Ringo started walking a little fast, back to the shopping district where she started. The plan was a complete failure already. She looked down so she wouldn't have to face it––all she could see were her shoes. They were helpless, childish little feet.
She suddenly felt a drip on the back of her head and looked up to the sky––it was starting to rain. The sky had become full of grey clouds before she'd realized it, and in an instant rain was pouring down steadily.
Almost on cue, the sentimental rain struck Ringo. She thought it probably wouldn't be raining if that hadn't happened.
"Ringo?"
She looked up when the sweet voice reached her ears and there Shoma and Himari were standing in front of her, sharing an umbrella. Shoma was holding a bag from the supermarket.
"What's wrong? Didn't you bring an umbrella?" Himari said, dragging Shoma along as she approached Ringo. "There's not a lot of space, but you can squeeze in." Himari smiled sweetly.
"Are you sure?" Ringo shot a fleeting glance at Shoma.
"I-It's not like I mind or anything." For some reason his cheeks were getting red.
"Hey, where are you headed? You wanna come to our place to wait it out? We can have dinner together." Himari said in a quietly sweet tone, happily pulling Ringo under the umbrella.
Ringo looked at Shoma again, but in addition to his face being red, he turned away.
"What do you say, Sho!" Himari asked Shoma without a care in the world.
"I don't mind either way."
Himari smiled, as if to say then, it's settled.
"I don't get why everyone keeps coming home soaked these days. It's such a pain, you know." Himari said, giggling as if she wasn't really bothered at all.
"Really?" Ringo said, relieved. There were warm bodies beside her, they were chatting and they were going to have dinner together. If you think about it, I guess this is consolation for today.
"Yeah. Like on the day of Ringo's date in the park, right?"
"N-N-No. T-That's completely different." Shoma stumbled over his words. "Come on, let's get going. It's getting cold. Oginome's going to catch a cold."
He's a weirdo, Ringo thought. But, he has nothing to do with me. Today totally sucked, but there must be a reason for it. There's no reason my fate should have changed. It's not like it can change that easily.
-
Me and Himari and Oginome. I never would have imagined we'd be sitting around a table having a meal together like this. Kanba was late, probably caught up in something girl-related. But, I really didn't think I have the faculties to get through this situation by myself.
"Curry flavored meat-and-potatoes is really good! {isn't that just curry?} Curry really is the best when you eat it with people you care about, right Ringo!" Himari said merrily, eating more than usual. Penguin Two and Three had been portioned out some curry-flavored meat-and-potatoes on tiny plates, and Oginome, who couldn't see them, seemed kind of curious.
"Yeah. Curry is best when you eat it with people you care about." Oginome praised the recipe, sounding happy but a bit shy. Somehow she seemed not to remember what happened in the park. I was thankful for that since I wanted to forget about it too.
The day of her "date" in Wadazuka Park. I saved Oginome who'd fallen into the pond pretty much reflexively. Because she could have died if I hadn't. Tabuki was too busy fawning over Yuri to notice Oginome drowning. So I had no choice. And ultimately the CPR was just a live-saving tactic, I had to do it. In other words, that "kiss" doesn't count as a kiss. That's what I'd decided.
"Sho, why are you blushing?" Himari sharply pointed out.
"I-It's nothing. This curry sure is tasty!" I say, but I couldn't forget the feeling of Oginome, soaked cool, fresh smelling water, and her soft lips. And, I had to endure these feelings of guilt for keeping quiet about it with her. It was my, and probably her, first after all.
I shot a fleeting glance at Oginome. She looked like she was having fun with Himari, whispering and laughing together––it almost sounded sparkling.
I could just see the cover of the notebook I'd seen in the park that day in the tote bag sitting next to Oginome. This is my chance. There's no time to be embarrassed. I have to say something now. I slowly picked up my chopsticks.
"Um, Oginome. I have a serious request for you."
She suddenly felt a drip on the back of her head and looked up to the sky––it was starting to rain. The sky had become full of grey clouds before she'd realized it, and in an instant rain was pouring down steadily.
Almost on cue, the sentimental rain struck Ringo. She thought it probably wouldn't be raining if that hadn't happened.
"Ringo?"
She looked up when the sweet voice reached her ears and there Shoma and Himari were standing in front of her, sharing an umbrella. Shoma was holding a bag from the supermarket.
"What's wrong? Didn't you bring an umbrella?" Himari said, dragging Shoma along as she approached Ringo. "There's not a lot of space, but you can squeeze in." Himari smiled sweetly.
"Are you sure?" Ringo shot a fleeting glance at Shoma.
"I-It's not like I mind or anything." For some reason his cheeks were getting red.
"Hey, where are you headed? You wanna come to our place to wait it out? We can have dinner together." Himari said in a quietly sweet tone, happily pulling Ringo under the umbrella.
Ringo looked at Shoma again, but in addition to his face being red, he turned away.
"What do you say, Sho!" Himari asked Shoma without a care in the world.
"I don't mind either way."
Himari smiled, as if to say then, it's settled.
"I don't get why everyone keeps coming home soaked these days. It's such a pain, you know." Himari said, giggling as if she wasn't really bothered at all.
"Really?" Ringo said, relieved. There were warm bodies beside her, they were chatting and they were going to have dinner together. If you think about it, I guess this is consolation for today.
"Yeah. Like on the day of Ringo's date in the park, right?"
"N-N-No. T-That's completely different." Shoma stumbled over his words. "Come on, let's get going. It's getting cold. Oginome's going to catch a cold."
He's a weirdo, Ringo thought. But, he has nothing to do with me. Today totally sucked, but there must be a reason for it. There's no reason my fate should have changed. It's not like it can change that easily.
-
Me and Himari and Oginome. I never would have imagined we'd be sitting around a table having a meal together like this. Kanba was late, probably caught up in something girl-related. But, I really didn't think I have the faculties to get through this situation by myself.
"Curry flavored meat-and-potatoes is really good! {isn't that just curry?} Curry really is the best when you eat it with people you care about, right Ringo!" Himari said merrily, eating more than usual. Penguin Two and Three had been portioned out some curry-flavored meat-and-potatoes on tiny plates, and Oginome, who couldn't see them, seemed kind of curious.
"Yeah. Curry is best when you eat it with people you care about." Oginome praised the recipe, sounding happy but a bit shy. Somehow she seemed not to remember what happened in the park. I was thankful for that since I wanted to forget about it too.
The day of her "date" in Wadazuka Park. I saved Oginome who'd fallen into the pond pretty much reflexively. Because she could have died if I hadn't. Tabuki was too busy fawning over Yuri to notice Oginome drowning. So I had no choice. And ultimately the CPR was just a live-saving tactic, I had to do it. In other words, that "kiss" doesn't count as a kiss. That's what I'd decided.
"Sho, why are you blushing?" Himari sharply pointed out.
"I-It's nothing. This curry sure is tasty!" I say, but I couldn't forget the feeling of Oginome, soaked cool, fresh smelling water, and her soft lips. And, I had to endure these feelings of guilt for keeping quiet about it with her. It was my, and probably her, first after all.
I shot a fleeting glance at Oginome. She looked like she was having fun with Himari, whispering and laughing together––it almost sounded sparkling.
I could just see the cover of the notebook I'd seen in the park that day in the tote bag sitting next to Oginome. This is my chance. There's no time to be embarrassed. I have to say something now. I slowly picked up my chopsticks.
"Um, Oginome. I have a serious request for you."
