Skybound (If My Heart Had Wings X OC/Male reader)

Chapter 12: Beginning of a dream

At lunch break, Ageha and I were called in to the staff room. It was because we were both absent yesterday. We had no excuses, so we told the truth and said that we were hanging out, resulting in a severe scolding from our homeroom teacher. It couldn't be helped I guess.

Aoi: It was a good thing they didn't contact your parents, Ageha

Aoi was waiting for us outside when we got out of the staff room.

Ageha: Yeah...

Ageha wasn't her usual cheerful self this morning. Aoi had asked me about it and I just told him that she and Kotori had an argument yesterday.

Aoi: I still can't believe you guys went and skipped school without me

Akiri: You're still sulking about that?

Aoi: I'm not sulking, just disappointed

Akiri: Look, I'll make it up to you alright?

Aoi: Fine...

Ageha: I really said something terrible yesterday, didn't I?

I heard her mutter. I guess she was still feeling down about yesterday.

Akiri: Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure that Kotori understood why you did it

Ageha: No, that's not it. I think that maybe the reason why I got angry was because she was exactly right... I really do kiss up to people...

Akiri: No, you don't, Ageha

Ageha: You know, there are a lot of people that I get along with. But unlike back when we were all playing together, I don't have any really close friends like you guys

Now that she mentions it, Ageha does get along with everyone, but it doesn't look like she has any particularly close friends.

Aoi: I was the same. I got along with colleagues from the Cycle Racing Club. But unlike with you guys, I couldn't just talk to them about everything

Akiri: Same here

I guess it was a question of adolescence. I also hadn't spent as much time with anyone else other than these guys. Aoi, Ageha, the others and I were friends as long as we remembered and became each other's very first friends.

Ageha: It's true that the teacher had asked me to do it... I was told to make it easy for her to join in with everyone

Aoi: Even if you weren't told to, you would have been worried about Habane-san anyway, wouldn't you?

Ageha: That was my intention... But I lost my self-confidence. After all, it had the opposite effect

Kotori is absent today as well. When I woke up this morning, she had already left. Ageha probably thought that it was her fault and was blaming herself for it. I couldn't take it anymore. Seeing her sad like this, so I decided to finally tell them about it.

Akiri: It's not your fault that Kotori hasn't been coming to school

Ageha: Why do you think that?

Akiri: It's not just what I think. In fact, I'm completely certain

Ageha: Huh?

Aoi: What do you mean?

The two of them raised an eyebrow, confused about what I said.

Akiri: The truth is...

I looked around to make sure that nobody else could hear us and lowered my voice as I leaned closer to them.

Akiri: Kotori is planning to quit school

I quietly said and the both of them then had a shocked expression.