A day had passed, the first day of the Cultural Festival had ended. It was a pretty huge success I'd say. We got more customers than I anticipated. Or rather, they liked the theme more than I expected, not just the customers, but my classmates as well.

I never expected myself to be this active. But by the time I knew it, I pretty much became one of the class's representatives. Along with Furushira-san of course. Well, an active high school life won't be the same as before, would it? After all, I feel like… I have and will have some friends that I can open up to….

But, that's not the main issue right now, it's currently the 2nd day, and if it is the 2nd day, it's all about sport events! And the first one to be held is the Scavenger Hunt. I'm not really surprised, followed by the races, 100m and 50m. Followed by so on and so on, and finally the 3-Legged race. 

Furushira-san and I, since we're still under the truce, had agreed to compete in it. It's already weird enough for us to not be bickering and actually working together, but one more weird thing that the two of us occasionally do is… we sometimes synchronize with each other for a few seconds, sometimes even a minute.

But that's it. We synchronize, but that's pretty much it. Regarding the 3-Legged race, both of us were busy enough just to prepare for the café, we didn't have much time for practicing the sports. Well, I for one keep my own training regimen to keep myself fit at all times, I don't know for her though.

But… Scavenger Hunt, huh…? We are in a truce, but please don't give me something that makes me want to choose her…. Well, on Scavenger Hunts, there are some times that it just makes you confess something.

Sometimes it has “the person you love” or “the person you despise so much”, and sometimes just literal features such as height, weight, attractiveness and such. It'll be bad if I get the love one, though.

“...maybe you have found the person important to you as well?”

I heard Aka-nee's voice ring inside my head….

Ughhh—!

No! I don't like, and will never love her. I mean, we are agreeing on a truce right now, but she can't even handle her own words. What's to like about a girl like that?!

Geez… that Aka-nee… she always gets inside my head and takes so much time for me to get her out….

But for now… the Scavenger Hunt is just about to begin in a few seconds, just please give me all my luck and don't make me seem like confessing some weird things…. Although, things like her beauty won't be an issue, I know most people know that she's beautiful so it's fine.

Well then—!

“All right! Here starts Hinatsuru's 22nd Cultural Festival, and the first sports event, Scavenger Hunts! All right, ready…………”

Bang! The starting pistol was released.

“…go—!”

10, no, 15 people started running, along with them are Furushira-san, and of course, me. Furushira-san though is a little ahead of me, I started pretty far back, so she got her paper picked up, and took her time to read it, and after that, she looked around…

I myself got to a paper and picked it up.

Please don't give me something that will need me to take Furushira-san! Please don't give me something that will need me to take Furushira-san! 

I looked at the writings in the paper as I prayed that, but…

Ugh….

The Most Beautiful Girl You've Met

I did say that her beauty would be fine… but wouldn't announcing this throw a lot of misunderstandings?! I mean, if they announce it, It would seem like I fell for her beauty on the first sight! Haa— whatever. I just have to take her then.

“...?” 

Eh?

I felt someone took my wrist.

It was a girl's hand. It was pretty white, beautiful, and moreover… pretty fragile….

“Eh, Furushira-san?!”

It was Furushira-san's.

“I'm gonna need you. But get who you need first.” she let go of my wrist, giving me the chance to take the person I need.

But, the person that I need is already standing in front of me, who walked right to me, saving me so much time. 

I don't want to take her wrist and run with her, actually I'm scared that I might go overboard in running and accidentally make her fall, so, I did it the easy way.

“No, there's no need, here—” I raised my wrist to her once again, “You're already in front of me, after all.”

“?! Really? What a coincidence. Then, let's go!”

She pulled me by the wrist and started running. The way she ran was so elegant, and so… slow… I'm getting sleepy with this…. I didn't expect her to run in the 50m race but she's seriously this slow? Or is it just because I'm a burden? Well, whatever, we reached the announcer anyway. And luckily, the two of us were the first students to reach it.

“All right! We got our first ones, let's see what they got!” the announcer offered his hand to me, and I gave him the paper.

“I see, I see. Well, this seems reasonable.” he said silently, and announced it later on, “He got— The Most Beautiful Girl You've Ever Met! And for you—” he offered his hand now to Furushira-san, and she gave him the paper.

“Oh… this is interesting, and oh well… looks like she wants to make it even more interesting…” he took a glance to Furushira-san, who smirked slightly, but he seems to know what she meant.

What is in that paper…?! But… whatever it is, I'm sure it won't be good news…

“She got— The Person You Like—”

Uwoooooh!!!!! And every single person listening to the announcement screamed.

But not only them.

Eh?! What?!

I internally screamed as well the moment I heard those words.

Like? What?! I-Is she teasing me or something?! I-I mean, there's no way she liked me, right?!

I thought that on he top of my head as I felt my face redden up so much from embarrassment. My heart beating so fast that I think it's about to burst.

But… Eh?!?!?!!?

I glanced at Furushira-san, who was for the first time… acting embarrassed…. Her face red, her gaze away from me, downwards, and her hands together, just really like that of a girl falling in love….

But…

“Heh…”

Eh?! Did she just… smirk?!

“Ah— my bad. It's — The Person You Like to Toy With.”

This girl—

“What? Did you expect me to like you?” she smirked once again.

Yeah, that makes it clear, Aka-nee. It's for sure not her. I don't know what or who made me change, whether it's because of love or something, but I for sure know that it's not her. I really hate this girl so much….

“Fufu— well, if you tried to stand out even more before, you most likely would have a girlfriend already. Although, you're becoming quite a source of attention now, so I'm sure someone will take notice of you.” she said as we went back to the stalls, to where some of our friends are, smirking at me….

Oh, and of course, they announced a quick 30 minute break before the next one starts. Good thing, since I'm competing on 3 consecutive ones.

“Geez, you even forgot about your own words about the truce…” I said so silently that she wouldn't hear.

“What?”

“Nothing~” but I ignored her and her question.

I really hate how she acts, with how she treats people. But I'll focus on the events first, and rest. The next is the race after all. And when it's a race…

“Don't think I've slowed down, Akiryou.”

“I never did. Let's both do our best out there!”

“Yeah— but I won't lose though.”

“Neither will I!”

The two of us were basically racing rivals. We're not equal, nor we are ahead of each other. But surely that both of us grow stronger, and better every time. We currently have a tie right now, if I remember correctly. But this competition won't decide the winner. It won't ever. 

But, that will come later. For now, it'll be quite problematic. Even though Furushira-san was basically in the front and I'm in the back, I still pretty much got quite close to her, that's just how slow she is. Not because she stopped to pick up a paper, but I literally caught up to her. 

Although, I don't know if I'm just built strong to run so fast, well, I got one of the records of the fastest 100m run topping at 10 seconds, so I may just be really too fast….

Well, we're playing on both teams in the relay race, so I should be able to find out if she's slow or I'm just fast.

“All right—! The 30 minute break is over! Now— it's time for— the 100m relay race! Players— get to your positions!”

The announcer was enthusiastic as always. Oh, and of course, he was also a student of Hinatsuru. Most likely part of the Broadcasting club or something.

Well then—

The players, 5 on each line lined up. With Furushira-san behind me. Seems like she'll be the one to cross the finish line then….

“All right— ready—”

Bang! Again, the starting pistol released the shot.

“Start!”

And then they ran, and ran, and ran, until the third player was next. They weren't that fast nor that slow, but that's not really the most important factor of days like these.

I did disregard this on the Scavenger Hunt because of her, but on days like these, there's only one thing you should be having in mind. Well, unless you're competitive.

And that is… to have fun.

And they were clearly having so. They were all smiling as they ran, some even looked pretty clumsy, which was a good thing for the crowd to enjoy. 

Well then… I'm not really competitive, neither do I care for us to win. But I won't run at my full speed this time, I'll half it. After all, if I did, I would most likely be too tired to run at my fastest in the 100m race. And surely, Leo won't be happy with that.

And so, just like as I said, I prepared my hand to receive the baton behind me.

As soon as I received it, I sprinted, not at my fastest, nor or slowly, but just at the right pace. This pace for me though is just jogging. But there's just one thing… 

I… can't get this smile off my face… I'm… having fun….

Although it sounds so weird, as if I'm a person that has never had fun in his entire life. But this kind of fun is the first for me… to have fun with other people…. Exempting Leo, that is.

And speaking of Leo, as I ran, I passed by to the covers he was under, smiling warmly at me…. It felt kind of weird, but at the same time… relieving.

Although, let's take that for later… right now… I've just about reached the next and last person, Furushira-san. She prepared her hand behind her and postured herself. It was also a beautiful and elegant posture.

But, what happens next is what surprised me.

It was two things that surprised me.

The first one was when I handed her the baton. She didn't clumsily receive it. In fact, it was pretty clean and smooth. What surprised me is… how beautiful she was when she ran….

Damn it… this is just making things harder for me, Aka-nee….

And the second thing is…

Is she even running?!

… she's incredibly slow. Not so slow, but… it's like a toddler running at you… or something like that…. If I had to calculate her race at her speed, she'll probably finish the 50 meters in around 15 seconds… around 3 or 4 meters per second… I guess…?

But on top of that…

Pfft…! Oh, I accidentally scoffed. Sorry… she's just… cute…. Running as her face is puffed up, running with a straight back, it's so cute…

I thought that as I looked at her I ran as I returned to the covers, getting a bottle of water.

“Aren't you smiling and staring at her too much?” Kurobara-san said as she handed over a bottle of water to me.

“Eh? Staring? And smiling?! Was I smiling?” I touched my cheek to confirm, but of course I would subconsciously revert the smile, but, smiling? Was I? When I looked at her…?

“Ah— maybe you're falling for her?” she placed her hand on her mouth and smirked.

“Wha—” I felt my face redden, not my blood boil, but… get embarrassed…. But, I have to pull myself together. “N-No way, there's no way I would fall for such a girl.”

The way she acts irritates me already… the only thing appealing for her is her looks, nothing else.

“If you say so~ go, go congratulate your queen—!” she smacked my back to push me over to her.

Well, I definitely should, the others as well were going to her, and we did get 2nd place. Not getting first isn't really that big of a deal as long as we had fun.

“Here— great run, Furushira-san. Congratulations.” I handed her a separate bottle of water and a towel that were both given by Kurobara-san.

“Same to you. Congratulations.”

“Don't leave us out of the fun! Congratulations, Class 1-C!” a guy put all 5 of us together and pulled us into a group hug.

Well… this kind of life won't be so bad.

“Well then— we'll take another 30 minute break before we start all the next races, the 50m girls' race, the 100m boys' race and the 100m girls' race.”

He announced it loud and clear. Most likely after those will be one last break before the 3-Legged race where Furushira-san and I would compete. Which would most likely be a problem. I just noticed us synchronising walking together, but in a 3-legged race, I wouldn't think it would be easy for us to keep up the speed. First she's slow, and I'm fast, which is already an incompatibility… this is gonna be a problem…

“Hm, Furushira-san?” as I was about to go to the vending machine, I saw Furushira-san sitting alone.

“Oh, Ryou-kun, what is it? Alone again?”

“I mostly am. What about you? You're next, right? Why are you sitting around?” although I ask, it looks pretty obvious already.

I can see her legs, no, her whole body slightly shivering, most likely nervousness. But, I approached the vending machine in front of her as I would. But… unlike before, I won't ignore her for now.

“If you're nervous, it's not too late to back off, you know? Actually, why even are you? I mean, you can just have fun out there.”

“It's weird to have you say “Have Fun” but you're right. But… I don't know… I suddenly felt nervous….”

I see… then, this is most likely….

“Is this perhaps your first solo run?”

“?!!” her eyes widened in surprise, as if I hit a bullseye.

“Right on the spot, huh?”

“Th-That's…”

“Well, my father showed me a way to get rid of my nervousness immediately, although I don't know if you'd like it….”

“R-Really?! Th-Then, please do!” she approached me immediately and exclaimed.

“All right, all right. But… both of us won't like the second step of this. But for the first step… please don't report me for harrassment….”

“Why would I even? Just do it, there should only be a few minutes left.”

“I know, then… stand up.” I instructed her as she unnaturally weirdly followed me, and stood up immediately, she must've wanted to get rid of her nervousness so bad, huh….

“So? What's next— Ow!!!” then, without warning, I smacked her back, not so hard, not so soft, but at the right strength to straighten her up and give her strength.

“Sorry, I softened it up a bit, but how is it…?” 

“I… feel slightly better….” she opened and closed her hands and started jogging in place, which she looks pretty ready now, but….

“So? What's the second step?”

“Eh…? Do we seriously have to do it? I'm sure you won't like it… even I don't like it….”

“Just do it, if it can help me calm down, then good!”

I am denying this so much because of the fact that it's not a work of actions, but a work of words. But not to calm her down but rather to… motivate her… and why wouldn't I like it? It's because….

“Haa— then…” I took both her hands together, enclosed it with both of my slightly larger hands, and raised it above her chest.

“Do your best out there and win, Furushira-san!” I said it as firmly and as motivatingly as I could, with a warm smile on my face… but my face says otherwise, fully red to the ears….

I won't like it because… I'd have to bid her good luck and words of motivation… her, of all people…. And words of motivation… for her…?! I mean, how impossible is that even? And that's literally all that I can think of on the spot!

“??!!!?!?” her reaction however was quite unexpected…. She as well became red to the ears.

“W-Well, that's how it is. Although, it won't be a bad sight to see you fall short, a 3rd is fine, but most importantly, have fun!”

Why do I feel like I sound like her mother, pretty sure she thinks that too.

“You sound like my mother…. Haa— all right, I'll do my best, that's why—” then, a sudden surprise and unexpected attack at me, “Do your best too, Ryou-kun!” she said to me as she left, red on her ears.

She said it so sweetly and cutely it was almost creepy for her to say it like that for the first time ever, and on top of that, her smile!!! What in the world was that smile!!! I already knew the fact that whenever she smiles normally, she becomes prettier and cuter than how her usual, cold attitude is.

But that smile!!! Was it because it was some sort of encouragement that it made it look better than usual?! Ughhh— I can't take that smile off of my head now! Unnn… I even feel my face, no, my body heat up….

Will… will I really be no match standing against her…?

No, no, no. No time to think of that now—! I slapped my face with both my palms. After all, I have to keep my word, if I think of that so much, I may as well be thinking of a strategy of some sorts to use against her, but I won't like the thought of disobeying my words!

Haa— I sighed in exasperation.

Well then, should be about time—

In just a few minutes right after I want back to the covers, I saw Furushira-san, forming a beautiful prepared pose, right around the center of the 6 players.

Her posture is beautiful, all that's left is… how she starts it off.

If she can perfectly kick off, it will surely give her a good boost, but that's where another problem comes in— how fast can she really output? Well then, I'd just have to see that for myself.

“All right— ready………” the announcer enthusiastically said in a long tone, “…go!” and the runners began running under the signal.

Furushira-san however was… fast?! She reached the first runners immediately since she kicked off beautifully and perfectly, which gave her a strong boost. But… that's it…

She's slowing down…?! 

She didn't completely slow down. It's like, the momentum of her kickoff was too much for her. It's like she doesn't know how to run properly after a perfect boost. The speed overcame her limits, which now then returned her to a normal speed.

She wasn't entirely slow, she was decently fast, she finished off at 3rd place. Did I jinx her…?

“Here you go, Ryouko-kun.” Kurobara-san beside me handed me a towel and a bottle of water.

“Hm? Shouldn't you be the one to give this to her?” I mean, she is Furushira-san's friend, so isn't it a given for her to give it to her? I'm not even anything to her, not much for a servant at least, or something like that or whatever she wants me to be.

“No, you're just rightful to do so. I mean, right after those words of encouragement and calming her nerves down, isn't it normal for you to give it?” 

Eh?

“Eh? Kurobara-san, were you eavesdropping?”

“It gives quite a bad name, but I guess saying that I was just passing by won't work, huh?”

Un…… if she tells me that, then I would have to…

Haa— whatever.

“Haa— all right, give it to me~” I took the towel and bottle of water Kurobara-san handed over, and ran towards Furushira-san, slowing down as I got closer.

“Nice run, Furushira-san. Although the boost was quite sad to bear though, it wasn't used much….” I told her as I handed her the towel and bottle of water as we returned to the covers.

“W-Well sorry for being a slow runner?!” she frowned at me as hard as she could, and started gulping on the water, as if ignoring what I would say. Not like I have any anyways….

“A-Anyways, it's not like you're faster than me. I bet you'd get last place!” she bickered.

“Well…” I couldn't say a word. For one is that I'm already a fast runner, I would humbly admit that. Although, I wouldn't know which of us between me and Leo is faster now….

“Anyhow, it's your turn now. Go out there—!” she smacked my back as hard as she could. But that said, it wasn't so strong nor so weak, it actually, as much as I hate to admit it, gave me quite a push….

“Well then— let's do this, Leo!”

“Yeah!”

Both of us went to our own places and started our stances. The two of us were pretty much next to each other, with him in front of me and I was at the edge most of the lap. In short, it would give someone quite the hurdle with these curves. Since it's pretty much at the inner edge, it is a little harder to turn, you might bump into others, but…

“Quite lucky, aren't you…”

“Same to you, to think we're given our best starting points.”

“Yeah, this will be quite a tight fight.”

I for one have high confidence in my control. Turning is one of them, I don't doubt my ability to make sharp turns, despite high speeds. So a lap like this where I'm placed at the inner edge, it will just basically give me an advantage for sharply turning.

And sharply turning with speed of course has its downsides. It might get the racer out of control, that's why they slow down a bit before making the turn.

But for my case, that isn't a problem. It's like my body is being pulled to the right place.

For Leo however… he pretty much can get his full speed anywhere on the inside. In short, he's the opposite of how I am, he can't handle turns that greatly. So placing him on the inside would give his muscle memory to stay on where he is.

And so— it started.

“…go!” the announcer once again signals with a strong voice, and all of us start our run.

All of them kicked off pretty greatly, and their speed is definitely fast. But… we're different.

The two of us were pretty much neck in neck. Despite being so short, Leo has really strong legs, which gives him the strength to run so fast.

I, no… both of us ran at full throttle, I could feel my body heat up, but furthermore, one more thing is giving me a boost… the pain… the slight pain that gives me so much comfort, and strength, placed by Furushira-san behind me. 

I didn't expect myself to say this but… she… Furushira-san is… giving me strength… or in this case, speed….

That's why, for the first time I've felt it, I ran faster than I ever could, and when I passed by Leo and glanced at him, he… smiled warmly, just like before….

“Ohhhh—! Looks like Hinatsuru High would have a new record for the 100m race!” 

As I neared the finish line, the announcer enthusiastically exclaimed. Other than the school's record, it looks like this would be a new record for me too….

“You got too fast, Akiryou…! Haa— Haa—....” Leo, panting, said to me.

“Yeah… that shocked me too….”

My sudden speed boost, exceeding my limit on how fast I could be, was most likely… because of her….

Which made me reach a conclusion, or rather… a question to myself….

“Congratulations, Ryouko-kun, here—” Kurobara-san enthusiastically approached me and handed me a towel and a bottle of water.

“I seriously thought you'd let Furushira-san give this to me just like you did to me earlier…”

“Ah, I did want to. But Furushira-san is currently in the infirmary, she got muscle cramps….”

Seriously… muscle cramps…? Well it's probably her first race, and I think she was slightly faster than the relay, so it's a given her legs would give up.

“Is that so…”

“But… Tsuyoshi-kun, you noticed it too, right?” Kurobara-san reached out to Leo as we went back to the covers.

“Yeah.”

Eh? What are they talking about? 

I feel, no… I know they're talking about me because they were both smiling at me.

“But… you'd have to find that out yourself, Akiryou.”

“Eh? What do you mean?” I replied dumbfoundedly.

“You're confused right now, right?” as Kurobara-san asked that, her… Furushira-san's true, genuine smiling face flashed in my head.

Eh? Why did I just think of her…?

Oh right… I had a question to myself… that connects with what they said…

Did I… really found her as the one… as the person Aka-nee mentioned… the person I… fell for….

“Shouldn't you go and find your answer now, Ryouko-kun?”

“...”

“You also have to check your partner to see if she can compete with you on the three-legged race.”

Ah, right… I'm part of it…

“Th-Then, I'm going for a while…”

Why were those two teaming up… or rather, were they already onto me… were my feelings that obvious… yet even I don't know…?

“Oh… Ryou-kun… what are you doing here?” she turned to me, sitting on the bed.

“Just checking up on you whether or not you could be with me on the three-legged race.”

“Ah, I forgot about that, I'm fine— ouch…!” she tried to get off of the bed, but just as I suspected, she couldn't move her legs.

“It's fine. Looks like you couldn't move an inch, so relax again.” I instructed her.

I couldn't just go ahead and touch her legs and place her back on the bed. So I just placed my chair in her way, not letting her go through.

“But… your lame wish of wanting to…”

“I know it's lame… but I didn't wish for it!” I sighed in exasperation, “…besides, there's still next year. So please, just sit back down. Carrying the guilt of making you compete with me in that state is more unbearable than not being able to try it for one more year…”

“Then… if you say so….” she returned, sitting back, with her legs stretched out on the bed.

It's quite nice if she's like this…

“I'll call off the truce by the time I get home, but…”

“Hmm…?” I turned to her.

“Can you go to the rooftop later when the bonfire is lit up?”

“Sure… but why?”

“You'd find it out there…” she averted her gaze to the side, as if avoiding me.

“All right… and it seems that you'd be fine after a plentiful rest, so I'm going back.” I stood up and exited the infirmary.

But still… why did she ask me to go there…?

I returned to the covers and told Leo and Kurobara-san that we won't be competing, and the answer is still unfound. But for now… the question of why did she want me to go there overrules my question of my feelings….

“She's taking quite a while….”

I sat down at the rooftop, where she asked me to be, sitting down on the ground, leaning right by its railings.

I did what she asked, the sun had set, people decreased, the Cultural Festival concluded, and the bonfire was just about to be lit up, but…

Where is she…? 

Have I been toyed again? No, no… her face looked so serious back then, as well as her tone. We've been together for quite a while that I can pretty much distinguish which is the toying Furushira-san to the genuine one, so I know that this time, she was serious.

Although, she did say when it is lit up… don't tell me she's gonna perfectly time her arrival… the thought of that is already weird but… it's Furushira-san, anything is possible….

“Oh, you're incredibly early, how long have you been waiting? That dissatisfied look on your face won't cover up excuses such as ,“I just got here”, okay?” she told me as she walks towards me.

“Haa— I know, just about 10 minutes.”

“Is that so? Well, I did say to come here by the time it's lit up…”

“Haa— whatever—” I sighed, “So? What is it? Even I am still human, I would want to go home and just lie down the whole weekend, so what, or rather, why have you called me here?”

“Quite aggressive today, aren't we…?” she frowned.

Well, I did say it in a hurried tone…

“It's just, there's something bothering me for a long time, but I don't know the right time to ask it. And even if I had disobeyed my own words about the truce…” 

Well, at least she's conscious of her mistakes, if she even treats it as one.

“…why…”

Well, the answer to my feelings can wait for a while, so for now, I'll entertain her a bit.

“…what did you mean? That not everybody will like me.”

“...?!” my eyes widened in surprise of her sudden question.

Going back to the past, huh…. And not just our past when that happened, but also… my past where I got that feeling….

“Although it is out of character for me to say this… I won't pry, if you don't want to talk about it…” 

Well, she has a pretty good heart sometimes…. But… I… no matter what I think of, no matter how much I want to deny the idea… I… want to tell her… I want to share my hardships with her… ahh—! Why do I….

“All right.”

“Eh?!” she turned to me as her eyes widened in surprise as well.

“I'll tell you, I'm fine with it.”

“A-Are you sure…?” she was a bit hesitant about asking.

“Yeah, but it's gonna be quite a while, why not sit down first?” I moved a bit to the side, as she accepted it and sat down on the ground, a few inches away from me.

“It was about middle school… where I… was completely different…”

“Eh?”

“Actually, I was a lot like you, I guess…. Smart, strong, standing out, and most of all, pretty much able to do anything. That was how I wanted my middle school life to be. I wasn't competitive on my grades, fighting with all my mind just to get the top. I don't care about it that much, but I stayed near the top at least. I was even more active, friendly with pretty much everyone, helping everyone, doing anything I could, no… doing everything I wanted to do. No matter how impossible it looked to others…. But… the fact that I was able to do those… people hated it… how gifted I was… how perfect I was… and how great I was…. Although, the only person who didn't think that and stayed as my friend is Leo. But it wasn't enough. So I stopped. I changed myself, my personality, how I do things to who I am now. But…”

I don't think I've freed myself from the past though. Experiencing something like that… moreover overcoming it and moving on through it… is nearly impossible in such a short time.

“That's why I said that to you before… even if I hate you, how you do things with me… I couldn't stand someone to experience the same thing….”

“is that so…” her reply was kinder, and softer than how she usually talks. Then, she stood up, with her back in front of me, I looked up to her, and she said,

“How stupid!”

“Eh?” I replied dumbfoundedly

Stupid?! What did she mean?

“Just because people hate you for how you were doesn't mean you'd have to change!” she raised her voice… angrily….

“That's…”

“I mean, it's you who decide on what you become. Who cares about what other people think, you are who you think you are, and nobody has the right to complain about that!”

She's… getting angry for me…?

My eyes widened in surprise, but that's just part of it…. Another reason for my shock is….

Haa— I said the answer could wait a while but… 

The other reason for the shock was… I realized it, and found my answer… my answer to these feelings….

“Haha—” I chuckled a bit as I lowered my head, covering my face.

Even though it's dark, I want to hide it. I want to hide my face. No… I can't show it to her… such an embarrassed expression… is too much….

I see… I really do, huh….

I… like Furushira-san…

It seems that… the reason for voluntarily doing anything for her isn't for revenge, nor for losing, but… my feelings slowly formed for her….

Even though I said I wouldn't be falling for her….

Looks like I got myself in the first half, huh….

“And with my question answered, I'd like to call off the truce now.”

“Well, not like you even acted like you're in one.” I stood up and gave a slight grin.

“W-Well….” she scratched her cheeks with her finger as she averted her gaze to the side.

“A-Anyways, I'm getting a bit thirsty, so, Ryou-kun, can you get me something to drink?” she smirked with her ever so sweet voice when asking me something, but…

“I knew you'd say that, so… here—” I threw her the usual carton of milk that she appeared to have taken a liking to.

“At least you know what you need to do.” she walked towards me, specifically to my side, leaning her body to the railing, staring at the crowd below us, dancing or something next to the enormous bonfire.

“They look like trash from here….”

“I expected you to say that… haha—” I turned around, leaning myself to the railings as well to stare on the people below, letting out a wry laugh and a wry smile from her words.

“Hey, Ryou-kun…” she reached out to me

“What is it?”

The two of us were still leaning to the railings, looking below us.

“You don't want to ask someone to dance with you there? They said that whoever you dance with will be your partner forever, one of Hinatsuru's famous sayings, at least.”

”Hmm? Why would I?” so that's what the saying was, so clichéd….

But… she did say she'd call the truce off, and… this will be… my first attack.

Not as revenge for what she always did to me, nor to even myself out to her, but… my first attack as someone who likes her.

I want her to stay like before… being genuinely cute and relaxing to be with… most of all, purely beautiful. I want her to become like that all the time…. That's why—

“Then—” I approached her, and placed my fingers on her chin. The sudden touch made her give a small shriek, and her face turned so red, despite the darkness of the night.

“What would you do if I invited you?” I finished my sentence, with my fingers cupping her chin, and our face basically a few inches apart, I said that so calmly and as sweetly as I could ever do.

Her face turned more red, brighter, and redder up to her ear, showing how embarrassed she is.

“....?!!?!” 

I stared at her, with my fingers still cupping her chin.

“Ahh— geez! I'm going back to our classroom! I'm getting my bag! Geez!” she pouted as she went her merry way.

“Ah, right, Furushira-san!” I raised my voice a bit, and she stopped, looked back at me with a puzzled face, or rather, a frowning one.

“What?!”

“No, it's just… it's dangerous for you to go home alone at such a late hour…” it is already 7 PM…

“I know. That's why I'll wait for my loyal servant~” she smirked as she went ahead.

…………

Ahh—! That was even more embarrassing now! Now that I know that I like her… doing something like that is now even harder! Ahhh—!!!

I curled up my body in embarrassment, until…

“Looks like you got your answer?” a familiar voice came from the stairs, a few seconds after Furushira-san left.

“And looks like you're eavesdropping once again?”

“Hahaha— hi there~” Kurobara-san appeared from the shadows with a wry smile, waving her hand at me.

“Haa— since when were you here? Wait, sorry, that was a weird thing to ask.” I stood back up, and realized my own mistake into asking something like that, after all…

“Of course, from the start.”

See? 

“So? What do you want now?”

“Nothing. I wouldn't want to waste so much of your time, your princess shouldn't wait that long, right?”

“!!!” my face reddened up… princess, huh…

“I just want to say…” she now talked in a more serious yet relaxing tone as she leaned on the railings, “You're the first to fall for her, you know?”

Eh? First?

“First? She's really beautiful, you know? So that's why I thought she'd have a lot of people confessing to her…”

“Yeah, you're right. I don't even want to count how many people confessed to her already.” 

“Then, what do you mean as the first?”

“That you're…” she turned to me, with a warm and kind smile on her face, “…the first to ever fall for who she truly is.”

“Eh?” I replied dumbfoundedly.

“She is beautiful, all right. But, that's the reason boys confessed to her. She's beautiful. I've been with her for so long that I know why they would be confessing, but you… you didn't fall for that, right?”

I see… yeah, she's right…. I didn't fall for the beautiful Furushira-san. I… fell for how she is…. I'm not saying I'm a masochist who's enjoying his time being ordered around. But… I liked how she's adorable when she's relaxed. How she is so adorable trying out new things… and moreover… I want to do anything for her… as if spoiling her, not letting her do anything by herself….

“That's why, go, Ryouko-kun! Don't let her wait for too long!” she smacked my back as hard as she could, which slightly hurt, pushed me ahead.

“All right, all right. I'm going—” so I went ahead, but…

“thank you for falling for Fuyuko-chan…”

I thought I heard someone thank me from behind, but when I looked back, Kurobara-san was staring below. Must be my imagination then….

“Sorry for the wait, Furushira-san—” I met up with her again on the school gates, where she simply stood up, waiting for me.

“How slow! I'm so tired of standing here, you know?!”

“Yes, yes. Sorry, sorry. Shall we go?”

“Haa— we shall, I'm getting tired.”

The two of us walked ahead, until I realized something…

Isn't this even more embarrassing now?! Walking alone at night with someone you like… endure it, Akira Ryouko! Stay calm, calm down, and try not to act too embarrassed!

But… this will be… my first step, Furushira-san. Starting today I will be… even more aggressive!