In order to save the villainous twin sisters from falling into darkness the mob character worked hard and as a result ended up being doted on by both of them.
Anyway, I was able to enjoy an after-school café outing with Saki and Soyoka, so I’m satisfied.
I got to know the two of them better, and my heart was full of contentment.
“Well, shall we head home?”
I stood up with my crutches and left the café.
After-school time is short.
After talking for just an hour, the sun was already starting to set.
“I’ll walk you home,” Saki said.
“We wouldn’t want something to happen when it’s too late,” Soyoka added.
As we started walking, the two of them flanked me on either side.
“Uh… it’s getting dark, so it’d be fine to part ways here, you know?”
I appreciated their thoughtfulness, but my house wasn’t that far from here. It was a distance I could manage alone without any trouble.
“Don’t be ridiculous. The sun’s almost down—what if something happened?” Saki retorted.
“A defenseless girl like you walking around could attract some creep. That’d be a disaster,” Soyoka chimed in.
It seemed they weren’t just worried about my injury but also about me being alone at night. Still, their concern felt a bit overblown…
“Look, even if a creep showed up, they wouldn’t target *me*, right?”
I mean, why would anyone go out of their way to pick on me? Risk management is important, but excessive worrying isn’t good either.
“…”
But the Futami sisters exchanged a glance while keeping me between them.
“You’re underestimating yourself too much, Touko,” Saki said.
“Humility might be a virtue, but putting yourself down too much isn’t okay, Touko-chan,” Soyoka added.
My opinion was promptly shot down from both sides.
…Okay, but hear me out. Even I couldn’t just nod along to that. It felt like they were more out of touch with reality than I’d thought.
“To be honest, it doesn’t really click for me,” I said.
But they both gave me a deadpan stare, apparently unconvinced. Maybe I hadn’t explained myself well enough.
“No, I mean, if I were a beauty like Saki or Soyoka, I’d be on guard, sure. I’ve got that much awareness.”
“W-Wait, wh-who’re you calling a beauty?!” Saki stammered.
“D-Don’t just compliment me out of nowhere!” Soyoka squeaked.
The two of them started flailing on either side of me. I’d only stated the obvious—nothing worth getting so flustered over.
“Trying to change the subject won’t work,” Saki said firmly.
“You might’ve said it out of kindness, but we’re not letting it slide,” Soyoka added.
Change the subject? Kindness? Huh, what were they talking about?
“No, I’m just saying it like it is. I’m calling beauties what they are—beauties.”
It’s an objective fact. No personal feelings involved.
(*…Urgh. S-Soyoka… what’s this? What do I do in a situation like this…?*)
(*…Ugh. S-Saki-chan… when she compliments us with such pure eyes, I don’t know how to respond…*)
The two of them bent forward slightly, trembling as if trying to endure something. What was wrong? They’d been acting strange for a while. Was I really saying something that weird?
“Ahem. Let’s get back on track,” Saki said, clearing her throat. “We’re saying that since Touko’s cute, it’d be dangerous if something happened.”
“Y-Yeah! Touko-chan’s cute, so there’s definitely a chance she’d get targeted. Like, super definitely!” Soyoka insisted.
“Uh…”
They scolded me with unexpectedly serious expressions, their words carrying real conviction. Me, cute…? Wait, was it really okay to take that at face value?
“Are you two just trying to be nice to me or something?”
After all, they’d both been overly concerned about my injury. They were always looking out for me, so maybe this was just an extension of that?
“Touko… you’re gonna make me mad,” Saki warned.
“Touko-chan… that might be a bit *too* cynical,” Soyoka said softly.
Oh, no, they were serious. They genuinely meant the compliments. It was hard to accept outright… but I shouldn’t stir up trouble, right? They were kind enough to feel that way about me.
“Thanks, I’m happy to hear that,” I said awkwardly.
“Oh, you totally don’t mean that!” Saki snapped.
“You don’t believe a word we’re saying!” Soyoka exclaimed.
Crap, they saw right through me.
“I believe you!” I insisted.
“You’ve been talking all stiff and weird this whole time!” Saki pointed out.
“You’re just going along with it without actually agreeing!” Soyoka added.
No, I *wanted* to accept that they felt that way. It was hard to believe, sure, but maybe it was something I could be happy about. Still, whether I could see it as an objective fact was another matter entirely.
“Anyway! It’s better to be cautious!” Saki declared.
“There’s no harm in us being here, so just leave it to us, Touko-chan!” Soyoka said cheerfully.
They created an atmosphere that left no room for argument and insisted on seeing me home. Well, if they were going that far…
“Then I’ll take you up on that,” I said.
“Hmph, you should’ve just said that from the start,” Saki huffed.
“We’re doing this because we want to, you know,” Soyoka added with a smile.
—
After school always carried a hint of loneliness for me. But being with the three of us like this made me forget that feeling entirely. The night breeze was growing colder, but with the two of them acting as walls on either side, I didn’t even shiver. It shouldn’t have been possible, yet I somehow felt a warmth spreading through me.
“It’s fun being with Saki and Soyoka,” I said.
“…”
This feeling was probably what drowned out the loneliness and the cold. Negative emotions, when shared with someone, could cancel out with a positive—and maybe even go beyond that.
“…D-Don’t say stuff like that. I’m not used to it,” Saki mumbled, flustered.
“…We’ve always just been the two of us, so being with three people like this is new for us too,” Soyoka said softly.
But maybe they were feeling the chill more than I thought. Their cheeks were flushed, and they were trembling slightly.
“Are you okay? You’re not pushing yourselves, are you?” I asked.
“I-I’m not pushing myself! I was just a little surprised!” Saki protested.
“It’s probably a first for us too, in a way,” Soyoka said thoughtfully.
The Futami sisters, staying by my side like this—their kindness was, without a doubt, a genuine warmth to me.