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
–The first Monday of the week.
When I rang the Shinohara family’s intercom, Natsuki immediately showed up.
Although it had been a week since her last appearance, she was still dressed in her familiar school uniform. There is not much skin exposed, and it is still a neat and tidy appearance.
Why is she so attractive in spite of that ……?
“G-good morning.”
This should be a simple greeting, but I’m so nervous that my voice trembles.
“…. yeah.”
Natsuki’s voice was also quieter than usual.
The moment our eyes met, Natsuki seemed startled and looked away, casually tucking her hair behind her ear.
(……Oh no, what should I do? ……)
I can’t get a word out at all. The first time this has ever happened.
Natsuki was also looking down and fiddling with her bangs.
“R-Right?”
“Y-you’re right.”
Side by side, we walked awkwardly.
In the midst of the silence that is still heavy – gently, the backs of the hands touched each other.
“”—-“”
The shoulder jumps unintentionally. Natsuki reacted in the same small way and looked at me, but then immediately turned away.
However, she did not withdraw her hand.
(It means she doesn’t dislike it, right?).
Fearfully, I reached out my fingertips, and our touched hands slowly overlapped.
“…..”
Natsuki’s fingertips shook hesitantly for a moment – yet she slowly squeezed my hand back.
Her eyes are looking down and her lips are tightly knit together. Her profile was red up to her ears.
(…… I guess I, too, have a similar look on my face.)
Even though I had already hugged her before, I never thought that just that one physical contact would make my heart feel so busy.
“It’s been a week, how is it ……?”
I tried to say it as naturally as I could, but I think my voice just pitched a little higher.
“I’m less nervous than with club activities… and I’ve caught up on my studies to a certain extent.”
“That’s good. You worked hard yesterday, too.”
“Yes,…… but there might be some things that aren’t perfect yet, so you’ll have to teach me again. In the first place, it is also Rei’s fault.”
Natsuki was anxiously glancing at me for my reaction, despite her strong tone.
I naturally smiled.
“I understand. I don’t mind teaching people.”
“….. I see.”
Her tone was calm, but from our connected hands I could sense that Natsuki had relaxed her shoulders in relief.
This made me happy, so I put a little more pressure on my fingertips.
I wanted to stay like that, but the school was getting closer.
It’s time to let go.
(I know, I know. But just a little bit more. ……)
The moment I thought so
Natsuki pulled her hand away.
“Ah, …….”
I couldn’t help but let out a pitiful voice.
Natsuki flinched and turned towards me in a panic.
“N-no, it’s not that I don’t want to be seen or anything. I just, you know, I thought it would be a hassle for both of us if we were teased…”
“It’s okay. I know you don’t dislike it.”
I hastily purse the corners of my mouth that are about to grin, and somehow manage to keep a straight face.
Please, don’t make such cutesy excuses. Rather than holding hands, it makes me want to hug her
When Natsuki and I entered the classroom, all eyes were on us at once.
Natsuki must have told the soccer club that we were dating, so it must have already spread to everyone.
However, there are not as many jealous stares at me as I thought there would be.
If anything, the majority of them are warm and fuzzy.
[Because Rei is here, everyone will give up, won’t they?]
After all this time, I had to witness the truth of Natsuki’s words.
Unintentionally, I would smile sarcastically.
“Shiraishi–“
I look up when I hear my name called, and as I expected, the person – Kanzaki Haruto – is standing by my side.
“I heard you finally went out. I know it’s a little late, but congratulations …….”
“Oh, thank you.”
I tried to smile, but my cheeks were clearly tense.
Kanzaki gave a wry smile and then suddenly turned his attention to the group of girls.
“I guess it’s a good thing you’re not feeling well enough for club activities, huh?”
Natsuki had pushed the reason for her absence to her classmates to be that she was sick.
“I feel responsible for causing trouble to the soccer club.”
“…That’s typical of Shinohara.”
Kanzaki exhaled softly. The smile on his face looked a little sad.
“Hey, Kanzaki.”
“What is it?”
“Thanks for giving me a push.”
The one who told me to go to see Natsuki was Kanzaki.
If not for those words, I don’t know what would have happened.
Kanzaki lowered his eyes and shrugged his shoulders.
“It’s not like that. It’s normal to be encouraged by someone you’re close to. Well, I wish you happiness.”
Kanzaki raised his hand lightly and walked over to his other friends.
His back looked strangely cool
◇ ◇ ◇
“Oh, Kanzaki-kun? The teacher asked him to deliver the prints for me.
I think it was because we were on the class council and we were in the same club, but he also bought me some jellies and stuff, he’s so thoughtful.”
When I was studying with Natsuki, I suddenly remembered and asked her about Kanzaki, and she answered in a matter-of-fact way.
“I-I guess so.”
I smiled vaguely.
If I ever made Natsuki sad, even if it wasn’t on the street at night, I’d get stabbed.
……I’ll have to do my best to make up for that guy.
“What’s wrong? You look so serious.”
Natsuki frowned suspiciously.
I answered half-unconsciously.
“No… I’ll definitely make you happy.”
“…Eh? Huh!?”
Natsuki’s eyes widened with surprise, and she froze with her mouth agape.
I immediately understood what I had said.
“Oh no, this is different! I mean, how should I say it? …….”
Aware that my voice was turning upside down from impatience, I desperately tried to string together words of defense.
Natsuki then lowered her eyes and muttered softly.
“…..Then you mean it was a joke?”
“Eh? …Ah, no, that’s not it…”
I denied it with all my might, but it was unmistakably my true intention.
In the midst of an awkward silence, Natsuki turned her face away and turned her moist eyes towards me—
“If so, then make me happy.”
“…… hee?”
I made a silly noise and froze up.
(What!? did you just say!?……)
Whether I liked it or not, my thoughts were drawn to that direction, and my face instantly grew hot.
From my reaction, Natsuki seemed to realise how I had received it too. Her cheeks were bright red, and she shook her hands vigorously.
“Oh, no, I didn’t mean anything weird!? just that you should take good care of it in general!!”
“Oh, that’s what you mean …….”
I let out the breath I had been unconsciously holding.
“Of course, Rei, you idiot!”
Natsuki made a fist with both of her hands and repeatedly hit me on the second arm.
“I-I’m sorry.”
I repeated my apology while accepting it with my palms.
I’m sure it’s my fault that I misunderstood the premise. However–,
(Natsuki, too, don’t say it in a such a way. ……)
If she said it with that kind of expression, I would have misunderstood.
But I know that if I say it out loud, I’ll just get hit even harder.
Whether she was satisfied or feeling foolish, Natsuki stopped her hand after a little while.
On her cheekbones, she looked a little further away and blurted out,
“…… but you had that kind of greed too.”
“T-That’s because I’m a healthy high school boy.”
What do you think caused my muscle pain the day before yesterday? I still have a little bit of it.
Natsuki grins and raises the corner of her mouth,
“But this guy never made a move on her, let alone confessed to her, even though this cute childhood friend was always by his side?”
“Uh, that’s… I mean, are you actually saying she’s cute?”
I gave a wry smile, and Natsuki turned away and crossed her arms.
“I mean, it’s fine. I’m trying really hard.”
“Well, I guess no one can complain.”
I shrugged.
“What do you mean?”
“Eh, What?”
“Why can’t anyone complain?”
Natsuki smiled and tilted her head deliberately.
I thought about ignoring her, but when I saw that her cheeks were also blushing, contrary to her mocking words, I changed my mind.
“Well, that’s because… Natsuki is the cutest, obviously.”
“……!”
Natsuki’s cheeks turned crimson red in an instant.
“You’re exaggerating, you idiot!”
she hits harder than before.
It really hurt, but I knew this would happen.
(Well, I’m not overreacting or anything. ……)
Natsuki has always been seriously cuter than anyone else to me.
I’m really happy to be a lover with her like that, and I’m relieved that she seems to be more open to mature talk than I thought she would be.
However, I know that I am not ready for that kind of thing yet. Above all, I definitely don’t want to do anything Natsuki wouldn’t like.
Even without being told, from the moment I expressed my feelings to her, I had made up my mind that I would cherish her for the rest of my life.
–But then, just a few days after we started going out, Natsuki suddenly became distant and distant.
Maiban
ty for the chapter