Chapter 5: Cat and mouse

Aguri Sakurano:

I was very nervous for a moment until Amanocchi held my hand. I don't know why but I instantly became relaxed. Maybe that's the difference between Amanocchi and Tasuku. As Tasuku is my boyfriend, whenever he comes near, my heartbeat gets increased and I become nervous. But with Amanocchi it's completely opposite.

Now as I'm relaxed I should let go Amanocchi's hand. But... I want this to continue a little longer. Don't get the wrong idea, okay? Moreover I'm sure Amanocchi also likes this. It's not like I'm only one selfish here.

However there are 2 questions...

Are Tasuku and Tendou-san here in this supermarket or were those just our illusion?

If they are indeed here, what is the reason for that?

"Are you okay, Aguri-san?", Amanocchi asked me breaking my thoughts.

"No I'm okay... I'm just thinking... we might have really mistaken other people for Tasuku and Tendou-san."

"Yeah... I have checked our surroundings, there are many people but I couldn't see them."

"But Amanocchi... just imagine they are indeed here, what would be the reason?"

Amanocchi hesitated for a moment and then said,

"Umm... There might be 2 reasons... number one, it's just a coincidence that both of them have come to shopping at the same time here."

"Isn't it highly unlikely? Both of them and also both of us - 4 people coincidentally came here at the same time?"

"You're right Aguri-san... so it left us with number two reason... they are following us..."

"A-Amanocchi... even the number 2 scenario is not the worst case here..."

"Huh? What do you mean?", Amanocchi seemed confused. Clearly he didn't think enough about

this.

"Amanocchi... there might be a number 3 reason as well..."

"Number 3? What would be?"

"What if... what if Tendou-san and Taduku... might really have... an affair." "Eh?", Amanocchi looked shell shocked.

"That's right. What if they were just finding a reason to break up with us? Just like she broke up with you."

"No no no... hit the break Aguri-san. Don't go too far. First of all, we don't even know whether they are here or not. I don't think they are even here. We shouldn't even think about this. Also I don't think Tendou-san would be that evil. There's no way...", Amanocchi hurriedly tried to calm me down. But I once again became extremely tensed.

"I... I am just always having bad feelings. Sorry.", I closed my eyes and looked down. I even forgot what we were doing here.

Suddenly I felt something touching my head... and I instantly became relaxed... once again...

Ah... Amanocchi is stroking my head... what does he think I am? A cat?... But should I tell him to stop?

"Aguri-san, please calm down...", Amanocchi told me with a wry smile.

Should I tell him to stop? Of course NOT. Who wouldn't like a free massage? Don't get any wrong idea. I pouted and told him,

"I would relax only if you keep stroking my head."

"Huh? Who do you think I am? Your personal massager?"

"Well... you really want to eat dinner, right?"

"Anything else for me to do for you, Mademoiselle?"

"Nothing other than stroking for now."

Even though he is acting like it's forceful I'm sure Amanocchi isn't minding it at all. As I looked at him, he gave me a gentle smile and then looked down as if he's thinking something else. Of course he is still stroking my head...

Oh right... we were buying vegetables... jeez.

...

...

Tendou Karen:

I swear to God, I saw Amano-kun here in the meat centre. I can't be mistaken. But in the public, he disappeared the next moment. Maybe he has gone to the vegetable centre.

But it's not like I want to neet with him right now. We have the history of being at wrong place at wrong time. If you ask me why I'm here then... it's because I didn't go to school today and my mom forced me to go to shopping instead of her.

Why didn't I go to school? After what happened Sunday in the double date, I hardly had the energy left to go to school today and meet everybody. But I didn't know Amano-kun would also be here.

Also that's not the biggest problem here. The biggest problem here is that message I sent to Amano-kun this morning- "let's break up". Before you ask me anything, I want to make it clear it was not intentional.

In the morning, my brain was not even working properly. In the heat of the moment, I wrote the message in my phone but I didn't want to send it. Somehow I fell asleep at that moment, and I don't even know when my finger unintentionally clicked the "send" button.

When I awoke, it was too late, Amano-kun has already seen it. I don't know what to do now. I wanted to talk to him but I don't have the courage. Sometimes I think, whatever happened was good after all. But in the very next moment I think I still like Amano-kun. My head isn't working anymore.

But now isn't the time for thinking. I might not want to meet him right now but he is definitely here and I may not get a better chance to talk to him.

But what is he doing here? Did he come here alone? I hope so... I don't want him to be with somebody right now. And definitely... not Aguri-san... please. I may get fainted if that happens.

With a deep breath, I walked toward the vegetable centre.

...

...

Uehara Tasuku:

I swear to God, I saw Aguri entering this supermarket. I can't be mistaken but as I entered the supermarket I couldn't find her. Then I started to search for her many places but didn't get her.

If you ask me why I'm here, then... you already know that I didn't go to school today and so I was just hoverIng around. Why didn't I go to school today? Well... you know why. After what happened in the double date, I didn't have even 1% confidence of meeting anyone.

But I didn't know Aguri and Amano also didn't go to school until I saw them in the morning...

together.

About Aguri... I'm still her boyfriend. So I know I shouldn't have ignored them in the morning. But what could have I done? I'm almost 60% sure what is going on between them. But still as I'm her boyfriend I have to talk to her at this moment. I just hope nobody is with her here, especially Amano... I may get fainted if that happens.

I continued to search for her but... wait... isn't that Tendou?

What is she doing here?

She also seems like searching for someone. What should I do? Should I talk to her? But at this moment I don't want to talk to anyone else. But what is she doing?

I slowly walked towards her but didn't call her. Instead, I maintained a little distance from her.

...

...

Hoshinomori Chiaki:

I swear to God, I have seen Uehara-kun here entering the supermarket. And also I have seen Tendou-san entering about 10 minutes earlier. At first I thought I would avoid Tendou-san from meeting here. But now Uehara-kun is also here, I just can't avoid the situation here.

Maybe... maybe they are doing a secret meeting here.

If you ask me why I'm here, then... you know after what happened between Keita and Aguri-san on Sunday, I just couldn't find the mental strength to go to school and meet everyone. As I bunked the school, my mom told me to go to the supermarket.

But I didn't know Uehara-kun and Tendou-san also would be here not going to school. Anyway I have to find them. I just hope there would not be anyone else. Especially Keita and Aguri-san. I

may get fainted if that happens.

So I slowly walked towards the way Uehara-kun went.

[To be continued]