The Issue With Her Arrow Pointing at Me Being Way Too Big
“โฆโฆโฆโฆโฆ”
โโฆThis is hopeless.โ
After the closing ceremony ended, I kept staring at my own palm.
Sasuke was giving off a troubled vibe beside me, but I was so completely absorbed by the lingering sensation on my palm that I didn’t care about any of that.
โYou’ve been opening and closing your hand this whole timeโฆ What’s up with that? It’s like you’re touching a girl’s boobs for the first time and can’t forget it.โ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโ
โHuh? Seriously?โ
โโฆHuh? Did you say something?โ
โโฆNothing.โ
Sasuke sighed, muttered โI’m leaving,โ and walked straight out of the classroom.
Truthfully, I understood exactly what he meant, and I was shocked he’d nailed it so perfectlyโฆ but I wanted to applaud myself for pulling off such a smooth cover-up.
โโฆDamn, I’m getting nervous.โ
Even with what happened during lunch break, today was actually study group day.
Ayaka had probably already left the classroom for the library, so I needed to get going soon to avoid keeping her waitingโฆ but, like I’ve been saying, my brain was still reeling from the lunch break incident.
โAren’t you going home?โ
โHuh?โ
But that thought was cut short.
She was someone who normally wouldn’t speak to meโฆ Asumi, who I’d had a run-in with today, was standing right beside me, looking down at me.
โAsumi?โ
โYeah. So you’re not going home?โ
โโฆWell, I have something to do.โ
โHmm?โ
Whatโฆ?
Asumi looked at me with apparent interest. After a moment of silenceโฆ she slowly opened her mouth.
โYou’re not half bad, you know.โ
โโฆThanks?โ
โFrom a distance, you seemed intimidating to those around you. But actually talking to you like this, I can see that’s not really the case.โ
Umโฆ What exactly is Asumi trying to do by saying this?
โI’ve been thinking about what you said, and a lot of other things. Picking on Otonashi was partly just to ventโฆ Even though I was in a bad mood, I feel like I did that girl wrong.โ
โWhat? You’re surprisingly honorable.โ
โDon’t add โsurprisinglyโโฆ It’s just, you know, I’ve never been called out like that beforeโฆ And that made me kind ofโฆ like you.โ
โWellโฆ I’ll take that as a compliment.โ
โYou better.โ
Saying that, Asumi leaned in close.
Even though we were kept at arm’s length like this, Asumi’s refined features and great figure were more than enough to make her popular.
Having her face right up close was a shock, but my experience with Ayaka had apparently given me some resilience in a good way.
โYou knowโฆ you really care about Otonashi, don’t you?โ
โโฆI suppose we get along well.โ
โOf course you doโฆ Otonashi looked happy when you were protecting her, and above all, those eyes showed she trusted you with her heart.โ
โโฆโฆโฆโฆโฆโ
“And the way you looked at Otonashi seemed special too. I think I’m pretty good at reading people?ใI don’t think I’m wrong about that part, am I?”
โI don’t know.โ
If we’re talking about whether it’s special, I can confidently say it’s different from others.
It’s because we get along wellโฆ but lately, I’ve started wondering if that’s really all there is to it.
All of this is because of thatโฆ letting me touch her chest and stuff.
โWell, whatever. I’ll just keep watching with interest to see how things turn out for you two.โ
โHuh? You don’t have to.โ
โDon’t say thatโฆ I absolutely love romantic comedies. So I’m expecting all sorts of things, you know~?โ
Thisโฆ I might have gotten myself into trouble.
I sighed at Asumi’s beaming face, but getting along like this with someone I’d had that kind of exchange with wasn’t a bad thing.
More than that, talking like this had pretty much wiped out any bad feelings I had toward Asumi.
โโฆOh, right.โ
โHm?โ
โIf you’re around, I won’t have to worry about anything, but there’s that third-year senior, Mikuni, right?โ
โCome to think of it, there was someone like that.โ
I remembered him, but of course, I’d never spoken to him.
His face didn’t immediately come to mind, but he looked like a delinquentโฆ no, that senior was definitely a delinquent, and the teachers were at their wits’ end with him.
โI heard this from a friend, but that guyโฆ apparently he’s got his sights set on her, Otonashi? Not in a romantic way, mind you, but more like he wants to find some weakness to exploit and get her into a physical relationship.โ
โโฆHuh?โ
โHehe, you’ve got good eyes, don’t you? Well, if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.โ
โThanks.โ
โYou’re welcome. See ya.โ
Waving her hand flutteringly, Asumi left the classroom.
โฆMikuni-senpai, huhโฆ I see, I see. I’ll keep that in mind.
โManโฆ no, seriously, that pissed me off.โ
Asumi didn’t seem to be lying, so it was probably true.
Knowing Ayaka made me unable to forgive anyone who tried to hurt herโฆ but at this point, I might just have to accept it.
I absolutely can’t forgive someone who would do that to someone I care aboutโฆ I’m not Ayaka’s boyfriend or anything, but still, the thought of someone trying to get their hands on her made me sick.
โโฆAlright, let’s get moving.โ
Maybe it was hearing that story, but I wanted to get to Ayaka right now.
I worried that if I headed straight to her in the library and found this Mikuni-senpai guy there, but thankfully, things didn’t work out that conveniently.
Today, as usual, she was sitting alone in the back corner of the library.
โAh, you finally came.โ
โSorry, I got a little late.โ
For nowโฆ Don’t think about it, meโฆ Don’t do it.
I told myself that as I sat down next to Ayaka, but she moved her chair closerโright up next to mine, close enough our shoulders touched.
โโฆโ
โYou are thinking about itโฆ Right? About lunch.โ
โH-Hey, nowโฆ!โ
โEheheโฆโชโ
Watching Ayaka laugh so happilyโฆ well, it kind of kills my desire to complain.
No, actually, am I even in a position to complain? I did what I wanted to do too, so complaining now would just be asking for karma to come back on me.
โโฆOh, right, Ayaka.โ
โWhat?โ
I should probably tell her.
โDo you know a third-year named Mikuni-senpai?โ
โโฆSorry, I don’t think I know him.โ
โYeah, rightโฆ He’s one of the delinquents.โ
โDelinquentsโฆ Why are you telling me this?โ
I relayed exactly what Asumi had told me.
Ayaka looked stunned, but gradually, what appeared on her face was uneaseโฆ I didn’t mean to scare her, it was just meant as a warning, but I get itโit must be scary for her.
โIt’s okay. As long as I’m here, I won’t let anyone lay a finger on Ayaka.โ
โAmato-kunโฆโ
Yeahโฆ All I have to do is protect her.
I’ve said it many times before, but since we’re getting along like this, I want to keep protecting Ayakaโฆ I want to keep this relationship going.
It’s too embarrassing to tell her, but one reason I genuinely enjoy school life right now is definitely because of how Ayaka treats me like this.
โSo that meansโฆโ
โHm?โ
โIt means I’mโฆ yours, right?โ
โWh-what!?โ
How did it come to that!?
I let out a loud gasp and immediately shut my mouthโฆ but I’m sure the few other patrons heard it.
After clearing my throat, I lowered my voice and leaned closer.
โIt’s just because I’m worried! That’s all!โ
โReallyโฆ?โ
โReally! โฆAnd why are you saying it like that?โ
โEhehe, sorry, Amato-kun. Thank youโฆ I’m happy you’re worried about me.โ
Her smile was beautiful, as if saying her words held no falsehood.
โIf something happensโฆ no, even if nothing happens, is it okay to rely on you, Amato-kun?โ
โOf course you can. Seriously, why are you asking now?โ
โYeahโฆ I guess. I’m really happy you said that.โ
โโฆAh, butโโ
โWhat is it?โ
โThat storyโฆ Who did you hear it from?โ
โAh, I heard it from Asumi.โ
In that instant, Ayaka’s aura seemed to shift.
Maiasa