It was a day off at “Miss Me Blind.”
The café was, as usual, a peaceful hangout spot for the elderly—but today, there was something unusual. Two high school girls sat among them.
Minase Mishio and Koreda Murasakiko.
The two of them were seated at one of the tables, chatting happily over coffee. Coincidentally, it was the same seat where we’d once talked with the theater club seniors. Not that Minase herself probably felt any connection to that moment.
Back then, Minase had firmly turned down the offer to return to the club.
And just recently, I’d told Kuki clearly that I wouldn’t be going back to the soccer club either. He only said, “I see. Got it,” with his usual easygoing smile.
Thinking back on it now, I realize I was saved by Kuki’s enthusiasm. Being told that they wanted me back made me feel like I still mattered—like there was a place waiting for me. That thought had become my lifeline when I was at my lowest. I really owed him one.
But I wasn’t going back anymore.
Because I’d found another place I wanted to cherish.
“Excuse meee, waiter!”
A voice suddenly rang through the café. It was Minase, waving her hand in the air to call attention.
“They’re calling you, Misumi-senpai.”
“It’s obviously you they mean.”
Misumi-senpai said sharply, her tone cold. I mean, Minase had only said “waiter,” so technically it could apply to her too—but okay, that was just splitting hairs.
“Hold up. Take this with you.”
Just as I was about to head over to their table, Misumi-senpai stopped me. She handed me a pot filled with coffee—it seemed she wanted me to offer them refills.
“Thanks.”
I accepted it and made my way to their table.
“What’s up?”
I asked while glancing at their cups. Minase’s was empty, so I poured her a refill without even asking.
“Thanks!”
She smiled innocently as she thanked me.
Then I looked at Yukari’s cup. She still had a bit left.
“Yukari?”
“Thank you, but I’m fine.”
It was about time that batch of coffee would be thrown out anyway, so I’d prefer if she drank it. Maybe I’d take it myself later.
“So?”
Just that one syllable was enough to ask what they wanted.
“Oh, right! Koreda-san’s gonna join our ‘We Quit Club’!”
“Hey, don’t drag her into that.”
Surely Yukari wasn’t so free that she’d join some vague little club like ours.
“Oh, I don’t mind. Actually, I thought I was already a member.”
“Ah, right.”
Now that she mentioned it, I remembered that conversation we’d had when we stayed up all night binge-watching that drama series. Guess that makes her the third member—our admission standards were pretty loose.
“So, what exactly do you do in this ‘club’?”
“Honestly, I’m not too sure myself.”
Our vague idea was just to do things we could only do because we weren’t tied down by club activities anymore.
“Um… like going out for salt ramen at night, or grabbing coffee at a convenience store out of nowhere?”
Minase listed off things we’d actually done before, but even she seemed to realize how weird it sounded, ending her sentence with a confused tone.
“Not a very welcoming club for new members, huh? …I can’t just go out suddenly at night, you know.”
Yukari’s voice was cool and composed. I could only agree with a “yeah, fair enough.”
“Honestly, it depends a lot on where you live.”
“You two are lucky—you’re in the same apartment building, so you can just act on impulse. Like, ‘let’s hang out’ and you’re there in minutes.”
“Anyway!”
Yukari cut Minase off mid-sentence.
“Come up with something I can join too.”
Her sharp tone almost sounded like she was scolding us.
“Ah, I know! We’re thinking of going to a pool or the beach this summer. Want to come, Koreda-san?”
“You already have plans like that?”
Yukari asked in surprise.
“Sakura’s coming too?”
“Of course!”
“No, I’m not.”
If both Minase and Yukari went, I wouldn’t survive that. I’d definitely “come down sick” and bail last minute.
“Then I’ll come too. I’ll need to get a swimsuit, though.”
“Make sure it’s one that shows plenty of cleavage—Sakura likes that.”
“I never said that!”
And also—why were they completely ignoring me? Was I even visible to them anymore? Had I died and become a ghost or something?
Yukari suddenly reached up and pinched the neckline of her simple but elegant cut top.
“That’s news to me. Maybe I should’ve worn something like that today, then?”
“Ghk—!”
I choked immediately.
Yukari tilted her head, looking up at me curiously.
“Wh-what? Something wrong?”
“N-no, nothing!”
I panicked and waved it off.
No way I could tell her the truth—that when she pulled on her collar like that, I could see straight down from where I was standing.
“I-I should get back to work.”
I turned on my heel and hurried away from the table like I was fleeing for my life.
When I glanced back at the counter, Minase and Yukari were waving at me with bright smiles. I could tell from their lips that they were saying, “Good luck at work.” I raised one hand in reply.
So this was what the world looked like now—the view from where I stood, having taken my first step forward.
For some reason, I suddenly felt like visiting an old friend from childhood.
Since coming back here, I’d met some of them again, but not everyone yet. If they found out I’d come home just to quit soccer right after, they’d probably laugh and say, “What’d you come back for then?”
But this time, I felt like I could laugh right along with them.
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