Seishun Buta Yarou Series - Volume 1 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 – A World Without You

1 

He was shaking. 

Someone was shaking him. 

“…up.” 

A voice from far away. 

“…ke up.” 

Getting closer. 

“…Wake up!” 

He knew that voice. 

“It’s morning!” 

White light pierced the darkness. 

“……Mm?” 

As he woke, Sakuta’s eyes opened. 

Bleary-eyed from sleep, he could just make out Kaede’s face. She was leaning over the bed, peering into his face. The sunlight streaming through the gap in the curtains hurt his eyes. 

“Today’s the last day of midterms, right? You’ll be late!” 

She shook him again. 

“Oh, yeah, right…mid—” 

He stifled a yawn and sat up. 

His whole body felt like lead. Maybe a cold was setting in. Or he was running a fever. But he didn’t feel sick, just…really, really tired. That phrase seemed to fit better. 

Fighting off the temptation to go back to bed, he forced his weary body onto its feet. Being absent or late during midterms would be bad. Makeup tests were a nightmare. 

The clock showed 7:45. It was a ten-minute walk to Fujisawa Station and then fifteen minutes on the train itself. Maybe five minutes from Shichirigahama Station to his classroom. The whole trip took about half an hour. 

He had to leave the house by eight at the latest. He didn’t have much time. 

“Thanks for getting me up, Kaede. You really saved me.” 

“Waking you up is what I live for!” 

Her smile was adorable but didn’t motivate him to heap more praise on her. 

“You need to find other sources of joy in life.” 

“Like washing your back for you?” 

“Sources unrelated to me.” 

“No thanks.” 

That was a quick refusal. 

“I worry about your future,” Sakuta said, opening his closet to change. 

He took the uniform dress shirt off the hanger, but it slipped out of his hand and fell on the paper bag below. 

“What’s this?” he wondered, peeping into the bag as he picked up the shirt. 

Kaede leaned in to look, too. 

They both saw what was inside. 

“……” 

“……” 

There was a brief silence. 

“Wh-what is that?!” Kaede asked, pointing. A tremor in her voice. 

Sakuta could ask the same. 

A black leotard with a white fluff ball on the back. Black stockings and high heels. A bow tie. White cuffs. And the bunny-ears headband, which really pulled the whole outfit together. 

This was clearly a bunny-girl outfit. 

“Was I planning on making you wear this?” It was the only possibility he could think of. 

“Huh?” Kaede froze, shocked. 

He stuck the headband on her head. 

“Not bad.” 

“I-I’m not wearing this! No way am I ready for anything this sexy!” 

Sensing danger, Kaede scuttled out of the room. 

Sakuta wasn’t prepared to chase her around the apartment this early, so he put the outfit in the bag again and returned the bag to the closet. 

“How stressed out was I?” he muttered. 

He put his shirt on and buttoned it. Then his pants and his tie. The latter turned out kinda crooked. 

“……” 

Normally, he’d just leave without bothering to fix it, but today he felt like he should try again. He loosened the tie and redid the knot. It came out straight this time. 

Before putting on his jacket, he stuffed his textbooks into his schoolbag. As he did, he noticed a notebook on his desk and picked it up. 

“What’s this?” 

He flipped through the pages. They were pretty full. 

Modern Japanese notes? On closer inspection, no. 

It started with a warning and then read like a diary. 

What is written here may be hard to believe, but all of it is true. Make sure you read till the end! You have to! 

May 6 

I met a wild bunny girl. 

She was a senpai from Minegahara High. The famous . 

This is the beginning. This is how we met. There’s no way I could ever forget it. 

Even if you do forget—remember. You have to remember, future me. 

He was unsure how to react. 

“An embarrassing stab at fiction?” 

Maybe it was a manifestation of puberty. Strange notions swollen into a bizarre fantasy. He couldn’t remember writing anything like this, but it was definitely his handwriting. He recognized it instantly. So Sakuta must have written this himself. 

But the more he read, the more painful it was. 

It just went on and on about an imaginary girlfriend. Page after page, filling the whole notebook. What they talked about while waiting for a train, riding the Enoden. How they went on a date that turned into a journey that led all the way to Ogaki. 

Sakuta had definitely gone to Ogaki a few days ago, but all he remembered was how he’d just had a sudden urge to go somewhere not here and jumped on a train. Sadly, he had done that by himself. 

“……” 

The weird blank spaces were bugging him. From context, they clearly should have had a name written there, but the name had been omitted. There was enough space for a slew of letters. 

“Was I supposed to fill that in once I actually get a girlfriend?” 

That possibility was even more painful. This was definitely the sort of writing he could never show anyone. He was sure he should destroy it ASAP. 

This was quite clearly a living disgrace. 

He kept finding passages addressed to himself, which was even worse. The cheesiness of it made him squirm. 

The eight o’clock chime rang, reminding Sakuta he was in a hurry. 

He tossed the notebook in the trash, threw his jacket on, grabbed his bag, and shouted “I’m off!” to Kaede. 

Then he left for school. 

2 

Sakuta sped through the ten-minute walk to the station a little faster than usual. 

He passed through the residential area, crossed the bridge, and came out onto the main road. He got stuck at a few lights but was soon in the commercial area near the station. After passing pachinko parlors and electronics stores, he saw the station up ahead. 

Fujisawa Station looked just like it always did this early. Streams of commuters bound for work or school filed inside. Grown-ups in suits poured out of the hub, destined for nearby offices. People changing trains headed for their connecting platform. Sakuta crossed the connecting passageway, one of many rushing to the Enoden Fujisawa Station. 

When he entered the station gates, his usual train was still waiting. Catching his breath, he boarded the first car. 

He grabbed a spot by the door on the far side, and someone joined him. 

“Yo,” Yuuma Kunimi said, raising a hand in greeting. 

“Hey.” 

The train started moving. Yuuma hung on to the strap with both hands, examining Sakuta. 

“You look better today,” he observed. 

“Hmm?” 

“You were full-on zombie yesterday, man. Were you always one to cram like crazy before tests?” 

“Nah, I’m more likely to give up immediately and go to bed.” 

“That’s what I thought.” 

He’d gone to bed pretty early the night before. At least, he couldn’t remember anything clearly after maybe nine or ten. Earlier than usual, despite the tests. 

Sakuta looked around the car. Several other kids in Minegahara uniforms. Lots of them had textbooks out, doing what they could to score the highest grades possible. 

Yuuma took a textbook out of his own bag, reviewing a list of formulas. 

While Sakuta distracted Yuuma from his studies now and then, the train took them past Koshigoe Station, and the view of the ocean opened up outside. 

Sakuta felt like someone was staring at him. 

“……” 

He glanced around, trying to find the source. 

“What’s up?” Yuuma asked. Maybe he’d been too obvious about it. 

“Thought someone was looking at me.” As he spoke, his eyes met the girl standing at the next door. Tomoe Koga. Her uniform still looked brand-new. 

“Mm? Her? A first-year?” 

Tomoe made such an obvious show of looking away even Yuuma picked up on it. 

“You know her?” 

“She and her friend come to watch basketball practice sometimes.” 

Sakuta recognized the girl with her, too. 

“My teammates think they’re both pretty cute.” 

“Oh, so she was staring at you.” 

He felt like an idiot now. 

“I don’t think so,” Yuuma said, turning his attention back to his textbook. 

“Why not?” 

“When she’s at practice, she’s usually looking at one of the third-years.” 

“Huh.” 

“Given that you don’t even know the names of your own classmates, I’m surprised you know a first-year. Something go down?” 

“Kinda.” 

“Ooh. Fill me in.” 

Yuuma put his book away, shouldering Sakuta with a grin. 

“Look, we’ve just kicked each other in the butt. No big deal.” 

Last Sunday, he’d tried to help a lost child, a certain someone jumped to conclusions, and things got weird. 

“Any time butts get kicked, there’s definitely trouble involved.” 

“These things happen sometimes.” 

“Not to me, they don’t. Where are you going with this?” 

“Anywhere but here.” 

“Riiight…” 

Sakuta stared out the window, signaling the conversation was over. 

Something was definitely bugging him. 

It wasn’t his meeting with Tomoe Koga, though. For some reason, he couldn’t remember exactly how he’d come to be at that park in the first place. 

When the train reached Shichirigahama Station, everyone in a Minegahara uniform filed off onto the tiny platform. 

Sakuta was no exception. 

Enjoying the smell of the sea, he and Yuuma strolled the short distance to the school gates. 

Around them, students were chatting. “More tests. I’m so doomed.” “I didn’t study at all.” “Me, either!” “People who say that always have.” 

Midterms were a mutual problem faced by the entire student population, but otherwise, it was a typical morning. 

This was their daily routine. 

The same things they always did on the way to school. 

Nothing especially fun or particularly aggravating. 

Everyone just getting through it. 

Everything around Sakuta was normal. 

The two first-years dashed past Sakuta and Yuuma. Tomoe Koga and her friend. Talking about their plans after tests were over, karaoke and the like. 

“You got any after-test plans, Sakuta?” 

“Work. You?” 

“Just practice. Got a tournament coming up.” 

“Oh. Well, good.” 

“Mm? How so?” 

“If you had a date, I’d have been annoyed.” 

“That, I’m saving for the weekend.” 

“Sometimes I hate you, Kunimi.” 

“You’re gonna say that to my face?” 

“Better than hiding it.” 

As they traded quips, the two of them reached the school entrance. 

Sakuta took his slippers out of the shoe locker and changed into them, then went up the stairs to the second-year classrooms. 

Yuuma was in a different class, so they split up in the hall, and Sakuta went to room 2-1 alone. 

Front seat by the window. 

First test of the day was Math II. Second was Modern Japanese. 

Some students were frantically cramming, others calmly reviewing notes and getting ready for the exam. And a few were sleeping at their desks, already having given up. Saki Kamisato was at her desk (diagonally behind him) chomping away on Pocky. It was rather early for a snack. Maybe a gamble that the sugar would get her brain moving. 

Sakuta took his textbook out, too. His nose was itching like crazy. 

“Hope I’m not getting a cold…” 

He rubbed his nose with a tissue and began looking over the example problems for higher order equations. 

He had this weird compulsion to try for a good score. 

After he’d given everything a once-over, a shadow fell over his book. 

Someone was standing in front of him. 

He knew who it was without looking up. Even with his eyes on the book, he could see the edge of her white lab coat dangling below the hem of her skirt. 

“Not often you come see me, Futaba.” 

“Here.” 

Looking annoyed, Rio held out a Western-style envelope. 

“A love letter?” 

“Nope.” 

“Figured.” 

Sakuta knew where Rio’s feelings lay. 

He took it from her and peered into the envelope. There was, unsurprisingly, a letter inside. He glanced up at Rio to see if he should read it. 

“……” 

She nodded wordlessly. Sakuta opened the letter and ran his eyes over it. 

This is a ludicrous pseudoscience extrapolation of the Theory of Observation, but let us assume that all matter in the world is only given shape once it is observed by someone else. In this case, if the cause of               ’s disappearance stems from the entire student body’s unconscious ignoring of her, then if Azusagawa provides a reason to exist that overwrites that, he may be able to save               . Essentially, closing the lid on what they don’t want to see should return the wavelength to the original probability before               was given form… In other words, reverting her to a state before her existence was defined, to when she was like ether. The student population’s unconscious denial of her existence can be overwritten by Azusagawa’s love. 

A weird letter, filled with suspicious blanks. The contents made no sense at all. But it was clearly written by Rio, for him. 

“……” 

He looked up, awaiting explanation. 

“I dunno, either. I found it last night, stuck in my Math II textbook.” 

“What the heck?” 

Rio placed another identical envelope on his desk. 

“This was with it.” 

Even more confused, Sakuta read the second letter. 

It was only a single line long. 

Don’t think. Just give this to Azusagawa. 

Clearly a note Rio had left for herself. 

It reminded Sakuta of the delusional notebook he’d found in his room that morning. 

Something was nagging at the back of his mind, but he couldn’t remember what. Just a general feeling that something was missing. 

“So there you have it,” Rio said, turning to leave. 

“Uh, wait,” he called after her, but the bell rang, forcing him to drop it for now. 

The teacher came in, and homeroom began. 

“It’s the last day of midterms, but try not to go too crazy once they’re done,” he warned. 

Sakuta read Rio’s letter over again. 

This is a ludicrous pseudoscience extrapolation of the Theory of Observation, but let us assume that all matter in the world is only given shape once it is observed by someone else. In this case, if the cause of               ’s disappearance stems from the entire student body’s unconscious ignoring of her, then if Azusagawa provides a reason to exist that overwrites that, he may be able to save               . Essentially, closing the lid on what they don’t want to see should return the wavelength to the original probability before               was given form… In other words, reverting her to a state before her existence was defined, to when she was like ether. The student population’s unconscious denial of her existence can be overwritten by Azusagawa’s love. 

“My love, huh?” 

He had no clue what that meant. 

3 

The Math II test went pretty well. 

He’d filled in every answer, properly showing his work. He felt like this was important for some reason. 

Sakuta usually couldn’t be bothered to check his work, but this time, he’d taken particular care to do so. He had a shot at a pretty good grade. 

The second test was Modern Japanese. 

When the bell rang, the entire class opened their exam books as one. The room filled with the sound of scratching pencils. 

Sakuta wrote his name, class, and seat number. Then he went to the first problem. Reading comprehension. He checked the questions first, then read the passage. 

It took about twenty minutes, but by the end, that first hill had been conquered. 

It was followed by another lengthy passage. This one hadn’t been in their textbooks. 

It looked like it was going to take a while, so Sakuta decided to skip ahead to the kanji quiz at the back. 

The dreaded homonym section. 

1. I can __sure he’ll pay. 

2. I can __sure you the country will remain stable. 

Both had hosho in katakana, and he had to write in the kanji. 

Without hesitation, he wrote ensure in the first problem and assure in the second. 

“……” 

When he finished, he stopped, feeling his pencil waver. 

A doubt unrelated to the test itself had filled his mind. 

The reason he’d known this answer was because he’d studied it the night before. 

But he couldn’t quite remember the specifics. 

Something felt wrong. The feeling started in his head and gradually took over his entire body. It was very unpleasant, like he was trying to remember something that refused to come out. It was right on the tip of his tongue but was stuck there. 

The more he thought about it, the more upset he got. He felt like something was screaming at him from the inside. 

“…What is this?” 

He couldn’t explain it. It felt like… 

Like a glow of joy in his heart. 

Like bittersweet memories. 

Like a memory of good times. 

But also an intense sadness accompanying them. 

One emotion after another tore through him and faded, then came flooding back. Wave after wave, shaking him to his core. 

And then something fell on his answer sheet. 

He was worried his nose was running, but it wasn’t that. 

Something had fallen from his eye. 

A tear. 

He quickly looked up. He couldn’t just start crying in the middle of a test. 

He took a quick breath, trying to steady himself, and someone’s voice floated across his mind. 

“So which pair is used for ‘Nobody can ensure your future’?” 

He knew that voice. 

“You can also show me ‘Sakuta’s safety is not assured if he tries to cheat on another question.’” 

The mist clouding his mind was clearing. 

“Ensure means making certain something happens, while assure means convincing someone it will.” 

He’d answered the questions just like she’d told him to. 

The pen fell from his hand. 

He shouldn’t be sitting here taking this test. Not now. 

“Whoa!” 

The classmate behind him had flinched, surprised. The girl next to him let out a squeak. 

Everyone glanced up from their answer sheets, staring at him. 

The teacher monitoring the test from the back looked at him, confused. “What’s up, Azusagawa?” 

“Number two,” Sakuta said. 

A laugh went round the room. 

“Focus, people!” 

While the teacher was distracted, Sakuta made a beeline for the hall. 

He went right past the bathrooms and down the stairs. 

The entrance was too far in the wrong direction, so he just clambered out a first-floor window. 

He’d remembered something important. 

Memories of someone important. 

There was something he had to do for her. 

“Ugh, this is gonna suck…,” he muttered, cringing already. 

Minegahara’s schoolyard lay before him. He walked to the middle of it, measuring each step. 

“This is such a stupid idea.” 

Rio’s letter had led him to a plan. 

The last line. 

The student population’s unconscious denial of her existence can be overwritten by Azusagawa’s love. 

He wouldn’t know if this was the right answer unless he tried. 

Frankly, he didn’t think the odds were in his favor. After all, Sakuta was about to fight the air itself. 

Push, pull, or slap it, the air would never care. The air in the school. The same air he’d spent this entire time refusing to fight. 

The people responsible for creating it had no idea they were involved. 

And if they weren’t aware of that, no matter how passionately he argued, his thoughts and feelings would never reach them. 

They’d just laugh at his desperation. 

The more worked up he got, the frostier their stares would become. 

He’d just be met by telepathic, unvoiced emotions telling him to read the room. 

That was the world they lived in, and Sakuta was acutely conscious of his own place in that world. 

It was easier to follow the lead of the person next to you. Deciding what was right and wrong on your own burned too many calories, and the stronger your own opinions, the more it hurt when someone disagreed. Simply agreeing with “everyone” was safe. Secure. Never looking at anything you didn’t want to see. Never thinking about anything you didn’t want to worry about. Leaving all that to others. 

The world was heartless like that. 

So heartless it would unconsciously isolate someone and turn its back on whomever it had ostracized. To protect the air and to protect yourself, it was easy to pretend you didn’t notice. No matter who got hurt. 

The world was so heartless, it could join in that silent understanding and feel no pain when others got hurt by it. 

But “Everyone’s doing it, so I did, too” wasn’t reason enough for someone to have to suffer. “Everyone’s doing it, so it must be right” wasn’t necessarily true. Who defined everyone anyway? 

Had he not met her at the Shonandai Library that day, Sakuta might have remained part of that nebulous “everyone.” He would have been just another contributor to her suffering. 

But now that he’d figured it out, he had to settle this. 

Even if that set him against the school itself. 

Against the entire student body. 

Against the air he’d been so desperate to avoid fighting… He could no longer turn his back on that problem. 

Because he’d found something more important than maintaining the status quo. 

He’d enjoyed the time he’d spent with her. 

How she’d always teased him for being younger than her. The way she’d made sex jokes and embarrassed herself so much she turned bright red. And then how she tried to hide it, stubbornly standing her ground. 

The childish way she’d gone all sulky when Sakuta didn’t do what she wanted. 

She was a bit selfish, domineering, and temperamental. But despite the year advantage, sometimes her inexperience showed. She’d stomped on his foot, pinched his cheek, and even slapped him. 

Getting yanked around by her had been the absolute best. When she’d retorted, grown indignant, or called him cheeky, he’d been delighted beyond all measure. 

Only she could make Sakuta feel that way. 

She was the only person in all the world who could. 

And now that he knew that joy, life was pointless without her. 

No matter what the cost, he had to get that joy back. 

This was the price he had to pay. 

He may have lost Shouko Makinohara without ever saying a word, but he wasn’t about to let that happen twice. 

He never wanted to feel like that again. 

“I’m done with always reading the room. To hell with it!” 

At the center of the yard, Sakuta slowly turned to face the school building. 

Three stories loomed over him. 

A thousand students were inside those walls. 

The size and numbers were both overwhelming. And if everyone ignored his efforts, he was done for. 

He had no plan. 

But he knew what he had to do. 

It was time to stop fretting about one thing or another. 

He had to do what he thought was right. 

Do what he felt was right. 

To hell with all the reasons and excuses. 

Sakuta planted his feet firmly beneath him. 

He took a deep breath, gathering strength from his very core. 

Then he launched the first shot at the top of his lungs. 

“Listen up, everyone!” 

Everyone was focused on midterms. The school was quiet. His voice carried far. 

“I’m Sakuta Azusagawa!” 

The vibrations were already making his throat hurt. But he wasn’t backing down. 

The first reaction came from the staff room. A window opened, and three teachers leaned out. They were waving him to come over, but Sakuta ignored them. 

“From Class 2-1! Seat number one.” 

A stir was starting to run through the whole school. 

“I’ve got a message…!” 

He sensed people whispering, “Outside!” 

One set of eyes after another turned toward the windows. 

“For Mai Sakurajima, Class 3-1!” 

When he said her name, he felt goose bumps all over him, emotions rushing out of every pore and follicle. It felt right, like all the pieces had just fallen into place. In that moment, he knew for a fact his feelings for Mai were real. 

Sakuta exhaled, expelling all the air from his lungs. Then took another big breath. He looked at the school, at the classroom windows, at the students gathering around them, all staring back at him. 

With the eyes of a thousand people on him, Sakuta let his feelings explode. 

“I love you, Mai Sakurajima!” 

He hit the school with everything he had. 

“I love you, Mai!” 

It almost felt like he was trying to rip his own throat open. He wanted everyone in town and beyond to know how he felt. 

So that no one could ignore him. 

So that no one could pretend they didn’t see. 

He put everything he had out there in the open. 

His breath didn’t last, and his shout left him coughing. 

There was a long, confused silence. 

Then a flurry of whispered questions shook the air. 

All the students were staring out at the yard, down at Sakuta. Their collective gaze a giant hammer beating down on him. But rather than a single fatal blow, it was an indecisive, middling pressure grinding against him. A slow, painful, crushing weight. 

He wanted to turn and run. Right out the school gates all the way back home. 

His passionate declaration of love was whiffing hard. 

“Ah, dammit! I knew this would happen. I’m just embarrassing myself here. Shit.” 

The frustration seethed out of him. 

“This is why I didn’t want to fight with air!” 

Bathed in their stares, Sakuta’s fingers scrabbled through his hair. 

“This is the worst…” 

Again, the urge to run for it crossed his mind. His eyes turned toward the gates. 

“……” 

But his feet never took a step in that direction. 

“I’ve come this far. If I don’t get a reward from Mai, what’s the point?” 

Half out of sheer spite, Sakuta turned back to the school and started yelling again. 

“I wanna hold your hand and walk down the beach at Shichirigahama!” 

He didn’t stop to think. 

“I wanna see you in that bunny-girl outfit again!” 

Sakuta just let his feelings lead him along. 

“I wanna hold you in my arms and cover you in kisses!” 

He barely even knew what was coming out of his own mouth. 

“My point is…! I love you, Maiiiii!” 

His scream echoed across the sky. Every student and teacher in the school stared at him, which felt unbelievably horrible…but in that moment, Sakuta was too exhilarated to care. 

A silence settled over the school. 

Like everyone had agreed to do this beforehand. Like a collective gulp. 

Sakuta wasn’t sure why. 

A student he didn’t recognize was pointing out the window at him. 

He didn’t know why. At first, he thought they were making fun of him. 

He only changed his mind when he realized the finger was pointing past him. 

He heard footsteps in the dirt. Someone was standing behind him. 

Sakuta gasped…and her voice reached his ears. 

“I can hear you just fine. No need to shout.” 

It felt like ages since he’d heard her voice. Like he’d been waiting for years to hear it again. 

Sakuta spun around. 

A whoosh of sea breeze blew past her feet. 

The hem of her skirt fluttered. 

Her usual black tights were visible underneath. Her feet were planted shoulder-width apart. One hand rested on her hip while the other brushed her hair back against the wind. Her eyes made her look mature, but the hint of anger on her face made her seem younger. 

A wave of emotion raced up through Sakuta’s body. 

Mai was standing there, less than ten yards away. 

“You’ll bother the neighborhood.” 

“I just wanted everyone in the world to know.” 

“They don’t all speak Japanese.” 

“Oh! I didn’t think of that.” 

“You’re so dumb,” she said. She hung her head, as if restraining herself. 

“Better than pretending I’m smart.” 

“That’s even dumber.” Her shoulders shook. “A stunt like this is just going to generate more rumors about you.” 

“If they’re rumors about us, I’m all for it.” 

“That’s not what I… You idiot.” 

“……” 

“Dammit, Sakuta!” she yelled and looked up, tears pouring down her cheeks. 

Her first step toward him was in slow motion. 

And then she was running. 

Sakuta held out his arms, ready to sweep her up in them. 

She was three steps away. Two. One. And then a crack echoed across the schoolyard. The sound rang through the skies above. 

Shocked, Sakuta just gaped at her. 

A moment later, his cheek started throbbing. 

Only then did he realize Mai had slapped him. 

“Huh? What was that for?” he asked, genuinely baffled. 

“You lied to me!” 

There were still tears in her eyes. She glared at him as if her fears were about to explode uncontrollably. 

“You said you wouldn’t forget me!” 

At last, he understood. She was right to be mad at him. He had lied to her. 

“Sorry,” he said, pulling her trembling body in close. 

He gingerly tightened his grip on her. Mai buried her face in his shoulder. 

“It’s unforgivable.” 

Her voice was muffled. 

“Sorry.” 

“I won’t ever forgive you.” 

Mai rubbed her face on his shoulder, sniffling. 

“Then I won’t let go until you do.” 

“Then you’ll be holding me the rest of your life.” 

Her voice was still wet with tears. 

“Uh…” 

“Is that a problem?” 

She’d stopped crying, forcing her emotions back down. 

“No man would object to a beautiful senpai saying— Ow! Mai, that’s my foot!” 

“You got me to say all this, and you’re still going to try to hide behind generalizations? How dare you!” 

“Um, my foot…” 

“You like getting stepped on, right?” 

“Sorry. I’m sorry! I regret it! Please forgive me!” 

She was grinding her heel, and it really hurt. 

“Anything else to say for yourself?” 

“If you were scared to the point of tears, you shouldn’t have given me sleeping pills!” 

“These tears are a performance to mess with your head.” 

“Then thank you for making me give up the whole no-sleep thing.” 

“You’re welcome. But I don’t want gratitude from you right now.” 

Her heel was grinding into his foot again. 

“You know what I want.” 

She applied more pressure. 

Sakuta gave up and said the words she wanted to hear. 

“I love you.” 

“Really?” 

“Sorry. That was a lie. I’m absolutely crazy about you.” 

“……” 

There was a brief silence, and then Mai took a step back. Her tears were gone. Only a few traces remained on her cheeks. 

“Sakuta.” 

“What?” 

“Say that again a month from now.” 

“Why?” he asked, unsure what that meant. 

“If I answer you here, it’ll feel like I just got swept up in the moment.” 

“I was hoping to sweep this moment right into a kiss, personally.” 

“My heart’s racing, but…it might just be the situation,” Mai said. She turned her head away, blushing. The hint of red on her cheeks was beyond cute. 

“I’m surprised you can stay so calm.” 

She wasn’t falling for the suspension-bridge effect. 

“And I want you to think about it, too.” 

“About what?” 

He knew how he felt. There was nothing left to think about. 

“I’m older than you.” 

“That’s a perk!” 

“I’m a little hesitant to go out with a younger boy.” 

“You don’t trust me?” 

“No…I do, but…” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “It just feels like I’m seducing you.” 

“You totally are, so…” 

“I am not!” 

“You’re always leading me on!” 

Just off the top of his head, he could already recall plenty of intimate contact. Combined with all the cheek pinching and foot stomping, the result was a fairly healthy number. 

“A-am I being clear?” 

“I dunno…” 

“No whining.” 

“I can’t wait a month! How about I just say it every day?” 

Mai looked surprised but also pleased. She smiled. 

“Fine, but you’d better keep that up for a month. If you miss a single day, I’ll assume you changed your mind.” 

She poked Sakuta in the nose and shot him an impish grin. He wanted that expression all for himself. But just this once, he was letting everyone see it. 

The entire student body of Minegahara was watching them, stunned, mouths hanging open. No one knew how to react. Everyone was clearly watching those around them, waiting for the decision to be rendered. 

“Everyone sure does like going with the flow,” Mai said sarcastically. She glanced around the windows, then took a deep breath. Then she yelled, “The stories about Sakuta sending classmates to the hospital? Those are nothing but rumors!” 

There was a brief silence. 

Then she turned back to Sakuta, looking proud of herself. 

“You wanted everyone to know, right?” 

Come to think of it, they’d talked about it on the Enoden. 

A moment later, a wave of surprise washed over the students. The whole school was getting excited. Everyone stared at them, fascinated. 

“…Not the reaction I expected,” Mai said. 

Naturally. It wasn’t the facts she’d stated that got such a reaction out of them. 

“Mai, you called me by my first name. I think they’re reading into that a bit.” 

In that instant, they’d all stopped worrying about what everyone else was thinking and pounced on the potential scandal before them, obeying their deep-seated instincts. Truly, the wonders of adolescence. 

“Thanks to you, we’re drawing a lot of attention.” 

“There’s only a thousand people here. Hardly a lot. You’re so sensitive.” 

Those experienced with fame certainly had a different perspective. 

“Maybe it’s three or four zeros too few for you, Mai, but…” 

Eventually, someone decided to put an end to this. Sakuta’s homeroom teacher, the principal, and a man in a tracksuit—the PE instructor—came running toward them. 

“Oof, I’m in for a long lecture, huh?” 

“Don’t worry.” 

“On what grounds?” 

“I’ll come get yelled at with you.” 

“Oh. That does sound better.” 

At least he could be with her. 

Mai and Sakuta started walking toward the school. 

Side by side. 

And thus, Mai Sakurajima returned to the world.