Chapter 28

After completing the rest of the trail and getting all the students safely back on the bus, they headed back to school.

"Are you okay?" Shiori whispered to Izumi.

"Yup, I'm fine." Izumi forced a wide smile. "No new injuries to worry about."

Shiori's expression dropped, and she rolled her eyes. "I wasn't talking about that." She glanced back at Kuruma and Yanagi, sitting all the way at the back of the bus instead of behind them. "Something happened, didn't it?"

Izumi's jaw tightened. "I... don't think this is a good place to talk."

Shiori nodded. "I suppose you're right. The boys will be off to baseball practice when they get back, so we can have time to talk."

Her eyes widened. Shiori always cares so much.

"What? When I'm invested, I struggle to hold back until I find out the truth."

That's one way to say she cares too much to let it go. She turned back to the window, blinking away the tears that were forming. If only talking would help...

When the bus pulled up to the school, the students flooded out, heading to continue their day.

"I'll see you two tomorrow." Yanagi waved to Izumi and Shiori, then chased after Kuruma, who absentmindedly started walking towards the baseball field.

"Okay, definitely odd," Shiori grumbled. "So, can I come over to get another manga?" she asked as they started on their way home.

"Sure." Izumi nodded. "You're always welcome to."

They walked in silence on the way to Izumi's, her mind replaying Kuruma's words on repeat.

"Shiori! It's great to see you again. Do you want any snacks or something to drink?" Izumi's mom was at the door, opening it before she could reach for her keys.

Does she watch for me every day? I barely make it to the path before the door starts to open... I guess I can't blame her after she found out about those girls in the last school.

"You don't have to worry about me; no need to—"

"I made fresh cookies," Mrs. Hashito interrupted her. "And it's no burden to feed Izumi's friends." She let them in and grabbed a plate from the kitchen.

"I'm not one to say no to fresh food. Thank you." Shiori took a few cookies. "We'll be upstairs."

"Oh, okay. Have fun. Let me know if you need anything."

"Mom," Izumi whispered. "Tone it down, please."

"But it's exciting to have friends over," she whispered back.

Izumi watched Shiori head upstairs with her cookies. "Thanks, Mom." She hugged her and rushed upstairs.

Shiori grabbed the next volume of the horror manga she's been reading before and sat on the bunny beanbag chair again. "So, spill it."

Izumi froze, staring at her bookcase. "I-I thought you wanted to read..."

"I wanted to get the next volume, but I also want to know what happened. That wasn't typical Kuruma behaviour, and you seem down."

Always so perceptive. I guess no matter how much I try, I'm always easy to read.

Izumi took a deep breath and sat on her bed, hugging her wolf plushies. She told Shiori about the girl who shoved past her, the fall, how Kuruma tried to save her, and their conversation afterward.

I hope he doesn't mind me telling Shiori.

"That's it. I'm going to kill her." Shiori shot to her feet.

"What?!"

"Not literally, but I'll make her life hell."

"No!"

"Why not? You could've been seriously injured all because she didn't want to get wet."

Izumi picked at the fluff on her plushie's ears. "I doubt she wanted me to fall down the slope..."

"It could've been intentional."

"But we don't know for sure."

"Tch. I won't let her get away with this," Shiori huffed and fell back onto the chair again. "You're more worried about what Kuruma said than what she did, aren't you?"

Izumi nodded, pouting as his words replayed again.

"Well, when you're always hanging out with someone who seems to be at the top of everything, while also being such a good guy, it can take its toll... I think he'll get over it, though."

"But... my first real crush and I'm friend-zoned. He made that quite clear." Her heart ached. "I figured it might be one-sided, but at least without hearing that I could hope. Now... I don't know. Would I be better off giving up on him?" And here I was hoping to have an epic high school romance of my own. "Honestly, it seemed like he had trouble even looking at me after that. I'm not sure he really wants to be friends, either."

"I'm not so sure about that. If he was complaining that if he were Yanagi, you could've been saved, doesn't that mean he's feeling unworthy of you?"

"That makes no sense. And why is everyone always acting as if something is going on between Yanagi and me?"

Shiori raised an eyebrow. "Pretty sure I've mentioned it before, but he dotes on you, so everyone assumes he's interested in you romantically, and then ends up jealous, including that girl who shoved you."

"Shoved is a strong word—"

"Don't you dare defend her." Shiori pointed at her sternly.

"Yes, ma'am." Izumi sighed and lay back on her bed. And here I was thinking our fateful encounter meant something. I always thought he looked so cool... and we have our hobbies in common! He seemed like a perfect match, but I guess only to me. "With the distance he put on the bus, is he even going to be my friend?" Her heart thumped hard. "Or am I going to be completely pushed to the side?" She sniffled and turned on her side, away from Shiori, as tears fell.

"Hey, we don't know that." She shuffled over and awkwardly patted Izumi's arm. "He might need a bit of time to get over his inferiority complex, but I don't think he'd be the type to cut you out completely. I can always beat him up if he tries something stupid like that."

Izumi shook her head. "No, don't do that. I don't want to see him get hurt."

"I can always do it while you're not there."

"Not what I meant!" She glanced at Shiori. "Thank you, though." She wiped away her tears. "If it happens, I guess I... wait, what about the club? He can't completely ignore me."

"Well, based on what I saw, he kinda shut down, so he'll probably avoid everyone other than Yanagi, because he can't. So annoying." Shiori cracked her knuckles.

"That just increases the chances that he won't even talk to me!"

Shiori mentally cursed herself. "Sorry, I suck at this." She patted her again. "Just give him a few days to sort himself out."

"I don't want to push him. I don't want to force him to be my friend if he doesn't want to be." Never mind more.

Shiori couldn't help but think about the tarot reading she had done for Izumi weeks ago. "I should've seen this coming," she mumbled. "Let's hope it doesn't get worse."

"Did you say worse? Aren't things bad enough?"

"Guess we'll see how bad it is tomorrow..."