Lonely Me And The Lonely Caring Goddess - Chapter 155: The Conclusion Is Finally Here...

The Conclusion Is Finally Here…

“Well… it left a bit of a bitter aftertaste, but I guess that’s the end of it?”

Trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere that had settled over the venue, Natsumi-senpai spoke up in a slightly louder voice, as if to lift everyone’s spirits.

“Yeah. What happened with Sasagawa-san was unfortunate, but at least she’s separated from Yamazaki now… The rest is up to her.”

Hayato responded with a tone that matched Natsumi-senpai’s—slightly brighter, though not forced.

“By the way, what’s going to happen to Yamazaki in the end?”

Tachikawa’s question was likely one that everyone had on their mind.

What would become of him?

Not just about him personally, but also the company, and his future… Even if we felt a sense of closure from what had already been done, we couldn’t help but be curious about what came next.

“I know a little, if that helps?”

Nishikawa-san seemed to be informed, and she began answering Tachikawa’s question.

“What we don’t know yet is whether those two will face criminal charges, or if they do, what kind of punishment they’ll receive. That part is up to the police and prosecutors, so we as civilians can’t say for sure. There might even be more crimes that surface.”

Civilians… It was questionable whether someone like Nishikawa-san could be called that, but I let it slide.

In any case, if the matter were to go to court, the outcome was still entirely unknown.

“According to my father, the company will likely be acquired by a small foreign firm that has ties to Nishikawa. As for those two, I don’t know the full details, but it seems they won’t be returning to Japan. Apparently, they’ve already divorced their spouses and severed ties with relatives, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”

Not coming back to Japan… That probably meant being sent to the country where the acquiring company was based?

It sounded complicated, and I didn’t fully understand it. Best to leave that part to Nishikawa-san’s father.

“That means we’ll never have to see Yamazaki’s face again. Honestly, it’d be even better if he got arrested.”

“Good riddance. No more digging into someone I never wanted to see again. I can finally go back to being a normal high school student.”

I shared Tachikawa’s sentiment completely.

Ah, come to think of it, Hanako-san had mentioned she’d tell me her real name once Yamazaki’s matter was settled.

“Hanako-san, now that the Yamazaki issue is done, I’d kind of like to know your name.”

I’d grown used to calling her “Hanako-san,” so part of me was fine leaving it that way—but still, curiosity got the better of me.

“…Could it be that you’re interested in me?”

Hanako-san gave a mischievous grin as she asked that, making the question sound far more suggestive than I’d intended.

“…Are you interested in her?”

Chills.

Even though Sara-san’s voice behind me sounded calm and gentle, it sent an inexplicable shiver down my spine.

When I quickly turned around, she was smiling as usual—but for some reason, I felt an oppressive presence from her.

“Oh… I didn’t realize. So I’ve managed to charm Takanashi-kun without even noticing.”

“Kazunari-san…?”

Hearing those lines come from someone who looks like a typical “loli character” made it sound almost like she was pretending to be mature—but now was definitely not the time for that.

Anyway, Sara-san was addressing me again, and I needed to explain quickly.

In a panic, I moved closer to Sara-san, who still wasn’t smiling with her eyes.

“Got you.”

With a cute little exclamation, she suddenly wrapped her arms around me from the side, as if to capture me. Before I knew it, I was firmly in her grasp.

“Eh!? Sara-san!?”

“…Is something wrong?”

Her expression was hard to read, but maybe she had calmed down a little?

“Um… you weren’t angry?”

“…I am not angry.”

She was puffing her cheeks slightly.

So even if she said that, it wasn’t very convincing…

Well, I decided to let her do as she pleased for now and just continued the conversation.

“So, your real name is…?”

“There’s no rush. I’ll tell you when fate brings us together again, Takanashi-kun.”

…So basically, she’ll tell me next time we meet?

A bit dramatic, but she did seem to be in a better mood now that Yamazaki was dealt with.

“Then, maybe you’ll tell me too? It’s not just Kazunari who’s curious, you know.”

“Yeah, I’m honestly pretty curious now too.”

Hayato and Yuuji chimed in, joining in my inquiry—perhaps to help ease the tension between me and Sara-san?

Still, approaching it that way probably helped avoid any further misunderstandings. As expected of Hayato. Or so I thought—until Hanako-san made a slightly displeased face.

“You two haven’t raised any flags, so it’s a no. Especially you, pretty boy.”

“………”

Hanako-san clearly wasn’t fond of Hayato—no surprise there.

“Oh? Tachibana-kun, are you perhaps interested in Hanako-san?”

Natsumi-senpai’s unexpected interjection caught me off guard.

And not only that—she addressed Yuuji, not Hayato.

Whether she was teasing or being serious, it was hard to tell. But perhaps those two were closer than I’d assumed. Given everything lately, Sara-san probably thought so too.

As I glanced over to confirm, I found Sara-san staring straight at me with puffed cheeks again.

Why…?

“What happened between you and Hanako-san? It seems like she treats you differently… you two seem awfully close.”

“No, really, I don’t recall anything like that…”

“Tachibana-kun, you and Hanako-san go way back, right? You’ve kept in contact, haven’t you? So maybe… you’re close?”

“N-no, it was just about the matter with Yamazaki, nothing more than that…”

“Whew… I’m such a sinful woman.”

It was obvious Hanako-san was enjoying herself. Honestly, seeing those two pairs react the same way was pretty funny… Sorry, Takanashi-kun.

Still, Takanashi-kun and Satsukawa-senpai being a couple makes sense, but could it be… is Tachibana-kun also involved with Yuzuki-senpai?

I don’t really know much about Tachibana-kun yet, especially since we go to different schools. What’s their relationship, I wonder?

I was starting to feel a little curious—when I noticed Yokokawa-kun.

He looked… somewhat lonely? I hope he’s okay.

“Yokokawa-kun, is something wrong?”

I gathered my courage and spoke up.

At school, we’d never even interacted, so the thought of talking to him never crossed my mind before. But now we were comrades, so it felt okay… right?

“Huh? Oh, no, it’s nothing.”

He looked slightly surprised, like he hadn’t expected me to talk to him—but then quickly smiled and replied.

Hmm… he is quite handsome, now that I look at him properly.

It makes sense that he’s popular with the girls. I’m not particularly into him myself, but still.

Judging by how he talks with Takanashi-kun, he seems serious and genuinely cares about his friends—so maybe he’s not quite like the image his appearance gives off.

I wonder… does that make things harder for him? Or does it actually work to his advantage?

Well, whatever the case, he definitely didn’t look like someone who had “nothing” on his mind.

Hmm… Something… Ah! That’s it!

“Here, Yokokawa-kun. Take this.”

I suddenly remembered the candy I was carrying for Mio-chan and decided to hand one to Yokokawa-kun.

“Ah… thanks.”

He looked at the candy curiously, then tore open the wrapper and popped it into his mouth.

Did his expression soften a little?

“Sweets can be comforting, don’t you think?”

Whenever Mio-chan is upset or cranky, I give her one and she always smiles right away.

I hoped it might help Yokokawa-kun feel a little better too…

“…”

Huh… what now?

He looked like he was spacing out a bit.

“Yokokawa-kun, really, is something bothering you?”

“…N-no, really. It’s nothing. But… thank you. I’m happy.”

This time, he gave me a genuine smile.

Good. I’m glad.

In the end, Sara-san quickly returned to her usual self afterward.

She suddenly snapped out of it, and then turned to me with an apology.

“I sincerely apologize… I know perfectly well that you’re only friendly with her as a friend… but this is one of my bad habits…”

“Sara-san, like I’ve said before—I’m actually glad you get jealous. So please, don’t apologize.”

And I meant it.

Of course, I’d never deliberately try to make her jealous—but the fact that she cares that much makes me happy. I honestly find that part of her endearing, too.

Seeing her looking down like that, I gently patted her head to reassure her.

“Hehe… Thank you. When you do that, I feel so at ease… I’m truly happy.”

After a little while of being patted, she smiled warmly again and her mood seemed completely restored.

Everything was going fine—until…

“Yes, well, I always receive this kind of affection from Sara-san, so I completely understand what you mean by ‘feeling happy.’ Sara-san, you’re adorable.”

“…Then next, it’s your turn to feel happy, Kazunari-san.”

“Huh?”

Before I could react, she casually reached out—just like she always does—grabbed my head, and pulled me into her chest, wrapping her arms tightly around me.

“Hehe… This really is the most comforting position. How is it for you, Kazunari-san?”

I’ve always wondered…

Is Sara-san unaware of what she’s doing? Or does she simply not understand yet?

Because I’m still a guy—and when the girl I love hugs me tightly with my face buried in her chest…

Well, of course, I’m happy.

“…I’m happy.”

“Yes, and I’m happy too… You’re adorable, Kazunari-san.”

I wanted to stay like this forever—wrapped in that warm, blissful comfort.

“So… should we kick him?”

“…Just curious, which ‘him’ are we talking about?”

“Takanashi-kun, obviously.”

“If you do, won’t you be met with one of those devastating slaps?”

“…That’d be fatal.”

“Tachibana-kun really did his best this time. He handled everything so skillfully… Personally, I think he scored a few points with me.”

“Eh!? No, I only did it for Kazunari’s sake… and if you’re talking about impressive, I think it’s Yuzuki-san who deserves respect. Facing all those idiots alone like that—I genuinely admire her.”

“Huh?”

“…”

“…”

…Um, everyone… Could we maybe talk about what we’re going to do next?