Trouble with love

Part 8 unexpected twist

About an hour had passed, and Nishikata and friends were making their way over to the rest area to get lunch. "I'm glad it's not raining again." Takao stated. "Last two years were horrible."

"Did it really rain the first day of summer last year?" Nishikata asked. "I can't seem to remember for some reason."

"It was the worst, we couldn't go to the pool or beach for a week afterwards."

"I think that's a bit of a stretch." Hamaguchi replied.

"If you guys are going to argue, then I'm going first." Kimura said as he strolled up to the counter.

The rest of them watched until Hamaguchi elbowed Nishikata. "Huh?"

"Table at the far end, don't stare for too long." Hamaguchi whispered.

Nishikata scanned the area, until he saw the table that Hamaguchi was talking about; sitting there, at one of the tables at the other end of the rest area, was Takagi-san, Takagawa, Houjou, and Mano, eating lunch and laughing together. "Oh." Nishikata turned away and back towords Hamaguchi. "I didn't know Mano-san was here as well."

"Yeah, if we had known that, I would have suggested inviting Nakai."

"We should have invited him anyway."

"Yeah, well, I don't want to get ... accused of staring at them."

"Me neither." Nishikata glanced over them once more and pulled his eyes away again. "I'll find us a table far away from them, just get me the normal bento."

"Sure thing."

Elsewhere, Takagi-san and her friends were sitting at a table laughing. "Yeah, some people are just so disrespectful." Houjou said as she had a towel wrapped around her shoulders. "Seriously, though, it's like half our class is here, it's almost creepy."

"There are probably more here enjoying the first day of summer than you think." Takagi-san replied. "Just got dragged along because someone didn't want to be seen at the pool alone."

"Still." She brought the towel up to her mouth. "I wish most of them would just buzz off, this is the most annoying thing ever."

"I know how you feel." Takagi-san began. "I heard that some believe that people will lose interest if you're already in a relationship."

"I don't think that would work that well, I don't want to get into a relationship for no reason."

"I can understand that." Takagi-san said before eating some of her lunch. "By the way, what do you and Hamaguchi-kun plan to do over the summer?"

Houjou almost choked at Takagi-san's question. "Wha- we're not ... together."

"I know, but you two are friends, right?"

Houjou blushed before taking a deep breath. "Well, he likes hanging around me, and I don't hate him, but we haven't made any plans for ... just the two of us."

"Well you should probably get on that." She paused and glanced at her. "Before some other girl comes along and scoops him up."

"I ... I don't know what you're talking about." She said as she looked away. "Anyway, what about you and Nishikata-kun?"

"Huh? What about us?"

"Everyone knows that you like him."

"Oh, that, well ... things are ... difficult right now."

"Difficult?"

"He's got a few self-confidence issues that he's working through."

"Really?"