Chapter 18 - June Rain
(1)
Speaking of June, it's the rainy season.
Speaking of the rainy season, it's rain.
When it rains, I can't go anywhere.
Strictly speaking, I don't feel like going anywhere.
I don't even feel like going to school.
Not that I can say that...
"Good morning, Toya-kun!"
Regardless of the rainy season, Airi is energetic.
Maybe it's because of that night, but she suddenly became brighter.
"Good morning... Hmm, rain again today,"
I grumble, looking at the window being pelted by rain.
"The rain will stop someday! Come on, get up, get up!!"
"I get it..."
Saying that, I gesture with my hand for Airi to wait outside.
"Oka~y,"
Airi says as she heads downstairs.
When I sluggishly change my clothes and go down, the usual three are there.
Apparently, there's no morning practice when it rains.
Makoto is there too.
"You're as weak in the mornings as ever,"
Makoto says, sipping coffee.
"You guys are just too energetic for this early..."
I say as I take my seat and eat breakfast.
"If Toya had kept up with soccer, you probably wouldn't be like this."
"Father was the one who told me not to do club activities because of entrance exams, right?"
Once I finish breakfast, I head to the washroom.
"Toya also played soccer?"
"Yeah, for just two years starting from fifth grade. I quit after entering middle school, but thinking about it now, I feel like it was a waste."
"You and Tada-kun were a great duo."
"Even now, there's no one who can make passes as accurate as that guy."
I finish my preparations while the five of us are chatting excitedly.
When I return to the living room, the three of them stand up.
"Well then, shall we go?"
In the rain, everyone is naturally holding an umbrella.
Naturally, the width of the road occupied by one person expands.
Walking while holding hands is impossible because the umbrellas get in the way.
Then, the two in front, Kanna and Makoto—Makoto holds the umbrella and Kanna clings to his arm, heading to school under a shared umbrella.
Naturally, they draw attention from those around them.
Kanna and the others were completely indifferent to it.
I suddenly notice the gaze of Airi, who is to my right.
Looking up at me, she seems to be appealing for something.
"...Do you want to share?"
When I say that, Airi smiles brightly and nods.
"...Here."
Saying that, I switch the umbrella to my right hand.
Then Airi folds her own umbrella and clings to my right arm.
You're clinging too much...
"Hey, move over a bit..."
"But I'll get wet~!"
My shoulder was soaking wet.
Well, she's happy, so I guess it's fine.
I was concerned about the eyes of those around us, but I have no choice but to just accept it, right?
(2)
The next day, I caught a cold.
The reason goes without saying...
Because more than half of me was wet, and yesterday was chilly.
"Good morn~ing, Toya-kun."
"...Morning."
I answered while dripping with nasal mucus.
I feel feverish.
My head is fuzzy.
"Oh no, did you catch a cold?"
Airi presses her forehead against mine.
"Whoa, you have a fever! Did you take your temperature?"
"...I just woke up."
"Did you sleep in warm clothes yesterday?"
"...Can't you tell?"
I was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt on top.
"I'll go tell Maya-san for a second."
Saying that, Airi left the room.
"Oh, is it a cold? It's better to rest today."
"I'm fine with just this... cough cough!"
I try to sit up.
Then Airi pushed me back down.
"You have to stay in bed! The beginning of a cold is the most important part!"
"I can't miss school just for a cold..."
"You can't."
"No!"
And so, because of those two, I ended up resting today.
In the morning, I was taken to the hospital, given an injection, received medicine, and came home.
I slept until noon.
Perhaps the injection worked, as the fever went down.
I felt much better.
When it comes to this, the morning becomes boring.
It was raining today as well.
I was playing games.
One shouldn't play games when they have a fever.
My temperature quickly rose, and I was sent back to bed.
However, I'm bored.
I grabbed some manga and read.
Click
Is it Mother?
That guess was wrong.
It was Airi.
"Did you go to the hospital?"
"I did. As expected, it's just a cold."
"I'm sorry, it's my fault, isn't it?"
Her voice sounds as if she's about to cry at any moment.
I curse the weakness of my own body.
"It's not. I mean, Makoto didn't catch a cold, right?"
"That's true, but..."
"Don't worry about it, that was quite fun in its own way."
"Yeah..."
Saying that, Airi takes something out of her bag.
"This is a copy of today's lessons and... also a get-well gift."
It's a tiramisu bought at the convenience store near the school.
"Oh, thank you."
I eat it immediately. It's delicious.
"Yeah, it's good!"
"I'm glad!"
Click
The door opened again.
"Yo~ catching a cold is pretty sloppy."
It's Kanna.
Apparently, Makoto has club activities.
Apparently, it's physical strengthening.
"Here, this is a get-well gift."
It was a nutritional drink and a custard pudding.
"Well, I'm off."
"Eh, Kanna, stay a bit longer."
"Nah, you two just relax together."
Saying that, she left the room.
I read manga, and Airi looked at her vocabulary book.
"Ah, I have to go home soon."
The clock pointed to 6:00.
"Well then, take care of yourself."
"Yeah, thanks."
"Get well soon."
Saying that, Airi left the room.
Past 7:00.
I ate dinner and was resting in my room.
Knock knock
Someone is knocking.
Who is it?
It's Kanna and Makoto.
"Yo!"
"Toya! Are you okay!?"
"It's just a cold. I'm fine."
"Don't underestimate a cold, it'll be terrible if it gets worse,"
Kanna says.
"It's just as Kanna-san says. Stay quiet today."
"I know."
Kanna is looking for the continuation of the manga from the other day.
Makoto whispers to me so that Kanna doesn't notice.
"Kanna-san was actually worried, despite how she looks."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, she had a bad look on her face, so I forced her to come along to visit you."
"...I see. Sorry about that."
"Don't worry about it, it's not for your sake. It's for Kanna-san's sake."
"Wha~t are you two whispering about?"
Kanna cut into the conversation.
"It's nothing in particular."
"Is that so?"
"Kanna-san, I'm going home first, so you take your time."
Kanna makes a face as if she wants to say "Eh!"
"I haven't eaten. I'm starving. I'm going home first."
"Then I'm going home too, I haven't eaten dinner either."
"No, Kanna-san is..."
"...Why don't you two just go home together?"
I stepped in between them.
"No, but..."
"Makoto, don't be overly considerate either. Kanna is your girlfriend, right? Take responsibility and walk her home."
When I said that, it seemed to rub Kanna the wrong way.
"Toya says so too, so let's go!"
She was slightly displeased.
"Toya. There's no need to put it that way, right? Kanna-san is..."
"Just hurry up!"
In the end, Makoto gave in.
"Well then, Toya, see you tomorrow."
Makoto said that, and the two of them left the room.
Why am I feeling irritated?
(3)
"Was that okay, Kanna-san?"
Makoto asks after leaving Toya's house.
"It seemed like I was a nuisance, anyway, there's no need to put it that way! Even though I went to visit him specifically."
I felt that was all I could say.
Makoto listens intently.
"Makoto, don't be overly considerate either! That's just the kind of guy he is."
"Who are you saying that to?"
"Eh? I mean, to Makoto... were you listening?"
I tried to smile.
"To me, it sounded like you were telling that to yourself, Kanna-san."
"Eh?"
"Lately, it looks like you're forcing yourself to distance yourself from Toya..."
"It's your imagination."
"Is it?"
"You're being persistent!"
I'm irritated.
Don't just decide things on your own.
"Sorry if I offended you. But..."
"Let's just stop this conversation!"
When it comes to Toya, I get strangely irritated.
When Toya gets along with Airi, I get irritated.
When it comes to Toya, why does my chest feel so tight?
I arrived at my house.
"Well then, see you tomorrow. I'll send a message."
"Yeah! See ya."
Saying that, I enter the house.
Once I'm in my room, I throw my bag.
Why am I so irritated?
Why does my chest feel so tight?
I don't understand my own feelings.
That only makes the irritation grow.
Ping
A message from Makoto.
"Sorry about earlier. Well then, good night."
Makoto is a good guy.
Kind, cool, and smart.
There's nothing to complain about, right!?
And yet, why am I so concerned about Toya?
I'm lonely...
Before I knew it, I was crying.