My Friend Doesn't Hesitate 42.7

ACT42.7     What Is the Outcome of Her Feelings?


「Um!... I have something, to talk, about...」


The library.

Facing the female student sitting at the lending counter desk.

――Saijou Shia was currently, for the first time in her life, participating in a do-or-die match.


「? Me?」


The person Shia called out to――a beautiful woman with long, glossy black hair, slender facial features, and brass glasses that gave her an intelligent impression, pointed at herself with a slightly puzzled expression.

The color of the school badge on her neatly dressed uniform indicated that she was a third year student, and on her upper left arm, there was an armband with the words Library Committee President.


「Y-yes. I'd like to, talk to... Haijima Shinon-senpai...!」

「... You seem reserved, but I can't really tell if that invitation is strongly pushy or weak...」


Her name was Haijima Shinon.

One day, Shia fell in love at first sight――with a female senpai two years older than her.

That senpai was making a slightly troubled face,


「Mmm. However, there are still quite a few students here studying, and I myself have some paperwork to do as the Library Committee President, so I can’t really leave the desk right now. So can you do it another time? Or will you wait until 6:00 p.m.?」

「Ah... n-no, umm... uu～～～～...」


Oops.

After the incident with Nogi Mashiro, who she newly became friends with in front of the rooftop entrance a short while ago, Shia came all the way here by momentum, but... looking at the time, it was around twenty or thirty minutes after school.

Shia had forgotten that at this time, there would be quite a few students studying in the library, and furthermore, she would be in the middle of working.

Even though I would realize that if I just thought a little, did my habit of falling at the last hurdle show up again...!?


「... You seem quite serious.」

「Eh?」


What did she think when she saw Shia agonizing?

Haijima-senpai let out a sigh and showed a slight wry smile.


「Alright, for just a little.」

「Eh... but your Library Committee President work...」

「For that, I'll ask someone to stand in, but, hmm... ah, Konoe, could you come here for a little?」


Haijima-senpai called out to a female student with slightly sleepy-looking eyes who seemed to be studying at a nearby seat.

With shoulder length hair in braids, she was a girl with a calm atmosphere. Judging from the color of the school badge on her uniform, she was also a third year student.

　

「...? What is it, Shinon-chan?」

「This girl says she has something to talk about, so Konoe, I'm sorry, but could I ask you to stand in for me at the reception desk for a little bit?」

「... That's fine.」


The female senpai, who was named Konoe, answered Haijima-senpai in that way, and then stared intently at Shia for a little.

Do I have something on my face?

For a moment, Shia thought that, but she couldn't read her thoughts from those half-open sleepy eyes,


「...... Got it.」


During that time, it seemed she became convinced of something.

A little while later, although Konoe-senpai hurriedly moved to the reception counter and sat down... her half-open sleepy eyes remained as they were, and as if she were an ornament, she sat in a daze, unmoving.


「... I-is that person okay?」

「Even that is quite reliable for her. Before she got a boyfriend, she was even more absent-minded.」

「Haa...」


Many things about that concerned her, but right now, the time she had for talking to Haijima-senpai was more important.

Above all... this was Shia's chance to confess.


「It seems like you have a lot to say, so let's go to the desk in that corner over there.」

「Y-yes!」


As invited, she followed behind Hajima-senpai to the corner of the library――and the two moved to a desk hidden behind the bookshelves.

Compared to the rest of this large library, it was a place that wasn't very conspicuous. It was maybe the ideal place for secret conversations.

Shia felt her heartbeat jump up just from thinking about secret conversations, but right now, she firmly endured.

Taking a deep breath, Shia sat down in the seat suggested by Haijima-senpai.

And then, a beat later, Haijima-senpai sat down in the seat across from Shia,


「Umm... aah, come to think of it, you haven't introduced yourself yet.」

「Ah, yes, my name is Saijou Shia. I'm a first year student.」

「Yeah, got it, Saijou-san. I... wait, does Saijou-san know about me?」

「Y-yes. Ha, Haijima Shinon-senpai. You're a third-year student, and Ms. Preshident of the Library Committee!」

「... You fumbled your words a little there, which I'm curious about, but shall I let it pass by? What kind of talk does Saijou-san have for that Ms. President of the Library Committee?」

「U-umm......」


She felt like she would be at a loss for words.

But remembering the courage she received from the new friend she met earlier.

No unnecessary preamble, without pausing, directly...!



「――I want you to go out with me!」



With her eyes tightly closed, as if she were mustering all her courage, Shia released her words.


「Um, from the first time I caught sight of you, I fell in love...!」


And once she let them out, her thoughts turned into words,


「Every time I entered the library, I would watch senpai from afar, but...!」


Miraculously, without ever stammering,


「Each time, I was captivated by your beauty...!」


And without hesitation,


「Even if it’s just once, I want to convey my feelings...!」


Rapidly, in succession, assembling words.


「I l-love you, Haijima-senpai...!」


――Thus, she said everything.

She couldn't make eye contact, and she was aware that her voice was thin toward the end, but Shia was able to express everything she was thinking.

　

「Saijou-san.」


After Haijima-senpai heard those words, she called out Shia's name.

When Shia suddenly opened her eyes, what jumped into her sight――was Haijima-senpai's bitter smile with eyebrows lowered.


But, with that alone.

――Shia was somehow able to understand.


Naturally, what she would say next as well.



「I'm sorry. I can't respond to that feeling.」


　　☆　　★　　☆　　★　　☆　　★


A confession from a girl in the same grade or younger.

This has happened to me many times.

I seem to be liked by the same sex terribly more often than the opposite sex.

I myself don't think it's strange at all... but whether it's the opposite sex or the same sex, I'm never interested. Right now, I want to focus on myself rather than love.

With that thought in mind, I have acted coldly to many confessions.

Because I reply too succinctly without showing any signs of thinking, I've sometimes made the other person cry, and sometimes made them angry.

Each time, for some reason or other, I feel apologetic.


――While this has repeated, just a little each time, my heart has become more and more frayed, but.


Without showing such feelings, as usual, I refused with an almost immediate answer.

 ...... But.



「Is, that so.」



The girl in front of me, Saijou Shia.

There was neither anger nor sadness, yet, she showed no signs of the reserved atmosphere from my first impression, and although she had a calm and gentle smile on her face,

I was a little startled.