Deepen Fellowship

I have a question, but is Fujimiya on good terms with Shiina-san?"

During a detailed social gathering at a fast food restaurant led by Kadowaki, Kokonoe, who was quietly eating chicken nuggets, asked a question as if he had remembered it.

Zhou tries not to change his expression as much as possible while stuffing his mouth with potatoes.

The four of us were at a fast food restaurant at Kadowaki's invitation in preparation for the cavalry battle...or rather, with the intention of deepening our friendship, but I never expected someone with whom I had little interaction to ask me such a question. There wasn't.

When I glanced at Kadowaki, he denied it with a look that said, ``I didn't say anything,'' so it must have been Kokonoe's pure observational eye.

Shuu must have tried his best not to let it show.

"Why did you think that again?"

"The five of you, including Yuta, talk a lot, but Shiina-san's attitude is somehow different from the way she treats Itsuki and Yuta."

"Is that so? I didn't notice it at all."

Hiiragi, who was unexpectedly looking at me, seemed to be genuinely surprised, and her eyes widened.

"I'd like to say that Kazuya is just dull... but I'm probably the only one who notices. Everyone else is just looking at me with jealousy."

"That's scary, but..."

"So, I guess that's the way it looks?"

Kokonoe asked with an unreadable expression on his face, and Shu turned his attention to Kadowaki to see how he would respond.

Kadowaki seemed to trust them and gave me a look that said he didn't think there would be any problems, so I scratched my cheek.

Kokonoe seems to be convinced, but he doesn't want to say too much.

However, he probably had a good eye for observing people at Kadowaki, and Kokonoe's question was not an attempt to pry, but rather out of curiosity, and was not malicious.

"... Well, it's good to say that we're on good terms."

"It looks like Shiina-san is paying attention to me, so I guess it's true."

"... did it look like that?"

"Somehow"

What is frightening is Kokonoe's observational eye.

At this point, it would be better to tell the truth to a certain extent than to be clumsy at deceiving someone, and it would not arouse suspicion and increase the authenticity of your friendship.

"It's just that we got to know each other because we had a chance to talk because we were in the neighborhood."

"Maybe from before you became a sophomore?"

"Well, we started interacting at school in the second year, but we were pretending to be other people."

As expected, I can't say that I'm a neighbor and I'm going to come and go at midday every day to make rice, and it's not too realistic, so I just touched on the truth to some extent.

Upon hearing Shu's explanation, Kokonoe turns to look at Kadowaki and asks, "Did Yuta know?"

Kadowaki nodded, knowing that he had nothing to hide since he himself had said it, and Kokonoe let out a soft sigh.

"What can I say, you're a good-natured person?"

"Are you good-natured?"

"No, this is what I'm talking about...Yuta, you were probably hiding something from us."

"As expected, I can't say it until Fujimiya says so. I never thought Kazuya and Makoto would blurt it out."

"It's obvious. There's no reason for me to go out of my way to do something that makes people hate me."

"Kazuya's honesty is a virtue."

Hiiragi, who should have been praised by the smiling Kadowaki, tilts her head. The expression on his face, as if to say something is obvious, makes you doubt the good intentions of the person.

I felt like he was in some kind of danger, but the fact that he is a good person remains the same.

Hiiragi, who is known for his seriousness and good manners and is different from Kadowaki, was taken a little by surprise, but he was convinced that he was Kadowaki's friend after all.

His eyes are pretty good. He would be the perfect person to have as a friend.

"So I guess I shouldn't tell anyone."

"Well, I don't think Kazuya would lie too much, so I think it's best to pretend you don't know. Or rather, even if there's a suspicion that we're on good terms, I'd rather ask Itsuki or Yuta than go out of my way to ask Kazuya. I from"

"Must"

Zhou is also relieved to see Kadowaki laughing.

"Well, I'd appreciate it if you would do that. I don't want to bother him."

I'd rather hide it, so I'm grateful that you don't mention it.

"He also doesn't want to be told about his friendships. I want you to leave him alone. For his sake."

I understand that criticism and jealousy will fly towards me if I find out, but in the middle of the day there will be no malice and the words "Why Fujimiya?" will be directed at me.

To the people at the school, Mahiru is a kind of heavenly being... but he is a special person.

Even in the middle of the day, voices of doubt flew in, just as the surroundings were reproachful for a noble person to interact with the common people.

It would be a natural question, but midday would probably be uncomfortable. I want you to choose your own social relationships.

Besides...perhaps, I had a feeling that Mahiru would be angry at Shuu being made fun of.

I don't want to mess with Midday's heart, so I want to keep it a secret as much as possible.

(... Well, maybe it's just my imagination, but I can't help but feel like I want to make it public)

I feel like I'm gradually closing the distance from the recent contact, but I think it's just my imagination.

"...Ah, ah..."

"What is Kokonoe?"

"... No, I've guessed it somehow. You're going to have a hard time."

Kokonoe looked at me with a rather embarrassed expression, rather than a rather embarrassed expression, and Zhou had no choice but to tilt his head.

"Yuta, maybe this?"

"That's it"

"What, what are you talking about?"

"It's probably something Kazuya won't understand, so don't worry about it."

Hiiragi didn't seem to be offended by Kokonoe, who cut her off, and laughed, "Then it's fine if you don't understand." This is also something that they can do with their own trust and friendship.

Kadowaki and Kokonoe nodded with a knowing look, so what did Zhou understand together?