Chapter 31: Call Me by My Name.

—Ding-dong.

Takumi had just finished preparing for club activities when the intercom rang.

“Yes… whoa!”

Kana’s face filled the entire screen. Takumi couldn’t help but let out a startled sound.

‘Ah! Senpai, I surprised you!’

On the other side of the camera, she flashed a bright, full-faced smile. Takumi let out a relieved breath.

(Looks like she’s completely back to her usual self. Thank goodness.)

“You’re really bad for my heart this early in the morning.”

‘Eh? Is this beautiful girl’s charm too powerful?’

“You sure can say things like that outside without hesitation.”

‘Fufufu. Truly successful people don’t care about the eyes of those around them.’

“I’m coming now.”

Takumi slung his enamel bag over his shoulder and headed for the entrance.

“Good morning, Shirayuki-san.”

“Good morning, Takumi-senpai!”

“…What’s up?”

“What do you mean?”

Kana tilted her head with an innocent, slightly clueless expression.

“No… you just called me Takumi-senpai, right?”

“You said it was okay before… Is it not allowed? It’s only when we’re alone.”

“It’s fine.”

Takumi scratched his cheek and nodded.

“Huh? Senpai, are you blushing~?”

“After starting middle school, I haven’t really been called by my first name by girls. It feels a little embarrassing.”

“Oh my, how cute~!”

Kana reached out to poke his cheek. Takumi caught her fingers and gave them a light squeeze.

“Ouch. Eh? Did I just steal Senpai’s first time?”

“You’re in high spirits this morning.”

“Eh, Takumi-senpai. How do you know I took a big one? Ha! Don’t tell me you were watching——”

“That’s not what I meant, and it’s not my first time either. When we were little, calling each other by first names was normal, right?”

“Damn it.”

“Don’t curse.”

“You sound like my mom right now.”

Kana burst into bright, ringing laughter.

“Takumi-senpai.”

“Hm?”

“I just wanted to say it♪”

She smiled innocently. For a moment, Takumi almost teased her about sounding like a couple who had just started dating, but he swallowed the words.

(I probably shouldn’t say something like that. Better not.)

“Huh? Takumi-senpai, are you mad?”

“I’m not going to get mad over something that small.”

“Wow, as expected! For a senpai like that, I’ll specially grant you permission to call me Kana, okay?”

Kana puffed out her chest proudly with a smug “fufun.”

“Hmm.”

Takumi stopped walking and stared intently at her face. Her triumphant expression gradually shifted into confusion and embarrassment.

“…Wh-what is it?”

“Shirayuki-san, do you like your own name?”

“…Eh?”

Kana’s mouth fell open in a blank stare. Even that face looked adorable, Takumi thought with mild amusement before continuing.

“Because, you know… you forced me to call you by your name before, and you sometimes refer to yourself as ‘Kana-sama.’ I figured you must really like it.”

“No, it’s not exactly like that… Ah, I mean, yes it is!”

“Which is it?”

“I love it! My own name!”

Seeing Takumi’s wry smile, Kana hurriedly added,

“Plus, calling each other by first names just feels a little more intimate, doesn’t it?”

“That’s true.”

Takumi himself called his close male friends by their first names—Masaru, Daisuke, Seiji, and so on.

Takeoka had probably called Kana by her first name in public partly to show off how close they supposedly were.

“I want to get even closer to you, Takumi-senpai. Calling each other by name in front of everyone might cause trouble, so even if it’s just when we’re alone… would that be okay?”

Kana’s expression was anxious. Faced with such a look from his cute junior, Takumi had only one possible answer.

“Yeah, it’s fine.”

“Eh, really!?”

Kana leaned in close. Her refined features filled his vision, and a sweet scent—likely a mix of her perfume and her natural fragrance—wafted gently toward him.

“Hey, too close, too close.”

Takumi grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her back.

“Ah, s-sorry!”

Kana’s cheeks flushed as she looked down, embarrassed by how childishly excited she had gotten.

(She really does love her name… Well, “Kana” does have a cute ring to it. I’d be happy if someone called me by my name too, so I get it.)

“But if it becomes a habit and you accidentally call me that in front of others, I won’t mind.”

“That’s fine with me. Just don’t get angry at me, okay, Takumi-senpai?”

“Yeah. If I were the type to get mad, I wouldn’t have given permission even when we’re alone.”

After nodding with a smile, Takumi placed a hand on his chin with a serious expression.

“Kana-san… Kana-chan…”

“What are you doing?”

Kana gave him a puzzled look.

“Well, there are lots of ways to call someone by their name. Any preferences?”

“Hmm… I think just ‘Kana’ is best.”

“…That’s not a pun or anything, right?”

“N-no! It’s not a joke! I really want you to call me by my name without any honorifics!”

Kana’s face turned bright red as she cried out.

“Really?”

“B-because! I’m not the ‘Kana-san’ type, and adding ‘-chan’ makes me sound like a little kid!”

“Ah, yeah, that makes sense. But calling you straight by your first name…”

Since starting middle school, Takumi had consistently addressed girls with their last names plus “-san.”

“Ah, no, anything is fine really!”

Even though she said that, Kana clearly looked like she desperately wanted to be called by her first name.

“…Kana.”

“Y-yes!”

Her eyes sparkled with joy. It’s a little embarrassing, but let’s go with this, Takumi decided.

In the distance, he spotted a student wearing a polo shirt that read “Sakura High School Table Tennis Club” coming out of the familiar Larson building.

“We’re almost at school. We should switch back to normal.”

“……”

“Hey, you listening?”

“…………”

“…Kana?”

“Yes!”

The moment he used her first name, she answered energetically.

“We’re almost at school, so let’s go back to normal.”

“Can’t be helped—Senpai.”

Kana gave him a skillful wink.

The third-string practice field was in the park past the school grounds, but of course the school itself was full of students. Even just walking to school together as a boy and girl could spark rumors. If anyone heard them calling each other by first names, trouble was inevitable.

“Hmm-hmm-hmm~♪”

Kana hummed cheerfully, clearly in an unusually good mood. However, as they passed behind the school building—

“……!”

She suddenly gasped and stopped in her tracks. Her hand gripped the sleeve of Takumi’s uniform tightly. The expression on her face had completely stiffened.

“Shirayuki-san? What’s—?”

Takumi cut himself off. He had already seen the reason.

Walking toward them from the opposite direction was a large, imposing male student. It was none other than Takeoka—the former captain of the third string.