Chapter 10: Hide-and-Seek

After deciding to play hide-and-seek, we came to a rundown park that was like a secret base.

We sat in a circle facing each other, hugging our knees.

And to decide who would be "it" for hide-and-seek, we played rock-paper-scissors, but...

「Ah, I lost.」

「「YaAy, we win!」」

The two had paper, I was the only one with rock.

I lost disappointingly easily.

My vision captured the two happily high-fiving.

──Were those two always that close?

I found myself looking back at us from back then.

No matter what we did, Yui was always next to me.

Even without being called or invited, and that made me happy.

But suddenly, Runa joined us.

Because of the remarriage.

From then on, the two were by my side like air.

But when Yui was with Runa, she always had a rather unhappy expression.

Back then, I thought maybe she wasn't good with Runa, so I asked Yui about it.

Then she replied, "I like Runa-chan" and I became even more confused.

Thinking back now, I wonder why she made that face.

There's no way to confirm it anymore, but that makes me all the more curious.

「Hey... Rei?」

──Ah, I came back to myself.

In front of me is Yui, peering into my face.

Her breath hits my nose.

Close, close, close.

I back away as if escaping.

But no matter how much I tried to escape, Yui kept crawling toward me for some reason.

Thud.

「Hey... why are you running away?」

I was pushed down forcefully.

She straddled me as if covering me.

My arms were pinned to the ground by her.

The blue sky was beautiful.

「...I'm not running away.」

「Then why... why did you block me?!」

「That's...」

I'm at a loss for words.

I don't know what to say.

I blocked your contact info because I wanted to forget you. If I were to say that it would really be the end.

She stares at me with eyes that seem ready to break at any moment.

That sadly distorted face was far removed from what you'd call an angel.

「Why are you going quiet, idiot.」

Saying that, she suddenly stood up.

I can't see her expression well due to the backlighting.

「Hey Rei. ...Do you hate Yui?」

She murmur flatly.

I can't read her emotions.

Why is she asking something like that?

「I don't hate you...」

「I see.」

Yui smiles.

It was her usual angelic smile.

「Then let's hurry up and play hide-and-seek. Runa-chan already went ahead. I need to hide quickly too.」

「Ah, yeah, you're right. I'll cover my face then.」

Still feeling her lingering warmth on my body, I forced myself to cover my face.