"Uuugh..."
Ever since we’d arrived at the university, Kasahara had been doing nothing but groaning beside me.
Come to think of it, it had been quite a while since we’d walked to and from campus together like this. Personally, I felt a twinge of nostalgia for the old days, but her current attitude was doing a fine job of killing the mood.
Well, our relationship was over, so I suppose it couldn't be helped. It just went to show how pathetic I was, still clinging to the past even a little bit.
"What's with all the groaning?" I asked.
"Huh? ...Ah. Well, to put it bluntly, it's your fault."
"I see. Is that how it is?" I gave a wry smile. "Business as usual, then."
"I guess so," Kasahara chuckled softly.
"Hey, Yamamoto-kun... I know this might be a difficult suggestion for you to hear, but..."
"What is it?"
"Would you mind just going along with the Morning Penalty Game?"
"Oh, I don't mind."
"...Right. You looked like you didn't care either way."
She was right. After thinking it over for a day or so, I realized I didn't actually care whether it was a Reward or a Penalty Game. If there was one thing I was worried about, it was what Hayashi would do if she found out I'd turned the whole thing into a Rigged Game.
"At any rate, I’m just appalled by how insolent Hayashi is being."
"Don't be so hard on her. Megu is acting with your best interests in mind, you know?"
"...It’s hard to argue when you put it like that."
"Ahaha. Seriously, you have to treasure her, okay?"
"Yeah."
"...I wonder if you really do understand."
The university was quiet as usual in the early morning.
Kasahara and I began preparing for our First Period lecture in the cafeteria. We kept our chatting to a minimum. This, too, felt like it had been a very long time.
"Somehow, spending time like this with you feels nostalgic," I said.
Kasahara didn't reply. Just because she was focused on her studies didn't mean she had to go as far as ignoring me.
"By the way, Kasahara. Why did you tell me to accept the Penalty Game earlier?"
I had returned to my own work, but my concentration was flagging today, so I found myself talking to her again.
"...No reason. I just recommended a Strategic Withdrawal."
"Back to those clever phrases again, I see."
"Because Megu is going to get angry again, you know?"
"Huh?"
"If you bring a girl into your room."
Hayashi would get angry if I brought a girl into my room? I tried to visualize the scene in my head. The image that came to mind was two girls looking friendly with each other while I sat there in an awkward, stifling atmosphere.
"Would she?"
"You've always been so dense, Yamamoto-kun—ever since we were dating."
Kasahara's tone was unusually serious.
"...Sorry."
"It's not necessarily a bad thing, okay? But even if I can forgive it, there are people who can't."
"If you forgive me, that's more than enough for me."
"...Sigh."
Kasahara let out an exaggerated sigh.
"Well, whatever. Unlike when we were dating, I don't give a damn what happens to you now."
Kasahara today... how should I put it? I felt like every one of her remarks was prickly.
"Kasahara, did I do something to make you grumpy?"
"I don't know."
"...It's not 'I don't know.' If I did something wrong, I'll apologize properly. Then I want to discuss how I should handle things from here on. That's what showing sincerity is all about."
"Then...! Anyway, just don't meet The Girl in Question again. That's all."
"Uh, sure. Okay."
I wasn't entirely convinced, but I nodded anyway, sensing that pressing the issue would only sour her mood further.
...Well, there were plenty of things I didn't understand right now, but for the moment, I needed to focus on preparing for the lecture starting in a few hours. I finally shifted my focus to the textbook spread out on the table.
That was exactly when it happened.
"Excuse me!"
A voice rang out through the nearly empty cafeteria. It came from right in front of us as we sat in the corner, immersed in our studies.
"Ah..."
When I looked up, there she was.
Kasahara immediately shot me a glare. Are you kidding me? This is totally out of my hands.
She'd warned me not to see her again, and I'd fully intended to keep that promise. But if the girl was the one approaching me, what was I supposed to do?
"Thank you for picking up my handkerchief yesterday."
The person standing before me, bowing politely, was undoubtedly The Girl in Question.