A Childhood Friend Told Me โI Canโt Get a Boyfriend Because of You,โ So I Distanced Myself From Her and She Stopped Coming to School the Next Day
–Sunday. The last holiday before the one month anniversary.
Natsuki and I got off the train at the station nearest our school.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you go out with me.”
Natsuki lowered her eyebrows apologetically.
“It’s fine. We were heading this way anyway, and there was no set time.”
The plan was to go straight to the picnic, but Natsuki had forgotten her water bottle on the way home from club activities, so we decided to stop by the school..
“Plus, this kind of thing is nice, isn’t it? It gives you a feeling of youth.”
โW-What are you talking about?”
โโฆโฆ, I thought so too.โ
My face is burning with shame.
“Maybe just too excited?”
“Uhโฆ Maybe Natsuki is the one who got so excited that she forgot her water bottle?”
“N-No way. It was just an oversight.”
Natsuki tucked her hair behind her ear to cover it up.
Maybe it wasn’t so far off the mark after all.
ใ
I’d be happy if that were the case–.
As I grinned, I was silently poked.
At that moment, an old lady who had just passed us looked at us and smiled.
โFufu”
โโฆ.!”
Natsuki blushed quickly and gripped the edge of her skirt.
(What is this cute creature? โฆโฆ)
I can’t help but loose my cheeks.
Thank you, grandma, for bringing out the best in Natsuki.
Not long after that, we arrived at the school.
“I’ll be right back. I’ll be right back.”
โYeah, take your time”
After seeing Natsuki off, I went by the school gate so as not to get in the way.
“I’m really tired.”
“I’m definitely going to sleep after this.”
“That’s right.”
It was just before noon. I saw a few students on their way home from club activities here and there.
After a while, a familiar-looking female student waved at me.
โHey, Shiraishi-kun!”
It was my classmate Suzumiya Midori.
We exchanged a few words, and then she left.
When I looked away from her back, I saw that Natsuki was just about to return.
She looked somewhat unhappy.
“Welcome back. Did you find something?”
“Yes. What’s moreโฆโ
Natsuki’s eyes narrowed.
“What did Midori say to you?ใYou were blushing.”
โY-You were looking โฆโฆ?”
I scratched my cheeks.
“Did she tell you that you’re looking better?โ
โโฆ.Eh”
For a moment, I wondered how to respond.
But then I saw that Natsuki’s eyes were shaking with some anxiety, so I hastily shook my head.
“No, no, no.”
“Then what is it?โ
Natsuki stared up at me.
I put my hand on the back of her head,
“Well, ummโฆ my new look suits us even better.”
“โฆโฆ!โ
Natsuki’s movements stopped dead, and her face quickly turned crimson red.
“I-I seeโฆ”
And with that, she ran her fingertips over the handle of the pouch.
ใ
“Thanks for listening to me and not letting it all hang out.”
“Of course. I’m not one to sulk or anything. Unlike some people.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at those words.
“No, you’re the one who took a week-long nap.”
“Oh, that was before we started dating, so it doesn’t count, and it wasn’t a week, it was five days!”
ใ
Natsuki raised her voice as if in a panic and turned away.
ใ
It’s all the same thing.
ใ
I managed to swallow the line that was almost in my throat and laughed lightly.
โHaha, I’m sorry. โHere.”
Natsuki’s eyes widened as I held out my hand, and then she gently lowered her eyelashes.
“โฆAs a special favor, I’ll let you fool me.”
Saying this, she took my hand and continued as if to make an excuse.
“It’s not because I’m going out or anything, it’s to thank you for helping me with my forgotten item. Don’t get the wrong idea.”
“I understand.โ
I nodded with a laugh, and Natsuki squeezed my hand tightly.
โHey, It hurts.”
“โฆโฆHmm”
Natsuki turned her face away.
ใ
But I didn’t miss the slight upturn in the corners of her mouth.
A few stops away from the nearest station to the school, we get off the train.
“I’m going to the bathroom.”
โOkay, me too.โ
I did a quick pee and lightly fixed my hair in the mirror.
As I was stopping at a pillar a short distance from the exit, a foreign woman approached me and said
โExcuse me! How can I getโโ
W-Wait a minute.
I couldn’t understand her even if she suddenly spoke fluently.
I told her that I could barely speak English, and asked her to speak slowly.
She seemed to want to ask me to tell her which train she should take.
โLet’s see, โฆโฆ for.โ
I held up four fingers, and she seemed to understand that it was the fourth train.
“Ah, OK!โ
The woman smiled broadly and made a circle with her fingers.
I am glad I managed to get the message across.
I breathed a sigh of relief,
โChuu
I felt a soft touch on my cheek and the sound of her lips on my ear.
ใ
โโฆโฆ Hee?โ
“Thank you!โ
The woman waved her hands in the air and left with light steps.
โฆโฆ kissed, was it?
As I watched her leave in a daze,
โ—Rei?”
โโฆ..!”
I turned around cautiously and, sure enough, Natsuki had her arms crossed and a grim expression on her face.
“Ah, no, she was just asking which train she should takeโฆ sorry.”
I tried to make an excuse, but it was true that she kissed me, so I bowed my head honestly.
There was a soft sound of breathing from above.
“โฆโฆ I’m not accusing you of anything. I know it wasn’t your intention.โ
โYeah โฆโฆ thank you.”
“In the meantime, let’s get going.”
“I guess so.โ
The mood is a little delicate as we head for a large park in the suburbs.
We walked for a few minutes, holding hands but not talking much.
When we entered a back alley, Natsuki pointed to the road ahead.
โHuh, What is that?”
โUmm, whereโ”
As I stared into her eyes, I felt something soft press against my cheek.
โโฆ.Eh?”
โRei, you have so many weaknesses.”
โโโ!”
Even in the dimly lit alley, I can see that Natsuki’s face is bright red.
I’m sure it’s the same for me, but โฆโฆ now, that’s foul play.
I reflexively want to hug her, but I’m outside. I have to hold myself back.
โLet’s go.โ
โYeah, let’s go.โ
As I began to walk awkwardly, Natsuki followed me, as if she had come to her senses.
The atmosphere became awkward, but in a different way than before.
“Ah, Natsuki, this way.”
I walked to the other side of Natsuki and rejoined hands with her as we turned the corner.
“What’s wrong?”
“No, it’s just that it’s dangerous.”
โโฆโฆโ
She must have noticed that I was trying to walk on the side closest to the road.
Natsuki seemed to stop for a moment, but then she quickly let out a small sigh.
“Thanks โฆโฆ.โ
As she whispered, her eyes formed a gentle arc.
โ โ โ
“There are quite a few people here.”
“It’s Sunday. It can’t be helped.”
ใ
In the park, there were families on their way home from a field trip, high school students who looked like couples, and college students enjoying a picnic.
After walking around the park, we sat down on a bench in the shade of a tree and spread out the lunch we had brought with us.
โHey, Natsuki, why don’t we exchange some omelettes?”
I suddenly suggested it, and Natsuki blinked at me.
โโฆโฆIt is unusual for Rei to ask me to do that.”
“I’ve been wanting to eat Natsuki’s again. You made that yourself, didn’t you?โ
“โฆโฆYes, I did.”
Natsuki nodded curtly and handed me a lunchbox.
“Well then, excuse me.”
I took a rolled omelet from Natsuki’s bento.
Natsuki silently took my rolled omelet and put it in her mouth.
I watched her, feeling my heart beat faster.
“โฆโฆHuh?โ
ใ
Natsuki stopped eating with her chopsticks, tilted her head and looked my way.
“It’s kind ofโฆ a little sweet?”
“Yeah. I added a little bit of sugar.”
I gave a shy smile and shrugged my shoulders.
Natsuki’s eyes widened.
Natsuki’s eyes widened.
“Rei made it?”
“I wanted to return the favor. Natsuki likes it sweet, right?”
“โฆโฆWell, yes.”
Natsuki took another bite and muttered
“Really?”
“I’m not going to flatter you here.”
As she spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, the corners of her mouth relaxed just a little.
(โฆโฆ Okay.)
I gave a small gut-punch. It was worth getting up early.
I’ll have to thank my dad and mom one more time when I get home, who are probably eating the rest of the egg rolls by now.
Maiban
MCโs mum and dad are too absent in the story