Chapter Four: “The Princess Wants to Be Chosen by the Prince” — Part Three

“See you.”

I waved to Himena-chan and got off the train. I had one transfer to make on the way home.
That said, school wasn’t all that far from home. I was glad there was a strong basketball school within an hour’s commute.

On the next train, a couple who’d clearly just come from a theme park sat down across from me. Still wearing matching headbands even on the train, laughing together like they hadn’t a care.
A huge souvenir bag sat on their laps, a giant mouse plushie poking its head out from inside.

“Today was so fun. Thank you!”

She laughed brightly and leaned her head on her boyfriend’s shoulder. He melted and squeezed her hand back.
Completely oblivious to the looks from the people around them, the two of them were lost in their own happy world.

Theme parks are a classic date spot, I suppose.
Walking together from school to the station after practice didn’t exactly count, even as dates went.
And even when we stopped somewhere, it was a convenience store at best. Ice cream shops and crêpe stands were all closed by that hour.

Himena-chan never says she wants a proper date with me.

She knew how busy club activities kept me, and not once had she suggested going somewhere far away.
She’d never asked me to take a day off from practice.
…She’d be so happy if I invited her somewhere.

I opened my schedule app and checked the club calendar.
This Sunday, unusually, the afternoon was free.
Normally I’d use that time for solo training, or work through the assignments I’d been letting pile up. This week wasn’t exactly free either. But it wasn’t so packed that going out was impossible.

It’d have to be after lunch, so a theme park was probably too ambitious.
I typed date classic spots into my phone. A string of dubious-looking articles came up, and I scrolled through them without much purpose.

“An aquarium.”

I hadn’t been since a primary school trip, and being indoors meant weather wouldn’t be a problem. Going in the afternoon, there’d be plenty of time.

Oh, you can buy tickets at convenience stores.

☆★☆★☆★☆★

The moment lunch break started, I left the classroom and headed down to the first-year floor. I waved at the first-years who got excited to see me, and made my way to Himena-chan’s classroom.

Looking in from the corridor, I spotted Himena-chan talking happily with Yuuri-chan. Her smile was, as always, subtly different from the one she wore with me.

Does she eat lunch with Yuuri-chan every day I’m not with her?
And they were sitting rather close together, weren’t they. Not that it mattered.

Himena-chan was free to be close with whoever she liked. I knew that. And yet something about it sat uneasily.

“Himena-chan.”

I opened the classroom door and called her name, a little louder than I needed to.

“Iori-senpai?!”

Himena-chan jumped to her feet, quickly smoothed her fringe, and came running over.

“Senpai, what are you doing here?!”
“Sorry for the sudden visit. I thought we might eat together today, if you’d like—”
“Absolutely yes, not just today but every day if that’s on the table!!”

She grabbed my hand with both of hers. I glanced over at Yuuri-chan, who was in the middle of putting her lunchbox away.

“…Yuuri-chan. Would you like to join us too?”

The two of them had been about to eat together, and I was the one who’d shown up uninvited. Leaving Yuuri-chan out entirely didn’t feel right.

“It’s fine. I don’t want to be kicked by a horse.”
“Sorry?”
“Well then, I’ll leave you to it.”

Yuuri-chan gave a wave, lunchbox in hand, and walked out of the classroom. Her steps were steady, so she didn’t seem put out.

“…I hope I didn’t make things awkward for Yuuri-chan.”
“Not at all! Yuuri has other people to eat with besides me, so it’s fine! Really. And I’m so happy you came, Senpai!”

I’d turned up unannounced and made Yuuri-chan feel she needed to make herself scarce, and now on top of that I was making Himena-chan reassure me too.
Was I being a nuisance?

“…I’m glad you’re happy about it.”
“Actually, Senpai, why did you come today? It was so sudden.”

Because I was wondering what you were up to. Because you hadn’t invited me today. Because the thought of you being with Yuuri-chan annoyed me a little.

None of those were things I could just say.
So I arranged my face into its usual expression. The smile that everyone called a prince’s smile.

“I wanted to see your cute face.”
“Eek…!”

Delivered lightly, like a joke, and Himena-chan responded the way she always did, delighted and flustered.
She got excited about my cool side, the way everyone did, but more than that she wanted to see my soft side too. She really was a strange girl.

“Shall we go, Himena-chan?”
“Yes! I’ll follow you anywhere!”
“It’s just the usual courtyard.”

On an impulse, I took her hand as we walked, keeping it casual. Ehehe… Himena-chan murmured happily to herself, and her eyes, as always, held only me.