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-19-

『January 7th』

Not much longer.

Naho will confess to Kakeru on Valentine's Day and he'll accept.

If things went right, that might completely change.

Kakeru's grandmother had been released from the hospital two days ago, even though he was worried about her and wanted to stay home I convinced him to come back. He asked me to wait for him at the entrance of the school.

"You never told me what you did on New Years, when I got home you weren't there." Suwa had been asking the same question since the new year started, Kakeru and I weren't official or anything. When we were I'd tell him the whole ordeal.

"A lot happened, give me like a month."

"A month!" He screamed as I laughed.

"It may be today if things surprise me." I shrugged as I stopped at the entrance. He only stopped when I stopped, looking at me oddly.

"You're so weird, I expect an explanation after school!" He pointed in my direction as he walked into the school me leaning on the gate.

"Have you been waiting long?" Kakeru asked as I jumped, he had scared me considering it was silent out here. I only shook my head as he grabbed my hand and walked into the school. I didn't comment on it, I only smiled and asked about his morning.

When we walked into the school we had to go our separate ways for our lockers since I was in a different isle.

When I let go of his hands he frowned. "My hands are already cold."

I rolled my eyes and pushed his chest lightly. "Go change your shoes." He smiled as we both parted ways, me walking over to my locker and changing before heading to my class. I had saw Naho talking to Kakeru, he seemed unknowingly annoyed by her presence.

Naho had tried multiple times that day to get him alone, try to talk about what happened on New Years but not much words were exchanged between them.

When it was lunch time Maria and I were outside between the two buildings. I forgot to make lunch for Suwa and I today so he's probably in the lunchroom as I went to the  vending machines.

"Kakeru!" Naho called as Maria leaned on the vending machine and watched another failed attempt to talk to the boy. She had knew everything that happened over break, I can't leave her out of the loop. I was minding my own business and debating on what I wanted to eat.

"He's coming over here." She whispered as the boy called my name with a wave. I smiled as I saw Naho looking at the two of us from the doorway.

"I'll be back okay?" I told them opening my bag of [Favorite Chips]. Maria nodded and told me they'd be in the cafeteria before they left. I smiled at my two friends getting along as I walked over to Naho, her snapping out of the daze she was in. "Are you okay Naho?" I asked, leaning on the wall and grabbing a chip from my bag. She looked to the floor and nodded, of course she actually wasn't but she'd never tell me that. I shrugged and turned as she quietly called out to me.

"[Name]!" When I turned, she got flustered and looked down. "Are you and Kakeru um.. dating?"

"No." I stuffed my hand into the bag to take another chip. "Why?"

"I-I.. was just asking.."

I put my non-dominant hand on her shoulder. "He'll talk when he's ready," I took my hand off and held the bag again. "I'm assuming anyway."

I waved a goodbye to Naho before going to the lunchroom. It was rude what I did, yet it isn't like she considered any of my feelings in her decisions.

"Finally!" Suwa cheered, plopping into a seat at the kitchen table. I had agreed to tell him when he came home, now that he was all sweaty from practice and I was cooking.

"You don't want to shower first?" I asked, cutting up some carrots for his lunch. He only shook his head.

"Fine." I sighed going to open a window. He rolled his eyes telling me to hurry up. "Kakeru ran away from Naho, you know that already." I told him, walking back to the food. "I found him under a lamppost, he completely destroyed his phone by the way. He told me how Naho was insensitive about his grandmother. Speaking of which you went to talk to her right?" I looked up at him as I wrapped up the his finished box.

"I told her, the whole truth this time."

I smiled and cheered. I ran over and hugged him before commenting how smelly he was. He told to finish the story as I let go of him. I walked back over and put some food into my lunchbox.

"We went to go visit his grandmother, and he told me he doesn't want Naho anymore." I shut my [Favorite color] lunchbox before putting both of them away. "He only wants me."

Suwa smiled and congratulated me. "Wait." He stopped smiling. "Where's your necklace? And he can't date my sister!"

I sighed, pointing toward the staircase. "Go take a shower Suwa."

He grumbled but stood up and grabbed his Adidas bag before jogging up the steps. His words did make me wonder curiously.

"Where is my necklace?"