I Hope You’re Still Alive When Tomorrow Comes - 13

Chapter 13: Rumor

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“Ah! Kan-chan!”

That day too, I was just about to leave the school when I heard a voice calling out to me. Turning around, there, I saw Nanami running toward me just like usual. 

“I told you not to run.”

“It’s okay to run if it’s only this much.”

Nanami then laughed. 

“You worry too much, Kan-chan.”

She said as she started walking alongside me. 

And whose fault do you think this is? 

I silently retorted in my mind. 

I wouldn’t need to nag so much if only you could take care of your own health better. If only you had a healthier body, if only you were smarter… All of that nagging wouldn’t be necessary. I would be able to give you the same sweet, simple kindness that he gave.

Yes. Just like him.

“…Hiwatari not coming too today?”

“Yes. He has student council duty today.”

Suddenly, Kiho’s face came to mind. 

“You know, you should just wait for him sometimes.”

The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. 

“It’s fine. We’re in the same class, so we see each other everyday in the classroom.”

Nanami laughed nonchalantly as she said so. 

Even after Hiwatari and Nanami started dating, the frequency of me going home with her hadn’t changed much. I thought they would spend everyday together now that they had dated but it seemed neither of them were the clingy type. 

“Don’t you get worried though?’

Curious, I asked. It seemed my question made Nanami confused instead. 

“About what?”

“About Hiwatari. You know, leaving him alone at school.”

“Huh? But he’s not a child, you know?”

Nanami laughed until her shoulders were shaking from it, finding my question to be amusing.

“Not that… I mean, Hiwatari is quite popular, right?”

“Is that so?”

“….You know, he’s been getting all friendly and all with some girls recently, right?”

“Oh, you mean Sakashita-san?”

I was a little taken aback when Nanami casually mentioned Kiho’s name. 

“You know her?”

“Yes. She’s a transfer student from class 4, right? She transferred in the second semester, right? Suguru-kun told me about her. He said they’ve become close. Sakashita-san is really smart, you know? I think she also ranked first in the last mock exam. She’s so amazing, right?”

Nanami said with a smile. Her face was filled with genuine admiration and a hint of envy, causing me to feel even more confused. 

“And… You’re fine with it?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well, you don’t feel bothered to know Hiwatari is getting close with that transfer student?”

“Hm? No?”

Nanami looked a bit puzzled, like she couldn’t understand why I asked  that question. 

“They’re just friends. It’s normal for Suguru-kun to have female friends, you know.”

“And… You’re fine with that?’

“Well, of course. There’s no rule that says a boy with a girlfriend is not allowed to have female friends, right?”

Nanami laughed, finding my question amusing, like I had just asked something she genuinely find weird.

I furrowed my eyebrows at that. 

“…Then Nanami, you haven’t heard about that rumor?”

“Rumor?”

“You know, about that transfer student aiming for Hiwatari.” 

“Aah, that. I’ve heard about it, but it’s just a rumor. There’s no point in worrying about every single things.”

Nanami said, smiling brightly. There was no hint of lie in her smile. She was truly not bothered by the rumor.

Seeing how she reacted, I became even more perplexed.

“You’re not scared?”

“Scared? Of what?”

“That Hiwatari might change his mind or something.”

“Huh? No way, no way. After all, the one Suguru-kun is dating right now is me.”

Nanami wasn’t pretending to be tough. Her tone was simple and straightforward. She was merely stating a fact. 

“There’s no point in worrying about things like that. You just need to believe in your partner. I believe in Suguru-kun. That’s why, I know everything will be fine.”

Nanami spoke her mind confidently with an undying smile on her face. 

I was at a loss. I felt so uncomfortable. The confident tone… The strong will showed in her eyes… This wasn’t like the Nanami I knew. The Nanami I knew was timid and shy. This was unlike her.

“Ah, Kan-chan. Can we stop by the convenience store for a bit?”

Nanami said as we were walking toward home after leaving Nakamachi Station. 

I nodded and we entered the convenience store closest to the station. 

“I won’t be long. Wait for a bit, okay?”

Nanami said before she headed toward the magazine section, leaving me behind. 

I wandered around the store aimlessly when..

“Speaking of which, I saw that girl after not seeing her for like, ages.”

I could hear the voices of some girls chatting from across the shelf. 

“That girl?”

“You know, the one from our class.. The super studious one?”

“Oh! Kiho Sakashita?”

At the mention of a familiar name, my feet stopped dead on its track. 

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T/N: Wow… Nanami is not a green flag. She’s the whole forest.