[Momotalk]
Me: Yuuka, can you help me with something?
Yuuka: Eh? What is it?
Me: I'd like you to help me gather some public data.
Yuuka: I can, but I'm a bit tied up right now…
Yuuka: Do you need it urgently?
Me: Not too urgent. I've still got four or five days.
Yuuka: Okay, then I'll do it after I finish my seminar work.
Yuuka: You can tell me the type of data you need first.
Just as I sent the message and put my phone down, a hungry wolf who had been waiting for her chance struck.
"Sensei, may I borrow a bit of your time?"
Shiroko tugged lightly at the hem of my shirt.
It was the afternoon, not long after lunch. Only Shiroko and I were in the clubroom.
The others were scattered: Hoshino was probably napping somewhere again, Ayane had gone to the library, Serika said she had something to do (likely work), and Nonomi had wandered off with a broom in hand, saying she was going for a stroll around campus.
There was no reason for me to refuse Shiroko's request.
"Of course."
"Good. Please follow me then."
She led me to the bicycle shed, where two bikes were parked.
They were the same model, differing only in color: one blue, one white.
I remembered that yesterday, when I first met Shiroko, she had offered to lend me her spare bike to get around. I hadn't given her a clear answer then.
I hadn't expected her to actually bring it all the way to school today.
Such surprising initiative.
I teased her. "Oh? Didn't expect them to be a matching pair."
That one sentence made Shiroko's eyes widen and her cheeks flush faintly.
"I… I didn't mean it that way. It's just that having the same model makes it easier to get used to… Ah, but I don't dislike the idea of… um… If you think of them as… as a matching pair… then that's… not impossible either…"
Her flustered expression and clumsy words stirred up a pang of guilt in me.
And yet, excitement made me push further.
"So, what you're saying is, I can take this as a confession?"
Shiroko froze for a moment, then grew calm. "…I see. So Sensei has a mischievous side too."
"Haha, sorry, sorry~ It's only because Shiroko's so cute."
I ruffled her hair and stroked her soft wolf ears as I laughed and apologized.
Then I gratefully accepted her kindness.
I adjusted the saddle height and tried a lap around the schoolyard. At first I wobbled, but maybe thanks to muscle memory, I soon returned to a decent level.
With a fuel-free ride, getting around Abydos would be far easier.
I hadn't been using Schale's autonomous helicopter for that very reason. In Abydos, there wasn't a single gas station. And in the busy districts, there weren't any suitable landing zones.
"Thanks, Shiroko."
"No need to thank me. If you like it, Sensei, consider it a gift from me."
"In that case, I'll gladly accept."
Dismounting, I ran my fingers across the white-painted frame. The longer I looked, the more I liked it. In my mind, I gave the bike a dashing name.
"Since Shiroko gave it to me, you'll be the White Wolf."
"By the way, can this bike be modified?" I asked, guessing Shiroko was experienced. "Like adding a passenger seat, for example."
She blinked. "Sensei wants to carry someone?"
"Yeah, I'm staying at Hoshino's place right now, so…"
I cut myself off, realizing my blunder, and quickly tried to recover. "Mainly, I was thinking of taking you out for a ride, Shiroko."
"…I see. I consider unnecessary modifications to be an insult to a bicycle. Please don't mention adding a passenger seat again. But since Sensei says so… let's go."
Watching Shiroko climb onto her bike, I was caught off guard. "Huh? Go where?"
"Didn't Sensei say you wanted to take me out for a ride?"
She glanced back at me, her expression as flat as ever, unreadable.
"Take responsibility. Keep me company until I've had my fill."
"Wait, what…"
Realizing she might be sulking, I knew I was in trouble. Seeing her already pedal toward the school gate, I quickly followed.
I prayed she would calm down soon.
Four hours later.
On the ring road.
I struggled to keep up behind Shiroko, who showed no sign of fatigue. I felt like I couldn't go on any longer.
My legs ached unbearably, my clothes were soaked with sweat and dried again, and worst of all, I hadn't had a single drink of water. My throat burned, my head spun, and even my voice was hoarse.
I called out between gasps.
"Shiroko… slow down… I can't take this anymore…"
"Sensei, I already am going slow. We've only gone sixty kilometers."
Do you even understand what it means to ride sixty kilometers nonstop without water in four hours? That's torture!
Can't you strange beings of Kivotos consider the limits of a normal human body?
I let out a long sigh and gave up.
Stopping at the roadside, I watched Shiroko's back grow smaller, then sat down to catch my breath. I pulled out Momotalk and sent her a message.
"Sorry, this is as far as I can go."
No sooner had I hit send than the sound of wheels drew closer.
Looking up, I saw Shiroko circling back.
"Sensei, are you all right?"
"I'll live… just a little tired, a little thirsty…"
"…Sensei, you didn't bring water?"
Only now realizing it, Shiroko revealed her absentminded side. She hurriedly dismounted, rummaged through her bag, and pulled out a half-finished energy drink.
"Here, Sensei. This is all I have left."
My throat already felt like it was on fire, so without thinking I drank it straight from the bottle.
At that moment, I finally heard her voice, muffled by the sound of her still rummaging.
"I'll find a cup… ah…"
The situation was awkward.
Shiroko stared at the empty bottle in my hand, then quietly zipped up her bag and changed the subject.
"…I'm sorry, Sensei. I was selfish, I didn't think about your condition. I only cared about having fun myself."
I shook my head. "No, it's my fault. I wanted to act cool in front of you, Shiroko."
Truthfully, I had wanted to stop much earlier. But I had overestimated myself and underestimated her.
I thought it'd be a chance to grow closer, but I hadn't expected Shiroko to be such a stamina monster. It was a huge miscalculation.
Now I was exhausted, wondering how we'd even get back.
I didn't know if the helicopter had enough fuel for a round trip. Surely I couldn't have Shiroko carry me home…
Just as I was stewing over this, Shiroko sat down beside me.
"Sensei."
Hugging her knees, she turned her head to look at my profile. Her gaze wasn't as clear as usual, and her voice was softer than I'd ever heard.
"The truth is, I…"