Fuutarou:"Well, this is bad."

Fuutarou checked downstairs to see the door and the windows locked.

Fuutarou:"That makes sense...The windows in the second floor are unlocked, but I don't feel like risking my life...Not to mention she's still sleeping."

As he went back to his classroom, he saw the quint sleeping.

Fuutarou:[Honestly, what's she doing sleeping here?]

Fuutarou then heard a small sound coming from inside the opened it to see his backpack and looked inside to see his phone vibrating. It was Itsuki calling him. He walked out of the room so as to not make any noise.

Fuutarou:"Yeah?"

Itsuki:"Uesugi-san! You finally picked up. Have you seen Miku? We left her in the nurse's. The school building is closed, so we assume she's gone somewhere else but she won't pick up her phone."

Fuutarou:"Uh, about that…"

…

Itsuki:"I-I see."

Fuutarou:"I'll wake her up now while we wait for you guys to get help."

Itsuki:"Right, we'll try to get help as quickly as possible."

Itsuki hung up.

Fuutarou:[Gah. 32 missed calls...Now, about her…]

Fuutarou goes towards the desk and begins poking her cheek.

Fuutarou:"Hey, wake up."

He continued to poke her cheek.

Fuutarou:"This is kinda fun."

As expected, Miku woke up right as Fuutarou poked her again.

Miku:"W-What!?"

Fuutarou:"This is becoming a pattern. Wake up, sleepy head."

Miku rubbed her eyes before looking out the window. She checked her phone, which was turned off due to a lack of battery.

Fuutarou:[I guess that explains why…] "The second day is over."

Miku:"Y-Yeah, we should go then. I can't believe I passed out."

Fuutarou:"Eh, it happens. By the way, don't bother leaving."

Miku:"...Am I being kidnapped?"

Fuutarou:"Correct, I'm using you as a hostage to get money."

Miku:"Haha."

Fuutarou:"But, seriously, we're locked inside."

Miku:"Ehh?"

Fuutarou:"Lost track of time. Don't worry, Itsuki's already getting help to get us out of here."

Fuutarou sat down on the floor. Miku tried getting up, but her legs were still weak, so she just crawled to the spot next to him.

Fuutarou:"What are you doing?"

Miku:"Don't mind me."

Eventually, Fuutarou and Miku were sitting together, leaning against the wall.

Miku:"So what now?"

Fuutarou:"We sit here until we get rescued."

Miku:"Ehh…"

Fuutarou:"I was surprised to see you here. You must have put in a lot of work to be this tired. Pancake making is no joke."

Miku:"Yeah, Nino helped me get back on track though."

Fuutarou:"Nino, huh?"

Miku:"Speaking of, did you ever sort out what was happening with her?"

Fuutarou:"Nah, I wasn't able to...Making a lot of stupid desicions didn't help either."

Miku:"It happens. We just have to try again."

Fuutarou:"Well, this was especially egregious. Like an idiot, I went to your dad's hospital with no plan which left Yotsuba alone."

Miku:"I see, so that's why Yotsuba..."

Fuutarou:"Oh, you already know?"

Miku:"Through word of mouth. Yotsuba really overworks herself, doesn't she?"

Fuutarou:"Yeah, that can't be good for her."

Miku:"..." [Fuutarou will probably get mad, but…] "Yotsuba took the clipboard, but she shouldn't worry about today's activities."

Fuutarou:"Huh?"

Miku:"I, uh...decided to take on the south side of her activities, she really overloaded herself. No wonder some of the other students weren't doing much…"

Fuutarou:"I see…" [So it wasn't Yotsuba…]

Miku:"I'm sorry that I did that without asking, but I really wanted to help her."

Fuutarou:"That's fine..."

Miku:"Phew, a part of me thought you'd get angry-"

Fuutarou began pulling her cheeks.

Miku:"Bhyyy!?"

Fuutarou:"Don't you start pulling a Yotsuba."

Miku:"The only thing I'll pull…"

Miku then grabbed Fuutarou's cheeks. After a little while, they both let go, unable to hold back their laughter at each other's faces.

Fuutarou:"...Of course I'm a little angry. Even though you were already giving it your all with the food stall, you still took on her tasks. Honestly, you're lucky you didn't pass out in the middle of the festival. But...that's probably not what you should hear right now..."

Miku:"F-Fuutarou's become more sensitive to such things, huh?"

Fuutarou:"I can take it back."

Miku:"I'm just glad I could help."

Fuutarou:"...I also want to thank you, you helped me as well. I took on the north side's tasks and was surprised to hear they were done."

Miku:"I see."

Fuutarou:"Honestly, this festival has been a massive pain. I haven't even gotten to enjoy anything...I even put myself in a dumb mindset that I didn't need to have fun."

Miku put her hand on Fuutarou's shoulder.

Miku:"You've done your absolute best. There's nothing to be ashamed of, everyone has those moments."

Fuutarou:"Do they…"

Miku:"Yeah...Itsuki was thinking the same things…"

Fuutarou:"So you saw it as well."

Miku:"Yeah, I let myself go a little bit and told her it wasn't healthy. I don't doubt that she'll try to go back to her routine tomorrow."

Fuutarou:"...Well, you already did more than me."

Miku:"...Ichika didn't come today, did she?"

Fuutarou:"I guess not…" [So she really didn't come…]

Miku:"That face tells me you had something to do with it. You didn't break her heart, did you?"

Fuutarou:"...In a way, I might have done something worse."

Miku:"I'm sure you have your reasons, but will you try and make up with her?"

Fuutarou:"...That might be hard…"

Miku:"I see."

Fuutarou:"I think I might be too hungry, I'm starting to smell pancakes."

Miku:"O-Oh! Sorry."

Miku began to scoot away from Fuutarou, thinking it was her smell.

Miku:"How embarrassing."

Fuutarou:"It's not coming from you."

After some searching, Fuutarou found the source.

Fuutarou:"It's coming from your bag."

Miku:"...Ah! I completely forgot!"

Miku reached into her bag and out came a box. She opened it to see a batch of pancakes, although very beaten up.

Miku:"At least they didn't spill. But, now they're kind of ruined."

Fuutarou:"What are you talking about? This is great."

Fuutarou reached out and grabbed the pancake box.

Miku:"What are you…?"

Fuutarou:"I never did get to try out your pancakes, did I?"

Miku:"T-Those are really old now, they won't be-"

Before Miku could finish, Fuutarou had already begun to eat. Miku could only watch as Fuutarou gulped them all down.

Miku:"W-What if you get sick? They're gonna have to pump your stomach!"

As Miku is panicking, Fuutarou puts down the box.

Fuutarou:"How weird…"

Miku:"Are you alright!?"

Fuutarou:"Yeah, it's just...that was more delicious than normal."

Miku blushed, but she took away the now empty box.

Miku:"T-They weren't made any different, maybe mold grew on these…"

Fuutarou:"That's not it, there was something different about them."

Fuutarou began to ponder as Miku watched on. Before long, Fuutarou opened his eyes and looked at Miku.

Miku:"..."

Fuutarou:"I wonder if this is…"

Fuutarou fell silent, before suddenly going into a fit of laughter much to Miku's shock.

Miku:[Fuutarou's turning weird!]

Fuutarou:"High places."

Miku:"Huh?"

Fuutarou:"The question you asked me back at the aquarium. I like to go to high places to best think about certain things. This spot could work, but maybe the roof would be better."

Miku:"I-I see, I suppose I did ask that."

Fuutarou:"...You know...I had believed for a truly long time that I could do everything by myself...Ever since I met that girl six years ago."

Miku:"That girl. Yes, you've told us about her. Haha, it's a shame we don't know who that was."

Fuutarou:"...Did you know that I believed you were that girl for a bit?"

Miku:"Eh? How so?"

Fuutarou:"Looking back, you really had nothing in common, but I still put you in that position. But, you wouldn't lie like that, huh?"

Miku:"Lie? So you think the one that met you remembers?"

Fuutarou:"I believe that, yes…She remembers, but she doesn't want to bring it up possibly due to guilt..."

Miku:"I see." [Could it be Ichika? It would explain her not being here...Nino? No that doesn't fit with her personality...Itsuki? I want to say no, but recently, she's been acting like that...But if it's not her...Then…]

Fuutarou:"You already have an idea as well, don't you?"

Miku:"Would it really be her?"

Fuutarou:"That's my conclusion. However, that's not all. There's been someone using your mom's name to meet up with me who says she's the one who met me."

Miku:"Really? But...would she really do that?"

Fuutarou:"Exactly, she's not the type to do something like that. So, I believe it's someone else that's been helping her. And there's one person that could fit the bill."

Miku:"If that's true, it could only be…"

Fuutarou:"You're thinking what I'm thinking?"

Miku:"Maybe...But why tell me this?"

Fuutarou:"Hmm…"

Fuutarou leaned against the wall while looking away.

Fuutarou:"I guess it's because...I trust you."

Miku blushed again. She looked away as well.

Fuutarou:"I'm one hell of an idiot. This whole time, I tried to convince myself of some really stupid things while trying to block out those people in my final moments of desperation. But, it's those people that helped me grow, that turned me into who I am today. It was my own fear of regret and embarrassment that led me to feeling those very things."

Miku:"...I think I know how that feels. I want to do as much as I can for both myself and them...before I have to leave. I've decided...I refuse to run away anymore!"

Fuutarou:"...That's just like you. Miku, you're the one person I can ask this...Just one question."

Miku:"Yes?"

Fuutarou:"Will you help me?"

With no hesitation, Miku answered.

Miku:"Of course. If you're fine with me."

Fuutarou:"I should be asking you that."

…

Fuutarou:[For some reason, I feel more at ease.]

Miku:[I'm glad it's dark, or else he'd see how red my face is.] "I should check to see if help has gotten here yet…"

Miku tried to get up, but her legs were still too weak and buckled, making her fall towards Fuutarou.

Fuutarou:"W-Watch out!"

In the darkness, only a thud could be heard. By the time Miku opened her eyes and adjusted her vision, she could see her position. She had fallen on top of Fuutarou. Eventually, her eyes and Fuutarou's met in the middle of the dark.

Fuutarou:"...This is…"

Miku:"F-Fuutarou…"

End of Chapter 75