The Love of My Childhood Friend, Who Has Overcome a Terminally Ill Diagnosis, Is Overwhelming
โItโs been a while, Hagiwara.โ
After greeting Kanade, Kadokura-san greeted me with her usual gentle smile.
Come to think of it, the last time I had a conversation like this with Kadokura-sanโฆ I think it was the day after I made her cry.
Back thenโฆ I was completely taken aback by how much Kadokuraโs feelings had changed overnight, and all I could do was panic. But after that, watching her get along so well with Kanade from the sidelines, I revised my opinion of her just a little.
As a result, even though this was our first conversation in a long time, I was finally able to interact with Ms. Kadokura while pretending to be calmโฆ!
โO-o-o-oh, itโs been a whileโฆโ
Thatโs a lie.
To begin with, there was no way someone as socially awkward as me could have a proper conversation with an outgoing person like Kadokura.
โAhaha. What kind of reply is that?โ
Seeing me flustered, Kadokura smiled.
โโฆHaha. So cute.โ
โฆAnd the moment Kadokura made a sarcastic remark about my ridiculous behavior, I felt the atmosphere freeze.
โโฆโฆHey, Kadokura, why are you saying such unnecessary things?โ
Takagaki looked flustered as she scolded Kadokura, who was sitting next to her.
Well, I guess if you make a sarcastic remark to someone youโre not close with and end up freezing the atmosphere, itโs only natural to want to complain a little.
โโฆโฆHuh? Did I do something again?โ
โItโs not just โdid I do something.โ Youโve been like this ever since kindergarten!โ
โฆHuh, so Takagaki-san and Kadokura-san have been friends for that long?
Since Kadokura-san always speaks to her in such a formal, distant way, that came as a bit of a surprise.
โโฆWhat if your thoughtless comment puts Kanade-chan in a bad mood?โ
โHuh? Kanade-chan? Ahaha. Why would Kanade get upset just because I praised Hagiwara-kun?โ
โBecause you praised Hagiwara-kun, thatโs why.โ
โฆTakagaki and the others were whispering about something.
โโฆWhat are you two talking about?โ
Kanade said. Her voice sounded somehowโฆ detached.
Reacting to Kanadeโs voice, Takagaki and the others flinched.
โKanade-chan. Itโs nothing.โ
โItโs nothing? Hmm. So, praising Akkun was nothing either?โ
โโฆSee?โ
Takagaki was on the verge of tears.
Kadokura couldnโt quite wrap her head around the situation and was tilting her head in confusion.
โฆBy the way, I was tilting my head too.
โKadowara-san. Kadowara-san.โ
โWhat is it, Kanade-chan?โ
โKadowara-sanโฆ why did you just praise A-kun?โ
โHuh?โ
โPraisedโโฆ well, calling someone like meโwho doesnโt have a shred of cutenessโโcuteโ is probably just sarcasm.
โโฆโฆYeah, thatโs kind of embarrassing.โ
โHmm. Hmm. โฆโฆHmmmmmm.โ
โHuh. โฆโฆWait, arenโt you kind of scary, Kanade-chan?โ
โHehe. Iโm not scary, am I? Iโm never scary, right? Thatโs right, isnโt it? Weโre best friends, after all. Iโm not scary, am I?โ
โโฆโฆYeah.โ
Kadokura-san nodded with a beaming smile.
โฆWhat a heartwarming sight.
โDamn it. Is this girl on Hagiwaraโs side tooโฆ?โ
Amid the heartwarming atmosphere, Takagaki-san was the only one clutching her head.
โโฆโฆHehe. So, Kadokura-san. What exactly did you find cute about Akkun?โ
As Kanade spoke, the atmosphere seemed to freeze over a little again.
Outside, it was sweltering due to the heat island effect. Inside, the air conditioner was on, but if you let your guard down, it was still warm enough to make sweat bead on your forehead.
โฆโฆMaybe it would actually be cooler and better if the atmosphere were this frosty all the time?
โOh. Are we still going to dig into that topic?โ
โHehe. โDig into itโ or not, Kadokura-san, you havenโt told me your true feelings yet.โ
โโฆUgh. My stomach hurts.โ
Takagaki-san was rubbing her stomach.
Hmm, is it too cool now?
โKadokura-san. Weโre best friends, right? Are you going to keep secrets from your best friend?ใI think itโs cruel to do that to a best friend. Iโd be really disappointed.โ
โโฆโฆAhaha. Is it really that bad?โ
Kadowara scratched her head.
โI meanโฆ just talking to a girl like me whoโs always putting on a front, and so nervous. Like a puppy I just picked up. โฆWell, I guess that is cute.โ
โโฆโฆโ
โโฆโฆโ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโ
โโฆKadokura-saaan!โ
Kanade suddenly threw herself into Kadokuraโs arms.
โHehe. I get it. I totally get it, Kadokura-san!โ
โEek! Oh, come on. Youโre tickling me, Kanade-chan.โ
โHehe. Kadokura-san. I really, really like you.โ
โAhaha. โฆMe too, Kanade-chan.โ
โฆโฆAs I watched the two of them looking so close, Hagiwara-san glared at me.
“โฆโฆAtsushi. Do something about those two, already.”
Takagaki-san seemed to be trying to tell me something by mouthing the wordsโฆ but Iโm sorry, I couldnโt make out what she was trying to say.
Maiasa