A Light Drawn Closer - 5: A Warm Walk Home

The next day

Miyamasuzaka Girls Academy - Class 3-B

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1

Teacher

Alright, you're all free to go.
Please get home safe, everyone.

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2

Classmates

*Sigh*
They assigned us way too much homework today.

3

Classmates

I know, right?
I'm thinking about ditching club...

4

Mafuyu

...

5

Mafuyu

(I need to tell Dad the next time he comes over...)

6

Mafuyu

(About what happened that night...)

7

Mafuyu

(He's waiting for me to tell him.
He's waiting for me to come home.)

8

Mafuyu

(But...)

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9

Mafuyu

...

10

Classmates

Do you have club today, Mafuyu? I forget. If not, wanna work on these homework assignments together?

11

Classmates

I know what you're up to.
You just want to copy her answers!

12

Classmates

Huh? N-No, I dunno what you're talking about...

13

Mafuyu

Oh, that's naughty.
It's important that you do your own homework.

14

Classmates

Yeah, I know!
But let's still do these together! I'll make sure that my eyes don't wander!

15

Mafuyu

Hmm... Then...

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16

Mafuyu

Oh...

17

Mafuyu

(A message? From who..?)

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Outside the school gate

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18

Mizuki

Hey, Mafuyu!
Had a busy day?

19

Mafuyu

What are you doing here...?

20

Mizuki

I figured it was about time for your school to get out. So, I thought we could walk home together.

21

Mafuyu

But you don't go to this school...

22

Mizuki

C'mon, who cares about the details?

23

Mizuki

So, how about it? Wanna walk with me?

24

Mafuyu

You came all this way, so I suppose it'd be rude to say no...

25

Mizuki

Haha. You're always so nice.
Anyway, let's go!

Miyamasuzaka

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26

Mizuki

So, I decided to make some ribbons out of the rolls of fabric I bought at that shop for Rin and the others! And they turned out really cute!

27

Mafuyu

Really?

28

Mizuki

Yeah! I wanna make you one too, so let me know which fabric you'd like me to use! They're honestly all really adorable♪

29

Mafuyu

You can choose since I probably won't have much of an opinion.

30

Mizuki

Alright, in that case, you and Miku are gonna have a matching pair. I'm sure she'll really like that!

31

Mizuki

I'll let you know when I've drawn my design, so stay tuned♪

32

Mafuyu

Okay.

33

Mizuki

Come to think of it, you took a day off from working yesterday. How are you feeling? Better...?

34

Mafuyu

*Nod*
I feel much more at ease now...

35

Mizuki

Really? That's good to hear...

36

Mizuki

(But you don't just get over something like this...)

37

Mizuki

Sorry. The thing is, Miku and the others told me about why you took yesterday off...

38

Mizuki

You want to tell your dad about what happened that night, but you're afraid to, right...?

39

Mafuyu

Oh...

40

Mafuyu

You came all this way to ask me that...?

41

Mizuki

Yeah. I know I'm being pretty nosy, but I wanted to talk to you about it...

42

Mizuki

Are you still afraid...?

43

Mafuyu

...

44

Mafuyu

Yes...

45

Mafuyu

I want to tell him about what happened that night. I want to tell him how I really feel...

46

Mafuyu

But...

47

Mizuki

I know...

48

Mizuki

You're afraid that he won't understand...

49

Mizuki

Especially since he's someone really important to you.

50

Mizuki

The thought of possibly being rejected after telling him everything is just so terrifying...

51

Mizuki

Which makes you think, why bother telling him at all?

52

Mafuyu

...

53

Mizuki

That's probably why I became stuck for so long too.

54

Mizuki

But I'm starting to think that...

55

Mizuki

There are more people who will accept me for who I am than I realized.

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56

Mafuyu

What...?

57

Mizuki

Now, I have a feeling that there'll be more people that'll say, “Thanks for telling me,” and, “No matter what, I'm on your side,” after breaking some big news to them...

58

Mizuki

That's how I feel now...

59

Mafuyu

...

60

Mizuki

I know you're scared.
Shaking that fear off isn't easy.

61

Mizuki

But...

62

Mizuki

If you believe that there is even the slightest chance that your dad will understand... Then I think you two should talk...

63

Mafuyu

I...

64

Mizuki

Ack, it's starting to rain! Talk about bad timing...

65

Mizuki

I didn't bring an umbrella, so let's head home before we get drenched...!

66

Mizuki

You're that way, right, Mafuyu?
Will you be okay on your own?

67

Mafuyu

*Nod*

68

Mafuyu

Mizuki...

69

Mizuki

Hm?

70

Mafuyu

Thank you...

71

Mizuki

Haha. No problem.

72

Mizuki

Anyway, see you on Nightcord!

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73

Mizuki

(I'm such a hypocrite...)

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74

Mizuki

(I told Mafuyu to do the very thing that I can't...)

75

Mizuki

(But...)

76

Mizuki

On my side, huh...?

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Next Chapter: Memories