Seishun Buta Yarou Series - Volume 12 - Chapter 4.1

Chapter 4 - December 24

1

December 24.

As Christmas Eve dawned, Sakuta was woken by Nasuno stepping on his face—just past eight, a little later than usual.

If he’d had classes, he definitely wouldn’t have made it in time, but the last class on his schedule had been two days prior. He was free until the New Year.

He could stay burrowed in his warm covers, sleeping in as much as he liked. It would have been fine to give in to the temptation. He didn’t have any work plans, either. But he did have good reason to force himself out of his comfy bed.

“…Just like the dream.”

He checked the clock, saw 8:11 on it, and left his room.

Like the dream, he poured dry cat food for Nasuno.

Then he put a slice of bread in the toaster and fried some sausages in the same pan as the eggs. When those were done, he and Nasuno ate together.

He did the dishes, started the laundry, and headed back to the living room. As he did, Kaede stumbled blearily out of her room.

“Morning, Sakuta.”

“Breakfast?”

“Yes, please.”

Yawning, she sat down at the dining room table. He put a plate of precooked eggs and sausage, toast, and a panda mug full of cocoa before her.

“Mm? Did I ask for cocoa?”

“Totally.”

In the dream.

“Yeah?”

She seemed unsure, but she started tearing pieces off the toast and dunking them in the cocoa. Soon, the only thing on her mind was how good it was.

“Kaede, you’re eating lunch with Kano?”

“Did we talk about that?”

“We did.”

Also in the dream. All she’d said in real life was that they were going to see Sweet Bullet’s Christmas concert. Her friend Kotomi Kano would be with her. In the evening, she wasn’t coming back to Fujisawa but was heading to their parents’ place in Yokohama for Christmas. She hadn’t explicitly mentioned her lunch plans outside of the dream.

“So you’ll be leaving just past ten?”

“Yeah. You?”

“Just past noon.”

As they spoke, the laundry beeped.

“When you get home, tell Mom and Dad I’ll pop by for New Year’s,” he said, heading down the hall.

“Got it,” Kaede said through a mouthful of toast.

He hung up the laundry, vacuumed, saw Kaede out the door, and then started getting ready himself.

Like he’d said, he left around noon.

“Nasuno, mind the fort.”

Nasuno stopped washing her face and meowed back.

Sakuta headed to Fujisawa Station, a ten-minute walk from home. The heart of Kanagawa Prefecture’s Fujisawa City, the JR, Odakyu, and Enoden Lines all ran through here.

He knew this station like the back of his hand, but today—well, he’d seen it like this before, in his dream.

The Christmas Eve crowd was just like he’d dreamed it.

Men carrying little gift bags.

Women all dressed up.

People meeting in the square outside the electronics store.

Everyone looking nervous and eager.

Sakuta stood in the thick of the crowd, waiting for Sara.

The crowd gradually thinned as, one after another, their partners arrived.

He checked the clock. It read 12:29.

If the dream was accurate, she should be here soon.

A moment later, a voice came from behind him.

“I’m here.”

It wasn’t the voice he’d expected.

But it was one he’d know anywhere.

Confused, he turned around.

Definitely Mai, but why?

She had a cap on and her hair in two pigtails dangling in front of her shoulders. Plus the fake glasses she wore when incognito. Beneath the down jacket, he saw a sweater and slacks that resembled denim. On her feet were sneakers, good for walking. She was definitely dressed down.

“Why are you here, Mai?”

The question had to be asked.

“I’m coming with you.”

She acted like that was obvious, when it was anything but.

“Huh?”

“I said I’m coming with you.”

“I heard, which is why I said, ‘Huh?’”

“I’m coming with you.”

She was not brooking arguments here. They were stuck in a loop, with no escape. Mai had her mind made up and was making that very clear. She was not seeking Sakuta’s consent, nor was she remotely interested in his opinions on the matter. It was simply a proclamation. There was nothing left to discuss. The matter was set in stone.

“Mai, when we talked about this on the phone, you said, ‘Okay.’”

“And I got ready to go.”

Mai jammed her hands into the pockets of her down jacket and struck a fashion model pose. Demanding feedback.

“Mm, you’re super cute again today.”

“You don’t even mean that.”

She reached out and pinched his cheek.

He did mean it. He thought she looked cute. But he was so rattled that it was hard for him to show any other emotions.

How was he supposed to explain this twist to Sara?

He had no clue.

“Um…Sakuta-sensei?”

She arrived before he could think of anything.

His eyes turned ninety degrees and found the girl he’d actually been waiting for. She’d stopped a good three yards out. Like he’d suggested, she was dressed warmly. She was looking from Sakuta to Mai to her fingers on his cheek. Her expression suggested that she was well beyond simple surprise.

“I’m parked over there,” Mai said, letting go of his cheek and walking off toward the south exit.

“What’s going on?” Sara hissed.

“Sorry. I just found out myself,” he managed. This hardly explained anything, but all other words failed him. He wasn’t hiding things and had told no lies. If Sara was viewing him now, she knew he really was at a loss.

“Come on, Sakuta.”

Mai was already ten yards off, in a rush.

“Mind coming with?” he asked.

“O-okay…”

Sara was clearly just caught up in the flow.