บท 86: I Just Want a Single Ending [86]
Kamigawa Saku casually explained what had happened yesterday.
"I see."
Chihaya Anon nodded, thinking it over.
So, he was the one who'd invited Takamatsu Tomori to the planetarium first.
That made sense.
Back when he was first trying to invite her to join the band, he'd mentioned to the Astronomy Club that he liked stars.
So, wanting to bring Tomori—who also loved stars—to that kind of place was completely reasonable.
After all, she didn't care about stars, so him not inviting her was natural.
But why did Takamatsu Tomori then turn around and invite him to the aquarium? Wasn't that pushing it?
Going to the planetarium together should've been enough. Why add extra time together?
She hadn't heard any rumors that Kamigawa liked aquariums.
At this point, Kamigawa turned and asked, "By the way, why'd you want to know?"
How should he put it?
With Anon's questioning, it almost felt like he was being interrogated by a girlfriend.
But the thing was, they weren't a couple.
Which made her reason for asking all the more intriguing.
"…Just found it a bit odd," Anon mumbled, trying to come up with a reasonable excuse. "Didn't realize you two were so close now."
She'd almost forgotten—Kamigawa wasn't exactly one of those clueless guys. He was surprisingly sharp in situations like this.
Better remember not to ask such questions again; otherwise, he might catch on to her feelings.
"I see."
Kamigawa answered, but inside, he'd already made his conclusion.
This was just like before when she'd texted him, asking why he didn't invite her to the movies. Another sign that she was getting more interested in him.
The plan was simple: just keep a reasonable distance.
After chatting for a bit longer, Anon quickly stepped away to pack her things, not wanting to reveal too much.
As the others made their selections, plenty of paper bags were still left in the bag.
"Saku, aren't you going to pick one?"
Takamatsu Tomori looked over at him, genuinely curious.
He was the only one who hadn't picked a bag, and he didn't seem interested in taking one either.
Kamigawa smiled and declined. "I think I'll pass. These are meant as a gift for you, so taking one back myself doesn't feel quite right."
"In that case, take this instead."
With a smile, Tomori went to her bag, pulling out a clear box she'd brought specifically today, and handed it to him.
Inside were the same kind of band-aids as before, decorated with penguins in various styles.
[Accept]
[Decline]
Faced with these options, Kamigawa hesitated.
She was just giving him some band-aids; accepting wouldn't be a big deal.
But the problem was, she'd taken the trouble to collect these.
Even though she wasn't a true "collector" type and actually hoped her items would be used, he still felt it wasn't quite right to accept them.
It'd just be a waste since he already had plenty of band-aids at home.
But turning her down felt like rejecting her kindness.
After a moment's hesitation, Kamigawa made his decision.
"These are… a bit much. I mean, I've got a few cuts, but I won't be able to use this many band-aids."
"…"
Tomori's expression fell, showing a hint of disappointment.
"But taking a few would be fine," Kamigawa added, trying to find middle ground. "Can you keep the rest with you? Next time I get hurt, I'll ask you for more. Is that okay?"
This was his compromise. He'd accept part of the gift but leave the rest with her.
Saying he'd get more from her in the future was an easy way to keep them with her, where they'd be valued.
In time, she'd likely forget all about it.
Perfect plan.
"Of course."
Tomori immediately agreed to his request.
"Alright, I'll just pick out a few that I recognize."
Kamigawa took the box and began carefully selecting.
[Strength +10]
"This one's a Magellanic penguin, right? You told me it lives in South America."
Kamigawa picked up a band-aid and recalled what she'd told him before.
"Yes, it's a temperate penguin…"
Tomori filled in more details enthusiastically.
"…"
Watching the two chat, the others had mixed reactions.
Shiina Taki's eyes glinted with jealousy as she looked at Kamigawa's hand holding Tomori's box.
All he did was get a little cut, and she was treating him so well?
How irritating.
Chihaya Anon, on the other hand, observed Takamatsu Tomori as she eagerly chatted with him.
Originally, she'd thought Tomori seemed so harmless and gentle that there was no need to worry about her.
But now, it seemed like appearances could be deceiving!
Nagasaki Soyo stood quietly with a faint smile, unfazed by the scene before her.
It was easy to see that Kamigawa was leading the conversation, subtly steering it towards topics that interested Tomori.
In short, he was humoring her.
Even though they were all around the same age, Takamatsu Tomori could sometimes act just like a child.
And the thing about kids?
They were hardly a threat.
Besides, she'd always seen Kamigawa as a younger brother.
Watching her "little brother" enjoy a close, innocent chat with a childlike friend didn't stir up any jealousy.
As for Raana, she only cast a quick glance their way before resuming her snack.
No one was paying her any mind now, so she could indulge freely.
Time to dig in and enjoy!
"We've only got about three minutes left in the practice room; we should probably wrap it up," Shiina Taki said, walking over to interrupt their conversation with a reasonable excuse.
"Oh, alright."
Kamigawa had just finished choosing his band-aids and handed the box back to Tomori.
He'd timed their conversation precisely for this reason.
Even if Taki hadn't come over, he would have used the same reason to end it himself.
Otherwise, Tomori would've kept talking forever.
"Mm."
Though she looked slightly disappointed, Tomori relented.
---
Thanks for reading! Let me know if you spot any mistakes or inconsistencies!
Posture and water check! Remember this is a fan translation!
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