Afternoon classes ended, and we’re on the train after school.
As the weekend approaches, it seems overtime hours increase, and the usual office workers are less visible, leaving a fair number of seats available today.
「Shall we take that two-seater?」
「Y-Yes. …Two-seater…」
I lead the slightly jumping Satou to a small seat where we can sit side by side.
The train departs shortly after, and as the carriage sways, Satou’s shoulder touches mine.
「U-Um, Hinata-kun.」
「Hmm?」
「C-Could you try calling my name?」
However, Satou is so nervous that she doesn’t even notice our shoulders touching, reminding me of our lunchtime conversation.
The way we address each other… the second person pronoun is important.
The way you call someone can instantly change the sense of closeness between two people.
So, maybe it’s not good to tease with second person pronouns…
「Ayane?」
「Au… n-not that way.」
Since her reaction at lunch was unexpectedly cute, I tried calling Satou by her “first name”, but she blushed and requested a slightly more distant form of address.
「Sorry, sorry, Satou.」
「…Y-Yes, Hinata-kun.」
「……」
「……?」
「Umm… just nodding makes it hard for me.」
「Wa, I-I’m sorry!」
A slightly more distant form of address… it should have been, but the moment I called her, Satou narrowed her eyes longingly, then hurriedly waved her hands side to side.
These reactions, well, they’re not boring to watch.
「U-Um, Hinata-kun.」
「Hmm?」
「W-Well, actually… I have another favor to ask of Hinata-kun… I-Is that okay?」
「Sure. What do you want me to do?」
Considering the last request was “dropping the honorific”, Satou’s requests have a pretty low bar.
There’s no reason to refuse since it brings us closer.
After fidgeting with her fingers shyly, Satou looked up at me timidly and muttered.
「I-I was wondering if… Hinata-kun could… um… become my… p-practice partner…」
「Practice partner? For what?」
「U-Um… for conversation.」
A conversation practice partner…?
I kind of understood what Satou meant, but I tilted my head and asked again.
「Of course, but what exactly do you do in conversation practice?」
「U-Um, well… if Hinata-kun could just be by my side, that’s all I need…」
Basically, she just wants a “conversation partner”.
You can’t have a conversation alone, after all.
「Then of course, no problem. Why don’t we do it on the train and bus every day?」
「Y-Yes!」
Well, it won’t be much different from what we’ve been doing.
Talking with Satou.
There might be some unusual topics added, but it’s practice, so please forgive me, I guess.
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She didn’t really need to ask for permission for that, but Satou must really be straightforward by nature.
「T-Then… can we start right away?」
「Whenever you’re ready.」
「F-First, um… I want to be able to call H-Hinata-kun without stumbling… so I’ll be using your name a lot, okay?」
「Ah, ahh, got it.」
It’s a bit frustrating to have it announced like that, but I can’t interfere with Satou’s “escape from plainness”.
「…T-Then… um…」
「I won’t get mad, and I’ll go along with it as many times as it takes. So take it easy.」
「Y-Yes.」
Her face getting redder and redder, Satou slowly opens her mouth…
「Hi… I mean… Hinata, kun.」
「…You’re doing well.」
「W-Why are you grinning like that?」
「Sorry, sorry, I just thought our eyes aren’t meeting at all.」
「Ah, t-that’s true.」
Satou managed to call my name, but she didn’t make eye contact at all while saying it.
I found that amusing and couldn’t help but tease her right away.
「Let’s start by trying to make eye contact.」
「Y-Yes. Um… p-please take care of me.」
Saying that, Satou tightly closed her eyelids as if to accumulate moisture in her eyes.
「…T-Then.」
Gradually, I can see Satou’s eyes behind her glasses.
Little by little, they open…
「Uhh…」
「Arara.」
The moment I thought I could see them properly, they quickly darted to the left.
「……」
No change even after staring for a while.
Her cheeks flushed, her hands slightly trembling.
She must be really nervous.
Hmm… to make her feel at ease…
「…!? H-Hinata-kun, y-your hand.」
「I thought this might help you calm down a bit.」
「Hawawa… wawa… w-what is this…?」
「…Hmm? Satou? …Satou-san?」
「Ahh… uhh…」
This is no good.
Far from calming her down, I made Satou so nervous that she froze.
Come to think of it, physical contact might have been too early for Satou, who still isn’t good at making conversation or eye contact.
「Satou─? I’ve let go of your hand now─.」
「…Uhh, w-we can’t… this…」
「Ayane?」
「H-Hyai!」
Satou reacts with an unusually loud voice, her shoulders twitching.
Good.
It seems her soul has returned.