The Beautiful Girl With a Kind Personality and Good Looks, Who Happens to Be My Childhood Friend, Seems to Have Eyes Only for Me
I entered the classroom a little behind the other two.
As I made my way to my seat, I casually glanced around. They were already in the classroom.
My eyes immediately fell on Yamato.
His usual group was gathered around his desk, chatting happily about something.
…Yamato is what you’d call a “sunshine” person.
He laughs often, cracks jokes, and is definitely not the type to go unnoticed in class.
He’s good at lightening the mood, and people naturally gravitate towards him.
Seeing Yamato surrounded by friends, laughing like that, wasn’t anything unusual anymore.
Haru, on the other hand, is also bright and can talk to anyone. She has many friends, regardless of gender, and she’s also good-looking.
Being in the same class, she’s naturally someone who draws attention.
These two are childhood friends and are always together—.
But strangely, Haru and Yamato’s groups hardly overlapped.
Haru hung out with the popular girls at the center of the class, while Yamato tended to be with the more laid-back guys or the club members.
Maybe that’s why.
“Why are those two together?”
“What makes Haru and Yamato a good match?”
I’ve sensed that kind of vibe countless times from the guys Haru often hangs out with.
In fact, some guys make fun of Yamato behind his back or use veiled, condescending remarks.
While Haru openly defending him has reduced the blatant stuff, the jealousy and curious stares haven’t disappeared.
(…And I’m the one moving between the two groups)
Because we went to the same middle school and are close, I’m the one standing between Yamato and Haru.
It’s not that I want to hurt anyone.
It’s just that this strange tension that arises when the three of us stand together is something I can’t help but notice.
On the way to our seats, I made eye contact with Haru, who was talking with friends.
She seemed to notice immediately, and the surrounding gazes turned our way.
A few people waved lightly, so I waved back briefly and sat down at my own seat.
Then, Haru stared at me with wide eyes. She whispered something to her friends and started walking over to me.
Honestly, I didn’t know why.
Yet, Haru’s expression looked somehow anxious.
“…Yuma, you haven’t been coming over here lately, have you?”
“Huh?”
“We used to chat together in the mornings too. I was wondering if I did something…”
I see.
It seemed she’d been concerned that I hadn’t been joining their circle lately.
It wasn’t like I was consciously keeping my distance.
It’s just… lately, Haru’s distance from me has been making me feel uneasy—
“I just wanted to be alone in the mornings. You don’t need to worry about me, Haru.”
“…Huh?”
Instantly, Haru’s expression stiffened.
“Why are you saying it like that?”
Saying that, she gripped my uniform sleeve tightly.
She was putting more force into it than I expected, staring straight at me from a surprisingly close distance.
I could feel the stares of those around us.
“…I don’t want to hear you say that, Yuma. It feels like… you’re leaving me behind. I don’t like it…”
“H-hey…”
I hurriedly lowered my voice, speaking while glancing around.
“I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant. It’s just… a mood thing. …So, it’s fine if you come over here, Haru.”
After I said that, Haru looked surprised for a moment, then exhaled softly as if relieved.
“…Yeah.”
Seeing her face, still smiling despite the tears welling up, I found myself speechless.
It’s frustrating that all I can think to say is something cliché like “You’re beautiful.”
“You’re terrible, Yuma. You make me anxious, and then you say something like that at the end…”
“…Haru?”
…Something was definitely off about her.
Wasn’t she reacting too strongly to just one thing I said?
We got along well, but was she really the type to show her feelings this much?
Her gaze fixed on me felt almost heated, and I instinctively looked away.
“…I’m fine. But don’t push yourself too hard. And… if you really can’t stand being alone, tell me. …I’ll be waiting.”
“…Yeah.”
After I answered, Haru gave a small nod and walked back toward her friends.
She turned around just once on the way, waving at me.
Feeling like the storm had passed, I let out a deep breath.
Just then, someone tapped my shoulder lightly.
“Oh, Yuma. Rare to see you alone like this.”
“…Fujiwara.”
It was Fujiwara, a classmate, who had spoken up.
He was bright, friendly, and talkative. He was the type who hung out with both Haru’s group and Yamato’s group.
“Did something happen with Haru-chan earlier?”
“Nothing. Just a little chat.”
Fujiwara murmured a meaningful “Hmm” and followed my gaze.
There, Haru was approaching Yamato’s desk, saying something to him.
Yamato was smiling softly as usual, but looking closely, his expression was just a little stiff.
“Those two are still the same, huh?”
“…Yeah.”
I replied tersely, conscious of the classroom atmosphere.
The people around Haru—especially the boys—were giving her cold stares.
“The guys hanging with Haru don’t really like Yamato, do they?”
“…Well, that’s been the case for a while now.”
Fujiwara shrugged.
“It’s complicated, isn’t it? They’re both the same type of person, but they’re in different groups. Honestly, the people on Haru-chan’s side look like they’re thinking, ‘Why him?’”
I couldn’t deny it.
Yamato was popular in class. He cracked jokes and read the room well.
But for some reason, whenever he was with Haru, the way people looked at him changed.
It wasn’t exactly envy, jealousy, or sizing him up—just an uncomfortable stare.
“Not really our place to comment, though.”
“Yeah. …And besides—”
Fujiwara chuckled a little and gave my shoulder a light pat.
“Yamato gets all the comments, but you get nothing. That’s kinda unfair, huh?”
“…What’s unfair?”
“Your face. No matter how you look at it, you’re the one getting the better deal.”
“Or maybe it’s because I’m in both groups.”
“Huh?”
A dumbfounded sound escaped me.
Seeing me like that, Fujiwara laughed in exasperation.
“Seriously? You don’t even realize it? You’re the only one around Haru-chan who can stay out of weird rumors.”
…Is that how it is?
Honestly, I’d hardly ever thought about my own face.
While I struggled for a reply, Haru was talking to Yamato about something, and Yamato listened with a wry smile.
But deep in my chest, an unease I couldn’t shake lingered.
—Did Haru ever look at me like that?
That direct, heated gaze she’d given me when we talked.
The way she looked at Yamato now was somehow calm, detached, almost disinterested.
It seemed so different from the eyes she’d directed at “some guy like me” or at “our special relationship as childhood friends.”
(…Just my imagination, I guess.)
Convincing myself of this, I stared at the backs of the two of them for a while.
Maiasa