Vol. 1 Chapter 26 – I Came Anyway

Friday afternoon—the final bell rang, marking the end of all mid-term exams.

“Alright, time’s up. Pencils down, collect from the back. No more writing.”

At the supervising teacher’s command, the answer sheets were collected sequentially from the back.

…It’s over.

The first thing I felt was a huge, huge sense of liberation.

For a while now, days without having to face studying would continue.

Just thinking about it made my heart feel light as if it had grown wings.

The next thing I felt was the confidence that I had likely avoided failing grades in all subjects.

The expected question collection borrowed from Taiju-san was indeed worthy of being called a strategy guide.

I wouldn’t know for sure until the results were actually announced, but at least for now, my anxiety was greatly alleviated.

I had also arranged to have the next three days off from my part-time job, so I could savor my leisure time to the fullest.

Thinking that, I grabbed my bag and was about to stand up from my seat.

Peeking into the classroom from the entrance, Asahi-san was staring fixedly in my direction.

When I noticed her, she beckoned me over with a little wave of her hand.

It seemed like she was telling me to follow her, but this was the first time she had approached me like this on campus.

What on earth could she want?

Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I followed her, maintaining a distance that was neither too close nor too far.

We passed through the connecting corridor and entered the separate building, a place deeply familiar to me.

Asahi-san occasionally glanced back as if to confirm I was still following.

Just as I wondered how far we were going, we turned a corner in the hallway—

“Waah!” (Hikaru)
“Uwah! You scared me!” (Reiya)

She pulled a prank worthy of an elementary schooler.

“Ahaha! Surprised?” (Hikaru)
“Of course I’m surprised… Dragging me all the way out here, just for this…” (Reiya)
“Sorry, sorry, I just thought it might be a little embarrassing if people saw us suddenly talking friendly-like at school when we never have before…” (Hikaru)

She said, laughing bashfully.

Indeed, now that she mentioned it, this might be the first time we’d spoken at school.

However, calling me all the way out here just to talk seemed a bit overly cautious.

From anyone else’s perspective, seeing us talk would probably just look like some kind of administrative conversation.

“How were the tests?” (Hikaru)
“Eh? Ah… Well, they were so-so, I guess. How about you, Asahi-san?” (Reiya)
“Mine were okay too, I guess~” (Hikaru)

There was probably a difference like heaven and earth between her ‘okay’ and my ‘so-so’…

I’d never seen her drop out of the single digits in the exam rankings that were always posted.

She didn’t go to cram school or prep school, nor was she particularly a swot, so her fundamental brainpower was just different.

“So… here’s the main topic…” (Hikaru)

She shifted her body slightly, beginning to speak hesitantly.

“I said I’d come over to play tomorrow too… but sorry, I won’t be able to make it.” (Hikaru)
“Eh? Oh, ah… I see…” (Reiya)
“Sorry for telling you just the day before. Something unavoidable came up…” (Hikaru)

She pressed her hands together in front of her face, apologizing with sincere regret.

However, calling me out just to apologize for this seemed overly conscientious…

“…Is it tennis-related?” (Reiya)

I hesitated slightly whether to ask, but decided to take the plunge.

“Yeah, my mom is… Saturday she usually prioritizes coaching at the club so she’s not around, but since the tournament is close, she decided she’d watch my practice tomorrow…” (Hikaru)

Asahi-san said, looking awkward.

In other words, she couldn’t skip because her mother’s watchful eye would be on her.

“I see. Well, can’t be helped then.” (Reiya)
“Really sorry. Especially since you said you’d prepared something we could play together…” (Hikaru)
“No, I’m totally fine. We can do that anytime.” (Reiya)
“Yeah, I’ll let you know once I figure out a day I can come over again. Well then, see you next week.” (Hikaru)

With that, she readjusted her bag on her shoulder and jogged back the way she came.

There was a touch of loneliness, but if she was going to practice properly, that was undoubtedly for the best.

＊＊＊＊＊

Returning home, I faced my computer amidst an unprecedented sense of liberation.

I had resolved not to step outside even once during these three days and had stocked up on supplies accordingly.

All that remained was to play, play, and play the games I had backlogged for this very day to my heart’s content.

In the dim room, I focused solely on operating the keyboard and mouse with a concentration utterly absent during studying.

When hungry, I washed down delivered food with energy drinks.

Perhaps some dangerous substance was being secreted in my brain; the word ‘fatigue’ had been left far behind.

As night fell and friends like B.F. Itsuki joined, the fun-filled multiplayer session began.

Perhaps influenced by my sense of liberation, everyone acted foolishly, losing all track of time as we played like crazy.

This unhealthy, unwholesome, yet supreme experience.

I had forgotten due to various recent events, but this was how I was truly meant to be.

Like that, twenty-four hours flew by in an instant, and Saturday evening arrived.

The peak of sleepiness had long passed, and I was stepping one foot into unknown territory.

The friends who had stuck with me this far dropped out one by one, until everyone except Itsuki-san had gone to sleep.

‘Sorry, got a message from family, gonna step away for a bit’ (Itsuki)

Even Itsuki-san said that and left his seat.

Maybe I should take a shower now too, I thought, standing up for the first time in a while.

Taking a warm shower stimulated my already sluggish blood circulation, making my inactive brain even foggier.

Amidst that haze, thoughts of Asahi-san surfaced.

Was she practicing hard right now for the upcoming tournament?

Hoping that was the case, I stepped out of the bathroom and was drying myself off when—

—Ding-dong.

The doorbell echoed through the entryway.

“H-Hold on a second!” (Reiya)

I yelled towards the door and quickly threw on the clothes I had ready.

Who could it be at this hour?

A delivery, or perhaps some suspicious solicitor…?

Opening the door cautiously, I found—

“Sorry, I came anyway.” (Hikaru)

Standing there was Asahi-san, empty-handed, still dressed in her tennis wear.