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didn’t think it was anything Asagi would suddenly get worked up about now.
    What he couldn’t figure out was her attitude toward him.
    Even when he tried talking to her, she seemed really stiff, yet she kept glancing at Kojou every so often; the whole thing was awkward. And yet her mood didn’t seem to actually be bad.
    He felt that he’d seen quite a bit of odd, uncharacteristic behavior from Asagi of late.
    Kojou finally remembered something.
    Asagi’s attitude had gotten weird right around the end of summer break—
    Right about when Kojou had met Yukina.
    “—Er, Akatsuki? All by yourself? Where’s Aiba?”
    When Kojou arrived at the gym, his classmate Uchida saw him and called out to him. He was a pretty boy of small stature and delicate lines who was sometimes mistaken for a girl, even in his school uniform.
    Standing close by Uchida’s side was Yuuho Tanahara. She was a tall, willful girl, but in front of Uchida, she seemed like a different person, showing a much cuter side. She was the archetypal young maiden in love.
    Both of them were in the middle of standing poles up on the gym floor for the badminton nets. Even though that was all they should be doing, for some reason, other people stood aside with a friendly disposition, as if not wanting to butt in. At any rate, the atmosphere said not to approach the little world they had all to each other.
    They weren’t the only ones that gave off that thick couple scent; other pairs inside the gym were exactly the same. Pressing shoulder to shoulder as they practiced their serves, gazing into each other’s eyes as the moment struck them—they probably didn’t even realize what they were doing, but for the very single Kojou, it made watching them unusually uncomfortable.
    This made Kojou decide on his own that it was natural Asagi would be angry.
    “Asagi’s apparently gonna take her time changing her clothes. Better start practice without us. I’ll just take it easy.”
    “Guess we’ll do just that. Sorry, pal.”
    Waving to the cheerfully replying Uchida, Kojou went outside the gym.
    It was already past four in the afternoon. The sky had already begun its gradual shift toward sunset, but the afternoon sun was strong, and the humidity was murderous.
    Kojou, walking along the connecting corridor searching for a place even slightly cool, sat down on the landing on top of the emergency stairs. He closed his eyes and laid down faceup.
    Then…
    “—Senpai?”
    He heard a shocked-sounding voice coming from above his head.
    The voice sounded familiar, so Kojou opened his eyelids a crack.
    What filled his field of vision were slender legs clad in deep blue socks.
    Kojou rose up with a start, meeting Yukina’s eyes as she glared, her expression frigid. She’d apparently just come down the emergency stairs.
    “What are you doing in a place like this?” Yukina asked while holding down the skirt of her school uniform. From the air she gave off, there was clearly some misunderstanding afoot.
    Kojou quickly shook his head and pointed at his own gym uniform. “As you can see, I’m…gettin’ ready for badminton practice. Waiting for my partner to come over.”
    “Badminton…? Not basketball?” Yukina’s eyes fluttered curiously as she asked. Then, her voice suddenly hardened. “By partner, do you mean a girl?”
    “Yeah, but it’s not like I asked to take part in a mixed doubles event.”
    Kojou, having the sense he was being scolded for some reason, made pains to defend himself.
    “I do not particularly mind, but…”
    As Yukina looked squarely at him, Kojou wanted to retort,
Did I do something I should feel guilty for?
    Feeling distinctly uncomfortable, Kojou forced a change of subject.
    “So, what are you doing over here, Himeragi? This is the high school campus.”
    “…Is that so? I’m sorry, senpai, do you know where the cheerleading clubroom is?”
    “The high school cheerleading club’s room?”
    “Yes. Nagisa asked me to come over, but