Chapter 30: Sweet Talk

We left the izakaya and headed toward the shopping street in front of the station.

After walking for a bit, I found myself being interrogated by my two friends about what had just happened.

"...So, who was that handsome guy just now?"

"Ugh..."

I knew they’d bring it up.

...What do I do? Can I get away with dodging this somehow?

Back there, I figured there was no point in denying it strongly since they didn’t know him anyway—but that might’ve backfired.

Still, just because he’s a guy friend doesn’t mean it has to be about Souta, so maybe I’ll be fine...

"I just got a feeling! That was the guy Alice has a crush on, right?"

Right as I thought that—it’s already exposed!?

"T-That’s not true…?"

"Liar."

Fumika cut me down without hesitation.

"W-Why...?"

"Why? Anyone would think the same after seeing what happened back there."

"The way you looked up at him when you asked him to say your name—with that slightly pouty face? That was totally cheating! Too cute!"

Sure, I was annoyed at being treated so offhandedly by my childhood friend Souta—but how did they get that interpretation?

"That frustrated expression you had when you found out he still sees you as a kid—that was good too. You could totally feel your yearning to be seen properly."

No, seriously, how did it turn into that? I was just reminiscing about how tall I used to be when I was a guy!

Isn’t there some way to steer the conversation away from this...? Oh—right!

"S-Speaking of which! Souta’s actually Yuna’s childhood friend!"

"For real!? Don’t tell me… it’s a forbidden love triangle between the sisters and him…?"

"No way, no way. Sure, I’m his childhood friend, but there’s nothing like that between us. Besides, I’m totally rooting for Alice!"

Kyaaa! The two of them squealed with excitement again. The situation was now completely sealed by Yuna’s finishing blow, leaving me stunned.

While chatting with them about Souta, Yuna glanced sideways at me and sent a telepathic message.

『Trying to use me as a distraction? You’re a hundred years too early for that.』

And so, it seems that within our circle of friends, Alice has officially become the devoted girl harboring a pure crush on Souta.

...Well, at least now I’ve got a solid excuse to turn down any advances from guys in class.

After that, it was time for the sweets tour I had promised Alicia. Though to the other three, that itinerary obviously included window shopping as well.

The old me would’ve groaned at that, but lately, I’ve gotten used to dressing up a bit, and thinking about cute outfit combinations while browsing clothes isn’t such a chore anymore. Picking out little decorations for our room with Alicia while chatting was pretty fun too.

Then, finally, the sweets shop. Alicia had already picked it out from a town magazine she found in the library—a place known for its Belgian waffles.

"...This place has a nice vibe."

Fumika visibly relaxed as soon as we stepped inside the shop. ...Was the izakaya that traumatic for her?

All of us looked over the menu together, chatting and laughing as we decided what to order.

As we talked about the clothes and accessories we’d seen earlier, our sweets arrived, accompanied by a sweet, delicious aroma.

『Mmm... it’s so sweet… Warm waffles drenched in maple syrup and chocolate. Plus strawberries and cold ice cream—it’s like a treasure chest of sweets…』

Alicia looked completely content, which was nice to see. I was enjoying mine, too. I can’t eat that much regular food, but when it comes to desserts, this body can really put them away. Guess that’s what they mean by “room for dessert.”

"I’m really glad I came today. I got to learn so much about Alice."

Fumika said this as she daintily brought a piece of waffle to her lips using a knife and fork.

"You're like a bundle of surprises, Alice."

Jun said this while roughly chopping up her waffle and stuffing a piece into her mouth.

"…You think so? Am I weird?"

"Maybe it’s because you lived overseas? Your sensibilities are pretty different, and it makes things really fun. At first, I thought you were some kind of proper young lady, but you turned out to be nothing like that. The book you lent me was interesting, you know all these unexpected shops, and you even have this girlish side to you. It’s been fascinating, learning all of that in just a single day. I’d really like us to stay close."

"Same here—looking forward to it."

"And I’m glad I got to hang out with Yuna too."

"…Fweh, me?"

"After school started, Yuna gave off this vibe like she didn’t want anything to do with anyone. She wouldn’t try to get close to anybody, remember?"

"Ahaha… Did I really?"

The version of Yuna that Fumika described didn’t match the girl I knew. The Yuna I knew—then and now—was a cheerful, outgoing jokester.

"But after she dyed her hair black again in June, it was like the thorns came off. She seemed brighter, more approachable. I was honestly surprised. She even started taking care of others—it was like she’d turned into a completely different person."

June—that’s when I returned from the other world. So back when I was missing, Yuna had been shutting herself off from people…?

"This girl came to live with us in June, and I became a big sister. I figured I had to pull myself together."

"I always wanted to be friends with Yuna, but she kept turning down everyone’s invitations after school and went straight home every time..."

"She came home every day to help me study..."

That was because I had started prepping for the transfer exam. Yuna came straight home just to help me.

"It’s something I wanted to do… so Alice, there’s no need for you to feel bad."

"Yuna, you’re such a great big sister!"

"She’s my awesome big sister, after all."

Yuna silently brought a bite of waffle to her mouth.

Looks like she was getting embarrassed.

"So now that Alice is coming to school, does that mean we’ll get to hang out with Yuna too?"

"Yeah, I think from now on I’ll be able to spend time with everyone. Let’s make it official—looking forward to hanging out with you both."

"Same here. Let’s get along."

"Looking forward to it~!"

『I too look forward to it. Although… I don’t imagine I’ll have the opportunity to speak with everyone directly…』

Alicia’s voice echoed faintly in my head, tinged with a hint of loneliness.

"Me too—looking forward to it."

That’s why… I put both our feelings into that one greeting, hoping at least that much would come across.