Another morning run concluded.
Shioyaki Lemon rested her hands on her knees, panting heavily, feeling the refreshing sensation of sweat sliding down her cheeks.
"Here."
A sports drink with the cap unscrewed was held out in front of her.
Imaizumi Keita's voice, as always, carried little emotion, but that plainness still warmed Shioyaki Lemon's heart.
"Th-thanks."
She took the drink and took several large gulps, slightly suppressing the heat rising from her different thoughts.
The two sat side-by-side on the steps by the track, silently watching the empty running track.
This silent rapport seemed to have formed quietly after the last morning run.
Shioyaki Lemon secretly turned her head, observing the Imaizumi Keita beside her with her peripheral vision.
He was tilting his head back to drink, his Adam's apple bobbing with each swallow, his profile looking exceptionally handsome in the morning light.
A question had been lingering in her mind for several days.
Shioyaki Lemon couldn't help but want to ask what the relationship between Kin-chan and Anna was now.
Although in the Literature Club's Clubroom, Anna would naturally sit beside him, as if asserting some kind of sovereignty.
The intimate atmosphere between the two, as if no one else was around, wasn't something ordinary friends would have.
But... what if?
What if that was just Anna's one-sided offensive, and Kin-chan hadn't clearly expressed his position?
As soon as this thought popped up, she dismissed it herself.
No, Kin-chan isn't a blockhead like Mitsuki.
Kin-chan understands girls' feelings very well...
If he didn't want to, no matter how proactive Anna was, it wouldn't be possible to get that close.
So, they are probably... really dating.
This conclusion made Shioyaki Lemon's heart ache with jealousy.
Then what does that make her?
Knowing full well that the other party already has a nominal girlfriend, and still actively asking him out for morning runs like this... isn't that a bit shameless?
But...
She remembered what Imaizumi Keita had once said to her.
"If it's a yes, it's a yes; if it's a no, it's a no. Being indecisive is the worst attitude."
Yeah, that's exactly where she fails.
It was like that when facing Mitsuki; she was on the verge of cutting off those feelings, but wavered because Mitsuki came to her for help...
Is she going to shrink back from her feelings for Kin-chan now because of this uncertain "possibility"?
Why should she?
In this game of love, she had already lost once.
This time, is she going to forfeit directly without even having the courage to stand on the field fair and square?
No.
She wants to win once too.
Even if there's only a one in ten thousand chance, she wants to fight for it.
Even if the final result is still a loss, it must be a loss after giving it her all, fair and square.
Not like now, where because of her own wild guesses and cowardice, she penalizes herself off the field before even hearing the starting whistle.
After all, Anna never said to her face that she and Kin-chan were dating...
Kin-chan didn't proactively bring up their relationship either...
Shioyaki Lemon took a deep breath, calming her chaotic thoughts.
She turned her head, her face blooming again with that vibrant, bright smile she usually wore.
"Kin-chan, thanks for keeping me company today too! I feel refreshed after running!"
"Yeah." Imaizumi Keita replied, and seeing her return to her energetic self, he stood up too, "Let's head back then."
"Sure."
The two walked side-by-side towards the school gate.
Shioyaki Lemon never ended up asking that question.
She had decided.
Before Imaizumi Keita tells her himself "Anna and I are dating," she will attack fair and square.
...
Such morning runs continued for two more times.
Shioyaki Lemon found herself increasingly unsatisfied with just that brief time alone during the morning run.
She wanted more.
She wanted to share things other than running with him, and wanted to see him in ways other than just running or being in the Clubroom.
On Friday afternoon, after finishing self-training for the Track and Field Club.
Shioyaki Lemon sat alone in the locker room, clutching her phone and mentally preparing herself.
The last time she proactively invited him to run, it was because she didn't get enough exercise.
The time before that, holding hands, was because she wanted to experience what it was like to hold hands with a boy.
Then what about this time?
She couldn't keep using these excuses that sounded a bit lame, right?
Although Kin-chan didn't object to her reasons, just saying them out loud was shameful enough...
An excuse appeared in her mind, and Shioyaki Lemon's eyes lit up.
Use this!
She opened the chat interface with Imaizumi Keita and sent the invitation message.
"Kin-chan! [Shiba Inu peeking.jpg]"
"A new shaved ice shop opened near our school, I heard it's super delicious! I've been wanting to try it! After we finish running tomorrow, do you want to go eat there together? Let's treat it as an energy boost after exercise!"
The moment she pressed the send button, Shioyaki Lemon felt her heart pounding, and she was extremely nervous.
This was different from the previous simple running invitations.
This was already a clear "date" invitation.
...
Inside Imaizumi Keita's Apartment.
Imaizumi Keita had just finished his routine call with Yanami Anna, during which Yanami Anna had been rambling about how her novel was stuck in a bottleneck, while also asking if he had time to go on a date.
Hanging up the phone, just as he was about to open his computer to continue writing his novel, his phone received a message from Shioyaki Lemon.
He opened the message, and looking at what Shioyaki Lemon had sent, he seemed to read her excitement from her message.
A shaved ice shop, huh...
This reason is really... full of Shioyaki Lemon's style.
Frank, direct; if there isn't anything urgent, it's truly hard to refuse.
And it's with a cute girl like Shioyaki Lemon, too...
However, what's with this offensive stance from Shioyaki Lemon?
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