Chapter 29 – Love on Trial

There are a few things in life that make you question reality:

Like finding out your cat knows how to open doors.

Or that the girl who used to torment you in middle school just confessed her feelings under the stars and firework.

And then, the next monday… she won’t even look at you properly.

“Airi, your shoelace’s untied,” I said as we walked toward the school gates.

“I-it’s supposed to be like that!” she blurted, not even looking at me. “It’s… fashion.”

“Fashion that’s about to make you trip.”

“Sh-shut up. Who asked you?” She tightened the laces quickly, her ears turning red.

…Yep. Reality confirmed. This is definitely Airi.

It’s been a few days since the confession.
After she fell asleep on my shoulder, Hina came to pick her up like it was completely normal.
We didn’t talk much about it afterward, Or rather she didn’t.

Meanwhile, I’ve been internally screaming like a blender on maximum speed.

And today, Airi’s been switching between humming happily and exploding into mild panic every time I get too close.

Like right now.

“Hey, uh…” I rubbed the back of my neck as we reached the classroom. “About that night—”

“WE DON’T TALK ABOUT THAT!” she yelled, flailing her arms. “I was sleepy! Maybe I was possessed!”

“Airi, you said you li--.”

“Y-You must’ve misheard!”

“…You literally said it twice.”

“D-Don’t bring up old news!” she shouted, smacking my arm lightly before running off somewhere.

I just stared after her.

She was glowing like a toaster set to high heat.

It was chaos from the moment we entered.

“Oi, Tanaka!” Kenta slammed his hands on my desk. “You! Airi! That night! The park! The shoulder!”

“…Huh?”

“Someone saw it, man!” Kenta looked ready to explode. “You two! Alone! Romantic lighting! And she—SHE—was asleep on your shoulder?!”

The class went feral.

“Whaaaat?! So they really are dating?!”

“No way! But didn’t she hate him in middle school?!”

“She doesn’t hate him now, clearly!”

Airi had her head down on her desk like she wanted to melt into the wood.

“Hold on, back up,” Kenta said, eyes wide. “You and Airi, Alone, At night. Watching fireworks?!”

Before I could even respond, Daiki slammed his hand on the desk. “CONFIRM OR DENY. THIS IS A COURTROOM NOW.”

“I was just—” I started.

“You were just being romantic,” Mika squeaked, blushing harder than I was. “That’s so cute, I’m gonna cry.”

“I’m gonna throw up,” someone else muttered.

“I demand to know if there was hand holding,” Daiki added dramatically.

“There was NO hand holding!” I snapped.

“Okay, but was there eye contact under the stars?” Mika asked, eyes sparkling.

“I swear to—”

“WAIT,” Kenta shouted. “Did you do the accidental shoulder brush?! That’s, like, a romcom-level moment!”

“Guys, calm down,” I groaned.

“Oh?” Daiki said, leaning closer, smirking. “You really like her now, don’t you?”

And just as I was about to throw myself out the window, the classroom door slid open.

Airi walked in.

Dead silence.

Everyone turned in slow motion like a horror movie.

She blinked. “...What?”

Kenta pointed at her. “GUILTY.”

“OF WHAT?!” she shouted.

“The fireworks,” Mika whispered.

Airi stiffened, Her ears turned red.

“Ohhhhhh,” Daiki said. “She’s blushing, That’s a YES.”

“I AM NOT BLUSHING,” Airi snapped, slamming her bag down.

“Then why are you yelling?” Hina asked from her seat, sipping tea.

“BECAUSE THIS CLASS IS FULL OF IDIOTS.”

Lunch break finally came.
We shared a melon bread, She pretended it was a coincidence.

“I-It’s not like I bought this just because it’s your favorite or anything,” she said, avoiding eye contact.

“Thanks, Airi.”

“D-Don’t make it weird.”

“Okay. Thanks, stranger girl who just happened to give me free bread.”

“Idiot.”

Still, she was smiling.

Later that evening, we walked home together.

The sun was soft, and Airi kept fiddling with the strap of her bag. I let the silence be comfortable for a while… until she quietly spoke up.

“…Do you really remember everything I said?”

I looked at her.

“Yeah?”

She didn’t answer right away. Then, almost in a whisper :

“…I’m glad.”

She didn’t tease, or smirk, or elbow me.

Just walked beside me, a tiny smile tugging at her lips.

Yuuji’s Mental Diary - Day 30

Airi Status: Classic tsundere back in limited-time flavor
Mental State: Confused but enjoying the rare “dere” parts
Embarrassment Level: 78% (hers), 63% (mine)
Bread Rating: 10/10 (free food from a girl? historic moment)
Observation: Flustered Airi is terrifyingly cute.
Note to Self: She said she’s glad, Replay that part forever.

Airi stared up at the ceiling.

Her room was quiet. Too quiet.

She could still feel it the warmth of his arms, The steady beat of his heart when she clung to his shirt. The gentle way he whispered her name.

“…Ugh.”

She rolled over and grabbed her phone from the nightstand.

[Text Chat – Airi & Hina]

Airi 🐇:
i died.
just so you know.
i actually died and got reincarnated as a bedsheet.

Hina :
I see.
Should I hold a funeral?

Airi 🐇:
YES 😭
hold a funeral but make it romantic

Hina :
Closed casket or open casket?

Airi 🐇:
CLOSED.
i can't let anyone see what i just said to him.
I will never show my face again.

Hina :
You said “I’m glad it was you,” not “marry me.”
Calm down.

Airi 🐇:
that’s WORSE 😭😭😭
he probably thinks i like him or something

Hina :
...Don’t you?

Airi stopped typing.

Then let out a muffled scream into her pillow.

A soft knock came from her door.

“…Go away,” she mumbled.

The door opened anyway, Hina walked in with a glass of water.

“You were typing too loudly,” she said, setting the glass on Airi’s desk.

Airi peeked out from under her blanket. “I’m not accepting guests, The person you’re looking for has been emotionally crushed.”

“I figured,” Hina said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “So? Was it that bad?”

“I said something super embarrassing,” Airi groaned. “And then I fell asleep on him, Like an actual romcom anime. I even clung to him like a koala.”

“You do like hugging people when you're tired,” Hina said calmly.

“I don’t hug him! That’s the whole problem!”

Hina looked at her, expression unreadable. “So… what now?”

“…I don’t know,” Airi whispered. “I wanted to stay up, Just a little longer. But I couldn’t.”

“I keep thinking... if I fall asleep, I won’t be able to see him again. Not the way I want to.”

Hina didn’t respond right away, She just watched her for a while, like she was listening to something unspoken.

Then, softly, she said, “You’re still you, Airi.”

“…I’m not so sure sometimes.”

Hina stood up. “Well, I’m sure.”

She picked up the glass of water again and headed for the door.

“But if you explode from secondhand embarrassment, I’ll be sure to clean up the pieces.”

“You are the worst,” Airi said.

“Thank you.” Hina said with the slightest smile.

Airi lay in bed again, staring at her phone.

No more messages, Just the reflection of her tired eyes.

She smiled a little and turned to the window.

“…Still glad it was you.”

ANNOUNCENMENT!!!! (Not story related)

My laptop is having a seizure right now so don't be surprised if the next chapter is not as organized.
As I will be writing it on my phone.
Thanks!!