I Chose the Plain Girl Instead of the Class’s Top Three Beauties, and Somehow She Became the Heroine - 63

Chapter 63: A Lunch for Two

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《Hiroko Anno’s POV》

I remained on the gymnasium bench until the award ceremony where Sora-kun won first place ended. The division for high schoolers and younger finished in the morning, and the award ceremony took place around noon. It was an afternoon where particles of light danced in the air.

The spectator seats slowly shifted into the setting for the adult division. I let out the lingering echoes of the cheers from earlier with a long exhale. I placed my paper fan on my knees and traced the edge with my fingertips. The rabbit sticker I had put on it was starting to peel a little. Even so, it had been my very best “do your best” for today.

The announcement for the awards echoed in the distance. The victory of Sora Mukei-kun. Hearing it again settled deeply into my chest. I felt happy. But also, just a little lonely. The boy who had been in the same classroom with me just a short while ago now felt like he was wrapped in the light of a different world.

On the stage, the white of his martial arts uniform was so bright that I narrowed my eyes. After a moment, he walked toward me. His hair was slightly stuck to his forehead with sweat. He held the trophy in his left hand and lightly blew out a breath with his right.

“Thanks for waiting for me.”

“Yes. We promised after all.”

“Thank you. …It’s a little late, but do you want to go eat now?”

His voice was lower than usual, yet softer at the same time. A voice where tension and joy blended together. All I could do was nod.

Past two in the afternoon, the light cut diagonally through the gymnasium windows. When we stepped outside, the wind was a little strong, and the hem of my long cardigan fluttered upward. The golden trophy reflected the light, sparkling as it swayed.

It had been a while since we walked side by side. Even though his stride was a bit bigger, I could tell he was deliberately matching mine. Our two shadows on the pavement slowly leaned toward each other and overlapped.

“Congratulations again on your victory.”

“Thanks. But I still can’t believe it. …I think luck played a bigger part than anything.”

“Luck is also part of hard work.”

“…When you put it that way, it feels a little comforting.”

When he laughed, he looked like a young boy. Every time I saw that smile, something swelled in the depths of my chest. But I still couldn’t put into words what that something was. We walked for about fifteen minutes. At the end of the shopping street by the station, the curtain of a small diner swayed in the wind. It was a Sunday afternoon, so the place was a bit crowded, but a two-seater by the window had just opened up.

“I’ve come here alone before.”

“Oh? That’s surprising.”

“I used to stop by after practice. It’s cheap, and the miso soup is really good.”

He ordered the chicken teriyaki set meal, and I ordered the grated daikon hamburger steak. Until the trays arrived, a quiet air flowed between us. The light outside wavered through the glass, softening the shadows on the table.

“Sora-kun.”

“Yeah?”

“Were you… Were you not scared during the match today?”

“I was scared. I was really scared. My hands were shaking until it started. But once the match began, I mysteriously calmed down. Maybe because you and the others were watching.”

“I was watching… The whole time.”

“Yeah. Thank you. I was watching you too.”

His words slowly sank into the depths of my chest. Like the sounds of the gymnasium played back inside me, my heart stirred.

“…Honestly, I almost cried halfway through. I was scared. But your movements were so beautiful.”

“Beautiful?”

“Yes. …Even though you were fighting, it didn’t feel frightening. It was like watching a performance on stage.”

“A performance, huh.”

He laughed, a little shyly.

“Maybe it’s because I saw how you looked today.”

“How I looked?”

“Yeah. Today, you felt like a butterfly that had just emerged from its cocoon. You had your usual calm aura, but your appearance was different from normal, so beautiful that it caught me off guard.”

S-Sora-kun said I was beautiful. Even though back when we first met, he never said anything like that!

“B-beautiful?”

“Yeah. But I was a little relieved that your appearance was still the same as the Hiroko-san I like. If you had suddenly become all sparkly and different like Kiritani-san and the others, I think I’d feel a bit sad.”

Sora-kun chose his words carefully, the steam between us swaying gently. The smell of miso soup was warm, and wrapped in that scent, our time together felt peaceful. When the sound of our chopsticks being set down overlapped, the light outside changed again. It was past three in the afternoon and the sun had turned a pale golden color.

“What should we do now?”

“…Before going home, do you want to walk a bit? The weather feels nice.”

“Yes.”

When we stepped out of the diner, the wind had grown a little colder. The scent of autumn mixed in the air, making it somehow nostalgic. With his hands in his pockets, his profile was wrapped in a soft light.

“It kind of feels like a dream.”

“What?”

“Walking like this with you, Hiroko-san.”

“…It’s not a dream.”

“Yeah. But if it were, I wouldn’t mind if I didn’t wake up.”

The sound of the wind and our laughter overlapped, and the world became just a little more transparent. I felt like it would be a waste for this day to end. We stopped in front of the traffic light, and he suddenly looked up at the sky.

“…Do you think we can eat lunch together again starting tomorrow?”

“Of course! Are you entering another tournament?”

“Yeah. But I hope I can participate with the same feeling I had today.”

“I’ll come cheer for you then too.”

“Promise?”

“Yes. It’s a promise.”

The light turned green. We started walking. Across the street, the setting sun spilled between the buildings and dyed his profile gold. Seeing that light, I thought to myself. 

This is what it means to support someone. Just being close, wanting to witness everything. Wanting them to be there, whether they won or lost.

The time he told me “wait for me” made this entire day special. I gently gripped my small purse. The rabbit handkerchief inside swayed. My heartbeat bounced along with it. I felt like I had become a slightly newer version of myself today. Walking beside Sora-kun, we quietly matched each other’s breaths.

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