CH 22

Yuki said she was content just to see a happy Kaho.

After that, Yuki became silent.

In the dimly lit biology preparation room, Yuki and I were alone.

I couldn’t help but ask.

“Are we done?”

“…Yes.”

“Well then, shall we go home?”

“Oh, I’m going home, too.”

“Want me to walk you home?”

“I don’t think that would be good for Kaho.”

“Why?”

“If I go home alone with Aki-kun, Kaho will…”

“She probably won’t mind.”

“You shouldn’t say that, okay?”

Despite saying so, Yuki eventually agreed to go home with me.

Yuki and I have known each other since middle school.

I didn’t think it would be a big deal if we went home together.

The schoolyard was filled with people from the baseball team who were in the middle of their activities.

I’m a go-home guy, but Yuki is in the drama club, I thought.

“Don’t you have any club activities?”

“I’m off today. The tournament is over. We’re going to rent a hall for our next play, but that’s still a long way off.”

“Huh. I’ll go see it.”

“Thank you. You should come and see it with Kaho.”

Yuki smiled at that.

We walked out of the school gate and got on the bus.

It had been a while since Yuki and I had talked alone, and we talked about many things.

We talked about classmates from middle school, high school gossip, and complaining about club activities.

Of all the things we talked about, Yuki seemed to have the most fun when we talked about Kaho.

I thought to myself, that Yuki must really love Kaho.

I was the one who was in the way, and she probably just wanted to have Kaho all to herself.

I suddenly thought of that.

If that’s the case, then I should not be asking Yuki to fix things with Kaho.

Yuki is usually a person of few words, but when the two of us talk, I’m always the one who listens.

Yuki would talk quietly, and I would offer a word of advice or a related topic.

That’s how it was.

After getting off the bus, we walked up the hill and I said to her.

“Yuki, you’re a great person.”

“I’m great?”

“Kaho is also an honor student, but Yuki’s grades are better than Kaho’s. You’re also doing well in club activities.”

“Is that so?”

“Well, the other day, you got third place in the regular exam, right?”

“… Yeah. But … I’m not great at all.”

Yuki said, a little embarrassed.

She’s a good and humble person.

I smiled and patted Yuki on the head.

Yuki looked surprised and blushed.

“Ah, Aki-kun. What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry. Did you not like it?”

“Some girls don’t like it because they are treated like children, and many dislike it.”

“I’m sorry. I just did it. It won’t happen again.”

“Oh … it’s not that I don’t like it, … it’s just that you shouldn’t be so casual about skinship with girls, you know. Besides, Aki-kun, you have a girl you like, don’t you?”

Yuki looked at me with her face still red.

Yes, I like Kaho, but I wonder if stroking Yuki’s head wasn’t a good idea.

I wouldn’t stroke the hair of a girl I don’t get along with at all.

If I did, I would be treated like a pervert.

But Yuki was my friend, so I let myself go.

“I’m sorry.”

“You should do that to Kaho. I bet … she’ll be happy, huh?”

“I doubt it.”

At least, Kaho won’t accept it now.

Then, how about Mikoto-san?

I pictured myself stroking Mikoto-san’s head and wondered if it was possible.

The other person is the Ice Goddess. She would reject the idea of being patted on the head by a man.

But with the mood Mikoto-san was in yesterday, maybe it was because she was weak from the fever, but I think she might not be offended if I patted her on the head.

Why am I thinking about Mikoto-san?

As I was pondering, Yuki looked into my eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

I shook my head and started walking.

Yuki, walking half a step behind me, called out to me.

“Perhaps you’re thinking of ways to reconcile with Kaho?”

“No…”

“I’ll do my best to think of a way for you two to make up… so why don’t you tell me what happened yesterday?”

I had no idea how to make up with Kaho, and there was no way I was going to tell Yuki what happened yesterday.

I was wondering how to answer her, and then I didn’t have to worry about it.

A girl appeared from the entrance of a pharmacy halfway up the hill.

The slender girl was wearing a pale blue one-piece dress that looked very neat and clean.

It was Mikoto-san.

Perhaps noticing me, Mikoto-san’s face lit up.

“Akihara-kun. You’re late. I got tired of waiting, so I came to the pharmacy alone. Thanks to you, I’m feeling much better. It might have been better if I hadn’t been naked yesterday.”

Mikoto-san said quickly, sounding happy and a little embarrassed.

As I froze, unable to respond, Mikoto-san tilted her head cutely.

“Why are you frozen? Are you coming home with me? We can have dinner already. Dinner, what shall we have?”

Mikoto-san said happily, then looked at Yuki in her uniform behind me and gave me a strange look.

Mikoto-san didn’t know Yuki.

And Yuki was walking a bit far from me.

Therefore, Mikoto-san didn’t think that Yuki was my acquaintance.　

Not good.

Very bad.

I had no choice but to say.

“Mikoto-san. This is Yukino Sakurai, a classmate of mine from middle school.”

Hearing that, Mikoto-san’s face suddenly turned pale.

Yuki, on the other hand, also looked shocked and stiffened.

When Yuki finally opened her mouth, she said.

“What do you mean? You are Mikoto-san from the next class, right? You and Aki-kun go home together, have dinner together at night, and then you were naked yesterday, that’s …”

“Well, you know, Yuki …”

I stuttered.

How should I explain it?

Should I honestly tell her that we live in the same apartment?

What would Mikoto-san want to do?

She was frozen in place and seemed incapable of responding.

Before I could open my mouth, Yuki said.

“It’s terrible, … Aki-kun. You’re dating Mikoto-san? And you live together? I’m sure you’ve done a lot of naughty things, too. Kaho saw it yesterday and was hurt…”

“Goh, it’s a misunderstanding.”

I got stuck in an attempt to explain.

Yuki is shedding tears from her eyes.

Teary-eyed Yuki said in a fading voice.

“Aki-kun, have you stopped caring about … Kaho?”

“Of course not.”

“Aki-kun’s … a traitor!”

“… You know, Yuki. Kaho didn’t accept me.”

“But Aki-kun, you like Kaho, don’t you? I liked Kaho with Aki, and I liked Aki with Kaho. Why Mikoto-san? If it’s not Kaho next to Aki, then it can be … me!”

Yuki exclaimed, and then she huffed and clamped her mouth shut.

Yuki wiped away her tears and stared at me, her face still red.

“Forget … what I said …, Aki-kun. I … really hate you!”

Yuki ran away from the scene.

I and Mikoto-san looked at each other in shock.

Mikoto-san looked at me in shock and mumbled something that I couldn’t quite process.

“In other words…, Sakurai-san likes Akihara-kun, right?”

Mikoto-san is right.

No matter how dull I am, I can always tell.

It seems to be that Yuki likes me.