I agonized. I truly, deeply agonized.
As I walked... watching Kazunari-san’s retreating figure...
Until I heard it directly from Kazunari-san, I had told myself it was fine not to know the truth. I was certain he would eventually tell me. I believed all I had to do was wait.
But now that his departure had unfolded right before my eyes, I couldn't suppress my feelings any longer.
Why he was always so exhausted...
Why his shirts were so badly stained...
Why his physique had begun to change...
And... the money...
With all the pieces of the puzzle gathered, even I could guess what Kazunari-san was doing. I should have been able to wait for him to speak. And yet...
In front of me, Kazunari-san eventually stepped into a shop.
Is this... a liquor store?
Gazing at the shop from a distance, I questioned what I wanted to do and why I was even here. I wondered if I should just turn around and go home, but I was frozen, unable to make a decision.
Before long, Kazunari-san reappeared wearing an apron. I could see him working in a place that looked like a warehouse.
In that moment, my prediction was proven correct.
I had learned the answer. I had discovered the part-time job Kazunari-san must have wanted to keep secret. Even though I should have known better...
My heart was now a chaotic mix of relief and guilt.
Before I realized it, someone else was speaking with Kazunari-san. Were those... Yokokawa-san and Todo-san?
Why are the two of them here? Kazunari-san...
My body moved almost subconsciously. As I began to step forward, the figures of the two of them walking in my direction entered my field of vision.
"We should check on Takanashi-kun’s condition again later. Especially his Right Hand..."
Takanashi-kun’s Right Hand seemed to grow worse with each passing day. Even to a layperson like me, it looked like it was at its limit.
In truth, I wanted him to stop working immediately. But Takanashi-kun was desperately enduring it all for the sake of the person he loved. I couldn't bring myself to stop him when he was working so hard.
"Are you okay, Todo-san?"
"Yeah... sorry, Yokokawa-kun."
"Is Kazunari really pushing himself that far?"
"I think his body is just exhausted. It’s a little better than it was, but still..."
We were so absorbed in our conversation, and the darkness of the night made visibility so poor, that we didn't pay much attention to the silhouette approaching us.
!!??
"Satsukawa-senpai!?"
"Wh—why are you here...?"
We had unexpectedly run right into Satsukawa-senpai, who stood there with a bewildered expression.
I instinctively spun around to check on Takanashi-kun. He seemed to be inside the warehouse and wasn't looking our way. We had to get Satsukawa-senpai away from here before he noticed!
"Satsukawa-senpai, come with us!"
"Eh? Um..."
"Hurry! Do you want to waste Kazunari’s efforts!?"
Yokokawa-kun raised his voice sharply. I think it was the first time I had ever heard him sound like that. Yokokawa-kun, who hadn't even shouted during that previous incident, was actually raising his voice at a woman—and at Satsukawa-senpai, of all people.
Startled by his intensity, Satsukawa-senpai’s eyes widened. She gave a solemn nod and allowed us to lead her away. Yokokawa-kun stayed right behind her, likely making sure Takanashi-kun wouldn't spot her.
"Satsukawa-senpai, I’m sorry about earlier..."
Once we reached a safe distance, Yokokawa-kun was the first to bow.
"No... I am the one who should apologize."
Satsukawa-senpai didn't seem to hold a grudge over his behavior. With a dark, heavy expression, she bowed back.
"Satsukawa-senpai, why are you here? I don't think Takanashi-kun mentioned this to you..." I asked, trying to confirm the situation.
"I happened to see Kazunari-san heading out..."
I remembered the report from Yuzuki-senpai during our phone call earlier today, saying that Satsukawa-senpai was starting to notice things. Seeing him leave must have prompted her to follow him.
"Satsukawa-senpai, please! Please pretend you didn't see anything today and just go home!"
Yokokawa-kun bowed deeply, his face a mask of desperation.
"Kazunari worked himself to the bone because he wanted to surprise you and make you happy! There’s still time... He will definitely tell you everything himself. So please, respect his feelings!"
...Yokokawa-kun really is a wonderful person. He was so earnest, bowing his head like this for the sake of his friend.
Takanashi-kun, who gave his all for the person he loved, and Yokokawa-kun, who was so desperate for his friend’s sake... I felt lucky to have such incredible friends.
"Yokokawa-san, please raise your head. I am the one at fault. I should have waited for Kazunari-san to speak to me... why... why did I...?"
Satsukawa-senpai’s face was filled with a tragic sort of regret. Her sorrow was plain to see.
But to me, her reaction wasn't strange at all.
"Satsukawa-senpai, I respect you. I think you're truly incredible. You handle everything on your own, and it feels like there’s nothing you can't do. You’re kind, hardworking, and you respect others—just like Takanashi-kun. I think the two of you are a perfect match. But... no matter how amazing you are, you’re still a girl, Senpai."
At my words, Satsukawa-senpai looked up. I hadn't said anything rude... had I?
"People at school call you a Goddess, and they think you’re a Superhuman who can do anything. But you’re an Ordinary Girl just like the rest of us. It’s natural to feel anxious about a boy you love, to want to confirm the truth, or to act on impulse."
Satsukawa-senpai listened in silence. I felt like she understood.
I had heard that in the past, she had been a solitary person who kept everyone at a distance. That was likely why she was so strict with herself now. She probably couldn't forgive herself for failing to wait after she had decided to. I could sense her frustration and regret.
"So, please forgive yourself. Your feelings and your actions aren't strange. They're normal."
"But... I..."
She trailed off and looked down. Even if she understood the logic, her emotions wouldn't let her off the hook.
I'm not sure how much time passed after that. Five minutes? Ten?
"!? Todo-san, Kazunari is...!"
Yokokawa-kun, who had been keeping watch, suddenly spoke in a panicked voice. I looked over and saw... Takanashi-kun was heading our way!
What should we do? If he saw her here, all his hard work would be for nothing. We couldn't let that happen!
Fortunately, she didn't seem to have noticed the present yet. If we could keep Takanashi-kun from finding out she was here, we could still protect the most important part of the surprise.
"Yokokawa-kun, I’ll go! You look after Satsukawa-senpai! Senpai, please stay right here!"
I shouted to them both as I grabbed the Coffee for Refreshment from my bag. Leaving my bag behind as if I’d tossed it, I forced a smile onto my face and started running.
For both their sakes, I had to handle this.
Todo-san’s words kept circling in my mind.
Normal... Natural...
The "normal" they spoke of was surely different from my own. I have always held myself to a certain standard. That is why I cannot forgive myself.
Even though I believed in Kazunari-san, I still moved. No... I simply couldn't endure it. I couldn't control myself.
As a result, I have trampled all over Kazunari-san’s Feelings. I... the person who supposedly cherishes him more than anyone!
No matter how certain my prediction was, it would have remained just a prediction if I hadn't confirmed the answer. This time, even if I had noticed, the "correct" answer was to stay ignorant. If I had been calm, I would have realized that easily.
Now, I will be carrying this guilt into Tomorrow's Date. I have forced myself into a position where I must tell a lie.
"(Satsukawa-senpai hasn't realized the true purpose of the part-time job. As long as no one says anything unnecessary, Kazunari still has a chance...)" Yokokawa-kun muttered. "Satsukawa-senpai. As I said before, please go home for tonight. I’m begging you. Tomorrow will be..."
"It’s all right. I don't intend to do anything else. But please... at least let me watch over him for a little while longer..."
I couldn't undo the fact that I now knew.
If that was the case, I wanted to at least burn the image of Kazunari-san working for my sake into my memory. That was the only thing I could think to do.
"...I’m home."
"Welcome back. You’re late, aren't you?"
When I opened the Entrance, Mother greeted me immediately. I was home later than usual, but she didn't seem worried.
"Yes... a little. I’m sorry, I’m going to my room."
"Wait."
Mother, who was usually so gentle, spoke with a sharp edge I had rarely heard. I stopped in my tracks, startled.
"I don't know what happened, but I’m not letting you go to your room with a face like that. Tell me what happened with Takanashi-san."
She spoke with the absolute conviction that this involved Kazunari-san. Her intuition wasn't surprising, but it was painful for me to put my feelings into words right now.
".........Even though I believed in him..."
When I said only that, Mother nodded as if everything had clicked.
"I see... you noticed. Well, Takanashi-san isn't very good at hiding things, and you have a Takanashi-san Exclusive intuition when it comes to him, Sara-chan."
"Did you know he was working at a liquor store?"
How? Yokokawa-san and Todo-san were his friends, so it made sense for them to know. But why Mother?
"Eh? A liquor store? ...Ah! Y-yes, that’s right. I ran into him working before and we spoke for a bit."
Mother’s explanation came out in a bit of a rush, but that didn't matter to me now.
"Ahem... So, you found out about his part-time job. What about it?"
"...I claimed to believe in him, yet I couldn't wait for him to tell me. Because of that, I’ve ruined everything he was trying to do..."
My own weakness had crushed his efforts. I felt so wretched... Tomorrow's Date would surely be ruined by my guilt.
"I see. If a woman is willing to ruin Takanashi-san’s hard work over such a trivial mistake, then he is quite pitiful to have her as a lover, isn't he?"
!?
I don't think I had ever heard such harsh words from Mother before.
I’m the one ruining it... Yes, I’m the one...
"Sara, what does Takanashi-san want? What is he hoping for from you? If the roles were reversed, what would you want from him?"
If the roles were reversed?
If I were working to celebrate his birthday... if I wanted to keep it a secret, and he found out... I wouldn't want him to feel guilty. On the contrary...
"If it were me... even if he found out, I would want him to be happy. I would want him to feel joy."
"Takanashi-san worked hard because he wanted you to feel that way, didn't he? The surprise might be spoiled, but if you’re going to crush his pure intentions with your own self-centered guilt, then you should break up with him right now. Such a woman is not worthy of Takanashi-san."
"!?"
Not worthy... Me?
The shock was so great I almost collapsed. Break up? I couldn't bear the thought. I didn't even want to imagine it!
Never... Never!!
"Sara, what is it you need to do?"
Mother’s voice was like an interrogation. But there was no need to ask.
"I must respond to Kazunari-san’s feelings."
"Can you no longer be genuinely happy?"
"No. His feelings make me truly, deeply happy."
"If you understand that, then it’s simple. Forget everything else and just be honest tomorrow. When you’re happy, be happy. When it’s fun, have fun. When you feel blessed, show it. You don't need to be brutally honest and tell him you found out about the part-time job. If you are enjoying yourself from the bottom of your heart, then all his hard work will have been worth it."
What had I been thinking?
My head had been so full of frustration at my own weakness and guilt toward Kazunari-san. I had been so depressed, thinking I would ruin the date, that I had lost sight of what truly mattered.
I am happy he worked for me. I am happy he endured hardships for my sake. To be loved so much by him makes me the luckiest person alive. That is how I truly feel.
I have no use for a guilt that Kazunari-san doesn't want me to feel!
"Are your eyes open now?"
When I looked up, Mother was wearing her usual gentle smile.
"Yes. I won't hesitate anymore. Tomorrow is a Treasure that Kazunari-san is giving to me."
"That’s my girl. Go and be happy with him tomorrow. (It seems she still hasn't realized the true purpose of the job... Good, then there's still a chance...)"
I am truly a fortunate person.
Thank you, Kazunari-san.
I am so looking forward to tomorrow...