Chapter 4: Collateral Damage

「Hey, how about we stop going to school together from today?」

Unbelievable words spilled from his mouth.

I was waiting for Kanato in front of the entrance. To go to school together as usual.

But then, he threw cold words at me.

I couldn't understand for a moment. Stop going together? Why? There's no reason to stop. We'd been doing it since elementary school.

Recently, I'd felt some distance due to the different people we interact with, but I still believed that the relationship between Kanato and me wouldn't break. Having believed that, those words were shocking to me.

「W-Why? Did someone say something to you?」

When Kanato and I are together, there are people who complain about this and that. Saying it's inappropriate for Kanato to be next to me, that we don't match, who do they think they are?

I couldn't stand it. There's no rule about who can't associate with whom. Before criticizing others, what about themselves? Those nobodies who complain don't think about others. I didn't want him to be hurt by such people.

「...I've been thinking lately. If someone like me goes to school with Honoka, your fans will look at me strangely and cause more trouble. It would be better if we went separately.」

「No, that's not true! I want to go to school with Kanato...」

「You might want to, but I don't. We should go to school separately.」

This was the first time Kanato had pushed me away like this.

He was always by my side, even encouraging me when I was down. For him to suddenly push me away like this, something must have happened. To find out what, I definitely wanted to keep him close.

「B-but! Even if someone says something, I'll handle it! Tell me if anything unpleasant happens!」

「Even if I tell you, nothing will change! It's always "why you" no matter how many times we go through this! ...Anyway, let's go separately today.」

When he said it so firmly, I lost the words to respond.

Watching Kanato's back as he walked alone ahead, my chest tightens. The road we usually walk together, today I've to walk it alone. Just thinking about it made me feel sad.

Why did it turn out this way? Even when I thought about it, I couldn't think of a cause.

I walk alone through the morning streets. Meanwhile, I reflected on my recent actions.

Recently, I'd been talking more with the central figures in class, and opportunities to talk with Kanato had decreased. I'd be fine if he was just sulking about that, but Kanato isn't the type of person to do such things.

I was remembering recent conversations.

『What kind of relationship does Honoka have with Tsukishiro-kun?』

Being childhood friends, I get asked about this often. I answered casually as usual.

But I was scared. Scared of honestly voicing my feelings.

Won't I be teased because of that? Won't I get excluded from the group? I can't deny that there was a part of me avoiding making Kanato a topic of conversation.

This must be punishment for treating Kanato as something unnecessary in my heart. The fault in this matter lies with me.

Just as I decided to apologize with that thought, the figures of Kanato and Shigure-san came into my view.

The two of them were linking arms intimately, in other words, like a couple.

My head was filled with questions.

Did you push me away because you got close to Shigure-san?

Am I in the way now?

Why didn't you tell me honestly?

Why did you push me away?

Watching the two of them, a murky emotion wells up from within my chest. I pushed it down and followed them toward the school building.