A Pretty Girl Has Her First Kiss Stolen By an Equally Handsome Classmate - Episode 3.2

A voice echoed in the darkness.

It was a familiar voice.

A voice that was pleasant to hear, a voice Wakamatsu liked.

A voice he wanted to listen to forever.

He would go see her as many times as it took.

So, he wanted to hear more stories.

“Last August, my sister went missing.”

“Wakamatsu, you were just right for this.”

“I want you to break up.”

—Turn.

Kaede Wakamatsu opened his eyes.

An unfamiliar marble-patterned ceiling, the smell of medicine, pink curtains.

This must be the infirmary. Before he knew it, the headache that had been bothering him since morning was gone.

“You’re awake, Wakamatsu?”

“…Ms. Sato.”

“How are you feeling? Oh, you can keep lying down if you need to.”

Saying that, Ms. Sato left the infirmary.

Wakamatsu stared blankly at the ceiling, then slowly closed his eyes again.

Even though he didn’t want to, he kept thinking about her. It seemed like his mind was completely taken over by Shizuku Mizuhara.

“You were asleep for about an hour.”

From behind the curtain, it sounded like Ms. Sato had returned.

Wakamatsu sat up and moved to the long table as she suggested.

The two of them sipped tea and nibbled on small cookies that Ms. Sato had prepared.

“Are you taking any role in the sports festival, Wakamatsu?”

Ms. Sato was watching the students practicing outside on the field.

“…No, I’m not involved in the planning. The festival committee takes up the whole summer break.”

He didn’t join the committee so he could spend more time with Shizuku Mizuhara.

If he had known things would turn out like this, he should have taken a busy role.

Something so demanding that he wouldn’t have time to think about her.

“Then what about the competitions? You’ve already chosen your events, right?”

“The pole-pulling event, the cavalry battle, and the block relay race.”

“Oh wow, you’re really active this year!”

Ms. Sato laughed gracefully as she sipped her tea.

“Looks like another busy summer for you.”

“I guess so,” Wakamatsu replied absentmindedly.

Right now, he couldn’t picture himself getting excited about the sports festival.

Finishing his tea, he left the infirmary.

The scorching sun felt unbearably annoying.

August 3rd (Wednesday)

“Here, a little treat!”

A first-year student he didn’t recognize called out to him.

She was wearing an event staff shirt, so she was probably part of the sports festival team.

Wakamatsu accepted the orange juice she offered without hesitation.

The girl fidgeted, glancing at him nervously.

“Can I come watch your practice, senpai?”

“Huh? What practice?”

“The block relay race! I heard it’s starting next weekend.”

Oh, really? He didn’t know that.

Since that day, he had barely managed to show up for summer classes, and his enthusiasm for the festival hadn’t improved.

Even attending summer lessons took all his effort.

And now, event practices were about to begin?

Wakamatsu was shocked.

“Well, it’s probably not that interesting to watch.”

“That’s not true! Just having you there is enough, Wakamatsu-senpai!”

“Uh… okay?”

The girl left happily.

Wakamatsu stood there holding the orange juice when he suddenly felt a strong slap on his back and heard a familiar voice behind him.

“What’s up, Wakamatsu? You’ve been looking so down lately!”

“Masuda… That hurt, you know.”

“I saw someone spacing out, and of course, it was you.”

Masuda, his classmate, grinned and put an arm around his neck.

It was way too hot for this.

Her long hair, usually down, was tied up high, and sweat dripped down her neck.

She must be just as hot as he was.

“…Looks like the event practices are starting next week.”

“Well, yeah! Last year, summer break got completely taken over by it too!”

“I don’t have time for this right now. Everything just keeps moving forward without me.”

Masuda looked surprised at Wakamatsu’s rare complaint, then suddenly burst into laughter.

Her high-pitched voice echoed, almost making his ears hurt.

With her sharp features and wide smile, she looked even more energetic than usual.

That brightness felt overwhelming right now.

“Wow! Even Wakamatsu has things to worry about?”

“Of course I do. And the timing is just the worst.”

“Timing?”

“I have things I need to think about, but because of the festival, I don’t even have time for that.”

He was so overwhelmed that he was taking his frustration out on school events.

“Of course, things keep moving forward. Our worries don’t matter.”

Masuda suddenly gazed off into the distance.

Wakamatsu followed her line of sight.

A group of event staff worked tirelessly under the blazing sun.

“It sucks, doesn’t it? When my boyfriend cheated on me, I was miserable, but I still had to go to school like nothing happened.”

“Oh yeah, I remember. You came to school with puffy eyes.”

“Exactly! But if you fight against it every time, what’s the point?”

Masuda grinned, showing her teeth.

Wakamatsu liked that bright, sun-like smile of hers.

Seeing it up close in the middle of summer made his whole body feel strangely warm.

“Still, don’t you ever just get sick of it all?”

“That’s why it’s better to just accept it.”

Wakamatsu was a little surprised by her response.

“Really?”

“Of course! Wouldn’t it be even worse if reality just stopped moving?”

“Haha, and why’s that?”

Caught up in Masuda’s energy, Wakamatsu couldn’t help but smile.

“Because if reality stopped, we’d have to stay stuck with our problems forever.”

That answer shocked Wakamatsu.

He never knew Masuda thought that way.

It was eye-opening.

“It’s easier to forget when you’re too busy to think.”

“Is it really okay to forget?”

“You’re so naive, Wakamatsu! Forgetting is the fastest way to move on!”

She snatched his orange juice and walked off.

Wakamatsu watched her leave, thinking about their conversation.

Maybe Masuda was right.

Maybe the upcoming sports festival practices weren’t so bad after all.

His frustration toward the event lessened—just a little.

But even then, in quiet moments, thoughts of Shizuku Mizuhara would creep back in.

And Wakamatsu hated himself for it.