What If I Told Tomori-san, The Girl Who's Cold Only Towards Me, That I Knew Her Secret Account? - V1 Chapter 10.2

Confession, Right Hand, and Tears 2

A tremendous number of LINE notifications were coming in.

There were messages from my mom and Chifuyu expressing their concern for me, but the group with the highest message count was the class group chat.

(…must be full of people’s dissatisfaction towards me.)

They might never forgive me, and I might not be able to go back to being friends with them.

Consumed by such fear, I still believed in Kagisaka-kun’s words and opened the class group chat with bated breath—and then I gasped.

【Is it true that Tomori is missing?】

【I’m sorry! It’s my fault for discussing that…】

【Please don’t apologize, Takakura-san. It was the other person’s fault.】

【Anyway, let’s search for Azusa-san together!】

【I’ll also talk to students from other classes and clubs!】

Those were messages from Azusa Tomori’s friends, who were worried about her.

【We’ll search too!】

【Stop it! Takakura’s boyfriend might be dangerous, right?】

【Girls, stay at home!】

【What!? Don’t say stupid things!】

【Do you realize how much Azusa has helped us so far?】

【Now it’s our turn! Let’s help Tomo-chan!】

“Everyone…”

In order to reassure my friends, I send a message saying, 【Thank you for worrying about me. I’m okay now.】

Immediately, at an astonishing speed,

【Azusa?】

【You’re safe!】

【I’m so relieved, really relieved.】

【Did you get injured anywhere?】

【Thank god… If something had happened to Azusa, I…】

【That’s what everyone in the class was thinking!】

【Yeah! Because everyone is Tomori’s friend!】

Voices, voices, voices, voices, voices. ( 声, 声, 声, 声, 声. )

(TN: “声” is a Japanese word that translates to ‘voice’. In a broader sense, “声” can also represent the power of expression, communication, and the influence that someone’s voice can have on others.)

The voices of everyone who is not here reach me through the connection of social media.

“Tomori is really well-liked., huh?”

But this person.

Although he’s not part of the class group chat, Kagisaka-kun seems to have anticipated this situation.

“Why… How did you know?”

“I just thought I would have done the same if I were in the class group chat. Everyone in the class has been helped by Tomori before. If you’re friends, a little argument won’t break your bond.”

Quietly. Kagisaka-kun’s left-hand touches my right hand.

“Indeed, your judgment today was careless, but there’s no such thing as a person who never fails. The reflection on today’s mistakes can be fixed tomorrow. It might be difficult to be alone, but with a connection to someone, it’s possible. I am sure of it.”

I feel the touch of his fingers on the tips of my right hand.

“So, you don’t have to deny all the efforts you’ve made by saying, ‘All my actions were wrong.’ You don’t have to do something so sad.”

His warmth.

“Tomori has been trying hard to resolve troubles among your friends, and many people have been saved thanks to those efforts. It’s not just the people raising their voices in the class group chat.”

[Thank you. I’ve always wanted to express my gratitude. Thanks to Tomori, my distrust in people has improved a little]

It was just about a week ago.

The words he told me when I held his hand for the first time resurfaced in my eardrums.

Thanks to that, a warmth spread in the depths of my chest.

But it’s not just warmth in the depths of my chest.

“I’m also one of the friends who was saved by Tomori. That kind of justice and righteousness you have——I love that. (sukidayo)”

With those words, like warming my anxious and chilled palms gently…

In an instant, tears spilled from my eyes. I received a call from Chifuyu, but I couldn’t answer. The tears just wouldn’t stop.

In front of my friend, I cried for the first time.

“It’s not fair…”

I didn’t know what to do with this first-time experience, so I protested as if trying to hide my agitation.

I weakly tapped his chest with one hand as he sat beside me.

“Why are you suddenly being kind, even though you always make snarky remarks?”

This is unfair.

Kagisaka-kun is truly cunning in these situations.

He protected me tonight.

He let me know everyone’s voices when I was hurt.

He held my hand just like I did that day at the coffee shop.

He said he ‘loves (suki)’ me like that.

Of course, I know it’s not the kind of love I’ve always wanted.

However, my heart feels inexplicably warm, to the point where I feel it’s okay for him to see these tears.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you cry…”

“That kind of way of speaking is too kind, so it’s not good.”

“Then what should I do…?”

“Let’s fight and argue like we always do, insulting and berating each other.”

“Don’t suddenly say things like you’re a masochist. Well, I can’t help but want to be nice. “

“Is that so…?”

“For this whole week, I thought Tomori hated me.”

“Huh?”

“To be honest, I was prepared for the fact that you wouldn’t talk to me again.”

“What!? No way!”

What is that?

What do you mean?!

There’s not even a milligram of a reason for me to dislike Kagisaka-kun!

“Well, just like Tomori made a mistake in her judgment this time, I made a mistake in my judgment too.”

“Misjudgment?”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. So now, I’m trying to use a method to avoid making such misunderstandings.”

Kagisaka-kun looked straight into my eyes.

“Surely, fulfilling Tomori’s wish is the best option.”

M-my wish…?

Unexpectedly, my breath seemed to stop.

With such a serious expression, he spoke.

“This is not like ‘me’, but I think it’s the only method.”

I couldn’t help but to stifle my breath.

With that level of seriousness, he said——

“Tomori. Tonight, with me——”