"Chiba..."
Watching Chiba's gaze settle on Hirohiko as his fists slowly clenched, Yukina could not help bending down and gently placing a slender hand on his shoulder, murmuring with concern.
"I'm fine."
In response, Chiba turned back to look at Yukina, gave her a faint smile, and spoke calmly.
Chiba...
Was that a forced smile just to keep me from worrying...?
Was he really... all right?
Yet those words, along with the smile meant to reassure her, did not put Yukina at ease. Instead, they only deepened her concern.
"Yukina... do you remember the day the three of us graduated early?"
Then, seeing Yukina's slightly furrowed brow and her plainly heightened worry, Chiba slowly withdrew his smile. His gaze shifted to that utterly regretless smile as he changed the subject.
The day we graduated with Hirohiko?
Hearing this, Yukina froze slightly.
"Mm, how could I forget? That was when the three of us first got to know each other. I still remember that, when we said goodbye at the end, Hirohiko was a beat too slow. Only after we had left did he foolishly add a goodbye. Back then, I didn't know whether I should respond or not. Later, when I realized I should turn around and answer him, he had already gone."
Then, as if recalling that time, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Yukina's lips as she spoke.
"Yeah, me too."
At that, the image of the three of them parting after graduating from the Ninja Academy flashed through Chiba's mind. The three of them had been headed in three different directions. After he and Yukina said goodbye, Hirohiko had seemingly not thought to say goodbye himself. Only after they had exchanged farewells did Hirohiko remember, after quite a while, that he should say goodbye too.