Episode 38 – Talking to friends, our relationship

The way Sato-san said it, I could almost say she was sure of it.
Well, we met with Sato-san on our day off, so it’s partly inevitable. ……

The sudden topic made me look at Saara in front of me.

“The reason I brought up the subject is that I wanted to share with everyone at an early stage that if this content is NG”

Ah …… I see.
Sato-san is trying to share information with Seiichi, Shun, and Nagase-san. This is a ‘touchy subject or not’.

Especially, the fact that she went out of her way to say it this way is probably because she has decided that the other three have already started to notice.

“Especially the other day. I sent a chat to Saara to check on your schedules, and Saara told me about it. I was afraid that people other than us would find out how close you are.”

Ugh, that’s definitely true. ……!
I wasn’t really aware of it, but I’ve never heard of Saara and any of the other boys chatting with each other.
If Saara was naturally talking about chatting with me in such a situation, even Nagase san would have noticed.

“If you can’t talk about it, though, just say so. I won’t talk to anyone here, including you, about that.”

The three of them nodded silently at Sato san’s words.

Yeah,…… I feel it’s dishonest to say that we’ve developed a relationship so far …… and haven’t told anyone about any of the circumstances.
However, I want to give top priority to what Saara thinks.

“As for Ayado-san, what do you think? If you don’t like it, I’m not going to talk about it at all.”
“That’s exactly what I have no problem with. …… How about you, Iida-kun? Can I leave it to you, including how much you will tell?”
“Can you trust me that much?”
“It’s a little late for that~. I trust you completely and totally. I know you will never make a mistake no matter what.”

The two boys listened to Saara’s statement with astonished expressions, Sato-san with a corner of her mouth raised in an all-out smile, and Nagase-san shyly covering her face with her hands.

……Yes, it was almost like an affirmation just by what you just said, Saara.

“I understand. Let’s talk about the most obvious thing.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
“Saara Ayato-…… Saara is a childhood friend of mine who used to live over here.”

All four of them were surprised at this.
Ayado san had never told them that she had originally lived near here.

“Sora-kun and I were also acquainted with each other’s parents.”
“That’s why Suzuka-chan doesn’t even know about it, so I’m convinced. I’m used to seeing Princess Sara, who everyone admires, and it doesn’t feel uncommon–“
“That’s not true.”

Saara inserted her voice in a slightly stronger tone in the middle of Sato-san’s well-spoken speech.

“Sora-kun was my childhood friend from kindergarten. Back then, I was a round-cropped, frumpy, reclusive kid with zero friends.”
“Oh, oh …… that’s how it was, I can’t imagine that at all. ……Well, then, why Iida-kun?”
“Yes. only Sora-kun invited me to join him. ‘Saara princess’ who is not me, and only Sora-kun accepted me.”

When she lifts me up that high, it’s indeed more guilt than happiness and embarrassment ……. ……

“As far as I was concerned, I was just making a friend with whom I could talk.”
“But it’s great that Sora kun was the only one who asked me out.”
‘What can I say, I’m being praised that much ……. At that time, I really thought she was a boy. I’m not sure if it’s the same now.”
“…… So, Sora kun, if I were taller and heavier than you like back then, and I was a high school girl with a round cut,…… do you think you would have the same kind of relationship with me as you do now?”

Saara suddenly asked a question with a serious look on her face.
In this question, I could sense that Saara was serious, not asking me half-heartedly.

Then I should answer seriously, too.

Ayato, who I once thought was a boy.
Ayato, with whom I made and ate onigiri together.
Ayato, who laughed at my surprise at wasabi pickles, but looked for many such ingredients together with me.

And then – Saara, who greeted my surprise at the wasabi-zuke crackers with the exact same laugh.

“No, I can afford it. Even if we don’t have the exact same reaction, I think this is the kind of relationship that me and Saara had in the end. I’m not changing my taste at all, after all. It’s too unorthodox to greet the new housewarming with wasabi-zuke instead of soba noodles.”
“Where are the high school boys who prepare sixteen-grain rice in their rice cookers? As soon as I saw the seasoning cabinet, my idea of taking care of the three meals was thrown out of the window.”
“I’ve never heard of that idea before. ……”

I was a lot of things in middle school, but I’m glad I wasn’t living a sloppy life as a last resort.
I’d be in a body that couldn’t survive without Saara by now.

However, perhaps satisfied with the answer I gave, Saara put her hand over her mouth and laughed.
She looked so happy that even though she was in front of everyone, her childishness was showing.

“Umm….”

Here, for the first time, Nagase san entered the conversation.

“If you’re taking care of three meals for moving soba noodles, does that mean …… you two are neighbors?”
“……Ah?”
“What?!”

We found ourselves in a spectacularly self-destructive situation.
It would be impossible to fool around if we got this far. ……

“We’re in an apartment next door to each other. We have the same tastes, so we don’t disagree and get along well.”
“We always cook for each other, not only on holidays but also on weekdays. Sora kun’s cooking is the ultimate in Japanese cuisine, and it’s delicious.”
“Hueee…………. Suzuka-chan has gone way over the ceiling of her expectations…………. They are not a couple, but a mature couple………….”

Well, to be honest, I think our relationship is more like family than lovers.
…… No, I don’t know what kind of relationship me and Saara have in the first place. ……
I don’t think we have ever formally exchanged words.

What does Saara think of me?
No, I think the question that should be taken seriously before that is how I feel about her.

Well, of course, the answer is obvious. ……

“I’m very happy to have had all my recent questions answered so lukewarmly. Of course, you two shouldn’t talk about your relationship publicly, should you?”
“Ah right. I’d appreciate it if you could keep it a secret, since there are circumstances where I don’t want to show off in the classroom.”
“Okay. I think it would be better for me too. What about everyone else?”

Sato-san looks at the three people who were listening to the conversation.

“Of course. I mean, I simply can’t talk about it.”
“It’s going to affect us, too. But personally, I think it’s the most comfortable combination for us.”
“Y-you two are perfect for each other, and I’ll keep your secret too ……!”

While thanking the three for their positive reactions, I made a decision.

There will be no problem if we continue without clarification.
However, after reconfirming with everyone in this way, I have a new thought.

I’m sure that’s what Saara in front of me is thinking as well.

[I want to talk to you when I get back.]

To that message, she replied, ‘I was going to send you the same thing’