V3 - Chapter 10

Volume 3 - Me, Her, and a Pair of Wings

Chapter 10

"E-err… I think you've got the wrong person. Nice to meet you?"

After a few seconds of silence, Chinatsu said in a clearly strained voice, trying hard to disguise her tone.

“”"That sounds so forced!”””

The three of us shouted in unison.

Chinatsu looked at me with a "why are you saying that too?" expression, but I didn't think I was in the wrong here.

"Urghh... Hajime can recognize me by scent, and Yukko can tell by my voice. I try so hard, but you all figure it out in ways I didn't even consider."

"Uwah... it really is you, Chinatsu-chan. They say girls can change their appearance, but this is scary. Even as a girl, I'm impressed. Anyway... heeh."

Sakurai-san looked at Chinatsu, unable to hide her surprise, then turned her gaze to me, then back again to Chinatsu, before giving a look that seemed to mix amusement and relief, as if she had come to some understanding.

"Hello, Sakurai-san. And to you too, Satou-kun.”

Chinatsu still seemed reluctant to fully accept the situation, but it was clear there was no getting out of it, so I greeted the two of them properly. Honestly, the pairing of these two was as much of a mystery as our situation.

Sakurai Yuuko-san seemed like a girl who’s on the  rather quiet side in Chinatsu's circle. Even now, she was dressed in an ordinary hoodie, but the way it emphasized her chest was what made her popular among some boys. However, she wasn't as conspicuous as Chinatsu or Todo Saki from the same circle.

So seeing her with Satou Hajime-kun, a member of the basketball team, was unexpected. Maybe I just wasn't aware, but at the very least, there hadn't been any rumors about Satou-kun having a girlfriend. Their earlier exchange certainly didn't sound like they were just friends.

I looked at Satou-kun again. From my perspective, I had to look up to see his tall frame, with a face so small it made me wonder how many heads tall he was. Along with his perfect facial features, he could be on a magazine cover just by standing there as he blended together with the shop’s interior designs. People sometimes gossiped about how well he and Chinatsu suited each other, which I couldn’t help but find myself agreeing with. Although, knowing Chinatsu, she would probably be furious if she knew what I thought.

"Yukko, can we talk for a bit?"

"Sure, honestly, I also wanted to talk with you about the same thing for a bit."

"Alright, where should we go?"

"Obviously, we can't talk about it here. There's a drinks corner a bit further on. We'll talk there. Satou—, oh right, both of you have the same name. Argh, whatever! Ikkun, sorry, but can you contact Dad and the others?"

Chinatsu and Sakurai-san quickly started making plans, as the latter looked at Satou Hajime-kun, trying to refer to him as “Satou,” but quickly gave up as she looked at me and referred to him as “Ikkun” instead. That must have been her usual way of addressing him. Satou-kun nodded and took out his phone as he started his call. Meanwhile, Chinatsu and Sakurai-san weaved through the crowd at a remarkable speed, heading toward the drinks corner.

Eh… what do I do in this situation?

I found myself standing awkwardly in the sofa section, feeling like I was caught in an odd twist of fate, while Satou-kun was on the phone. This continued until he finished his call and gave me a similarly awkward smile. Even though we both wore the same troubled expression, there was a certain charm in his that mine lacked.

"For now, should we follow them?”

"Right... I guess they’re over there."

We walked together, not too close but not too far apart, maintaining an awkward distance. It felt like we both didn't know what to say, so we stayed silent. I had never actually had a proper conversation with him, despite sharing the same name and being in the same year. I had seen him many times, though. He consistently ranked at the top in academics, and in PE, he was so skilled in everything on top of his striking appearance, which made him very popular. That said, the people who called me "number two" were mostly those who had no real connection to him. They simply picked it up from their friends or used it unconsciously. So, I had no idea what he really thought of me, nor did I know much about him as a person.

"Satou, you know..."

So when he called out to me as we neared the drink corner, I was slow to react.

"...Huh?"

"Ah, well… I mean… Look… when someone has the same surname, we usually use first names to avoid confusion, right? But since we also have the same first name, calling you Hajime just feels a bit off. Haha, it's such a pain, right?"

He laughed and scratched his head, his smile crinkling.

"To begin with, our first names aren’t the issue but the fact that the surname ‘Satou’ is too common."

"Haha, true."

Feeling the awkwardness between us lighten, I replied. Hearing my words, Satou-kun laughed as he continued,

"So, are you and Minamino-san dating?"

He was direct.

"...And if we are?"

I took a moment to answer, feeling a bit scared. It came out as a question, perhaps reflecting a hint of insecurities that I felt, as if I was challenging any objection he might have.

Words like, that’s unexpected, or you don’t suit each other—.

"I see… That's great! Ah… I’m quite tight-lipped so don’t worry, I won't tell anyone if you're keeping it a secret!"

"Eh…?”

I ended up making such a weird voice. I was taken aback. He seemed genuinely pleased that we were together, and I couldn't understand why.

"...Listen, I don't mean to offend you, but you know… because of me, people have been calling you with a weird name, right?”

Satou-kun seemed to notice the strange expression on my face and my voice as he scratched his head again.

"Aah, the ‘number two’ thing? Honestly, having the same name in the same grade would’ve made us stand out either way, so I don’t mind. I’ve been called worse, so it’s not that bad in comparison.”

"Eh? That, in itself, is rather concerning, but… you know, Satou, you never really get angry about those things, and you always leave school right after classes. So… how do I put this… it might sound arrogant or weird, but I can’t find any other words than this and I don’t like it, but… I was kind of worried that maybe I was the reason why school became boring for you. But then, who am I to think that way, right? And if I suddenly started talking to you, it might just draw more unwanted attention—wait, eh…? Was I being rude? Sorry!”

“No, that’s not it...”

It was unexpected. I never imagined Satou-kun thought about things that way, especially since we barely have any connection other than our names, and—

"You're... actually a really good guy, aren't you? Satou-kun.”

"Haha, what’s with that impression? Well, at least I try to be.”

Satou-kun laughed as he said as such. At the very least, it was clear to me that he had no hidden motives. Simply put, he was an exceptionally good guy. Not only is he academically gifted, he is also athletically talented, and good-looking. In fact, with all these qualities, it was hard to imagine any reason for him to have a bad personality. I started to think that I might have lost my ability to judge people properly, thanks to Kanazaki, and thought that I needed some reevaluation.

“That’s why, seeing you out here with your girlfriend, having a date outside of school and experiencing both of your youth, I realized I was being an idiot for worrying, and I just… feel glad.”

Then, he flashed a handsome and refreshing smile. Unlike Chinatsu's, his smile had a certain aura about it.

"...So bright, I’m getting dizzy.”

"Ah, sometimes, other people say the same thing too. What does it mean?" 

"Haha, I figured. Don’t worry about it, it’s just how the others perceive you. By the way… is it the same for you guys too? Like… are you and Sakurai-san dating?”

Since the conversation had taken this turn, I couldn’t resist asking. Chinatsu was likely having her own talk, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to satisfy my curiosity. More than anything, Satou-kun turned out to be such a great guy so I couldn’t help but feel curious about him.

"Ah, no, we’re not like that."

For the first time, Satou-kun seemed a bit hesitant.

"Did I ask something I shouldn't have? Not that I’m asking you for a trade-off for asking me earlier, but I’m also tight-lipped. Besides, I don't have many people to talk to other than Chinatsu.”

"Yuuko and I... are… um… childhood friends… or something like that…”

I wasn’t very good at lying. Whenever I tried to, Chinatsu could always tell. And, it looked like Satou-kun wasn’t very good at it either.

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Bonus Chapter (4/10)