"There's no way that it's true right? It's just a random rumour, right?"
"No way! I definitely heard it. They're definitely going out!"
Such was the general whispers going around the classroom. Moments earlier, Mai had declared to Kei outside the class that she was going to cook dinner for him. Unsure of whether it was intentional so that everyone could hear or if it was so he wouldn't be able to avoid the question, he had reluctantly agreed. However, he wondered why it was necessary for her to announce it to him that she was going to cook for him.
The rest of the day proceeded normally. When the final bell rang to signal the end of the day, Kei packed his bag and proceeded to stay seated in his place. As he had already expected, there were many people hanging behind waiting for him to leave. The rumours that had spread during the classes after Mai's declaration had gotten around the entire classroom at this point and he was quietly surrounded by classmates wanting to see if the rumours were true.
When he saw that Mai had already left, he finally got up and proceeded to walk out the door of the classroom. Before he started walking back however, he went straight towards the teacher's room where Yanagi-sensei was.
"Ah, Amane! What brings you here today?"
"The mob of stalkers outside your room"
"Stalkers?"
Yanagi-sensei proceeded to walk out of the room to verify what Kei had said and true to his words, he was surrounded by quite a number of students from Kei's class who had been expecting Kei to be the person walking out of the room instead of the head discipline teacher.
"What are you all loitering around the teacher's room for? Go on home."
As soon as he had finished his sentence, the mob of students instantly dispersed in many different directions.
"Haah… these kids have nothing better to do. Well, I guess you can go home now?" Yanagi-sensei said as he walked back into the teacher's room.
"Thank you, sensei."
"Mmm… what caused it this time?"
"… An annoying and troublesome person…"
"Annoying and troublesome… or could it be… your match?"
"Who knows…"
"In any case, you know tomorrow is game day, right? Eat well, sleep well, and rest well, alright?"
Kei bowed to Yanagi-sensei before leaving. When he reached the school front gate, he experienced something that he hadn't experienced in a while.
"Haah… how long have you been waiting here?"
"Since I left the classroom… You're late."
"Why do you think I was late in the first place?"
"Heheh~"
"Haah… Let's go." Kei said as he took Mai's bag from her shoulder and put it around his own.
Mai happily followed him as they slowly walked back home together. They hadn't done this in a while ever since his basketball competition started and Mai savoured every bit of the moment they spent together.
"Kei-kun… I need to ask you something…"
"They're anti-depressants."
"Huh?"
"That's what you wanted to ask me right? What it is that you saw me eating in the nurse's office?"
"Eh?"
"I already knew you were there from the start. Don't worry, it's not something I care if it gets out."
Mai proceeded to stop in her tracks and looked down on the floor.
"Why… why are you taking those—"
"After the basketball tournament. I will tell you. But for now, let's just leave it at that… is that okay?"
Kei proceeded to walk towards her and grabs hold of her right hand with both of his. He gently rubs her hand and slowly reassures her that she can trust his words.
"…Okay… that's a promise? You won't break it?"
"When have I ever broken any promises to you?"
When Kei was about to let go of her hand, she gripped his left hand tight so as to not lose hold of it. When Kei looked at her wondering what was wrong, all he could see was her gentle smile towards him. Seeing this, Kei replied in kind and the two of them slowly walked back to their apartment complex together, hand-in-hand.