Ch. 6: The Distance Between Two

On a weekend morning, Yamato woke up a little late and noticed a brown envelope on the living room table.

Next to it was a letter that read, “I’ll give you a special allowance increase, so don’t get a part-time job.”

Yamato had often asked his mother for a part-time job to solve his money shortage problem, and this was her answer.

After checking the contents of the envelope, he found a 10,000 yen bill.

Yamato had never asked for extra allowance before, nor had he ever wasted a lot of money. He guessed that’s why his mother was so considerate.

It’s not that I wanted to work part-time in the first place, so this solves my problem for the time being. And today is the weekend, I don’t have school.

(I don’t know if I should suddenly invite her on a holiday…)

The only thing left to do was to invite Sayla to hang out with him, but Yamato was reluctant to do so.

—Buh-buh-buh.

Just then, my phone announces an incoming message.

I checked the sender, expecting it to be Sayla, but it was Eita.

“What are you doing now?”

Yamato replied to such a casual question with “I just woke up.”

He got an immediate response.

“I’m going to Round One with some guys from class, Kuraki should come too!”

I see, it seems that this is how normies invite others to join them.

The old Yamato would have jumped for joy if someone asked him to hang out with them on a holiday.

But it’s different now. He has someone else he would rather go with. Therefore, Yamato replied, “Thank you for inviting me. But I’m sorry I can’t.”

Eita replied, “Oh! See you later!” After confirming Eita’s reply, Yamato sent a message to Sayla, saying, “What are you doing now?”

Then, within a few minutes, she replied, “I just woke up.”

If I were to use Eita’s invitation from earlier, it would have been too casual, so I asked her “Do you want to hang out now? I haven’t decided where yet, but I’ve got some extra cash.”

This time, she replied immediately, “If it’s after lunch.”

Yamato paused and sent, “Let’s meet in front of the station at one o’clock. Is there any place you recommend?”

“I’ll think about it,” was the reply.

Just before 1 P.M.

Yamato had been waiting in front of the station where they were supposed to meet for more than 30 minutes, but now that the appointed time was approaching, his restlessness was about to reach its peak.

That’s when he was poked in the shoulder from behind.

“Wha!?”

Yamato couldn’t help but let out an indignant squeal.

When he turned around, he saw Sayla standing there in her casual clothes.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. I’m sorry I startled you.”

Her short-sleeved white blouse and black jumper skirt gave her a casual yet elegant look, and combined with her hair arranged in a half-up bun, her appearance was just adorable.

In contrast to her usual cool impression, her girlish attire was very much to Yamato’s liking.

(It’s too cute to look at directly…)

I was expecting her to wear something rough like she did before, so I was completely blindsided.

Could she be thinking of today’s invite as a “date”? —Yamato was so uplifted that such a thought popped into his head.

“W-well, you give off a different feeling today.”

Yamato was too flustered to praise her straightforwardly, so he said it in a roundabout way.

Sayla responded to Yamato’s unkind remark without losing her temper.

“I like to wear whatever I feel like wearing. I’m sorry if it doesn’t match you.”

“I think it’s very cute! …I mean, the clothes.”

“Fufu, thanks.”

Unlike Yamato, who could not be honest with himself, Sayla seemed to be happy.

I like to wear whatever I feel like wearing—He felt like that statement is a privilege that only the most advanced fashionistas are allowed to make, but at the same time, Yamato thought that it was cool, just like Sayla.

Yamato, on the other hand, was dressed simply in a light gray hoodie and jean shorts — or rather, plainly. He doesn’t think he could make the same statement in his current outfit.

“You’re using wax today, aren’t you? It’s something new.”

Yamato was depressed when he saw her outfit, but he immediately became excited when she noticed the small change.

“I-I’m going to use it from now on. I usually only use it when my sleeping habits are really bad, but I thought I’d try my best to set it from now on.”

“Yeah, I think it’s good. It’s cute.”

“…Cute? Not cool?”

A feeling of disappointment was born in Yamato, but he regained his composure and thanked her.

“Thanks. I’ll try to be a little cooler…”

Correction. He hadn’t been able to regain his composure at all.

“Then, let’s go.”

But seeing Sayla’s back as she walked off as usual, Yamato managed to eventually regain his composure.

So, where are we going today? I’m not going to complain about where we’re going, since I left it to you to choose the place.

Yamato asked as they boarded the train and sat down.

“We’re going to Jiyu Hiroba.”

“I’m sure Jiyu Hiroba is some kind of manga cafe.”

“Hmm, it’s not exactly like a regular manga cafe. Well, you’ll find out when you get there.”

It was about five stops on the train. When they arrived at the destination in front of the commercial building in front of the station—Jiyu Hiroba, Yamato found it to be quite different from the place he had imagined.

In addition to the functions of a manga cafe, there was also a karaoke corner and a lounge where you could enjoy both darts and billiards, making it feel like a small theme park.

“It’s certainly different from a normal manga cafe…”

“I know right? There is no bowling alley, though.”

It may not have as many sporting elements as the other entertainment facilities, but Yamato, who was originally an indoor person, would enjoy this facility more.

As I was going through the admission procedure on an unattended machine, Sayla asked me with her eyes on the screen.

“What should we do time wise? Three, six, or perhaps a twelve-hour package?”

“No, we’ll go with the normal three hours…”

“Okay, three hours.”

Sayla replied with some regret and completed the procedure.

After that, the two of them went to the drink bar and got a drink and ice cream each.

“What’s the first thing you usually do in a place like this? I don’t come here very often, so I don’t know.”

“Well, there are no rules. You can do whatever you want.”

“Y-you’re right.”

For the indecisive Yamato, this was the most difficult thing to do.

Perhaps because Yamato’s emotions were showing on his face, Sayla glanced sideways at him and pointed to the lounge.

“But since we’re here, why don’t we try playing darts or billiards? It’s easier than you think, and I’ll teach you how to play.”

“Aah, please teach me.”

So, we decided to try darts first.

There were ten dartboards and seven billiard tables in the lounge, and there were lots of customers, probably because it was a holiday.

After Sayla explained the rules to me, we started to play.

First, we played a simple point scoring game called “Count Up”. Yamato threw the dart as he was taught, and it pierced the corner of the board.

I managed to hit it, but it’s not good at all…

“Since it’s your first time, keep throwing.”

“Yeah.”

The rule is to throw three times per round, so Yamato threw two more times, but each time all he could do was hit the target inaccurately.

I knew it was going to be difficult but… it’s not good at all.

Even though it was his first time, Yamato was still depressed because he had shown his uncool side.

Even though Sayla saw Yamato’s condition, she didn’t care and called out to him.

“You should watch how I throw. Just imitate what I do at first.”

She then held up the dart and threw it with a slight flick of her arm, and the dart pierced the center of the target — a bullseye.

Her movements were smooth from start to finish, and I could see that she was throwing with precise coordination from her wrist to her fingertips.

“You really can do anything, Shirase.”

“I’m experienced at this. You’ll be able to do this in no time.”

Sayla sounded pretty serious with no sign of sarcasm.

Thanks to her, Yamato was beginning to think that he could do it too.

“I can do it?”

“Yes, you can.”

As she replied, Sayla continued to hit the bullseye with her darts. It was the third time in a row.

It is very typical of Sayla to not hesitate or cut corners at times like this. If I hadn’t been used to her, I would have felt deflated again.

“Here, it’s Yamato’s turn now. Try throwing it from the elbow up. Keep your eyes on the target you want to hit.”

“Aah!”

While picturing Sayla’s elegant form in his mind, Yamato wriggled his elbow and threw the dart.

However, the dart missed. He was so conscious of his form that he neglected to control the dart from the wrist down.

“Pfft!”

Just then, I heard an unfamiliar laughing voice reach my ears.

I turned my gaze in the direction of the voice and saw a group of college-aged men looking at me with smiles on their faces.

One of them spoke to me in a friendly manner.

“I’ve been watching you for a while now, but your boyfriend is a complete beginner. She’s good at it so it’s not cool if you stay like this. That’s right, my kind bros will teach you.”

“No, we don’t have that kind of relationship… I mean, I’m in the middle of being taught.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Your boyfriend will get better faster if we do it together.”

Apparently, they thought that Yamato and Sayla were lovers. The reason why they still approached him was probably that he looked so weak. In short, they were getting a kick out of him.

The men have been looking only at Sayla since a while ago, and their ulterior motives are obvious.

Sayla, on the other hand, seems to be ignoring them. She didn’t pay any attention to the men, and asked Yamato, “What’s wrong? You still have two throws left.”

The men who were ignored by Sayla all wore grim expressions on their faces. The scene reminded me of the exchange we had with a group of delinquents some time ago.

In the end, Sayla twisted his wrist, and the sight of the large man crawling on the ground was truly shocking and unforgettable.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to get away with it this time if it happens again here. Even if we were safe, there was always the possibility that we would be banned from the store.

(We need to do something before this escalates…!)

While I was thinking about this and that, one of the guys couldn’t take it anymore and tried to put his arm around Sayla’s shoulder…

Pulls

Yamato immediately grabbed Sayla’s hand and pulled her close.

Then, with all the courage he could muster, he told them.

“I asked her to teach me how to play darts, it’s fine, so please don’t interrupt our date. —I’ll call the clerk if you keep messing with us.”

The threat to call the clerk must have worked. The men left, swearing in frustration.

“Phew…”

When the relieved Yamato took a breath, Sayla sighed in a troublesome manner.

“Huh. When I dress like this, I get teased quite a bit. Even when I’m in uniform.”

So, the reason why she wasn’t messed with when she walked the streets late at night was because of the way she dressed.

That was a new discovery, but there was something else that bothered Yamato.

He turned to Sayla with a serious face and opened his mouth to call her attention.

“About that, you know that if you behave like you just did, you’ll only upset or anger them. I’m not saying you can’t do a little better, but you should at least try to say no.”

“…Ah, mm, okay. I will.”

The fact that Sayla honestly listened to his opinion made Yamato aware that he was still holding her hand after all this time.

“…And I’m sorry for suddenly holding your hand. I’m also sorry for treating you like my girlfriend without permission.”

Sayla slowly shook her head from side to side as Yamato let go of her hand and then apologized.

“No, thanks to you, nothing happened. Thanks.”

“I-it’s nothing to be thankful for, really.”

When Yamato scratched the back of his head to hide her embarrassment, Sayla giggled and walked behind him.

“Well, let’s start playing darts again. I’ll teach you how to set up this time.”

Sayla leaned in close to Yamato and put her hands around his waist. In this position, she touched Yamato’s right hand and carefully lectured him on how to throw.

Her beautiful voice and breath touched his ears, and her lecture continued in close proximity to him, so Yamato had no time to comprehend.

“Sh-Shirase, this is really too close…”

“It’s easier to remember if we do it this way. Here, move your arm like this…”

When I threw the dart as instructed, it successfully pierced the bullseye.

“Oh, I hit it.”

“Yes, don’t forget how it feels now.”

Yamato was so happy that he immediately picked up the next dart, this time ready to throw it by himself.

“Hey, are you on a date today?”

“Pfft!?”

The word “date” suddenly came out of Sayla’s mouth, and Yamato’s dart left his hand at an awkward angle.

And the dart, of course, missed the target.

Immediately, Yamato turned his resentful gaze to Sayla.

“Are you joking, by any chance?”

Then Sayla replied as if to argue.

“Yamato said earlier, ‘Don’t interfere with our date.’ That’s why I thought it was one.”

“I just thought it would be more effective to say that at the time… I apologized for that.”

“You apologized for treating me like a girlfriend, but I wasn’t told anything about a date.”

Sayla said with a straight face, and Yamato was wondering how to respond.

(If this turned out to be a date, Shirase would be the one in trouble.)

Did Sayla come when he asked her to go on a date with him? He wasn’t going to check on that, and Yamato didn’t think that today’s outing was a date, but imagining the answer made him feel empty.

As if to drown out the emptiness, Yamato let out a small sigh.

“Yamato?”

“…Then I’ll apologize to you. I’m sorry for calling it a date back then. It was really spur of the moment.”

“It’s not that I wanted you to apologize, but…”

Sayla seemed somewhat unhappy, but Yamato was doing his best to avoid a misunderstanding.

Since it was Sayla, she probably didn’t intend to have such a deep meaning when she said, “I wasn’t told anything about a date.”

Furthermore, despite being such a beautiful girl, Sayla has never had a boyfriend. It is reasonable to assume that she has never been interested in any kind of relationship.

Therefore, in order to continue interacting with her as he had in the past, he must not show any ulterior motives — at least that’s what Yamato thought.

This is why Yamato opened his mouth with the intention to deny any accusations of him doing so.

“I’m sorry for creating such a strange misunderstanding. I really don’t mean to.”

This was not a lie. In fact, Yamato sees Sayla more as an object of admiration and respect than as a member of the opposite sex.

It is similar to the feelings May has for Sayla, though perhaps slightly different.

She sighed as if she couldn’t bear talking about it any longer.

“It’s okay. Well, I guess it’s my turn now.”

Sayla’s expression tightened as if to change her mind, and she faced the dartboard.

She quickly threw three 20-points triples in a row — the highest score she could get in a single round, 180 points.

“That’s awesome…”

“Hey, do you want to make a bet now? Throw the remaining six rounds, and the loser is going to get the winner a drink.”

Perhaps she was trying to relieve her gloom, but she was playing a terrible game against a beginner. At this rate, Yamato wouldn’t even have a single handicap.

“You’re going to make me your errand boy…”

“So you won’t take it?”

In the face of Sayla’s provocative smile, the manly side of Yamato dictated that he could not run away.

“As you wish, I’ll take it.”

Yamato replied vigorously, and Sayla’s smile deepened in amusement.

“So, Ginger Ale is fine, right?”

Yamato made a bitter face as he offered the drink he had poured to the winner.

“Oh, thank you very much. —It’s good.”

The winner, Sayla, is enjoying her ginger ale with a satisfied look on her face.

Obviously, the darts match was a dominating victory for Sayla.

Or, technically, it wasn’t even a contest.

“…Even Shirase has a mean streak.”

Even though she overheard Yamato’s whining, Sayla still seemed pleased.

“I’m sorry. I was a little annoyed, and I wanted to vent. I was bullying the weak, but it was a good stress reliever.”

“You don’t seem to have any intention of hiding your true feelings… My pride was torn to shreds when you did that to me.”

“I’m sorry. In return, I will teach you how to play billiards.”

Sayla puts the cup down on the round table and grabs a billiard cue.

Sayla makes a scene just by holding the cue in her hand. As was the case with darts, it seems that she and competitions go hand in hand.

As soon as Sayla stood in front of the billiard table, the people around her started to glance at her, but when Yamato, who was also holding a cue in his hand, approached her, their gazes instantly fell away. He was like a charm against evil.

First, Sayla gave him a brief explanation of the rules.

We were going to play a game called “nine-ball,” in which the winner is the one who shoots the white ball, called the ‘hand ball,’ and pockets (drops into the hole) the ninth target ball.

However, you have to hit the balls in order, starting with the lowest numbered ball, and it is quite difficult.

The first player has to make a break shot, which is a shot at the target balls lined up in the center of the table, and Sayla seems to be showing me how it’s done.

Sayla’s appearance as she held the cue was mature and appealing, and her profile caught my attention.

When she shot the ball with a fluid motion that was beautiful down to the tips of her fingers, it hit the first of the target balls that were clustered in the center, and all the target balls scattered vigorously in different directions.

Some of them were pocketed, so it seemed that it was Sayla’s turn again.

But Sayla was not happy.

“Hmmm, I couldn’t do the break ace. I think I made a mistake by wearing a skirt.”

“What’s a break ace?”

“It’s a break shot that pockets the ninth. I was aiming for that.”

If she could do that, she would have won the game… Sayla was planning to win the game by attacking first. I felt that I had caught another glimpse of her competitive side.

“That’s not fair. So that’s why you took the first shot.”

“That’s one reason, but I thought Yamato wouldn’t be able to hit the best target.”

Either way, it’s not a reason to be happy…

I’m not confident that I can actually hit any of the balls, which is pathetic.

When Sayla pocketed two more balls, it was finally Yamato’s turn.

Yamato tried to imitate her, but he couldn’t get the cue to stick out straight away.

As Yamato struggled, Sayla began to instruct him closely, as if they were playing darts.

“Position yourself like this. And make a ring with your fingers.”

“H-Heh…”

“Are you listening? Stretch your arms out more.”

“Y-yes…”

Her breath blows in my ear and a very sweet smell fills my nostrils.

Sometimes something soft touched his back and shoulders, and Yamato felt that something was off.

(Isn’t this closer than when we were playing darts…?)

Yamato naturally was able to smell Sayla’s body and became conscious of Sayla’s body that was in close proximity to his.

The touch of her fingertips was soft and smooth, yet cool and cold.

It made his heart beat faster and he also began to sweat.

Sayla proceeded to instruct him without regard to Yamato’s behavior.

“Just keep moving the cue. All right—”

When I moved the cue as instructed by Sayla, I was able to make a solid shot with a lot of power.

Thanks to this, the ball went straight and hit the target ball of number four.

But Yamato was having a hard time.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go to the bathroom… You can play by yourself.”

“Okay, have a safe trip.”

Yamato hurriedly ran into the washroom and washed his face with cold water to calm himself down.

(What are you thinking about, me? Shirase is not that kind of person.)

Yamato understands that anyone would be conscious of such a beautiful girl if she were to get close to them.

Even so, Yamato wants to be as sincere as possible with Sayla.

Therefore, he ran away to calm his mind. It was a strategic retreat.

“…What kind of face should I make when I go back?”

I can’t leave her alone forever. There is always the possibility that she might get tangled up with some strange people again.

“All right, let’s go back.”

And so, with a renewed spirit, Yamato returned to the billiard room.

“Huh? I’m pretty sure it was here.”

The billiard table they had been using had been cleared and Sayla was nowhere to be found.

As sweat poured out of Yamato’s body.

“Hey, Yamato. Come here, come here.”

Yamato heard a carefree voice from behind him.

When he turned around, he saw Sayla standing there. She was holding a soft-serve ice cream in both hands.

“You put away the billiard equipment?”

“Yes. Yamato didn’t seem to be able to concentrate. I also brought this for Yamato. Do you want it?”

“Yeah, I’ll take it.”

After the two of them left the room, they sat down on a bench in the facility and ate the soft-serve ice cream.

The rich vanilla flavor was so delicious that it was hard to believe it was an all-you-can-eat item. However, Yamato did not feel like finishing it.

Sayla, who was sitting next to him, looked relaxed and opened her mouth as soon as she finished eating the soft-serve ice cream.

“What should we do now? There’s still some time left, and the private rooms were open, so why don’t we watch a movie?”

The suggestion was very tempting, but it meant that Yamato and Sayla would be alone in a private room, sitting side by side in front of a computer. There might even be a chance for them to touch each other.

Imagining the situation, Yamato began to worry if he would be able to keep his sanity around her.

“I’m sorry… but I think I might be a little tired.”

When Yamato told her that in a strained voice, Sayla acted puzzled and then said.

“I see. I’ll see you at the movies next time.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, I don’t mind. Well, we’d better get going.”

“Yeah.”

Sayla stood up vigorously as Yamato threw the rest of the soft-serve ice cream, which had begun to melt, into his mouth.

They finished the checking out with the unattended equipment and headed out of the facility.

After that, there was no conversation between the two, and they got on the train in a natural manner.

When they got off at the nearest station, they had to part ways.

“Thank you for today. It was fun.”

“I had fun too, thanks. Okay, bye-bye.”

Sayla said a quick goodbye and left.

As he watched her walk away, Yamato sighed deeply.

The week was over.

While all the students were excited about the approaching big holiday called Golden Week, Yamato was the only one who didn’t look happy.

He was still feeling awkward about the day he had spent with Sayla.

The air between the two of them was heavy as if Yamato’s feelings were being felt by Sayla.

The situation remained the same even after the lunch break, and when Yamato refused to leave his seat, Eita approached and called out to him.

“What’s with the awkwardness between you two?”

Bonk!

At that moment, May elbowed Eita in the side of the head. And instead of Eita who fell down, May opened her mouth.

“Kuraki-kun, aren’t you going to have lunch with Saint-san today?”

“No, that’s…”

I glanced at Sayla’s seat, but she was already gone. Apparently, she had left the classroom first.

Eita seems to have guessed a lot of things, and it’s obvious that May has been paying attention to him as well. Under these circumstances, Yamato had no intention of staying in the classroom either.

“Well, I was just about to go.”

Yamato managed to smile as he answered, and May nodded her head.

That’s just fine then. Actually, during the holidays, the whole class is talking about getting together for a barbecue, and I was wondering if Kuraki-kun could invite Saint-san to join us.

This barbecue event would be what we call a social gathering. It’s been about a month since the new class started, so it makes sense that they would take advantage of the holidays to hold such an event.

However, he couldn’t imagine Sayla participating in such a large gathering, even if it was with her classmates. That was probably why Yamato had been entrusted with recruiting her.

“By the way, Kuraki is a mandatory participant.”

Eita added with a smirk. The two of them might be a good pair as May nodded her head in agreement. It must have been one of them who suggested the idea of having a barbecue in the first place.

Last year, Yamato would always refuse to participate in class gatherings, but in the first place he didn’t dislike events like closing parties. Moreover, he doesn’t feel bad for being told this.

“…It’s fine with me, but I don’t know if Shirase will come.”

“Don’t worry, if Kuraki-kun asks her, she’ll come.”

“That’s right, don’t give up before you even ask her out. And it’s not a bad deal for Kuraki either. This is a great opportunity to make up with the Saint properly—Goho!?”

May’s elbow strikes again. Eita, who had been jabbed in the side, was in tears and pointed a-okay sign at me.

It was nice to be trusted, but Yamato didn’t have the confidence to reciprocate it.

“Well, I’ll just talk to her and see.”

When Yamato left his seat after saying that, May said as if to add to it.

“Oh yeah, it’s probably going to be the last day of the holiday weekend according to everyone’s schedule, so let her know that, too.”

“Got it.”

Yamato left the classroom, trying to escape the expectant glances of Eita and May, or rather, all of his classmates.

He walked up the stairs and arrived at the landing of the top floor.

The air vents had already been removed, so he climbed through them to get outside.

Yamato slowly approached the figure of Sayla lying on the floor under the cloudy sky.

As if in response to the sound of footsteps, Sayla’s eyes fluttered open.

“I thought you weren’t coming today.”

Sayla muttered, sat up, and brushed her hair, which was the same color as the clouds, out of her face.

The expression on her face was blank as if she was in a daze, and her eyes were still unfocused. Yamato wondered if she was asleep while waiting for him.

Yamato almost gazed in admiration at the sight of her, but he coughed and cleared his throat before opening his mouth.

“I’m sorry I’m late, but I was approached by Shinjo-san.”

“Shinjo?”

Sayla tilted her head as if she had never heard of him before. It seems that Sayla can’t even remember Eita’s name. The most handsome man in the class has no form in front of the Saint.

Yamato knew she was not interested in other people, but he never imagined that she would be like this. Yamato was so disappointed that he decided to mention May’s name next.

“What about Tamaki-san?”

“Oh, I know that girl. That cute little girl.”

Apparently, she seemed to have remembered May, and she seemed to have a good impression of her. If May hears what she just said, I think she’s going to swoon with happiness.

“They told me that they were going to have a barbecue with the whole class during the holidays. They want Shirase to join.”

“Heh. Yamato is going too?”

“I’m thinking of going.”

“I’ll go then.”

When Yamato was appalled by her unexpectedly quick decision, Sayla tapped the floor next to her.

“Come on, let’s have lunch. I’m already starving.”

It seemed that she had waited for him without eating lunch on purpose. He was honestly happy to hear her consideration.

“Yeah. —Ah.”

There Yamato realized that he had left his lunch box in the classroom.

He could go back and get it now, but he felt that would be too much of a hassle.

After much deliberation, Yamato decided to skip lunch today and sat down next to Sayla.

“I left my lunch in the classroom. It’s too much trouble to go back, so I’ll hold out for today.”

“I’ll give you one.”

Sayla then offered him one of her yakisoba buns.

“Is that okay? You didn’t buy much for lunch, did you?”

“I have two today, and well, you can say I’m on a diet? So take it.”

Yamato felt that it would be bad for Sayla’s health if she lost any more weight, but he guessed that’s not what she meant. He decided to accept her kindness.

“Well, I’ll take it. Thank you.”

“Mmm.”

“Itadakimasu.”

“Me too, Itadakimasu.”

They bit into the bread next to each other and chewed.

Yamato proceeded to eat it, wondering why it tasted so good even on its own.

“Gochisosama.”

“Me too, Gochisosama.”

It was a light lunch as they only had one piece of bread each, but they still felt satisfied.

Lunch time with Sayla is always like this. It’s not like they’re doing anything special or eating anything amazing, but it gives Yamato a sense of fulfillment that makes him regret having to leave.

I hope she was as satisfied as I was — While Yamato was thinking, Sayla suddenly leaned in close to him.

“H-hey, Shirase?”

“Hold still, I can’t get it off.”

It seems that Yamato had some seaweed on the edge of his mouth, and Sayla took it with her index finger and put it in her own mouth.

“Wha…!?”

Seeing the shocked and distraught Yamato, Sayla tilted her head curiously.

“What’s wrong? Your face is red.”

(She’s called a Saint, but isn’t she more of a witch who seduces men?)

I was so dumbfounded that I thought about it for a moment, but then I remembered that the Saint in front of me was not a seducer, but just a natural, and I quickly changed my mind.

“No, no, it’s okay. More importantly, don’t ever do this kind of thing to other people. They’ll get the wrong idea.”

“I won’t. Calm down.”

Yamato gradually regained his composure when he saw Sayla placating him with her usual calm face.

“Phew~… I’m fine now.”

Sayla inquired nonchalantly to Yamato, who was now in a completely normal state of mind.

“You know, Yamato.”

“What is it?”

“Do you hate it when I touch you?”

The sudden question confused Yamato once again.

But he managed to hold his ground and answer the question.

“Eh, hate it? Of course not.”

“If so, why have you been avoiding me since yesterday? The only other reasons I can think of are that you made a terrible bet in darts or that you tried to make a break ace in billiards.”

It was typical of Sayla to speak plainly even in these situations, and although her reasons were all misguided, I could tell that she was seriously worried about it in her own way.

I was very happy to hear that, and it made me feel kind of important to her.

What I’ve learned today is that Sayla herself has no qualms about having skin-to-skin contact with me.

Therefore, the only way to make her feel at ease now would be to have skin-to-skin contact with her.

It can be as simple as leaning on her shoulder, patting her head, or holding her hand. These actions will relieve her anxiety.

(Can I do that? Am I able to?)

For some people, it may be an easy thing to do.

However, the person in question is a beautiful flower. And this one is an ordinary guy with a negative attitude at best.

For Yamato, who had always felt that Sayla and himself were leagues apart, this was too much of a hurdle to overcome.

Of course, he would hold her hand when necessary, such as in case of trouble, and in some cases, they could even touch each other more than that.

However, touching her for no reason at all has a different meaning.

This time, Yamato could say that it was to reassure her, but even so, he felt that if he touched her at this moment, they would not be able to maintain their original relationship.

Because he doesn’t want the relationship to fall apart — and to protect his precious relationship, Yamato tells her with words instead of reaching out to her.

“…Well, you’re overthinking it. I wasn’t avoiding Shirase, and it wasn’t anything abnormal.”

Yamato is committed to his deception and even smiled affectionately

He knows it was a dishonest response. But he couldn’t think of any other way.

Sayla looked up slowly and said with a gentle smile on her face.

“I see. Then that’s fine.”

Yamato felt relieved and at ease, yet at the same time filled with guilt.

He forced himself to believe that this was okay.

“Oh, that’s right.”

Sayla said as if she remembered something, and stood up quickly.

“I have to go to my parents’ house on the first day.”

“Are you talking about the holidays?”

“Yes. When is the class barbecue?”

“Well, it looks like the last day.”

“I see, it’s the last day.”

At that moment, he felt Sayla’s expression cloud over for a moment.

“Do you have any plans?”

“Well, yeah. But I’m fine. Maybe I’ll go when I’m done.”

Just as Sayla said this, the bell rang.

What were her plans? I returned to the classroom, curious but unable to ask.