After distributing fans through middle school, doing play rehearsal, and helping Reona, by the time everything was done I was wrecked.
”…Finally going home.”
“Yeah, today was a lot.”
“Classes plus all this, yeah.”
The schedule had been heavily shortened to allow for festival prep, but it was still a grind.
Club students were doing club after school and festival prep — respect. For someone like me, who wants to go home a minute earlier, no thanks.
While I was packing, a third-year from our team came into the classroom and made a beeline for us. Reona caught it first.
“Senpai?”
“Hi, Tsurugi-san. Sorry — short notice, but I want to meet with the 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-year class leaders. Could you join?”
“Got it. Ryouya-kun, this’ll run long — head home with Riona.”
Reona left with the senpai. Some of the girls in the class started talking with elevated energy.
“Maybe that senpai is the rumored target.”
“Hmm, who knows? Could be someone else.”
“Wait, what rumor?”
I’d accidentally listened in. Bad form, but I needed to.
“Word is Reona-chan is going to confess to someone at the after-party confession contest.”
“Yeah, and a few very full-of-themselves boys are convinced it’s them. Hilarious.”
“That explains why some guys have been weirdly hyper this week.”
I almost never talked to anyone besides Reona, so I had no idea this rumor was circulating.
Just a rumor, I told myself, but something in my chest stayed off. The senpai was decent-looking, and that was bothering me. I pushed it down, grabbed my bag, and went to find Riona.
“Sorry to keep you.”
“Where’s Nee-chan?”
“Class-leader meeting — she said go on ahead.”
“Got it, let’s go.”
We walked together. First time just Riona and me on the way home — novel.
“Want to stop at the bookstore — okay, Ryouya?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Thanks. Let’s go.”
I had a LN to grab too, so no issue. We continued.
“Your class’s festival prep on track?”
“Yes. Leader is competent.”
“Yeah, that part is huge.”
The quality of the person on top mattered. My respect to my classmates handling these leader roles — me, I couldn’t. Last year’s guy who killed the class mood is not on the respect list.
“And your class?”
“Also smooth. Thanks to Reona.”
“She’s my older sister — naturally.”
Same cool surface, distinctly pleased. Riona’s expressions had become readable to me.
We were less than six months in, but the density was so high it felt longer.
Which was why, despite the out of my league part, I’d fallen for them anyway. Which was why the confession rumor was bothering me.
“Ryouya, you look more depressed than usual. Something wrong?”
“Just tired from classes and festival prep, don’t worry.”
I lied. Confession-rumor anxieties were not something I could share with Riona.
Because Reona and Riona had said if they fell for someone, they’d both date that someone. So if Reona dated someone, Riona would also date that someone.
“Okay. If something’s wrong, I’ll always be here, just tell me.”
“Thanks. I’ll lean on you when I need to.”
The unease lingered, but Riona’s offer reset me. No use spiraling on rumors.
———
I wonder who could have started a rumor like that. (Innocent whistling.)