TL: Graze
Editor: Candy-Sama
Proofreader: Josh-kun

Just before noon on Sunday, I went to the shopping mall in order to fulfill my agreement with Kus.h.i.+da. Since I usually opted to spend the weekends alone in my room, coming somewhere like this was just a little nerve-racking for me.

Someone else was sitting on one side of the two benches. I wonder if they're waiting in the same type of situation as I am?

After all, since it's a day off, most students would be going out and about as they pleased. I sat down on the vacant bench while I thought about something that felt so obvious to me.

Since we both live in the same dormitory, I thought it would've been better for us to come out here together. However, Kus.h.i.+da was being a little peculiar. She appeared to have some sort of fixation towards meeting up on-site.

"Good morning!"

Tearing through the clatter of our surroundings, Kus.h.i.+da approached with a wide smile on her face.

"O-oh, good morning."

My heart unintentionally skipped a beat as I fumbled with my words and lightly lifted my hand.

"I'm sorry, have you been waiting long?"

"No, I just got here too."

While we exchanged words that seemed like they came from a standard dating template, I unintentionally stared at Kus.h.i.+da's body from head to toe. She was cute, too cute. I couldn't suppress my excitement at seeing Kus.h.i.+da's figure in casual clothes for the first time.

"This is the first time we've met on a day off. What a fresh feeling."

Kus.h.i.+da appeared to feel the same way, as she laughed at my comment. What's with that cute smile? It's unfair.

Is it possible that even Ike and the others have yet to see her like this? Maybe I'm the first one to get this far?

While I was unable to suppress my excitement, Kus.h.i.+da spoke up, as if she had remembered something.

"Were you busy during last week's holiday? You should've come along then as well, Ayanokouji-kun."

Last week? Should've come along? What on earth is she talking about?

"I mean, the time when I went to the cafe with Ike-kun and the others."

This was the first time I had heard of it.

I don't remember learning how to trigger this hidden event.

"Maybe-"

"Ah, is that so? Well, about that… I haven't really heard of it."

I looked up at the sky and lamented on my own cowardliness.

Ike and the others weren't in the wrong for not inviting me. Rather, the one to blame was myself.

"You're just attempting to play it cool, aren't you? Sorry, I seem to have said something unnecessary…"

"Don't worry about it,  I don't mind at all… Did you guys have a good time though?"

"The only thing I know is that you seem to mind an awful lot…"

Far from being the first person to see Kus.h.i.+da this on a day off, I'm probably the last.

I considered myself lucky that it could be just the two of us, even if it was only for the moment.

Students who occasionally pa.s.sed us by would become fascinated by Kus.h.i.+da's figure in her everyday clothes. In the case of a couple, the girlfriend would have to pull her boyfriend away by the cheek with an irritated look on her face.

This showed that she was so cute that even people in relations.h.i.+ps would be charmed by her.

…I feel like I'm flattering Kus.h.i.+da a lot.

Although I was only speaking the truth, I still ended up feeling somewhat embarra.s.sed.

"What's wrong?"

Kus.h.i.+da seemed to find it strange that I had been standing stiff and motionless, so she bent forward a little and looked at me. Every movement of hers was cute.

"I was just thinking that the weather is really nice today."

I responded with a line that even I thought was cliche.

Calm down a little. Just how many times have I used the word 'cute' today?

If I continue to use the term at this pace, I'd end up repeating myself one or two hundred times per day.

"I was just thinking that I kinda look out of place compared to you, sorry."

I was wearing simple, easy-going clothes. By any standard, I'm certainly not the type of guy who could match up to Kus.h.i.+da.

"That's not true at all. I think those clothes suit you really well."

"Should I interpret that as though you're insulting me for being a good fit for plain clothes?"

"Yeah, that's right."

Swish~~

It felt as though I was being stabbed by a sharp knife. It's alright though. Don't go digging me a grave or anything like that, it was just extremely shocking.

"Is Ayanokouji-kun unexpectedly delicate? It feels like when I say something, you usually don't seem to mind. I wasn't trying to do something like bad-mouthing you at all. I really do think it suits you well."

It seems that I was being made fun of in some way. Even if it was something that would normally make people angry, Kus.h.i.+da would be able to get away with it with a single playful remark. How cunning.

"So, what about Sakursan?"

"It doesn't look like she's here yet."

It was just about the appointed time, but there was no trace of Sakura.

"Was inviting me alright with her?"

"She asked me to invite you, Ayanokouji-kun. Aren't you in contact with Sakursan?"

"Sakura said that? No… We've hardly ever spoken to each other."

I thought back to the time when I ran into Sakura in the special building. That was the level of contact that the two of us have had.

"Could it be that she fell in love with you at first sight or something?"

Kus.h.i.+da had a smirk-like smile. Such a dramatic development could hardly be expected.

"Do you want to just sit and wait for now?"

"Yeah. Say… Isn't that Sakursan sitting on the bench next to us?"

When I quickly looked over, the person seated on the other bench apologetically greeted me with a small nod.

I had no idea that the person seated on the next bench had been Sakura all along.

The presence she carried was so insignificant that I almost didn't notice her. She blended into the background in much the same manner as the average nameless extra.

"I'm sorry, my presence is thin… Good morning…"

"No, I don't think there's anything particularly thin about your presence. After all, I noticed your existence."

"That didn't help very much, Ayanokouji-kun."

As I apologetically lowered my head, Sakura slowly stood up.

Although I hoped that she would forgive me for not noticing her, Sakura was wearing a mask along with her hat. In any case, it would've been hard for even a close friend to recognize her like this. I wonder if she caught a cold.

"Hey, she looks like a somewhat suspicious individual…"

"Instead of looking suspicious, I think it's the opposite; she's standing out more this way."

"Yeah, you're right… I guess it's especially conspicuous in a place like this."

Sakura said so and took off the mask she was wearing apologetically. She didn't seem to have a cold. Instead, it appeared that she was just wearing a surgical face mask. Just how much does she dislike being noticed?

"To repair the camera, we just have to go to the electronics store in the shopping mall, right?"

"If I'm remembering it correctly, they should have a repair service."

"I'm sorry… Making you accompany me for something like this…"

Sakura lowers her head and apologised again, seeming to mean it from the bottom of her heart. Seeing this made me feel a little sorry myself.