Words Long Overdue

This is an original fanwork based off The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten. The Angel Next Door Spoils Me Rotten is owned by Saeki and SB Creative. Please support the official release.

Illustrations created by arisenlovestheelvesdaily, who took time off from looking at elves for a while to illustrate these pictures. You have my thanks.

Please excuse the amateur prose. This whole thing was written to improve my writing skills.

"...I will grab my stuff next week. You won't be bothered by me ever again."

"Understood."

"..."

"..."

"This is farewell, Amane-kun. No, Fujimiya-san."

"...Likewise, Shiina. I wish you well for whatever you do next."

"...Appreciated. Then I shall bother you no longer."

Laughter and chattering echoed from beyond the sliding door. Gripping the handle, Amane opened it and entered the establishment. The smell of meat and alcohol entered his nose. Rows of tables met his eye, each filled with people engaging in small talk while passing around small plates of meat and cups of alcohol.

Amane, slightly exhausted, was currently in a rather fancy-looking izakaya located at the top floor of an equally fancy building. His office worker suit, slightly wrinkled from him being squashed in the train, was not exactly what he had wanted to wear for such an occasion, but as he had just gotten out of work, he had no choice to let the matter slide.

A decade had passed since he graduated high school. Everyone had gone their separate ways, pursued their goals, and had integrated into society. Amane wouldn't deny the notion of feeling a bit nostalgic when he received an invitation to attend a high school reunion. Unfortunately, it was on a weekday. He wanted to complain about the timing, but he figured that it might be because this was the most convenient time for everyone invited to attend.

It would be a lie to say that he was fully on board with this gathering. After all, attending would mean that he would most likely encounter her. At the same time though, he believed that his regret in not seeing his old classmates again would outweigh his regrets of going, so he forced down any ill feelings he had as he accepted the invite.

"Hey, you made it!"

Amane turned to look at the man calling him. His eyes landed on a slightly frivolous-looking person sitting at a nearby table.

"Good to see you doing well, Itsuki."

Itsuki waved and invited him over. Next to him, a girl waved as well, beaming with an equally mischievous grin.

"Hey! Long time no see, Amane!"

"...Good to see you too, Chitose."

"I'm not sure I liked that pause just now!"

A flurry of laughter erupted from the table. Contrary to his reserved reply, Amane was quite glad to see Chitose again, even if he still couldn't fully stand up to her exuberance.

It had been some time since he had seen them. They still kept in contact with each other over social media and sometimes met up to hang out and catch up about what they had been up to, but slowly, over the years, they slowly grew apart as they went to fill their place in society. It was nostalgic hearing their voices again.

He made his way over to the table where Itsuki and Chitose were at and sat across them. It wasn't like he hadn't been out of touch with them, he met up with Itsuki a month prior in fact, but it was rather nostalgic to be able to meet them again under a more jovial atmosphere.