A Childhood Friend Told Me “I Can’t Get a Boyfriend Because of You,” So I Distanced Myself From Her and She Stopped Coming to School the Next Day
–It was a Sunday.
The sky was endlessly clear, and the sea and sandy beach glistened in the midsummer sun.
“I kind of avoided it, but I should have bought a pair of sunglasses. ……”
“Yeah. I never thought it would get this far.”
Natsuki also narrows her eyes in dazzle.
After arriving at the beach and gathering up my small belongings on the edge of the beach, I take off my T-shirt and change into my swim trunks.
The wind was brisk, but only my chest was hot.
The reason for this was..,
“Natsuki, have you finished getting dressed?”
I turned around while calling out to her.
(…… Huh?)
I get a little discouraged.
She still had her light jacket on. Her eyes are averted to the side.
“What’s wrong? Did you forget to put sunscreen on?”
“No, no, ……, is it okay if I leave it on after all?”
She timidly looked up at me, a look of uneasiness on her face that was rare.
“Eh… But you went to the trouble of buying it, right?”
“Yeah, but…”
Natsuki fidgeted and rubbed her legs together.
I see, so now you’re feeling embarrassed.
(I don’t want you to overdo it, but ……)
“Don’t worry. It will definitely suit you, and honestly, I’d like to see it… is that okay?”
“…..”
Natsuki’s body twitched.
After a brief silence, she sighed and muttered,
“Don’t look at me strangely, okay?”
“I-I know.”
“That seems suspicious.”
Natsuki mumbled and turned away to hide her reddened cheeks.
She pinched the zipper with her fingertips and slowly began to remove her jacket.
Gradually, what was revealed was a fresh, summery light blue bikini.
“—–“
It was not revealing at all.
The bikini was not too revealing, but still matched Natsuki’s slender body so perfectly that I couldn’t help but gasp.
“Umm, what do you think ……?”
Natsuki looked at me with a slightly downcast, yet somewhat expectant gaze.
（This is bad. …….)
Her tight waist, slender legs, and two voluptuous curves are sure to draw your eye in.
But even more than that, the contrast between her white skin and the cool light blue color was a work of art.
My eyes were transfixed for a while.
But then I suddenly realized. I was not the only one who was glued to Natsuki.
“….Sorry,. I’m sorry, but can I ask you to put on your jacket after all?”
“Eh….?”
Natsuki’s expression clouds over.
“…Maybe it didn’t suit me after all?”
Her eyes wander a little.
Oh no, she’s misunderstood!
“Ah, no, it’s not that! It suits you really well, in fact, you’re just too cute…”
As I spoke, I even lost track of what I was saying.
But if Ibacked down now, she’d really be misunderstood.
“You know, Natsuki really does attract attention. I don’t really want other people to look at you that much…”
At first, Natsuki looked blank, but gradually her cheeks turned slightly cherry red.
She puts her hand to her mouth and chuckles.
“What’s that? Possessiveness?”
“S-Sorry. I can’t afford it…”
As I hung my head, Natsuki’s eyes softened and she gently touched my arm.
“It’s fine. It’s not like it doesn’t suit me, is it?”
“Oh, yeah. Well… it’s really pretty.”
“Then there’s no need to apologise.”
Natsuki said, reaching for the zipper of her jacket.
After pulling it up to the very top, she smiles bitterly, folds her arms, and looks up at me as if to make fun of me.
“But Rei is also selfish. Telling me to take it off and telling me to put it on.”
“Ugh,…… no, its …… fine if you do what Natsuki wants you to do.”
“But you don’t want me to take off my jacket, do you?”
“Well, well, that’s true, but ……”
“Then, don’t worry.”
As Natsuki said this, she took a step closer and stretched her back.
Her face suddenly got closer, and my heart skipped a beat. I felt her breath softly against my ear…
“—I don’t want anyone other than Rei to see me either.”
The whispered voice was so small that it was almost lost in the sound of the waves, but it certainly reached my heart.
“Eh….”
I involuntarily froze on the spot.
The next moment, Natsuki quickly moved away.
“What are you doing standing still? I’m going to leave you here.”
The next moment, Natsuki quickly turned on her heel and started to run lightly with her footsteps making noise.
“Oh, hey, wait!”
I came to my senses and hurried after her.
Natsuki’s hair, dancing in the sunlight, shone as if it were bursting with light.
◇ ◇ ◇
“The bathroom’s this way, right?”
“Yes.”
On our way down the beach to the restrooms, we passed by a small store.
Under a sign colored like a Ramune, there were a few small accessories among sunglasses and floatation rings.
Among them was a dolphin-shaped strap.
“Oh, this one. It’s so cute.”
Natsuki casually mumbled as she passed by.
“Then, let’s meet here.”
“Yes.
After deciding on a meeting place and using the restroom, I hurried back to the store.
I went back to the shop and found dolphin straps in two colors, blue and pink.
“They sure are cute,……, aren’t they, hnn?”
I looked closely at the strap and saw that it had a small heart attached to the metal fittings, and that if you hold them as a set, you can make a pair.
When I came to my senses, I had purchased one.
I slipped the strap into my pocket and returned to the meeting place again.
However, I suddenly became calm and instantly felt uneasy.
(Would it have been better if they weren’t a …… pair?)
Natsuki might be shy about such things, and I wondered if she would be put off by me buying them without permission in the first place.
“—Rei?”
I looked up in surprise when I heard a voice call out to me.
Natsuki was peeking at me worriedly.
“What’s wrong? You seem to be in a daze.”
“Eh, ah, no, …… it’s just that I’m a little dizzy.”
I made a reasonable excuse and made a gesture with my hand to block the sunlight on my forehead.
I think it’s painful for me, but right now I wanted to hide it anyway.
“Hm?”
Natsuki tilted her head curiously, but did not inquire any further.
We went back to the beach and started playing again, but I couldn’t concentrate because I was inevitably worried about the strap in my pocket.
(When and how should I give it to her …… or even if I should give it to her in the first place ……)
While I was thinking about all this, Natsuki suddenly stopped.
“Rei. Why don’t we take a break?”
Ahead of Natsuki’s gaze, there was a table set up in the shade.
I realized that I was hungry only after being told to do so.
“I will do so.”
This might be a chance for me.
I quietly slipped my hand into my pocket.
I order yakisoba and fried chicken, a staple at beach houses, and take a seat.
(Shouldn’t it be …… now? After dinner?)
I’m wondering if I’m going to get a chance,
“Hey. Are you sure you’re happy at the beach?”
Natsuki suddenly asked me with an anxious expression.
“Eh? Why?”
“Because you didn’t seem to be having much fun earlier. ……”
–Bad, I’m being misunderstood again!
“No, it’s not that, it’s ……!”
In a panic, I shove my hand into my pocket.
I took out a dolphin strap and put it on the table. Natsuki’s eyes widen.
“Ah, is this …… from the store we just went to?”
“You said it was cute, right? So, I… just did it.”
Natsuki blinks in surprise and gently holds out her hand.
“This… is a pair, right?”
“Yeah. It’s casual, so I thought it was okay. …If you don’t like it, that’s fine–“
“—Rei.”
Natsuki’s sharp voice interrupted my excuses.
She laughs in an exasperated manner, tugging at the collar of her jacket.
“If you’re going to be possessive, be more confident about it.”
“Ah…”
When I froze with my mouth half open, Natsuki huffed out a breath and shrugged.
Then, the corners of her mouth relax as if to say, “I guess it can’t be helped.”
“I told you before, didn’t I? If Rei worked so hard for me, there’s no way I would have disliked it.”
“You did, …… sorry.”
“If it wasn’t a …… pair, I wouldn’t have forgiven you.”
Saying this, she picked up the strap and held it up to the light.
The blue and pink dolphins glittered in the summer light.
“Well, but…..thanks…..”
With a slight blush on her cheeks, Natsuki glanced over at me.
My heart started to beat a little faster again.
“Thanks too, I appreciate it.”
In truth, I wanted to hug her. But there would be people around and I thought Natsuki might dislike it.
So instead, I gently wrapped my hand around her, strap and all.
Natsuki’s eyes widened, she turned her gaze in my direction, and for just a moment she flashed a smile that seemed a mixture of embarrassment and happiness.
It was like a flower blooming, and I couldn’t help but be captivated.
Then I thought to myself.
If I can show such an expression on my face, I should be more confident.
As if to convey my determination, I put just a little bit of strength into my fingertips.
Maiban