As Fuyumi approached the school gate, she noticed Shiriku, Junichi, and Sachi standing together, chatting animatedly. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of Shiriku, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment as she remembered their earlier conversation. She hesitated for a moment, her eyes darting away from Shiriku's gaze as she felt a wave of self-consciousness wash over her.
"Good morning, Fuyumi!" Sachi greeted cheerfully, her smile radiant as always.
Junichi nodded in agreement, offering Fuyumi a friendly wave. "Morning!"
Fuyumi managed a small smile in response, her cheeks still tinged with pink. "Good morning, everyone," she replied softly.
As Shiriku's turn came to greet Fuyumi, he couldn't help but notice her avoidance of his gaze. His smile faltered for a moment, a flicker of concern crossing his features, but he quickly brushed it off, not wanting to make her feel more uncomfortable.
"Morning, Fuyumi," he said warmly, his tone gentle as he tried to catch her eye.
Fuyumi's heart raced at the sound of Shiriku's voice, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. Without meeting his gaze, she mumbled a quick "morning" before turning to walk away.
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Fuyumi then began to separate from the group, seemingly intent on going her own way. However, Sachi, ever the friendly and curious one, decided to follow her, her steps light and eager. Junichi chimed in, sensing the need to change the topic, his voice slightly breathless from running.
"Ahh, Shiriku, we should probably catch up to them," Junichi suggested, his tone casual yet decisive.
Shiriku agreed, realizing that Sachi and Fuyumi were already quite a distance ahead. "Yup, we should. .", Shiriku turned and ran to catch up with Sachi and Fuyumi, leaving Shiroe behind with his thoughts.
Shiriku and Junichi caught up to Fuyumi and Sachi. Shiriku walked beside Fuyumi with a relaxed stride, his posture confident and carefree. Meanwhile, Junichi, gasping for breath, stumbled alongside Sachi, who couldn't contain her laughter at his predicament.
"Haha, look at you, Junichi! You look like someone who ran a marathon," Sachi teased, her laughter bubbling with amusement. She paused to catch her breath, her expression playful. "Well, you deserved it."
Sachi's laughter faded as she turned her attention to Shiriku, her tone shifting to one of curiosity. "Hey, Shiriku..."
Before Sachi could finish her thought, Fuyumi interrupted her, wearing a pouty expression. "Shiriku loves to jog on weekends, you know that, right, Sachi?" Her voice was tinged with a hint of annoyance, her eyebrows furrowing slightly.
"Yeah, sometimes I invite Fuyumi with me. Well, sometimes she accepts, and sometimes she doesn't, hahaha. Maybe it's a toll on her body," Shiriku said with a confident grin, his tone playful and lighthearted.
Fuyumi, feeling a bit embarrassed, replied, "Ugh, Shiriku, you didn't need to remind me about that." Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, her gaze dropping to the ground momentarily.
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Sachi chimed in with a triumphant expression, her voice filled with excitement. "Oh yeah, you guys even entered the couples run together," she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Junichi added to the conversation, his tone light and teasing. "Yeah, you guys even have a picture together on a train, while Shiriku is sleeping on Fuyumi's shoulder," he revealed, a mischievous grin playing on his lips.
Shiriku's curiosity was piqued, and he turned to Junichi, his expression puzzled. "Huh, what picture?" he inquired, his tone tinged with curiosity.
Junichi then showed them the picture, explaining that his friend from another class had shared it with him. Shiriku examined the photo with interest, his brow furrowing slightly as he tried to recall the moment.
Fuyumi's cheeks flushed deeply, and she panicked, her voice betraying her embarrassment. "Ahh, that was a mistake! Shiriku just dozed off for a moment," she exclaimed, her words rushed and flustered.
Fuyumi cast an incredulous look at Shiriku, silently pleading for his help. Her eyes met his, silently urging him to come to her aid.
Shiriku, looking rather pleased with the situation, responded with a playful tone. "Well, amidst everything that happened that day, I'm glad to have Fuyumi's shoulder to lean on," he remarked, his voice tinged with amusement.
Fuyumi couldn't contain her embarrassment any longer and playfully pretended to strangle Junichi. "Junichi, you deserved this!" she exclaimed, her face flushed with embarrassment.
Junichi, with a helpless expression, gasped in mock protest. "Ughh, stop, I yield," he pleaded, his tone exaggerated for effect.
Sachi, who had been laughing at the scene, suddenly stopped and changed the subject. "Oh yeah, Shiriku, aren't you gonna go see Ayaka now?" she asked, her tone casual but curious.
Fuyumi's mood shifted abruptly to one of bereft sadness, and she stopped what she was doing, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. Her expression became somber, her gaze distant as she listened to Sachi's question.
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"Yup, but—" Before Shiriku could finish his sentence, the familiar chime of his phone interrupted him. With a slight furrow of his brows, he glanced down at the screen, his expression shifting to one of sudden realization. "Ahh, guys, you go on ahead," he announced, his voice slightly rushed.
Junichi, Sachi, and Fuyumi exchanged puzzled glances, their eyebrows knit with confusion. "Huh?" they chorused in unison, their tones reflecting their bewilderment.
"I forgot something. I'll be right back, so just go on ahead," Shiriku explained hastily, his words tumbling out in a rush as he turned on his heel and began to sprint in the opposite direction.
The trio stood there, dumbfounded, as they watched Shiriku's retreating figure. Junichi and Sachi couldn't contain their frustration and shouted after him, "Hey, Shiriku!!!! Where the heck are you going?!" Their voices rang out with frustration, their faces contorted in annoyance.
Fuyumi, however, remained silent, her expression stony as she watched Shiriku disappear into the distance, her thoughts swirling with a mix of irritation and confusion.
As Shiriku maneuvered through the crowd, deftly dodging pedestrians, he continued to check his phone. A message from "Aoi" flashed on the screen, demanding to know the whereabouts of the coffee.
Surprised by the message, Shiriku hastily typed out a response while maintaining his pace. "What the, how did you know I wasn't carrying any coffee?" he muttered under his breath, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Aoi's reply came swiftly, the words appearing on the screen as Shiriku continued to run. "Because I can see you," the message read, dripping with cryptic undertones.
"Huh, you can see me?" Shiriku murmured to himself, his confusion evident in his tone as he continued to type out his response.