The Gal Next to Me Is Trying Too Hard to Make Me Fall in Love With Her
“Thanks for everything, Saeki-kun!”
“Thank you, too.”
“See you tomorrow!”
“Yes. Please be careful on your way home.”
It was just before 9:00 p.m.
I took the five of them to the station and then headed home alone.
The menu was decided more smoothly than I expected.
When I get home, I’ll look up where I can buy coppe bread the cheapest.
“Well…”
I muttered, turning around.
My gaze shifted from the road ahead to the vending machine at the side of my field of vision.
“Why don’t you come out already, Amagi-san?”
“Gikuu!?”
A familiar voice echoed in response to my call.
Amagi san, wearing a black hoodie with the hood pulled down over her eyes. She jumped out in front of me with robot-like, awkward movements, looking around frantically.
“Amagi, San? Who is it? I don’t know her.”
“Stop talking like an idiot…”
She sighed and looked down, seeming uncomfortable.
She glanced at me and quickly looked away again.
“How long have you known… that I’ve been following you…?”
“Pretty much from the beginning.”
“What!?”
“Actually, everyone knew. They were laughing about Amagi san following me.”
“Tell me!! Tell me!! I’m a dangerous woman, aren’t I!?”
She grabbed my clothes and shook me back and forth.
I don’t think it’s dangerous, but… even if I told her, she is already following me, so the result would be the same, right?
“Ugh, why did I do this… It’s not what I meant! I was planning to stay home and be good!”
“But you came anyway.”
“But but… I’ve never had Saeki take me to the station before! If someone does something so envy-worthy, how can I stay good?!”
Well, since we’re neighbors, there’s no need to take her to the station, I thought.
Amagi’s eyes were serious, and there were even tears in them, so I couldn’t tease her.
“Ugh… that’s not fair. I wish I was in the same class too! All my memories of the cultural festival with Saeki will be taken by other girls! That’s not fair!”
“Well, even if you say it’s not fair…”
“It’s Saeki’s fault for not being in the same class as me! Take responsibility!”
“That’s ridiculous!”
This is another outrageous thing to say…
Well, she does have a strange fondness for me, so it’s natural that she’s stressed about not being able to share memories at events.
However, it’s impossible to actually change classes. I can’t just visit Amagi-san’s class during the cultural festival.
I’m wondering what to do.
I could just reject her outright and be done with it, but because it’s Amagi-san, I can’t help but worry.
“Then, could you help me with my cultural festival work when you get back?”
“…Is that okay? Didn’t you say to keep it a secret from the other classes?”
“That’s true, but our walls are thin, so if we talk that loudly, they’ll hear what we’re making, right?”
“Fried bread… right?”
“So, I don’t think there’s any point in keeping it a secret. But please keep it between us. If someone at school finds out, I’ll get in trouble.”
Even if she helps a little, it won’t solve any problems, but Amagi still raises her hands and says, “Yay!”
“Then let’s stop by the convenience store and buy some snacks! We can eat them together while we work!”
“Sounds good.”
“Let’s get some energy drinks to get pumped up!”
“You won’t be able to sleep then.”
“Well, since I am staying over, we can chat all night!”
“But tomorrow is school…”
I stopped mid-sentence.
My thoughts and feet came to a sudden halt.
Amagi-san walked ahead, humming to herself, as if she were about to start dancing. After taking a few steps, she turned around and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Staying over… ? What do you mean, staying over… ?”
“If we’re preparing for the cultural festival together, that means we’re staying over, right?”
“What kind of leap in logic is that!?”
“But… the girls who came today were talking about staying over too! Before Saeki stays over with them, I want to do it first! I want to be the first!”
“Well, they did say something like that…”
That was just a joke; they couldn’t have been serious.
…But even if I say that, it might not be a joke!
That’s the end of the conversation. I can’t prove it’s not true.
“It’s for the cultural festival preparations, right? Is that considered inappropriate interaction with the opposite sex? It’s not, is it?”
She furrowed her brows and gave me a sly look.
…As always, she’s so cute it’s unfair.
But it’s for the cultural festival preparations.
There’s more than a month left until the cultural festival. Who knows what might happen in that time. Someone might come over like today and actually stay the night.
“…I understand. Just today, okay? Don’t do anything weird, okay?”
“Yayyyy♡ I love you, Saeki♡”
Amagi took my hand and said, “Let’s go!” and started running.
Her golden hair cut through the night breeze, and her profile, still tinged with the colors of summer, was so beautiful it took my breath away.
Maiban