The Gal Next to Me Is Trying Too Hard to Make Me Fall in Love With Her
Mid-November.
“――Saeki!!”
A dull, leaden sky hung heavy.
Today’s low of seven degrees was the coldest in recent memory, and the classroom felt strangely listless because of it.
Then, a voice still bursting with summer energy echoed through the room, making everyone’s lips turn up just a little.
“Sooooooo refreshing~♡♡♡”
Class ended.
As usual, Amagi-san came to pick me up today.
The moment the door opened, she dashed out, her golden hair dancing like wind caressing a wheat field.
Along with a sweet, refreshing scent came a thud against my body. She burrowed into my chest, stretching her arms wide to hug me.
“Whoa, wait! What the heck was that!?”
“Saeki, you’re so warm! Like a hot pack!”
“E-everyone’s watching… Hahahaha! My ribs… Stop…! Don’t touch weird places…!”
“You’re making such a girly voice~♡ So cute~♡”
“I’m not cute, ahh, ahahahaha!”
She was busy groping here and there.
Red eyes looked up at me as I writhed in agony.
Those cheerful crimson eyes, like hibiscus flowers, shone brightly, reflecting only me.
With joy, with tenderness.
“You guys, do it outside, okay?”
“Saeki-kun, why don’t you just start dating already?”
“…Seriously. This is starting to piss me off.”
My classmates looked at me with exasperation, teased me, scolded me.
But there was love in all of it.
Still, not knowing how to respond, I just blushed shyly and
“Bye-bye, Saeki-kun!”
I waved back at the few who had waved at me, then left the classroom with Amagi-san.
“It’s freezing out here! Isn’t it crazy it’s still only November!?”
“We really need to be careful not to get sick again.”
“Exactly! —So, about that…”
“Huh?”
A palm was offered.
Mmmph! A snort of anticipation.
Sighing softly, I took her hand.
“Hehehe♡ Saeki, your hands are toasty warm too♡”
“…I’m only doing this to avoid catching a cold. It’s out of necessity, so…”
“You’re getting better at excuses. Should we just go out already?”
“We’re not going out.”
“Ugh!!”
We started heading home.
Holding hands, matching our strides.
Like searching for more warmth, Amagi-san’s hand fidgeted. She carefully intertwined her fingers with mine, completing the lover’s grip.
Both of us were sweaty, mingling together… and that felt a little nice.
Looking up at me, she smiled. White teeth peeked out, scattering a burst of yellow emotion.
“Going home like this is fun, isn’t it!”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“You’re having fun too, right, Saeki?”
“…Well, I won’t deny it…”
“If you don’t say it clearly, I’ll force a kiss on you, okay?”
“What kind of threat is that!? Of course not!”
She pouted her lips slightly and glared at me with a glare.
She looked like she could jump up and really attack me any second.
Ah, well… she’s hopeless.
“I-I’m having fun… I’m having a lot of fun!”
“Heh heh♡ Well then, if we get closer, it’ll be even more fun, right?♡”
Saying that, she clung to my arm.
Even through my coat and uniform, I could feel her softness.
Happiness, and the guilt that came with it.
The warmth of another person.
It was hard to walk. Very, very hard.
But I felt that inconvenience held tremendous value.
She tugged my arm, pulling my weight left, bringing our faces closer. Her tongue peeked out playfully, and my heart pounded painfully fast.
“Saeki!”
“What is it?”
“I love youuu~♡”
“…Yeah, yeah, yeah…”
I’d lost count of how many times I’d heard that line by today.
Still not fully used to it, I brushed it off but couldn’t help blushing.
Well, what can I say?
Amagi-san is cute.
She’s just so cute.
She really is adorable.
[――I’ve fallen for Saeki!!]
September.
My current life began with her confession.
Stimulating and captivating, everyday life at a steady pace.
I felt like this time would last forever, and I thought it should just keep going like this.
But.
Two weeks from now.
Right after the final exams of the second semester ended, as December began.
My life would change completely—.
My results for this year’s final exams placed me fourth in the grade, two spots higher than last time.
I didn’t study like a madman; I achieved this rank while healthily balancing housework, part-time jobs, and life with Amagi.
Truly, truly, I can’t hold a candle to Amagi-san.
Needless to say, she herself once again scored perfect marks in every subject, taking first place by a landslide.
Can’t we just retire her to the Hall of Fame and stop including her in the same rankings as us? It’s like racing a sports car against a mom’s bike.
“Sei-sama!! Give us a wink!!”
“I’m not good at winking. Will you teach me one-on-one until I can do it?”
“””Kyaaa~~!!””
“Sei-sama, Sei-sama! Hold me tight! Hold me tight!”
“No. If you get so excited that you die, I’ll be so sad.”
“Kyaaa!!”
After finishing my early morning part-time job, I headed straight to school.
In the classroom, girls were surrounding Sei-sama—aka Subaru—holding their fan signs, screaming things like “Give us fan service!” and “Make a finger heart!” in a frenzy.
As several girls fainted in a flurry, the remaining members carried the fallen ones to the infirmary.
Nothing unusual about that—it’s just a regular occurrence in our class.
“Good morning, Subaru.”
“Hey, Mashiro. Good morning. It’s especially cold today, huh?”
Inside the warm, heated classroom.
With the final exams over and only winter break left to wait for, the class had a somewhat listless atmosphere. Everyone’s expressions were relaxed.
But Subaru was completely unchanged, radiating her usual dignified aura. She flashed her handsome smile, white teeth sparkling, and handed me the paper bag hanging from the side of her desk.
“Huh? What’s this?”
“Yesterday, I went to Kanazawa in Hokuriku for work. There was a famous Japanese sweets shop, so I bought some. I thought you might like this kind of thing.”
“So, this is a souvenir!? Subaru, for me!?”
“…Don’t suddenly raise your voice like that. A souvenir isn’t exactly rare or anything, is it?”
“No, no, no! It’s been since elementary school!? I haven’t gotten one in years!?”
Subaru, who travels to different regions and overseas several times a year for work.
No matter how much I told her it was fine, since returning the favor was difficult, she still brought me all sorts of things every single time for the first few years after we became friends.
That custom gradually faded and disappeared before I entered middle school.
I myself was fine with that, which is precisely why this souvenir was nothing but a surprise.
“Are you sure it’s just a free souvenir? It doesn’t have any tricks, like giving me a shock if I touch it, or exploding or anything…?”
“You’re that suspicious!? Seriously, who would enjoy pranking Masashi like that!”
“Subaru would enjoy it. You’ve done plenty of similar things to me before.”
“…………Whoo, whoo—”
“Just because you can’t deny it, don’t start whistling awkwardly.”
The image of Prince Charming—cool and handsome Sei-sama—that every girl held, shattered completely by that foolish averted gaze and that whistling that wasn’t really whistling.
I see. So she’d come up with another nasty prank.
I let out a sigh and thrust the paper bag back at her.
I’m not stupid enough to step on a visible landmine.
“…………”
“Subaru?”
“…………”
She didn’t take it.
Instead, she looked at me with her blue eyes, somehow sad, then quickly looked away.
“…Th-that time…”
“That time?”
“The afterparty… for the cultural festival… You invited me, and I was so happy…”
The cultural festival where Amagi-san’s mother showed up and caused a scene.
I’d practically tricked Subaru into coming to that afterparty, since she hadn’t been there that day. Thinking she’d be happy, I’d insisted on it.
“And it was really fun… But I kinda missed my chance to thank you, and I’ve been wondering what to do…”
Word by word, slowly.
In a tiny voice like a child scolded by their parents, she desperately spun out word
“…It’s been a while, and saying thanks now feels weird. So, I thought maybe if I gave you a souvenir instead, you’d like it… I found something I thought you’d like…”
Hearing her say this much, my slow brain finally understood.
Oh… this is real.
She genuinely agonized over it, genuinely thought about me, and went out of her way to buy this.
A cold sweat trickled down my spine.
Doubting Subaru’s kindness, then rejecting it… I felt dizzy at my own rudeness.
“Ah, thank you, Subaru! You really know my tastes well!”
“…You can give it back if you want. You don’t need it, right?”
“I want it! I want it! I need it! Actually, please! I beg you!”
She was sulking.
Her face was completely sulky now.
Gone was her usual sparkle.
There stood an ordinary sixteen-year-old girl, looking every bit her age.
This was bad…
I had to do something to cheer her up.
“Ah… Oh, right!”
“…Hm?”
“To make it up for doubting you, I’ll cook something for you for the first time in ages…! Anything you like, Subaru…!”
Back in middle school, she’d occasionally eat meals at my place.
She used to say she liked what I made.
So she’d be happy… I thought, but she just stared at me blankly, not moving.
Five seconds passed, ten seconds passed…
Finally, the downward curve of her lips began to slowly relax.
“…Then, a bento.”
“Huh?”
“Make my lunch.”
“Sure, I guess… But does that mean every day from now on?”
“You don’t want to…?”
“N-no, not at all!! It’s an honor!!”
She glared at me, and I immediately straightened my back.
A lunch box, huh… Well, making two portions or three portions is about the same effort, so fine. Actually, I’m really glad she didn’t make some unreasonable demand like “Make me a full banquet.”
“But why all of a sudden? Subaru’s bento always looks delicious.”
“…Because…”
“Because?”
She twirled the ends of her hair with long, supple fingers.
Like a restless child, twirling and twirling.
“It’s not fair, it’s all Arisa-chan…”
Like a bird’s whisper, softly. In a childish tone.
Instantly, Subaru let out a high-pitched “Ah!” and covered her mouth with her hand, eyes wide.
Crimson flashed across her cheeks.
She blinked sharply and looked at me. Not the Prince, not Sei-sama—eyes devoid of any coolness reflected me.
“Ow…!!”
Suddenly, Subaru reached out toward me.
Her hand headed straight for my nose.
She pinched it hard and pulled me toward her. Her terrifyingly beautiful face was right in front of mine, and heat spread to my cheeks too.
“Anyway, I want a bento too… Got it?”
“…Y-yes…!”
After answering, we stared at each other for a few seconds.
She snorted softly, released me, and suddenly flashed a dazzlingly handsome smile, saying, “Please.”
“…Hm?”
I glanced at my watch.
It was around 8:00 AM.
That’s strange… When I couldn’t walk to school with her because of my early morning part-time job, Amagi-san always came to the classroom around this time.
She’d burst through the door and tell me she loved me in the morning.
But today, that wasn’t happening.
“Oh? Come to think of it, Arisa-chan isn’t here today, is she?”
“Ah, yeah… I just noticed that too. Maybe she’s working today or something…”
“Asking me won’t help. Aren’t you the one who knows her schedule best?”
She was right.
Since I always make her lunch, I know in advance when she can’t come to school because of work.
I check my phone calendar, but there shouldn’t be anything scheduled for today…
Is she just running late to school? Or is she doing something in her own classroom? Like assignments or lesson prep.
“…Could it be…”
Suddenly, the memory of the day she collapsed with a fever flashed through my mind.
Living alone, if you lose consciousness at home, there’s no one to notice right away.
She might be unable to go to school and be alone at home, needing help.
“I’m just gonna… go check Amagi’s classroom.”
“Okay, go ahead.”
If she’s there, that’s fine.
But if she’s not… I should probably call her.
“Man, that was intense.”
“She was like a completely different person. Who even was that?”
“I kinda like that version better.”
Three male classmates walked over, chatting away with an oddly cheerful energy.
One of them noticed me and tapped my shoulder, saying something confusing: “Hey, is that your thing?”
“My taste? Huh? What are you talking about?”
“Don’t play dumb. I think it’s cool, man.”
“Play dumb? What do you mean… huh?”
Grinning, the three walked away.
Wondering what the hell that was about, I approached Class 5-1 where Amagi-san was.
…It’s unusually lively today.
A crowd of students from other classes had gathered at the classroom entrance, peering inside. I squeezed through the gaps between them and managed to twist my body into the classroom.
And then, I froze.
Amagi-san was sitting at Amagi-san’s desk.
It was a perfectly normal sight, yet my jaw dropped. My mind went blank, and I couldn’t get any sound out.
Amagi Arisa.
Blonde hair, piercings, flashy makeup. The quintessential gal representing our school, who couldn’t care less about school rules when it came to looking cute.
And yet.
And yet.
She was different now.
What was different? Everything was different.
—Her hair was black.
—Amagi san had black hair.
Glossy, long black hair.
Her makeup was subdued, and she wore no piercings.
…I thought I felt a sense of déjà vu. This is Amagi-san’s mother.
The one who showed up at the cultural festival, fought with Amagi-san, and then made up with her. A chillingly elegant beauty, like a complete reversal of Amagi-san’s traits.
“Ah, Saeki-san. Good morning.”
Maiban