I didn't need to hear their conversation to guess what they were talking about.
Even though I knew the sound of my breathing couldn't reach them, I held my breath anyway.
I hesitated even to step on the sand, carefully moving my foot backward to avoid making a sound.
Cautiously backing away one, two steps, slowly putting some distance between us, I turned around...
I didn't look directly at them.
× × ×
I couldn't even spare the time to change into indoor shoes at the front entrance. Wearing my filthy shoes, I wandered aimlessly through the hallway.
I really didn't want to go straight to the clubroom.
I didn't know what expression I should wear when facing her. If I waited a little longer, would I be able to pretend nothing had happened?
Without thinking, I headed for the outdoor corridor connecting the main school building to the special building. Maybe I chose the side by the faculty office instead of the side with the classrooms we usually used because I wanted to take as long a route as possible.
I sat on a bench by the window and looked up at the ceiling. Letting out the sigh that had built up in my chest, I unconsciously closed my eyes.
But closing my eyes was pointless.
Whether I pretended not to see, saw it but did nothing, or failed to notice it at all, I was already used to all of that. Yet the image I had caught in that brief instant was burned into my eyes and refused to fade.
The sunlight on my back had no warmth. Still, the dimming brightness I sensed through my eyelids told me that time had not stopped moving.
What about Yuihama now—were those two done talking?
I let out a deep