Caught off guard by my directness, Sachi's eyes widened slightly. Her fingers fidgeted around the edge of her notebook as she tried to co up with an answer. For a mont, she looked like she was debating whether to dodge or dive in. Then, with a small huff that sohow highlighted her cuteness, different from her usual athletic confidence, she turned to face fully.
"Okay, fine, Onoda-kun. You're too good at this, you know? Seeing through people like this. And here I thought I got you cornered, but it was the other way around instead."
Resting her elbows on her knees, Sachi leaned forward and whispered, "I'll be straight with you. I can't help but keep watching you. Uhm… don't give that look, it's not like that! Well, maybe it is. But it's because you're… different. Ugh, what am I saying?"
Ending that with a facepalm, Sachi nudged my arm with her forehead as though telling not to press anymore.
I chuckled and patted her head, "I get it. Looks like I got you chard as well, huh?"
"That… I hate to fully admit but that might be the case. What should I do, Onoda-kun? And after saying I want to be your friend…"
"Well, we're still friends, aren't we? Besides, do you think I'm not treating you in a special way? While it's not the sa as my girls, I still find your presence comforting. I like that you keep getting updated every morning.
She rolled her eyes, but the faint flush on her cheeks told she wasn't as composed as she was trying to play it. "That sounds like I'm nothing but your informant!"
"I didn't tell you to put a label on it. Let's just call it our morning friendly routine."
Hearing that, Sachi couldn't help but burst into laughter, "What the heck, Onoda-kun? You're so…"
"So?"
"So an!" As if she couldn't find the right words, the girl just blurted out the first word she could co up with.
I scratched my cheek and said, "Sorry for being an. How can I make up for that?"
"... I don't know. You're always in control, even when you're not. And then there's the way you're always with Eguchi-sensei, Orimura-sensei, and all your girls. It's like you're juggling a dozen lives at once, and sohow, you make it look easy. What can I say that won't feel like I'm just trying to grab my opportunity?"
"You can be honest about it, you know? I appreciated it a lot. Besides… do you think I'll be here if I also don't want this opportunity to talk to you? Anyway, since you said you've been paying pretty close attention to . Should I be flattered or worried?"
At that, her flush deepened and she swatted at my hand from her head, only to grasp in the end as she lifted her gaze. "Impossible. You sounded cocky yet… why am I not being mad at you?"
"Let's see. It's because I got you chard."
"There you go again!" Her cheeks puffed up but a mont later, they deflated as she started laughing softly. Not in a self-deprecating way but in so sort of silly giggles.
"I'm just saying… you're impressive. And a little frustrating, honestly. Ever since you hung out with on the camping trip, I can't seem to forget how comfortable it is to be around you. I watched Maemura-san getting pumped up with her club practice, and when I asked her why she's striving like that, she told it was to impress you. And so… I thought I should adopt the sa mindset. To work harder and beco a true regular in our club so that I can show you my cool side too."
This girl… It's totally flattering for any guy to hear this kind of confession. She had just told that I was her inspiration to strive harder.
Now, that guy who moved away and sohow acted like a douche in their communication could never get her back anymore.
She's already this invested. In any case, I don't think we can call it as if she has fallen for . It's not at that point yet. Maybe she likes and wants to impress , but that's all. She's still trying her best not to appear like she's desperate for my attention. And given that she knew about my relationship with the other girls, that was serving as a line she was hesitating to cross.
Sachi's laughter gradually tapered off, leaving a soft, contemplative silence between us.
Her fingers still clung to my hand as she gripped it tightly as if she was anchoring herself to this mont.
The gymnasium's vast emptiness amplified the intimacy of our conversation, and I could feel the weight of her words settling in.
She wasn't just confessing admiration, she was also laying bare a vulnerability that she wanted to show . And that sohow made my chest tighten with a mix of affection and responsibility.
I tilted my head, letting my grin soften into sothing warr, less teasing. "Sachi, you don't need to work harder to impress . You're already pretty cool, you know? I may not always be there but I'm hearing about your feats. The way you hold your own on the volleyball court, the way you're always observing everything with those sharp eyes of yours… I noticed that way before you started trying to show off. You're going to do great in the club."
Her eyes widened as she looked like she'd been caught off guard again.
Then she ducked her head, her ponytail swaying as she tried to hide the fresh flush creeping up her cheeks. My hand slid to the back of her head, pulling her a little bit closer.
"You're doing it again, Onoda-kun. Saying stuff like that with that face. It's unfair."
"Unfair? I'm just being honest," I said, echoing the sa line I'd used with Minori-senpai earlier.
It was true, though. My eyes might've been mostly trained on my girls, but whenever she's around, it's not hard to notice Sachi's earnestness and her quiet determination.
She wasn't like my girls, not yet, but there was sothing about her that made want to keep her close, to see where this connection could go. Maybe it was similar to what I have with Kaede.
Sachi lifted her gaze, her expression a mix of skepticism and hope. "Honest, huh? Then tell , Onoda-kun, what am I to you? I an, I know about your girls, and I'm not… I'm not trying to push my way into that. But I can't help wondering where I fit in your world."
The question hung in the air, but I could feel the sincerity behind it. The need for clarity in a situation that was anything but simple. I leaned to the sight, lifted my arm slightly and wrapped it around her shoulder, closing the distance between us just enough to make it clear I was taking this seriously.
"You're Sachi," I said, my voice steady. "You're the girl who keeps on my toes with her sharp observations, who makes laugh with her unexpected quips and who's brave enough to call out when I'm being too much. You're my friend, yeah, but you're also… special. I don't have a neat label for it, and maybe I don't need one. What matters is that I like having you around, and I want to keep finding out what that ans."
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