{Satou-san’s Contact Information}

After the school trip, the lively atmosphere in the class settled down within a few days.

Satou-san was back to her usual self. When she stood up from her seat, she would knock over her chair, and if called on during class, she would turn red and mumble. Her note-taking was slow, and she was grateful for the furigana in my notes. On days with physical education, she seemed a little down, but she apparently enjoyed playing tag with her friends during lunch break.

When Satou-san talked with other girls in the class, she would be always smiling. Her childish laughter and nods during conversations were just like her usual self.

But I knew there was another side to her.

Around the end of lunch break, I waited for Satou-san to return to her seat after finishing a game of tag. I had opened my textbook for the next class and pretended to be reviewing.

“It’s hot today,” Satou-san said, out of breath as she sat down.

She was fanning her face with her hand. She didn’t use a hand fan because she often knocked it away by accident.

“It’s hot,” I agreed and closed my textbook. Then, I directly brought up the topic.

“Satou-san, could you give me your contact information?”

“Eh?”

Satou-san’s hand, which had been fanning her face, froze as if its battery had died.

Her surprised expression was as expected. I couldn’t guess her next reaction, but I wasn’t about to back down now. I had prepared for any kind of response.

“Since we’re sitting next to each other and have been talking more, I thought it would be nice if we could talk more.”

I said this with an open attitude, though I was skillfully hiding my true feelings.

“I’d like to be able to talk more. Is that okay?”

After blinking many times, Satou-san answered hesitantly.

“It’s okay… but… are you sure, Yamaguchi-kun?”

“What do you mean, ‘are you sure’? I’m the one asking you for your number.”

Unlike my feigned casualness, she looked down.

“I didn’t expect you to ask me like that.”

Satou-san’s forehead was sweaty from running around during lunch break. Her ponytail was loose and not yet redone. Her cheeks were flushed, and her shoulders were heaving up and down.

Not noticing my intrusive gaze, Satou-san continued looking down.

“If it’s okay with you… I’d like you to give me your contact information.”

“That’s good to hear.”

I was relieved internally but maintained a calm demeanor as I handed over the prepared memo paper. It had my phone number and ID written on it.

Satou-san took the memo and stared at it, following the information with her eyes. Then, with somewhat clumsy fingers, she neatly folded it and tucked it into the chest pocket of her uniform.

“Well then, I’ll…”

She said as she reached for her pencil case. Fumbling, she opened the lid and pulled out a mechanical pencil. After looking around for something to write on, I handed her a blank memo paper.

“Could you write it on this?”

“Oh, yes, thank you.”

She thanked me sincerely and started writing her contact information on the memo.

So far, everything was going as planned.

“Here you go.”

Satou-san finished writing quickly. I looked at the memo she returned; her ID was simply her name written in Roman letters.

I took out my phone and entered her information while saying, “Thanks for giving me your contact. I’ll get in touch later.”

“No, thank you.”

Satou-san shook her head and then had a moment of realization.

“But I don’t have my phone at school, so… my reply might come later at night. Is that okay?”

“I understand. I’ll be waiting.”

I had heard about this before.

Satou-san said she was slow at typing messages, so she would think carefully and reply at night.

Back then, I hadn’t been able to admit my feelings for Satou-san. I also had complex, jealousy-laden emotions toward whoever was connected with her.

Thinking about it, I felt happy that she would think carefully and reply to my message after a day of contemplation.

Now, I could honestly say that.

“Yamaguchi-kun,” Satou-san said while awkwardly redoing her disheveled hair.

“Let’s stay friends.”

Her bashful smile caught me off guard, and I was momentarily breathless.

But I quickly composed myself.

“Of course, I look forward to it.”

I returned her friendly smile.

I didn’t let my true feelings show. Maybe I’m actually quite good at hiding my true emotions.

“I hope we can continue to get along, Satou-san.”

After my polite reply, the chime signaling the start of the fifth period rang.

Thanks to that, I no longer needed to force a smile.

It went well.

During class, I looked at the memo paper behind my textbook and breathed a sigh of relief. I traced her small, round handwriting with my finger. Observing it again, I thought it was quite cute. The small handwriting must be why she’s slow at writing.

Satou-san’s profile, which I glanced at, seemed absent-minded. I couldn’t tell if she was listening to the teacher or not—though I couldn’t say much about her.

After returning from the school trip, I thought a lot.

I wondered if I should give up. Satou-san has someone she likes. I had a bad feeling about many things, but Satou-san seemed genuinely to like that person.

Thinking about that, I felt an intense frustration.

The idea that someone Satou-san likes is a person from another world, while I, who am so close, am just a distant presence, felt like an absurd interpretation. I should be the one closer to her. We’re sitting right next to each other.

So, I had no intention of giving up.

I would find a way to overcome the distance between us, to shrink it, and to make her see me as someone closer someday.

Of course, it wouldn’t be easy. Still, I didn’t want to easily discard the feelings I had finally discovered.

I might be a terrible person who says harsh things to Satou-san. If that’s the case, I wanted to be a thoroughly bad guy who makes her give up on the anxious love that doesn’t suit her and turn her gaze toward me.

I like Satou-san.

I took too many detours to realize it. That person she likes already has an enormous advantage over me. But I can’t give up. I’ll definitely chase after her.

Satou-san told me that I could do anything. I have many things she doesn’t, and I can do things she can’t.

I believe in those words more than anything now.

It might be a nuisance for her, but still, I believe in those words.