Seishun Buta Yarou Series - Volume 12 - Chapter 1.4

4

After their detour, Sakuta and Mai reached the college with only twenty minutes left on the lunch break.

The cafeteria was starting to empty, and students who’d finished eating were killing time before their next class. The campus was as it ever was.

Sakuta ordered the soba soup on the grounds that it would come out fast and could be eaten quickly for less than 300 yen.

He’d just dropped a wad of cash, so hot soup warmed the wallet and his heart.

Not that he was regretting today’s shopping trip.

On the way into the college, Mai had looked down at the ring on her finger at every red light, practically overflowing with joy.

They’d been dating for two and a half years, and he’d never seen her like this. No matter how hard she tried, there was no way to keep her emotion from showing on her face.

Maybe he should have given her a ring earlier—he almost regretted that, instead.

Sakuta sat down at an empty table, and Mai took the seat next to him once her soup was ready. She’d gone one step fancier than him and ordered hers with tempura.

Mai grabbed that tempura with her chopsticks and dropped it in Sakuta’s bowl.

“My way of saying thanks.”

“In that case, you’ll have to feed it to me.”

Mai ignored his griping and started slurping up her soba.

They didn’t have much time before third period, so he gave up and tore into the tempura. There was a satisfying crunch.

Neither said much as they focused on finishing their meals in time.

Sakuta drained the last drop of soup, letting the smell of the katsuo broth regale his nostrils. As he was savoring an underlying hint of soy sauce—

“Azusagawa.”

—someone called his name. He looked up from the bowl and found Ikumi Akagi standing across the table from him.

Her eyes met Mai’s, and she bobbed her head. Then she turned her eyes back to Sakuta, looking rueful.

“Sorry, I’m still getting nothing.”

She showed them her palm.

Four days ago, that had been where the message from the other potential world appeared.

After seeing that, Sakuta had asked Ikumi for a favor.

His request was to communicate with the other world and find out what the message meant.

How was Mai in danger?

Why did he have to find Touko Kirishima?

With those answers, the problem was as good as solved.

He didn’t know about the other Sakuta, but in this world—he’d already found Touko Kirishima.

He’d even arranged to meet up with her today.

But yesterday, the day before, and the day before that—there’d been no response to Ikumi’s queries. Being the serious, diligent type, she’d come by to report that each day, looking deeply sorry about it each time.

“I think messages I write are no longer reaching the other me. Since I received that last message, our sensations haven’t synced up once.”

“Well, that’s probably better for you, Akagi.”

All that meant was that Ikumi’s Adolescence Syndrome was fully cured.

“But…,” she said, frowning.

He knew what she was about to say, so he jumped on top of it.

“Don’t start feeling responsible and swapping places again. I’ve had enough things be my fault.”

“……Fair. I’ll be on the lookout.”

She seemed less tense. She must have picked up on his humor. He wasn’t sure if she really understood that he had been mostly serious.

Of course, serious was Ikumi Akagi’s middle name.

She’d brought those messages to them, so she felt responsible. Probably even more than Sakuta imagined.

That was simply how her mind worked. It had been made painfully clear just the other day. He had to remain vigilant. Ikumi’s promises and reassurances were little better than lip service.

“I’ll be in touch if I do learn anything,” she said, then bowed to Mai again and left their table.

Saki Kamisato was waiting for her by the cafeteria entrance. They exchanged a few words and headed off to class. By all appearances, they were still friends after the swap back.

That was probably good news for Ikumi. Saki had given Sakuta an irate glare, so probably not such great news for him.

The warning bell rang. Five minutes till classes began.

That prompted the lingering chatterers to their feet.

Sakuta and Mai returned their dishes and headed out.

“Will you be home this evening, Mai?”

“I’ll be at your place.”

“You really do dote on me.”

“Nodoka’s picking up a cake, so we figured we’d share it with Kaede.”

She showed Sakuta the message history on her phone. He was not allowed to be pleased about the canceled date.

“She’s asking if you need any.”

“Tell her of course I do.”

“Okay, Sakuta. You be careful.”

They’d paused on the second-story landing. Mai’s class was here, while Sakuta’s was up another flight.

“You be even more careful, Mai.”

“If anything happens to me, you’ll cry.”

“I absolutely will.”

That answer seemed to please her. She waved the hand with the ring on it and went into her class.

“Mai is at her cutest today,” Sakuta said, and he headed up the stairs, chewing on his own happiness.

And to ensure that happiness would continue—after classes, he was going to meet Santa Claus.