After the killer whale show ended, we took one last look around the aquarium before heading outside.
When we reached the nearest bus stop, I checked the time.
“The next bus is… ten minutes from now.”
“Then since we’re already here, why don’t we walk to the station?”
“Walk? It’ll take about thirty minutes from here, you know?”
“It’s fine.”
“O-oh. Okay.”
Sasaki cheerfully tugged on our joined hands and started walking.
D-don’t tell me… she wants to burn calories before eating pancakes later?!
If that’s the case, she’s totally planning to head straight to a pancake place, isn’t she…?
“A-about the pancake thing… today my stomach just isn’t really accepting sugar, or how should I put it—”
“Geez, stop complaining and let’s go already.”
Leaving the bus stop behind, Sasaki and I walked toward the station along a quiet country road with hardly anyone around.
“So, which fish did you like the most, Sasaki? The clownfish?”
“…The hand, maybe.”
“Huh? The hand?”
“N-no! I meant barnacles! Barnacles! They were so cute~”
Were there even barnacles there? Maybe I just missed them.
“You sure you didn’t want to stop by the gift shop? They had those huge killer whale plushies. You like stuff like that, right?”
“There you go again, treating me like a kid!”
“I didn’t mean it like that. If you want one, I can run back and grab it.”
“N-no! I can’t let go of your hand right now, so I don’t need a big plushie.”
Sasaki turned her face away with a huff.
She’s kind of hard to read today…
While I was feeling troubled, Sasaki suddenly leaned her shoulder against mine.
“I wanna come again someday… the aquarium.”
So are you in a good mood or a bad one?!
✳︎✳︎
After walking for about thirty minutes, we finally reached the nearest station and took the train back toward Tokyo.
The crimson clouds outside the window faded away, replaced by a sky filled with night.
Even on the train, I looked down at the hand still holding mine.
We’d already left the aquarium, so I figured it’d be fine to let go.
When I subtly loosened my grip, Sasaki instantly squeezed back.
“…Don’t let go.”
She whispered softly, tightening her grip even more.
Sasaki felt strange today.
Somehow, she seemed more clingy than usual.
Normally she acts like the dependable older type, but today she felt more like an affectionate little sister.
Once we finally entered Tokyo, we exited the ticket gates together to transfer to different subway lines.
“This is where we change lines.”
“Y-yeah.”
“Since we’re here, wanna stop by somewhere?”
“Then pan—”
“We’ll do pancakes another time.”
“Ehh… fine. Then, could you walk me to the subway station?”
“Roger that.”
Still holding hands, we walked through the now completely dark street.
There were barely any cars or people, so walking her here was definitely the right call.
When we reached the elevator leading down to the underground ticket gates, we finally stopped—and at last, our hands separated.
Letting go felt strangely uncomfortable.
“Thanks for inviting me today.”
“You’re the one who came even though you were tired from the match. Thank you.”
“…Honestly, because I was tired, I wanted to see you. Being with you makes the exhaustion disappear.”
“Makishima…”
“And I promise we’ll get pancakes next time. If I make Team A and the Emperor’s Cup is over, I should have some time—hey, Sasaki?”
Sasaki suddenly looked at me with a serious expression.
“I can’t… hold it in anymore.”
Sasaki glanced around, then pulled her mask down.
“H-hey, what are you—”
“Makishima…”
She stood on her tiptoes, placed both hands on my shoulders, and leaned her body against mine.
With our bodies so close, I could clearly feel her heartbeat.
“Sa… saki?”
Sasaki closed her eyes and brought her face closer to my cheek.
I didn’t resist. I simply accepted it.
——Sasaki’s lips touched my cheek.
Ten seconds… no, fourteen seconds.
For fourteen seconds, I felt her lips against my skin.
Those fourteen seconds felt like an eternity.
When her soft lips slowly pulled away, her breath brushed across my sensitive skin, as if delivering the final blow.
“Sasaki…?”
“…S-sorry, Makishima!”
Without lifting her head, Sasaki quickly stepped into the elevator and disappeared underground.
Even after she was gone, I stood there alone, frozen in place.
“Uh…… which way was home again?”
So shaken by the sudden kiss that I couldn’t even remember my way back, I didn’t notice my phone vibrating at all.
✳︎✳︎
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