Even after exchanging contact information, my conversations with Satou at school didn’t suddenly increase.
Well, it’s natural since we still don’t know much about each other.
For example, like this.
If you happen to be paired with someone for a group work at school, you wouldn’t suddenly start spending time with them outside of the group work, right?
「Kaoru─, let’s go to the cafeteria─」
「Hmm~」
After the fourth period PE class ended and classmates were scattering towards lunch, I had just finished hydrating and was standing up.
I start walking leisurely alongside my best friend who invited me to lunch.
「Minato, you brought lunch again today?」
「Unlike someone who always buys food, I’m health-conscious, you see─」
「Shut up. You should be thanking your mom.」
「Thanks, mom.」
「Say it to her, not me…」
Both Minato and I commute to high school from our parents’ homes, but unlike my parents who are often away on business trips, Minato’s mom makes him a lunch box every day.
It’s obviously much healthier than buying yakisoba bread from the school store.
「…Hmm?」
「What’s up?」
Suddenly.
While chatting and looking around the gym, I noticed a familiar long black hair swaying in the corner.
…What is she doing?
By the time I thought that, my feet had already stopped.
「Sorry Minato, can you go ahead?」
「Sure, but don’t leave me alone for too long, okay?」
「What are you, devoted? See you later.」
「Mmm─」
Minato waved his hand casually without asking for a reason, and after seeing his back off, I turned towards that black hair.
「…Fuu~」
「I’ll help you.」
「Wa!? I-I’m not slacking off at all! I was just taking a break… ah, H-Hinata-kun!?」
When I called out to Satou, the owner of that black hair, she jumped, flustered, and then turned to me, her mouth twisting in confusion.
I seem to surprise her every time…
「Sorry, I just meant to call out normally.」
「N-No. Rather, I was so happy I was surprised… um, ahh no, that… rather than happy, my, my heart… is racing… eh?」
Perhaps unsure of what she was saying, Satou tilted her head and froze.
「…Eh, ehhh?」
Then, slowly placing her hand on her chest, she gradually blushes.
Did I give her quite a heart-pounding surprise? Knowing Satou’s generally timid nature, I feel a bit sorry.
Next time, I’ll make sure to come into her field of vision first.
For now…
「Were you asked by the teacher to clean up?」
「Ah… y-yes. The teacher seems to have something to do after this…」
Apparently, that was the case.
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Having come full circle and calmed down, Satou told me in a fluffy manner.
It seemed that she had been tasked… entrusted by the teacher with collecting the small tools used in the PE class and returning them to the storage room.
Well, making students clean up after PE is like a traditional event that has been happening since elementary school.
And the part about having something to do is probably true too.
「B-But, it’s okay, I can handle this much on my own…」
「You probably can, but it’ll be faster with two people, right?」
「T-That’s true, but… uu.」
「Unfortunately, looking around, I’m the only one here.」
「R-Rather, that’s…」
This was the first time we talked at school since exchanging contact information on the train this morning.
Or rather, it might be the first time we’ve ever talked at school, even including the past.
But Satou is already a friend.
I can’t let her do this troublesome work alone.
「Should I collect the cones?」
「Y-Yes. A-Also, thank you very much.」
「No problem, this much is nothing.」
Saying that, I ran diagonally across the gym and started collecting cones from the corner opposite to Satou.
Pick up and run, pick up and run again.
As expected, it was faster with two people.
In less than a few minutes, I crossed the center of the gym and entered the next row, where I could see Satou’s figure ahead.
With her bangs still up from this morning, Satou was picking up and running, gradually approaching me. Similarly, I was approaching Satou, so the distance between us quickly shortened.
…For some reason, every time Satou picked up a cone, she looked in a completely different direction.
「Do these go in the gym storage?」
「Y-Yes, that’s right.」
We meet up and head to the storage room together.
Technically, I could do it alone, but Satou would probably dislike that.
「Ah, by the way.」
「W-What is it?」
I remembered something and decided to bring it up with Satou.
「Your bangs, they were well-received by everyone.」
「Uu… y-yes. Thankfully.」
Before homeroom started in the morning, Satou’s makeover (well, just lifting her bangs) became the talk of many classmates.
In fact, there were even some rude rumors among some of the boys.
『The theory that Satou Ayane is actually cute.』
I mean, that’s rude.
Mainly the “actually” and “theory” parts.
Well, I watched such chatter from afar, but eventually, Satou couldn’t stand hearing “Isn’t Satou-san cute?” and laid her face on her desk, at which point the topic naturally died down.
After all, Satou’s plainness is more pronounced the more she moves.
While lifting her bangs did brighten her first impression, which was indeed a big change, nothing else like her slouch or conversation style had changed, so the topic’s shelf life didn’t even last the entire morning.
Even so, just lifting her bangs generated this much discussion.
I realize again that I can’t possibly measure Satou’s potential.
「I-I’m starting to feel… embarrassed again.」
After muttering that, she quickly walked ahead, so I had to jog to catch up with her.