"Satsukawa-senpai, congratulations!"
"Thank you very much."
Todo-san handed a square box, cutely wrapped with a ribbon, to Sara-san. Since it was wrapped, the contents were a mystery for now, but I assumed the surprise was part of the fun.
"Ehehe, I found a really cute photo frame, so I went with that. You have to use it to display a photo of you and Takanashi-kun!"
Todo-san blurted out exactly what was inside immediately, but I suppose that was just her way.
At that moment, my smartphone screen showed Sara-san holding more presents than she could carry in both arms. Her eyes shimmered with tears as she offered her thanks to everyone. Since I had already given her my present, I stayed out of the circle. I wanted to capture this memory of her surrounded by her friends, so I stood back and focused on recording the video.
It felt a little lonely, being on the outside looking in, but seeing her that happy was worth it.
Yuji and Hayato, having already finished giving their gifts, drifted over to join me. They were likely being considerate of my space.
"So, are you finally going to visit Satsukawa-san’s family home?" Yuji asked.
"Yeah. I told Sara-san’s father the other day that I had something to discuss with him. Once I talk it over with Sara-san, I’m planning to make a formal visit."
I paused the recording and answered Yuji’s question.
"You actually gave him a heads-up? You’re remarkably bold when it comes to Satsukawa-san..."
"Isn't that the best thing about Kazunari? I respect that about him," Hayato added.
"Well, I guess you’ve got a point," Yuji admitted.
Being praised so directly was a bit embarrassing, but since these two were the type to say whatever was on their minds, I had more or less grown used to it.
"Alright, I believe that’s everyone," Nishikawa-san announced. Her voice had switched from the clumsy tone she’d been using lately back to the commanding air of an organizer, drawing everyone's attention.
Looking at the clock, we were slightly past the scheduled time. It seemed this wonderful party was finally drawing to a close. Why did the fun times always have to pass in the blink of an eye?
"You’re right," Natsumi-senpai said. "Well then, Sara, how about a few closing words?"
"From me?"
Just as she had demanded a greeting from me at the start, Natsumi-senpai put Sara-senpai on the spot without any warning or prior discussion. Sara-san looked surprised for a moment, but she seemed to find her words quickly. She looked around at everyone before she began to speak.
"Everyone, thank you so much for today. Until now, I have lived my life avoiding socializing with others as much as possible. I focused only on improving myself so that I wouldn't have to rely on anyone... The only ones who treated me as an equal, who challenged me, laughed with me, and became my friends were Natsumi and Eri. But now, I have Kazunari-san... and all of you, such wonderful friends. I am truly happy."
It was the first time I had ever seen Sara-san talk about herself like that to anyone other than me. She was clearly trying to respond to everyone's kindness in her own way. Everyone listened with grave, sincere expressions, and not a single person interrupted her.
"I know that I am not very good at being friends with others. However, I truly wish to continue being close with all of you. So, I look forward to your continued friendship with both myself and Kazunari-san."
As she finished, Sara-san bowed deeply.
A storm of applause erupted—that was the only way to describe it. Bathed in the generous cheers of her friends, Sara-san wore a look of immense relief, looking as though a weight had been lifted now that she had shared her true feelings.
"Ahhh, it's over."
Seriously, why do fun things like this end so fast? I was just glad Sara enjoyed herself, but still... you know?
"Well, that's just the nature of fun things," Tachibana-kun said.
Tachibana-kun, I was thinking the exact same thing. I won't say it out loud, though.
"This means anything else to look forward to is on hold for a while. It's a long wait until the next big thing."
The next thing... I guess it’ll be the School Festival. Was there anything else before that?
"...Is the wait really that long?"
"About a month and a half, I think. That's when the School Festival happens."
"Ah, I heard about that from Kazunari. There's a Miss Contest, right?"
"Hmm, so you're interested in that too, Tachibana-kun?"
He is a boy, after all. I guess they all want to see the cute girls. It can't be helped, I suppose... but still...
"Aren't you entering, Natsumi-san?"
"No, even if I did... besides, Sara is entering."
Since Sara is entering this time, the winner is basically already decided. If there's any wild card, it's that Sara won't show an ounce of charm to anyone but Takanashi-kun, so the judges might take points off for that. Well, she doesn't care what anyone other than Takanashi-kun thinks of her anyway.
Besides, there are a few others... like that overconfident woman who views Sara as a rival. She'll definitely enter. She only has her looks going for her... only her looks. And even then, she can't beat Sara.
"...I don't think you'd lose to her either, Natsumi-san."
"Eh?"
"I think Satsukawa-senpai is certainly amazing. I've never seen anyone else who has it all like she does. Sometimes I still find it hard to believe someone like that is Kazunari's lover. But I don't think you'd lose, Natsumi-san. You're sociable, you're truly kind and caring toward your friends, and you're just... easy to be around. You're different from a Japanese-style beauty like Satsukawa-senpai, but I think you're a cool beauty."
W-Wait a second...
What, what, what... what was that all of a sudden? Tachibana-kun, what are you saying? To be told something like that out of the blue... it's the first time a boy has ever said that to me. I don't even know what to say...
".........Is being 'easy to be around' actually a compliment?"
That wasn't the retort I wanted to make, but I ended up sounding blunt anyway.
"Yeah. In my own way, I meant it as a high compliment."
Ugh... being told that with such a straightforward smile is so embarrassing... I can tell he's being completely serious, too.
"I-I see. Thanks... But either way, I have an invitational match for the tennis club during the School Festival."
"Is that so? That's a shame... By the way, can anyone come and cheer at that match?"
"I mean, sure... wait, you don't mean..."
"Then I'll go watch. I was planning to go to the festival anyway, so I’d like to see you in action, Natsumi-san."
"I don't mind, but... why the sudden interest?"
"Well, usually we only talk on the phone or RAIN, so I thought if there's an opportunity... There aren't many girls I can talk to as easily as you, Natsumi-san."
Uuu... my rhythm has been all off lately. This is all Sara's fault!
That said, it’s true that Tachibana-kun is the person I’m closest with right now. Even if it's just over RAIN, he’s the only boy I stay in contact with. Daichi is easy to be around because he's a childhood friend, but he feels like a 'childhood friend' rather than a 'boy.' A boy I can talk to this freely and feel comfortable with... is there anyone else?
Hmm, I wonder what kind of place Tachibana-kun is starting to hold in my heart...
"Good work today, Todo-san."
"Yeah, good work to you too, Yokokawa-kun."
Satsukawa-senpai's birthday party was finally over. I had been worried because of what happened with Takanashi-kun earlier, but in the end, everything turned out perfectly. It was really fun. I've thought this before, but gathering like this with everyone is just wonderful. I wonder when we can do it again? Takanashi-kun has become the de facto organizer, so I'll have to ask him next time.
"Thanks for supporting Kazunari during his part-time job. I wanted to thank you personally, too."
"No, it was for a friend. It was the natural thing to do."
You're as caring toward your friends as ever, Yokokawa-kun. To be honest, my first impression of him wasn't great. I knew he was popular, but there were always girls swarming around him, so I figured he was just a shallow player. I associated him with Yamasaki and didn't like him much.
But after getting to know him through Takanashi-kun and actually talking to him... I felt bad for judging him. The real Yokokawa-kun was devoted to his friends, kind, and wasn't two-faced at all.
"I'm just glad everything went well. Now, if Kazunari can just pull off that talk with Satsukawa-senpai's father, there'll be nothing left to worry about. I can't help him with that one, though, so he'll just have to give it his all."
"I wonder what Takanashi-kun will say? Will it be 'Please give me your daughter' after all?"
Ahaha, well, he probably won't go that far... but it feels like the day will come when he does. For those two, it seems inevitable. Takanashi-kun and Satsukawa-senpai truly treasure each other. It makes me want to root for them with everything I have.
Besides, seeing them always looking so happy makes me feel a little envious. I'm sure Satsukawa-senpai secretly expects that if her relationship with Takanashi-kun continues like this, they will eventually get married. I can't even imagine those two ever breaking up; it seems impossible. I think that’s exactly where they’re headed.
"They really are a wonderful couple. It must be nice... I'm so envious... I want to find a love as precious as that, too... Ah!"
Darn it, I let my true feelings slip out loud. Yokokawa-kun heard that, didn't he? When I stole a glance at him, he was looking at me with a warm, gentle smile.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Everyone wants to be happy, and I understand why you’d admire those two."
"You too, Yokokawa-kun?"
"Yeah. Kazunari is my best friend, but when it comes to love, I respect him. I want to learn from his proactiveness and how devoted he is to the person he loves. Their relationship is just... wholesome."
I see... Yokokawa-kun feels the same way I do. I was happy that he understood and didn't laugh at me. Besides, this was the first time a boy had ever treated me this way.
Wait... come to think of it, haven't I been spending time with Yokokawa-kun almost every day lately?
"As fellow leftovers, let's do our best with the cleanup."
"Hey! Tachikawa-san, who are you calling a leftover?!"
"I'm not exactly looking for a man in the first place. I'm not in a rush like some people," Hanako said.
"I'm not in a rush either!" Nishikawa-san shouted.
I had to wonder... was Nishikawa-san’s character starting to crumble? When I first met her, she was supposed to be a dignified, elegant young lady.
"We'll do our part too," I said.
"Please, Kazunari-san. Let me at least help with the cleaning. I've left everything to everyone else today," Sara said.
"No, you don't have to do anything today, Sara-san..."
"Kazunari-san, didn't you promise to leave all the housework in this house to me? If anything, you must be tired after today. Please, leave the rest to me."
I really couldn't just dump everything on her. Besides, was a post-party cleanup even considered 'housework'?
"Takanashi-kun can just rest. Leave helping your wife to your big sister," Hanako said.
"Um..."
"I'll help as well," Nishikawa-san volunteered.
Hanako-san and Nishikawa-san both stepped forward. I had been trying to ignore it, thinking it was just a joke, but I really wondered what Hanako-san was up to by constantly emphasizing the 'big sister' role...
While I was debating how to handle the situation, Sara-san was already moving skillfully, removing decorations and efficiently cleaning up the table.
"Satsukawa-san, what about this?" Hanako asked.
"Ah, that goes over here."
I knew this would happen. There was no room for me to help. Since I was idle, I happened to look over at the other two pairs. Even from my perspective, the atmosphere between them seemed quite good. Since my best friends had done so much to help me with Sara-san, I truly hoped they would find their own happiness.
"Ah, by the way, what should we do with the futon?" Hanako asked.
Suddenly, the room fell silent.
A strange tension seemed to ripple through the air. The two pairs who had been chatting happily just a second ago went quiet. As for Nishikawa-san, her reaction was particularly odd.
"The futon?" Sara asked.
"Yeah, the futon that was folded up here. Should I put it back in the closet?"
I felt a sudden crack in the atmosphere. I didn't quite know how to describe it, but the air felt heavy and expectant. Wait, the futon?
...Ah, right. I had been worried about people snooping around the house, so I’d taken it out while cleaning the back of the closet and just left it out.
"Sorry, I took that out and forgot to put it away," I said.
"I see. Hanako-san, I'll just take that out again when I use it later..."
"Sara... was that really your futon?"
Nishikawa-san’s state was... a dark aura was billowing around her, and she looked like she was physically growing larger. Jokes aside, she looked truly disturbed.
"Yes, it's the futon I use when I’m staying over... but... Eri? Is something wrong?"
Even Sara-san had noticed Nishikawa-san’s bizarre behavior. Meanwhile, Todo-san and Tachikawa-san were squealing after hearing Sara-san’s remark. Yuji and Hayato were approaching me with identical smirks.
"Kazunari... I really do respect you," Hayato said.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Don't play dumb. I'm not saying you have to give us a full report, but you could have given us a hint," Yuji added.
"What are you even trying to say?"
Everything had spun out of control because of Hanako-san's comment.
"Y-Y-You... you're staying over at a man's house!?" Nishikawa-san cried out.
Crap. That was it. Because Sara-san staying over had become a normal part of my life, I had completely lost any sense of how strange it was for her to have her own futon in my house. That was why the air felt so thick.
"Yes. I stay over quite often, but..."
The look on Nishikawa-san’s face was one I’ll never forget. It was an expression of total, absolute despair. She looked like her entire world had just vanished. Before long, she collapsed to her knees.
"So... that's how it was... Sara is... already... an adult woman..."
"W-What is it? Is there a problem with me staying over?"
Sara-san, not understanding the weight of the situation, was flustered by Nishikawa-san’s reaction. I, however, finally understood everything—Nishikawa-san’s collapse, the meaning behind Yuji and Hayato’s smirks, and why Todo-san and the others were reacting that way.
In short, there was a massive misunderstanding.
"My younger brother... became an adult before his big sister..." Even Hanako-san seemed to be in shock.
"As expected, Kazunari doesn't hesitate. You make your move when it counts. I’d like to congratulate my best friend for becoming an adult one step ahead of me," Hayato said.
"Yeah. Congratulations, Kazunari. Any words on the experience?" Yuji added.
This was bad. If I let this misunderstanding stand, Sara-san might realize what they were implying and become self-conscious, which would make future sleepovers incredibly awkward. I absolutely did not want that! To settle this, there was only one way, even if I had to embarrass myself. Even if they thought I was a wuss, I had to speak up.
"...No, Sara-san is just staying over. Nothing else has happened. At all."
"Oh, come on... in that situation, it’s only natural," Hayato said.
"Exactly. No matter how you try to spin it, that's impossible," Yuji added.
"............"
"I really am just staying over. Is there something strange about that?" Sara asked.
Everyone looked at me, then at Sara-san. Seeing her genuinely confused expression, they seemed to realize I was telling the absolute truth. Their faces immediately shifted to pure astonishment. Well, everyone except Natsumi-senpai, who was smirking for some reason.
"...We really haven't done anything, okay?"
"HUH!!??"
They all shouted at the exact same time.
"Y-You're kidding, right? Kazunari..."
"You mean to tell me... you haven't laid a finger on her in that situation?"
"Look your big sister in the eyes and tell the truth."
"I believed in you two!" Nishikawa-san cried, looking strangely relieved.
I knew this would happen. If it were anyone else’s story, I probably would have thought the same thing. Now, they all undoubtedly thought I was a coward.
"I just want to treasure Sara-san!" I blurted out.
Everyone went silent. The lukewarm, pitying gazes they sent my way... I didn't even want to imagine what they were thinking.
"Kazunari-san!"
Sara-san, the only one who didn't understand the subtext, lunged at me with a radiant smile. If she had been self-conscious, she might have held back on this kind of physical intimacy. I didn't want that to change for anything.
"Um... today, until the very end... please stay with me until the very end of my birthday..."
"Of course."
"Tonight as well, let's sleep together while I'm holding you, okay?"
"Kyaaaa!" the girls squealed.
"Noooooo!" Nishikawa-san shrieked.
In the end, Sara-san's birthday party concluded with a punchline that began and ended with Nishikawa-san's screams. And while Sara-san did stay over as promised, I was so utterly exhausted that I couldn't even manage a proper conversation. I fell fast asleep while being held in Sara-san’s embrace.