The Lie and What Follows

The season passed and it was now summer, not spring.

The sun was shining brightly, and this year, being a student preparing for exams, it was July, the day of the last day of the first semester.

So, what have I been doing for about two months since June? Studying.
Studying with Riko-san, studying, studying, date, studying, studying, studying, date.
My mind was too wholesome.

After the closing ceremony in the auditorium and the last homeroom of the first semester, my classmates dispersed. Riko-san was going to have lunch with her group of attractive friends today, so we were parting ways. I watched them leave the classroom noisily and then got ready to head home.

Summer vacation starts tomorrow.
Maybe I should cook something extravagant for dinner today.
Thinking about what to make, I headed to the supermarket to meet the ingredients awaiting me.

“Endo-kun.”

“Hm?”

“Do you want to go home together?”

It was Ninomiya-san.

“Yeah, I’m going to stop by the supermarket today, is that okay?”

“Sure, I’ll join you. Let’s go.”

She had accompanied me shopping before.
When she wants to go home with me, it usually means she has something to say, my grey brain cells tell me, making me a bit wary.

We finished shopping at the supermarket. I chose to make fried chicken, Haruka’s favorite food. Incidentally, my favorite is tatsuta-age. Once, when I pretended tatsuta-age was fried chicken, I got twisted up. I wish she wouldn’t go that far, I remember thinking while tearfully eating my meal.

“Fried chicken?”

“Yeah. Haruka likes it. I prefer tatsuta-age.”

“Hmm. I like tatsuta-age too.”

Ninomiya-san… I want to make my specialty tatsuta-age for her someday.
After shopping, Ninomiya-san, accompanying me, and I headed to the station.

As we approached the station, I figured if Ninomiya-san had something to say, it would be now. Her stride was getting smaller.
What is she going to talk about? Maybe she’s planning to forcibly collect her consulting fee. What if I can’t pay the accumulated amount? Will I be taken to underground labor? I’m still underage, so I can’t drink ice-cold beer…
Her grandmother’s house comes to mind… I guess it would be easy for them to erase a tiny existence like me.

…I hope they wait until Haruka becomes an adult.

“You’re dating Adachi-san, right? Congratulations.”

“Ah, thank you.”

It was completely different from what I expected.

“I’ve always seen you two going home together, so I never got a chance to talk.”

Come to think of it.
It’s been a while since I’ve talked to Ninomiya-san.
I’ve been with Riko-san so much, but maybe Ninomiya-san wanted to talk to me too…

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s okay. It’s not like I particularly wanted to talk.”

Ninomiya-san smiles… that’s somehow sad.

“No, I’m joking! We’re friends, right?”

“Yeah. Thank you.”
It was just a joke… Good.

“So, can we talk a bit? I’ve been wanting to eat those pancakes from the café again.”

That’s…

“Um, with me, right?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Of course. As I was thinking, Ninomiya-san quickly added more words.

“Ah, I’m worried I can’t finish a pancake by myself. We haven’t talked recently, so I just wanted to catch up. You’re free from Adachi-san after the closing ceremony, right? You need a break. I also want to talk about my grandma.”

…She can definitely finish a pancake by herself.

Indeed, I haven’t talked to Ninomiya-san recently. I do want to report my recent status. She’s an important person who has helped me, and I don’t want to neglect her.
But…

“Sorry, Ninomiya-san. Not today… No, I should refrain from going to a shop with you.”

It’s not because she mentioned being ‘freed’ from Riko-san. I think Ninomiya-san still perceives Riko-san and her friends as unnecessary people to me.

Those words she said at Arashiyama are an important part of her values.

I don’t plan to, nor can I, say anything about it.

Rather, I feel resistant to going somewhere with a girl other than Riko-san, even if it’s Ninomiya-san.

I’m a jealous person. I’m confident I would sulk if I heard Riko-san went to eat with the handsome Kondo-kun. So, I think it’s wrong for me to eat alone with someone.

This extent of going home together is within my limits.

I don’t want Riko-san to suspect

me. I think she’d believe me if I explained, but I don’t want to make her feel even a bit uneasy.

It might be a restrictive relationship. I think as adults, we’ll have more freedom and social interactions.

But still, I want to put her first. I don’t want to make her worry.

“…Huh. So, because of Adachi-san?”

Ninomiya-san nods a bit after thinking.

“Yeah. That’s right.”
I guess she saw right through me.

“Okay. Sorry. Let’s talk at school again?”

“Yeah. I’d be glad. Thank you.”
Ninomiya-san, whose mood seemed a bit down, walked ahead to dispel the atmosphere and murmured.

“Adachi-san is lucky to be treasured so much by you.”

With a distant look…

“If I were your girlfriend, would you have treated me the same?”

…If Ninomiya-san were my girlfriend.
I can hardly imagine that future.

“Yeah.”

“That’s a shame.”

She muttered jokingly, her expression…
Looking a bit sad.

“Then, I’ll head home. See you, Endo-kun.”

“Yeah, see you, Ninomiya-san.”
I couldn’t reach out to her as she looked sad.

———————————-

In my room.

Seeing Haruka happily eating lots of fried chicken made me happy. I was facing my reference books.

The summer vacation homework in the third year is almost non-existent.

The policy of making the most of the long vacation efficiently is very welcome.

I was silently concentrating on the problems in front of me when my phone rang. Riko-san’s name appeared on the smartphone.

“Hello, Riko-san?”

“Hey.”

“Good work. Just got back?”

It was past 8 PM.
Riko-san usually returns around this time after having dinner with her group of attractive friends.

“Yeah. Just had a shower and now in my room.”

I see. A shower, huh. Hmm.

“I see. Welcome back.”

“By the way, I heard you went home with Ninomiya?”

Riko-san suddenly brought it up.
How does she know?…
Is someone leaking my information? I wish my personal information would be safe both at home and outside.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“Nothing happened?”

Her concern was comforting.

“Yeah. Nothing happened. I made sure to refuse.”
I ended up saying more than necessary.

“What did you refuse?”

“Ah, um…”

“What did you refuse?”

Scary. I felt like I was being crushed by her quiet pressure.
No, I haven’t cheated. I’ll tell the truth.

“She asked me to talk at a shop.”

“…Ninomiya.”

Riko-san called Ninomiya-san’s name with a hint of hatred.

“No, it was just that she wanted to report her recent status. Nothing happened.”

Really, nothing. I refused because I didn’t want anything to happen.

“…Really?”

What would have happened if I had gone to eat with her?

“I have Riko-san. I wouldn’t go anywhere with another girl. Never.”

“Haruka.”

“…”
Please forgive me, she’s my sister.

“Lie. Thanks, Tooru.”

“Yeah.”

“I won’t go anywhere with other guys either.”

The same feelings. Being restricted in actions, yet not feeling bad at all.

I didn’t know I was this possessive.

“I realized I like Riko-san so much that I don’t want to be doubted for a moment.”

“Tooru…!”

There was a rustle on the other end of the phone.
Eh, what?

“Riko-san?”

“Wait for me, I’m coming over.”

No, no.

“Hey, calm down. It’s late. We’ll see each other again.”

I was actually scared she might come.

“…When?”

“Anytime. Ah, from tomorrow onwards.”
She might say she’s coming now.

“Okay. I’ll hang up soon. I’ll call again.”

“Yeah. Oh, by the way.”
Just out of curiosity. The unchosen if.

“What would you have done if I had gone to eat with Ninomiya-san?”

“Eh, I’d definitely have beaten up Ninomiya.”

…Lucky you, Ninomiya-san.