67 - There may be only one truth, but each person tell it in a different way (Patreon)

RAW

Hiuri's belongings are in the classroom, so she will probably return to the classroom sometime. However, I must not wait for that to happen.
I think about where Hiuri would go after leaving the classroom. As expected, I don't think she left the school grounds, places within the school grounds... places Hiuri told me about...

“Ah, boyfriend-kun! Is the talk over?”

As I was pondering my thoughts, Hayashi-san abruptly came out from the next class. She is looking at me with an excited expression.

“Huh, Hayashi-san. Didn't you go home?”
“Nn─? Hiu drove me off, but there's no way I'd miss out on such an interesting event.”

Apparently, Hayashi-san stayed behind because she was curious about how our talk would turn out.
Hayashi-san also knew what we were going to talk about today, so she must have been curious about how it would end.

“Actually...”

I told Hayashi-san what happened. About our talk about the dream, and that I knew about her family's circumstances.

When I told her about how Hiuri ran away, Hayashi-san looked exasperated.

“Geez, Hiu, you shouldn't run away.”
“Did you see Hiuri?”
“At least she didn’t come in my direction. I was in the next class, but I'd notice if Hiu passes by in the hallway.”

Hayashi-san apparently was chattering in the next class that wasn't my class. And then, she noticed me coming out of the classroom, so she also came out.
If she noticed me coming out of the classroom, she should have noticed Hiuri too though...

“Sorry, I got too excited.” (Hayashi)
“It’s not like I’m blaming you.”
“In any case, she hasn't come here, but... boyfriend-kun, do you know where Hiu is?”
“Kinda.”

I have an idea of where Hiuri might be. If she’s not there, there's nothing I can do though...

“Okay─. Then, boyfriend-kun will go there. I'll check out the women's restroom that boyfriend-kun can't enter. Hiu isn't that type of person, but she might be crying in the restroom.”
“I’m counting on you.”

I parted ways with Hayashi-san and left the school building.
Hayashi-san said it but, Hiuri isn't the type to cry in places where she might be seen.

She’ll cry in secret, in a place where no one can see her.

I came to a courtyard-like space near the school building that could only be accessed from a certain area. This is the place where I once ate lunch with Hiuri during the sports festival.
This place, which Hiuri had said was her “treasured place,” strangely, is also the place where Hiuri first brought up the topic about her family in real life.

At that time, I couldn't hear anything from Hiuri, probably because we were in the middle of the sports festival, but...

“Hiuri.”
“Kazu, ki-kun... come to think of it, I did tell you, didn’t I? About this place...”

So Hiuri was here after all. A small, quiet space that no one knows about.

Hiuri's eyes are a little red, showing that she had been crying. Hiuri is strong-willed, but there are times when she even cries.

“Wait, don't look at me like this...”
“That's because Hiuri ran away halfway through.”
“Be, because...”

Unusually for Hiuri, she is completely losing heart. She doesn't break down like this even when something happens to her family, is it that much of a shock?

I sit down next to Hiuri.

“...I'm sorry, that wasn't like me, was it.”
“It’s fine. Calm down.”
“Yeah...”

We are in after-school, in a space where no one else can see. We have plenty of time.
After waiting for Hiuri to calm down, I opened my mouth.

“I thought I knew Hiuri well, but I didn't think it would be such a shock.”
“Didn't the me in the dream say anything?”
“Hiuri in the dream said there is no problem though...”

I said it today partly because Hayashi-san urged me, but also because I was encouraged by Hiuri in the dream. And yet, contrary to my expectations, Hiuri ended up getting hurt this much...

“I wonder if the me in the dream has a different way of looking at things after all.”
“That might be true. I’m sorry, Hiuri.”
“You don't need to apologize. I’m the one who should, I'm sorry for running away.”

We apologized to each other. Neither of us was at fault, but both of us apologized.

“Please tell me one more time. Kazuki-kun, about my family, do you...”
“I know. That's why I wanted to support Hiuri, that’s why I came here to tell you.”

Here I weave the words that I could not convey to Hiuri because she ran away.

“Hiuri.”
“...Yes.”
“I want to support you, Hiuri.”

It's the same words as before, even so, I don’t decorate my words.

“...I'll say it myself too. I want you to support me.”
“Leave it to me.”

Hiuri starts approaching me little by little. We're sitting next to each other, but the distance between us is shrinking even more.

“I think I said it before, but... Kazuki-kun, I love you.”

Hiuri's face is getting closer to mine and...

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