“The world is unfair…”
After the whole fiasco went down, Kaguya instructed Shizu and I to head home early. She stayed behind to continue the conversation with her parents, hopefully ironing out any possible future problems. The only thing left for me to do was hope for the best.
“Why do you look so glum? Aren’t you happy being engaged to such a wealthy heiress?”
Sakura tilted her head, an ice-cold aura emanating from her rigid smile.
Ever since Sakura found out about the fake engagement, there’s been a lingering air of displeasure hanging around her. Even Shizu, someone who remained indifferent about trivial things, furrowed her brows often when discussing the engagement.
“Sigh, what can I do? This is the only way to protect Kaguya. It’s not like our engagement and feelings are real. I’m just a placeholder at the moment, until Kaguya finds someone she truly loves.”
Shizu and Sakura looked at me incredulously.
“I think his denseness is getting worse…”
“More like returning to its original state. We just haven’t seen it in a while, since he’s had more exposure and practice with girls recently.”
The two of them continued to observe me with sympathetic eyes.
Anyways, the main problem had been resolved and life returned to normal. I went to school the next day without any complications, finally being able to enjoy a peaceful school life.
“Darlingggg~ Guess who’s arrived?~”
Even that didn’t last for very long.
“Oh, you’re still here…”
Kaguya arrived at school much later than normal, opting to arrive at the end of the third class of the day, coincidentally the same time when lunch starts.
Despite being in her usual uniform, her makeup was exceptionally done, resulting in a glamorous, eye-catching appearance. In addition, the aura surrounding her seemed to be more light-hearted and free.
“Let’s go talk for a bit,” Kaguya grinned, while dragging me along to an empty classroom nearby.
After the whole incident, I thought Kaguya was going to return to her original school, but her amused expression said otherwise.
“Did you think I was leaving? Hehe, of course not!” Kaguya exclaimed, sitting down on top of the teacher’s desk in the empty classroom. “Even though everything’s been resolved, that still doesn’t change the reason why I’m here.”
“And, why are you here?” I questioned her intentions, curious about what she meant.
Kaguya’s eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned closer, her expression playful yet determined.
“I’m here for you, silly,” she replied, her voice soft but resolute. “It took me a long time to realize, but you’ve become an irreplaceable and precious person in my life. Being away from you causes my heart to ache, and I find myself counting down the seconds until we can meet again.”
Her words washed over me, filling me with a sense of warmth. I never knew Kaguya enjoyed her time with me this much.
“That’s why I won’t be leaving this school. Why would I go back to a private school where there are no friends waiting for me? Here, I have you and everyone else, emphasis on the you part,” Kaguya stared resolutely into my eyes.
Originally, I knew Kaguya as Kamori, a free-spirited player who always took everything in stride. Now, though, I knew her as Kaguya, a shy yet energetic girl who loved spending time with her friends. The difference was stark, but she was undoubtedly my precious friend of many years.
“I’m happy to hear you say that. You’ve always been a good friend to me and I’m thankful for that. Honestly, without you, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed gaming as much as I do now.”
Gaming was fun, but playing games with friends was on a whole different level. Kamori was on almost everyday, which led to us playing very often. As a result, we grew a close bond as gamer buddies who went on adventures together.
“No good…”
For some reason, Kaguya glared at me with an annoyed expression.
Kaguya’s sudden change in demeanor caught me off guard. “What’s wrong?” I asked, puzzled by her reaction.
She sighed, shaking her head. “You really are clueless sometimes, Haruto. Can’t you see? I don't want to be just your friend anymore. I want to be more than that.”
Even someone as dense as me could understand what she was trying to say.
Kaguya Hinamori was in love with Haruto Renzaki.
Her confession left me speechless, my mind racing as I tried to process her words. Kaguya, or rather Kamori, had always been an important part of my life, but I never imagined that she saw me in a romantic light.
“I-I didn’t realize…” I stammered, struggling to find the right words. “I’ve always thought of you as a friend.”
“I know. That’s okay. You don’t have to return my feelings just yet, I promise I’ll work hard to catch your attention,” Kaguya smiled, confidence brimming from her. “This is just me declaring my position. Although, you’re welcome to confess your feelings at any time.”
“…Understood.”
My feelings were in disarray.
An old friend of many years had just confessed to me. It felt too abrupt for me, but there was a good chance I just didn’t see the signs. For as long as I could remember, my mother and Sakura would always scold me for being too unaware of other people’s feelings.
“One more thing, please treat me as you normally would. I don’t want to make things awkward with this confession,” Kaguya requested, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
“Of course,” I assured her, offering a small smile. “We’ll continue to be friends, just like always.”
Kaguya nodded, a sense of relief washing over her features. “Thank you, Haruto,” she murmured, her voice soft. “Now, let’s head to lunch. I’m starving!”
Before we could leave the vacant classroom, Shizu abruptly burst into the room, her usually calm demeanor replaced by urgency. “Haru, we need to go visit my grandmother in the countryside immediately,” she exclaimed, her eyes wide with concern.
With no time to relax, I took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself for the future that laid ahead.
“Tell me what happened.”
