Is It Permissible To Abandon a Childhood Friend Who Has Become a School Idol and Be Happy

12

After school, a message arrived on my phone, and it was exactly what I expected.

—I have plans to hang out with the Kishima group today, so I don’t think I can walk home with you. Sorry.

Yeah, I knew it.

I had already predicted from the conversation in the classroom that this would happen.

So I immediately replied with, “Okay, I’ll head home first,” and let out a big sigh.

I’m currently in a corner of the hallway leading to the school entrance.

I left the classroom as soon as homeroom ended, so there aren’t many people around, and Mio and her friends are probably still hanging out in the classroom.

I was about to head out of the school before they could catch up to me when my phone vibrated.

I looked down to check if there was anything else, and there was a new message from Mio.

–Would you like to join us, Kou-kun?

When I saw that, I couldn’t help but frown.

It was an invitation that was almost too much of a nuisance.

“No way I’m going…”

Miori might have invited me out of concern for me, but if I went, I’d only end up as a nuisance.

I could easily see myself being treated coldly if I went.

No, Miori would probably talk to me actively, but it was obvious that would only earn me resentment from my classmates.

“Sorry, but no thanks…”

No one would be foolish enough to step on such an obvious landmine. I sent a short message declining her offer and let out another big sigh.

I had left the classroom early to avoid being asked, and it turned out to be the right decision.

It would have been harder to refuse if she had asked me directly in the classroom.

(I’ve been getting this kind of thing a lot recently…)

This wasn’t the first or second time I’d turned down an invitation from Miori.

I’d been invited several times, and I’d turned her down every time. Because of that, I felt like my conversations with her were becoming awkward, not just in the classroom, but also on the way home from school.

She should know by now, from our long history together, that I wouldn’t be able to accept her invitations, no matter how many times she asked.

Or perhaps this was an SOS from Miori, but even if it was, I don’t think I could respond to it.

So why did she keep inviting me out?

I didn’t think the Miori I knew was oblivious to the atmosphere, but it bothered me a little.

But there was nothing I could do about it, no matter how much I thought about it.

Maybe I should talk to her about it, but I didn’t think anything would change, even if I did.

The distance between Miori and me was definitely starting to grow.

(To fix that, I’d probably have to…)

Just as I was about to sink into a whirlpool of thought, my phone vibrated again.

I checked it, a little tired of wondering what it could be this time—and my eyes went wide.

—Hey, do you want to go on a date during the next break?

It was an invitation to a date from her, completely out of the blue.