The Distance Between Them

If the students in Class D had previously been curious or privately speculated about the on-again, off-again relationship between the two of them, which was unlike that of ordinary classmates,

then after these past few days—their hands naturally linked whenever they left school, their unabashedly intimate feeding at lunch, and now their heedless closeness in the library—the answer had been laid out clearly before everyone, beyond any doubt.

Their relationship was now unquestionably confirmed.

Although Hirata Yosuke and Karuizawa Kei, the class's high-profile and ostentatious couple, had already blazed the trail, somewhat dulling everyone's surprise at the birth of a new couple,

the wordless intimacy between Kiyona and Hoshino Kanade, as though they were surrounded by a barrier of their own, and the unforced affection they let show almost every moment,

still had an invisible "impact" on those watching. As their classmates put it in private, "They're dishing out Dog Food too often, and the concentration's way too high. It's honestly a bit hard to stomach."

The library was quiet that afternoon, quiet enough to hear the soft rustle of turning pages.

It was the regular meeting place for their small reading group.

Hoshino Kanade and Kiyona were squeezed into the same seat.

Hoshino Kanade could clearly feel Kiyona's weight against her shoulder, gentle as a weary bird that had found a home. Her gaze rested on the pages, but her thoughts stirred faintly at the sound of Shiina Hiyori's approaching footsteps.

She had heard the teasing in class about how she and Kiyona were "dishing out Dog Food."

The pros and cons of this very public display of intimacy were clear enough.

It was like an invisible barrier: it kept out needless interference from others, but inevitably made it harder for other feelings to take root.

When Shiina Hiyori appeared at the edge of her vision, the realization was like a stone tossed into a lake, sending a few ripples through her heart.

But she quickly gathered her thoughts. Her thumb absently rubbed the edge of the page, its rough texture pulling her back to the present. Weighing the pros and cons seemed so pointless now.

Kiyona's cool fingertips were unconsciously clutching a small piece of her sleeve, and Kiyona's steady breath brushed against her neck.

That unreserved attachment wound around her senses like fine vines, its reality almost domineering.

What she had always wanted was a meticulous plan, or room to advance and retreat as she pleased.

But right now, what she treasured was the solid presence in her arms, the way Kiyona's eyes focused on her alone, and the peace of their souls briefly coming to rest when their breathing fell into rhythm.

As for "other possibilities"? They were no more than indistinct background noise.

At least in this second, with the page's shadow softly outlining Kiyona's profile, she felt not the slightest hesitation.

The future might be full of uncertainties, but the choice before her was so simple it needed no thought.

She loved Kiyona, and Kiyona needed her. That was enough.

She could leave complicated calculations for tomorrow. Right now, she only wanted to protect this quiet harbor that belonged to the two of them.

Shiina Hiyori carried a few books as she made her way lightly toward the familiar seat in the corner.

But when she saw what was before her, she paused, as if caught by an invisible thread.

The wide armchair was a little cramped for two.

Hoshino Kanade sat in a relaxed posture, while Kiyona was almost half-reclining in her arms, her back against Hoshino Kanade's chest. Their shoulders and arms were pressed together, and their knees touched, too.

They were reading a hardcover book spread across Hoshino Kanade's lap. Hoshino Kanade's left arm curved around Kiyona's shoulders, holding the book spine steady for her, while her right hand turned the pages from time to time.

Kiyona's gaze was fixed on the words. Her profile was quiet, and her long eyelashes cast a small shadow beneath her eyes.

Hoshino Kanade lowered her head slightly, her chin almost touching Kiyona's soft hair. She murmured something, her voice barely more than a whisper, and Kiyona gave an almost imperceptible nod in reply.

Afternoon sunlight streamed through the high windows, gently enveloping them. The scene was so tranquil... like a portrait of two, with no room for a third person.

Shiina Hiyori felt as though an invisible hand had clenched her heart, making it hard to breathe for a moment.

Perhaps feeling that the sky was about to fall was an exaggeration, but the sudden suffocation and dull ache were real. She hadn't failed to anticipate this outcome.

The way Hoshino Kanade looked at Kiyona, and Kiyona's one-of-a-kind dependence on Hoshino Kanade—there had long been signs of what was happening.

But when the scene was laid out before her so directly, so intimately, the impact still caught her off guard. It felt as though something heavy had settled on her chest.

She pressed her lips together, her fingertips unconsciously digging into the book spine in her arms. She tried to maintain her usual gentle, composed expression, not letting the slightest crack show.

Shiina Hiyori went to the empty seat across from them, pulled out the chair as quietly as she could, and sat down, placing her books gently on the table.

"Good afternoon," she greeted them softly. Her voice was steady, with its usual warmth.

Hoshino Kanade looked up at the sound and smiled gently. "Good afternoon, Shiina." Kiyona also lifted her eyes from the book and looked toward Shiina with her glassy gaze. She gave a slight, emotionless nod in acknowledgment.

Shiina Hiyori smiled back and began arranging her books and notes. But the air seemed to have changed.

Did she have feelings for Hoshino Kanade? Was it admiration? Shiina Hiyori asked herself, and decided it probably wasn't quite that.

But she was sure that Hoshino Kanade's quiet, well-read air, touched with a hint of aloof mystery, had always been something she deeply admired.

Hoshino Kanade was someone she admired and wanted to approach and talk with.

Now, the invisible barrier between the two of them seemed to have disappeared completely. In its place was the natural intimacy of a couple, as if they had formed a warm world that belonged to them alone and was hard for anyone else to enter.

They showed this intimacy so openly in front of her.

The reading group was still quiet, but Shiina Hiyori could clearly feel as though an invisible barrier had separated her from the others.

She was still part of the reading group and could still discuss the books with them. Hoshino Kanade listened carefully to her opinions, and Kiyona joined in from time to time.

But the easy, unreserved atmosphere they had once shared seemed to have acquired a subtle distance.

Sitting across from them and watching the understanding and intimacy flowing between them, she realized more clearly than ever that, in this little circle, she seemed to have become the one who had to be treated "politely"—the "outsider."

That subtle sense of distance silently stretched through the air.

Shiina Hiyori lowered her eyes to the open book. She gently brushed her fingertips over the smooth page, trying to focus her attention on the words.