“…………Leaving me behind and going home first, how cruel…… I never knew you were the kind of man who could abandon a delicate maiden to walk the night streets alone, Natsuki……”

There was only one main road leading from Cyberia to the station. As I waited off to the side, it didn’t take more than ten minutes for Tachibana Iori to appear. She seemed lost in thought, mumbling something under her breath.

“Ahh, I’m really shocked…… I don’t think I can do anything tonight…… Well, not that I wouldn’t be embarrassed to see him anyway……”

Tachibana , unusually, walked with slumped shoulders. She passed right by me without noticing.

“Tachibana Iori.”

“Uwah!?”

When I called out to her from the darkness, she jumped in surprise. It reminded me of that video I watched yesterday, “A Cat Startled by a Moving Toy,” and I almost laughed. I’d just seen a rare side of her.

“N-Natsuki……?”

Tears shimmered faintly in her eyes. I must have startled her more than I intended, and guilt crept into my heart.

“Uh… sorry for scaring you. I thought I’d wait for you.”

Tachibana Iori wiped her eyes roughly with the back of her hand and straightened her hunched shoulders. Just like that, she was back to her usual self.

“……What’s gotten into you? If you wanted to see my reaction, then congratulations, you succeeded.”

Her words had a slight sting to them, piercing through me. She looked slightly upset, refusing to meet my eyes.

“No, that’s not it at all. I felt bad for leaving without saying anything, so I waited for you.”

“I see. Well, I wasn’t bothered in the slightest.”

She puffed out her cheeks slightly and glanced at me.

“So, why did you decide to go home first?”

“Well… Kobayashi invited me.”

I lied. There was no way I could say, “Seeing you makes my heart race so much that I couldn’t even hold a conversation.”

“I see. So, Natsuki chose Ririmu over me.”

Her words carried a sharp edge. But since I was in the wrong, I had no room to argue. I just lowered my gaze.

“And where is Ririmu now?”

“She just went home. Said her parents would worry if she stayed out too late.”

“That’s strange. Didn’t she invite you to walk home together?”

“Yeah, but I think she just wanted to talk for a bit.”

“Hmm… You’re quite loved, aren’t you?”

Tachibana Iori turned on her heel and started walking. I hurried to walk beside her. When I stole a glance at her face, I noticed her cheeks were still puffed out.

I knew it wasn’t the time for such thoughts, but she kind of looked like a hamster, and it was a little cute.

“Not at all. This was the first time we walked home together. If anything, I’d say you’re the one who’s really loved.”

“Is that so? Ririmu has never invited me before, though.”

“Maybe it’s just hard for her to ask. You know how it can be—when you like someone, it’s actually harder to invite them.”

At that, the conversation stopped.

Tachibana Iori stared straight ahead, her serious expression unchanged. Her cheeks were no longer puffed out.

After a moment of silence, she muttered,

“That… might be true.”

A cold wind blew through my heart.

It was as if she had just imagined inviting someone she liked, and that thought made me incredibly uncomfortable.

“……”

Why did my heart ache like this? Did I… like Tachibana Iori?

Admitting it would have been easy.

But at the same time, I felt like my life would become unbearably painful.

Because this was Tachibana Iori we were talking about.

She wasn’t just some “unattainable beauty”—she was standing at the peak of Mount Fuji, striking a triumphant pose.

If I fell for her, what would happen to me?

Wouldn’t it be better to stay friends rather than suffer through heartbreak?

Excuses poured into my mind, one after another, filling up the gaps in my heart.

“……Iori.”

“Huh?”

Lost in my thoughts, I missed what Tachibana Iori had just said.

“Call me Iori. Come to think of it, I’m the only one who calls you by your first name, Natsuki.”

She pouted, muttering about how unfair it was.

I didn’t see what was unfair about it at all.

… Iori.

Just saying her name in my head made my heart jump.

No way. This was impossible. Completely impossible. My face was burning up.

“You can’t just spring that on me… I need some time to prepare—”

“You don’t need preparation to call someone by their name. Come on, hurry up.”

Tachibana Iori blocked my path, looking up at me expectantly.

Defeated by the look in her eyes, I forced out a whisper.

“……I-Iori……”

Unable to bear it, I averted my gaze. My heart pounded, my face was unbearably hot.

“Heh, this is nice. From now on, I won’t respond unless you call me Iori. Looking forward to it, Natsuki?”

I couldn’t see her face.

But I was sure she was smiling.

Because her voice sounded so, so happy.