Chapter Three: “The Princess Wants to Win the Prince” — Part Six

“Himena, it’s nearly time to go.”
“What? Already?”
“Already.”

Without noticing, we’d spent three hours being completely ridiculous at karaoke. The score battle ended with Yuuri winning, which was deeply annoying.
We hurriedly gathered our things and got out before our time ran over. The sun had already set, and there was a message from my mother asking when I was coming home.
Soon, I replied, and tucked my phone into my bag. Yuuri was doing much the same.

“Today was fun, wasn’t it?”

We hadn’t had much chance to just hang out since starting high school, things had been so busy, but going out with Yuuri really was good. Not having to put on any kind of act made it so effortless.

“It was. Want to go somewhere further out next time?”
“Definitely! On a weekend maybe…”

We stopped to compare schedules, and were interrupted by two men coming toward us from ahead.

“Hey, want to hang out after this?”

Yuuri and I looked at each other and had the entire conversation with our eyes. We were equally done with this.

“We’re good, thanks.”

Yuuri answered flatly and took my hand, trying to make for the station. But then the other one stepped around in front of us.

“Just your contact details then. Instagram’s fine. Come on?”
“We’re good on that too.”

I answered this time. I couldn’t leave all the unpleasant work to Yuuri.
I understood that we were cute, but approaching strangers out of nowhere like this was just plain suspicious behaviour…!!
We’d been on our way home in such a good mood, and now this. The worst possible way to end an evening.

“Come on, just Instagram?”
“I don’t have Instagram.”
“Sure you don’t. Hey, listen…”

We’d said no over and over and they still weren’t giving up. I had just tightened my grip on Yuuri’s hand, ready to run, when an arm came around my shoulders from behind.

“Do you two have some business with these girls?”

Wait?! That voice, that arm, is this Iori-senpai?!
I turned around, and there was the most beautiful face in the world. Wait. Am I currently being back-hugged by Iori-senpai?!

The men, faced with Iori-senpai who was taller than either of them and looking at them with an extremely unimpressed expression, made awkward faces and left.

“Are you all right?”
“I love you, Iori-senpai…”
“Himena. That’s not an answer.”

Yuuri sighed and bowed her head to Iori-senpai. Thank you very much. I hurried to add my own thanks. Senpai’s face was so overwhelming I’d nearly forgotten the whole incident.

“What were you two doing out this late?”

Senpai released me, unfortunately, and asked. She was in her club tracksuit, so she must have been on her way home from practice as usual.
Even with the early start for the ball games tournament, practice finished at the same time.

“We were hanging out, the two of us.”
“Oh? Class after-party?”
“Oh, no, just the two of us.”
“Hm…”

Oh no. Staying out this late just playing around with no studying involved — had Senpai decided I was hopeless?!
I needed to say something in my defence, quickly.

“I, I don’t just play around all the time, you know? Today was sort of a special case. We spend more days studying together than anything, right?”

I poked Yuuri in the back at an angle Iori-senpai couldn’t see. Just go along with it, I communicated urgently with my eyes. Yuuri’s expression made clear she found this disagreeable, but she nodded.

“That’s right. Just a special occasion.”

The deadpan delivery was almost impressively flat.

“You really are close, aren’t you. I hope I’m not intruding, but could I walk with you partway?”
“There is no world in which Iori-senpai could be an intrusion I absolutely want to walk home with you.”
“Thank you. Yuuri-chan, is that all right with you?”

Iori-senpai tilted her head slightly and looked at Yuuri with a soft smile.

That smile, that’s the one she used a lot when she and I weren’t as close as we are now…!

That slightly formal version of her smile was a rare thing these days. And Yuuri was getting it aimed straight at her, which wasn’t fair at all. Could they swap places?

“Of course.”

When Yuuri nodded, Iori-senpai took up a position right between the two of us. I’d been sure she’d walk next to me specifically, so that was just a little disappointing.
Still, I was next to Iori-senpai. That hadn’t changed.

I was going to push right up to the furthest limit of what wasn’t suspicious, and stick as close to Senpai as I possibly could!