The Unexpected Date

It was finally the start of a new week, and I was just getting used to it again waking up early and whatnot, but even then, I couldn't help but feel like wanting to ditch school and simply relax for the rest of the day.

But just like I had anticipated, my sister wasn't going to allow such a thing to happen, at the very least, not under her watch.

"Come on, we need to get going before we're too late"

"Yeah, yeah"

I let out a sigh and hastened my pace slightly so that I could catch up with her. As we were making our way down the road and towards the main street where all the students would meet up at, I noticed a lone figure waiting near the convenience store.

"M-Morning Tadao-senpai"

It was none other than Yuki, but something was off from the Yuki I knew. For some reason, she seemed a bit distant from me, but not from Reiko.

"Did I do something?"

That was the first thing that crossed my mind, but even then, it wasn't worth making any mentions about it, so instead, I decided to dismiss it as something not too important.

"Morning"

"Morning, Yuki~"

"Morning, Reiko"

But even then, she had managed to greet Reiko without any issues at all "So, it's just me, huh?"

"Let's go before it's too late"

"Yeah, let's go"

With that, the three of us started making our way towards school without any worries at all, but as we were doing so, I couldn't help but feel slightly awkward at the whole fact that Yuki didn't even want to look my way at all.

"I guess she's mad at me for something"

I shrugged my shoulders and continued walking without a care in the world and as this was happening, out of nowhere, a voice called out to me "Morning, Tadao"

 I glanced over at where the voice had come from and noticed that it was none other than Akemi "Morning"

"Good morning, Reiko, Yuki"

"Morning~"

"M-Morning..."

My sister was good at acting normal with whoever regardless of if they had done something to either one of us, but from the way Yuki had reacted, I couldn't help but feel like whatever was making her distance herself from me had something to do with Akemi.

"Do you mind if I accompany the three of you to school?"

"Well..."

I glanced over at my sister in hopes that she would give me the signal to not do so, but before I could, she beamed her a smile and nodded "Sure, you're more than welcome to do so"

"Thank you"

She beamed my sister a smile and thus the four of us started making our way to school without a care in the world.

As we were doing so, Akemi inched herself closer to me and started making small talk out of nowhere "Did you do the homework that we were given yesterday?"

"Yeah, I did"

"Did you think that it was tough?"

"Not really... Why?"

"No reason. Just asking"

"I see..."

I could tell that the whole thing was just small talk on her end to not make things awkward, but even, I couldn't help but feel slightly awkward about the whole situation.

"..."

And on one side of the spectrum, I could feel someone's gaze penetrating my very soul itself "I really don't want to look over there..."

I let out a sigh and continued minding my own business all the while answering whatever they would ask me and at the same time, trying to think up a reason as to why Yuki was acting in such a manner.

When we got to school, I was expecting to have to deal with a whole lot of people glaring at me and what not because of Akemi being there with me, but before such a thing could happen, she walked on ahead a bit and waved at us.

"I'll see you in class, Tadao"

"Y-Yeah..."

I couldn't help but be a bit impressed with how she had so easily found out what I was thinking without actually me saying anything about it.

"..."

"Brother, I'll be going on ahead" "Do you mind accompanying Yuki for a bit?"

"Huh?"

"W-What are you saying, Reiko?!"

"You told me that you needed to go with the teacher, didn't you?"

"W-Well..."

"My brother can accompany you"

"U-Umm..."

"I'm fine with doing that"

"Y-You are?"

"Yeah, let's go"

With that, Reiko waved goodbye at us and then the both of us started heading off towards the teacher's lounge to do whatever she needed to do.

"T-Thank you for accompanying me..."

"Yeah, no worries"

"..."

"..."

An awkward moment of silence befell the both of us and even though I was more or less used to the silence, when it came to her, I couldn't help but want her to be loud and obnoxious just like the obnoxious junior that she was.

"This isn't right... I don't like this one bit"

For once, I wanted her to be annoying me whenever she pleased and wanted her to be there pushing my buttons as she pleased. I disliked this Yuki that was standing next to me.

"Did I do something...?"

I unconsciously let the question slip from my mouth and as soon as she heard it, she slowly turned her head towards me and shook her head sporadically.

"N-No, you didn't do anything!"

"Then why are you acting like this?"

"How...?"

"So distant from me. You're supposed to be the obnoxious junior, aren't you?"

"Well..."

I could tell that there was something that she wanted to tell me, but at the same time, it seemed as though she was going to keep it to herself at all costs.

"I can't say..."

"I see"

With that, I started walking away from her, but just as I was doing that, out of nowhere. I felt her hand grab my arm.

"Wait..."

"..."

"I don't hate you, it's nothing that you did"

"Then what is it?"

"It's me... I'm the one that's being distant for the wrong reason, that's all"

"..."

I didn't understand what she was getting at with those few words, but whatever it was, she was trying to explain it to me without actually telling me the words straight up.

I knew how that felt and I could understand not being able to explain it just like one would wish to say it.

"Tadao-senpai...?"

"Yeah?"

"I..."

"...?"

"I-I want to go on a date with you tomorrow"

"... Huh?"

I couldn't make out any words in my head when I heard her say that the only thing in my mind was the fact that she looked so embarrassed when she had told me all of that.

"You want to go on a date...?"

"Yes... I would"

"W-Well..."

I didn't know why she wanted to do such a thing and I also didn't know what to respond with, but before I could do so, she looked me dead in the eyes and bowed "Please, let me go on a date with you tomorrow"

"I..."

My thoughts were all over the place, but before I could stop and think about it a bit more, I decided to simply bite the bullet.

"Sure, that sounds good"

"R-Really?"

"Y-Yeah"

"Then it's a date~"

Without skipping a beat, she beamed me a smile and headed towards the teachers' lounge without a care in the world.

"What have I gotten myself into...?"

I let out a sigh and started heading over towards my own classroom all the while thinking about what would happen to me on the next day.