Episode 10 – Home… home!?


The Issue With Her Arrow Pointing at Me Being Way Too Big


โ€œโ€ฆโ€ฆโ€ฆโ€ฆ.โ€

After the study session ended, I waited for Ayaka at the school gate.

She said she’d be there after using the restroom, so here I am waiting aloneโ€ฆ but I had something on my mind.

It was because Ayaka had been unusually quiet during today’s study session.

โ€œโ€ฆIt started after I mentioned Asumi, right?โ€

We talked about Mikuni-senpai, and the conversation turned to Asumi.

I’d noticed a change in Ayaka’s demeanor then, and since, she’d become less talkativeโ€”not drastically, but noticeably so.

I did tell her that Asumi no longer held any ill will toward Ayaka, and had even said she’d like an opportunity to apologizeโ€ฆ but anyway, I’d ask Ayaka for details once she arrived.

โ€œSorry to keep you waiting, Amato-kun.โ€

With that, Ayaka returned.

Her vibeโ€ฆ was reassuringly normal, but I still couldn’t shake the feeling there was something in her gazeโ€ฆ Anyway, let’s get away from school.

After walking for a while, I brought up the topic.

โ€œHey, Ayaka.โ€

โ€œWhat?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆEver since we talked about Asumi, haven’t you been in a bad mood?โ€

โ€œHuh? Really?โ€

Ayaka tilted her head, but her expression wasn’t smiling at all.

Thisโ€ฆ is it jealousy?

That said, I know full well I’m not the kind of guy girls get jealous ofโ€ฆ But considering how close Ayaka and I are, it’s probably safe to assume this is jealousy on her part.

“We talked it out enough that there shouldn’t be any lingering hard feelings. But really, that’s all it was. I was worried about you, Ayakaโ€ฆ Well, there’s nothing to worry about.”

โ€œIโ€ฆ Iโ€ฆ Yeahโ€ฆ Sorry, Amato-kun.โ€

โ€œNo, you don’t need to apologize.โ€

โ€œโ€ฆYou’ve been bothered by it, haven’t you? Yeahโ€ฆ I didn’t like it when you talked about other girlsโ€ฆ Sorry.โ€

โ€œโ€ฆIt’s totally fine.โ€

This way of saying itโ€ฆ I’m not pretending to be thick-skinned.

Like our past interactions, I’m not the type to think a girl who lets me touch her chest doesn’t feel anything for me.

Ayakaโ€ฆ Ugh, seriously! Experience is important for everything, but what the hell am I supposed to do in this situation?!

โ€œHey, Amato-kun?โ€

โ€œWhatโ€ฆ?โ€

I forced myself to stop thinking and focus on talking with Ayaka.

When I looked back at her, the mood from beforeโ€”that annoyed expressionโ€”had vanished, replaced by something shy.

โ€œThis weekโ€ฆ my parents won’t be home.โ€

โ€œOhโ€ฆ yeahโ€ฆโ€

W-wait, could this beโ€ฆ!?

โ€œโ€ฆWant to come over and stay!?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆHuh?โ€

โ€ฆHuh?

Wait a minuteโ€ฆ What did she just say? I clearly heard โ€œmy parents won’t be home,โ€ but did she say โ€œcome overโ€? Like, come over to hang out!?

โ€œHang outโ€ฆ?โ€

โ€œStay overโ€ฆ?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆWhat?โ€

โ€œSoโ€ฆ I was wondering if you’d like to come over and stay the night.โ€

Stay overโ€ฆ as in sleep over!?

I wanted to yell, โ€œWhat the hell are you talking about all of a sudden?!โ€ and I hadn’t fully processed her wordsโ€ฆ but my curiosity got the better of me again.

Just like when I touched Ayaka’s chestโ€ฆ I know it’s a problem, but the chance to sleep over at a girl’s houseโ€ฆ especially someone I’m close with? I’d totally want to go!!

โ€œAmato-kun, aren’t you interested?โ€

โ€œHuhโ€ฆ?โ€

โ€œA girl’s houseโ€ฆ not interested? I’ll make you dinner and stuff?โ€

โ€œA-a girl’s home cookingโ€ฆโ€

โ€œWe could sleep in the same room at nightโ€ฆ you know?โ€

Whatโ€ฆ what am I being asked right now?

Unlike me, who’s flustered, why can Ayaka invite me so cheerfullyโ€ฆ?

What she thinks, what I thinkโ€ฆ putting that aside for now, it’s just that I want to experience something I’m curious aboutโ€ฆ I’m nodding for that reason alone!?

โ€œIf you come to my placeโ€ฆ I’ll let you touch my boobs again?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€

โ€œSomewhere no one can interrupt usโ€ฆ somewhere it’s just me and you, Amatoโ€ฆ How does that sound?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆโ€ฆโ€ฆโ€ฆโ€ฆโ€

I’mโ€ฆ just an idiot.

If I nodded to something like this, it would obviously mean I’d lost to my curiosityโ€ฆ it would reveal I’d lost to Ayaka’s bodyโ€ฆ and worse, it would show I’m the kind of person who can’t refuse that kind of thing. And yet, I nodded.

โ€œโ€ฆIs that okay?โ€

โ€œSure, come on.โ€

โ€œThenโ€ฆ I’ll intrude.โ€

Call it being at that ageโ€ฆ I wanted to spend time with a girl if I could.

Unable to suppress that desireโ€ฆ yet tinged with a hint of regret, wondering if I’d gone too far, I chose to go to Ayaka’s house.

โ€œGoing to a girl’s houseโ€ฆ What should I bring?โ€

โ€œโ€ฆPfft! That’s funny, Amato-kun.โ€

โ€œDon’t laugh! I’m freaking out about doing this for the first time, okay!?โ€

Ayaka laughed heartily, but I’d already stepped onto a path with no turning back.

This Fridayโ€ฆ After school ends, I’ll go home first, then head to Ayaka’s placeโ€ฆ Even though it’s still a few days away, my heart was already pounding like crazy.

โ€œโ€ฆAyaka’s houseโ€ฆ huh.โ€

Even though I know it’s wrong, being alone with her at her placeโ€ฆ imagining it makes me think things.

Likeโ€ฆ I might make a move on her when she’s vulnerable.

โ€œโ€ฆWhat is gonna happen?โ€

For nowโ€ฆ I’ll go home and calm down.


Maiasa


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