Three days after the stunning confession.

“Aaaahh! It’s not possible! I can’t do it anymore! There’s solely a lot information that my mind can take up!”

“Cease appearing like an fool and open your textbooks. Take into consideration your membership. You don’t wish to allow them to down simply since you get dangerous grades, do you? Take into consideration the mess that might occur for those who aren’t there by their facet.”

“…Aaa… I-I’ll do my finest… For everybody’s sake…”

“Good. Reply these questions first, then I’ll offer you a quiz so you possibly can overview all the things.”

Haruka, who made a full-blown confession just some days in the past, was actually in tears.

At the moment, she was being tutored by Renge in Miyama’s residence. Whereas Renge’s rationalization was clear and straightforward to know, the content material of the lesson itself was too onerous for Haruka. When Aoi entered the room with meals in her arms, Haruka already become a dwelling corpse on the tatami mats.

“I can’t… I can’t take this anymore…”

“Good grief. Advantageous, let’s take a brief break. We’ll begin the lesson once more after your break is over, okay? That is for Satou-kun’s sake too. He went out of his approach to trade his reward on your research periods with me, ?”

“Uu… Why is he so imply to me? I believed the finding out factor was simply one thing that we made up for the stalking incident…”

Seeing Haruka mendacity down on the tatami mats, Renge let loose a sigh.

“This isn’t him being imply, he simply desires the very best for you. He holds you dearly in his coronary heart, ? Are you aware that he really bowed his head, begging for me to deal with you? Don’t waste his kindness. The least factor you are able to do is to review correctly.”

“…Fiiinee.”

“Okay, I’m going to grade this, after that I’ll make a brand new set of questions for you. Aoi, I’ll depart her to you.”

“Mm, received it.”

Renge confirmed a lovely smile. She put away all of the textbooks and printouts earlier than going to her room. As quickly as Renge disappeared from her sight, Haruka, who had been mendacity down, instantly rose up and pounced on the muffins that Aoi introduced in for her.

“Thanks for the meals, Aoi! I swear, my head is about to burst! This may no less than ease the ache~”

“Don’t point out it… Anyway, Haru-kun, can I’ve a phrase with you?”

“Sure?”

Aoi sat subsequent to Haruka earlier than erasing her affectionate smile. With a critical look, she requested her a query.

“…So, three days in the past… Do you continue to keep in mind what occurred with Satou-kun?”

“Kya!”

That query made Haruka’s expression change drastically. Her face turned shiny crimson and he or she grew to become all flustered in a matter of seconds.

“W-W-What are you speaking about, Aoi?! I-I simply did that within the warmth of the second! …I-I like him, sure, b-but, y-you know…”

“…Not that, however the different factor. Do you continue to keep in mind what Satou-kun did to Kageyama-senpai?”

Seeing Haruka like that made Aoi really feel a little bit uncomfortable, however she ignored that feeling and requested one other query to her.

“Huh? Ah, the factor when he ate Misato’s dangerous feelings? Yeah, I do not forget that. Why do you ask, although? Oh, wait, are you making an attempt to inform me to not unfold that round? I assume when you have got a brilliant energy, you’d wish to conceal it, huh?”

“Yeah, please maintain quiet about it. Satou-kun will respect it too.”

“Okay! I imply, I’ve no intention to unfold it round anyway.”

Seeing Haruka cheerfully replying to her made Aoi really feel dejected.

Aoi was disenchanted over the truth that she wasn’t the one one who remembered about Takayuki’s energy. Since she heard that Misato was unable to recollect precisely what occurred again then, she hoped that it could be the case with Haruka too, however that didn’t appear to be the case. She additionally felt embarrassed over the truth that she neglected the chance that this might ever occur.

Regardless of that, her expression didn’t change. She proceeded to ask Haruka one other query.

“…Haru-kun. Do you actually love him?”

The query was a guise to cover her ugly emotions. It was a query that was requested with no single hint of fine intention behind it.

“Sure, I like him.”

Nonetheless, a lot to Aoi’s dismay, Haruka replied to her query in a simple method.

“I’ve been in love with him for a very long time now. I solely know his voice and face lately, however I do know that I like him. I like him a lot that I really feel insecure about it typically. I imply, is it actually potential to like somebody this a lot? I even thought that my thoughts was taking part in tips on me and he didn’t really exist, he was only a pigment of my creativeness to satisfy my twisted want that yearned for somebody to care about me. However that isn’t the case. He exists. He saved me and Misato. He even scolded me out of the kindness of his coronary heart. He accepted my existence, my ineffective and pathetic existence…”

Aoi felt the urge to cowl her ears, however she couldn’t do this. It could be pathetic of her to take action. That was why she determined to listen to her out till the tip, regardless of the ache that her phrases delivered to her.

“In any case, I like Kouhai-kun… I like Satou Takayuki…”

“…I believed you hated him for groping your chest.”

“Hehehe…”

Whereas enduring the ache, Aoi muttered her phrases as a way of resistance. Nonetheless, that act was futile in entrance of Haruka.

“Truthfully, now I want that he did greater than that…”

Haruka’s reply was accompanied by a teasing smile. Aoi couldn’t say something to answer to her.

*   *   *

The following day, after faculty. Aoi was scheduled to satisfy up with Takayuki.

There have been two subjects that they needed to focus on; the truth that Haruka managed to recollect about Takayuki’s potential and her confession.

At first, Takayuki solely wished to speak in regards to the first subject, however the matter of the confession bugged him a lot that Aoi urged that they need to additionally speak about it too. Usually, Takayuki was strict about this type of subject because it included another person’s personal issues, nevertheless it appeared like he took Aoi and Haruka’s shut relationship into consideration and judged that it needs to be okay to seek the advice of her about this. 

Realizing that Takayuki was making an attempt to depend on her happy Aoi, although she didn’t know why she felt that method. At the moment, Aoi was racking her mind, making an attempt to give you recommendation that he may use.

Then, got here the assembly time, 5 pm.

“What do you imply by that? Are you refusing my invitation? MY INVITATION?”

“I instructed you earlier, didn’t I? I’ve a previous appointment with somebody, you dumb younger girl.”

“Who did you name dumb, you ineffective excessive schooler!”

On the park the place they had been supposed to satisfy, Takayuki was coping with a toddler.

The kid was grabbing Takayuki’s uniform. A twin-tailed younger woman, aged round 10 to 12, sporting a one piece gown from a well-known model. The woman had a youthful face that befit her age. 

However, she and Takayuki weren’t the one folks there. If that was the case, the scene that Aoi was seeing can be a heart-warming scene of a little bit sister asking her huge brother to fawn on her. The presence of two big males sporting black fits made the scene look extra ominous than heart-warming.

“Kaiji-san, Mitora-san, please, assist me rein on this little runt!”

“Sorry, Satou-san, we are able to’t show you how to.”

“Solely the members of her household have the fitting to restrain the younger girl’s actions.”

Regardless of their look, the 2 males may solely avert their gazes from the scene that was occurring in entrance of them. Their embarrassed faces regarded considerably pathetic. They may do nothing to cease the ‘younger girl.’

“Who’re you going to satisfy? Is it a woman? Is she extra essential than my invitation?!”

“Nicely, the assembly is essential, sure and he or she’s a woman. Anyway, I promise I’ll make as much as it later, so please?”

“Hmph!”

Aggravated by Takayuki’s phrases, the so-called ‘younger girl’ puffed her cheeks and kicked Takayuki’s leg. Aoi was watching this scene from behind a merchandising machine within the park. She had no motive to cover like this, however she wasn’t idiotic sufficient to intrude on the scene.

“…Your connection is wonderful as at all times, Satou-kun.”

Aoi muttered in a small voice.

She by no means anticipated that Takayuki would befriend a giant shot just like the younger girl. She felt a little bit unhappiness when she discovered. Although, it was pure that she didn’t know, as they weren’t even that shut but.

“No, no no! If it’s a woman, then I received’t allow you to go!”

Seeing the younger girl selfishly clinging to Takayuki made Aoi really feel irritated. It reminded her of her youthful self.

Since there was nobody else that might rein the younger girl in, she determined to take motion, lest the kid’s motion anger her much more.

“You silly little sister! What the hell are you doing?!”

“H-Hii?! O-Onee-chan?!” (T/N: Query, do you favor that I exploit ‘Large sister’ or ‘Onee-chan?’ Truthfully, I feel the latter feels a little bit weeb-ish, however for those who want it, then I’ll simply use it any more. ‘Large sister’ sounds unnatural anyway, so I actually don’t care which one.)

However, earlier than she may do something, a woman sporting a highschool uniform got here working from the doorway of the park and smacked the younger girl on her head. 

“O-Onee-chan hit me… That is abuse! Home violence!”

“Shut up, you fool! Cease bothering Kaiji-san and Mitora-san! Additionally, cease troubling Takayuki! Significantly, what are you doing?!”

“B-However, Takayuki mentioned that he’ll deal with me!”

“Provided that you had been harm again then! That deal is invalid now! He mentioned that as a result of there was a risk that you just’d be injured and also you’re not in that sort of state of affairs anymore! Moreover, it was him who was harm again then! Appearing egocentric and failing to recollect the deal that you just made, the place’s your dignity as a member of the Takayama Household?!”

“Waah!”

The one who was scolding the younger girl regarded acquainted to Aoi. She was Takayama Yui, one in every of Aoi’s associates from one other class. Nonetheless, her present conduct was totally different from the one which Aoi used to. Usually, she’d attempt to be as inconspicuous as potential, however this time she regarded as domineering as a lion.

“You two, take her away whereas she’s nonetheless crying! Get her into the automobile and take her dwelling, shortly!”

““Y-Sure!””

The charisma she exuded when she commanded the 2 males felt overwhelming. She appeared just like the sort of one who’d be capable of make everybody do her bidding by simply speaking.

“So, Takayuki.”

“Sure!”

Listening to his identify being referred to as, Takayuki straightened his posture instantly.

From the best way they acted, it appeared like they recurrently did this type of routine.

“I do know that you’ve a smooth spot for my sister, so I received’t let you know something. You are able to do no matter you need along with her, I don’t care. It’s simply there’s one thing I’m inquisitive about, so reply me truthfully. Are you involving your self in one thing dumb once more?”

“…”

“Hm… So, you’re right here for another person, not your self, I see. And that somebody needs to be… No matter. Anyway, deal with your self higher. Don’t repeat the silly belongings you did again in center faculty ever once more!”

“Sure… Um, Yui…”

“Don’t name my identify casually like that! The partitions have ears!”

“Who was it that referred to as me by my identify simply now?”

“Shut it! I didn’t do it deliberately! Additionally, once I was working right here, I noticed somebody hiding behind that merchandising machine…”

Seeing their trade made Aoi really feel a deep sense of loneliness incomparable to something she ever felt earlier than. Her thoughts replayed the story that Takayuki had instructed her beforehand. The phrase ‘my pricey good friend’ that got here out from his mouth echoed repeatedly in Aoi’s thoughts.

She knew nothing about Takayuki. As soon as once more, she needed to face that harsh reality. Her chest tightened and he or she began to have hassle respiratory. She didn’t know why it occurred, although. All she may do was clutching her chest, whereas making an attempt to erase her presence.

“Um, are you okay, Miyama-san?”

However her try was futile. Takayama was already standing proper beside her.

*   *   *

“Miyama-san, can we discuss for a minute? Taka— Satou, you go away till I name you again. Shoo.”

After confirming that Aoi wasn’t sick, Takayama chased Takayuki away from the park. 

Aoi thought that the therapy Takayuki acquired was too harsh, however the boy appeared to be okay with it as he obeyed Takayama’s phrases with a happy look. This reality made her coronary heart ache much more. She tried to not present it in entrance of Takayama although.

“…Alright. Even that man wouldn’t be capable of hear us from this distance. Sorry for calling you out of the blue like this, Miyama-san.”

“It’s nice. I’ve a previous appointment with him after this although, so I’d wish to maintain this dialog temporary.”

Proper now, Takayama appeared the identical because the Takayama that Aoi knew. She didn’t have her beforehand domineering environment anymore. However, since Aoi didn’t know her true goal of calling her out, she didn’t let her guard down and used her prior appointment as an excuse to maintain Takayama in examine.

“Bought it. I’ll be blunt with you then. Do you want him, Miyama-san?”

Nonetheless, the phrases that got here out from Takayama’s mouth had been equal to a killing blow to Aoi.

“…What? Huh?”

“I do know I’m talking out of the road right here, but when your love towards him isn’t that deep, I counsel you to avoid him. Don’t even attempt to ask for a relationship with him, you’ll remorse it. However, for those who actually actually like him, then…”

Aoi couldn’t afford to maintain her feelings in examine anymore. Her try on pulling a small trick on Takayama fully backfired on her as a result of latter taking their dialog unexpectedly significantly from the start.

“Make that huge oaf fall in love with you with out fail. Who is aware of his idiocy is perhaps cured if he had been to fall in love with somebody.”

Takayama mentioned these phrases in a straight-forward method earlier than turning round and strolling away. Her brisk angle caught Aoi off guard, however earlier than Takayama left the neighborhood, Aoi managed to squeeze a phrase out of her throat.

“Wait!”

That single phrase stopped Takayama in her tracks. She didn’t flip round, solely standing there calmly whereas ready for Aoi to proceed. Aoi’s mind tried to give you a very good excuse for her to say, however her mouth already moved earlier than she managed to search out it.

“Takayama-san… Why did you mislead me about Satou-kun’s popularity again then?”

Out of curiosity, she requested that query. It was one thing that she had been questioning about for some time now.

“Hehehe…”

With a giggle, Takayama rotated to face Aoi.

“Gee, I ponder why?”

“…To maintain me away from him? That man is the sort of one who’d do all the things to assist out somebody in want, particularly if that particular person is somebody that he is aware of. You’re in all probability doing that to maintain folks away from him in order that he wouldn’t get harm unnecessarily.”

One thing got here up in Aoi’s thoughts. Again when she tried to search out out what sort of particular person Takayuki was, a few of the ladies she requested should have labored for Takayama. Although, that begged the query, ‘What number of of them labored for her?’

“Hahaha, you’re saying some attention-grabbing issues, Miyama-san.”

Even when Aoi confronted her like this, Takayama was nonetheless capable of snigger carefreely.

She was proper in entrance of her, however Aoi failed to search out out what she was considering or what sort of particular person she actually was.

“Takayama-san, inform me the reality… What do you are feeling about him?”

Aoi knew that it was ineffective, however she requested that query anyway. She felt the urgency to know in regards to the nature of the woman in entrance of her. 

“I instructed you earlier than.”

It was unknown if Takayama knew the intention behind Aoi’s query or not. She simply answered it straight-forwardly like she did beforehand.

“I hate him… I genuinely hate him with all my being.”

Takayama’s expression was indescribable.

Between laughing and crying, the 2 excessive expressions combined collectively into one thing else solely.