Episode 120: I Love You

My head hurts…

This isn’t a migraine, it’s honestly because I cried.

Between the exchange between Sara-san and Natsumi-senpai and then actually crying for real, my head’s throbbing.

Maybe because of my grimace, Sara-san’s wearing a worried expression beside me.

「Kazunari-san, are you alright?」

「No… well, my head…」

There’s no point in hiding it, so I told her honestly. Hearing that, Mayumi-san spoke up.

「Takanashi-kun, do you have medicine?」

「Yes, I get headaches often.」

「There should be a convenience store soon, so wait just a bit until I buy some water.」

I’m troubling everyone just because of me.

I did it again… why am I…

「Kazunari-san, no-no.」

Sara-san’s finger pokes my forehead.

It looks like she read my expression again.

She wraps her hand around my shoulder just like that and slowly lays my body down.

It’s the lap pillow position.

「Slowly relax and let your body rest, okay?」

Sara-san strokes my head with her right hand, while her left hand slowly and gently pats near my chest… tap… tap…

「Hah… she’s as impressive as ever.」

I heard Natsumi-senpai’s voice, mixed with exasperation.

「What is?」

Hayato replies to Natsumi-senpai, acting like he doesn’t know what she means.

I have an idea of what she’s going to say, but I’m not in a state to care, so I don’t react.

「Did you see that? She laid Takanashi-kun down with such natural movements, and there’s no waste in how she uses both hands after the lap pillow.」

Natsumi-senpai is peeking from the back seat, staring at me while I get a lap pillow.

By the way, it’s a three-row seat, so Sara-san and I are in the middle, and Natsumi-senpai and Hayato are in the very back.

So, she probably saw everything as Sara-san laid me down for the lap pillow.

「True, it did feel like she was used to it.」

「What’s up with a high school girl who’s used to giving a guy a lap pillow?」

Even if asked, there’s no answer.

Hayato seems troubled for a reply too and stays silent.

「I’m not really sure what you’re trying to say, but if it’s something I want to do for Kazunari-san, I wouldn’t mind mastering it exclusively for him, you know?」

Normally you’d think it was a joke, but Sara-san is likely answering perfectly seriously.

Natsumi-senpai didn’t seem to expect an answer either.

「…Sara might be invincible now.」

She only gives a delicate reaction.

I bought water at the convenience store and took the medicine, so now I just have to wait for it to kick in.

By the way, as soon as I took the medicine and got back in the car, I was laid down by Sara-san (?) again.

After a while, as the pain subsided, I started to feel the comfort of Sara-san’s lap pillow and began to doze off.

Sara-san, who’d been looking at my face while stroking my head, changed the position of her hand to close my eyes, and that was the limit of my endurance.

「Good night, Kazunari-san.」

Listening to Sara-senpai’s voice, I fell completely asleep.

「Fufu… Kazunari-san is so cute…」

It started again.

It was the same before, but she often lets out that thought after putting Takanashi-kun to sleep.

Before, she felt more happy about it, but now, seeing her smile so blissfully, I kind of lose the urge to tease her.

Well, from here on, loud voices are forbidden.

If someone wakes Takanashi-kun up, Sara’s rage will be waiting.

「Hey Sara, what are you gonna do from now on? Takanashi-kun’s injury’s probably getting better by now.」

「So it seems. Either way, I’ll continue as I have been until he’s fully healed. I’ve been asked by Kazunari-san’s Okaa-sama as well.」

Huh?

Okaa-sama?

「Eh, you’ve met Takanashi-kun’s mother? I haven’t heard about this…」

「Kazunari didn’t particularly mention it either.」

It looks like Yokogawa-kun hadn’t heard either.

I wonder if Tachibana-kun heard…

「Eeeh… hold on Sara-chan, why didn’t you tell me such an important story? I would’ve wanted to give my greetings too if the timing worked out…」

I wonder if she understands that if Mayumi-san’s statement had been carried out, it would’ve carried a lot of meaning…

「No, it was really sudden, and I didn’t have that much leeway myself. But she was a wonderful Okaa-sama. Oh, when we exchanged a few words on RAIN before, she said to give her regards to my father and Okaa-san…」

Pfft!

You’re exchanging messages with Takanashi-kun’s mother on RAIN?

No way… that means Takanashi-kun’s already been approved by Sara’s mother, and Sara’s likely been approved by Takanashi-kun’s mother…

According to Daichi, the whole student council already knows too.

What’s with these two, most of the outer moat, including the parents, are already filled in on the first day of dating.

「Oh, if you can contact her directly, then there’s no problem. Maybe I’ll give my greetings once you two have settled down a bit more.」

Isn’t this no time for Takanashi-kun to be sleeping…

Yokogawa-kun is troubled by how to react too.

「Kazunari-san… we’re arriving soon, can you wake up?」

「Nnn…」

I felt like I heard Sara-san’s voice…

But I’m still sleepy.

「…Ka… zu… na… ri… san… wa… ke… up.」

Chills!!

Along with the feeling of breath against my ear, I heard Sara-san’s relaxed voice and reflexively woke up.

「Wha!? W, what?」

I felt like there was a really ticklish sensation.

「Fufu… are you awake?」

I realized the position I was in, getting a lap pillow, but Sara-san kept her smile and I didn’t know what she’d done.

「We’re arriving soon, so please wake up. Ah, you mustn’t wake up too quickly.」

I got warned when I tried to wake up all at once.

「I wonder if Takanashi-san is awake? Wake up the two in the back too.」

It seemed only Mayumi-san and Sara-san had been awake.

I did something I feel bad about…

Since it was late, we ended up dropping off Natsumi-senpai and then Hayato at their homes.

「Mayumi-san, thank you very much. See ya, Sara, Takanashi-kun.」

Natsumi-senpai gets off.

「Thank you for today. It was fun. Kazunari, thanks. And, congrats.」

Hayato gets off.

Being told again like that makes me feel shy.

And next is me.

I can see her again tomorrow, but I somehow feel lonely.

Sara-san must feel the same, as she’s sitting snuggled up to me.

When I stroked her head as if to pay her back for earlier, she flashed a happy smile and clung to me as if being pampered.

「My, my, I wonder when Sara-chan became such a spoiled baby.」

It looked like she’d been watching in the rearview mirror, as Mayumi-san said teasingly. Sara-san turned red and pulled away just a little.

「Okaa-san, please focus on driving!」

「Well, we’re already here, you know?」

Come to think of it, the car had stopped before I knew it, and looking out the window, there was my familiar apartment…

We both fell silent out of embarrassment.

After thanking Mayumi-san and getting out of the car, Sara-san followed me as if it were only natural.

I opened the front door and turned around to say my「see you tomorrow」greeting, but Sara-san hugged me.

「Kazunari-san, I’ll come over tomorrow morning again.」

I lightly wrapped my arms around her too, in a hugging position.

「Yes, I’ll be waiting.」

「Fufu… then see you tomorrow.」

Sara-san let go of her arms and pulled away.

I was waiting to see her get in the car before going inside, when Sara-san suddenly turned around, ran back slightly, and just like that…

Chu…

She left a soft sensation on my cheek.

And in my ear…

「I love you.」

Leaving just that one word, she ran back to the car again.

She waved her hand, closed the car door, and the car drove off.

I just watched her go, dazed…