The Salty Princess Told Me That I Was a ‘Convenient Keep’, so I Tested What Would Happen if I Introduced the Most Beautiful Girl at Another School as My Girlfriend
“That was fun, an amusement park!”
Koga-san smiles happily as she walks along her usual riverbed.
“Yes, it was fun. I haven’t been to an amusement park since I was a kid, so I think I got a little carried away.”
I said back to Koga as I walked next to her.
We spent the rest of the day touring the amusement park. We rode roller coasters, free-falls, and some kind of spinning thing that I don’t know what it is, and took pictures with Marumaru-kun. The day went by in a blink of an eye as we went this way and that.
“….Ah yeah. I almost forgot to give it to you.”
I suddenly remembered and took out a small paper bag that I had left in my bag.
“Here’s a present for you, Koga-san. You bought me things today, so I want to thank you for that.”
“Is it okay? You took me out on a date and gave me a present.”
“I had a good time today, and I want you to accept it. ……, you don’t have to say anything like that. I’m here because I want to be here.”
“Thanks …….”
Koga-san accepted the paper bag and carefully cut the tape. Inside the bag was a keychain of a round cat.
“Oh, here it is! A limited edition Marumaru-kun ice cream version!
I was going to buy it, but Ochiha kun had bought it for me!”
“I just bought it because I thought it might be popular since everyone was buying it, but I didn’t know it was a limited edition. Well, I’m glad you were happy with it.”
“Yeah! Thank you so much! I’ll treasure it forever!”
Koga-san, excited like a child, gazed at the key chain with eyes as if she were looking at a treasure. I’m glad she was pleased …….
“I mean, after all, you’ve been going by the riverbed again, right?”
After waiting for Koga-san to put the key chain away in her bag, I said so, and Koga-san laughed with a slightly troubled look on her face.
“Sorry, sorry. It’s a habit of mine, when I go home from the station I always take this way. …… I don’t have to do that anymore.”
“You’ll get wet if you walk through here, so be careful.”
“That’s only for Ochiha kun! ……No, the other day I got soaked, too!”
We both laugh. The sun is about to set. Even though we haven’t traveled very far, it feels like we’ve been on a trip.
I feel like I’m going to miss it. ……
“Hey, Ochiha kun. Wanna do some draining for the last time?”
“Koga-san like it too huh. That’s fine, but next time I won’t help you if you fall into the river, okay?”
“No, I won’t! I mean, Ochiha-kun jumped to conclusions that time too! …Well, I was glad that you tried to help me, but I guess you haven’t changed at all…”
Koga-san looks up at me. Her cheeks are slightly flushed. Her beautiful chestnut-colored hair sways in the wind. And her jewel-like golden eyes reflect the sunset. Koga-san has really become beautiful. …I wonder how many times I’ve thought this.
It’s probably time to stop comparing things to the past.
“…. Ochiha kun, what’s wrong? You seem to be a little dazed.”
“No, it’s nothing. More importantly, we are going to drain the water, aren’t we? It’s already pretty late, so we’ll just play one game like before, right?”
“Yes! Ochiha-kun, who goes along with me no matter what, is still my beloved!”
“……, you say that without hesitation, don’t you?”
I’m sure that Koga-san, who can say the word “love” without hesitation, has something that I don’t have. Maybe I was attracted to her like this in the past.
─ ─ How about now?
Such a question comes to mind, but I can’t answer it. I walk down the hill with Koga-san, looking for a good stone.
“Okay, I’ve decided on this one!”
Koga-san stands up with a childlike smile on her face, as if she has already found a nice sized stone. I felt bad making her wait too long, so I took the best looking stone I saw and turned my attention to the other side of the river.
“Then I’ll go first!”
Without waiting for Koga-san’s reply, I throw the stone. Once, twice, three times …… no good. The fourth time, the stone sinks into the river.
“….. Is there another try or something?”
I looked at Koga-san, but she shook her head and said, “No.”
“Then it’s my turn!”
Koga-san’s sharp throw. The stone, released with a beautiful sidestroke, bounces on the surface of the water as if it has a will of its own and reaches the other side of the river. ……Something about you, Koga-san, aren’t you getting better at draining the water day by day?
Maybe I should practice a little, too.
“Fufu! My win!”
Koga-san’s chest heaves with “Mufun!”.
I raised my hands in surrender.
“Yes, yes, I lost. I’ll do whatever the princess says, so please forgive me.”
“Well, what am I going to do now? I’m going to get another massage or something. Ochiha kun, you seem to be interested in my boobs, so I’m going to focus on that.”
“…..No, I’ll rub your shoulders, please don’t do that.”
“In fact, how much are boys aware of? Is it safe to massage the stomach or armpits? Is it okay to massage the legs?”
“No, it depends on the person who draws that line. ……”
Well, if you ask me what I’m conscious of, I’m conscious of everything, but I feel like I’m losing if I say that, so I don’t put it into words.
“Well, I’ll get a massage some other time. But for now, I have something else I want to ask you.”
“You want to ask me something? Okay, but nothing too weird.”
“I don’t ask anything weird. It’s just that there’s something that’s been bothering me. ……”
Koga-san looks my way. Unlike before, her expression is very serious. I have a few ideas as to why she looks like that… so I stare back at Koga-san without looking away.
Koga-san looked straight at me and said
“Ochiha kun, is there anyone else you like?”
“—-“
For a moment, my breath stops. It’s a question I hadn’t expected at all… No, that’s not it. With Koga-san’s sharpness, it wouldn’t be surprising if she could see through the fact that I was worried about Sakaki-san.
I haven’t told Sakaki-san that Koga-san confessed to me, and I haven’t told Koga-san that I kissed Sakaki-san …… and she confessed to me. Even if I were to go out with either of them or not go out with either of them, it would be dishonest not to say anything to the two people who have been so good to me.
If I dumped Koga-san without saying anything and then immediately started dating Sakaki-san, I am sure Koga-san would be hurt badly. And it would be the same for Sakaki-san. No matter what choice I make, I will have to tell both of them sooner or later.
So, I…
“Well, that’s all right now.”
Saying this, Koga-san lets out a small breath. This time the words are completely unexpected and I almost fall into the pond.
“….Koga-san, can you stop piling sudden things on top of sudden things? My brain can’t keep up with the processing …….”
“Haha, sorry, sorry. …… but it’s not fair to ask that here, so I’m not going to do it. If Ochiha-kun can give me a proper answer, I want you to talk to me then.”
“…… is that okay?
I’m going to tell Koga-san…”
“It’s okay! I know you’re kind, Ochiha-kun.
I know you’re not only kind to …… me. So, it’s okay for now. I don’t want to take advantage of Ochiha-kun’s kindness anymore.”
Koga-san takes a step or two and throws a small stone toward the river. It does not bounce on the surface of the water, but sinks directly into the river. I threw the stone as if imitating Koga-san. It didn’t bounce on the surface of the water, but sank into the river.
“Koga-san. I don’t want to fool myself into thinking that I am indecisive or weak-minded by using the word “kind”. So, if you really want to hear it, Koga-san, I’m ……”
“I said it’s fine. The fact that you’re even saying something like that shows that you’re a kind person. You’re kind and serious. I thought you’d turned into a blonde delinquent, but inside you’re the same as before… That’s why I’m a little worried. I’m a little worried that such a kind person like you might be going crazy again like before.”
“Koga-san ……”
No matter how sharp Koga-san is, there’s no way she could know anything about my father. …But somehow, my current situation overlaps with my past situation. I’m not cornered like I was back then, and unlike back then, I can now stand and walk on my own.
…But Koga-san’s eyes made my heart hurt just a little.
“Oh, I’m so sorry. I said something weird, even though we were on our way home from a really fun date.”
“No, I’m the one …… sorry for making you feel uncomfortable.”
“If you think so, you shouldn’t turn down the boob massage as a punishment, right? I’ve grown up big for this day.”
“……, no, please don’t do that.”
“What? You don’t want to touch them?”
“No, I want to touch it, but I can’t …… touch it. There are a lot of things that men do, you understand.”
“Fufu, what’s that?”
Koga-san laughed. I laughed too.
“Well, let’s go home! You’re going to have dinner at my place today, right?”
“That’s …… no, I guess so. Well then, may I come in?”
“Yay! I’m going to make you a very special dish, so please eat as much as you want!”
The two of us hold hands and start walking. I have something I have to tell both Koga-san and Sakaki-san. I can’t put it off forever, and there are other decisions I have to make. I just wanted to hold this warm hand for now …….
In this way, the fun date came to an end.
And the next day.
“………. seriously?”
Perhaps it was the result of worrying about something day after day that I ended up with a fever.
Maiban