There was no point in staying in the courtyard any longer, so we started walking toward the school building, still holding hands.

As we walked down the hallway, I could feel the girls passing by staring at us. I could even hear them whispering.

“Everyone’s watching.”

Wakana muttered quietly.

“I don’t care.”

I gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

On the way to the classroom, I suddenly stopped.

“Oh, right. Before we go back, I should tell Matsumoto-senpai something.”

“Tell him what?”

“That since we’re now dating, he should stay away from you.”

Wakana looked a little surprised.

“I’ll go with you.”

“You don’t have to. I can do it alone.”

“No, it wouldn’t feel right to leave it all to you, Ren.”

“Really? Alright then.”

We walked toward the third-year classroom together.

Peeking inside, I saw Matsumoto-senpai sitting by the window, and he was talking with a few girls.

“Matsumoto-senpai.”

When I called out, he turned to look at us.

“Hey, you're back again. What is it?”

“I have something to tell you.”

Matsumoto-senpai stood up and walked over, looking at us with interest. His eyes lingered on our hands that were still held together.

“Hmm…”

“Wakana is now my girlfriend.”

I looked him straight in the eyes.

A faint smile appeared on Matsumoto-senpai’s face.

“That was fast. Did the talk at lunch work its magic?”

Wakana looked a little embarrassed at his words.

“Well, that’s basically how it happened. Anyway, Wakana is mine now, so please don’t bother her.”

“Alright, if that’s the case. I’m not the type to go after someone else’s girl.”

Matsumoto-senpai placed a hand on my right shoulder and spoke quietly.

“Take good care of Shiroyanagi, Saotome.”

“Yes, of course.”

Matsumoto-senpai shrugged.

“I can’t be helped. I’ll find someone else. This school’s full of girls anyway.”

With that, he walked toward the back of the classroom.

Wakana and I just stood there.

“That was anticlimactic.”

Wakana muttered quietly.

“Yeah…”

I feel the same. I had expected it might get more complicated.

Anyway, with Matsumoto-senpai taken care of, we went back to our own class.

As soon as we entered, our classmates surrounded us.

“Are you really dating?”

“Since when?”

“Wasn’t that too sudden?”

Questions came at us all at once.

Wakana answered calmly, one by one.

“About twenty minutes ago.”

“That’s like just now!”

“Shiroyanagi, that’s not fair!”

“You're lucky to have a childhood friend like that.”

The girls in class were looking at us with envy.

Wakana and I took our seats. It would normally have been just another ordinary scene, but today felt different.

Even after the afternoon classes started, I couldn’t concentrate. My eyes kept drifting toward Wakana. She seemed to feel the same, and our gazes met from time to time.

Each time, we smiled at each other, without saying a word.

After school, Wakana and I were going home together.

At the entrance, Wakana spoke softly as we changed our shoes.

“This feels like a dream.”

“A dream?”

“Until this morning, I never thought I’d be dating Ren.”

I felt the same way.

“Me neither.”

Outside, the setting sun bathed the school in orange light.

“Do you want to hold hands?”

“Yeah.”

Hearing her answer, I gently held her hand. Then, a voice called out.

“…Big brother?”

I turned to see Ruka standing there. She adjusted her uniform collar and walked toward us with light steps.

“Ruka…”

I instinctively tried to let go of Wakana’s hand, but she gently squeezed back.

Ruka gave Wakana a small nod.

“Are you going home now, too?”

“Yes. The committee meeting ran late.”

Her eyes drifted to our hands again. It was clearly on purpose this time.

“Um…”

I started to explain, but Wakana spoke first.

“Ren and I, we’re dating now.”

At Wakana’s words, Ruka’s expression froze for a moment. But she quickly returned to her usual smile.

“I see.

She nodded slightly.

“Congratulations!”

Her words sounded like a genuine celebration, but there was something a little mechanical about them.

“Wakana-san, please take care of my big brother.”

“The pleasure is mine.”

Wakana answered politely

A short silence followed. The setting sun bathed the three of us in warm light.

“Oh, that’s right!”

Ruka suddenly clapped her hands.

“I just remembered that I have an urgent errand.”

“An urgent errand?”

“Yes. Soy sauce is on sale, and if I don’t hurry, it’ll be sold out.”

She looked slightly flustered.

“Then I’ll come with you…”

“No, it’s fine! Big brother should go home slowly with Wakana-san!”

Ruka waved her hands frantically.

“But.”

“Really, it’s fine!”

With that, she turned her back to us.

“Well then, I’ll be going first.”

“Got it. Take care.”

“Yes.”

Ruka looked back and smiled. But her smile seemed a little forced, and it was different from usual.

Once her back disappeared from view, Wakana spoke softly.

“Ruka-chan seemed to be in a hurry.”

“Yeah.”

I was thinking the same thing. She did congratulate us, but something felt different.

“Did Ruka really just go shopping?”

Wakana looked up at me.

“What do you mean?”

“No, it's nothing.”

I shook my head, but deep in my chest, a strange unease lingered.

to be continued…

Chapter 15: "It Won’t Be the End Even if My Childhood Friend Becomes My Girlfriend"