Solving Cases is My Daily Life Now: Volume 5

Chapter 17

    Masaru never elaborated on what he meant with his response at the light show, and Rina couldn't work up the nerve to ask. So he walked her home when they got off the bus, and neither of them said another word about it. Sunday went by lazily, and Rina didn't do much of anything on that day, spending it at home by herself. Finally Monday came, the beginning of the last week of school. Rina was feeling sick to her stomach, and briefly considered staying home. But if she did that she'd have to do make up exams, and she didn't want to lose any of the time she had left with her friends. So she forced herself out of bed and got ready for school.

    As she walked along the path she did almost every morning, Suzu approached her with a worried expression.
"Are you ok, R-Rina?" She asked, "You seemed k-k-kind of different after the light show."
"I'm fine." Rina lied, "I think I'm just reading too much into something Masaru said."
In truth, that was the real conclusion she had come to. Masaru was the type to speak logically, so of course he might have meant something along the lines of "they can't be together forever because they have to die someday". That's what she told herself, but the idea of it being something more still nagged at the back of her mind.
"What d-did he say?" Suzu asked.
"It's...not important." Rina replied quietly, pulling her new purple beanie further down onto her head.
It didn't match anything else she was wearing, but it held too much value for her to leave it behind.
"If you s-s-say so..." Suzu said, "B-But I'm always here to help if you n-n-need it!"
"Thanks." Rina said with a smile, "So how did things go on the bus with Katsuo on Saturday?"
Suzu perked up, her face turning pink as she thought about it.
"We just t-t-talked..." She said.
"Oh yeah?" Rina asked with a smirk, "About what?"
"How much f-fun we had that day." Suzu said, "And that we sh-should do it again somet-time."
"That sounds like he was asking you out." Rina pointed out.
Suzu's pink face darkened further, and her eyes widened.
"N-No!" She exclaimed, "I'm sure he m-m-meant with everyone else, t-too."
"But maybe he didn't." Rina said, "You should ask him."
"There's n-n-no way I could d-do that!" Suzu said.
"No way you could do what?" Katsuo asked roughly, looking over at them as they approached the school entrance.
"N-N-N-Nothing!" Suzu said, her face now turning beet red.
"That's right." Rina said, looking away to hide her smirk, "Nothing at all."
"Saturday was so much fun!" Fuyuko said, clapping her hands together, "We definitely need to do it again!"
"Preferably when it's warmer." Katsuo grunted, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Don't be so grumpy, big brother." Fuyuko said with a frown, "You had fun too!"
"We all did." Rina said, giving Fuyuko a reassuring smile.
Though she wasn't entirely sure if that was true for Masaru...
"Where should we go next?" Fuyuko began to think, "A water park in the summer? Or should we take a trip? Or maybe we could all go camping!"
"I think you're getting ahead of yourself." Katsuo said.
Fuyuko whined, but was ignored.
"I wonder if we'll get any cases this week." Rina said.
"I doubt it." Katsuo said, "Everyone will be too busy with exams."
"You d-d-don't know that." Suzu argued, "Maybe someone will l-lose their lucky pencil!"
"I don't think Masaru would waste his time on something like that." Rina said.
"He wasted his time trying to find the owner of that journal for you." Fuyuko reminded her.
"...I guess you're right." Rina conceded, not wanting to argue.
It wasn't long after that when they reached the classroom and split into their usual two groups, with Fuyuko and Katsuo going down the hall and Rina and Suzu into the room.

    Suzu's good mood definitely returned by lunch, as she was humming to herself when she took out her bento to eat.
"I w-wonder what we should do today after sc-sc-school!" She wondered aloud.
"If we really don't have any cases, I'm sure Fuyuko has found something for us to do by now." Rina replied as she took out her own bento.
"She's p-p-pretty good at finding fun stuff to do!" Suzu said, a smile still on her face.
"Yeah." Rina said, "I almost think she's TOO good at it. Like she spends all of her time looking for that kind of thing."
"Aw, but that's c-c-cute!" Suzu said, "She l-likes spending time with us s-s-so much that she devotes her f-free time to planning it out f-f-for us!"
"...I guess so." Rina said quietly.
She frowned to herself, would this be the last week Fuyuko would be able to go all out on their plans? The idea only served to increase her unease. As Rina shifted uncomfortably in her seat, Masaru entered the room and sat down with them.
"Hi, M-Masaru!" Suzu said with a happy wave.
"Hey." He replied casually.
Rina began to dig through her bag for his bento.
"Have you b-been doing well on your exams s-s-so far?" Suzu asked.
"Yeah." Masaru said, taking his bento from Rina, "No trouble so far."
"How do you do so well without studying?" Rina asked with a grimace.
"He's a d-d-detective, Rina!" Suzu reminded her, "He has a good m-memory."
Masaru nodded in agreement and opened his bento, preparing a bite of food.
"What about you two? Are you confident in how you've done?" He asked, before taking said bite.
"I th-think I've done ok." Suzu said, clearly not aware of her own genius, "I've gotten n-n-nervous a few times, but I p-pulled through."
"Rina?" Masaru asked, glancing over at her.
Rina perked up and met his eyes, the gaze seemed to pierce right through her. She opened her mouth, but at first no words came out. When his eyebrow raised and his confusion was made evident, she forced some to.
"I've been...a bit distracted." Rina admitted, "But I think I did all right."
"You shouldn't let yourself be distracted." Masaru said, "These tests are the most important of the year."
"I know." Rina said sternly, "It's just..."
She trailed off, and neither Suzu nor Masaru felt the need to pry further. Almost immediately after the awkward exchange, Fuyuko and Katsuo entered the room.
"I missed you, Masu!" Fuyuko cried out, grabbing his arm lovingly when she sat down next to him.
Masaru simply made a sound in response, his eyes still on his bento.
"Fuyo here seems to have done horribly on her exam." Katsuo said, putting his fist down on her head.
"You don't know that yet!" Fuyuko whined, grabbing at his hand, "I'm just not confident in how I did..."
"Have you been studying?" Masaru asked, glancing over at her.
"Well, sometimes..." Fuyuko replies quietly, "But I spend a lot of time helping the club or planning out the fun things we can do together..."
Masaru looked her up and down, and an unfamiliar shine went over his eyes.
"Fuyo's b-been working hard in her own w-w-way." Suzu said.
"...and no one can fault you for that." Masaru said, putting his hand on her head when Katsuo removed his.
Fuyuko cooed, and for a moment Rina realized what Suzu meant when she said that Fuyuko was cute for trying so hard.
"Like hell they can!" Katsuo growled, "What if she fails?"
"At least it was because she was doing what she loves." Masaru said, sounding uncharacteristically compassionate.
"Yeah!" Fuyuko agreed with a smug grin.
Suddenly something occurred to Rina.
"Why are you being so easy on her?" She asked, "You were lecturing me just a minute ago."
Masaru looked over at her, his expression indicating that he didn't even know himself. But then Rina remembered something he had told her a long time ago, about who Fuyuko reminded him of...and she let the subject drop.
"Have you f-found any new cases for us, Fuyo?" Suzu asked.
"Not even close." Fuyuko said, "I'm starting to think helping Iwamoto is going to be our last one!"
"That'd be a bummer." Katsuo said, "Even if you guys are pals now."
"I wouldn't say we're pals." Masaru insisted, "More like, we're on neutral ground now."
"And you m-made up with Yua?" Suzu asked, clearly excited at the idea.
"Not exactly." Rina said, averting her gaze, "But...I don't think we hate each other anymore."
"Look at you two, making enemies into acquaintances!" Fuyuko said, and it was unclear whether she was making fun of them or not. The bell rang shortly after their discussion on old rivalries, and everyone parted ways.