My Childhood Friend, Who I Made a Promise To Spend the Future With, Dumped Me... But Ever Since I Started Dating a Beautiful Girl From School, My Childhood Friend Has Been Acting Strange - Episode 11

Saturday.

Suzuki Toma was getting ready to go out.

He had thought about changing up his usual casual attire, but as usual, his closet was filled with the same old clothes.

“Well, I guess this is fine…”

Reluctantly, Toma changed into his usual outdoor clothes and finished getting ready.

“Big bro, are you done changing?”

“Pretty much.”

After responding, Toma left his room.

In front of the door stood his younger sister, Emi, who was also ready to go out. She was wearing a bright yellow outfit, which gave off a cheerful vibe.

She had on a white long-sleeve top paired with a yellow long skirt, which made her look very much like the younger sister she was. Her short hair was well-groomed, and her petite frame made her look even cuter.

“So, big bro, you’re going with your usual look, huh?”

“Yeah. I checked my closet, but it’s all the same stuff.”

“But we’re going shopping for clothes today, so it’s fine. I’ll help you pick something out. Oh, and Kamiya-san is coming too, right?”

“Yeah. Like I said yesterday, try not to say anything weird, okay?”

“I know, I know.”

Emi replied with a smile.

Toma and his sister left their house and headed to the meeting spot where Kamiya Suzuha was supposed to be waiting.

Near the arcade street in the city, there was a large square. This place was often used as a meeting point, and as expected, there were people standing around with their phones in hand.

“Big bro, we just wait here, right?”

“Yeah. Yesterday, when I was messaging Suzuha, we agreed to meet at the square near the arcade street.”

Toma held his phone and stood with his sister at the edge of the square. He scrolled through his phone, checking the messages he had exchanged with Suzuha the day before.

They had clearly agreed to meet at the square.

The meeting time was set for 11:00 AM. The time on his phone showed 10:50 AM. They might have arrived a bit too early.

“Big bro, what’s the plan?”

“We might be a little early. We agreed to meet at 11:00, so she probably won’t be here for another 10 minutes or so.”

“Okay. But we’re at the right place, right?”

“Yeah, no problem there.”

Toma nodded confidently.

“Emi, where do you want to go first? Should we start with the department store?”

Since they had some time before Suzuha arrived, Toma decided to ask his sister.

“That’s the plan. After we finish our shopping, we’ll head to the place Kamiya-san has in mind, right?”

“Yeah, that’s the schedule. We’ll probably be shopping until lunchtime, so we’ll need to grab something to eat somewhere.”

Toma checked the time on his phone as he spoke.

“Where do you want to eat, big bro?”

“I’m fine with anywhere. If we’re going to the department store, we could eat at one of the restaurants there. Or maybe the food court in the basement?”

“That sounds good. I haven’t been there in a while, so I’d like to go. I’ve been so busy with high school entrance exams lately that I haven’t had the chance.”

Emi’s face lit up with excitement. The food court in the basement of the department store was known for being delicious.

Emi had often gone there with their mother after shopping trips when she was younger. Toma, on the other hand, only went occasionally when the whole family went out.

Even though he didn’t go often, he still remembered the taste of the food. He usually ordered the same thing every time, so it had probably stuck in his memory.

“When was the last time we went to the food court?”

“Probably last December? It was about a week before Christmas, so maybe right before winter break?”

Emi replied after thinking for a moment.

“So, it’s been almost half a year, huh?”

“Yeah. But I’m looking forward to going back. What are you going to order, big bro?”

“I’ll probably get the usual.”

“Eh? The usual? That’s no good. You should try something different.”

“Really? Hmm… maybe you’re right. It’s not like anything exciting happens if I keep doing the same thing.”

Toma had been living a fairly uneventful life. His wardrobe mostly consisted of similar-looking clothes, and his daily routine didn’t change much.

Talking with his sister made him realize that he needed to change his mindset and habits.

“Then I’ll decide when we get there. The menu might have changed a bit too. What about you, Emi?”

“I’ll decide then too.”

“Alright. We’ll figure it out when we get there.”

“Okay.”

The two of them stood side by side in the square near the arcade street, chatting happily.

“Huh?”

Emi, who was standing next to him, let out a curious sound. Her gaze was fixed in the distance.

“What’s up?”

“Isn’t that Saori-san over there?”

“Huh?”

Toma followed Emi’s pointing finger and looked into the distance.

“Yeah, that’s Saori.”

But why is she here?

“And… isn’t Saori-san with someone?”

Toma squinted his eyes and saw that Azusa Saori was walking next to someone he didn’t recognize. From a distance, it was hard to tell, but it looked like she was with a man in a suit.

“Could it be… is Saori-san dating that guy?”

“…Maybe.”

Toma was suddenly hit with a harsh reality, and he felt a pang of confusion.

He had heard from a childhood friend that Saori was seeing someone. But actually seeing her with another man made his heart ache.

What was he supposed to do with these feelings?

It was something he couldn’t process on his own, and Toma found himself lost in thought.

“Big bro?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Toma shook his head, trying to shake off the pain in his heart.

He didn’t want to see any more of Saori. So, he lowered his head and avoided looking in her direction.