Back at the riverbank.
He picked up the fishing rod he had just set down and cast the line back into the water.
Suzuki Tsubame paid no mind to Kushida's roundabout probing. She had probably hit a wall with Horikita or Karuizawa again and was stewing over something unpleasant.
"Suzuki, what did Little Kikyo want with you just now?"
Ike Kanji immediately sidled over and threw an arm around his shoulders, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "You two sneaked off to the side. Don't tell me you were discussing some important intelligence?"
Suzuki Tsubame glanced at the gossip-hungry look on Ike Kanji's face. Was this guy still hung up on her?
"We didn't talk about much. She was just curious how far things had progressed between Horikita and me. What about you? Are you still refusing to give up on her?"
"Huh? How could that be!" Ike vehemently denied it, looking as guilty as could be.
Suzuki Tsubame could not be bothered exposing him and turned his attention back to the rushing water.
"Good. Saves you from making yourself miserable."
Ike cleared his throat twice and quickly removed his arm from Suzuki Tsubame's shoulders, scratching his head as he changed the subject. "Oh, right. Horikita seemed to look this way a few times earlier. Are you two really okay?"
Just as he finished speaking, soft footsteps came from nearby.
Suzuki Tsubame looked up. Horikita stood beneath the shade of a tree, her calm gaze directed toward him.
No emotion could be read from her face, yet for some reason, Ike shut his mouth and sheepishly returned to his original fishing spot.
Suzuki Tsubame set down his fishing rod again and walked toward Horikita.
"What is it?"
There was obvious concern in his voice. Horikita was not the sensitive type to get