twenty fifth, the subsequent day.

For the primary time shortly, Sandai could be spending a day with hardly any involvement with Shino.

Sandai had gone to his part-time job as we speak, however when he was performed with that, he would don’t have anything to do.

Whereas vaguely pondering what to do, he clocked out and went exterior. And instantly after, Hajime got here operating after him.

“Wait~.”

“What?”

“I used to be pondering perhaps you’re free after this.”

“Do I appear like I’m free?”

“Hmm properly, you took a day without work yesterday, proper? And that’s so you can spend the time along with Yuizaki-san, isn’t it?”

“….You would say that.”

“However you got here to work as we speak, and also you don’t appear like you’re in a rush both, so like I used to be questioning perhaps you don’t have any plans with Yuzaki-san in any respect.”

Hajime was unexpectedly good; he splendidly guessed the state of affairs from Sandai’s phrases and conducts. Not anticipating to have it guessed in any respect, Sandai couldn’t assist however be impressed.

“…Oh wow. You’re on the mark.”

“Yay!”

“You positive are unexpectedly good, Saeki.”

“Fufu.”

“Shino’s additionally bought work as we speak, all day lengthy, and he or she stated she’d exit for dinner along with her household at evening.”

“Spending the necessary Eve with a boyfriend, and the Christmas day itself with household or buddies; that’s additionally one thing pretty frequent.”

“I see.”

“Yeah. Properly, leaving the matter about Yuizaki-san apart for a second, it’s a uncommon alternative, so c’mon, let’s hang around with me just a little in the event you’re free.”

Apparently Hajime was additionally free as we speak and wished to hang around with Sandai. Sandai was additionally occupied with how he ought to kill time, however…

One way or the other feeling like he could be betraying Shino by hanging out with Hajime, Sandai was hesitant.

“I personally don’t thoughts, however it’s simply, I really feel like I’m betraying Shino, so how do I say this, I really feel unhealthy, you see… as a result of Shino would possibly get indignant.”

“Yuizaki-san will get indignant even in the event you simply hang around with different folks just a little? Don’t inform me, she’s the possessive kind?”

“It’s as a result of her persona’s like that.”

“However we’re fellow guys, so it’s superb, isn’t it? If she complains about that, then Yuizaki-san’s just a little bit an excessive amount of. There’s no want to limit you from that.”

Sandai didn’t really feel like he was being restricted, however he additionally might perceive that what Hajime stated was appropriate as a typical opinion.

Shino’s love was heavy, precisely so.

Nonetheless, Sandai was courting her on prime of understanding that.

“I’ll gratefully settle for your level, however as for me, additionally accepting that a part of Shino and supporting her till she mellows out and softens up little by little is what I believe a boyfriend’s imagined to do.”

“In the event you’re appearing such as you’re solely placing up with it like that, you’re gonna find yourself so exhausted, so what you must do as we speak is hanging out and taking a breather with me!”

“H-Hey, hearken to what I—”

“—Strike whereas the iron is scorching!”

Earlier than understanding what was taking place, his arm was pulled by Hajime.

Sandai was wavering whether or not to refuse or not, however he additionally bought the sensation inside him that wouldn’t wish to destroy his good relationship with Hajime, thus Sandai determined to accompany him just a little.

…I assume sometimes having a day like that is additionally superb.

Sandai flippantly scratched his cheek, and seeing that, Hajime fortunately smiled.

Fingers small and slender, pores and skin seen fleetingly by means of gaps within the clothes contemporary and youthful, and the scent of shampoo and hand cream faintly drifting…

As for Sandai, he was presently making a face that appeared like it could get him poked within the eyes by Shino if she had been to witness it… Properly, now placing apart such a trivial factor.

The place Sandai bought taken alongside to was a botanical backyard. It was a spot he couldn’t actually affiliate with the phrases hanging out.

“…A botanical backyard, huh. I assumed for positive you had been gonna take me to an amusement park or one thing.”

“Amusement park? Why did you assume so?”

“You appear you prefer to D*sney’s animation, and I assumed you’d wanna go to its Land or Sea.”

“I do like D*sney’s animation, and I don’t dislike its Land or Sea both, however I imply, it’s completely gonna be packed as we speak, you realize? I don’t wanna look forward to like an hour to get on an attraction.”

Definitely, it appeared that it could be crowded with folks going there to have enjoyable with households and such.

“I see now. On Christmas, it’ll be crowded since there’s additionally lots of people going out with households… is it? And Shino’s going out for dinner along with her household, too.”

“That ‘…is it?’ is a kinda bizarre means of claiming it, huh? I imagine you’ve bought a household even in the event you’re a self-proclaimed loner unhealthy at socializing, however didn’t you, like, have enjoyable along with yours on Christmas?”

“My mother and father are busy with work and have at all times been away from dwelling. That’s why I’ve been having enjoyable on Christmas alone. I performed one thing like Jenga or Recreation of Life.”

“B-By your self?”

“On my own.”

“…I really feel like I’ve requested one thing I shouldn’t. Sorry.”

“It’s gonna be a injury to my spirit in the event you attempt to be thoughtful like that.”

His childhood was a bygone previous. That was why he concluded that there was no that means in pondering something about that point.

That stated, when remembering his youngster self with a dripping snot on the verge of tears taking part in, there could be lots of injury.

“I’m actually sorry.”

“It’s already up to now now. It doesn’t hassle me in any means.”

“One way or the other you appear like you’re pretending to be powerful, although…”

“That’s not true. We’re now performed with this subject.”

Sandai was actually not pondering of something about it. Although, it apparently regarded otherwise to Hajime’s eyes, and he regarded considerably apologetic.

Nonetheless, with Sandai killing off the subject, Hajime simply went with peering at Sandai with a look for a second and stopped citing the subject, maybe having judged going additional would solely trigger troubles.

After they entered the botanical backyard, there have been numerous flowers of assorted colours. It appeared the management of temperature and humidity was thorough, as there have been additionally sections the place flowers that will solely bloom in summer time exhibiting off their stunning petals.

“You recognize, flowers are simply cleaning to the guts, aren’t they…”

“Is that so?”

“That’s proper. I imply, they’re fairly, they scent good, and it seems like there’s numerous oxygen in addition!”

“I believe the oxygen half’s simply your creativeness, you realize?”

“Eh?”

“Crops do photosynthesis, however they require carbon dioxide for photosynthesis within the first place, and it’ll even be unhealthy for vegetation when there’s extra oxygen. In a botanical backyard, it’s potential that they’re filling in carbon dioxide in the midst of the day like now as a substitute for photosynthesis.”

“…”

“I’ll go forward and say it, however wanting on the greater image, the combination quantity of oxygen on Earth shouldn’t be one thing that’ll change simply. You recognize that earth is rotating, proper?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“The Earth is rotating from the west to east. What comes out from which can be westerlies and easterlies. These two winds will at all times blow so long as the Earth’s gyration doesn’t cease. This ‘will at all times blow’ is the purpose.”

“O-Ooh…”

“Primarily by means of these two atmospheric circulation, each the oxygen produced from photosynthesis at day in a single space and the carbon dioxide produced from vegetation respiratory at evening in a single space…”

“Cease speaking like we’re having a category at college~!”

Hajime repeatedly hit Sandai’s shoulders.

“W-Properly, it’s like stuff taught in science class in center faculty. It’s not prefer it’s a subject that tough both.”

“I’m saying this isn’t the time and place to speak about stuff like that. Are you doing it on goal? You may speak about a laxer subject, you realize? Fujiwara-kun.”

A laxer subject, it was tough for Sandai, although…

When he was with Shino, he might even have that form of discuss, however Hajime was totally different from Shino.

Even when Sandai had been to additionally use the best way he would deal with Shino, who was his girlfriend, it could positively be bizarre. You would say it was a problem too excessive to ask of a loner who had by no means made a good friend of the identical intercourse.

Nonetheless, it was additionally true that the one factor he might use as reference was his interactions with Shino, and there was additionally the saying that the proof was within the pudding.

Solely as soon as, Sandai determined to strive to consider and act in direction of Hajime as if he was Shino.

…If I come right here along with Shino… proper, I in all probability would assume I want to see her wanting joyful.

Whereas murmuring, Sandai walked round whereas looking out. After which he noticed a kiosk instantly after, so he considered getting some form of current.

“You’re going to the kiosk? Is there one thing you wanna get?”

“Kinda. Look forward to me.”

“Okaaay.”

Sandai entered the kiosk alone.

Lower flowers, meals merchandise, equipment… It was a kiosk with an unexpectedly ample assortment, however he ignored cumbersome stuff, and issues that appeared like it could hassle the opposite occasion after giving it to them.

For instance lower flowers; they regarded good, however the care afterwards could be a hassle.

Meals merchandise had been higher to some extent, however nonetheless, lots of it had cumbersome bins, so going dwelling with it could be tough.

“…Equipment left, huh.”

Sandai zeroed in on equipment and regarded by means of every kind of it. There have been hairpin, earring, necklace, ring and so forth.

It wasn’t well-built by any means, and it was additionally cheap for the value, starting from a number of hundred yen to a number of thousand yen. It was actually numerous objects you’d anticipate finding in a kiosk. Maybe calling it one thing like a toy one would purchase as a present for youngsters could be an easy-to-understand description.

With regard as to if he would give any of those to Shino… he in all probability wouldn’t, however it was pointless to make the remedy precisely the identical both.

Pondering a bit, Sandai selected a hairpin with a fresh-looking white flower work. Performing quick to purchase after deciding on it, he rapidly paid the invoice and returned to Hajime.

“Welcome again. What did you purchase?”

“I went to purchase this. I’ll give it to you, Saeki. We’ve come all the best way right here collectively, so I considered giving one thing to recollect, you see.”

Sandai went and put the hair pin on Hajime’s hair.

“That is… a pin?”

Hajime was stunned and regarded alternatingly between Sandai and the hairpin whereas repeatedly blinking; wanting troubled at response with the sudden current, so to say

“You didn’t go purchase a memento for Yuizaki-san, or something like that?”

“Nah, when giving a gift to Shino, I’m pondering it’s higher to decide on it collectively if potential. It’s greatest to ask the individual in query what she needs, and properly, it’s additionally my very own means of reflecting.”

“Reflecting…? Ah, might or not it’s the underwear current you stated earlier than? I see, you spent the Eve along with Yuizaki-san, so which means you’ve given it? How was her response?”

Hajime knew concerning the underwear Christmas current as a result of Sandai had ended up asking Hajime about it.

At the moment, Sandai had gotten inspired by Hajime that it could in all probability be superb.

And it could be fairly unfair to not inform the outcome, thus Sandai actually went and informed Hajime.

“…She wasn’t that into it.”

“I see, I see. She wasn’t into it, I see. And so it went superb like I stated.”

“You’re proper. It was such as you stated… Actually, thanks.”

“No no no, don’t point out it.”

Hajime joined his fingers collectively behind his again, out of the blue rotated 180 levels to the suitable, and started to stroll. And Sandai went and adopted after Hajime with mild steps.

Afterwards, after kind of wanting round contained in the botanical backyard, they killed a while downtown. After they observed, it was already nightfall.

“Nng… that was enjoyable!”

“It was enjoyable for me, too. One thing like that is the primary for me, so I felt it’s all of the extra so.”

Spending time with Hajime had a unique form of enjoyable than when along with Shino. Sandai thought, that the enjoyable of spending time along with a good friend absolutely should really feel like this.

As he thought so, the sensation of eager to develop into correct buddies with Hajime welled up.

Had it been somebody outgoing or a partygoer, they in all probability would understand that they had been already buddies, however as for Sandai who was clueless in that space, he determined to place it into phrases.

“Hey… so.”

“Hmm?”

“Umm… so.”

“Is there one thing you wanna say? It’s already getting darkish and time to move dwelling, so I’d find it irresistible in the event you rapidly say it in the event you’ve bought something to say.”

Please be my good friend—it was only some phrases, however it couldn’t simply come out when it was time to place it into phrases.

“…Don’t fret. I’m not gonna get mad even when it’s something bizarre, you realize? ‘Trigger you see, I’m somebody broad-minded.”

Sandai felt like he had gotten the final push with that, so he made up his thoughts.

“Please be my frie—”

Nonetheless, a wind blew proper when he had stated that a lot. It was a wind with pressure to it, and that wind concurrently pulled up Hajime’s jacket and the shirt beneath.

In that second, the circulation of time was like a sluggish movement. After which, when Hajime’s chest was virtually fully seen—

“—My-My eyes! My eyes!”

For some purpose, he bought poked within the eyes by Hajime. Because of that, Sandai wounded up rolling round on the bottom in ache.

“W-Why did you poke my…”

“Properly, I simply thought it was kinda harmful simply now.”

“Harmful? W-What was?”

“‘Trigger it was virtually seen.”

“Nearly seen? It definitely felt that means, however we’re fellow guys and… like when altering garments, you’d invite me to do it collectively, wouldn’t you… I’d refuse, however…”

“About that, I assumed you’re somebody who would refuse, so I’ve simply been teasing you with that, although,” Hajime talked softly as if murmuring.

As Sandai was nonetheless affected by the ache in his eyes, he couldn’t catch what Hajime was speaking in a low voice, even when Sandai tried to.

It was solely after a number of minutes that the ache lastly subsided.

“T-That harm.”

“Sorry. Was on reflex.”

“On reflex…”

“That’s why sorry. That apart, I didn’t absolutely hear it however I might inform what it was. Even in the event you don’t say one thing like that, we’re already buddies, you realize?”

Sandai’s eyes had been nonetheless hazy, besides, he might simply inform that Hajime with the setting solar behind his again was fortunately smiling.

It was solely Sandai who thought that they nonetheless weren’t buddies. Hajime had thought from earlier that they had been buddies.

When Sandai realized that, he out of the blue misplaced energy one way or the other.

“So long,” Hajime stated and waved his hand.

Sandai waved again with a wry smile and noticed off Hajime strolling away.

Nonetheless, simply what Hajime might’ve murmured earlier?

The thriller of a femboy deepened.