The walk home with Sakura-san the next day felt even longer than the cafeteria lunch. Every step was a conscious effort. My brain was on high alert, scanning for familiar faces, processing every passing car, every person on the sidewalk, wondering if they were seeing "Sakura Yamato and her new boyfriend" or "Sakura Yamato being awkwardly accompanied by average Tanaka Hiroshi."
We started by walking down the main road towards the station, just as planned. The initial silence was thick, broken only by the sounds of traffic and distant chatter. I fumbled for something to say, anything to break the awkwardness, but my mind was blank. All my witty remarks had apparently evaporated under the pressure.
Sakura-san seemed more relaxed than I expected, though. She wasn't scanning the crowds frantically like I was. She was just... walking. And then she started talking, her voice calm and conversational.
"So, Tanaka-kun," she began. "Have you read any interesting books lately, besides the ones for the club?"
It was such a normal question that it caught me off guard. "Uh, yeah. I just finished reading Norwegian Wood."
Her eyes lit up slightly. "Oh, Murakami! I tried reading Kafka on the Shore once, but I found it a bit confusing. Is Norwegian Wood easier to follow?"
We talked about books. About Murakami, about other authors I liked, about books she had tried reading but couldn't get into. It was... surprisingly easy. It was just two people talking about something they enjoyed. For a little while, I almost forgot we were putting on a show.
We turned off the main road and entered the park. It was quieter here, trees lining the path, kids playing on the grass. It was a genuinely nice route.
"The park is nice," I commented, feeling a little more comfortable.
"It is," she agreed. "I used to come here a lot when I was younger. There's a small shrine near the pond."
"Oh?"
"Yes. People say if you make a wish there about something you truly desire, and you're pure of heart, it might come true." She smiled faintly. "Mostly just a local legend, of course. But it's a nice thought."
A local legend? It reminded me of the subtle, quirky world element I had considered adding to the plan. A small, slightly magical detail woven into the mundane.
"Have you ever made a wish there?" I asked.
She paused for a moment, looking towards where she indicated the shrine was. "Maybe," she said softly, a hint of something wistful in her voice. "Some wishes are too personal to share, even with yourself sometimes."
The sudden shift in tone, the hint of vulnerability, surprised me. It was an unscripted moment, a glimpse behind the 'Sakura Yamato' everyone knew. It made her seem... real.
We walked in comfortable silence for a while, the sounds of the park around us. It wasn't awkward this time. It was just... peaceful. This felt less like pretending and more like... a quiet afternoon walk.
Then, as we passed a bench, we saw them.
Aiko and Kenji. Sitting on a bench, sharing a bag of potato chips, deep in conversation. They looked up as we approached.
Aiko's eyes widened again, though this time it seemed less like shock and more like... surprise and perhaps a little curiosity. Kenji grinned, that knowing, mischievous grin returning.
"Well, well, look who it is," Kenji called out. "Taking the scenic route, are we?"
Sakura-san maintained her calm demeanor. "Hello, Sato-kun, Aiko-san. Yes, we decided to enjoy the nice weather."
Aiko looked at me, a question in her eyes. I gave her a small, hopefully reassuring smile.
"Hey," I said to them.
Kenji stood up. "Mind if we join you guys for a bit? We were just... discussing the latest developments." He punctuated 'latest developments' with a pointed look at our general vicinity.
Before I could panic or Sakura-san could politely decline, Aiko stood up too. "Yeah, can we? I... I still have some questions, Hiroshi."
Sakura-san seemed to assess the situation. Declining might look suspicious, like we had something to hide (which we did). Letting them join might be risky, but also might make things look more natural to any observers.
"Of course," Sakura-san said smoothly. "Join us."
So, we sat down on the bench. Me, Sakura-san, Aiko, and Kenji. It felt like the most bizarre double date in history.
Aiko immediately turned to me, chips forgotten. "Okay, Hiroshi. Seriously. 'Repeated coincidences leading to destiny'? Kenji told me what you guys are saying. Is that... is that really how it happened?" Her eyes searched mine, looking for the truth she usually found so easily.
I shifted uncomfortably. Lying to Aiko felt terrible. But revealing the plan to save the club to someone not directly involved felt risky, even if it was Aiko. And Sakura-san was right there, silently relying on me to maintain the story.
"Uh... yeah," I mumbled, avoiding eye contact. "Pretty much. We just... kept running into each other. And talking. And, um... yeah."
Aiko didn't look convinced. She knew my tells. She knew when I was being evasive.
Kenji, sensing the potential breakdown of the performance, jumped in again. "See, Aiko? Destiny! It's like a rom-com manga come to life! Our quiet Hiroshi got scouted by the main heroine!"
"It's not a manga, Kenji," Aiko said, though she was still looking at me. "It's Hiroshi. He's not the type to just... suddenly start dating someone like Yamato-san because of coincidences."
"Maybe he's just full of surprises," Sakura-san interjected gently, echoing what she'd said before. She smiled at Aiko. "Hiroshi-kun is actually very interesting once you get to know him."
Aiko looked at Sakura-san, then back at me. The look on her face was complicated – surprise, doubt, concern, maybe even a hint of… something else? It was hard to read. She had always been protective of me, in her own way.
"Okay," Aiko said finally, though she still sounded unconvinced. "If you say so, Hiroshi. Just... are you happy?"
The question was simple, but it hit me unexpectedly. Was I happy? This situation was terrifying, stressful, and completely fake. But sitting here, in the park, talking (even pretending) with Sakura Yamato, with Kenji and Aiko beside us… it wasn't entirely miserable. Sakura-san was kind, determined, and surprisingly easy to talk to when we weren't focused on performing.
"Yeah," I said, meeting Aiko's gaze. "Yeah, I'm... I'm happy."
It was the most honest lie I had ever told.
Aiko studied my face for another moment, then finally seemed to accept my answer, at least for now. She slumped back slightly on the bench. "Okay. Just... be careful, Hiroshi. Yamato-san is... she's from a different world."
Sakura-san remained silent, her expression unreadable. The tension eased slightly. Kenji started recounting a funny story from class, and the conversation shifted to more typical high school chatter. We sat there for a while longer, the bizarre foursome, looking for all intents and purposes like a normal group of friends.
As the sun began to set, we all stood up to leave. Sakura-san and I walked towards the station, while Kenji and Aiko headed in a different direction. As Aiko walked away, she glanced back at me, a lingering look on her face.
Walking towards the station, side by side again, the comfortable silence returned.
"Thank you," Sakura-san said quietly.
"For what?"
"For handling Aiko-san. And Kenji-kun. You did well."
"It felt awful lying to Aiko," I admitted. "She knows me too well."
"She cares about you," Sakura-san replied. "That's obvious. It's okay if it's difficult. Just... keep doing your best."
She glanced at me, a small, genuine smile returning. "You were good in the park, Tanaka-kun. It felt... natural."
Natural? Pretending to date the school idol in front of my childhood friend and best friend felt natural? My brain disagreed vehemently. But her saying it... it felt like praise.
"Thanks," I mumbled, feeling that warmth creep back into my face.
As we reached the station entrance, the time came to part ways. "See you tomorrow, Tanaka-kun," she said.
"See you, Yamato-san," I replied.
We exchanged a small nod, and she disappeared into the bustling station crowd. I watched her go, the setting sun painting the sky in hues of orange and purple.
I had survived the walk home. I had survived the interrogation. And I had told Aiko I was happy, which felt both true and false at the same time.
This fake dating thing was proving to be far more complicated, and far more unpredictable, than I ever could have imagined.