Story of a Rhythm Game Couple

Chapter 28. The qualifier's results

"Asahi-kun. I've been waiting for you."

It was Sana, sitting in front of his door. She looked slightly different today, but Asahi noticed right away. Before commenting on it, though, he figured they should get inside.

Retrieving the key from his pocket, Asahi proceeded to unlock the door. The warmth inside was a stark contrast to the cold she must have endured while waiting outside. He headed straight to his room to change, while Sana made her way to the kitchen with her bag of snacks. She poured about two-thirds into the communal snack container next to the fridge, then brought the rest into the living room.

It wasn't long before they both settled into their regular spots on the sofa.

"How long have you been waiting there?" Asahi broke the silence.

"I'd say about an hour or so." Sana thoughtfully touched her lips. "I felt a little drowsy going to FunZone, so I came back here instead. I kind of forgot you have class today, so..."

"Why didn't you give me a call or something?" Asahi let out a sigh.

"Then I would have interrupted you during class, no? Besides, I would still have had to wait, and I might unnecessarily worry you."

"You've got a point..." Asahi muttered, scratching his head.

Sana leaned back on the sofa, reaching for a snack. She looked so comfy on the sofa; all that waiting might have worn her out.

Just then, Asahi stood up without a word and headed back to his room, piquing her curiosity.

"Where are you going?" Sana called after him. She was wondering for a second if he was just going to the bathroom, but apparently that wasn't the case.

While Sana was still playing the guessing game of what Asahi could be doing, he returned to the living room soon enough. He then extended his hand out to Sana, holding a golden key.

"What is this for?" Sana was puzzled as she picked it up.

Instead of directly answering her, he glanced intently toward the door, prompting Sana to follow his gaze. Realizing what he meant, she quickly dashed over and tried the key on the door.

It worked.

With a mix of surprise and confusion, Sana turned to Asahi.

"I'm giving it to you." Asahi said, gently gripping her hand that held the key. "Next time, whenever you come over, you can just let yourself in. No more waiting for me, and no need to ask for permission. Look, I don't like it either when you have to sit out there waiting for me like that."

It wasn't the first time Asahi had found Sana waiting outside his door. Generally, they would try to inform each other if anything unexpected came up. However, there were times when it was difficult to communicate in advance, such as when he had to leave suddenly or when she arrived too early. And now, as Sana spent more time at his apartment, situations like this became increasingly common. To Asahi, it was unacceptable.

"But," Sana hesitated, fidgeting. "Aren't you worried that I might do something... inappropriate while you're not here?"

"I trust my judgment." Asahi chuckled softly, reaffirming with utmost confidence. "I don't believe anything will go wrong by you having the key."

"Really? If that's the case..." Sana's eyes gleamed as she gazed at the golden key in her hand. "Thank you! I'll keep it with care."

Asahi's unwavering trust left Sana momentarily speechless. She accepted the key with gratitude, fully aware of the deep faith he was placing in her.