Time didn’t stop for me, ticking until the arrival of this day; the graduation date for middle school. Rising to high school is, at last, the start of ‘A little spice in romance’. I wonder if I have already met the person who’s going to kill me. Aah, scary. Just thinking about it gives me gooseb.u.mps. Just where are you, criminal…“Maria onee-sama! Congradulations on your gradulation!”
Voiced a group of girls as they handed me a mini bouquet of deep crimson roses upon the end of the ceremony. Possibly due to crying, their eyes were red.
“My, how wonderful. Thank you”
Even though we say ‘Oneesama’, we’re not actual siblings. There are girls from flower princesses who use this to convey intimacy. Of course, there are also those who use ‘sama’ as honorifics.
What’s a bit weird is that calling ‘Oneesama’ requires the other party’s consent. ‘May I call you oneesama’ apparently equals ‘May I receive your affection as though a younger sister’. In Sumire’s case, she always tilted her head feigning innocence as she slips away. There also seems to be some amongst the flower princesses who find these types of relations annoying.
Looking around, I found Hitomi being surrounded by other female cla.s.smates. Some were wailing… definitely the serious type. In Hitomi’s case, it seems to be that rather than admiration, there are more who hold actual feelings for her.
Sumire is as always, showing a pure angelic smile away from any impurities as she held conversations with her juniors… no one knows, that that angelic, ‘the violet you’ finds enjoyment indulging in cheap snacks with a weird face as she laughs ‘Uwahahaha!’.
Dreams are better left undamaged.
Uwah… Aoi too, has been surrounded by girls these days. He’s walking towards our parents… Now, what should I do. I’ll be unable to escape if someone approaches me while I bide my time here so for now, let’s exit the hall.
There doesn’t seem to be any other students here yet. Unlike the hall, this place is dyed with serenity. A mild gust of wind blew, carrying my hair like a swift dance around red and white coloured flowers.
I like spring. It’s easy to spend time in and more than anything, the cherry blossoms are pretty. It’ll probably take a bit longer for Aoi to make his escape from the hall so I decided to go for a walk first.
The mood of a calm afternoon soothed my heart. Cla.s.s was usually during this time so I never had the chance to take a walk in this time period. Walking, I stopped upon seeing a large, sakura tree at full bloom.
Humming unconcernedly as I stepped closer, I chased after the flower petals falling one after another in catch. In my previous life, it was spread between circles of friends that catching sakura petals before they reach the ground brings good fortune. Catching sakura petals became the thing in primary school.
Ootto! Yotto! Hora yooto! Earnestly pursuing the flower petals, I spread my arms out as I lowered my center of gravity. Upon finally thinking I found the perfect opportunity, I noticed at this late hour, someone was there.
Residing on the opposite side, I was not able to catch sight of when I approached… bad, really bad. Because this person is…
“Ichigo-chan”
“Hiie!?”
To be calling me ‘Ichigo-chan’ of all things was one with milk tea hair and sweet appearance… Amamiya Yuzuru.
To begin with, that ‘Ichigo-chan’ is that right!? It’s taken from the broad, daylight greeting of my underwear, right?!
“Slipped out~?”
He asked just like that. He too, probably did the same.
This carefree way of speech… ah, he was such a character.
“Nee… motionlessly staring”
“Heh?”
My body stiffened in surprise as Amamiya’s hand reached around the area of my bangs.
“It was stuck” he said while showing me a sakura petal.
“… Thank you”
“As I thought, your black hair’s really pretty; silky and of elegance”
I have no clue what this person wants. If I remember right, he had girls left and right in the manga. The supposed one who converses sweet words with a cute appearance as the surrounding girls go ‘Kyaa-Kyaa’. Forming some distance and making an escape right this instance might be for the better.
“Ah, that’s right”
Amamiya looked around as though suddenly reminded of something while he picked something up and showed it in front of me.
“It fell”
That something was a small branch. The flowers were properly intact and it doesn’t seem like something the wind caused… maybe a bird.
“Un, looks matching with Ichigo-chan”
Using my ear for support he made the branch look as though it’s an actual hair ornament.
As-As expected of a player!
“As I thought, it suits you well”
“Um…”
“Cute”
Forming a gentle smile, he stood up while saying “Got to go back”.
I too, got dragged by the flow, standing myself up. Our eyes met once again.
Ah….
“Please stay still for a bit”
“Nh?”
This time, it was me who reached my hand out towards that milk tea hair as I took the flower petal that landed there. I popped it in Amamiya’s hand.
“Catching a sakura petal before it reaches the ground brings good fortune apparently”
Slightly opening ones eyes, Amamiya’s smile looked a bit sad somehow as he muttered “It’ll be nice if that was so” in a soft voice. Although I don’t know why, the flower petal was properly put away in his chest pocket.
“Now then, see you later”
Sending off Amamiya’s back, I opened my left hand that was tightly closed in a fist.
… The flower petal that caught sadness became sodden in my hand sweat.