Lonely Me And The Lonely Caring Goddess - Chapter 200: …Until The Very End Of The Day.

…Until The Very End Of The Day.

Toudou: “Congratulations, Satsukawa-senpai~”

Sara: “Thank you.”

Toudou passed Sara a square box, neatly wrapped with a cute ribbon.

Since it was wrapped, the contents weren’t visible, but it was probably meant to be a surprise when opened.

Toudou: “Ehehe, I found an adorable photo frame, so I chose that. Please use it to display a photo of you and Takanashi-kun!”

Though Toudou immediately revealed what was inside, well, that was just her way.

At that moment, my phone camera was capturing Sara, her arms full with gifts she could barely hold, tears welling up at the corners of her eyes as she expressed her gratitude.

I had already given her my gift earlier, so I stayed out of the circle, focusing on filming a video from a distance to capture her surrounded by friends.

…Though, I felt a little lonely doing so.

Incidentally, after giving their presents, Yuuji and Hayato came over to me rather quickly. Maybe they were trying to be considerate.

Yuuji: “So, are you finally going to greet Satsukawa-san’s parents?”

Me: “Yeah. I told her father the other day that I wanted to have a talk with him. After discussing it with Sara, I plan to visit them properly.”

I paused the recording on my phone and answered Yuuji’s question.

Yuuji: “You actually gave him a heads-up? You really don’t hesitate when it comes to Satsukawa-san…”

Hayato: “That’s what’s great about Kazunari. I respect him for it.”

Yuuji: “Well, that’s true.”

Being told something so direct made me feel embarrassed, but these two always speak their minds so openly that I’ve gotten used to it.

Nishikawa: “Alright, has everyone handed over their gifts now?”

Taking on the role of MC, Nishikawa-san switched from her usual ditzy voice to a commanding tone, gathering everyone’s attention.

Checking the time, I noticed it was already past the scheduled end. It seemed this fun party was finally coming to a close.

Why do enjoyable moments always end so quickly…?

Natsumi: “Right then. Sara, could we hear a few words from you?”

Sara: “From me?”

Just like when she suddenly asked me to give an opening speech, Natsumi-senpai threw the request to Sara-senpai without any prior notice or preparation.

Understandably, Sara looked surprised, but soon she seemed to gather her thoughts, looked around at everyone, and began to speak.

Sara: “Everyone, thank you so much for today. …I’ve spent most of my life avoiding social interactions as much as possible. I only thought about improving myself so I wouldn’t have to rely on anyone. The only people who treated me as an equal, who got angry with me, laughed with me, and became my friends, were Natsumi and Eri. But now, I have Kazunari-san, and… so many wonderful friends like you all. I truly feel blessed.”

Come to think of it, this was the first time I had seen Sara talk about herself like this to anyone other than me. She was probably trying her best to respond to everyone’s feelings in her own way.

Everyone listened intently, not uttering a single interruption.

Sara: “I know I’m not very good at getting along with friends. But it is true that I want to continue being friends with all of you. So… please continue to be kind to both Kazunari-san and me.”

With that, Sara bowed her head deeply once again.

Clap clap clap clap!!

“Thunderous applause” would be the perfect phrase.

Receiving the heartfelt applause from everyone, Sara looked relieved, as if she was glad to have shared her true feelings.

***

“Ahh, it’s over…”

Really, why do fun things end so soon… As long as Sara enjoyed herself, that was enough for me. Still… it does feel bittersweet.

“Well, that’s how it always is with enjoyable things~.”

Tachibana-kun, I was thinking the exact same thing.

…But I’ll let him have that moment.

“Looks like we won’t have anything this fun for a while. It’s going to feel long until the next event.”

The next one… probably the cultural festival.

Was there anything else before that?

“…Is it that far off?”

“About a month and a half. The school festival’s coming up.”

“Ah, Kazunari told me. There’s going to be a beauty contest, right?”

“Hmm, so you’re interested too, Tachibana-kun?”

Well, he is a guy.

I guess he wants to see cute girls… Not that I blame him, but still, somehow…

“Aren’t you entering, Natsumi-san?”

“No way. Besides, Sara’s entering.”

This time Sara was participating, so whoever else joined wouldn’t matter—the winner was pretty much decided.

If there was any uncertainty, it would be that Sara never showed any friendliness to anyone other than Takanashi-kun, so she might not get high marks on that front.

Not that she would care what others think of her anyway.

Besides, there were a few other girls… like that overly confident one who sees Sara as a rival, she’d definitely enter too. Her looks are good, only her looks, but even then, she couldn’t beat Sara.

“…I think Natsumi-san wouldn’t lose either, though.”

“Eh?”

“Satsukawa-senpai is amazing, no doubt. I’ve never seen anyone so perfect in every way. Sometimes it’s still hard to believe someone like her is Kazunari’s girlfriend. But I think Natsumi-san isn’t any less wonderful. You’re approachable, truly considerate and kind to your friends, and it feels easy to be around you. You might not be a traditional Japanese beauty like Satsukawa-senpai, but to me, you’re a cool, stylish beauty.”

Wha—wait… what… what is he suddenly saying?

Tachibana-kun, what are you saying all of a sudden…?

I’ve never had a guy tell me something like that before, so I… I don’t even know how to respond…

“…Easy to be around… Is that really a compliment?”

I didn’t intend to say that, but it slipped out bluntly.

“Yes. I meant it as a compliment.”

Uhaah… When he says it with such a straightforward smile, it makes me feel embarrassed… But I can tell he’s sincere.

“I-I see. Thanks… But either way, I have a tennis club invitational match during the festival.”

“Oh, that’s too bad… By the way, can anyone come to watch that match?”

“Well, yeah… Wait, don’t tell me…”

“Then I’ll come watch. I was planning to go to the festival anyway, so I’d love to see Natsumi-san’s match.”

“I don’t really mind, but… why so suddenly…”

“Well, we usually only talk on the phone or on RAIN. When there’s a chance like this… I want to take it. You’re the only girl I can casually talk to like this, Natsumi-san.”

Uwaa… Lately, he’s been throwing me off balance…

That time on the school trip, that was Sara’s fault!

But it’s true—these days, the guy I talk to the most is Tachibana-kun. He’s the only guy I contact on RAIN, too.

Daichi is an old childhood friend, so talking to him feels easy, but it’s not the same as with a guy—it’s more like family.

But with Tachibana-kun… I wonder what position he holds in my life…?

***

“Good work, Toudou-san.”

“Yeah, you too, Yokokawa-kun.”

Satsukawa-senpai’s birthday party was finally over.

I’d been worried because of Takanashi-kun, but everything turned out well in the end. And above all, it was so much fun.

I’ve thought this before, but being able to gather like this with everyone is truly enjoyable. I wonder when we’ll be able to meet again… Takanashi-kun is like the organizer for these, so maybe I’ll ask him next time.

“Thanks for covering for Kazunari’s part-time shift. I want to thank you personally.”

“Don’t mention it. It’s only natural to help a friend.”

Yokokawa-kun really is such a thoughtful friend.

Honestly, my first impression of him wasn’t that great.

I knew he was popular, but he always had girls squealing around him, and his looks gave off a carefree vibe. It reminded me of Yamazaki, so I didn’t like him much.

But after getting to know him through Takanashi-kun, I realised how wrong I was. He’s actually deeply considerate, kind, and genuine—not a people-pleaser at all.

“But I’m glad everything went well. Now all that’s left is for Kazunari to have a proper talk with Satsukawa-senpai’s father. There’s nothing we can do to help with that, so he’ll have to handle it himself.”

“I wonder what he’ll say. The classic, ‘Please give me your daughter’?”

Haha, well, he probably won’t say it like that… But with those two, I can see that day coming someday.

Takanashi-kun and Satsukawa-senpai really care for each other so deeply. Seeing them makes me want to support them.

And honestly, seeing them so happy together… I can’t help but feel a little envious.

I’m sure Satsukawa-senpai, if she continues dating Takanashi-kun, secretly hopes that one day they’ll get married.

I can’t imagine them ever breaking up, nor do I think it’s even possible… So, their future is probably already decided.

“They really are a wonderful couple. I’m so jealous… I wish I could have such a beautiful romance too… ah!”

Oops, I accidentally let my true feelings slip out.

Uwwh… Yokokawa-kun definitely heard that…

When I glanced at him, he was smiling at me kindly.

“There’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone wants to be happy. And I completely understand admiring those two.”

“You do?”

“Yeah. I consider Kazunari my best friend, but when it comes to love, I really respect him. His determination and devotion to the person he loves… it’s something I want to learn from. Their relationship is precious.”

I see… so he feels the same way I do.

It makes me happy he understood and didn’t laugh at my honest feelings.

And… he’s the first guy who’s ever treated me like this.

…Come to think of it, lately, I feel like I’ve been spending every day with Yokokawa-kun.

***

Tachikawa: “Alright, let’s do our best cleaning up—fellow leftovers, right?”

Nishikawa: “Wait just a second!? Tachikawa-san, who exactly are you calling a leftover!?”

Hanako: “I’m not even looking for a boyfriend in the first place. Unlike some people, I’m not desperate.”

Nishikawa: “I’m not desperate either, okay!?”

Hmm… I feel like Nishikawa-san’s dignified image is falling apart more and more these days. How odd—when I first met her, she looked every bit the elegant young lady.

Me: “Hey, we’ll help out too.”

Sara: “At the very least, please allow me to help clean up. I left everything to you all today, after all.”

Me: “No, really, Sara-san—today you can just relax…”

Sara: “Kazunari-san, didn’t we agree that I would handle all the housework here? Besides, you’ve had a long day, so please, just leave the rest to me.”

There’s no way I can dump all the cleaning on her like that.
And honestly—does this even count as housework in the first place?

Hanako: “Takanashi-kun, you can rest. Leave helping the bride to her sister.”

Me: “…Uh.”

Nishikawa: “I’ll help too.”

Hanako-san and Nishikawa-san both chimed in. Actually, I’d been ignoring Hanako’s “big sister” act, assuming it was a joke— but with how much she emphasizes it, what exactly does she mean…?

While I was puzzling over that, Sara was already methodically taking down decorations, tidying up the tables, and cleaning with swift precision.

Hanako: “Satsukawa-san, what about this?”

Sara: “Ah, that goes over here.”

…I knew it. There’s really no place for me to jump in.

With nothing better to do, I glanced over at those two pairs.
Even from my perspective, they looked pretty good together.
They’ve supported me so much with everything about Sara—I genuinely hope they find happiness too.

Hanako: “Oh, by the way—what about the futon?”

—Silence.

…Huh?
What was that?
It felt like a strange tension suddenly swept through the room.
The two pairs who’d been happily chatting fell silent, and Nishikawa-san’s expression…

Sara: “The futon?”

Hanako: “Yeah, the one that was folded up here. Should we put it back?”

Sara: “Oh my, was my futon left out?”

Snap!

It’s hard to describe, but it felt like the atmosphere cracked—like something tight suddenly split open. I don’t even know what I’m saying, but there was definitely a weird vibe in the air.

Wait—futon…?

…Oh, right. I’d pulled it out while clearing the closet just in case someone snooped around, and forgot to put it back.

Me: “Ah—sorry, that was me. I took it out and forgot to put it away.”

Sara: “I see. Hanako-san, I’ll just take it out again when I need—”

Nishikawa: “Sara… so it really is your futon!?”

Nishikawa-san’s aura… it’s like she’s radiating a dark energy—
and did she just grow taller!?
…Okay, kidding aside, something is definitely up.

Sara: “Yes, it’s the futon I use when I stay over… Er, Eri? Is something wrong?”

Even Sara seemed to realize that Nishikawa-san’s mood was off.
And to make matters worse, Toudou and Tachikawa were squealing after hearing Sara’s remark, while Yuuji and Hayato sidled over, grinning.

Hayato: “Kazunari… I really respect you, man.”

Me: “Wait, what? Why?”

Yuuji: “Come on—don’t keep us in the dark. You don’t have to tell us everything, but at least a little heads-up…”

Me: “What are you two even talking about?”

What’s with this sudden turn?
Did Hanako’s comment cause this?

Nishikawa: “Y-Y-You… You’ve been staying over at a man’s place!?”

!?

Oh—crap! It’s become so normal for Sara to stay over that I’d completely forgotten how unusual that might seem—especially that she keeps a futon here. So this is why the mood turned so strange.

Sara: “Y-Yes, well… I do stay over sometimes…”

!!!!!!

I don’t think I’ll ever forget Nishikawa-san’s face at that moment—
It was like all her worldly hopes vanished at once, leaving only pure despair.
Eventually, she just collapsed to her knees.

Nishikawa: “S-So that’s how it is… Sara’s already… a grown woman…”

Sara: “Eri? Did I do something wrong by staying over…?”

Not knowing what was happening, Sara looked at Nishikawa-san, bewildered and flustered. Meanwhile, I finally pieced everything together—
Nishikawa-san’s meltdown, Yuuji and Hayato’s smirks, Toudou and Tachikawa’s shrieks—
It all made sense now.

A huge misunderstanding.

Hanako: “…My little brother… became an adult before his big sister did…”

For some reason, even Hanako looked heartbroken.

Hayato: “Seriously, Kazunari—you’re so bold when you need to be. I really admire that. Becoming a man before your friends… I ought to congratulate you.”

Yuuji: “Exactly. Congrats, Kazunari. So? Got anything to say for yourself?”

What do I do…? If this keeps up and Sara realizes what they’re implying, things could get awkward for every future sleepover.

I cannot let that happen.

There’s only one way to defuse this— No matter how pathetic I look, I’ll have to embarrass myself to protect Sara’s comfort.

Me: “…No, seriously—Sara just sleeps here, that’s it. Nothing else happens.”

Hayato: “Oh, come on. At that point, isn’t it obvious how it goes?”

Yuuji: “Yeah, that excuse is pushing it, man…”

Me: “…”

Sara: “Um, I really do just stay the night… Is that strange?”

Seeing her expression, everyone turned to me— and judging from Sara’s genuine confusion, they seemed to realize I was telling the truth. Everyone looked stunned.

Well—except Natsumi-senpai, who for some reason was grinning smugly.

Me: “…Really. Absolutely nothing’s happening.”

“““““HA!?”””””

Wow. Perfectly in sync.

Hayato: “N-No way… Kazunari…”

Yuuji: “Y-You’re telling me… you’ve done nothing in that situation?”

Hanako: “Look your sister in the eye and say that.”

Nishikawa: “I believed in you two!!”

…Well, I guess this was inevitable. To be fair, I’d think the same if I were them.

They must think I’m completely spineless now…

Me: “I just want to cherish Sara!”

““““……………””””

I ended up blurting out my true feelings—
and now everyone’s giving me this warm, pitying look… I don’t even want to know what they’re thinking.

Sara: “Kazunari-san!!”

Fwump!

The only one who didn’t get it was Sara—
She threw herself into me with the biggest smile.

If she started thinking too much about it, even these innocent hugs might get awkward one day.
I definitely don’t want that.

Sara: “…Please, spend the rest of tonight—spend all of my birthday—together with me.”

Me: “Of course.”

Sara: “Tonight too, let’s fall asleep together—while you hold me close, alright?”

“Kyaaa!!”

Nishikawa: “Noooooo!!”

And so, Satsukawa-san’s birthday party came to a close— bookended, fittingly enough, by Nishikawa-san’s screams.

And as promised, Sara stayed the night.
But I was so exhausted that we barely spoke before I drifted off— fast asleep, wrapped in Sara’s gentle embrace.