CH 37

So the four of us decided to play on Saturday, April 30 and Thursday, May 5. I had a part-time job on all the other days off, so we ended up having zero free days.

If there were free days, I would have considered playing with Keiichi and my friends from elementary school who went to other high schools, but if there were none, there was nothing I could do. I had not received any invitation from them beforehand, so I decided to play with Kohinata and the others this time. I’m sure I’ll meet my father during the summer vacation anyway, so I don’t have to worry about him.

–So, you know.

We had two days off to play from morning till night, but it started to get dark before we could decide what to do, so we decided to go home to our respective houses.

Then how do you make a schedule, you ask? In this day and age, there are civilized devices that allow us to easily get in touch with others wherever they are. It’s a smartphone.

I was invited by Keiichi to join a group chat room called [Conference Room for Overcoming Difficulties].

It seems that the “meeting to overcome my weakness” that Keiichi had mentioned before was being held in this group chat room. The participants were, of course, Keiichi, Saejima, and Kohinata.

Within a minute after I entered the group, the group name was changed to “The Four Best Friends,” a name that was obviously randomly chosen.

Couldn’t they have come up with something else? I don’t want them to follow the example of “Kohina Tan Chukichuki Club,” though.

Unfortunately, due to the chat specifications, it seems that I cannot see the chats before I joined the club, so there is no way for me to know what kind of conversations were going on before. If I really wanted to know, I could just take Keiichi’s phone.

“How about Satsuki Emerald Park? That place doesn’t cost much, if at all.”

Satsuki Emerald Park–also known as Emepa–is a green park located near the elementary school we attended. It has a cycling path, athletic facilities, and a petting zoo.

Together with the vast open space and various other facilities, the area of the park must have been about 10 times the size of the Tokyo Dome. It’s a place that can be enjoyed by both children and adults, like it or not.

Tapping my phone, I sent a text to the group chat, and three people immediately responded.

“Emepa? That’s nice! You only had to pay the admission fee there, right?　And it’s only a hundred yen, right?”

“It’s Golden Week, so it looks like there might be some events going on there, right? I agree! It’s cheap! I haven’t been there since I was a kid, so I’m looking forward to it.”

“(rabbit shakes its head in a stamp)”

Both Keiichi and Saejima responded affirmatively to my suggestion.

It seems that Kohinata is also in favor – is this guy shaking her head all the way down to her phone? It’s cute in a kohinata kind of way, though. The fact that she’s a rabbit is also somewhat similar to the atmosphere.

“Well, let’s say we go to Emepa on Thursday the 5th, and then on Saturday we’ll go out and buy a bunch of stuff. How about Frisbee or badminton? It seems expensive to buy them over there.”

“That would be a good idea. After shopping, let’s go to Tomoki’s house and play games.”

And so the holiday plans were decided in such a light-hearted manner. There were no negative comments, so I guess that’s settled.

We talked slack-jawed for a while and the chat had calmed down, so I put my phone under my pillow and then turned over on my back on the bed.

I already put the money for the part-time job that Akane-san gave me in my stomach, and I’ve also taken a bath. Today’s schedule leaves only bedtime.

Tomorrow, I’m vaguely hoping that the manager won’t go out of control and that we’ll get a few customers there, and then I hear the shaky sound of my phone.

“Is it Keiichi?”

I’m sure it’s someone personal because I have notifications turned off for the group chat, though I’m sure it’s someone…

As I picked up my phone with this thought in mind, it vibrated again. Apparently, the phone shaking was not a notification of a chat, but rather two friend application notifications. The other two are from Saejima and Kohinata.

Come to think of it, I only joined the group chat, not registered separately with the girls individually.

When I allowed the application, Saejima immediately said, “Thanks for the permission! Pleased to meet you!” I sent back a short message of “Nice to meet you” and an appropriate cat stamp.

And what about Kohinata?

“I was trying to poke you, just imagination.”

I received such a text. I never thought I would be talking to Kohinata, even if it was through my smartphone. ……It’s a very fresh feeling. I’ve been shown smartphone screens with text on them, but when it comes to chatting, I get a different impression.

“Don’t tell me you think you can fool me?”

I reply, and within a minute I receive a reply from Kohinata.

“Sugino, you’re bullying me.”

“I’m not trying to bully you.”

“You should pretend you don’t see it.”

“You can’t do that at that close range ……, I mean, why don’t you talk in the group chat like you’re doing now?”

Currently, Kohinata is sending pompous chats to me, but in the group chat, she only sent stamps.

Is that it? The one where it’s hard to speak up when there’s a lot of other people around? I mean, even though there are only a few of us.

“Embarrassing.”

-it seems to be. And,

“Sugino, like papa.”

Such sentences were sent in succession.

I was satisfied and a little disappointed. Well, I also feel protective of her, so maybe I deserve to be called a protector.

“I see. Well, Kohinata can do as she pleases. I’m not going to tell you what to do.”

In the first place, as a mere classmate, I don’t have the right to tell her what to do.

“Thank you.”

“Well, I’m not going to pretend I didn’t see it!”

When I sent a stamp showing a cat in an “akambe” pose, Kohinata immediately sent a stamp showing a rabbit smacking a cat.

Why do you have such a convenient stamp? …… please don’t do that …… cat, you’re making me teary-eyed.