White Album 2 Omake/Story03/Chapter 4

4

"Still, that's great. Then it'll be the four of us."
"We're going to be university students anyway, though it is such a pain anyhow."

It was January.

Three days passed by in an instant, and so did the coming of the third term. However, those days were filled with people who thought only about graduating and going into university.

"Well, it's been hell. Takeya-kun still hasn't picked what program he's going into."
"Ahh, that's um... pause a bit."
"Pause?"

It was late in the afternoon when everyone was already headed home. For Haruki and Setsuna, who went with the recommendation of "already deciding to go onto university", they began thinking about what their school life would be starting in April.

"Well, I uncovered some rather interesting info... can you promise not to tell anyone?"
"S-Sure..."
"He's been planning to go into the same program as Io."
"Eh...?"
"That's why I'm telling you he's been quite worried over it."
"I-Is that so?"
"Well, Io would probably say something like "so what?""
"........."
"Those guys sure are......... what's wrong, Setsuna?"
"Fuee? Eh, ah... nothing. Why?"
"Well, the usual you would have been more tense and say things like... "Hey, hey, those two might be able to get something going~", you know?"
"Ah, n... I, I'm not gonna say something like I'm an outsider~"
"I guess... well, when you put it that way Setsuna, you're right."
".........!"
"... you really seem a bit strange today, Setsuna."

Again... it was January.

Three days had gone by, as well as the time the three had spent together. While enveloped within memories of their third year, they were in a hurry but wanted to spend the rest of their time well, with only a little ways to go to graduation.

That was something all three of them had wished on... or rather, should have been.

"Well then, see you tomorrow."
"Ah, umm, you know..."
"Hmm?"

Exiting the school gates, passing through the Minamisuetsugu station's shopping district, by the side of the park, and into the residential area.

Having always taken the exact same path to Setsuna's house and reaching it, it was already evening.

"You don't have to send me home anymore, you know."
"Why?"
"Because it doesn't take long to get home, just like during the school festival."
"There a school regulation that says you shouldn't take such a perfect route back home?"
"But you have to detour around, Haruki-kun."
"Don't underestimate the walking power of the go-home club. I can even walk all the way to Onjuku."
"And......... Kazusa isn't here."
"......... how many times are you gonna repeat that, Setsuna?"

Entering the year, one of the other conditions for this one other exam taker to enter music college, was to indulge herself in study preparations, cutting into her attendance.

"As many times, you know. Because Kazusa's doing her best on her own."
"I know. I call her every day."
"But so do I..."

It's been half a month since the competition, when she started training for 16 hours in an intensive training course. Even the "verbal abuse hurled at Haruki" during telephone calls had dropped a bit.

"See? The three of us are together, right? You don't have to worry about a thing."
"But..."
"You really aren't yourself today, Setsuna..."
"Because..."

――It really is strange.

He and I aren't even going out, you know?

If it isn't the three of us... if Kazusa isn't with us, this won't hold, you know?

"You don't like going home with me?"
"! Not at all!"
"Or do you think I'm just being too nosy?"
"You wouldn't be Haruki-kun otherwise!"
"... I can take that as a compliment, right?"
"Ah, sorry..."

It was as if Setsuna hadn't realized she'd been using the wrong words, formally apologizing.

And in turn, she also thought of the possibility he'd been looking down on how she had realized that...

"Anyway, Setsuna!"
"Y-Yes!?"
"You know what, I'll send you home tomorrow too! You'll definitely wait for me, right?"
"Eh? Eh?"

And, Haruki forcibly settled things while Setsuna was still thinking.

"The library again, right? Once I've finished with my stuff I'll come meet you there."

Always continuing on at this pace, Setsuna ended up being dragged down with his talking, and already knew full well this was what would happen at the end...

"A-Ahaha... then, I'll see you tomorrow too."

And in the end, the two parted ways as always.

"All right, then see you tomorrow."
"Okay... goodbye."

Not rejecting the "face" they presented, but speaking their "motives".

"I absolutely won't let you be by yourself, Ogiso!"

When Setsuna saw Haruki running off from behind, she felt as if she could see that crucifix she burdened upon him.

But even now, she still wanted to believe in that curse.

"Five... thirty-two PM."

It'd taken them twenty-two minutes from the school gates.

That's how long it'd taken her for walking at ease, when it would have taken her fifteen minutes on her own.

Even though there was no reason for her to be at school that late, as always he'd have odd things to deal with. She'd kill time at the library and lie, claiming she had "things to read up on", and end up with a total of twenty-two minutes.

"Seven minutes... over..."

She knew that she was contradicting what she had said just a while ago...

Even so, Setsuna had a sweet tooth for the reality of spending a little more time than usual with him.

---

"I see... so in the end, you four will be going into social sciences?"
"Yeah. Haruki-kun said that nothing would change from when we were in the attached school."

Night.

It was about 10 PM, having finished dinner, relaxing for a bit with the family, taking a bath, and returning to her room.

And for thirty minutes, Setsuna would be dedicating the time to talking with Kazusa.

Because that was the rule the three friends agreed with, so Kazusa could win the competition.

"Oh man, you guys sure are having a blast. I just finished with exam studies, and yet I'm at the last part of all this too."
"Then maybe you should have been working hard for the past three years? No last minute cramming, but drumming away like Haruki-kun."
"... cut me some slack. Like I can live like that at all."

Usually Setsuna would talk for three or four hours just fine, but she complied with these thirty minutes.

Though it's obvious to say it wasn't to get into Kazusa's practice time... it was to not cut into the time past 10:30 that the lovebirdsHaruki and Kazusa would spend.

"Ahaha, but you know, you have to "live like that" from now on, right?"
"Like I care."
"Ah~, is it okay saying that?"
"Besides, from now on you're going to end up spending more time with him, aren't you?"
"Eh...!?"
"Ah, well..."
"Kazusa..."

At that moment, the complaint that Kazusa carelessly mumbled was as if it had no logic to it, not having a word that even connected with the conversation.

"W-Well... because you, the club president, and Mizusawa will all be going to the same university, right?"
"Y-Yeah..."

Setsuna was glad she didn't get mad all of a sudden. Or she was glad she didn't laugh.

"Even though it's not at all similar to the attached school, I'm not going to be there."

Even so, losing words to say to such meaningless things, she continued the conversation.

"T-Then, Kazusa can also go to somewhere close. Tomioka Music University's just one bus away. And it's a sister university to Houjou too..."
"No way in hell... that place has nothing but music school students."
"... ah~"

She continued the conversation that had no clear ending.

She continued the conversation that stepped on landmines she had no idea would explode or not.

"Well, have fun there. I'm gonna be spending quite a boring university life being soaked in the piano for the next four years."
"Kazusa~, you don't have to be so nervous. We can meet during the weekends or during the summer holidays. And you can talk with Haruki-kun over the phone every day."
"You don't really have to comfort me. I reap what I sow."
"Are you anxious? About not being with him?"
"Well, not really..."

It was quite obvious that "not really" was not really the case. Trying to tough it out, the impatience and lack of sincerity oozed out from her voice.

"Ah, that's it!"
"What?"
"Kazusa, you're worried that he might end up getting someone else?"
"W-Wha!?"
"Then it'll be fine, just leave it to me!"

Which was why Setsuna spoke out in a triumphant voice more than necessary, forcibly moving the topic...

"What are you talking about, Setsuna? When did I say something that miserable?"
"But you see, we're going to the same program, so I'll keep an eye on him. And if anything suspicious happens, I'll give you a call."
"I'm telling you, I didn't ask for that. Or rather, there's no need to do that with him."
"Ah, that's it... I could keep others away by pretending to be his girlfriend..."
"!! I'm telling you no!"
"!?"

And then... it had finally awoken.

The fear that slept within the depths of Kazusa's heart.

"Ah... t-that's not... that didn't mean, anything..."

That shout of Kazusa's left no further room for that one foolishness of hers.

Setsuna knew that far too well.

"I-I'm sorry... I meant to joke, but that was unforgivable..."
"I'm telling you, that's not it! That's not what I meant!"
"........."

It was as if it was drilled into her who it was that was taking away from Kazusa's time.

"Well, I gotta go..."
"Okay..."

The clock in the room read 10:22... it was ten minutes too soon for them to end now.

In the end, the two couldn't really bring back their conversation until the end.

Setsuna couldn't selfishly change the topic to something comfortable. And Kazusa's affectionate ill-mannered tongue remained in the shadows, her actions and words continuing to diverge.

"... good night."
"! Ah, wait, Kazusa!"
"Hmm?"
"It's okay for me to call you tomorrow too, right?"
"........."
"Kazusa..."
"Please... at this time, if you can."
"S-Sure!"

But at the end, breathing a sigh of relief, she was saved by the promise of speaking to her again next time.

"......... haa..."

Closing her cellphone, Setsuna stared up at the ceiling.

"Ah..."

However, it was a failure.

And the reason for that, was that looking up was not to deceive herself at all.

"A-Aah..."

About the reality of that white ceiling and the shining fluorescent lamp had begun to blur.

About the reality that she couldn't hold herself in any longer.

"...!"

Let alone her tears.

――Even though we had sworn together.

Even though the three of us had made such a strong oath.

I thought it would continue on forever...

"Uu... u, uu..."

The one thing that Setsuna asked for.

That the three of them be together.

That the two of them would keep the three together...

"Geez... maybe this isn't gonna work anymore...?"

Which was why that at some point, the three would never be able to recover.

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