To Unfold A Mystery (Hiyori x Kiyotaka Fanfic)

Chapter 18: Bed-Time

Kei POV

"Is Shiina-san going to be alright..."

"Like I said..." I sighed. "Don't be such a worrywart, Ichinose-san."

It's been like 10 minutes since we separated with Kiyotaka to walk to school together, yet Ichinose-san kept winding the topic back to Shiina-san...

Honestly, I also want to know why Shiina-san is that sick as well, and how she got that...well, princess-carry treatment...but as much as I want to get all care yet bitter about it, even I know better than to keep dwelling on this gloomy matter.

Though, I suppose it's just Ichinose-san's character to always care about someone like this...

"A-Anyway," I tried to divert the topic once again. "It sure is weird to see you awake this early, Ichinose-san."

Right as I dropped the words though, her brows perked up a little in response.

"Well..." She smiled towards me, as if judging me of something. "What about you, Kairuzawa-san? You seem to be quite early as well!"

Oh...trying to dodge the reason, are we?

Although Kiyotaka messaged me to only hold off Ichinose, I don't think that's the case now.

Given how that incident might expose our knowledge of the novel situation, my real mission must be to keep Kiyotaka out of the scope of topics, and extract clues from Ichinose-san if she's really one of the confirmed readers of the novel, and how she obtained such a novel.

At least, I'm sure that guy will tell me something similar.

So, I can't afford to slip up here, as I would also drag Kiyotaka along with me.

"Just once in a while. They say the skin of an early bird is the smoothest after all." I randomly thought of a quote. "So, what about you? Surely you aren't awake to meet your secret lover or something , are you?"

"E-Eh?!"

"Hm?"

"U-Um..." her gaze began to trail off.

...wait...

My brow perked up, as I observed an expected sight.

Why is she blushing all of a sudden...

...Hold on, maybe if I pressured her here a little...

"So you're really meeting your secret lover after all!" I screamed, adding in a bit of excitement.

"What? N-No..." Her gaze fell to the ground. "I mean...I ju-kinda did, but no..."

That's...a surprising answer.

"So is it a yes or..."

"N-No, Kairuzawa-san. I did not." She attempted to firm her tone against my suspicion.

"It's just...I tried to meet Shiina-san over a certain matter, but...it didn't really work out as I expected..."

Then...is that 'certain matter' about the novel?

Well, given how she just literally asked to have the novel Shiina-san is holding, this has to be it, right?

"Shiina-san..." Ichinose-san's words trailed off.

...

...Oh god, no...

"I wonder if she's really alright..."

And then, all of a sudden, the air around us started to get gloomy again...

I sighed once again. "It's going to be fine, Ichinose-san. Don't worry so much..."