The Love of My Childhood Friend, Who Has Overcome a Terminally Ill Diagnosis, Is Overwhelming
After Takagaki let out a scream, the customers in the shop turned their attention back to her.
โIโm s-sorryโฆโ
Looking extremely uncomfortable, Takagaki bowed her head and sat down.
โY-you guysโฆ why did you just let Kanade-chan go home like that?โ
โHuhโฆโ
โWas there a problem?โ
Kadokura and I exchanged glances and tilted our heads in confusion.
โฆI wonder why.
I was starting to feel like I might actually hit it off with Kadokura more than Iโd expected.
โNo, noโwe asked her to go swimming, and she said she wouldnโt go, so of course thereโs a problem.โ
โEhโโฆโ
โTakagaki, come on. โฆI donโt think you should force her.โ
โYou two are really in sync, arenโt you?โ
Takagaki let out an exasperated sigh.
โโฆโฆIs that really okay with you, Atsushi?โ
โHuh?โ
โIf things keep going like this, you wonโt get to see Kanade in a swimsuitโฆโฆโ
โโฆโฆโ
โโฆโฆโ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโ
โWhat should I do? Thatโs a problemโฆโฆโ
โโฆโฆSigh.โ
Takagaki-san was definitely right.
If things keep going like this, Iโฆ even though Iโm going out of my way to take time away from my studies to go to the beach, I wonโt be able to see Kanade in a swimsuit, will I?
โโฆโฆCould you maybe let me cancel my participation after all?โ
โEhh. I was really looking forward to going to the beach with Hagiwara-kun.โ
โฆโฆWell, I guess thatโs out of the question, after all.
But still.
If thatโs the case, thenโฆ what on earth am I even going to the beach for?
โโฆโฆWhat should I do?โ
Just thinking about next Wednesdayโs beach trip made me feel completely disheartened.
โThereโs nothing you can do about it, is there?โ
Seeing me at a loss, Takagaki-san let out another sigh.
โโฆโฆLet Kanade join us at the beach.โ
Takagaki-san said, looking exasperated.
โThat would be ideal, butโฆ Kanade said she has plans next Wednesday, didnโt she?โ
โThereโs no way she does.โ
โHuh?โ
How does Takagaki-san know about Kanadeโs plansโฆโฆ?
โโฆโฆYou look skeptical.โ
โWellโฆโ
โโฆWell, as she said, Kanade might actually have plans for next Wednesday.โ
โHuh? Which is it?โ
โBut doesnโt that have nothing to do with whether we go to the beach or not?โ
Why?
I tilted my head in confusion.
โโฆI said โnext Wednesdayโ on the spur of the moment, but we havenโt even decided which beach to go to yet, right?ใItโs totally possible to change the date.โ
โOh, youโre right.โ
โKanadeโs so sharpโthereโs no way she wouldnโt have noticed that. In other words, she really didnโt want to go to the beach from the bottom of her heart, so she lied about having plans and walked away.โ
โฆIf thatโs the case, why on earth didnโt Kanade want to go to the beach?
โฆโฆ
โฆโฆโฆโฆ.
Could it beโฆ?
โโฆโฆDid Kanade start hating me?โ
โNo way.โ
โโฆโฆDid Kanade start hating me?โ
โYou tooโฆ?โ
The suspicion that Kanade might hate me crossed my mindโฆ but it seems Kadokura had a similar thought.
โโฆโฆDonโt worry. Thereโs no way Atsushi-kun could ever be disliked by that girl.โ
โNo, that wouldnโt happen, would it?โ
โOf course it wouldnโt. Just be quiet.โ
โฆโฆTakagaki-san is so cold.
โAs for youโฆ well, itโs possible.โ
โH-hey, Ayaka!โ
โBut I donโt think sheโs ever walked away from a group just because she didnโt want to go to the beach with you.โ
โWhy not?โ
โBecause Atsushi-kun is going to the beach.โ
โฆWhat does that mean?
I locked eyes with Kadokura-san, and we both tilted our heads in confusion.
Somehowโฆ Kadokura-san and I are really on the same wavelength.
โโฆWell, I donโt know why Kanade-chan doesnโt want to go to the beach, but I guess weโve decided what weโre doing next.โ
Takagaki-san nodded and continued.
โAtsushi, weโll pick out a beach.โ
โโฆYouโll pick one out?โ
โYou convince Kanade to go to the beach.โ
โโฆWait, thatโs an impossible request.โ
โItโs not impossible.โ
โโฆThereโs such a thing as the right person for the right job, isnโt there?โ
โItโs the perfect choice.โ
โโฆThereโs no way I can convince Kanade to go to the beach.โ
โIf you really push her, sheโll probably go along with it.โ
โฆSeriously, Takagaki seems colder than usual today.
The only time sheโs ever been this cold was during exam season, when we were arguing fiercely. No, sheโs even colder than that.
โAnyway, just try talking to Kanade once.โ
โโฆAlright.โ
โIf it doesnโt work out, let me know. Weโll have another strategy meeting then and decide what to do.โ
โGot it.โ
โHagiwara, count on you!โ
โโฆYeah.โ
This is such a drag.
With all sorts of worries weighing on our minds, we left the restaurant and went our separate ways..
Maiasa