Afternoon classes ended early. Because of his arrangement with Kushida, Hoshino didn't leave right away, instead continuing to work on his drawing.
They hadn't agreed on a specific place, so Kushida would probably come looking for him in the classroom. But Hoshino wasn't counting on it. He'd been stood up before, after all, and his work would keep him busy in the meantime. If he finished and had nothing else to do, he could just leave. That was what he had in mind.
He was tired of drawing "stick figures," so every now and then Hoshino wanted to try sketching a setting or scene. To him, nothing was more moving than a landscape. People weren't all that interesting to draw; nature was more compelling. Hoshino liked imagining all sorts of scenes, like an empty classroom at sunset. Not the kind that felt desolate, though. It might have a few man-made touches, so it wouldn't be entirely natural, but in that case, color would matter a lot. Hoshino wasn't about to make a big show of doing something so out of place during class, so all he could draw was a line sketch.
As far as Hoshino was concerned, people who could make their drawings look like photographs were impressive. But so many of the drawings he'd seen weren't completely realistic; they always showed signs of having been made by hand. That sometimes left him feeling conflicted.
When he looked up, everyone had left the classroom. He was alone. Hoshino stopped drawing and gazed out the window through the glass. Now and then, a few people passed by. The athletic field was some distance from the school building, so it made sense that there weren't many people around after class. Everything was quiet, and cherry blossoms drifted gently through the air.
Coming back to himself, Hoshino found he didn't know how to continue...
After tidying up his things, Hoshino prepared to leave.
The drawing wasn't quite what he'd hoped for. It was passable, at best. It wasn't especially ugly; he just felt like something was missing. Mulling over one question after another, Hoshino was the last to step out of the classroom.
Hoshino wasn't particularly interested in what Kushida was up to. Whether she showed up or not was within his expectations. He hadn't just been waiting around, either, so it didn't really matter.
As he walked along a path through the school, Hoshino took his student ID out of his pocket. It was still early, nowhere near dinnertime. After thinking it over, he decided not to go back to the dorm just yet. Instead, he'd spend a while reading a novel in the library.
The library wasn't far from the school building, less than a five-minute walk. It had a pleasant atmosphere and a vast collection of books. It was the place Hoshino had liked best since coming here!
After entering the library and showing his student ID to the librarian, Hoshino made his way past row after row of bookshelves to the light novel section. All kinds of books lined the pale yellow shelves. There were so many, yet they were arranged so neatly that a glance made you feel as though you'd stepped into a world of books. The collection included popular works from the moment, as well as titles he'd nearly forgotten existed. It was amazing!
Wandering among the shelves, he found the series of isekai novels he'd read last time. Hoshino paused, pulled out one of the books, and headed for the corner where he usually sat. He'd stumbled upon this "hidden gem" one day: a corner tucked against a wall, with a spotless table by the window and bookshelves all around it. It felt like a "secret base." Hoshino was both grateful and a little disappointed that nobody else seemed to have found it.
He hurried to the seat by the window, set the book on the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. He casually placed his bag by his feet, opened the book, and was soon swept back into an "adventure in another world."
Time slipped by...
What a masterpiece! Hoshino's lips curved slightly as he reached the last page and closed the book in his hands. He gazed fondly at the illustration on the cover, marveling at it.
A gentle breeze blew through, making the pages flutter restlessly. Only then did Hoshino snap out of his reverie.
He looked up and saw a lovely figure with silvery-white hair.
When did she get here? The glimpse of the girl across the table out of the corner of his eye startled Hoshino.
Since someone else was here, Hoshino decided not to stay any longer.
He looked away and rose quietly. Bending down to retrieve his bag from under the table, he slowly put the chair back in place, picked up the book, and left without a sound.
Outside the library, the sun hung halfway in the sky, casting a gentle glow. The whole school was enveloped in a peaceful atmosphere.
The scene he'd dreamed of suddenly appeared before him, and Hoshino felt his heart stir. He took out his student ID and opened its camera function, capturing the moment. The only thing that would have made it better was if there hadn't been so many people around.
Hoshino didn't go looking for a better angle to take another picture. There was no need. All that mattered was capturing the moment that had moved him. A little regret wasn't a bad thing!
"Let's go eat." After walking along the paths for a while, Hoshino's stomach began to growl.
"Tonkotsu ramen."
"Okay! ...Here's yours!"
After picking up his meal, Hoshino carefully carried his tray over to the tables. From a distance, he spotted a familiar figure surrounded by several girls in school uniforms. Kushida leisurely took a bite of the food in front of her, then looked up and happened to meet Hoshino's gaze. She slowly looked away, then continued chatting and laughing with the girls around her.
Hoshino looked away, found a nearby seat, and sat down to eat.
The best way to avoid drawing attention was to do nothing. Any unusual behavior would only make people notice you more. Hoshino hadn't planned on approaching Kushida anyway, and things were unfolding just as he'd expected.
"Wait, Hoshino! I'm sorry. I got caught up talking with Miyu and the others and forgot about our arrangement. I'm really sorry!" Just as Hoshino finished eating and was about to leave, Kushida called after him from behind and bowed slightly in apology.
"Oh, it's fine. If there's nothing else, I'll be going." Hoshino kept a straight face.
The girls who'd been with Kushida were looking over and saying something, and people nearby had turned to stare as well. Kushida was pretty popular, after all, and had struck up conversations with plenty of people. Hoshino wasn't comfortable in that kind of situation, so he immediately took his leave.
Kushida's lips moved, as if she still wanted to say something, but Hoshino didn't give her the chance.
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