Translator: RaidenTL
"We're here. Get out."
"....."
Miyuki stared blankly ahead.
We'd been holding hands for nearly five minutes, so it was no wonder she was dazed.
Even I was tense right now; I could only imagine how she felt.
I had held Miyuki's hand a few times before.
Like when we went to the hospital after she was hit by Samoyama, or when we got up after eating lunch on the rooftop.
But back then, I had just held it lightly. It was nothing like today, where we shared each other's warmth to the point we could feel the cold sweat forming on our palms.
How I feel right now is...
My heart is pounding.
There's no other way to describe it.
I gazed at Miyuki for a moment, calming my surging emotions, then brought my hand up in front of her face and snapped my fingers.
Snap!
"Huh...?"
Focus returned to Miyuki's eyes.
The way she looked around made her seem like someone who had just been released from a trance.
Does that make me the hypnotist? Not a bad scenario.
Letting out a soft laugh, I said, "I said we're here."
"Already...?"
"What? Disappointed?"
"D-Disappointed? Who said I was...!"
Miyuki, getting flustered more than necessary, grabbed her handbag.
She opened the passenger door, got out of the car, and turned to look at me.
"....Matsuda-kun. Um..."
"What is it?"
"N-No, it's nothing... Get home safe..."
She hesitated before saying something so simple. You're up to something, aren't you?
I don't know what it is, but I'm sure it's something good for me, not bad. Right?
I gave Miyuki a grin and started the car.
A faint plum scent was spreading through the car.
It was coming from my right hand, the one that had been holding hers.
Heh... we shared hand cream.
Chuckling to myself like a pervert, I called Miyuki as soon as I got home.
The phone rang two or three times before she answered.
—Yeah. Matsuda-kun. What's up?
Miyuki picked up.
Her voice was echoing. Is she in the bathroom?
If she's about to take a shower... can you send me a nude?
"What do you mean, 'what's up'? I just called."
—Oh... Are you home?
"Yeah. What are you doing?"
—I was about to wash up... Did you get home okay?
So she was in the bathroom.
Her voice sounds especially demure today.
She must be dying of embarrassment. This kind of reaction isn't bad, either.
"I just got here."
—I see... But you haven't forgotten... about us having dinner, have you?
"The one your parents invited me to?"
—Yeah.
"I remember."
—Then... do you want to come over this weekend...?
Look at her, not wasting any time.
I'm so glad I reached out to her on the carousel.
"You should ask your dad and mom first."
—They said any time is fine.
"Really? Saturday? Or Sunday?"
—Um... I think Saturday would be good.
"Alright. I'll keep it free."
—You're always free, Matsuda-kun. Why are you pretending to be busy...?
Miyuki was starting to warm up with the jokes.
I clicked my tongue in feigned disapproval and said, "Acting up again. You want me to scold you?"
I heard a small laugh from the other side of the phone.
She must have relaxed, but when she lies down in bed, she'll remember holding my hand.
Furthermore, just seeing anything similar to a carousel will make her recall today's events.
For example... a playground roundabout, the kind you spin.
—Sorry. I have to take a shower, so I'll call you later.
"Whatever."
—Always so prickly... You're such an idiot.
"What? Hey, you..."
Click.
Before I could say anything else, Miyuki hung up.
That prim little thing. I'll get her back for that.
"Miyuki."
"Hm...?"
"Why are you so sluggish today? Did you study late last night?"
At Tetsuya's concerned question, Miyuki, who had been walking with her shoulders slumped, shook her head.
"I just... have a lot on my mind..."
Miyuki had dark circles under her eyes from the moment she left her house.
Proof that she hadn't slept well.
She was probably lost in her own fantasies and couldn't sleep until dawn.
Miyuki's gaze flickered toward me.
She studied my expression for a moment, then pouted.
She must feel it's unfair that I'm so carefree while she's this worried.
"You should probably get some sleep before class starts."
At Tetsuya's kind words, Miyuki managed a weak smile and replied, "I'm fine... Thanks for worrying about me."
"Okay... Then should I go get you a warm drink?"
"In this weather...?"
"Is that a little weird?"
Listening to their go-nowhere conversation as I followed behind them, I secretly opened the front pocket of Miyuki's bag and slipped in a pack of jellies.
We then split up to go to our lockers in the hallway.
After grabbing my books for class and entering the classroom, I saw Miyuki already at her desk, holding the jellies.
She was holding the package, which had a large plum drawn on it. When she saw me, she broke into a bashful smile, and it was so pretty that I found it hard to look away.
Forcing a nonchalant expression, I sat down, and my phone vibrated.
[Thanks for the jellies, but you shouldn't open other people's bags without permission.]
It was a message typical of the prim and proper Miyuki.
I let out a dry laugh and typed a reply.
[Give them back, then.]
[No.]
Along with the firm refusal came a cute sticker of a smiling bunny.
I glanced up at Tetsuya; he was oblivious, already opening his textbook.
For some reason, this is exciting. Is it because it feels like we're having a secret romance behind his back?
I leaned back in my chair and was stretching when—
"You're coming in early these days, Matsuda."
I straightened up and replied to the professor, who had entered at some point.
"Because I'm a student."
"So you were tardy and absent all the time last semester because you weren't a student?"
Because I was a piece of trash back then.
Though I guess I still am.
As I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly, small laughs erupted from around the classroom.
My reputation with students from other classes, or the second and third years, might not be great, but at least in this classroom, the wariness toward me has eased considerably.
It's nice, but it also feels a bit bittersweet, like my identity is fading away.
Miyuki's head slowly drooped down, then snapped back up.
She's cute when she's dozing off.
"Should I wake her up? We need to go get lunch..."
Tetsuya said, looking at the back of Miyuki's head.
"We have plenty of time. Let's let her sleep a little longer."
"Alright. I'm going to the school store. I should probably get her a recovery drink."
"Go ahead."
After sending him off, I walked over to Miyuki's desk, my eyes widening with interest.
There was a drawing on the corner of the notebook on her desk.
A female character coyly rejecting a date proposal from a mischievous-looking male character.
It was a cute doodle that made clever use of the printed text in the top-right corner of the notebook, where you could write the date and number.
As I examined the drawing up close, I couldn't hide my smile.
It was obvious at a glance.
That the two characters were me and Miyuki.
The only flaw, if you could call it that, was that the characters' hairstyles were different from our real ones... but that was probably an unavoidable choice to achieve the cute art style.
She's got talent.
It looked like it was drawn in a flash, but the quality was good.
She was scribbling something during the break after third period. So this is what she was drawing.
She's so adorable I could die.
Gazing at Miyuki, who was fast asleep with her mouth slightly open, I pulled her textbook over to cover the drawing.
"Mmm..."
Did my movement wake her?
Miyuki's eyes fluttered open.
She rubbed them and looked around.
"Whaat...? Why is no one here...?"
"It's lunchtime."
"What...? Really...? What about class...?"
"You dozed off. Don't you remember?"
"I-I didn't know... Why did the professor just leave me...?"
"You started nodding off five minutes before the bell. The professor said not to wake you."
"Oh..." she let out a small sound of understanding, then asked, "Where's Tetsuya-kun...?"
"He said he was going to the school store to get you a recovery drink."
"Really...? He didn't have to do that..."
Miyuki trailed off and began to tidy her desk.
Then she noticed the textbook covering her notebook and shot it a puzzled look.
She seemed confused, unable to remember if she had covered it herself or not.
I'll just pretend I don't know.
I can tease her about it at her house this weekend.
"Why are you fidgeting with your hands?"
Startled by my question, Miyuki started twirling a strand of her hair.
"N-No reason... I'm just hungry..."
"Let's go eat when Miura gets back."
"Okay... Oh, Matsuda-kun. Here..."
Miyuki rummaged through her desk drawer and handed me a small container.
I took it and opened it. Inside were three cookies.
"What's with the cookies?"
"....You gave me a cake... so I wanted to give you a thank-you gift... The one on top is chocolate, the middle one is cranberry, and the bottom one is plain."
"Really...? Thanks, I'll enjoy them."
"If it's not enough, let me know... I have more at home."
I was about to casually pick one up when I paused.
A thought had just flashed through my mind.
'She has more at home?'
Looking closely at the cookies, I saw that the edges were a bit lumpy and uneven.
They were cute in their own way, but they weren't well-made enough to be sold in a store.
Which could only mean... Miyuki had baked these herself.
"Hey, Miyuki."
"What...?"
"Did you make these?"
"Yeah... They're ugly, right? But they taste good, so try one."
So this is why you were so exhausted today and even fell asleep in class?
And when you hesitated after getting out of the car yesterday... you were probably going to ask me if I liked cookies.
To think she'd go to such lengths... I'm touched.
The satisfaction of buying her that cake is about to boil over.
I glanced at Miyuki's eyes, which were shining with anticipation, then picked up the chocolate cookie and brought it to my mouth.
Then I started crunching on it loudly.
Horrified, Miyuki asked, "W-Why are you eating it so aggressively...?"
After devouring one cookie in an instant, I nodded.
"I was hungry. This is damn good."
"Is that a compliment?"
"Of course it's a compliment. Bring every last one you have at home tomorrow."
Miyuki understood the sincerity hidden behind my blunt tone.
Her tired face instantly brightened.
"The day after tomorrow is the weekend, so I'll give them to you when you leave our house after dinner."
"What about tomorrow? Am I supposed to starve?"
"Starve...? These are just a snack..."
"Are you going to take me seriously again?"
"Your expression is so serious, I have no choice but to take you seriously...! A-Anyway, I'm glad you liked it... I should have Tetsuya-kun try one and get his opinion."
She just said something I can't let slide.
"What are you talking about? Why would you give one to Miura?"
"Why...? I made a lot, so of course..."
"Didn't you make these for me?"
"W-Well, yes, but I can still give some to a close friend..."
I'm telling you, Tetsuya isn't a friend, he's a rival!
I scowled at Miyuki, then said in a magnanimous tone, "Then just give him one."
"....Why are you being so petty?"
"One."
"Matsuda-kun, do you realize how childish you're being right now?"
"One and a half. That's my final offer."
"If you're going to give him half, wouldn't it be better to just give him one...? Not that I'm going to..."
"Then it's settled. One."
"You're unbelievable..."
"So, what time should I be there on Saturday?"
As I smoothly changed the subject, Miyuki quickly replied.
"Oh, I asked my mom this morning, and she said noon would be good. What about you, Matsuda-kun?"
"Noon? That's fine. I'll be there then."
"Okay. You do know that noon is twelve o'clock, not one, right?"
She still remembers how clueless I was during the break.
I guess I made a strong impression.
With a look of resignation, I silently ate the second cookie.