I Chose the Plain Girl Instead of the Class’s Top Three Beauties, and Somehow She Became the Heroine - 57

Chapter 57: Moving!

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《Hiroko Anno’s POV》

After I finally managed to sit next to Sora-kun on the bench during lunch and talk with him, a faint layer of air still remained deep in my chest. Even though the conversation continued properly, and even though smiles were exchanged, somewhere, our maps felt misaligned.

If I kept drifting along without truly learning more about Sora-kun, we might simply return to being classmates who talked often. Like a stage going dark, the curtain might fall before I even realized it. It scared me and if I was scared, then the only thing left was to move.

I decided today that I would take a step toward him after school. Until now, the only person I had ever wanted to take the initiative with was Sora-kun. Right before homeroom ended, I switched the items inside my bag. A room-temperature sports drink, a small roll of tape, a mini towel. I had prepared them so I could give them to Sora-kun at any time. But even though I prepared them, I never found the chance to actually hand them over—they just kept hiding inside my bag.

I fixed the angle of the hairpin holding my bangs in place, took three deep breaths, and steeled myself.

“Okay, let’s go!”

My heartbeat was still fast. The hallway leading to the shoe lockers was faintly melted with the colors of sunset, and the sound of my own running steps echoed in my ears.

“Sora-kun.”

My voice trembled. Through the glass, I saw Sora-kun. He had slung his dōjō bag over his shoulder and was retying his shoelaces. His breath was slightly uneven. The faint scent of sweat from practice drifted lightly in the air.

“Sora-kun!”

This time, I managed to say it louder than before. My voice sounded brighter than I expected, and it embarrassed me a little. He quickly lifted his head, and our eyes met. In them, there was unmistakable happiness. The layer inside my chest thinned a little.

“Here, this is for you. Room temperature sports drink. Ice cold stuff shocks your stomach, so it’s no good.”

“Haha, thanks. I always end up choosing the cold ones though.”

“Please convert to the room temperature faction. This is evangelism.”

“There’s a whole faction for room temperature drinks…?”

My joke reached him properly. My breathing settled. Good, one more step.

“And also, your wrist. Your tape is loose.”

“Huh?”

“I saw your hand when you were erasing the chalkboard during homeroom.”

I took the thin tape from my pencil case. When he held out his right hand, my fingers brushed against it. The jut of his bones, the beat of his pulse, the fingertips worn from writing, everything felt close. One loop. Because of my nerves, it shifted a little, and I nearly wrapped it around the bottle by mistake. I rewound it. The sound of the fabric sliding over his skin slipped quietly into my ears. I secured the end and pressed it lightly.

“All done. Does it hurt?”

“Perfect. It feels more solid than before.”

“I did it.”

A small victory pose. He mimicked it, and we both laughed. Our laughter bounced gently against the glass panels of the entrance.

“Um, your collar is crooked. Can I fix it?”

“Yeah.”

I pinched the collar with my fingertips. The thickness of the fabric, the warmth beneath it. The distance between us felt closer than the world itself.

“It looks neat now.”

“Thanks.”

This time, my bangs were disturbed by the wind, and my pin loosened. When I tried to fix it, Sora-kun’s hand moved first.

“Your pin looked like it was about to fly off.”

“Ah… thank you.”

His fingers touched my hair, gently lifting the angle. The edges of my vision felt just a little brighter.

“We fixed each other, huh?”

“‘Fixing each other’… That’s kind of a nice phrase.”

We pushed open the doors and stepped out into the schoolyard. The sunset had thinned, and the sounds of club activities cut in and out from a distance.

“Um, would it be okay if we walk to the station together?”

“Yeah, let’s walk together.”

I matched my steps to his. I remembered what I had learned in theater practice—nod, then take a step. This time, I took the first step. He followed half a step behind, close. Just that alone dulled the shape of my fear.

“I think you’re really busy right now, Sora-kun.”

“Yeah, sorry about that.”

“Why are you apologizing? Fufu~ You’re so weird, Sora-kun.”

Maybe because I was the same way, Sora-kun’s words felt comforting. We laughed together. The distance between us had definitely shrunk. But at this rate, I might get swept away again. Another decision lit quietly in the center of my chest.

“Um, I had fun eating lunch with you today. I want to eat together again tomorrow!”

I said it. The words didn’t fall at my feet. They reached his chest properly.

“Yeah. I want to eat with you too, Hiroko-san.”

“Yay! I’m so happy! Can I make lunch for us again tomorrow?”

“Ah! I’ll pay you! I’d feel bad otherwise!”

“No. It’s fine. I’m doing it because I want to. And I make my big sister’s portion at the same time, so I’m not the one paying for all the ingredients.”

We talked a little about my sister. Just casual conversation. But to me, each bit felt like a small bridge. Each one I crossed filled the spaces between us. With those simple exchanges, my heartbeat finally calmed. But the truth was, I liked Sora-kun.

His focused profile during practice, the hand he extended to someone in trouble, the little signals he gave only me on stage, I loved all of them. During lunch today, I hated the idea of distance forming between us. The station drew closer. When we waited at the light, his shadow overlapped slightly with mine. In the short time before the light turned green, I counted the next step inside my heart.

“Sora-kun.”

“Yeah?”

“If I’m not bothering you… May I go watch your tournament? I want to cheer for you.”

My heart thrashed inside my uniform. He blinked in surprise, then smiled gently, like always.

“I’d be happy. Your presence would definitely give me strength.”

I tucked that reply into my chest as today’s milestone. I didn’t have to say “I like you” yet. I would walk to the place where I could say it, using my own cue, not waiting for someone else’s, just like I learned on stage. The station came into view. As we said goodbye, I stepped forward one more time.

“See you tomorrow!”

Even though it was more like a declaration to myself, he nodded anyway. I watched his back grow smaller as he disappeared into the platform, then opened my hand. The end of the tape still remembered the shape of my fingers. If I didn’t want it to end, then I just had to keep it from ending.

At my own pace, slow but certain, I would keep walking toward him. Tomorrow, and the day after that too.

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