Book 7: Chapter 9: February 19th (Fri) – Field Trip Day 3 – Ayase Saki
In order to read a letter written on paper, you need light. However, a message on the phone can be read in darkness without any issue. Even a message from Asamura-kun could stay hidden from anybody else as long as I cover my head with my blanket. It doesn’t attract another person’s curiosity. As for how I look at other people from the outside—I wasn’t thinking about that at all.
The very first thing I did after waking up was grab my smartphone and pull my blanket over my face, checking my LINE app… However, there was no reply. Well, it’s still 6 am. Breakfast is at 7, so he might still be asleep. Maybe he’s telling his group that he wants to walk around alone today. The answer might come any second. There’s no need to rush.
“Puwah!”
I pushed the blanket off my head and sighed. Next to my bed, Maaya was busy combing her hair, as our eyes met.
“Oh, Saki. Were you doing some blanket diving championship?”
I don’t think a championship like that exists.
“It’s pretty hot, huh?”
“…I wonder why,” Maaya gave me a cold stare.
I was aware that I must have looked like an idiot. That’s why I shrugged it off completely. I put on my clothes, ate breakfast at the cafeteria, and checked my phone again, but there was still no response. I started growing worried, thinking that maybe I shouldn’t have asked him. Maybe I should send him another message? But I don’t want him to think that I’m being clingy. And while I hesitated, we prepared to head off. Then again, we’re going to the same place, so while we’re together as a group, we should be able to see each other once or twice, right? There’s no need to panic… or so I made excuse after excuse as we departed.