Chapter 365: Not a Coincidence, but Fate #2
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 365: Not a Coincidence, but Fate #2
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She liked lively, bustling atmospheres.
But she also needed time to be alone with her thoughts.
Especially today.
If it had been any ordinary hangout, she would have skipped it.
But since she was the one who had organized this gathering, Hiyori decided to forget about what happened earlier and just have fun with her friends.
The group of eight, including herself, was perfectly split between guys and girls. Under Hiyori's lead, they spent their time at a café, a pool hall, and a karaoke room.
It was nearly ten in the evening when they finally parted ways to head home.
“See you, Asahina!”
“See you tomorrow!”
At the entrance to the subway station.
Hiyori cheerfully raised her hand to wave back at the friends heading in different directions, but as she opened her mouth to say goodbye…
“See you, bye—”
She froze, Matsuda's beaming face suddenly flashing in her mind.
Bye-bye. It was a greeting she used all the time.
But today, she didn't want to use it.
The reason was none other than what Matsuda-senpai had said.
He'd told her that on the bus to the kendo tournament last winter, he had seen her crossing an intersection and heard her say that very word.
That was the word that had made her, a person he would have otherwise dismissed as a random passerby, stick in his memory.
Because of that, it felt special, and she found herself unwilling to say it to just anyone.
“Bye!”
Quickly changing her words, Hiyori waved and then tapped her card, heading through the ticket gate with Miho.
“You didn't have much fun, did you?” Miho asked as they waited for the subway together, seeming to read her mind.
Hiyori shrugged and asked back, “Was it that obvious?”
“How long have we been hanging out every day? Of course it was. Was it because of Aoki?”
Her classmate, who had been on her team during pool.
He'd stuck right by her side, bragging about how good he was and trying way too hard to teach her. It had definitely been a little annoying at the time.
But the feeling had faded quickly.
She could overlook a bit of masculine bravado as something cute.
“No. It's not because of anything that happened while we were out.”
“Oh?”
Miho nodded as if she understood completely.
Her thoughts read once again, Hiyori brought a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture.
Miho gave her a meaningful smile and said, “Got it. My lips are sealed.”
As they rode the train home with a loud clatter, Hiyori chatted with Miho. It was only after Miho got off at her stop that Hiyori finally had a moment to herself.
Finally able to think about Matsuda-senpai, she sat in a daze, habitually staring at her phone screen as she retraced the threads of their connection.
He had a bit of a strict side, but deep down, he was incredibly kind.
Bickering with him, who was so much like a tsundere, was always incredibly fun.
More fun than talking to anyone else.
And while she’d met plenty of people who were nice to her, it felt especially good when Matsuda-senpai was the one being kind.
Why was that? Was it simply because he was handsome?
That was part of it, of course, but it seemed the kindness that peeked through his strict personality was what really hit the mark for her.
She also liked how he played along with every single one of her dumb jokes…
The coincidences of their connection were so striking that she felt herself growing particularly fond of him.
She hadn't seen him, but he had seen her. They had met a few times at the café before school started…
They even ran into each other at the bookstore, and now they were a senior and junior at the same academy…
It was an incredible coincidence. No, maybe it wasn't a coincidence, but fate.
She didn't normally believe in such things, but bumping into him in the most unexpected situations made the thought spring to mind on its own.
Did Matsuda-senpai feel the same way?
Seeing how well he was getting along with Hanazawa-senpai made it seem like he probably wasn't thinking about her at all, but his behavior when they were alone together suggested he might care.
Vrooom-!
As she was lost in thought, the subway doors opened.
Startled to see the name of her stop written on a pillar, Hiyori scrambled off the train.
After leaving the station, she walked home slowly in the cool breeze. As she was about to open the front door…
“Huh…?”
Her key wasn't in her pocket.
She was sure she’d had it when she left school. When could she have lost it?
At the karaoke place? Or when she got off the train?
She didn't know, but… it wasn't a huge deal.
It would be a problem if no one was home, but in that case, she could just explain the situation to Matsuda-senpai and ask him to hang out with her until her parents got back.
With that carefree thought, she rang the doorbell. A moment later, the door opened to reveal her little brother, his eyes wide as he greeted her.
“Why'd you ring the bell?”
Her younger brother was bringing a spoonful of ice cream to his mouth.
Hiyori snatched the small container from his hand and answered, “I lost my key.”
“Why'd you take my ice cream?”
“I'm gonna eat it.”
“Why?”
“Just 'cause.”
“Mom! Sis swore and stole my ice cream!”
Her brother tattled, spouting fake news as he bolted away.
Hiyori tried to grab him but missed his quick escape. She retracted her arm, which was still reaching into the empty air, and let out a disbelieving sigh.
“That little brat…”
Stepping inside, she saw her mom making something.
A savory smell filled the air. It seemed to be corn soup.
My brother must have been whining for more, she thought.
Hiyori walked over and grabbed the back of her brother's shirt, who was clinging to their mom.
“Mom, I lost my key~”
“You didn't lose it near the house, did you?”
“Nope.”
“Then it's fine. I'll leave a spare on the table for you tomorrow morning, so take that.”
“You have a spare? I thought we ran out last time.”
“I made a bunch this time.”
“Didn't Dad say he was going to change it to a door lock?”
“Did he?”
“I think I remember him saying that… Hasn't he mentioned it?”
“No. He doesn't seem to know anything about it. He probably forgot.”
“Really? I'm gonna go wash up.”
“Have some soup before you do.”
“I'm on a diet.”
At her words, her brother, still held by the scruff of his shirt, tilted his head.
“Then why'd you take my ice cream? Ice cream makes you fat.”
“I haven't eaten it yet, so it's fine, right?”
“I guess?”
“That's right.”
“Then give me back my ice cream.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
“Oh, okay.”
Hiyori gave her brother—who nodded in acceptance with a look of utter confusion—a light pat on the head. As he pretended to be hurt, she placed his ice cream on the table and went upstairs.
After finishing her shower, she jumped onto her bed and lay on her stomach.
She picked up her phone and opened her messaging app.
Dozens of chats from various people.
Among them were messages from the friends she had hung out with today.
A message from Suzuki was at the very top, which was noticeable. Looking back, he always contacted her this way.
He was taking advantage of the system that puts the most recent message at the top.
It was an incredibly shady move.
Normally, it would have made her frown, but she had a few guy friends like that, so Hiyori just accepted it and scrolled down.
Then, after sending a single message to Matsuda—[Matsumatsuken]—she replied to her friends.
But even after a while, there was no reply from Matsuda.
Is he sleeping? Or is he spending some quality time with Hanazawa-senpai?
The thought suddenly soured her mood.
She had no intention of breaking up a happy couple, but her connection with Matsuda-senpai ran deep.
Had Hanazawa-senpai ever run into him back when they were strangers, like she had?
She was sure that wasn't the case.
Somehow, she felt like he was someone she had to have.
Honestly, if someone told her to steal him away, she felt like she probably could…?
Click.
“Sis! Want some ice cream?”
Her train of thought shattered by her brother, who had burst into her room without knocking, Hiyori scoffed and shot back, “It's mint chocolate, isn't it?”
“Yep.”
“You eat it.”
“Don't you like mint chocolate?”
“You're just trying to palm off the flavor you hate.”
“That's right.”
“Your intentions are impure, so I'm not eating it.”
“Why? It's good for me because I don't have to eat something I hate, and it's good for you because you get to eat something you like. Isn't that a win-win?”
“You know, now that you mention it, I guess so. Put it on my desk. And get me some water.”
“Then let me borrow your game console.”
“Did you play for an hour today?”
“Yep.”
“Then no. Get permission from Mom and Dad.”
“I'll play in secret.”
Who does he take after, being so stubborn? Kids these days…
Hiyori, with no intention of admitting her brother's shamelessness was a carbon copy of her own, nodded.
Her brother beamed with joy and left the room to get water.
[What.]
A reply had come from Matsuda-senpai in the meantime.
Hiyori immediately tapped the chat window and started typing.
[Let's work out together tomorrow.]
[What's this? I thought you'd be whining for at least a week.]
[No prejudice.]
[Is your leg okay?]
[You saw me playing basketball, didn't you?]
[I'm asking if you feel okay. You need to be honest about this.]
[It doesn't really hurt.]
[Then let's do it together. Bring a change of clothes.]
[Kay.]
Come to think of it, she had to return the clothes she'd borrowed from Matsuda-senpai.
I can't forget.
“Sis! Here's your water.”
Having finished her conversation, Hiyori wore a satisfied expression as her brother returned with a large tumbler, complete with ice cubes floating inside.
She took a sip of the cool water, then opened her closet to find the game console. As she was about to hand it to her brother, a great idea struck her, and she grinned slyly.
“Hey.”
“Yeah?”
“Log into Animal Forest on my account and collect all the fruit that's grown.”
“I'm not gonna play that.”
“It's the price for me not telling Mom. If you just do one round, I'll let you play for two hours.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Okay.”
“Make sure you save. And close the door on your way out.”
Her brother took the console and the game, then returned to his room with a silly grin.
I'll use the items my brother collects to raise Matsuda's affection level.
Was it because of the fair trade?
Or was it because she'd made plans with Matsuda?
Her mood vastly improved, Hiyori lay in bed with a pleased smile and drifted off to sleep.