Episode 90: Anxiety

「Takanashi-kun, heading to the student council now?」

I was called out to while on my way to the student council room with Takanashi-san.

It was Takanashi-san who was addressed, not me, but it was a female student I felt like I’d seen somewhere, and she seemed quite friendly.

「Yeah. Shinjo-san, are you heading to the tennis courts now?」

「Ehehe~ as expected, you can tell?」

「Of course. Well, cheer for Natsumi-senpai for me too.」

Since that last sports festival, Takanashi-san has been called out to like this a lot.

He’s even addressed by people clearly in different grades, which concerns me, but Takanashi-san’s usual answer is 「I don’t know who they are.」

Judging by his face, it doesn’t seem like a lie.

However, what bothers me is that it’s mostly women…

Moreover, he’s talking more familiarly than usual today.

Come to think of it, I feel like she was a classmate, so perhaps that’s why.

And seeing Takanashi-san smiling and talking with a woman makes me feel unpleasant.

Until now, I disliked the overfamiliarity of the women talking to Takanashi-san…

But I also feel this way toward Takanashi-san himself for talking to such people with a smile…

What is this feeling?

I hate myself for harboring and feeling such things toward the Takanashi-san I love so much…

「Onii-chan, this way~」

「Alright, wait up~」

「Kyahhh!」

When I chase her slowly, Mio-chan starts running happily. She runs with her small tied-up hair bobbing cutely.

「Mio-chan~ you shouldn’t run so fast~」

Todo-san calls out to Mio-chan with a worried face.

For that matter, even I find the way children run a bit scary to watch, as if they’re about to trip.

Today, on the way back from shopping, I received a tackle from behind from Mio-chan.

It seemed she was taking a walk with Todo-san, and at Mio-chan’s request, I ended up joining them.

And now, we’re playing in a nearby park.

While watching Mio-chan run ahead, I was idly thinking about how well she balances herself, and then Mio-chan fell down.

「Mio-chan!?」

I hurried over and picked Mio-chan up, but she had a delicate expression as if she might cry if I wasn’t careful. I quickly held her and spoke while rubbing Mio-chan’s reddened knee.

「Alright, it doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t hurt…」

「Mio-chan won’t cry, will she? You’re a good girl~」

As I comforted her along with Todo-san, who had rushed over, Mio-chan’s tearful atmosphere vanished and she showed us a smile.

「Mio-chan is a good girl~」

「Huh? Takanashi-kun and Mio-chan and… who’s that girl?」

Natsumi raised her voice as she spotted Takanashi-san and the others playing in the park.

Hearing that, I looked at the park as well, just as Takanashi-san was picking up Mio-chan after she fell.

Then, a woman who was nearby rushed over to Takanashi-san and started stroking the head of Mio-chan, who was being held.

…Who is that… Isn’t she being overfamiliar…

No, if it’s someone related to Mio-chan, it’s not strange that they would be an acquaintance of Takanashi-san as well.

It is not good to say such selfish things as calling it overfamiliar.

Right now, it seems the two of them are comforting Mio-chan together so she doesn’t cry.

It’s happening again… what is this feeling…

「Oh boy, it’s like a certain someone and her partner a while back.」

Natsumi looked at me and smirked.

A certain someone and her partner… she’s likely talking about when Takanashi-san and I were comforting Mio-chan before.

I see, so that’s how it looked when viewed from the outside at that time.

……Eh?

In other words, that means

Takanashi-san is now doing the exact same thing he did with me, with another woman.

Takanashi-san, smiling and looking close with a woman who is doing the same thing I did back then.

In other words, even a woman other than me can do the same kinds of things for Takanashi-san.

And without me knowing, the things I want to do for Takanashi-san might accidentally be done by another woman…

I hate it.

I hate that.

I’m the one who has been by Takanashi-san’s side all this time, so why are you trying to enter my space?

Please stop, please stay away, that is my place… it is my place alone.

And Takanashi-san, please do not smile at her with that kind of smile…