Chapter 2: The Heart-Pounding Sleepover
I was dreaming.
A radiant, joyful dream—days so fulfilling that time seemed to vanish in an instant.
Just the three of us: me, my little sister, and my best friend. Always together, so precious, irreplaceable…
In the dream, we were running side by side. Days filled with passion for club activities.
Back then, I was the class clown, the popular one…
…I wish the dream had ended right there.
But in an instant, the scene darkened.
I don’t want to see this.
We were all working hard together in the club, yet before I knew it… I was alone.
Surrounded by blinding light, I was the only one left behind.
In the club, at school… I’d somehow become isolated.
The people around me had started looking at me with cold eyes.
[You…! How could you ■■ ■■■■■■■───!?]
Static noise distorted the voice, cutting it into fragments.
…Yeah, that’s right.
That’s why I hate romance.
With a gasp, I woke up. The worst way to start the day.
(Ugh… Why did I have to dream about that…?)
It must’ve been the nerves over preparing for the sleepover.
Haruya’s pajamas—no, even his underwear—were drenched in sweat.
He immediately stripped, headed straight for the shower, and washed his face along the way.
Late July, early morning. The day had finally come.
Today was the day—the long-awaited sleepover with Sara.
Who would’ve thought that just a week after the closing ceremony, they’d be going on a trip…?
His eyes landed on the slightly oversized backpack by the entrance.
He’d finished packing yesterday.
After shopping with Sara, everything was ready. Perfectly ready. Under the shower’s spray, Haruya made a silent vow.
Recalling his dream…
(I can’t let anything weird happen… I’m just Haruya Akasaki, nothing more.)
That thought lingered in his mind until he stepped outside.
The shrill cries of cicadas filled the air.
Their meeting spot was the fountain in front of the station—a famously popular rendezvous point.
He arrived ten minutes early… yet everyone was already there.
You’re all way too early… It wasn’t even 8:50 yet.
“…Akasaki-san, over here!”
The first to call out to him was Himekawa Sara.
Her ponytail and slightly childlike expression made her seem younger than she was.
“Akasaki—hey! Over here!”
Yeah, I know.
Sara had just called out to him, and now this loud voice drowned hers out.
The source was, of course—
Kazamiya.
Her outfit was a little flashy—a thin, patterned T-shirt with a silver bracelet on her wrist. (Cool…?)
So, they had actually invited Kazamiya. Not that he doubted they would, but… how? He’d ask casually later.
With both Sara and Kazamiya calling him over, Haruya quickened his pace.
Then, just as he got closer, Yuna—who had been silent until now—raised her hand slightly in greeting.
Flustered, he raised his hand back.
“…Your hair. It looks really hot. You didn’t cut it, Akasaki-kun?”
“…Well, this just feels more ‘me,’ I guess.”
A lie.
Truthfully, it was sweltering.
His jet-black hair absorbed the blazing summer sun.
The long bangs covering his eyes made this heat hell.
But he couldn’t cut them.
Not before this sleepover. He had to make sure… no matter when they saw his face, it wouldn’t be a problem…
“…Huh?”
Then Haruya noticed.
Rin hadn’t said a word this whole time.
When his gaze shifted to her, she tugged at her large straw hat and looked down.
“…Hi, Akasaki-kun.”
“Yeah. Kohinata-san.”
After exchanging greetings, Rin immediately hid behind Yuna.
Yuna gave him an apologetic smile.
“…Sorry. Normally, she’d be showing everyone her usual bright side.”
Rin usually tried hard to act cheerful to make people like her.
Haruya felt a pang of something complicated.
(Wait… does that mean she is not showing her true self because she doesn’t want me to like her…”)
Sara remained silent, simply staring at him. ..What was that look supposed to mean?
Meanwhile, Kazamiya watched Haruya and the others with a smug grin.
What’s your problem? Haruya shot him a glare, but Kazamiya just spun around and addressed the group loudly.
“Alrighty! Now that we’re all here, let’s head to Himekawa-san’s grandpa’s house—!!! …That’s the plan, right?!”
Having taken charge, he immediately double-checked with Sara.
Though flustered, she nodded meekly. “Y-yes. That’s correct.”
“Hell yeah! Then let’s get goin’—!!!”
His booming voice drew stares from nearby passersby.
(…Dude’s way too hyped. We’re polar opposites.)
And so, just like that, they were off to Sara’s grandfather’s house.
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Turns out, the nearest station to Sara’s grandfather’s place was pretty far out.
Since it’d been a while since Haruya last traveled outside the city, he felt a flicker of excitement.
The one-way fare was just under 1,000 yen—
a clear indicator of distance for anyone familiar with train fares, though Haruya, who rarely used the station, couldn’t quite gauge it himself.
After passing through the ticket gates and boarding the train, he noted that despite it being summer break, the car was less crowded than expected. The moment they spotted an open four-seater, the five of them exchanged glances—Who’s sitting where?
Haruya, Sara, Rin, Yuna, Kazamiya.
With five people, someone would have to sit alone.
“I’ll take a separate seat. You guys can sit together.”
Haruya was the first to speak up.
Honestly, sitting in a four-seater booth with them for over an hour would’ve been too much for his heart… in every sense.
“…Well, the other seats are pretty empty too. Maybe the guys should stick together, and the girls with girls? What do you think?”
The moment Yuna suggested this with a gentle smile, Haruya nodded.
That was the safer option. Sara and Rin didn’t seem to disagree either.
But Kazamiya shook her head.
“…Takamori-san, that’s way too boring.”
What was wrong with normal?
Haruya loves ordinary things more than anything else.
“Splitting by gender is nonsense. Don’t you agree?!”
Looking for support, Kazamiya turned to Haruya first.
Sorry, but I’m fully on Team Yuna here. He averted his gaze.
“…You don’t agree?!”
Next, she turned to Sara.
“…U-Um, I…”
Sara glanced at Haruya before continuing.
“…I think it is pretty normal!”
“Wait, seriously? Sara?”
Yuna looked at her in disbelief.
“…Y-Yes. What about you, Rin-san?”
“…I…”
Rin’s eyes darted toward Haruya.
The moment their gazes met, she quickly looked away.
“…I-I wanna sit with Sara-chin and Yuna-rin—”
She almost blurted it out too fast.
Internally, Rin scolded herself.
(…I decided I’d get closer to Akasaki-kun during this trip. I already messed up—he looked so cool in casual clothes. If I back out now, I’ll never change… I promised “Onii san” I’d bring back stories!)
She thought of the regular at the café—someone not here right now.
If she didn’t bring back any stories, it’d mean she ran away again.
Under everyone’s expectant stares, Rin hesitated before speaking.
“…I agree with Sara-chin.”
She said it while looking straight at Haruya.
(…Why are you looking at me when you say that?)
Clueless about Haruya’s thoughts, Kazamiya pumped her fist, hyped.
Luckily, the train wasn’t crowded, so they weren’t causing much trouble—but this would be annoying if it were.
Yuna and Sara seemed to realize this too. They quickly proposed a solution.
“…We should sit down soon. How about rock-paper-scissors?”
“That works.”
Sara agreed instantly.
“Sounds good!”
Kazamiya nodded.
“Let’s do it!”
Even Rin, who’d been reserved earlier, was now fully on board.
Haruya silently held out his fist.
” ” “Rock, paper… ” ” “
Two four-seater booths faced each other across the aisle.
Securing their seats, the group swayed gently as the train moved.
—Clack, clatter, clack, clatter.
The rhythmic shaking and the scenery passing by outside.
The train’s unique atmosphere was nostalgic, almost comforting.
(…How did it end up like this?)
Despite the beautiful view, Haruya’s mind was far from calm. The seating arrangement was all wrong…
Glancing ahead, he noticed someone deep in thought, jotting down notes.
Probably already brainstorming ideas for a script.
“…Hm? Something wrong, Akasaki-kun?”
“…Nah, nothing.”
He quickly looked away, avoiding eye contact.
His gaze landed on the person beside him—clearly restless.
“…W-What is it? Oh, Akasaki-kun…”
Rin Kohinata fidgeted, avoiding his eyes.
“Nah, nothing…”
Even as he said that, he could feel occasional glares from across the aisle.
The source? Himekawa Sara.
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