"Kokomi?"

She doesn't respond. I try again, a little louder this time. Finally she looks up. "O-Oh, sorry Chiyo. I.." She seems to finally notice the blouse I was showing to her. "Y-Yeah, that looks really cute. I.. I think it'll go well with that skirt you bought earlier."

I share a look with Mikocchi before looking back at her. I don't want to be the one to tell her that we were discussing clothes for her. Before I can say anything though, Mikocchi does it for me. "Might be a little too flashy for Chiyopippi though. Teruhashi-san, why don't you give it a try?"

"Me?"

Mikocchi gives her a nod and I follow suit. "Y-yeah. It might be a little too much for me. Why don't you give it a shot?"

"O-okay.." As we watch her float over to the changing room, I try to keep up my cheery smile but I can feel it growing taut. As the curtains finally draw behind her, I share another look with Mikocchi.

"She's.. she's a bit out of it today, huh?"

"I think it's more than a 'bit'..."

I sigh. I've never seen Kokomi like this. Honestly, I'm starting to get worried.

"Do you have any idea why she's like this?" Mikocchi asks, and I rack my brain. "I did think she sounded weird over the phone... And even though normally she's the one to arrive half-an-hour ahead of everyone, for some reason she was the last one to arrive today..."

I think back to this morning.

I was honestly really looking forward to this shopping trip. Mikocchi and Kokomi rarely hang out together, so this seemed like the perfect time to get all the girls together for some Christmas shopping to relieve all the post-exam stress.

I had this whole list of things I wanted to buy for my 'date' with Kaidou-kun over Christmas. I say 'date' because I have the distinct inkling Kaidou-kun will think it appropriate to invite the guys along, but whatever. I'll take it, dammit.

I would have thought Kokomi would have been in high spirits too, with her own preparations going on for Christmas. In reality though...

"Ne, Mikocchi," something occurs to me, "Can't you use your fortune telling to figure out what might have happened?"

It sounded like a good idea in my head. Mikocchi doesn't seem to share that opinion from the look on her face though. "I don't know if she'll appreciate us prying."

"Maybe. But desperate times call for desperate measures," I try to persuade.

I don't think calling it a desperate situation would be an exaggeration. I've never seen Kokomi like this before. Sure, she has days where she looks a bit more tired than usual, but this..

I don't know.

Before I can get Mikocchi to reconsider though, we overhear the sound of the curtains sliding as Kokomi slowly steps out of the changing room.

Despite our previous apprehension, we can't help an "Offu!". Others join us.

"Looking good," Mikocchi offers. I fully agree. The blouse hugs her curves nice and soft, the crisp white with minimal lilac polka dots beautifully complementing her alabaster skin, and contrasting the dark of her hair. She offers a small smile.

"It really does look great," I add. Everything does look great where Kokomi is concerned but I think she could use hearing it out loud right now. "I'm sure the guys would be blown away."

That had been meant to cheer her up. If anything though, her smile looks more strained than ever.

"Uh, Kokomi...," I say tentatively. "Is... is something.. wrong?"

Maybe that hadn't been the best way to put it. I don't know if I imagined it, but for a second, I thought I saw a glint of panic flashing through her eyes.

The very next moment, it was like a switch had been pressed. Her posture, the look on her eyes, even the complexion of her face, all of it had changed. "Whatever do you mean?" said a bright cheery face that was undeniably the "normal" Teruhashi Kokomi. That vibrance and radiating personality that could light up a room just from her being there, that charm and charisma she exuded as naturally as the sun exuded heat. It was like the past hour had been just a weird fever dream and Teruhashi Kokomi, the "normal" Teruhashi Kokomi had been with us all along.

Mikocchi, I see from the corner of my eye, is just as surprised. Before either of us can comment though, the Teruhashi Kokomi that had suddenly appeared in front of us spoke up again. "Really sorry if I've been acting a little off this morning, guys. I'd been so excited for this trip. I'd been really late to bed yesterday night reading up on fashion mags. Sorry if that's ruined the mood-" "Oh no. Not at all-" I try to interject but she continues. "Don't worry though! I feel really fresh after getting into these new clothes. The fabric just makes you feel so snug and alive. I think I totally need to get a skirt that goes with it!"

With that said, she quickly darts over to the nearest line up of skirts and starts checking them out. As I watch her go, I can't decide what I should feel. Relieved at the explanation she gave us just now? It seemed plausible. Though as I watch the girl prying through the array of skirts lined up on a particular clothesline, I can't help but feel an uncomfortable feeling well up in my gut.


"A double matcha latte with a topping of chocolate flakes, oh, and a slice of matcha chiffon cake!" She pauses for a second. "Wait, make it a half slice of cake, and could you use almond milk in the latte?"

Nodding, the woman jots down the order before coming over to me.

"Just a cup of chamomile tea for me, please."

I notice Chiyo frown slightly, but she doesn't prod. I appreciate it. I'm just not feeling very hungry at the moment...

The waitress nods as she writes down my order, then hops over to take Aiura-san's order.

"I'll have... the purple yam pancakes with whipped cream and strawberries on top, and an iced caramel macchiato."

..Out of habit, I have the urge to make a mental note tracking what menu items Aiura-san seemed to prefer, but I push it aside. It feels really wrong for some reason right now...

Aiura Mikoto.

Even though we've shared classes for quite a few years at this point, I can't say I really know her any more than I did when she first transferred. We don't really talk a lot, do we?

Since this was the first time Chiyo-chan had invited both me and Aiura-san together for shopping, I had had ideas about trying to make a good impression on her.

Right now though. I can't bring myself to care. Not about this 'long-awaited' girls' day out. Not about upsetting Chiyo-chan. Or about making friends with Aiura-san. Honestly, I'm not even sure why I'm even bothered with showing up.

Even though it feels like almost every single cell in my body is imploring me to go back home. What little refuge it is. I think it'd still be a million times better than whatever this.. charade is.

Why did I decide to come today anyway?

Oh, right..

Distraction..

I wanted a distraction.

And as soon as I think that, my mind's trying to naturally follow that line of thought to what I needed a distraction from...

I can't help my fists clenching to that half-thought. It's a good thing I took the seat across from the two. This illusion, however tenuous, of normalcy - I'd rather it hold out.

But despite myself, I can't help asking. For the umpteenth time. The same question that's kept me awake all night.

Why?

I remember staring holes into the ceiling over my bed, just playing back his words over and over in my head.

"I'm sorry... But I can't return your feelings."

Why? Why did things turn out like this?

What did I do wrong, Saiki?

Did I do something to make a bad impression on you?

Did you not like me pestering you about things in class?

Bugging you about classwork?

Did you not like it when Kurumi-chan invited me over to your place without asking you first?

Did I do something to make you hate me? When? When I made your brother dislike me? When I made a bad impression on Yuuta? Or was it when my brother tried to harass you?

...Am I not your type?

What is your type, Saiki-kun? Gyarus? I tried that. I tried that, Saiki. Changed my hair color and personality and everything. Did I over do it? Did it put you off? Me trying too hard to change my image? Or maybe I wasn't pulling off the Gyaru look quite the way you wanted?

What is it that I'm doing wrong?

Is it.. Is it because I'm too popular?

I don't know how that thought popped into my mind last night. But it came bubbling like some horrible flash of inspiration. Saiki Kusuo liked obscure things. I knew that. He went out of his way to avoid anything that was too trendy or popular. A consistent pattern across the shows, the books and games he liked.

Did... Did he not like popular girls?

But Aiura-san is considerably popular at school too? Not as much as Imu-chan, perhaps, but she's more popular with the girls at least.

Did... Did Saiki Kusuo like Aiura Mikoto?

I.. I don't know. I don't even know if I want to know.

I-

Am I not good enough as Aiura-san for him?

I...

Where did I go wrong...?


"Teruhashi-san?"

The girl doesn't seem to react.

"Teruhashi-san?" She tries again, louder this time. The girl looks up, flustered for a microsecond, before schooling her expression into a polite apologetic smile.

"I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention. What were you saying again?"

Aiura returned a strained smile.

"Uh, your phone's been ringing for a while now."

Kokomi followed her gaze to the apparatus vibrating on the table. It was turned facing down, so she didn't immediately see who was calling. The ring cut off just as she reached for it.

Picking it up a bit awkwardly, she let out a small, "Oh," as she read through the missed call notification. "It's Imu-chan," she explained.

"Uh," she looked up to ask for permission to call back in private, when she seemed to realize something.

"Where did Chiyo-chan go?"

Aiura gave her a strange look. "Uh, Chiyopippi got a call from home, and went to take it in private."

"I-I see."

Oh, god. How embarrassing. She really hadn't been paying attention.

"I'll- I'll be back in a moment." Kokomi strung together her words a bit hastily, gesturing at her phone.

Aiura returned a polite, if not a little strained, nod.

"Take your time."


Speed walking over to a quieter corner of the mall, Kokomi took a second to blanch at the number of unread messages she'd piled up. Some eighty seven messages, and three missed calls.

Quickly dialing back, she heard two rings before the call connected. "Hel-"

"Senpai!"

The other girl cried before she could even get a word out.

"I've been trying to reach you all day! Did you not get any of my messages yesterday? What happened with Saiko? Did that guy try to pull anything untoward towards you? I-I'm so sorry! It's my fault! I told you you should go. I didn't think he would do something so scumbaggy! I was so worried when I could reach you even late into the night! I could have swore something bad happened! What did happen? Did-"

"I-Imu-chan!" Kokomi cut into her frantic rant. "I-I'm fine." Mostly. "S-Saiko-kun didn't do anything untowards me or anything. He was... courteous." Mostly. "He wanted to let me know that he was going abroad next year, and... wanted to ask me to come with him."

The line fell silent for a second.

"Did... Did you agree to go?" She sounded like she was holding her breath, and it almost elicited a small chuckle on Kokomi's face.

"No. No I did not."

The girl let out what sounded like a giant sigh of relief. Taking a second to collect herself, the girl finally returned a, "I-I see."

This time Kokomi couldn't help a small chuckle.

"I'm not going anywhere, Imu-chan."

"That's good to hear." There was a small pause. "Then.. Was there something else keeping you, yesterday? My messages didn't go through. I even tried calling once, but you didn't pick up... Is something the matter, senpai?"

Kokomi's smile wore off.

She wasn't sure what to tell her.

"...Ne, Imu-chan."

"..?"

"Yesterday.. when you were helping me search for Saiki-kun... I want to let you know that I really appreciated it. You didn't have to, but you took time out to help. I really do appreciate it."

"What are you saying, senpai? Of course, I'd help!" The girl said in a way that suggested she'd puffed out her chest. It almost made Kokomi smile.

"Even though you weren't a fan of Saiki-kun?" she tried to tease.

The girl seemed to think it over for a moment.

"I'm not. I'm really not. I honestly can't even begin to imagine what you see in him." Her voice conveyed the same energy as an exasperated roll of the eyes. "But, even though I don't like Saiki Kusuo," her voice shed its levity, "at the end of the day, if he can make you happy, then..."

Rifuta wasn't one for sappy conversations, so seemed to struggle to find the right words. But she eventually did.

"I'd just prefer for senpai to be happy."


"Denim?" Chiyo asked, not looking convinced. The orangette held up a beige blazer in her hand, looking across from the Denim jacket Kokomi had proposed. The two looked to Aiura for her thoughts. It was intended for the blonde after all.

The girls had reconvened earlier, finishing their meals, and had gone around to check a few other stores.

In Aiura's hand was a sleek black floral jumpsuit, with scarlet and orange patterns scattered along it. Kokomi's recommendation seemed to be a dark denim jacket to go with it. Chiyo thought a beige blazer would look better.

Aiura looked from one to the other, a contemplative frown on her face.

"You know what, I'll try 'em both on," she said, before grabbing the two options and jumping into the nearest changing room.

There was a momentary lull as the two girls watched her go. Chiyo tapped her foot, as if thinking something.

"Now that I'm thinking about it," Chiyo spoke up, "maybe light beige wouldn't go that well with Mikocchi's tan after all. Denim might be the way to go..."

Kokomi thought it over for a moment.

"I don't think that's necessarily the case, Chiyo-chan. I do think it could work really well on a lighter top. Maybe something dark burgundy or similar. I could show you what I mean." Kokomi said, making to look through some of the tops arranged on a nearby rack.

"Burgundy, you said?" Chiyo dropped next to her, rifling through the tops hanging off the lower rack.

As the two searched for a few seconds, "Ne, Kokomi," Chiyo said.

"..?"

"I'm sorry I couldn't keep Saiki-kun yesterday. I was sure he was right behind me. I got distracted for a moment when I saw you heading into the first-year classroom - people were talking about some fight or something - and before I realized it, Saiki'd completely disappeared and-"

"I-It's -It's fine, Chiyo. You don't have to worry abou-"

"No," the orangette interjected, swerving around to look the girl in the eye. "Kokomi. It's fine to be mad, you know? I'm sure you had plans in mind. Things you wanted to say to him. I tried asking him where he'd been going with Mikocchi, but he just brushed it off. Mikocchi told me later that he owed her a drink or something, but she didn't know where he went afterwards. I... I was being so caught up with my own business with Kaidou-kun, I didn't realize it was bothering you so much!"

"Ch-Chiyo-chan," Kokomi frantically tried to get the girl to calm down, "i-it's not that. That's not the thing bothering me. I'm sorry if I gave you that impression. And it's fine for you to prioritize yourself, Chiyo. You didn't have to go out of your way to keep him. And I'm honestly really happy that you went that far for me. I really am!"

Chiyo was silent for a moment.

"Something is bothering you though, then?"

Kokomi internally grimaced. She'd slipped.

Chiyo took one look at her face. And decided she'd drop it. She'd never seen Kokomi make an expression quite like this before. She didn't want to make it worse for her by pestering her.

"I-I'll drop it." She said. And Kokomi couldn't be more grateful.

There was another momentary lull in the conversation, as the two girls continued semi-awkwardly rifling through their respective racks. "Speaking of Kaidou-kun, though," Kokomi started, "How... How is it going between the two of you, if its alright with me asking?"

Chiyo paused, her cheeks flushing light red for a moment, before it was replaced by a slightly more despondent expression.

"Kokomi, I don't know how you do it... I almost never see you studying, but somehow you're always in the top fifteen in the grade. I.. I really believe that the power of love can overcome any barrier, but I still can't seem to close the gap between me and Kaidou-kun academically."

Kokomi reflected on that for a moment, idly running her fingers through one of the clothes she'd looked up.

Chiyo's rank at the end of second year had barely hovered around a hundred and sixty. Kaidou on the other hand had always managed to keep his rank within the top thirty rather consistently. Kokomi tried to recall what Kaidou's first choice in university was.

"Uwaisumanu Daigaku.. was it?" Chiyo looked up at her words. "His first choice university."

Second, if she remembered correctly, was Puradouji. Third was Jiinieusuu. She had enough prudence to not verbalize herself memorizing all three though.

"I.. I didn't decide to go to the same university as Kaidou-kun on a whim, you know?" Chiyo said, like she was trying to convince herself of the fact. "I-I know it might seem stupid. Basing my entire future on a dime like that. But," her voice regained her usual energy and determination, "I don't want to have any regrets."

Kokomi thought it over.

There was a cynical way to look at her words. And there was a more optimistic way to look at it. Kokomi would be the last person to think Chiyo's feeling fickle, but it was a fact that feelings sometimes changed. No teacher worth their salt would recommend their students basing their choice of university simply based on the person they liked attending it as well.

Kokomi was no cynic though. Not when it came to matters of the heart.

Seifutii. Kommonu. Abureiji. Saiki's top three choices for universities he was considering applying to.

...Kokomi's as well. At least that was how it was supposed to be...

In Chiyo's case, the girl had come all the way to rank ninety seven within the last semester. It was a tremendous improvement by any measure. But even then, it was still a long way from being competitive for a top of the line university like Uwaisumanu.

And who knew what developments the latest examinations would bring?

"Chi-"

"Kokomi," Chiyo inadvertently cut her off. There was a certain undertone to her words.

"Did you know? Mikocchi's fortune telling - it's never wrong, apparently."

Kokomi had heard other people saying something to that effect. The consensus from all the girls who'd tried out her fortune reading services was that Aiura Mikoto's fortune telling was impeccably accurate, as far as anyone at school knew.

"I haven't brought it up with her lately, but.. when she'd first transferred, I ended up getting a fortune reading from her. About.. About my prospects in romance."

Kokomi remembered Chiyo mentioning something like that a long time ago. But she'd never gotten the full details. Letting go of the clothes she'd been examining, she turned her full attention to Chiyo.

"She said I had really low compatibility with the guy I liked. Two percent.. I know she didn't mean anything bad by it, and later even said that it shouldn't necessarily deter me from trying, but... I don't know... What if we don't end up getting in the s-same university-"

"Chiyo," Kokomi cut her off a little too firmly. Chiyo had her lips pursed, and her nose scrunched in an anxious expression as she looked up at Kokomi.

Chiyo's gaze was expectant. But what could Kokomi even tell her?

"Chiyo, I.. I can't say I understand how Aiura-san's fortune telling works. If you're going to say that she's right a hundred percent of the time, I'll believe you. But there.. there also has to be an interpretive element to it too, right?" Her voice was painted with a delicate insistence. You could see the gears turning behind her eyes, carefully trying out different formulations of her thoughts in her head.

"Maybe.. Maybe it was only a measure of your compatibility as it was, Chiyo. As it was at that moment in time." The orangette cocked her head as if to say she wasn't quite following. "You weren't as close to Kaidou-kun back then as you were now, were you Chiyo?" The girl gave a small shake of the head. "I think Aiura-san might have been right. That if you and Kaidou-kun had gotten together, as you guys were, at that moment back then, it wouldn't have worked out between you two." Chiyo didn't immediately see why Kokomi seemed to say that so optimistically. A small frown of concentration on her face, Kokomi tried again, "But that doesn't say anything about how compatible you two could become." There was an earnest energy behind Kokomi's eyes. "You're trying so hard, Chiyo. You're studying all the time. You've been trying so hard to keep fit and slim. To understand Kaidou-kun and the stories to his jet-black wings. To pay attention to his hobbies and likes." Kokomi watched as Chiyo's expression rose little by little, with each word. "And Kaidou-kun is such a sweet boy too. Sensitive, if a little dense. And even though I think he might get a bit overwhelmed by Chiyo-chan's energy at times, he does care for you a lot. If I'm being honest, I do think the two of you are a lot more similar than you realize, Chiyo."

Kokomi would never outright tell her, but Chiyo had her occasional Chunni moments too. Especially whenever it concerned losing weight, or love stories.

"If you give it some time.. If you can hold onto a little bit of faith, I'm sure the two of you could grow into exactly what the other needs. Your compatibility can improve, Chiyo-chan." Kokomi finished a little forcefully. "I guarantee it!"

The other girl's expression, which had slowly been looking more and more hopeful, erupted into an Offu!

"Kokomi-chan!" Tossing aside the fabric she'd been holding, the girl leapt into a hug. "Oh, Kokomi! I hope so! I really hope so too!"

As the other girl continued to rub her teary-eyed face into Kokomi's chest, Kokomi - a little exasperated, but not at all against it - couldn't help but utter a single inaudible consolatory line.

The words left Kokomi's mouth, leaving behind a gaping numbness in her heart.

"You still have a chance, Chiyo..."


"The blazer looked a little off, so I went with the Denim. Girls, how does it.. look?"

Aiura Mikoto walked out of the changing room to a strange scene. Chiyo, facing away from her, looked like she was pretty aggressively latched onto Kokomi, hugging her to death.

Kokomi, noticing her arrival, returned Aiura a confused smile of her own, before shrugging.


Kokomi looked at her watch to see it was around two in the afternoon now. The girls had finished visiting a few more clothing stores. Aiura had bought a couple of new dresses. Chiyo had bought a bag's worth. Although she had been initially reluctant, Kokomi had been enticed into buying half a bag's worth of items as well.

For what it was worth, it had been fun. It had taken her mind off things. If only a little bit.

Stopping near another food court, the girls set their bags down. Aiura put some coins into the vending machine, getting herself a bottle of Sakura P*psi. It let out a small fizz as she unscrewed the cap, and she downed a third of it in one long gulp.

The girls had set their bags on a nearby bench. Chiyo seemed to be checking something on her phone. Kokomi saw Chiyo look up and search around for a second, before her eyes landed on one of the stores across from them.

'Otaku Corner' read the signage. Coming round from the vending machine, Aiura followed the girl's eyes to the place as well. Eyebrows raised, she took a gulp.

"I think I'll sit that one out, Chiyopippi," she said, taking a seat next to where she'd put her bags.

Chiyo didn't seem to mind.

Kokomi was contemplating who she should offer to keep company, when Chiyo decided for her. "Kokomi, you can stay. We've dragged you around long enough. It might take some time to find what I'm looking for anyway."

So she said. It didn't seem like she intended to elaborate what exactly she intended to search for at the moment.

"Watch over this for me, kay?" Chiyo said, pointing to the bag she'd placed on the bench. Aiura returned a "Yiss," as she gave a mock salute. Kokomi nodded as well, as she settled next to Aiura.

A small brief silence stretched out between the two girls. Not quite awkward, but not quite carefree as well.

Aiura was the first one to break it.

"Teruhashi-san," she said pointing to the girl's purse, "That's a really cute key-chain you've got there! Where'd you get it?"

Aiura had failed to notice it earlier, but the key-chain attached to the bluenette's handbag was admittedly quite cute. A pink, translucent rhinestone butterfly.

"Thanks," Kokomi accepted the compliment graciously. "I... actually got it from a gacha machine."

"Oh?" Aiura took a sip of her drink, eyes indicating for her to go on.

"It was.. around the end of summer break, I think. I happened to run into the guys near the arcade - I think they'd been working on homework together earlier in the day and wanted a break." She could help smile as she reminisced. "They ended up inviting me along. Kaidou-kun happened to get really into this one gacha machine they had newly installed. I don't exactly remember what it was that he wanted, but he ended up getting this magnetic top that you could spin while hanging it upside down."

"That sounds like something he'd be into." Aiura readjusted the bottle in her hand, expression attentive.

Kokomi let out a little smile. "I know, right?"

Lightly grinning, "And you won that butterfly key-chain then, Teruhashi-san?" Aiura asked.

Kokomi's smile waned imperceptibly.

"It was actually Saiki-kun that won it. The guys pestered him into giving a go as well. I ended up getting a little Coffee Jelly plushie after him. I asked if he'd like to trade, and well."

"That would certainly suit him way better."

Letting out a small chuckle, Aiura took another sip, before setting the drink aside. She let out a thoughtful 'Hmm', turning slightly in the bluenette's direction. It took a second for the Gyaru to make up her mind.

"Teruhashi-san..." Her tone was delicate, and not a little hesitant.

"You... like him, right?"

Kokomi almost thought she had misheard her. It had come so out of left field, but it sounded like it had been on Aiura's mind for a while. It totally threw Kokomi off. She scrambled for a second to rein in her expression.

Finally, lips pursed, "...Yeah," she admitted, not quite sure what else she could say.

"I.. I see." Aiura's tone was uncharacteristically meek.

There followed another minor lull, before Aiura spoke up again.

Her tone conveyed a recognition that she realized she was coming in a little too hard, a little too quick, but that she had decided to swallow her reservations.

"Does... Does it bother you?" It was posed as a genuine question. "That I like him too?"

Kokomi turned to face her, not quite sure what expression to make.

She had always suspected that Aiura Mikoto had been romantically interested in Saiki Kusuo, but the she had never heard her outright admit it before.

Did it bother her? That Aiura Mikoto also liked Saiki Kusuo?

She'd be lying if she said it didn't.

"You know..." Aiura scratched her neck, looking a little sheepish. "If I'm being completely honest," her eyes wandered over to the ceiling way up above them," I used to be a little intimidated by you, Teruhashi-san."

Cautiously, Aiura brought her eyes back over to Kokomi. The girl had a surprised look.

"With me, I always get the feeling like Ku- Saiki's treating me like one of his lackeys. Like he treats Toritsuka." Aiura let out a small exasperated smile, before it changed to a more thoughtful expression, like she was trying to decide if she really wanted to go ahead and say the next bit.

"If I'm really being honest, I feel like.. I feel like I've always been a little jealous of you, Teruhashi-san. Of how Saiki always seems to hold this certain degree of respect for you."

She smiled wistfully. "Not that I don't understand where he's coming from. You're a pretty cool girl, Teruhashi-san." Her Gyaru intonation had a curious way of accenting the delicateness behind her words. "Chiyopippi told me all about what happened yesterday. How there was a big fight over at the first-years'. She couldn't stop going on about how reliable and mature you'd looked." She paused, eyes falling to the floor for a moment, before she brought herself to look Kokomi in the eye again.

"I'd.. I'd been hoping to be able to become friends with you for quite some time, Teruhashi-san." The girl spoke sincerely.

Kokomi was legitimately blown away. It took the girl a moment to find words to return.

"A-Aiura-san-"

"Just call me Mikoto. Mikocchi is fine too."

Smiling warmly, "Gosh.. I feel so stupid now." she muttered, just a little too softly for Mikoto to hear.

"What was that?"

Kokomi shook her head, turning to beam at her.

"In that case, just call me Kokomi too."

Lightly grinning, "How about Terukoko?" Aiura proposed.

"That works too," Kokomi smiled amusedly.

"Gotcha." Aiura smiled back, grabbing the bottle she'd put down for another sip.

As she did, Kokomi was deeply mulling over something. She would normally never have considered saying this before, but she felt she had to reciprocate the girl's earnestness somehow.

Letting out a small sigh, "Can I be a little honest too?" she asked.

Aiura let out an enthusiastic 'Uh-hmm,' as she took another gulp of Sakura P*psi.

Kokomi took a few seconds to gather her words.

"I... I think I was a little envious of you too, Ai- Mikocchi."

Pausing mid sip, Mikocchi returned a surprised look.

"How you can be yourself around Saiki-kun so unreservedly. Effortlessly make conversations with him. I.. I think I've always been a little envious of that."

"He's still ignoring me most of the time, tho," Aiura returned, chuckling. "But I do suppose I take a few too many liberties springing on him in the hallway."

"Even though he dodges you most of the time?"

"That he sure does."

Grinning, the both of them erupted into a fit of giggles.

As it subsided, "You're... really a nice girl, Mikocchi..," Kokomi found herself saying.

Slightly cocking her head at that odd remark, "That's an odd way to put it," Aiura said. People didn't normally go out of their way to call her a 'nice girl'.

Kokomi shook her head.

"Gosh.. I-I feel so stupid," she said, body shuddering, eyes falling to the floor.

Aiura got a concerned look. "Terukoko, you.. you alright?"

She wasn't, honestly. She really wasn't.

"I'd just prefer for senpai to be happy."

That was what Rifuta had said. Even though the girl herself didn't like the idea of Kokomi spending time with Kusuo, she was willing to put her own feelings aside for Kokomi's sake.

In comparison... What could Kokomi say about her feelings towards Kusuo? What was it that she wanted for him?

She couldn't help clench her fists. Aiura's expression grew visibly worried. It took Kokomi a second to realize why.

Kokomi was crying.


Just once...

"Just once... I wanted to make him react."

I feel my breath hitch at the admission.

"I.. I wanted to see him make an expression. Any sort of expression. A smile, a frown.." An Offu..

I can't help a wry smile at that thought.

"Something.. Anything... In the end, he never let me in. Not even once.."

The words.. they were bubbling out on their own. Try as I might, I couldn't get them to stop.

"S-Saiki has all these... walls around him. Walls he uses to distance himself from everyone. I-I... I thought I could be special. That I could be the one to get past those walls of his."

My hands clench.

"But I can't!"

My chest hurts. Why does it hurt so much..

"I'm sorry... But I can't return your feelings." Kusuo had said in no unclear terms.

"I'm not the one he wants..."

The floor tiles look almost blurry. My cheeks burn. I can feel myself sniffling.

God, I feel so pathetic.

I can make out Aiura's panicked expression in my peripheral.

But the words.

The words just won't stop flowing.

I don't think it'd really hit me till now. What his words had meant. The definiteness to it all.

Last night. It had been all drowned in this hazy numbness. A feeling like it had all just been a bad dream.

But it wasn't. It wasn't just a bad dream.

"I'm not the one he wants!" It almost came out like a bawl.

In my far peripherals, I can see a crowd starting to amass in the distance, murmuring as they looked in our direction. I can make out the increasingly panicked look on Aiura's face as she tries to console me.

But the words. They won't stop.

"I hate it! I hate it! That I can't be the one!" My breath hitches. "B-But." I can feel my body shuddering. The thought of breaking down, crying like this in public. I can't even stomach it.

But I can't stop myself.

"But... But the thought." Sniffle. "T-that." Sniffle. "S-Saiki might." Sniffle. "M-might go through life." Large Sniffle. "W-Without ever being able to open up to anyone..."

I hate that thought even more.

The words that leave my mouth all feel like barbed wire, snaking around my neck.

God, my throat feels so dry...

But they just keep on spilling. And I can't help but take Aiura's face in.

She looks so horribly worried. "K-Kokomi...!" She seemed to be scrambling to try to find some kind of tissue in her purse.

She really was such a nice girl, wasn't she?

Candid. Fun. Adventurous. A lot of things Kokomi wasn't.

"If it's someone like you..." Sniff.

What am I saying?

"I-If it's you-"

I-I.. I can't even bring myself to verbalize it.

And I can hear the murmur around us just growing louder. But-

The thought of Saiki and someone else...

If Aiura could be the one.

To make Kusuo happy-

I almost feel myself choke.


"If-f that's..." Sniffle. "If that's.. t-that's what it'll take.." Sniffle.

The girl looks up, her eyes blood red, hot tears streaming down her face. But somehow. Somehow she still managed to look so ethereally beautiful, like she always does.

"I-I..."

She chokes on her words.

But somehow.

Despite it all.

She breaks into a smile.

With the sapphire of her half-lidded eyes tinged in an intimate red. Her skin glistening from the moisture trailing down her cheeks. And her heart clenching like vice tightening around a shard of glass.

She musters the most beautiful smile in the world.

"I-I don't think I'd mind it so much anymore..."