The Childhood Friend I Had Grown Distant From Started Acting a Little Strange - Chapter 5

Chapter 5

“…Yuma-kun, did something happen recently?”

“What’s that out of the blue?”

After school, I went to the gym and hit the sandbag when Kiyomi-san spoke to me.

“Hmm… I just feel like you seem different from usual, not exactly down… but something like that.”

“…No, nothing happened in particular.”

“There was a slight pause, right?”

She’s sharp…

“I’m really fine. By the way, how was that group date the other day?”

I thought if she probed further, I couldn’t dodge it, so I changed the topic.

But it seemed I failed. Her calm face turned into something like a Hannya mask.

“How was it? A complete defeat, that’s what! Every single guy fell for that ‘I’m such a girly girl’ type who was there!”

“Ahh…”

“Guys are so simple! Getting fooled by that flirty, cutesy act!!”

As she said that, her fist, driven by anger, stabbed into the sandbag. A sound like an explosion echoed, and the sandbag shook violently… If she got a boyfriend, would he die in a fight…?

“Yuma-kun, you absolutely must not fall for a girl like that, okay? A woman who takes charge is just right! Got it?”

“I got it. I’ll look for someone like you, Kiyomi-san.”

I thought it was obvious flattery, but Kiyomi-san’s mood instantly improved, and she patted my head with a smile.

“Good! Yuma-kun is such an honest, good kid… How about you just take me instead?”

“Uh…”

It sounded like a joke… but I felt a hint of seriousness.

As I pondered how to respond… a chill ran through me.

“—!?”

I turned around instinctively… but no one was there. Yet, I definitely felt it. That same feeling I got when I talked to Chie-san at school…!

“W-What’s wrong?”

“Oh… uh, maybe a bug touched me? I felt something.”

I dodged it on the spot, but Kiyomi-san looked suspicious. Well, it was a pretty lame dodge…

But I couldn’t say it. That intense stare came from someone dangerous, and if I talked carelessly, Kiyomi-san might get hurt.

Looking back, telling Shige was reckless. Why didn’t I think about dragging others into this…!

For now, I decided not to talk about the stalker anymore. I’d keep it to myself and report to the police as soon as I got evidence.

“…I see. So, Yuma-kun, will you take me?”

“!?”

Oh, that topic is still going…?

—

The next day. As I finished my routine and headed to school, I saw Maya’s figure.

…Should I not greet her? But stopping suddenly when I always did would feel rude.

Well, a quick greeting and passing by should be fine.

“Morning.”

I said that and tried to walk past, but… suddenly, she grabbed my arm.

“!?”

I turned around in surprise, and Maya, gripping my arm… was so strong! It hurt a bit!

“Uh… is something up?”

“…That person at the gym, who is she?”

The person at the gym…?

“Sorry, who are you talking about?”

“That woman with the short hair.”

Short hair… Oh, Kiyomi-san?

“You mean Kiyomi-san? She’s just a member at the same gym.”

“Do you like her?”

“!?”

She suddenly threw that at me…!

“No, what’s with that all of a sudden?”

“Answer me. Do you like her? Are you dating?”

No way, she wasn’t backing off. Her eyes were intense. Not the cold eyes she gave me or the cheerful ones when talking to the class… but eyes like she could kill someone.

…Well, in that case, I’d be the one to die.

“No, no, no, it’s totally not like that. We just got close because we joined around the same time, but we’re not dating or anything.”

“…Really?”

“Really, really! Totally not like that.”

Why did I have to act like a boyfriend accused of cheating…?

Even after I said that, Maya stared at me silently for a while, but…

“…Got it.”

Finally, her usual expression returned, and she let go of my hand.

Phew, I was saved… But why did she suddenly ask that… Wait a second?

“By the way, how does Yuki know about Kiyomi-san? I don’t think I ever mentioned going to the gym.”

We hadn’t even talked in years.

When I said that, Maya looked startled and started panicking… clearly shaken.

“That’s… uh, I passed by that gym by chance while shopping, and…”

“That gym doesn’t have any shopping places nearby…”

It was in a bit of a remote spot, so there was a convenience store, but nothing else. If she wanted a convenience store, there was one near school, so no need to go there… Isn’t that odd?

“…!”

“Hey, wait…”

Before I could think more, she ran off in the opposite direction of school… Uh, what does this mean?

She went out of her way to the gym… To join? No, if that was it, there’d be no reason to dodge, and it wouldn’t explain why she asked about my relationship with Kiyomi-san.

So, how did she know? Thinking about it… a reason popped into my head.

“…No, no way. That can’t be.”

I denied it out loud, but the more I thought, the more it made sense.

…Feeling watched from home to school means the stalker goes to the same school and knows where I live. If they’re even watching my routine, they’d have to live nearby.

Someone who fits those conditions. And Maya’s behavior… I know it sounds crazy, but it’s the only explanation.

“…Could it be Maya?”

If Maya is the stalker, everything makes sense… I really hope this is just my stupid imagination…