The next day.

　Yesterday, my sister asked me to be friends with Asuka.

　Become friends with someone you have broken up with.

What a demanding request. No matter how much she asked me to be her friend, I don’t think I can fulfill her request this time.

　However, I may have been a little too cold to her.

　The next time Asuka shows her face, I’ll try a different approach.

“…………”

But despite my thoughts to the contrary.

　　During morning break, lunch break, and after school, Asuka did not show up.

　Yesterday, I had seen her for some reason,…….

Today only, I have not seen Asuka even once in my sight.

“(……Nothing wrong with that, isn’t it a good thing? Asuka quit obsessing about me. I guess my words must have gotten through to her. I didn’t have to go to the trouble of making a new girlfriend. It’s a development that I hope will come true.)”

　And yet, I wonder why.

　A mysterious sense of frustration was overtaking me.

“Yo, Hiroto.”

“…… Takase.”

　When I arrived at the entrance after cleaning the classroom, I found my bad friend Takase leaning his weight against the wall.

　He was waiting for me.

“Let’s go home together.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Takase with a light-hearted look on his face.

　When I responded, Takase peeked his white teeth.

“That’s good, Hiroto.”

“Good? About what?”

“Asuka didn’t show her face in front of Hiroto even once today. I thought she was still in love with Hiroto, but she was able to let go of her attachment to you surprisingly quickly.”

“……Yeah, it looks like that.”

　In contrast to Takase’s cheerful tone, my voice had lost its high spirits.

　I changed my shoes into sneakers and left the entrance. Takase glanced at me.

“….. Miss her?”

“Ha?　O-Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Is that so?　Then that’s good”

“…………”

　I bite my lower lip hard.

　What am I trying to be tough, I wonder.

　I don’t know what I mean anymore.

　Yesterday, I felt that Asuka’s attempts to get in touch with me were alien to me.

　I thought that since we had broken up, she should be aware of that.

　But when I didn’t see or hear from Asuka for a whole day like this, a strange feeling of emptiness came over me. Really, I don’t know why. ……

“I heard from a girl in the fourth class that Asuka is absent from school today because of a cold.”

“Is that so?”

　I didn’t know that.

　But, as I am not her boyfriend, there is no way for me to know about Asuka’s condition.

“Why don’t you go visit her?　There’s no rule that says you have to be her boyfriend to visit her.”

“……… I’m not going to visit her. It doesn’t make any sense to me, the ex-boyfriend going to visit her.”

　I turned away with a pout and said as if to throw up.

　Takase let out an exhale of exasperation.

“I don’t know. If my ex-girlfriend caught a cold, I would go to visit her in a heartbeat.”

“That’s just because you’re special.”

“Well, I guess that’s true. But I have a date. I’m sorry, I will go ahead”

“Eh, yeah, okay.”

　Takase looked down at his phone once and walked quickly through the main gate.

　I stopped dead in my tracks and looked up at the sky, where the sun was hidden by clouds.

“There’s no way I’m going to visit her ……”

　There’s no way I’m going to visit her.……

I had declared so just a few minutes ago, but I was in front of Asuka’s house.

　But that’s just it. The direction of our houses are the same.

　If I was heading for my house, I would naturally pass by Asuka’s house.

　I happened to be in the mood for spuds, jelly, sweets, and ice cream, so I bought them at a convenience store.

　Of course, I had no other intention.

“……, Am I a tsundere?”

　I have my own twisted thought process. Men’s tsundere are the least in demand in this world.

Haa, stupid ……. I’m going home after all.

“Ara, Hiroto?”

“….H-Hello”

I was about to give up on visiting her and go home.

　My eyes met those of an adult woman who looked to be in her late twenties.

　She looked a lot like Asuka, but the atmosphere was very different. She has a calm and gentle tone of voice.

　I don’t think I need to bother to explain, but she is Asuka’s mother.

“Did you come to visit Asuka by any chance?”

“Oh, no, I had no intention!”

“I’m so glad. I think Asuka would be happy too!”

“U-uhm, like I said, I didn’t come here to visit her.”

“Come in, come in. Don’t be shy.”

“Wait, p-please don’t pull me”

　Asuka’s mother took me to the house and halfway forced me to go inside.

　　I’m going to go visit my ex-girlfriend, though it’s completely my own fault.

　What should I do?

　I’m not prepared for this.……!