CH 50

“H-H-How did practice go…?”

Hasumi hid behind my back as she asked this question to Shiorin and her friends.

It looks like she’s still nervous around them.

Despite being classmates with each other, Hasumi was still speaking in a polite and respectful manner.

“Our practice session went really well! I think I’ve mastered all the basics now!”

Akarin, the most energetic member of the group, made a peace sign at us as she happily reported her progress. Meanwhile, Mihorin, the more composed of the two, heaved a sigh.

“You get carried away too easily, Akari…”

“B-But I’m telling you! Thanks to the book that Hasumi gave us, we’re really starting to perfect our dancing! We’ve even been able to put together a practice schedule!”

Hearing this, Hasumi smiled happily.

“Thank god my books were even the slightest bit useful for you―”

Hasumi was in the middle of muttering this when she suddenly stopped speaking.

Her jewel-like eyes peeking through the gaps in her long, beautiful bangs, widened in surprise.

―When I traced her gaze, I saw Hasumi’s books lying haphazardly on the desk in the dance studio.

Each and every one of them seemed scuffed, battered, and worn-out.

Large teardrops started falling from Hasumi’s eyes.

“H-Hasumi?!”

I also panicked for a moment, but I took a closer look at the books on the table once more.

―Then, I breathed a sigh of relief.

“Asamiya-san. What happened to those books?”

I pointed to the tattered books and deliberately asked this question out loud to Shiorin and the others, who were flustered by Hasumi’s sudden outbreak of tears.

Shiorin and Mihorin then answered with apologetic expressions.

“E-Erm… We… decided to take home the books that Hasumi-san had given us the other day once we finished practice in order to read them.”

“We used markers to highlight important information and added sticky notes so that once we exchanged the books with each other, we’d know what to focus on and what we haven’t done yet.”

Akarin then started tearing up.

“I-I’m sorry! I know I should’ve treated it much more carefully! I was trying so hard to read it, and before I knew it, it turned out like this. I guess I didn’t handle it properly―”

“It’s not your fault, Akari! I’m the one who drew and scribbled all over the books. Plus, I brought it with me outside…”

“No, as a leader, I should be the one to take responsibility. Hasumin… I’m really sorry for having treated the book you gave to us so poorly.”

Shiorin and her friends deeply bowed their heads to Hasumi.

Seeing their gesture, I shook my head at the three.

“―You’re misunderstanding here. Hasumi is happy. She’s delighted to have the book she gave you a week ago be used this much… Isn’t that right?”

I took out a handkerchief and handed it over to Hasumi, who took it and wiped her tears away as she nodded.

“Yeah. S-Sorry. I’m just weird… To think that something like this can have such an emotional impact on me.”

“Hasumi, I do admit that you’re a weird person, but those tears of yours aren’t weird at all. That book was one you chose with all your feelings put into it, right? Besides, I’m also feeling a bit moved here…”

“In that case, you can’t really say whether I’m weird or not, Ritsuki… After all, you’re weird too…”

Hasumi smiled as she wiped her eyes with the handkerchief.