Chapter 209: Ayane plans to visit Noah, but Reina finds out.

A full day had passed since Noah was discharged from the hospital, and Ayane Kagetsu had spent the entire morning thinking about him, though it wasn’t something she wanted to admit.

In fact, she had tried several times to convince herself that she was only worried about his health.

After all, Noah had suddenly lost consciousness, and that was more than enough reason to be concerned.

At least, that was the explanation Ayane had decided to accept.

’He should be resting.’

She was sitting in her classroom, staring at an open notebook on her desk while the teacher continued the lesson.

Ayane held a pen, but she hadn’t written a single word in several minutes.

’I wonder if he ate breakfast properly.’

She glanced at the clock.

’His mother is probably taking care of him.’

She remembered Noah’s mothers, she had seen them from a distance when she was watching the hospital, and she had also seen Ava.

’His family seems really attentive.’

That was a good thing, because it would help Noah rest... although...

’What if he feels lonely?’

Ayane lifted her head slightly.

Noah had several girlfriends, far too many, in her opinion, but one of them was probably texting him nonstop, and maybe they were even planning to visit him again.

Ayane frowned.

’They shouldn’t bother him so much.’

If Noah needed rest, the right thing to do was leave him alone.

Not visit him constantly, or hug him, or take up all his time, or try to get moments alone with him while he was recovering.

Ayane nodded to herself.

’Exactly.’

She wouldn’t do any of those things, because her visit would be different, short, responsible, and polite.

She only wanted to check that he was okay and maybe talk for a few minutes, perhaps give him something, ask if he needed any help.

’And if he invites me to stay a little while...’

Ayane started to smile as she pictured Noah sitting on his bed, looking at her gratefully.

"Ayane, thanks for coming."

"You don’t have to thank me, Noah."

"You’re always looking out for me."

"It’s the least I can do."

"I’m really glad to have you around."

Ayane lowered her gaze slightly.

’Noah...’

"Kagetsu!"

Ayane shot to her feet.

"Yes!"

The entire class was staring at her while the teacher stood in front of the board.

"Could you repeat the last thing I explained?"

Ayane froze. She looked at her notebook. It was completely blank.

"..."

The teacher raised an eyebrow, and Ayane swallowed.

"Could you repeat the question?"

A few students started laughing. The teacher sighed.

"Pay attention."

"Yes!"

Ayane sat back down, her face completely red.

’How embarrassing.’

She looked toward the board, trying to focus, really focus this time, but after about two minutes she was thinking about Noah again.

’What should I bring Noah?’

Ayane closed her eyes.

’Concentrate!’

After classes, Ayane headed to a secluded area of the high school. She had arranged to meet Reina and Misaki to go over some matters related to their unit.

Even though their resources had been cut, they still had responsibilities. The organization hadn’t stopped sending them orders.

They simply expected them to complete their tasks with less money and less equipment.

Ayane considered that pretty unfair, but she had no intention of complaining out loud.

When she arrived at the meeting spot, she found Reina sitting on a bench while Misaki stood beside her.

Reina had a drink and a pack of cookies. Ayane eyed the pack.

"Where did you get that?"

Reina looked up.

"I bought it."

"With what money?"

"My own."

Ayane narrowed her eyes.

"What money?"

Reina stayed silent. Misaki answered.

"She used part of the supply budget."

Ayane closed her eyes.

"Reina..."

"What?"

"You bought cookies with unit money?!"

"We need to eat."

"We have food."

"But not cookies."

"That’s not the point!"

Reina smiled.

"Good morning to you too."

Ayane took a deep breath.

’Patience.’

She sat down in front of them.

"We need to go over the pending reports."

Misaki nodded.

"I prepared the data."

"Good."

Reina raised a hand.

"I also have something to report."

Ayane looked at her.

"What?"

"There’s no money left to buy more cookies."

"..."

Misaki answered immediately.

"That’s not relevant information."

"It is to me."

Ayane decided to ignore her and opened the documents.

"First, about the surveillance of Stella Lumina..."

She stopped. She remembered that Stella had visited Noah at the hospital, and she also remembered what she had seen through the binoculars.

The actress smiling, Noah talking with her, and his sister watching them with a rather annoyed expression.

’Are they dating?’

Ayane frowned.

’No.’

There was no point jumping to conclusions. Stella could simply be a friend... though there was something strange about the number of girls who kept approaching Noah.

Ayane sighed. Reina watched her.

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

"But you sighed."

"I’m reading."

"You sighed while reading."

"Reina."

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

Reina smiled.

"So aggressive."

Misaki began explaining her report. Ayane tried to pay attention and managed it for a few minutes, until Misaki mentioned the hospital.

"By the way, there’s something else."

Ayane immediately lifted her head.

"Noah?"

Misaki stopped. So did Reina. Silence fell. Ayane realized what she had just said.

"..."

Reina smiled slowly.

"Ah."

Ayane closed her eyes.

’No.’

Reina leaned forward.

"Noah?"

"I didn’t say anything."

"You did."

"I misspoke."

"Why did you think of Noah right away?"

Ayane looked away.

"It doesn’t matter."

Reina smiled even wider.

"You were thinking about him, weren’t you?"

"No."

"Yes."

"I said no!"

"You’ve been distracted since you got here."

Ayane looked at her.

"That’s not true."

Misaki cut in.

"Yes it is."

Ayane’s eyes widened.

"You too?"

Misaki answered calmly.

"You’ve been staring at the same paragraph for ten minutes."

Ayane lowered her gaze. It was true. Reina started laughing.

"I knew it!"

Ayane closed the document.

"We can continue the meeting!"

Reina was still laughing.

"Our dear leader is in love!"

"Reina!"

"Have you already picked out the wedding dress?"

"Shut up!"

"Want me to be your maid of honor?"

"No!"

Misaki crossed her arms.

"That would be a bad idea."

Reina looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because you’d probably ruin the ceremony."

"Such little faith."

Ayane covered her face with both hands.

’Why do I have to put up with them?’

After that, the meeting ended without much progress.

Ayane managed to review a few reports, but Reina wouldn’t stop making comments related to Noah, so she finally decided to leave. She needed some peace.

She left the meeting place and started walking toward the station, but as she went, she began thinking about her visit again.

’Maybe I should buy him something simple.’

She thought about flowers, then discarded the idea, that might seem too romantic... although...

’What if they were white flowers?’

Ayane pictured herself handing him a small bouquet.

Noah would smile, thank her, and maybe even ask if she wanted to come in for a bit.

’That wouldn’t be so bad.’

Then she remembered that Noah was probably still recovering.

’I shouldn’t make him push himself.’

She could bring food, but she didn’t know exactly what he could eat.

Maybe a book, though she didn’t know what genre he preferred either.

’I should have asked him earlier.’

Ayane kept walking and remembered the first time Noah had helped her.

The library, the books falling, her losing consciousness, and Noah carrying her all the way to the nurse’s office.

Ayane smiled.

’He was always so kind to me.’

Then her foot caught on a small uneven spot in the sidewalk.

"Ah!"

She lost her balance. She tried to recover, but couldn’t, and ended up falling to her knees.

Several people walking by looked at her.

"Are you okay?"

Ayane quickly lifted her head.

"Yes!"

She got up with difficulty.

"It was nothing."

One of the people who had come over to help looked at her knees.

"You scraped them a little."

Ayane looked down. She did have a small scrape.

"..."

The woman asked again.

"Do you need help?"

"No, thank you."

Ayane started walking again, this time paying very close attention to the ground.

’This is ridiculous.’

She had never been this distracted, especially not because of a guy. But then she thought...

’Noah isn’t just any guy.’

Ayane felt her cheeks heat up.

"Concentrate!"

Several people turned their heads. Ayane quickened her pace.

When she was near the station, she ran into Reina and Misaki again. They were waiting for her.

Ayane stopped.

"What are you doing here?"

Reina smiled.

"Waiting for you."

"Why?"

"Because you were acting weird."

"I’m not acting weird."

Misaki looked at her knees.

"You fell."

Ayane’s eyes widened.

"How do you know?"

Reina held up her phone.

"Someone mentioned it."

Ayane felt a chill.

"What?"

Reina smiled.

"A student from your same high school walked past us and said she saw the top student of the school trip while walking distracted."

Ayane clenched her teeth.

"That could have been anyone."

"Sure."

Reina tilted her head.

"Were you thinking about Noah?"

"Of course not!"

Misaki looked at her knees again.

"You should clean that scrape."

"It’s not necessary."

"Yes it is."

Ayane sighed. Reina smiled again.

"You could ask Noah to take care of you."

Ayane froze.

"..."

She imagined Noah carefully cleaning the wound.

"Be more careful, Ayane."

"I’m sorry."

"I don’t want you to get hurt."

Ayane started to smile. Reina pointed at her.

"Look at her!"

Ayane snapped out of it.

"I wasn’t thinking about anything!"

"I didn’t even ask!"

Misaki slowly shook her head.

"This is concerning."

Ayane took a deep breath. She couldn’t take it anymore.

"Fine!"

Reina stopped laughing. Ayane crossed her arms.

"I’m going to visit Noah!"

Silence fell between the three of them.