Episode 20: I… To You…

…I wonder just how long she’d been lost in thought.

I could tell Senpai had been looking away and thinking about all sorts of things, especially since her expression would shift every now and then.

Then, out of nowhere, Senpai turned to look at me.

Based on the way she was staring right at me, she must have come to some kind of answer or conclusion.

「I didn’t think deeply about the fact that I saw Takanashi-san differently from everyone else. Before I knew it, that was just how I felt. I realized I trusted you, and as for my current feelings, I find myself thinking favorably of you.」

Favorably?!

Wait, I’m happy to hear that, but why so suddenly?!

「I knew about you even before we became acquainted, Takanashi-san. Of course there was the way you took care of the flower beds, but what left the strongest impression was when you helped that lost little girl in the shopping district.」

A lost girl… she must mean Mio-chan.

She saw me back then?

But I didn’t even do anything special.

If I remember right, I was just so desperate to get Mio-chan to stop crying that I used Yuzuha as a reference from when we were kids…

「To comfort the crying girl, you used a cat mascot and went, ‘Nyan nyan…’」

「Senpai! You really don’t have to remember that part!!」

Right.

I definitely remember doing that while thinking of Yuzuha.

I wasn’t thinking much of it at the time, but a guy going “nyan nyan” is seriously…

「…? Why? I don’t think there is anything strange about it. I was honestly impressed. You were able to calm the child down and make her feel safe so naturally, you know?」

It seems Senpai cares way more about the result than the “nyan nyan” part.

「…For me, whether it was past experience or whatever, I didn’t intend to do anything that great…」

「Using your past experiences is important. Doesn’t that just prove you’ve always had that kind of kindness in you, Takanashi-san?」

Honestly, it’s been a long time since I was isolated in middle school, and I haven’t had anyone say something so straightforward and positive to me. I’m mostly just confused.

「You held that child’s hand and went to look for her mother, didn’t you? I can still clearly picture that sight from behind. It was a very wonderful scene.」

This is a little embarrassing…

But Senpai hasn’t let her expression slip once since she started talking.

That means she is seriously praising me.

「You were even carrying her on the way to school, weren’t you? I saw you several times, and both of you had very wonderful smiles.」

Even that far back…

That means Senpai had been watching me quite a bit before we ever spoke that first day.

…Senpai, the one they called the Lonely Goddess…

「To be honest, the number of people around me who I find unpleasant is overwhelmingly in the majority. In the midst of that, you really stayed in my heart. Then I got to know you, we talked, and though today’s events were unexpected, I still had some thoughts… and I finally realized it.」

Once she said that much, Senpai stared straight at me.

I felt like I was being swallowed by those serious eyes.

「I… toward you………」

Wait………… is this happening……

No, I never imagined that she would feel that way about me…

「I feel as though I’ve found a best friend, like Natsumi.」

Well, I knew it was impossible, and I didn’t think I had been involved that deeply anyway.

But honestly, I’m happy.

It’s the first time I’ve ever been told something like that.

「That is how I’ve felt until now…」

Senpai is… looking at me with a very beautiful smile!

「…And this is how I feel now. If it’s alright with you, Takanashi-san, could we continue to get along from now on?」

That was something I wanted to ask from my side instead.

「Thank you. I’m really happy that you feel that way.」

「I’m glad… I was a little anxious because I’ve caused you quite a bit of trouble.」

I’m truly happy.

But since Senpai spoke this much, I have to be honest now too.

I don’t know what Senpai will think once she hears it, and the thought of her being disappointed is terrifying, but…