Whispering You a Love Song ch55: A Double Date and Being Frank.

Something different from the norm to talk about.

Phew~

I'm getting nervous...

Incoming Call - Mi-chan

To think Mi-chan would ask me out on a date...

Well, Hajime-senpai and Satomiya-san will be there too, so it's not exactly a date per se...

...
But,

since she invited me out like this...
it's okay... to get my hopes up just a little...
right...?

Gaaah!!
Don't get ahead of yourself, Ayaka!
Get it together!
Just act like the same old Aya-senpai!!

Aya-senpai.
Myah!

Geez~
You don't need to be that spooked.
S-
Sorry!
You caught me by surprise...!

Well, I guess it can't be helped...
Mi-chan in casual wear... for the first time in ages... So cute...

Um.

I know it was short-notice,
so thank you for coming today.
Nyeh!

It's fine!
Thank you too.
I'm really happy you invited me!

That's good then...

Hey~!

Satomiya-san! Hajime-senpai!

Sorry. Were you waiting long?
Nope.
We just got here ourselves.

I guess this is our first time talking to each other like this, Satomiya-san.
Yeah.
I think we were only together during PE back in the first year.
Since we were in neighboring classes.

Once again, it's nice to meet you.
Just Ayaka is fine.
I'll call you Ayaka-chan then!
You can call me whatever you'd like too.
In that case...
Momo-chan!

In that case,
you're free to be casual with me too.
Nyeh!

B-
Being casual with you, Hajime-senpai...
is difficult...
Right,
Mi-chan?
You're too awe-inspiring!

Is that so?
The third years have already retired, so you don't need to worry about that...

It's already an honor just having you come out with us today!!
?
Why?

I mean, when you think of Hajime-senpai,
you think of the admirable senpai who's ranked No.1 in our wind instrument club!

My, that's amazing, Hajime-chan.
Fufu
I highly doubt it...
They're over exaggerating...

But still,
I'm kinda surprised.

To think
my two cute trumpeting underclassmen
would end up like this.

Like what?

...
You confessed.
Didn't you?

Nwah!?
Wha-
Eh?
You knew!?
Huh?
Sorry. Was I meant to keep it a secret that I knew?
No.
It's fine.

The truth is,
um,

I kinda
went to Satomiya-san for advice and told her the details...

Ah
Ah~
Is that what that was!?
Eh?
That's kinda embarrassing.

Fufu.
From there, Miki-chan wanted to go on an outing with you
so she could get to know you better, Momo-chan.

...I-
I figured...
it's be too nervewracking
if it was just us two...

p10

That's cute.
...Yeah.
Keep it cool
Keep it cool
Keep it cool

I just so happened to have weekend plans with Hajime-chan,
so I suggested that we could go together.
Yep yep.

I see.
It all makes sense now.
Sorry for not explaining things properly...

Now then.

We shouldn't stand around talking forever, so...

p11

let's head to the picnic area!
Kay~

I'm glad it's sunny today~
The temperature's fair too.

p12

I don't think I've been on a picnic since kindergarten...
It's been ages for me too~

Well then,
everyone,
it's a little early, but...

let's present our bentos.

I didn't think I'd be getting a bento assignment...

This Sunday, make a bento and bring it with you~

Fufufu~
I figured it was the true charm of picnics.

p13

Here.
Here's our ones.

Ooh~

A-
Aren't there a lot of pricey-looking ingredients in yours, Hajime-senpai...?
I've never seen a bento like that before...
I asked my mother to buy the ingredients and she went all out.
It should taste really good.

p14

Satomiya-senpai's one is packed with sweets!
As I'd expect from her.
I figured everyone else would be making main dishes,
so I stuck with desserts.

But still, isn't this a bit much...?
It's my staple food.

Staple...?
So those rumors about Amasawa-senpai having a sweet tooth were true!?

There were rumors, huh...
It's bound to happen when your friend is a heavy eater when it comes to sweets.

And she still maintains her figure...
I'm so jealous...

Erm.
Well, next is mine...

p15

Wah~
It looks delicious!!
Amazing~
Hehe
You think so?

Is that some hidden skill of yours, Aya-senpai!?
No, no!
It's not a skill or anything.

I have a little brother and sister,
so I often help out with their bentos.

Please join the Cookery Research Club!!
How about it!?
Hey now.
Don't go stealing my underclassman.

p16

What about yours, Mi-chan?
Eh?

Ah...
No,
mine are...

?

I-
It's kinda
hard to follow after everyone else's...
I think...

Don't worry about it!
Yoink!
Hey!?

Let's see~
Aah...

p17

Are these...
kitties?

Gh...
I tried making one of those buzzworthy bunnies...
but I messed up bigtime...

C-

p18

Cute!!

Heh?

They're totally cute, like some kind of mascot character!!
They look delicious!!

Now then.
Let's eat right away.
We should.

Well then.
Let us give thanks~
Thanks for the food~

p19

Hey.
You don't need to force yourself, okay!?
I'm not forcing myself.

I'm eating because I want to eat.
Ah~

Dewishush~

p20

Eh?
C-
Can I have another!?
Is there a limit per person!?
S-
Sure, go ahead...

Alright!!

Geez...
There must be some kind of filter at work here.

p21

Hah~
That delicious~
I ate a lot~

p22

How about some nice hot tea?
Thanks~

Hey, hey, Ayaka-chan.
Hm?

What do you
like about Miki-chan?

Dweh!?
Mmg!

p23

I'm pretty curious.
Eh?
Eh?
Eeh~?

...
I-

I'm also
kinda...
curious.

For
real?

...
Erm... Right.

There's
a lot, but...

p24

but the biggest thing
is how you're always cheerful.

...Cheerful?
Yeah!

Whenever I'm feeling down or worried,
hearing Mi-chan's cheerful voice
gets me all positive again.

I was really nervous backstage during last year's tournament.
Remember that?

p25

It was than that you...

Aya-senpai.

You're too nervous.
I can't help it...
Doing a solo part is scary...
I'm sure you'll be fine.

Ah.
Here's something a friend taught me.

Whenever you're nervous,
just imagine everyone around you as potatoes.

p26

Pfft
What the heck?

You're cheeriness back then saved me, Mi-chan.
I decided
that I would confess to you once the school festival was over.

I didn't...
say anything
that special...

Ah!
Wait!
There's plenty of other stuff too!!

I love your super pretty black hair,
and the way you arrange it every time is so cute,
and speaking of looks, that mole by your mouth is...
GAAH!
Stop! Stop!

p27

Haha
You're really fired up, Ayaka.

...Yes.

Mi-chan is
my first love
after all.

Oh my.
Eh?

Before I met Mi-chan, I didn't have anyone that I loved.
I was worried that I'd never fall in love for the rest of my life.

p28

Nahaha!
This is kinda embarrassing!
Okay, story's over!

Hey.
More importantly.

How about a little exercise?

Sounds good. We need to burn off those calories.
I've been lacking exercise myself, so this helps.

p29

You too, Mi-chan. Here.
Eh...?

Geez~

Just forget what I said for now!
Ow.

Or could it be
that you don't think you can win?

Yeah, right.

p32

Ah~
I sure worked up a sweat~
It's not fair how good your reflexes are, Amamiya-senpai~
Haha
Thanks for the compliment.

p33

I'm just gonna head to the bathroom for a bit.
Ah.
Me too!
Here~

We'll be back in a bit!
Okay~
Take care~

Ah.
Perfect timing.
Hajime-senpai.
Hm?

Do you
like Momo-chan?

p34

Frozen.

Why... would you...?
Ah.
Um, sorry.

I just kinda thought that from watching you two today.
Am I wrong?

You're not wrong, but...
was I really giving off that impression?

p35

Pretty blatantly, yeah.

So that's how you act in front of the one you love, huh, Hajime-senpai?

It was fun getting to see these sides of you I don't get to see during club activities.
You got me...

During lunch, you said you'd been friends since middle school.
Have you always loved her?

Ah.

Sorry. That was kinda prying.
We can drop the subject if you're not comfortable with it.
It's fine.

p36

Nobody's ever asked me straight up like that before,
so it's kinda refreshing.

...Yeah.

I've always
had one-sided feelings for her.

...One-sided...

Eh~?
It totally looked like it was mutual to me!
Momoka's like that with everyone.
Really!?

p37

...Well,

in a way,
I'm special.

Eh?

Nothing. Just talking to myself.

So basically, my long one-sided worth is just getting worse.
Hmm~
I don't get it...

p38

I'm sure you could make it work, Hajime-senpai...
Are you...
not gonna confess?

...
Indeed.

I'm sure
it's already too late to change our relationship.
That's not-
It is.
These things happen.

p39

That's why
I respect you
for being able to confess, Ayaka.

You don't get dragged down by the regret of not saying anything, after all.

Hajime-senpai...

p40

Don't give up so easily.
Consider that advice from your senpai with one-sided feelings.

...

Don't make that face.
Come on.
The other two are back.

p41

Now then.
It's a shame, but we should probably head home now.
Yeah.

Thank you for today.
It was really fun.
Same here.
Thank you so much.

Same to you.
Let's hang out again sometime.
You're welcome at any time.

We're heading home by car. Do you two need a lift?
Nah.
We're going by train!
I see. Be careful then.

p42

Having a picnic with friends was pretty fun, huh?
Yeah.
More fun than I expected.

...

Mi-chan.
Y-
Yes?

Today,
I had lots of fun spending time together.
Thanks.

p43

Throughout this day,
I've fallen even more in love with you.

Ah, sorry.
Geez, I did it again...
Saying that's just gonna put pressure on you.

Don't worry about...

...
Mi-chan?
Aya-senpai.

p44

Could you give me
a little
more time?