Hold You Forever - DDLC {Natsuki x MC}

-37- Footsteps the Puffer Coat left behind

Welcome to ze thirty-seventh chapter!
When I originally planned this chapter, I figured it would be half the size it is now...
Seems to be a reoccurring theme!
Enjoy the chapter; we're picking up right where we left off last time!
(Please notify me of any grammar/spelling mistakes, so I can correct them ASAP)

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Katsuma's POV

I wonder what's taking him so long.

It has been a few weeks since I started attending high school here, and I have become familiar to the local area as well. But despite that, Dan and I still made it a thing to walk home together whenever my classes overlapped with his club. So far, it has never been just the two of us. Either Natsuki, or Dan's best friend Sayori tend to join us nearly every time. It's very lively, and their company has helped me a lot with getting comfortable with my new surroundings.

Dan was never this late, though. It was already getting dark, a fact that was not helped by the strengthening wintertime. It made me wonder whether something had happened. Maybe his club session simply happened to go into overtime. Frankly, I had no idea. All I knew, was that it was cold.

Every time I breathed, a seemingly solid cloud of warmth emerged. From my nose or my mouth, it really did not matter; that was how cold it was. I had nothing better to do right now than looking at those images of condensation. It was pretty boring, being on my own like this.

I would've stolen dad's gloves if I knew I had to stand here this long.

And just as I thought that, I heard a mixed rumble of voices grow louder. I recognized Dan's voice as well. It really did not come as a surprise to me that he had brought along people again.

I'm guessing it's Natsuki and Sayori, as usual.

I amped myself up, getting ready to adjust myself to more people. Not much was needed, though. I have gotten used to being around Natsuki, surprisingly enough. Sayori was a little scarier, to me, but I figured I should have been able to manage anyway.

And so, I was ready.

Dan appeared from behind the school building, and just as I thought, two girls were with him. And two other girls were also with him. And for some reason, there was also another guy. They were all talking and laughing together, slowly heading my way.

I was ready no longer. This was too many people to suddenly have to interact with. How badly I hoped that half of them would go the other way, somewhere along the one hundred meters left until they reached me.

"Hiya, Katsuma!" a high voice called out from the small mass of people, which I recognized to be Sayori's. She soon began running ahead of the group, beelining towards me. This unpredictability of hers was what made her a little scary,  but I was slowly getting used to it.

Sayori came to a halt before me, grinning widely, and ruffling my hair. "Hi," I mumbled. "Sayori, I'm actually not really still a kid, y'know..." I desperately hoped that I sounded convincing.

"Really?" she took her hand back. "Aren't you technically a kid, though? Objectively speaking, I mean," Sayori seemed to think about it really hard.

"N-no," I knew she was right, but I still tried.

"Aren't you cold?"

"No..."

"Mmkay..." she kept grinning. "So, if I were to offer you my gloves, you would actually turn down my offer, right?"