Recollection Part 5

Eventually, we had all been accepted to high school.

Afterwards, we decided to have a sort of light party at my place, and we were walking together.

On the way there, Azusa and Yuzuki realized that Kirari's expression was surprising, and they were genuinely happy without getting angry about it, so I remember well that Kirari was conversely puzzled by it.

"Aren't you two too nice? If it were me, I would have cut ties with you."

"Azusa's heart isn't that narrow."

"Ah! Did you perhaps make that joke on purpose to relieve our tension? That's very clever of you, Kirari-san... You're very thoughtful."

"You're interpreting it too much in a good way... Ko-kun, you should do something about these kids! I'm sure they'll fall for the wrong guy in the future."

On the way home from the acceptance announcement, I watched from a few meters behind as the three girls engaged in lively conversation.

On the way home from the acceptance announcement, I watched from a few meters behind as the three girls engaged in lively conversation.

"Falling for the wrong guy? Why?"

"... No good, Ko-kun is a bit too pure…"

Kirari was laughing with her head in her hands.

I smiled vaguely at her.

In my mind, I thought, 'I will help them in such a case', so I didn't feel much of a sense of crisis.

Perhaps it was this conceit that made me react in such a way that both Azusa and Yuzuki would ask for my help if they were in trouble.

"Anyway! I'm glad we can all go to the same school again!"

When Azusa suddenly said that, Kirari nodded her head in agreement.

“Yes. It is very reassuring to be here with you all."

Following the two, Kirari laughed and joined in with her words, saying that it couldn't be helped.

"Well, … it would be nice if we could get along with eachother in high school as well."

I nodded to Kirari as she said this, taking it for granted.

"Of course."

Now that I think about it, I don't understand on what basis I was able to utter such a delusional statement.

But at the time, I was thinking, "It's only natural that I should be with the three of them".

I thought that I would still be able to get along with the three of them as well in high school.

I stubbornly believed that if I maintained the status quo, I would have a happy future.

And so, in the corner of my mind, I thought that ... I might eventually become even closer to one of the three of them.

I am ashamed to say.

It was nothing more than a fantasy.

I was reminded of this on the day of the high school entrance ceremony.

It was early April, I will never forget.

After a peaceful spring break, we safely entered high school.

Coincidentally, I was in the same class as the three of them.

I remember thinking to myself, 'I guess things don't change even after high school' when I learned this fact.

I thought I could get along with Azusa, Kirari, and Yuzuki, but then I encountered a certain person who tore our relationship apart.

His name was 'Ryoma Ryuzaki'.

My first contact with him was right before the entrance ceremony.

At that time, I was on my way to the gymnasium with Azusa, and we were walking around the school grounds when we got a little lost...

Thinking back on it, it seems strange to get lost in a school that is not very big. Perhaps "opportunism" was at work from then on.

We were lost and eventually arrived at the back of the school building, where I often have lunch with Shiho now.

"Onii-chan, we're really lost, so I think you should ask someone for directions."

"Oh yeah. I will."

"Uhm... there's a person over there, so ask him… huh?"

Azusa suddenly stopped breathing when she saw the male student who happened to be there - Ryuzaki.

At that moment, she looked at that guy and clearly said this.

"... 'Onii-chan'?"

That, of course, was not me.

She was referring to her own brother, who had long since passed away.

As I mentioned before, Ryuzaki looked just like Azusa's late brother, which is why Azusa looked so surprised when she met him for the first time.

"You finally came back ...?"

Then I remembered that her face looked so much happier than I've ever seen it ...

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