji-san from Class 1F can live happily ever after.”

“No, there are a lot of reasons for this.”

“Ah, ah, ah, I don’t want to hear you showing off! Give me back my worries. That’s enough.”

Shiramine walked away furiously. She didn’t plan to listen to my explanation at all.

*

After that, Hoshigasaki called me to the back of the Special Building during lunch.

“I didn’t expect Nanamura to be dating Sora-chan. …Why didn’t you tell me!?”

“No, you misunderstood.”

“But I heard someone saw Sora-chan and you holding hands. Only couples will do something like that, right?”

Uwahhhh, I want to die when I know someone saw that. I was pretty upset. Hoshigasaki continued.

“You asked me where Sora-chan was on Line because you couldn’t find her, right?”

“No, it’s not like that! I didn’t ask you just so I could meet her!”

“But you two did see each other, right?”

“You’re right! But there’s a reason!”

After skipping some parts, I told Hoshigasaki about the trouble of Hanamitsuji getting messed up by delinquents and us running away together. There’s no way I can tell her we’re from the future, though.

“Hmph…”

“What’s with your suspecting eyes?”

“No, I do believe in you. You’re that kind of guy, Nanamura. You’ll always save someone as long as she’s a girl.”

“Don’t say weird things like that. I won’t just save anyone.”

“I know. Alright, alright, I wish you two can live happily ever after. Bye-bye.”

“Listen to me.”

*

In conclusion, everyone knew Hanamitsuji and I spent time together during the trip. Sigh, give me a break…

“I should be the one getting a break! Everyone is asking why did I choose you!”

Hanamitsuji read my mind and slammed the table. Even though she’s very impolite, she spoke the truth. I couldn’t retort.

However, it’s not hard to imagine how hard things are for Hanamitsuji when she has many friends.

“I messed up. …Why did I talk to you in public?”

“That was an emergency. It couldn’t be helped, right?”

“You’re right, but you didn’t have to hold my wrist for that long, right? Come to think of it, the delinquents were already gone. Were you just trying to touch me?”

“I’m not! I was just, …you know, caught up in the moment.”

That place was not ideal for us to disband, right? Of course, I was too hyped when I held her wrist. By the way, the memory of my sweaty hands came into my mind again. I really wanted to forget it.

“Ah, that’s enough. None of this will happen if you’re a normal person!”

“I’m a normal person.”

“You were already not a normal person when you became a lone wolf and Hoshigasaki-san’s stalker!”

“Don’t crush me with the truth! Be nicer to weaklings!”

“Shut up, you better take responsibility right now!”

“I feel like your way of saying it is a bit, …can you don’t put it that way?”

Our argument brought the staff member.

“Excuse me. Please keep quiet in the restaurant…”

We fell silent after the reminder.

I drank the sizzling cola. Hanamitsuji quickly glanced at me.

“…Sorry.”

“Eh? What’s wrong? That’s sudden. Did you forget your wallet?”

Hanamitsuji shook her head.

“…I caused you trouble because of this, right? You must hate all of this hustle and bustle, right?”

What? That’s why she apologized? Hanamitsuji held her glass tightly. I sighed and pretended to answer stiffly.

“Yeah, I think I got myself into trouble.”

“I guess so. ..Sorry.”

After hearing my answer, Hanamitsuji lowered her head and mumbled.

“But it’s fine, right?”

“Eh?”

“Relationships are annoying. It’s better to chill alone. I still think that’s absolutely true. However, I feel like if I just live intending to avoid all troubles, I’ll just end up with nothing. I don’t know how to describe this. It’s like life needs troubles. These troubles should create new connections as well. That’s what I think after staying with you, Hanamitsuji.”

“Nanamura-kun…”

I felt that Hanamitsuji raised her head, but I didn’t look at her. It’s too embarrassing.

In the end, our mindsets are still parallel lines. Even though a lot has happened in these months, we still didn’t understand each other.

However, we can’t just disconnect because we think differently.

Even if I have to bid farewell to Hanamitsuji one day, I hope I can find a beautiful way to do it.

Gentle laughs can be heard when I am thinking about these things.

“You sound like a novelist right now.”

‘Don’t say that. It’s embarrassing.”

My ears should be full red right now. Uwah, what did I even say?

“Don’t tell me you’ve been writing novels.”

“The novel I gave you was so terrible that you erased it from your memories!?”

“I’m joking. I still remember how terrible it is.”

“Please forget about that.”

Hanamitsuji laughed cheerfully for a while. Then, she looked at me with a peaceful smile.

“Well, but I was really happy to hear that. Thank you.”

“O-Oh, …I see.”

I answered boringly and looked at her. I was dumb.

Her long eyelashes, a beautifully-crafted nose that deserves a place in the museum, and gently breathing sakura-colored lips all converted into a wave of powerful destruction hurling toward me when I looked at her face.

This is breaking the rules. I mumbled internally, even though I didn’t know what was breaking the rules.

“This is where we see each other every time.”

“Well, yeah. Uh, the drinks here are good.”

“I think every drink bar tastes the same.”

She caught onto my half-assed reply.

“It’s also after school.”

“Well, we can’t see each other in school, after all.”

“Uh, …can’t we meet during the holidays?”

“Ha?”

Then, a tinge of redness appeared on Hanamitsuji’s cheeks. She crossed her fingers together in embarrassment. Finally, she cleared her throat and spoke up.

“It feels boring to meet in the family restaurant. Well, for example, it’s Saturday tomorrow, right? Should we go somewhere…?”

Ding. My phone rang as if it were a bucket of cold water on Hanamitsuji’s determination. It’s a Line notification.

“Oh, sorry.”

I looked at my phone after that. I saw the message on the notification bar upon unlocking it with Face ID. The sender is Hoshigasaki.

<You should be free this weekend, right? Can you come to my house?>

For a moment, I failed to interpret what this text means. My brain turned blank.

It’s fine that she thinks I’m free, but what does “can you come to my house” mean?

The worst part is that Hanamitsuji saw everything too.

“What. Is. This? Don’t tell me you two have already developed such a relationship behind my back?”

The mood just then disappeared in an instant. Hanamitsuji asked me with a freezingly cold smile. I could only shake my head repeatedly.

W-What is happening here, Hoshigasaki-san…!?