My Tsundere Childhood Friend, Who Was Always Haughty, Suddenly Showing a Sharp Increase in Affection and Directing Intense, Heavy Emotions Toward Me

Chapter 14: After All, Haruto Seems Like He’d Float Away Like a Balloon If I Let Go of His Hand

We arrived at Okayama Station after a while and switched to the Seto Ohashi Line to head toward Shikoku. It was the middle of Golden Week, so the train was, as expected, packed to the brim.

As usual, Sana was sticking close to me, so even though I’d normally get a bit excited passing over the Seto Ohashi Bridge, I couldn’t focus on that at all.

Not wanting Sana to notice how flustered I was, I desperately tried to suppress all sorts of emotions. By the time we finally reached our destination, Utajima Aquarium, I was already exhausted.

“Why do you look so worn out when we’re just getting started?” Sana asked.

“I’ve got my own stuff going on…” I replied.

There was no way I could tell her that I was trying so hard to keep my cool because she was making my heart race. So, I had to brush it off like that.

“Hmm, whatever. Let’s head inside then,” she said.

“…She’s really gotten way too comfortable holding my hand lately,” I muttered.

Recently, Sana had been grabbing my hand at every opportunity. It happened so often that I was almost getting used to it.

“After all, Haruto, you seem like you’d float away like a balloon if I let go of your hand,” she said.

“I have no idea what that’s supposed to mean,” I replied.

“You don’t need to get it,” she said.

I knew pressing her further would be pointless, so I let it go. We showed our tickets at the entrance and stepped into the aquarium.

“As expected, there are tons of families here,” Sana remarked.

“Zoos and aquariums are classic spots for family outings,” I said.

“There seem to be quite a few couples too,” she added.

“Every single one of them is giving off this happy vibe. Makes me want them to just explode,” I said.

“You’re still as bitter as ever, which is kind of reassuring. But honestly, we probably look like that to others too,” she said.

What a ridiculous thought, I figured, but then I realized she might be right. Compared to back when she treated me like a servant with her overbearing attitude, Sana’s behavior now was much gentler.

Considering we were holding hands, it wouldn’t be surprising if people mistook us for a couple. Wait, now that I thought about it, I suddenly felt insanely embarrassed.

“You looked exhausted just a moment ago, and now your face is all red. Your face is having a busy day, Haruto,” Sana teased.

“Just let today be that kind of day, okay?” I said.

I forcefully changed the subject. Up until recently, Sana’s queen-like attitude made it impossible for me to see her as a girl, but lately, things had been shifting. I didn’t want her to notice that. After that, Sana and I started exploring the aquarium together.

“There are so many fish here, it’s impossible to get bored,” Sana said.

“I wonder how many species there are,” I said.

“I think there are about four hundred species across all the tanks in the aquarium,” she replied.

“Whoa, that many?” I said.

“Yeah, it’s definitely living up to its name as one of the biggest aquariums in Shikoku,” she said.

By the way, if you include the Chugoku-Shikoku region, the aquarium in Shimane was supposed to be the largest. But from Kurashiki, Utajima Aquarium was far more convenient in terms of time and cost. That’s probably why most people from Kurashiki came here.

While thinking about that, Sana and I chatted casually as we slowly made our way through the aquarium. Tanks filled with sharks, rays, jellyfish, and all sorts of marine life were right in front of us, making it fun just to look at them. Not too long ago, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed coming to an aquarium with Sana, so this was a nice change.

—

Chapter 15: Don’t Go Getting Picked Up Just Because I’m Not Around

We continued exploring the aquarium together. Despite its large size, Utajima Aquarium didn’t have a fixed route, so we were free to wander as we pleased. That said, Sana had already planned out the order we’d see things, so I just followed her lead.

“Hey, this blue fish is called a Nanyo Hagi,” I said.

“You’ve seen them before, but you don’t usually know their names, right?” Sana replied.

“Normally, people don’t bother looking up their names,” I said.

Come to think of it, I vaguely recalled seeing a Nanyo Hagi in a movie Sana and I watched together when we were about elementary school age. With that memory in mind, we headed toward our next destination: the outdoor area.

Our goal was to catch the dolphin show. Knowing it’d be crowded during Golden Week, we decided to head to the venue with plenty of time to spare.

“We got here early, but there are already a few people showing up,” Sana observed.

“Looks like some others had the same idea as us,” I said.

“Let’s grab a seat,” she said.

Sana and I sat in the front row, right in front of the stage. From here, we’d have a great view of the dolphin show. If we’d sat farther back, we might’ve missed what was happening when the crowd cheered.

“Man, it’s been a while since I’ve seen a dolphin show. I think the last time was when we went to that aquarium in Osaka together,” I said.

“Oh yeah, I remember. You were so into the dolphin show that you spilled juice on my skirt, and we got into a fight,” Sana said.

“That wasn’t really a fight. It’s more like you were just yelling at me nonstop,” I replied.

“I was such a kid back then,” she said.

As she spoke, Sana’s eyes took on a distant, nostalgic look. If the same thing happened now, I doubted she’d get that emotional about it. Since that day, Sana’s vibe had softened a lot. Though, every now and then, she’d give off this dark, ominous aura, so I still had to be careful.

I wasn’t sure what triggered it, but when she got mad, it was way scarier than when she was just emotionally upset. While we chatted and waited, more and more people started filling in.

By the time the dolphin show was about to start, the seats were completely packed, with some people even standing. I was glad we’d secured our spots early.

As the dolphin show began, the dolphins leaped energetically out of the water, hitting a ball suspended in the air. Then they jumped through a hoop held by a trainer and skillfully spun a hula hoop thrown into the water with their snouts.

“Dolphins are so clever,” Sana said.

“Yeah, they’re totally in sync with the trainers. It must take a ton of practice to pull that off,” I replied.

While we talked, Sana and I kept watching the dolphin show. The dolphins swam with people on their backs, jumped, and spun in the air, keeping the audience excited until the very end.

“I’m going to the restroom for a bit,” Sana said.

“Alright, I’ll wait around here,” I replied.

“Don’t go getting picked up just because I’m not around,” she teased.

“No way, I wouldn’t,” I said.

After seeing Sana off, I sat on a nearby bench and started messing with my phone. I got it when I started high school, and it’s so fun that I end up using it too much. Sometimes I catch myself almost walking while staring at it, so I need to be careful. There were definitely a few people in the aquarium walking around with their noses in their phones too.

As I was thinking about that, a woman walking in front of the bench I was sitting on suddenly tripped. She’d been looking at her phone and didn’t notice a step. Without thinking, I jumped up and caught her before she fell.

“Are you okay!?” I asked.

“…Thank you, you really saved me,” she said.

The woman looked totally shocked at being caught but thanked me. Even though I’d acted on instinct, it could’ve easily been taken as harassment, so I was relieved she didn’t seem mad.

But in the next moment, it felt like the temperature around me dropped. Wondering what was going on, I looked around and saw Sana standing there. Her completely expressionless face and the darkness in her eyes sent a chill down my spine.