Chapter One: “The Princess Wants to Win Over the Prince” — Part Seven

“Is Himena-chan around?”

The next day, at lunch. Without any warning, Iori-senpai appeared at my classroom door.

“She is! Right here!”

I called back immediately and rushed out into the corridor. I hadn’t expected Senpai to come to me, so there was no time to check my face in a mirror.

Oh no. I’d been eating my lunch — please don’t let there be oil around my mouth.

I wiped my lips with the back of my hand, just in case. My lip colour came off with it, but that was better than oil.

“Iori-senpai — what brings you here today?”
“I wanted to ask you something.”
“Ask me something?”
“Why did you leave yesterday before the trial even started?”

I hadn’t told Senpai anything about yesterday. Someone must have mentioned they’d seen me there.

“I thought Himena-chan would want to join the same club as me.”

She watched me with a teasing expression. I couldn’t think of a clever excuse on the spot, so the truth was the only option.

“Because I thought it would be rude.”
“…Rude?”
“Yes. You’re right that I did think about it at first — I wanted to be in the same club as you. But when I really thought it through, I realised it would be disrespectful. To you, for everything you put into basketball, and to everyone else there too.”

I still didn’t know Senpai all that well — much as I hated to admit it. Even so, I could see plainly how seriously she took the sport.

“I like you, Senpai. Which means I don’t want to get in the way of the things you love.”
“…You’re a kind person, Himena-chan.”
“Huh?”

Our eyes met, and Iori-senpai gave me a gentle smile. Not her usual easy, prince-like one — something softer than that.

I’ve never seen this expression on her before.
So Senpai had a face like this too…

“Sorry for dropping by out of nowhere. I was curious, so I had to come. See you.”
“W-wait, please!”

She turned to go and I grabbed her hand before I could think about it. I could feel my own hand trembling.

“Um, if you’d like — would you maybe want to eat lunch together?!”

In my head I’d imagined asking much more smoothly and charmingly than that.
Why was I this nervous over something as simple as a lunch invitation?

“If you’ve already got plans, honestly, please just say no — and I know this might be a bother, I’m sorry, I just — if you’d like — um—”

The more I said, the less I knew what I was saying anymore. I’d been so determined to push forward boldly, and look at the state of me. Every time I was actually in front of Senpai, I fell apart completely.

“Thank you for asking, Himena-chan.”
“Iori-senpai…”
“I was actually hoping you might.”

She laughed lightly, and then — gently — she squeezed my hand back. Senpai’s hand was larger than mine, her fingers longer.

“Let’s find somewhere we can eat just the two of us.”