After the movie we split for the bathrooms.
“With finals coming, can you afford to be hanging out with Kano-san?”
“Same question to you — clubs are off because of the faculty meeting, you should be home studying instead of seeing movies with Suzuno.”
“I’ve held first place forever and have no plans to drop.”
“Seventh on the last midterm — solidly top-tier. I haven’t been outside the top twenty since entering high school.”
We bickered like kids while we used the toilet. We’d been doing this since we were children.
We were still bickering on the way out — and then my brother stopped. I followed his gaze: Suzuno and Kano were standing with two African men, both close to two meters tall and visibly muscular, even from this distance.
Kano looked normal but Suzuno seemed scared. Almost certainly some bad-faith pickup attempt.
I left my frozen brother and walked straight toward the four.
Worst case it would end in injury given the size gap, but I wasn’t slowing. To save the girl I love and the girl who loves me, I was prepared to be the sacrifice.
I cut between them — but actually, no fight broke out and no one got hurt. The whole thing had been my misread.
“They were just exchange-student friends who’d run into you.”
“Yeah, they look scary but they’re actual Japanese-pop-culture nerds.”
“Sis, you really know everyone.”
We’d moved to the food court and were finishing the drinks from the theater. I was relieved — but my brother had gone completely dark.
He hadn’t joined our conversation at all. I could guess why. (Wasn’t going to mention it.)
“Ayato-kun, you’ve been quiet — are you feeling okay?”
”…No, I’m fine.”
He gave a hollow answer to Suzuno’s concern. We discussed the film until drinks were done; he didn’t speak again.
“Yuito and I have another place to be.”
“What — hold on —”
“Yuito-kun, see you.”
Kano had hooked my arm and pulled me away.
“Where are you taking me now?”
“Stellabucks — I want to talk.”
The brightness from the food court had faded. She looked… slightly angry.
Had I unconsciously done something that bothered her? We reached the place, ordered, sat down.
“Thank you for trying to save us back there.”
“It was nothing — I just acted, to help you and Suzuno.”
“But if we’d really been getting hit on by dangerous guys, what was your plan?”
“Buy time so you two could escape.”
If it had come to a fight I had no real chance of winning. The only thing I could offer was being the decoy.
“In that plan you and Suzuno survive — and Yuito doesn’t.”
“As long as you two were safe, fine.”
“Stop. Being saved at the cost of the person I love — I would not be happy about that. Please, value yourself more.”
Her voice raised in anger and grief, drawing eyes from nearby tables.
“I would not be able to bear it if the person I love got hurt because of me. Please. Be kinder to yourself.”
“I’m sorry…”
All I could do was apologize. Reverse the situation and my chest would tear too.
In my own disregard for myself I’d lost sight of that part. Kano was quiet a long while, then finally spoke.
”…Sorry for losing it.”
“No — sorry for everything, too.”
“What you did was genuinely incredible. Strength of heart like that — almost no one has it. But please remember — there’s someone who’d be hurt by that.”
“Understood. I’ll keep that close.”
To stop hurting Kano, I’d stop running headlong into self-sacrifice without thinking.