My Overly Anxious and Devoted Girlfriend Never Gives Up on Me - Chapter 1.7

“Hey, hey, are we really going?”

I asked Kasumi while swaying on a train we don’t usually take.

“If we stayed at the cafe, you’d just keep moping around anyway. Since we know where they are, we might as well go.”

“But what if we get caught? Sakuraba-kun might get mad.”

“We can just say we were hanging out together. We can cover it up easily enough.”

“But still! If I see Sakuraba-kun on a date, I might cry.”

“Ugh, enough with the ‘but buts.’ We’re already on the train, so no whining now.”

“O-okay…”

Kasumi glared at me with her usual sleepy eyes.

As always, my best friend’s words were sharp.

Well, but maybe she’s right about a lot of things.

Steeling myself, I clenched my fists tightly.

When we arrived at Central Station, our destination, we headed for the station building connected directly to it.

I’m pretty sure there’s a big bookstore on the upper floors of this building.

“I-I’m getting nervous.”

“You’re so dramatic. We’re just taking a peek.”

“Something might happen! Like a confession or something.”

“Well, if it does, we’ll deal with it then… Ah!”

Suddenly, Kasumi raised her voice.

“There they are. Hide.”

“Huh!? Where!?”

“Just hurry.”

Pushed along by Kasumi’s urgency, I hid myself in the shadows.

Kasumi joined me a moment later, and we peered out, stacking our faces to watch the scene.

“…Ah.”

There they were…

Sakuraba-kun and Naruse-san had just come out of a chain Italian restaurant.

I thought they were going to the bookstore, but they ate lunch together too. That’s not fair.

“Whoa. Naruse-san’s really putting in the effort.”

“…”

Just as Kasumi said, Naruse-san looked quite different from her usual plain school self.

She wore a cute white dress, and her hairstyle was different too—soft and fluffy.

I think she might have even put on a little makeup.

She was definitely trying much harder than usual.

So, it’s true after all.

I became certain.

Naruse-san likes Sakuraba-kun.

And this really isn’t just shopping, it’s a date.

The two of them were walking side by side in a relaxed mood.

Chatting happily, they got into the elevator together.

I couldn’t move from my hiding spot and just stood there dazed for a while.

“Hmm, maybe Shizuno’s read on this was right.”

“This is bad! We’re in trouble. Unprecedented trouble.”

“Yeah, yeah. So, what do we do? Go home?”

“W-why would we go home!? We’re following them!”

“See, you are curious after all.”

Kasumi let out an exasperated sigh as I broke into a light run ahead of her.

Even if she says that, now that we’ve come this far, there’s no turning back.

◆ ◆ ◆

“Ah, there they are. Shizuno, over here.”

I moved to where Kasumi was beckoning and peered out from the shadows again.

And there they really were.

Naruse-san and Sakuraba-kun.

They seemed to be browsing the shelves in turn, pointing at books, flipping through pages—quiet but looking happy.

By the way, the bookstore had a cafe and restaurant combined inside, so it was pretty lively.

That meant our conversation wouldn’t reach Sakuraba-kun and the others, but we probably couldn’t hear theirs either.

“I wonder what they’re talking about.”

“Probably about books, right?”

Kasumi answered casually.

I’m sure that’s it.

But I couldn’t help being curious.

Or rather, the fact that another girl was hearing Sakuraba-kun’s words that I couldn’t hear was unbearably painful for me.

“But they do look good together, those two.”

“…No, they don’t.”

“You think? The height difference is nice, and they seem pretty relaxed with each other, don’t they?”

“No, they don’t! Besides, I’m Sakuraba-kun’s girlfriend, you know!?”

“Only because you forced him into it.”

Ouch.

Even though I’m aware of it, hearing it said outright still stings.

And besides…

“Why do you have to be so mean!?”

“Eh, I just can’t help it! You’re cute when you’re flustered, Shizuno.”

“I am not cute!”

Even as I shouted, I remembered.

Now that I think about it, Kasumi’s always been like this…

For the next few hours, we continued tailing Sakuraba-kun and the others.

But there was nothing particularly noteworthy; the two of them just quietly looked at books.

By the time we finished the drinks we’d ordered partway through out of exhaustion, they seemed to have finally finished looking at all the shelves.

“So in the end, they were just picking out books.”

“Y-yeah.”

Holding a few books each, they lined up together at the register.

It looked like they’d found some books they liked.

“Well, isn’t that good? Nothing happened.”

“…I guess.”

After paying, they got into the elevator again.

Just before the doors closed, I saw Sakuraba-kun offering to carry Naruse-san’s books for her.

Naruse-san blushed, looking both embarrassed and happy.

“Ooh, what a gentleman, Sakuraba-kun. He usually seems so cold.”

“That’s right. He’s actually really kind.”

“Listen to you, talking like you’re his girlfriend.”

“I am his girlfriend!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Arguing for what felt like the umpteenth time today, we also took the elevator down.

When the doors opened, we could see Sakuraba-kun and the others in the distance.

It looked like they were heading home.

“Let’s go home too. Carefully, so we don’t get caught.”

“Yeah.”

It was gradually getting dark around us.

I want to get home soon and message Sakuraba-kun.

Otherwise, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep well tonight.

“Huh? Did they just stop?”

“Eh?”

Looking over, I saw the two of them facing each other in front of the station.

Naruse-san was fidgeting and swaying, while Sakuraba-kun scratched his head with a troubled look.

“Is that…”

“…No way.”

I know that atmosphere all too well.

Naruse-san’s determined expression.

Her tightly clenched hands.

Eyes on the verge of tears.

That’s without a doubt…

“…A confession?”

In that moment, for the first time in my life, I wished for someone to get their heart broken.