Comfort Zone

Chapter 21 - Closer

On Monday, Nanmei didn't show up to school. Suzuka hung out with Harumi and her friends in the morning.

Suzuka stood in front of Harumi, Harumi's arms around her waist, being an annoyingly cute couple as usual. Ayame gave them — more specifically, Suzuka — a strange look.

"Uh, Ayame," Suzuka began, "how's Hikari doing?"

"Do you care?" Ayame replied, crossing her arms.

"Just because I don't want to date her doesn't mean I don't care about her."

"Hmm, she's fine, more or less."

"Ayame," Harumi said softly, resting her head on Suzuka's shoulder. "Don't blame Suzu."

Ayame closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then let out a long sigh. She opened her eyes with a smile. "You're right. Sorry about that, Suzuka."

"Don't worry about it," Suzuka replied. "With how close you are, it would be stranger if you didn't hate me a little."

"It's not hate, just, a bit annoyed."

"Suzu, are you free to come over today?" Harumi asked.

"Nanmei's absent, so I want to check on her after school," Suzuka replied.

"That kindness is why I love you." Harumi rubbed her cheek against Suzuka's. "Tomorrow, then?"

"Sure."

Harumi turned her gaze to Ayame. "Wanna come over tomorrow?"

Ayame thought it over, then nodded. "I could get some inspiration from that."

"Great!" Harumi beamed. "My mom will be happy to have two guests. Ah, wait, Suzu, do you know mahjong?"

"Mahjong?" Suzuka furrowed her brows. "Uh, I know tanyao?"

"That's enough!"

Suzuka now had something to look forward to.

Between classes, she approached Asahi. "Do you know if Nanmei's sick? She's not replying to my texts."

"Maybe." Asahi shrugged. "She's supposed to look after me, not the other way around."

"Do you think it'd be okay for me to visit and check in on her?"

"You trust her, right? Go for it." Asahi swiped a finger through the air, pulling a key on a ring out of a burst of flames. "Here."

Suzuka accepted and examined the key. "This is?"

"A key to Nanmei's place."

"Oh, I see! Thanks!" Suzuka closed her hand around the key. Flames swallowed it, sending it to her magical storage.

Asahi swiped her hand through the air again, then placed her hand on Suzuka's. "Maybe you'll need some of these, too."

Suzuka wasn't able to see what they were, but from their thin square shapes, she could easily guess. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she put them away. "I don't think I will, but better safe than sorry."

Asahi nodded in agreement. "Actually, maybe you should take this, too. And this."

Suzuka watched with a bewildered expression as Asahi gave her more and more random items. She laughed and shook her head.

After school, Suzuka stopped by the convenience store to pick up some helpful things, then went over to Nanmei's place. She'd only been there once before, the day she'd been attacked by Priscilla, but she still remembered the route.