When I Told the Most Beautiful Girl in the School That My Confession Had Failed, She Suddenly Started Coming at Me With Unbearably Heavy Feelings

Chapter 29: Troubles and Reunion

“See ya, Renji!”

We’d studied for about two hours at the family restaurant, and afterward, we decided to call it a day.

I parted ways with everyone and headed toward the station.

The way home felt darker than usual, yet it was the same scenery I always saw, somehow feeling fresh in a way.

Lately, I’d been going home with Rinne, so returning alone made me feel a bit lonely.

Just a few weeks ago, our relationship had been limited to exchanging glances on the platform, but now, the time we spent apart at school was the shorter one.

As someone at the center of this whirlwind of changes in my environment, if asked whether I was aware of it, I’d have to say no.

These events of the past few weeks still felt like a dream to me.

It was partly because everything had unfolded so rapidly, but at the root of it lay a self-deprecating thought that I really deserved to spend such sweet times.

I was an incomplete person. Even after receiving that much affection, I still couldn’t come up with an answer within myself, and I kept questioning my own way of living.

Come to think of it, the same went for volleyball.

I’d continued playing volleyball through middle school, desperately seeking change, and managed to reach a level where we could go to nationals or not, but then I hit the wall of talent that others had, and that stopped my progress.

At the same time, the remarriage happened, and it became too much for me to handle, so I just stopped caring.

The current me was nothing at all. Just an utterly ordinary, fallen high school boy.

I wanted to become someone. I wanted to be special to someone. Anyone could wish for that. Because I was stuck in place like this, I was ordinary.

There had been a time when I’d used Mom’s words as an excuse to champion justice. But that was in the past now too. In the end, I hadn’t accomplished anything and was just immersing myself in daily life like this.

What exactly did I have left now?

“…Overthinking it isn’t good either, huh.”

I got off at the station platform and sat down to wait for the train.

This time of day was after the rush hour had passed, so there were fewer people than usual. It was right then, as I thought I’d enjoy this brief silence.

“Oh my, what’s with the gloomy face, big brother?”

“…Nana?”

A single girl peered into my face.

She grinned and sat down next to me, her beautiful pinkish long hair swaying in the wind. Her profile was like a work of art, and I nearly found myself staring, but I averted my gaze as if resisting.

She was Nakiri Nao. Among my shallow and broad circle of friends, she was one of the few with a deep connection to me.

She was my childhood friend. We called her “Nana” by taking the first parts of her surname and name.

“Long time no see, Ren-kun. It’s rare to run into you here. What have you been up to?”

“Studying with friends at a family restaurant. You?”

“Me too, something like that. …How’ve you been lately? Seems like fun stuff’s happening.”

She poked my chest as if teasing me, a mischievous little devil smile on her face. …This girl knew the whole story and was asking anyway.

“…Nothing much.”

“Aw, so cold~? We’re close, you and me!”

Her casual body touch on my shoulder. I could sort of see why she was as popular with guys as Rinne was.

“You’re just saying that to make me spill it, you wicked woman.”

“Boo~ Who was it that delivered medicine to the guy with a cold~?”

“…Yeah, thanks for that. Where’d you hear about it?”

“No reason in particular~? When it comes to you, Ren-kun, I know everything.”

Nana chuckled “Hehe” and leaned her head on my shoulder. I knew telling her to stop would be pointless, so I didn’t resist.

“By the way, the sports festival’s coming up soon, right? What’re you entering, Ren-kun?”

“…Volleyball.”

“Huh…? Ren-kun’s doing volleyball!?”

“It’s not that surprising…”

“It is surprising! …I see, so you’re trying to change too, Ren-kun.”

Nana knew that I’d quit volleyball in middle school. And she knew what had happened to me. Thinking about it that way, maybe it wasn’t unreasonable for her to be surprised.

“Got a new girlfriend and now you’re trying to act cool, huh? You~!”

“That’s not it. I’m just supporting everyone. I won’t stand out or anything.”

“Hmm~? Saying stuff like that. But deep down, you want to play volleyball.”

Nana pouted as if bored.

In front of Nana, with our special childhood friend relationship, I couldn’t keep secrets. No matter the time, she saw right through my heart. Putting up a fragile front was just a waste.

“Come on~ Be honest and say you miss me when I’m not around~!”

“That’s just what you think… You’re such a hassle of a woman.”

“Nhehe, do you like troublesome women?”

“I like them about as much as anyone.”

While we bantered like that, the train Nana was taking arrived. She stood up smoothly and turned back toward me just before boarding.

“Don’t forget about me! Let’s hang out sometime!”

She flashed a toothy grin and said it. There was no way I’d forget about her.

We’d shared so much, given so much to each other; there was no forgetting her.

Nana knew that too. So the reason she said something like that might just be her whim. She’d always been like that.

“No way I’d forget. See ya.”

I waved back at Nana, who gave a small wave. After boarding the train, she blew a kiss and left.

…