After Distancing Myself From the Childhood Friend Couple Who Looked Down on Me, I Started Interacting With a Small Animal-Like Beautiful Girl - Chapter 35

The afternoon session of the sports festival, which began with dance performances by each grade level, was gaining even more momentum as the temperature rose. The second-year performance, which came after our first-year performance, really showed how much of a difference a year makes. I could say it was impressive; their movements were sharper, and their coordination was completely different.

I think the reaction to our first-year white team’s dance was pretty good, perhaps because the song was popular on SNS. We finished with a few mistakes, which was a relief.

As the first-year white team finished their performance and mingled with the students in the audience, a conversation could be heard.

“I just bumped into someone really hard while dancing. It was the worst.”

“Oh, are you okay? Who did you bump into?”

“Sasai Serika. She hasn’t been practicing properly, so she’s really wobbly. And isn’t it sneaky that she skips school a lot but still participates in the actual performance?”

“Ugh, I know, right? She barely participated in the whole practice, and it’s going to lower the white team’s dance score.”

“It might be shocking that her ex-boyfriend is already dating someone else, but don’t act like she’s the poor, pitiful woman.”

Two girls from the white team, who were in the same year and sitting in the back, where they took up a lot of space, were whispering to each other.

Both were speaking in hushed tones, but one in particular was using slightly stronger language, perhaps due to the discomfort they felt at the time. During the dance, I was so focused on not messing up the choreography and my position that I had no idea that was happening.

Keeping that story in the back of my mind, I watched the dance performance by the upperclassmen. After this, the afternoon competitions would finally begin.

As Ino-san and I returned to the cheering section with Shirou, I noticed someone passing by my chair.

Her face was paler than usual, and her steps were a little unsteady, so I couldn’t help but call out to her.

“Serika?”

My childhood friend stopped and looked back at me, her eyes dark. It seemed as if all life had drained out of her, and a chill ran down my spine.

“What?”

“…You don’t look well.”

“It’s fine, really. Totally normal.”

“But your face is pale, and you were kind of staggering when you were walking. Maybe you should go to the nurse’s office…”

“No. I don’t have to go––”

The low, mumbled voice trailed off, and Serika, who had been standing there, lurched forward. I immediately stood up and supported Serika’s shoulders, and her forehead bumped against mine.

That was a surprise… I’m glad she didn’t fall.

“…I’m sorry, I… I just got a little dizzy.”

Serika slowly moved away from me, taking a small, heavy breath. She looked quite exhausted.

The fact that she bumped into someone while dancing was probably also related to not being in the best physical condition.

I remembered that dizziness and a pale face were early symptoms of heatstroke, so I asked Serika.

“Serika, were you drinking enough water?”

“I might not have done it very much…”

“…It’s probably heatstroke, but the symptoms seem mild. You should go back inside the school, drink some fluids, and rest.”

The temperature must be over thirty degrees now that it’s past noon. The sunlight feels so strong, it’s like it’s piercing us rather than just shining on us.

“…Yes, but…”

Serika was muttering quietly as she said this.

“I’m afraid people will think I’m taking another day off, or that I’m overreacting… so…”

I wondered what she was hesitating about after almost falling, but I see now.

As I was watching the dance, the conversation of the two girls sitting behind me came back to me.

Serika wasn’t nearby at that time, but perhaps she heard other students saying things behind her back, just like those two. Or maybe she sensed that meaning in the way people were looking at her.

But I can’t leave her exposed to the sun like this.

“If you keep worrying about that, you’ll really collapse. It’s you who will get worse and suffer more than you are now.”

I spoke a little too strongly.

But seeing Serika nod slightly, I feel relieved.

“Okay, I will get your water bottle and towel. And I will walk with you to the school building.”

“Eh… You don’t have to go that far.”

“If you go alone, you might collapse again on the way, just like before. It’s just in case something happens.”

I grabbed her water bottle and towel from Serika’s seat and motioned for her to start walking. From here, the gymnasium with the entrance that leads directly to the field is the closest.

I matched my pace to Serika’s and occasionally checked on her as we walked.

“Thank you, Yuki.”

The voice from the side was quiet, but it still reached my ears.

And the next words too.

“I’m sorry for everything until now…”

I almost stopped in my tracks.

A trembling voice is followed by the sound of someone sniffing.

After a moment of hesitation, I simply replied “Yeah” and then walked in silence.

I didn’t notice that someone from the white team’s cheering section was staring at us.

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

<Serika’s side>

The gymnasium I entered, accompanied by Yuki, was significantly different from one without direct sunlight, even without air conditioning.

Drinking the barley tea from my water bottle and wrapping the towel Yuki had wet around my neck, my fading consciousness gradually cleared, and the dizziness subsided. Noticing the sunburn on my red arms, a stinging pain slowly crept in.

I have never forgotten to hydrate or apply sunscreen before, especially.

“How is it now compared to before?”

Yuki was sitting next to me, asking me as I was drinking barley tea.

“I feel much better. I’m not dizzy like I was earlier.”

“That’s right. I’m glad it didn’t turn into something serious.”

“Yeah.”

Silence falls again.

Perhaps out of consideration for me, who gets tired just from talking a little, Yuki stayed by my side without saying anything.

Earlier, I was grateful and comfortable with that, but now that my consciousness is returning, it feels a bit awkward. Especially because I remembered crying on the way here.

From outside, I can faintly hear the live commentary of the ongoing competition and the cheers of the students.

“I’m going to head back soon. Don’t push yourself, just come back when you feel up to it.”

After saying that, Yuki tries to stand up.

Suddenly feeling lost, I instinctively grabbed his hand.

“…I want you to stay a little longer.”

Even though I know I shouldn’t be clingy, my body moves on its own.

Yuki probably wants to go back to Saitou Ino and Yokokawa-kun, not bother with someone like me. I’m sure he will refuse.

“…Okay.”

Yuki surprisingly readily agreed and sat back down next to me.

While feeling apologetic, a sense of joy wells up.

However, I was soon faced with the dilemma of what to do from here.

“Yuki, why did you care about me?”

Since it’s also a bit strange to stay silent the whole time, I decided to ask about something that had been bothering me.

Until now, to get Daiki’s attention, I have been badmouthing Yuki to match his feelings. Because of that, Yuki even blocked the group and individual lines.

Even though he should want nothing to do with me or Daiki, why is he still here by my side? I have been wondering about that ever since Yuki spoke to me when I was in a daze.

“If someone near me clearly looks unwell, I’d speak to them. Even more so if they were my childhood friend.”

It’s perfectly normal, Yuki replies as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world.

Yes, that’s the kind of person Yuki is.

I clench my fists and open my mouth to say, “But…”

“I did terrible things to Yuki. Even though Yuki was helping me with my problems with Daiki, I teamed up with Daiki to talk badly about Yuki and treat you like an errand person.”

“…Yeah, you’re right.”

“But, but, why are you still my childhood friend? Normally, you’d just give up on someone like me, right?”

Realizing my voice was trembling, I bit my lip hard.

No, I’m about to cry again.

Silence fell between us again.

“–––I hated it. Because I thought we were childhood friends… Your words and actions that looked down on me were painful for a long time.”

Yuki’s words, spoken in a quiet murmur that made my chest tighten as if crushed.

“I can’t undo what you did to me. But I also relied on you and didn’t try to make friends myself. And besides… I understand why Serika did what you did.”

“Eh…”

When I turned towards Yuki, he was also looking at me.

Seeing my eyes wide open, Yuki says with a wry smile.

“I have given you advice so many times, I know it like the back of my hand. I know how much Serika likes him.”

Even with a wry smile, Yuki smiled at me again. Just like when Daiki and I were still Yuki’s close childhood friends.

I thought I would never be treated like this again.

In an instant, Yuki’s face blurred and contorted.

“Y-Yuki… I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry…!”

Tears streamed down my cheeks and fell onto the gymnasium floor.

I was touched by the warmth of Yuki’s words, and what I had been holding back spilled out.

“I… I was dumped by Daiki… Sniff, he didn’t like me after all…!”

As I cry with my face crumpled, something is gently placed on my back. He slowly rubs it up and down, and realizing it’s Yuki’s hand, tears and apologies flow even more.

I was comforted by the kindest and only person who understood me, and I heard the loudest cheers from the ground.