My Friend Doesn't Hesitate 25

 ACT25     Could I Get Under Your Umbrella?


「It's really pouring down again, isn't it...」


In the middle of June, and thus the rainy season as well, one day after school.

The moment she stood at the entrance after changing shoes at her shoe cupboard, Mashiro looked out at the rain that was falling so heavily it was like buckets were being overturned as far as the eye could see and let slip that complaint.

With even her voice seeming like it would disappear due to the sound of the rain falling so forcefully, would she be okay on her way home?


「Mm, I'm glad I bought a large umbrella the other day at『Koumori Shop』.」


On the other hand, Akami looked a little cheerful with her umbrella in hand, which as if inversely proportional to her own small body, was quite large.

『Koumori Shop』was an umbrella specialty store located in the nearby shopping district, and Akami holding the umbrella she bought there looked like a cat who wanted to try out a new toy. Cute.

As had been happening repeatedly since a few days ago, Mashiro felt something in her chest stir again... but she made sure to avoid letting it show.


「My umbrella is pretty old, so maybe I should go to『Koumori Shop』for the first time in a while and buy a new one.」

「That might be a good idea. Speaking of which, isn't the aunty who owns that shop incredible? When I went in, she said『Thank you for coming, young lady, look around at your leisure!』in greeting, and at the time of checkout, she praised me by saying『You have good sense, YOUNG・LADY』in a loud voice with the『young lady』said in a different accent from before.」

「... That aunty hasn't changed. For now, let's go home quickly.」

「Yeah.」


While talking about the umbrella shop in the neighborhood.

The two opened their respective umbrellas, and with the sound of rain reverberating around them, right when they set foot on their school route,



「...Youta-kun, your shoulder, isn't getting wet? You're fine?」

「I'm fine. Konoe-senpai, please be careful not to stick out.」

「... Nn, I'm fine too, though. Just in case, a little closer.」

「! Se-senpai, um, th-th-they might touch me...!」

「... As much as possible, I'll try to avoid that, but even if they do, it's fine, since it's Youta-kun.」

「Uu... o-ok.」



That heartwarming exchange came from a man and woman wearing school uniforms who were leaning in close to each other as they walked together under a shared umbrella.

If she wasn't mistaken... that was the couple they saw in front of the station on their day off a while ago (see ACT06).


「So those two go to the same school as us.」

「It looks like the man is a second year student and the woman is a third year student. They're as close as before.」

「... That kind of thing, something about it is... nice.」


That mutter to herself slipped out of Mashiro's mouth and disappeared into the sound of the rainfall.

I'd also like to intimately share an umbrella with Akami like that while going home...

Although she thought that, at present, both of them were holding umbrellas. In this situation, sharing an umbrella would be a little strange. Unfortunate.

If I had carelessly forgotten my umbrella, just like that... she imagined, and when she felt something in her chest stir again,


「............」


Mashiro noticed that for some reason, Akami was repeatedly glancing at her from under her large umbrella. That was adorable, but she didn't really understand her intention.

Was something wrong?

With that in mind, when Mashiro tilted her own umbrella away and tried to ask Akami,


「!」


Mixed with the rain, a gust of wind blew.


「Wa!」

「Hya!?」


Her body was sent flying... nothing like that happened, but.

The umbrella that Mashiro was holding caught that gust of wind, and with a loud crunch, it turned inside out as its aged frame broke.


「Sh-Shiro-chan, are you okay?」


In an instant, Akami invited Mashiro into her large umbrella. As for Akami's umbrella, as would be expected from something brand new, it looked like it wasn't damaged even the slightest bit.

Thanks to that, even in this torrential rain, Mashiro only got a little wet. She was grateful.


「I'm fine, Akami... The umbrella is completely broken, though.」

「Hmm, certainly, with those parts that got torn when it broke, it seems impossible to use no matter what.」

「I've used it for more than five years. I think it's done well to last this long.」


Folding it up as much as possible, Mashiro expressed her sorrow and respect for the umbrella she had been much obliged to for many years.


「Akami, could I stay under your umbrella like this?」

「Yeah, it's fine. If you like, I'll go with you all the way to your house. If I remember correctly, it's about twenty minutes from here, right?」

「Thank you, that's really helpful. Should I hold the umbrella instead?」

「Nn, that might be best. Here, Shiro-chan.」

「Okay, let's go.」


And so, by accident, she was going to walk under the same umbrella as Akami. Could that be considered a silver lining?

Even normally, she and Akami had a lot of skinship, such as linking arms and holding hands, but being so close in this situation... somehow, it was much better than she had imagined.

Although they were leaning close to each other, they weren't so close that their shoulders were touching, but even so, she felt very close to Akami.

Also, it felt like the stirring in her chest had gotten even stronger.


「... Like this, forever.」


And she could hear that close Akami mutter something.


「? What's the matter, Akami?」

「Ah, no, nothing, it's nothing...!」

「Why are you speaking like that?」

「Uu, ha, hahaha...」


With her face still red, Akami laughed. That gesture was also cute.

Seeing that, even Mashiro felt like her face was heating up... but she wanted to avoid showing that feeling somehow.

She didn't know why she felt that way, but it was truly only toward Akami.

So she had to say something herself.

... Yeah, let's set aside these feelings and candidly state my current wish.

　

「Akami.」

「Eh?」



「I wish I could continue walking with Akami like this forever.」



「――――!!!!!」


Hearing those words, Akami's mouth opened and closed repeatedly as she went rigid while blushing.

Since she stopped moving instantly, as the one holding the umbrella, Mashiro was in a bit of a panic as she stopped as well.

What in the world happened?


「Akami?」

「Ah... so-sorry, I'm fine, I'm fine!」


After ten or so seconds, Akami looked to have recovered.

She resumed walking, but... did I say something wrong?

Although she thought that, judging from Akami's behavior, she didn't show any signs of having hurt feelings.

Her face was still a little red... but as if her heart had just restarted a moment ago,


「Shiro-chan.」

「Mm?」



「I feel the same way. I want to keep walking with Shiro-chan like this.」



「――――」


What was this?

She was deeply moved.

She felt like the stirring in her chest was one step stronger than it had been up until now.

She didn't stop and stiffen like Akami had earlier, but she couldn't completely hide the heat filling her face.

... Did Akami feel this way as well?


「............」

「............」


The conversation came to an end.

But the atmosphere wasn't that awkward.

Rather, it was cozy. Why?

With that pleasantness she didn't really understand unchanged, Mashiro and Akami walked the school route in the rain.


She truly wished this time would last forever.

Mashiro couldn't help but think so.


　　☆　　★　　☆　　★　　☆　　★


... I feel like we said something incredibly embarrassing to each other.

Honestly, it makes me blush.

Shiro-chan might be a little embarrassed as well, since she's kept silent since then.

With this atmosphere, I wonder if my body will last... or so I thought, but.


「We're here.」


While I was worried about various things, we arrived in front of the apartment building Shiro-chan lives in.

...... I feel relieved, but disappointed at the same time.

But, well, you did well to endure, me!

You really did well to hold out! Inspiring! I want to praise myself!


「... Hey, Akami.」


Eh, what is it, Shiro-chan?



「Do you want to stop in?」



........................ What did you just say?