CH 27

“Is it possible that it was the goddess who confessed? That’s unexpected.”

Hashimoto-san smilingly tapped Mikoto-san on the shoulder.

It is true that what Mikoto-san said earlier could be misinterpreted.　 It could make the classmates misunderstand that she likes me.

Mikoto-san shivered.

Hashimoto-san stared at Mikoto-san regardless of this.

“Goddess, you seem to be in a different mood than usual, you really like Akihara, don’t you?”

“I’m not saying that I like Akihara-kun, but I’d like to say that it’s impossible for Akihara-kun to like me. It is impossible that Akihara-kun likes me, so I wanted to say that we are not together.”

“You don’t have to lie to me like that. After all, you two are dating, aren’t you?”

“I’m just a distant relative of Akihara-kun …, that’s all.”

“But if you live under the same roof, it can’t be just that, can it? Didn’t Akihara ever try to do anything weird to you?”

“Akihara-kun would never do such a thing!”

Mikoto-san answered reflectively.

But to be honest, from my point of view, there were many things I was guilty of, like wiping Mikoto-san’s naked body.

Hashimoto-san chuckled.

“You hate men, but you trust Akihara?”

“It’s not like that… No, that’s right. I trust Akihara-kun.”

“See, I knew you liked Akihara, didn’t I?”

“… That’s not true.”

“Be honest with me, Goddess. Mikoto-san, you have the face of a maiden in love, don’t you?”

“Eh?”

When she was told that, her face turned red.

Everyone stared at her.

“What do you think? Do you like Akihara? Goddess!”

Hashimoto-san crossed her arms behind her back and moved her face quickly toward Mikoto-san.

She would not tolerate any refusal to answer.

That’s how it felt.

Perhaps completely bewildered, Mikoto-san was shaking her head to the side, and her mouth was agape.

Moreover, she was a little teary-eyed.

As expected, I felt sorry for Mikoto-san.

If I give her a helping hand here, we might be misunderstood more and more.

But it was better to be told that we lived together than to leave her on the verge of tears.

I took her hand.

It was a little embarrassing, but I needed to make a clear statement that I was taking Mikoto-san out of this place.

Mikoto-san trembled a little and looked up at me.

“Mikoto-san. Can we talk outside for a minute?”

She shook her head.

I’m going to escape outside the classroom and then we’ll figure out a good plan.

Hashimoto-san’s eyes lit up.

“A date on the verge of class? That’s great! Oh, but you can’t skip first period class. I’m also the class president, you know?”

“Yes, yes. We’re not going on a date, we’re going to talk about how to resolve this misunderstanding.”

But Hashimoto-san ignored my words and started to say something strange.

“Ah, are you going to the gym or something?”

“Why?”

“I don’t think they would notice if you skipped class and did something naughty there.”

“If it really was a date, I’d choose a place with more atmosphere.”

“Huh… Well, I hope you two will be good together.”

Hashimoto-san waved her hand in the air with a smirk on her face.

I felt that anything more I said would only add fuel to the fire.　

I looked back at Mikoto-san.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Mikoto-san nodded and squeezed my hand.

Then, she got up from her seat and we proceeded to the entrance of the classroom from the seat by the window.

On the way there, I saw Kaho standing there.

She stared at me with dark eyes.

As if expecting me to stop.

But I looked over at Kaho, but didn’t stop.

My priority now was to get Mikoto-san out of here.

After stepping out into the hallway, I thought about where I could find a place where people wouldn’t come.

Let’s go to the Biology Preparation Room.

That’s where Yuki took me the other day.

It was close by, quiet, and just right.　

It’s a dark atmosphere, but it’s not like it’s a date.

I pulled on Mikoto-san’s hand and she followed me.

We passed by students coming to school in the hallway, and their stares hurt me.

I said to Mikoto-san.

“It’s time for you to let go of my hand.”

“Oh…”

“Or we will be misunderstood more and more.”

“That’s right. I’ll cause trouble for Akihara-kun.”

“Well, you don’t have to worry about that, because you’re not bothering me that much.”

“… Then, do you mind if we stay like this a little longer?”

“Eh?”

“Akihara-kun’s hand is warm and comfortable.”

Mikoto-san said in a quiet voice and looked at me with her blue eyes.

When she said it like that, I was kind of embarrassed too.

Eventually, Mikoto-san and I entered the biology preparation room, holding hands.

It is a dimly lit, long and narrow room.

The brown shelves were lined with a large number of chemicals and model animals.

“Mikoto-san, can you close the door, please?”

“Yes.”

Mikoto-san nodded, stared at our clasped hands, and then let go of them.

Then she gently closed the door of the room.

We stood facing each other.

Mikoto-san turned her head down and said.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I caused Akihara-kun trouble. We are not even in a relationship, but everyone in the class said a lot of things about us. When I think about what happened with … Sasaki-san and Sakurai-san, if I hadn’t been there, nothing would have happened.”

“I told you before, you don’t have to worry about that. Everyone in the class just likes to gossip. I’m the one to blame for what happened between Kaho and Yuki.”

“Do you really think so?”

“I’m not lying.”

“I also think that with Akihara-kun, it’s okay to be misunderstood.”

Mikoto-san said while averting her eyes.

I wonder if she means that it’s okay to be misunderstood, if it’s okay for everyone else to think that she’s dating me or living with me.

Mikoto-san gently approached me.

She looked down at her hands and then looked straight at me as if she had made up her mind to do something.

“If it isn’t too much trouble for Akihara-kun, … I could tell Hashimoto-san that I like Akihara-kun.”

“Eh?”

“We’re going out, aren’t we?”

“Um, what do you mean by that?”

I scowled and took a step back, almost catching my foot on a cardboard box lying on the floor, thinking that Mikoto-san was really going to confess to me.

What should I do?

What should I do if Mikoto-san confessed to me?

Kaho comes to my mind.

For some reason, in my imagination Kaho was staring at me accusingly.

However, what Mikoto-san said next was totally different from what I expected.

Mikoto-san put her hand on her chest, and with a red face, suggested to me.

“What I mean is, let’s pretend that we are dating, Akihara-kun and I.”