A peaceful scene spread before my eyes. A high school classroom at sunset. While the rest of the school buzzed with the noise of students heading home, I had stayed behind alone for supplementary lessons.
Back in high school, everyone called me "The Queen." I might have been insolent toward others, but I actually put a fair amount of effort into my studies. These lessons weren't because I had slacked off; I had simply been out sick for a few days and needed to make up the time.
As a result, I sat through the session in a foul mood.
"If I was sick, it's not like I could help it. They could've given me a little slack," I thought, mentally tossing baseless complaints at the teacher.
By the time I finished, Akari and I-chan had likely already headed home, so I reluctantly started my own walk back. That was when I ran into him at the school gate.
"Oh, if it isn't Hayashi."
Yamamoto called out to me. I tried to walk right past him without a word. Our relationship back then doesn't really need explaining. He didn't push the issue when I chose to ignore him.
"Get home safe," he said.
"Who are you, a teacher? Gross..."
I can't imagine saying it now, but back then, just talking to Yamamoto made me feel unpleasant. I don't even know how many times I called him gross.
I could have just left him with that parting shot and gone home. However, I felt a tiny spark of curiosity about why he was still at school. He was usually one of the first people in class to head home.
"Aren't you going home?"
"Hm? Oh, right."
"Well, why aren't you?"
"Does it matter? It's my business."
He had a point. But back then, I hated it when Yamamoto wouldn't follow my lead.
"No, it's not okay. Knowing you, you're probably up to no good again."
From his perspective, it must have been a completely baseless accusation.
"Whether it's 'no good' or not... why do I have to tell you?"
Now, I can see that as a classic Yamamoto remark—the philosophy that outsiders shouldn't pry—but at the time, his words just rankled me.
"I knew it. You're planning something weird."
Yamamoto went silent. It wasn't so much that he shut down; it was more like he decided it wasn't worth the effort to keep talking. He probably regretted ever speaking to me in the first place.
"I'm calling a teacher," I threatened.
That clearly worked. His face soured immediately.
"...I got a love letter," he finally admitted, looking like he'd given up.
"What?"
"A love letter. You know, a confession."
"Seriously?"
"They told me to wait here until club activities finished."
"...It's probably a fake confession."
The idea that someone would actually confess to Yamamoto seemed impossible. I didn't think anyone even liked him back then, so I didn't doubt my hunch for a second.
The next day, news of the prank played on him spread through the whole grade, so I wasn't wrong. But looking back, I realize how incredibly rude I was. I'd wounded his pride when he was just trying to be sincere. It was a terrible thing to say.
"If it's a lie, that's fine," he said.
"Stop acting tough."
"...I'd rather be humiliated myself than risk hurting someone else."
I just thought he was being stubborn then. I was annoyed by his stoicism, so I just huffed and walked away.
But I think about it now. That incident happened in the summer of our third year. Right around the time he was dating Akari.
Which means his response wasn't just him acting tough, after all...
Why am I dreaming about this now?
I know it's a dream. There are those moments where you can tell that the world you're seeing isn't real. This is a dream.
And the reason I'm seeing it is because, unlike back then... my feelings for Yamamoto are swelling inside me every day. Because I've come to treasure the time we spend together.
And...
When I opened my eyes, Yamamoto was still asleep. Usually, he’d be long gone, cleaning something and making weird noises. Maybe being back at his parents' house had made him relax. Or maybe he was just so exhausted he couldn't wake up at his usual time.
"Why aren't you awake yet, you idiot?"
Last night, I ended up sleeping in the same bed as him. He'd fallen asleep before me. He'd left me behind.
I did it for revenge. Since he's always the one who wakes up first, I wanted him to panic when he saw me there in the morning.
But why on this day of all days...
Why did I have that dream just now?
Because my feelings for him are growing. Because I treasure our time together.
And because, just like back then... it infuriates me that he still won't do what I want.
"A-choo!"
My nose was itchy. Probably because I was sleeping in a bed that hadn't been used in months.