Angels and Rumors

　After Golden Week, school started, but Zhou had no choice but to be confused because the classroom was noisy from the side he entered.

　It's normal for the classroom to be buzzing with people talking about souvenirs after the holidays, but today it was filled with a different kind of buzz.

　If anything, rather than talking about what happened during the vacation, it's a lively way of talking about gossip.

　When I put my luggage down on my seat and pricked up my ears—it seemed to be talking about midday.

"Shiina-san was dating a cool guy the other day."

"Perhaps it was the person who was rumored at the beginning of this year."

"You said you weren't dating, but..."

　Shu's cheeks twitch at the word "date."

　I had expected to some extent that I would be witnessed, but I never expected that this topic would become the talk of the classroom.

　While whispering rumors, they turned their eyes to midday.

　Mahiru doesn't seem to notice, or rather, he seems to notice but ignores it as he prepares for the first period.

　It's normal for her dignified and neat appearance to attract attention, but today she was the only one with many curiosity-like eyes.

"Hey, hey Shiina-san."

　One of the girls who was looking at me spoke up as if she had made up her mind.

"Well, the other day, I saw Shiina-san walking with a man in a shopping mall."

"Yes, you were walking."

"Were you on a date with that person?"

　Shuu, who was watching him, was excited, thinking that he must be a hero to hear this from the front, but Mahiru just blinked repeatedly.

　If it looked like that, I would probably respond like an angel would.

　Yes, if it was the usual midday, she would have flatly denied it with an angelic smile.

"That's right. If you think about the definition of a date, it's a date."

　Midday affirmed what she was thinking.

　The definition of a date is basically a man and a woman meeting on a set date and time, so there's nothing wrong with that...but these girls probably won't take it in the strict sense of a date.

　Kyaah, a yellow voice rises.

　Women always get excited about other people's love stories. She was able to ignore it from a distance, thinking that Zhou would normally do well, but as someone who was involved, she couldn't do that.

"Shiina-san, were you dating that person?

"We're not dating, but he's the most important person to me."

　As the yellow voice rises, Zhou's stomach begins to hurt subtly.

　Mahiru didn't lie at all. I am aware that I am perceived as important, but that does not mean I am giving them the truth. It gives you words that can be interpreted in any way you want.

　If she did that, the story would probably get out that Mahiru is in love with the man, but Mahiru smiles and watches the girls get excited.

　He glanced at her for a moment, and when he saw her smile, which was not angelic, Shu pressed his forehead, feeling happy, embarrassed, or sick to his stomach.

　Itsuki, who had apparently been listening to the same story, smiled and patted him on the shoulder, but Shu accepted it with the sudden onset of fatigue.

"Well, to be honest, I don't think I could deny it anymore."

　When they stopped at a fast food restaurant on the way home, Itsuki spoke as if she had just remembered it.

　Even though they had PE in the afternoon and had lunch, they were hungry, so they talked while picking potatoes, and Itsuki smiled wryly as if remembering the commotion in the morning.

　By the way, it wasn't calm enough today for us to have lunch together. I couldn't sit in the same seat as Mahiru, who was bombarded with questions.

"Can't you deny it?"

　It seems like he wants to say that he can't deny it as before, but he doesn't know why.

"No, even if Yuta saw it, you guys seemed to be on good terms, and it seems like you were holding hands and walking together on the road anyway."

"cormorant"

"There's no point in denying that we're dating when something like that was witnessed.Then I guess I have no choice but to say that."

　When he said that, I couldn't deny anything.

　Indeed, from the outside, the outing the other day looked like a friendly date. They held hands, snuggled up, and laughed together, so they must have looked like lovers to someone they didn't know.

　So, I guess it can't be helped that midday responds...

"And some kind of performance, I guess."

"performance?"

"Appealing that you don't intend to avoid men and be hostile to other girls? Yuta is the same, but if you're popular, you'll get jealous no matter how big or small. Even that angel. If you hint that you're not interested in anyone but other people, it'll mean that you're not interested even if there's someone like Yuta.''

"...I see"

　I don't really feel that way because I'm not on the popular side, but no matter how popular you are, there will still be a small number of people who won't accept you. It is impossible to be loved by everyone.

　I've never seen anyone publicly criticize Mahiru, but I'm sure there are some people who don't find it interesting.

　It seems to be the same for both men and women that if they are popular, they will be ignored by the same sex.

"Well, there's probably one more purpose, but think about it yourself."

　Even when I was told there was another purpose, I couldn't imagine it at all.

　I don't think there is any reason other than to get the boy to give up or to prevent jealousy from someone of the same sex.

"So, Shu-kun."

"what is it"

　Itsuki gave an exasperated gaze at Amane, who seemed to be tilting her head, but she shrugged her shoulders and seemed to end the topic for now.

"If you do that, you won't stand out, but if you do it properly, you'll be able to walk next to that person and not be criticized. It's time to stop denying yourself."

　At Itsuki's words, wanting to do something about Shuu's lack of confidence, Shuu nodded with a sour face.

"...I know"

"Well, it's a good thing about you that you don't get carried away. But it's also a flaw. In the first place, why do you have such confidence? You're hardcore."

"No matter what you ask me... It was just a little in the past."

"Is it okay for me to ask?"

"Not that I want to hide it, but I don't think I want to go out of my way to say it."

　It's not a matter of having a serious past or anything like that. It's not like there was any bullying involved.

　It's just that the person he believed in denied that he had no value.

　While thinking that it's pathetic to drag that much, it continues to pierce the depths of my chest and still occasionally ache.

　I don't have the seizures that I had back then, but there are still times when I feel empty.

　After I met Mahiru, I wasn't tormented by self-loathing so much, but I still didn't show much confidence.

"Well, if you want to talk, I'll listen."

　Itsuki didn't try to dig deeper.

　This kind of insight is good, or rather, it is good at identifying the line that I really don't want you to step on. Perhaps it is because he is the mood maker of the class that he can read the subtleties.

　Itsuki, who pulled back easily, smiled at Zhou.

"Well, no matter what happens, I think you should have a little more confidence. The you of the past and the you of now are different. Why don't you just get a makeover and be reborn?"

"That's something I'd like to avoid."

"You're stingy, even though it looks like you'll be able to enjoy it before and after. Well, that's fine. Before you arbitrarily deny Zhou that it's impossible, make an effort to get him to see it properly. You don't have enough push."

"Push, hey."

"You can have enough momentum to push me down."

"Are you stupid? Can you do that?"

　I'm confident that if I do that in the middle of the day, I'll be looked down upon.

　The dimension is different from stroking the head or holding hands. Midday is already sensitive to such things because of her parents, so if someone who was not in a relationship, and even trusted her, did that to her, she would surely dislike it all at once.

　It's different from simple skinship.

"At least hug me."

"What do you mean by me..."

"He doesn't have self-confidence and is roundabout. A chicken that doesn't consciously touch the habit of being able to have unconscious physical contact."

"Guh... I mean, how can you make such an assertion that you're having physical contact?"

"Hmm? Chii heard it from her?"

(I don't want you to leak it)

　How much does Mahiru reveal to Chitose? Is that why Chitose has been giving me grinning glances from time to time?

"Men have courage. Even if you don't confess, if you hold hands, you can have a little more skinship. Let's close the distance."

"Don't say it easily, you."

"I want to kick you in the back because you want to mess with me so much. Since you're so open to me, as long as you don't sexually harass me, I think it's okay to have some physical contact with you. I heard from you that you're patting my head, right? If that's the case, I'll hug you. Isn't it possible to do about

"Don't say it's impossible."

　I couldn't say that I had actually hugged him.

　I did that to support Mahiru who was about to break down, and I didn't mean it in a romantic way, so I don't think it would be possible for me to consciously hug her with the feeling that I love her. Will midday forgive me in the first place?

"Why don't you ask?

"Hey... as expected..."

"I don't understand. He's probably the type to allow close contact with people. Ta"

　It is true that Mahiru went to stay at Chitose's house during Golden Week. I never thought that we would even take a bath together.

　Well, I think it's probably a big thing that Chitose pushed hard.

"I can only say that I've been beaten by Maachii."

"You know... don't compare a friend of the same sex with me who is a man."

"As expected, I don't think that's possible, so first try offering a hug.

　To Itsuki, who was grinning, he whispered, "Don't say whatever you want because it's someone else's business."