章節 156: We'll get Through, Regardless of Results
"Wh-what?" Arata tried in a futile manner to continue the act. "I am only Mr. Bear. I'm not a human or anything." On the inside of this admittedly hot suit, he was breaking out in a sweat over her declaration.
"You can stop pretending now." She responded. "I've always known it was you."
"Wow, you did." Matsu was impressed with her ability to deduce the facts. "I just thought he was an actual bear." Everyone turned their heads in confusion about how this girl was somehow in high school.
"Geez, you really are bright like I said." Arata gave up on the trick and took off the head gear. "Look, I really hate seeing you like this. So I was just trying to cheer you up, and maybe we can be friends again."
"I… want to be friends again too" Ichiri admitted to everyone.
"Sounds like the start of a wonderful reunion." The manager reminded them that they were being watched by everyone at the moment. "But having a tearful conversation is bad for business, so I'm willing to let one of my best former employees borrow the break room for a bit."
"Thank you." Arata responded. "I'm really glad that you're the manager now."
"Yeah, he's the world's best manager!" His coworker bragged, much to the man's embarrassment.
"I'm really nothing special."
Being allowed some privacy, Arata and Ichiri were able to have their chat with no one around to keep tabs on them. A part of him was worried that the others might be a little upset about him being alone in a room with this girl. However, it was absolutely necessary in his mind that they do this.
"You know, when I saw you in that costume again." She began first as he took off the costume to not overheat. "I was really glad you were helping me out again."
"Well, I'm sure you noticed what I've been trying to do all day." He responded. "Come on Ichiri, I know that losing the election was hard, but that doesn't mean I think any less of you."
"It's not that I think you dislike me or anything." She explained a bit of her rationality. "I just realized who I was up against."
"You know about everyone else?"
"Kind of, I definitely know that Hifumi's got a huge crush on you." The librarian girl always got upset whenever she would talk about him. "And I've had my suspicions on the student president." Upon her loss, she realized that she stood no chance to girls like them. Not to mention that she was confident that they weren't the only ones who hearts he had captured.
But what pushed her the most wasn't just losing. It was what had happened during the speeches. "You didn't even watch my own speech." Instead, he had chased after the shy Yuki who was in a panic over speaking in front of so many people. "Honestly, I thought you were in love with her."
"Well, I've got some history with Yuki." Arata was a bit biased towards his childhood friend. "But, she needed help and you didn't. So it wasn't hard for me to make my choice."
"That just means you'll ignore me for someone else." She looked as though she was about to cry from the thought of it. "I've always tried to make you proud, but it doesn't look like you care about it."
"Of course I'm proud of you." He was astonished to think that she felt neglected by him. Perhaps there was a part of him that did feel like he had failed her as the girl's senior. Being viewed as such meant there were responsibilities that should've been minded a lot more by him. "You're a real special girl, and I'm sure there's plenty of other people who think that way."
"But I only want you to care." She replied. "I just wanted you to… Notice me, and maybe even confess before I did."
"I guess I'm just not in the position to do that." He answered, thinking over the other times he had been confessed to. Once he chose to realize his feelings for one of these girls, it was going to be over. The worst part for her was that the odds were small even if he was even with how he felt about all of them.
"And I don't know if I can handle being rejected by you." Her young heart had already felt the pain of it by him before. "That's why I decided it was better to split the way we did."
"But you can't live your life like that." As much as he didn't like bad things happening, it was inevitable in life. "You didn't even consider that I might return your feelings." There was a bit of guilt inside of him as those words exited his mouth. He knew that chances were low, even with him thinking over it. "And, even if I did reject you. It doesn't mean I want to stop being your friend." If there was ever a time he missed the girl, it was certainly during this time period. She was someone that mattered a lot in his life, and losing her would leave a hole that would be hard to fill, if at all.
"I really don't want to give you up." She wrapped her arms around him, her body language asking for someone to give her guidance that her youthful naivete couldn't provide. "I've learned so much, but I'm still a pathetic little girl whose feelings get hurt too easily."
"Everyone's got fears." He consoled her by placing a hand over the top of her head. The girl's hair was soft as it ran through his fingers. "Even I'm scared about what's going to happen in the future, but one thing I've learned is that you can't shut away from your problems." Arata had already wasted years of his life on it, so there was no way he'd allow her to do the same thing. If anything, it was better to at least try to fix them.
"If that's the case." Quickly, she got to her feet. Ichiri's face seemed a far cry from earlier as there was a boastful look of determination. "Then I'll get you to fall for me."
"What happened?" He was bewildered by her sudden change in mood.
"I'm still worried." She admitted. "But hearing you talk, it just give me hope." The girl hoped that it wasn't a false belief of taking him the wrong way. "I'll fight hard for you, even against the ones I call my closest friends."
"Ichiri…"
"Don't worry." She assured him. "I've got a lot of things to learn, I know that. But, maybe one day in the future, I'll be able to accept whatever happens. That's… The only thing I need to be able to work on." She smiled at him, her eyes getting a little tearful. "For my senior."
Finally, after a lot of effort, things were able to return to some sense of normalcy for Arata. Ichiri had also reunited with the other members of the library committee after multiple apologies and promises to make it up to the other two girls. It even seemed that Hifumi was a lot kinder to him now after things were fixed. Her irritation was most likely caused from the stress of the potential future should he had failed today.
"By the way." Arata had one more question to ask her as they rode the train back home. "How did you know I was the bear?"
"That's easy." She answered in the most arrogant manner. It might've annoyed him were it not for him missing her regular attitude during these rough weeks. "I figured it out when I said you sounded similar."
"What?" He was astounded that was when it happened. "But, that was right after you told me about the bear story."
"Yeah, I just didn't tell you because it probably would've been too embarrassing for you." Though she was more than glad to be reunited with him. In that moment, the feelings of love were beginning to bloom in her heart for him. To realize that he was the same as her first love, only fueled more to her feelings for him.
Their ride back felt a lot shorter than the one they took to get to the flower shop. Partially because there was no pervert and he wasn't feeling the pressure of getting close to her again. Soon, they got off the train and were ready to separate from each other.
"Arata." Matsu was quick to speak to him before they all left. "Can you walk me home tonight?"
"Sure." He accepted. A part of him mainly did it because he felt indebted to her for coming up clutch by helping set things up with Ichiri. However, he was also aware that she wanted some alone time with him. After all, despite never confessing her feelings to him, the boy knew about her crush thanks to some help from his sister. As well as her friend telling him the truth.
Together, they walked down the dimming streets back towards her house. "Boy, things were really crazy today." He spoke in casual conversation as they moved. "I really owe you one. Whatever you want, I'll do it for you."
"Really? Anything?" She asked.
"Well, not everything." He admitted to the limitation. "I wouldn't help you kill someone, that's for certain."
"Heh, right." She seemed a bit more withdrawn than usual to him. Sure, he could've assumed that it was due to them being alone. But even then, she was always a cheerful upbeat girl, with a bit of airheadedness, during those times as well. This felt different to him for some reason. Almost enough to really unsettle him. "I wouldn't want to force you do something you wouldn't to."
"Well, thanks." He responded with a bit of unease. There was something about her tone that made him feel something big was going to happen. "Anyway, looks like you're home now." They stopped right in front of her house with only the process of bidding each other farewell keeping him from leaving.
"Yeah…" She got quiet as she took her first steps onto her porch. Then, she slowly turned to face him. For some unknown reason to him, things were a bit awkward as they stood in front of the other.
"I guess, have a good night." He spoke up first. "I'll see you at school nex-"
"I want to go out with you!"
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