Chapter 33: A Friend From The Past (2)

Our school was the worst high school in our prefecture, a place where the lowest of the delinquents ended up. Those who attended were, as you'd expect, delinquents. But there were a few cases where some had no choice but to enroll there, like my situation.

"But wow," Youko began timidly, taking a sip from her can before continuing. "That... guy, he was so, uh, cool. Like, seriously cool." She paused, collecting her thoughts. "I mean, did you see him? He looked so, um, handsome, and the way he moved, it was like... like something out of a movie or a manga. I've never seen anyone like that before."

She started mumbling out of the blue, fiddling with her fingers while holding the can, and a blush crept onto her cheeks.

"I mean, seriously," she stammered, her eyes wide with wonder, "he had this, like, effortless grace about him. When he dodged those punches, it was like he was dancing or something. And his confidence... it was just... wow." She took another sip of her drink, trying to find the right words. "And his face, oh gosh, it was, um, so attractive. Like those eyes, they were so... captivating. I've never seen anyone look so cool and handsome in real life."

Whoa... w-wait... Was Youko crushing on that guy?

"You're not seriously head over heels for that guy, are you, Youko?" Kaya chimed in.

"Eh?! Ah, no. Of course not. Haha."

Her awkward laugh at the end was a dead giveaway...

"O-Okay, fine. I'll admit it. I-I think I've fallen for him, but there's no way I have a chance... He already has a girlfriend and all."

That was true. The guy already had a girlfriend. Even though Youko said it, it was me who hung my head.

Then, the lady working at the cashier exited, and we heard the shopkeeper's doorbell chime as she left. "Minami-chan, mind the cashier for a moment."

"Where are you headed, Morifuji-san?"

"Going to take a smoke," she replied, displaying a pack of cigarettes.

"Too many of those can kill you, you know."

"I'm aware. That's why I'm keeping it in check."

The cashier stepped outside to do whatever she had in mind. I had a pretty good idea of what she was up to. I'd been around that kind of stuff my whole life, after all.

As I watched the lady head to the side of the store, a couple appeared. It went without saying that these two were the same people we'd just seen earlier.

""I'll wait here, Tsubasa," said the girl.

"Alright. Uh, what do you want me to buy again?"

"Ice cream."

"What? But we had ice cream earlier, didn't we?"

"Yeah, but that was hours ago. I'm craving ice cream right now. I want something sweet and cold."

"Is that so?" the boy replied. "Alright, fine. But remember, too much ice cream isn't good for your health, so don't overdo it, okay?"

The girl smiled sweetly and nodded. "I promise, just one scoop. Maybe two at most."

The boy chuckled. "Alright, that sounds reasonable. Any specific flavor you're craving?"

She paused for a moment, considering her options. "Hmm, how about chocolate chip cookie dough? It's always been my favorite."

"Alright..."

While they were chatting, I found myself staring at the guy. When he turned around, our eyes met, and I quickly looked away. I didn't know why, but when he looked at me, it felt like I was being drawn in. Did I feel this way when I used to gaze into Kurogane's eyes back then? I couldn't be sure.

The guy entered the store and headed to the freezer section. He grabbed a pint of ice cream and then proceeded to the cashier's counter. The cashier appeared somewhat awkward. Did they know each other?

"So, Minami-chan is really working here, huh?" remarked the girl.

So, both of them knew the lady, huh... perhaps she was a classmate or something.

More importantly, now that I was close to his girlfriend, I could see why Kurogane had fallen in love with her. She had a stylish appearance and a great figure. Not only that, but her beauty could rival or even surpass that of models and idols. To put it simply, I paled in comparison... if it was even fair to compare me to her.

The girl joined me by the wall, mirroring my posture with her back against it. She pulled out her phone from her pocket and began tapping on the screen while humming a tune.

I glanced over at Youko and Kana, who were also watching her. What was going through their minds, I wondered? Maybe they were questioning why she was acting so nonchalant as if the earlier brawl hadn't even happened.

"I'm going in for a bit," I said.

"Hmm? What are you getting, Yuzuha-chan?" Youko inquired.

"Lollipops."

I stepped inside the convenience store, and the bell above the door chimed. Kurogane seemed to have heard it and glanced back. Our eyes met briefly, but I quickly looked away. I couldn't hold his gaze.

I made my way to the sweets section, searching for the lollipop that had been my favorite for so long. When I found it and reached for one, another hand came out to grab it at the same time.

"Seems like you still like these, huh?"

I turned my gaze to the owner of the hand, only to be met with a handsome face looking down at me. Was he always this tall? He seemed so different from the dorky, nerdy guy I had known back then.

"So...you really are Kurogane?"

"Uh, yeah."

"O-Oh, wow. I didn't recognize you immediately because you've changed so much."

"Well, it's been three years after all. But you've only changed a little, it seems. Well, you've grown a bit taller since then, but you're still the same."

I couldn't help but flash a wry smile. I knew I hadn't changed much. Even though three years had passed since we last saw each other, I hadn't really changed. It was as if I had remained trapped in that time and had never grown.

However, as soon as I smiled wryly, he added, "You've never changed. You're as beautiful as I remember."

My mind went blank for a moment before my brain kicked into gear and registered what he said. My face flushed red, turning as red as a tomato, and my brain seemed to produce steam that escaped from the tips of my ears.