Bizarre Love Triangle - Chapter 3.3
Although I shouldn’t get my hopes up too high, I don’t think it’s wrong to be conceited about it either.
[So, what do you want to ask me?]
Akiha asks, looking forward as we leave the school grounds together.
[Oh, um, about this morning. Sudo said that she was going to Odaiba.]
[Yeah.]
[You said that you’re busy on weekends, but that’s a lie, right?]
When I said that, a feeling of guilt seeped into my heart as if I was hurting Akiha’s high spirits.
[Haruka told me that she only went to the hospital once in a while on weekends, so she was always free. Why did you lie and refuse her invitation?]
I think I may be going too far.
It may be that it’s just too troublesome to go out with Sudo and me.
But Akiha, who had refused the invitation with an exceedingly straightforward attitude lied only this one time. I feel like she had some kind of reason to do so.
[That’s right. That was a lie]
With a sigh, Akiha admitted.
[So Yano-kun can find out about those things, too]
[It’s not like I’m trying to create a character out of nothing. I can kind of tell when other people are like that.]
It’s because I’m always lying that I’m sensitive to the lies of others.
I can often sense the gap between the real intention and the words through their facial expressions, tone of voice or just general small gestures of theirs.
Besides, this time the person who lied was Akiha.
I was more confident in my ability to detect changes in her tone and attitude than anyone else.
[Maybe you’re not good at such places? You don’t like sightseeing places like that?]
[…No. I have never been to Odaiba, so I don’t know.]
[So, do you just not get along with Sudo then?]
[No, I think she’s a good girl, though we have yet to become familiar with one another.]
[Then—-]
Whilst keeping my gaze down at my feet, I tried to put my main hypothesis forward to Akiha.
[You are being cautious for Haruka?]
Her response wasn’t immediate.
[Certainly, this time it may be a bit dangerous. The four of us will be together for a very long time. Going shopping and doing other physical activities. It’s definitely more difficult doing that than hiding a dual personality at school. Is that why… you refused to let Haruka cross the dangerous bridge?]
I could only assume that was the main reason for her refusal.
Akiha would only lie for the sake of others and even more so for the ones who are the closest to her.
After slowly walking for a few steps,
[…That’s possible]
It’s not like Akiha to be so unclear about this.
[Perhaps, that’s one of the reasons why.]
I wonder what she meant by that.
It’s hard to read the true meaning which was hidden behind those words very well. I can’t guess at all, the meaning that was masked by her scant expression and few words.
But when I think about it carefully, it was just like that from the beginning.
Unlike Haruka, whose thoughts were always leaking out once in a while, Akiha seemed to be a bit more… secretive.
Even though we are so close. We meet each other face to face everyday and even do the diary exchange, she still hasn’t opened herself up fully to me.
You can’t even take a step towards the truth of the matter, which is frustrating, worrisome and a bit sad.
[Well I’m not saying that you have to…]
But at least I can say everything that I’ve been thinking about for the past while.
I put on my best fake smile and continued to speak,
[But you see, Haruka seemed to be really looking forward to it, I would have liked to let her go if possible. I will do my best to follow her, and Haruka too is recently doing very well in keeping up her facade. I’m sure it wouldn’t be terrible to do so.]
[…I see]
[Besides, I think I also want to hang out together.]
‘With whom’ do you want to go out with?
To that question, I couldn’t say that I want to go out with Akiha. Even so, that’s all I can say for now.
If it doesn’t work out then unfortunately I have to give up this time.
[…I see, together]
Akiha next to me muttered, mixed with a sigh.
Then,
[It’s so unfair…]
It sounded like she said something like that.
It’s not like Akiha to say those words.
What was that….?
However before I could ask her anything about that,
[If you say so much, then indeed. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.]
She looked up and smiled at me.
[I think I’ll go…]
All the nervousness and worry I’d been through up to this point seemed to have paid off.
[…I understand]
And so I put away all my doubts and worries aside, and took out my smartphone.
[I will immediately contact Sudo about it.]
*
There are types of people who say that the time to prepare for a trip is the most enjoyable part.
For example, Sudo was one of those people.
It was before a field trip for the whole school year, when she was just a freshman. She was so excited that she took me and Shuji out to buy her belongings, and was very absorbed in deciding the schedule and route of the trip.
Not satisfied with just looking up recommended spots on the Internet, she finally bought several travel books and put sticky notes on more pages than she could possibly visit on the trip.
I still remember the look of disappointment on Sudo’s face as she gave up on some of her choices, and the smile on her face when she finally found a course that she was satisfied with.
Of course she enjoys the trip itself very much as well.
She enjoyed the unagi seiro-mushi (steamed eel) on the way down the Yanagawa River, stroked the heart-shaped stone in Glover Garden, and was so intoxicated by the night view of Kobe from the ferry that she said “this city is going to sleep”.
But looking at her, so excitingly when she is in the preparatory stage. I can’t help but wonder if that was Sudo’s main focus for the whole trip.
Rather than actually visiting the site, she was thinking about a tourist spot far away from her home town and imagining herself there, which was her “field trip”.
And apparently, there is another person of that kind near me.
———————————————-
April 25th (Wednesday), Haruka
I was just looking at Venus Fort on my phone, and there are so many stores over there!
What should I do? I can’t go and look around all of them….
I’m curious about diversity and the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.
*****
April 26th (Thursday), Haruka
I’m interested in bubble soccer.
But it seems a little scary.
And I guess this is what the Gundam in Odaiba looks like now.
———————————————-
Since the decision to go to Odaiba was made, Haruka has been in very high spirits.
Whether it was in the club room where we gathered together for the review meeting or in the exchange diary, the topic was only about the trip
I guess she had never really gone out with her friends before.
When I think about it, I can’t help but wish that this weekend would be a fun one.
*
The rain that had been drizzling down the night before had cleared up by the time we arrived at the meeting place, Nishiogikubo station.
[You are late.]
On the black wet asphalt.
Sudo was already there next to Shuji, with her hands around her hips and a grumpy look on her face.
[We have been waiting for a long time, you are always late like that, aren’t you Yano! You are naturally late.]
[No, no, no, I’m not late! There’s still five minutes before the meeting time!]
I checked my phone worriedly and I wasn’t mistaken.There was still time before the promised ten o’clock.
[It’s not enough to be on time for the meeting! Some people, like us, arrive early because they’re looking forward to the event, so it’s up to the smart high school students to take those people into account!]
[Sudo, who says that, is the one who arrived five minutes later, right after me.]
Next to Sudo who was fuming with anger, Shuji said that whilst laughing bitterly.
And then he looked behind my back with that face,
[Oh, you’re here.]
[Really! Hey! Akiha!!]
I turned around to see Akiha coming across the intersection of Kita Ginza Street.
[I’m sorry, I’m the last one to arrive.]
She came running towards us.
Currently, the personality present is Akiha’s.
The arrangement for today is to spend the whole morning shopping together with Akiha and in the afternoon after the personality changes to Haruka’s, we will go to the Amusement facilities.
[No, it’s okay, we still have time before the meeting!]
[Hey! The way you treated me before was very different!]
[Of course I will! It’s always ladies first, ladies first.]
While saying something incomprehensible, Sudo turned toward the station, seemingly unable to wait any longer.
[Then everyone, let’s go!]
She began to walk lightly. All of us followed her after that.
[Well, don’t worry too much, just imagine that you’re in a really big boat.]
I said in a voice only she could hear whilst walking next to her.
[Haruka has been doing very well recently, so I will properly follow her path.]
Akiha was so worried about Haruka that she had refused this plan and even went as far as telling a lie to avoid it.
I’m sure she is filled with anxiety even now.
That’s why I wanted to at least convey my enthusiasm to her.
One of my goals is to make sure Akiha also enjoys herself very well. Of course, the same goes for Haruka too.
However,
[Yes, thank you.]
The voice of Akiha who said that, felt weaker than ever and was somewhat faint.