Chapter 34: Suzuka Hashimoto (Part 1)

The next day, Jun and Fumika came over to my desk at school.

“Alice, I need you to stay calm and listen to this…”

Fumika began, her tone grave. Both of them looked serious—what's this about?

“It’s about that upperclassman, Sota Kamishiro. Apparently… he already has someone he’s dating.”

…Ah, that.

I remember hearing something like that from Yuna before. She said something about a girl who pretended to be confessed to by me just to get Sota’s attention.

“…I already know.”

Both of them looked stunned by how calmly I responded.

“Oh, this girl… how pure-hearted can she be? Even though the one she likes is into someone else, she keeps loving him anyway…”

“I’m rooting for you, Alice!”

“I’m telling you, I don’t even like Sota that way…”

As we were talking, Yuna, who sat beside me, jumped into the conversation.

“But you went to see him yesterday, right? How was it?”

“I just ran into Sota by chance…”

“Not Sota-nii—I mean the girl. That Hashimoto-senpai, right?”

…Huh? Suzuka?

“I can’t believe it. Don’t tell me you didn’t realize? We talked about her at the mall, remember? That Suzuka Hashimoto girl who’s rumored to be Sota-nii’s unofficial girlfriend.”

“…Ahh.”

So that’s what this is about. Everything clicks into place in my mind. The girl who claimed I confessed to her. The club that only Sota and she are in. Her reaction when I found out who else was involved yesterday. And then, her request to talk after school today.

“…Wait, you seriously didn’t realize? You even barged into the clubroom they call their little love nest yesterday, right?”

Yuna’s comment made my two friends blurt out totally off-the-mark reactions like “Wow, Alice is bold!” and “That unexpected assertiveness is pretty hot, actually.” I ignored them.

“I’m supposed to talk to her after school today. So it’s Suzuka-senpai, huh…”

Still, she didn’t come off as that kind of calculating girl to me.

Maybe I really am that oblivious.

…Well, whatever. I’ll just ask her directly.

“…You okay? Want me to come with you?”

“I appreciate the thought, but this is something between her and me. If any of you try to come along, I’m going to be seriously mad… You two included.”

When I said that firmly, all three of them replied with a drawn-out “Okaaay.”

After school, I visited the old school building where the Wizard’s Soil Club meets. I had come to keep my promise to Suzuka Hashimoto.

I knocked on the clubroom door, and a voice called out, “You may enter.”

“Excuse me.”

With that, I stepped inside.

As soon as I entered, the scent of tea filled the air.

Standing quietly inside the room was a refined girl holding a teacup. The desk where she and Sota had played a game yesterday now had a white tablecloth draped over it, and a complete tea set was neatly arranged on top.

She looked perfectly at ease as she raised the cup to her lips.

“Alice-san, please—have a seat.”

But imagining her preparing all this alone made the whole scene feel oddly charming. Looking more closely, I noticed an electric kettle sitting on the side table.

“…Is something funny?”

Oops. Guess it showed on my face.

I took the seat across from Suzuka.

"Thank you for coming today."

The hostess herself took the teapot, poured the tea, and placed the teacup in front of me.

"Thank you."

I expressed my gratitude, then picked up the cup and brought it to my lips.

It was still too hot, so I only dampened my lips, but the pleasant aroma tickled my nose.

"Before we talk about Wiso, there’s something I must apologize to you for."

She began, her tone serious.

"Are you familiar with the rumors about me and Ikutou Kisaragi?"

"...Yeah, I’ve heard."

The rumor was that Ikuto had confessed to her and was rejected, which allegedly led to his suicide.

If she was apologizing about that, then it would mean she felt responsible for his death because she turned him down. How should I react to such an apology?

If I were to accept such an apology, I don’t think I could ever see Suzuka as a friend again.

A feeling of disappointment and sadness rose within me.

It seemed that, despite everything, I had surprisingly come to like this somewhat oblivious young lady.

"The rumor about Ikutou confessing to me… that’s actually because of a lie I told."

...Huh?

Suzuka wasn’t offering a false apology; instead, she was apologizing for the lie she had told.