DAY 17 LATE AT NIGHT - CAMPSITE INSIDE THE TENT INTERLUDE: GIRLS’ MEETING

IT WAS OUR TURN to take watch, and the sports team reported back to

us. Assigning Haruka-kun to their team without asking him was a little

unfair, but I wanted to split everyone up evenly.

"We couldn't convince him to stay," they told me. "In fact, he

convinced us."

"When he explained himself, we didn't know what to say."

"It just makes more sense for him to strike out on his own."

"I couldn't say anything…" said Fukunuki-san. "I wanted to say so

much…"

Even the sports team couldn't persuade him. They were supposed to

express their gratitude, but it backfired. He was like a centrifuge, taking in

whatever anyone said and spitting out high-speed, irritating nonsense.

Before anyone even got a chance to thank him, they couldn't help yelling at

him instead!

"I think we'll have to consult with Oda-kun and the others when we

find the town," I said.

Haruka-kun was so hard to convince; he wouldn't even let us express

our thanks. Everyone was so thankful for what he'd done, but he was so

unbelievably shy.