Volume 1 - CH 5.3

Chapter 5 - Introvert Guy and Barbecue (Final Part)

After Shige-senpai left, I felt like I was going to faint. Meanwhile, Miran hugged my back and said,

"Shuuji, thank you—"

"Uh, um?" The soft touch on my back made me nervous. I, who felt the warmth, the scent and the slight trembling, spoke to Miran who was behind me.

"I came because I was worried. I'm glad you're okay."

Then Hanako-san and Adzuki-san came over to me and Miran.

"Miran's boyfriend who came to the rescue is so cool, right?"

"I've been wondering about him for a long time, is he really your boyfriend?"

My shout that saying not to touch someone who was precious to me before, made me unable to dodge it anymore. In fact, the video along with Shige-senpai's words and actions has also been uploaded in the REIN group.

"Miran, you have a good guy, you know!"

"Hey, if you look at him again, isn't he a handsome guy, huh?" The two of them spoke to Miran with a seductive phrase.

Miran, who had moved away from my back, said to them with a look of embarrassment mixed with pride on her face.

"It's true, isn't it? He is a husband I am very proud of!"

""Husband?""

It was obviously an unexpected response. Her two friends tilted their heads and looked at each other. Unexpectedly, I also realized it too late. I mean, we can be called lovers, but we haven't entered the realm of husband and wife yet.

Miran seemed to realize this as well and looked at me.

"............"

To be honest, I have my doubts. I might cause trouble for Miran in the future by being his fiancée. But... after going through these events, I nodded my head with determination, understanding how much I loved and cherished Hanatsuki Miran all along.

"You don't have to hide it anymore. I'm sorry that I forced you to keep it a secret," I said.

Hearing my words, Miran smiled from ear to ear, "I'm so happy! I have long wanted to say it to you guys."

Miran's eyes lit up and she wrapped her hands around my arms.

She pulled her body close to mine as I began to doubt again and proudly told her two friends, "Actually—".

"—We're already engaged, you know!"

"Engaged!"

I don't think they really expected that. Hanako-san and Adzuki-san were so shocked that they were speechless for a while.

"Um, wait a minute, does being engaged mean that you will get married in the future?"

Hanako-san asked as she began to regain consciousness. When she said it again, I felt the weight of her words. It's true that as a high school student, I can't imagine marriage or anything like that yet, but even so, I think it would be better if Miran became my partner.

Miran, who was also smiling, replied, "Yes, that's how it is.".

She nodded her head next to mine. 

"That's why I'm curious why Miran never dated a man even though she was popular, so that's the reason."

Adzuki-san murmured as if she understood. Miran nodded her head and said,

"Yup, that's it."

"Just do it!", "You two look good together." Hanako-san and Adzuki-san, looking at me and Miran in shock, finally laughed and poked at us.

After that incident, Miran and I became widely known as an engaged couple.

Coincidentally, there is an after story. Shige-senpai's bad reputation soon spread throughout the school, so his popularity dropped, and the coach of the basketball club punished him for skipping practice to go to a barbecue event.

The barbecue was quite noisy at first. Then there was Shige-senpai's commotion. There is also the story of my engagement to Miran. There are a lot of pressing issues, but things are calming down as time goes on. Or rather, the focus of the debate is on Miran and not on me, the introvert, who always gives unclear answers.

"............"

It was getting dark, I sat quietly in the corner of the riverbank, staring at the happy people around Miran and the sparks that glittered around them. It's too early, but we're going to set off the fireworks that we've prepared as the last entertainment for the barbecue.

The extroverts have already taken all the luxurious fireworks, so I only have the ordinary ones.

"............"

Although it looks simple, the little sparks that keep going off are surprisingly interesting. When I was alone, trying to figure out how long I could keep the fireworks alive, a voice suddenly called out to me.

"Shuuji..."

"M-Miran!"

The gyaru, my fiancée, walked over and sat down next to me. We were so close that our shoulders touched, making me nervous and dropping the fireworks I was holding. I rushed to prepare the next fireworks so that she wouldn't notice my nervousness.

"Can I join you?"

"Y-Yes, of course."

Together we set off the fireworks. The ordinary shimmering fireworks made Miran smile like a child.

"It's so beautiful!"

"Yes, it is."

I nodded, but I was more fascinated by Miran's face than the fireworks. When Miran turned her head, I reflexively turned my face so that the fireworks I was holding fell. A little embarrassed, I turned my eyes to see the fireworks shining brightly in the distance with the happy looking flashy guys. Then I cleared my throat and spoke to my fiancée.

"That series of questions, it must be bothering you, right?"

Hearing my words, Miran looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"Is that so? I'm actually happy that I can talk a lot about Shuuji, you know?"

"W-Why do you want to talk about me?"

I feel like I haven't done much so far, so I'm a little curious about what she said to everyone. When Miran's fireworks went out, I tried to put out new fireworks, but Miran said to me gently.

"Thank you so much for saving me."

"Uh, no, it's not like that. I haven't done anything that deserves your gratitude." I said hastily.

I'm just doing the obvious. Instead, I was the one who was worried and looked at her. Then I remembered the conversation between Miran and Shige-senpai and said again,

"Actually... I should be the one to thank you."

Grateful for Miran's attitude towards Shige-senpai, who slandered me. Has anyone ever been so angry for my sake? In fact, when I remembered it just now, my heart felt a kind of happiness, overflowing with joy.

"Thank you for being angry for my sake..."

I turned to Miran and lowered my head. The gyaru, who was my fiancée, smiled amusedly and muttered to me as she thought about what had just happened.

"I'm so happy when you say that."

"That time?" I knew immediately what she was talking about.

"Don't put your hand on someone who is so precious to me!"

I shouted out loud. I don't usually yell at anyone, so it's a somewhat embarrassing memory in my mind.

"At that time, I spontaneously..."

As my face heated up, Miran laughed happily for a moment. Then, looking into the distance as if thinking of something, she asked me in a whisper,

"By the way—"

"—We already met a long time ago, remember?"

Hearing the words, I told her about childhood memories I had experienced before.

"When I was a kid, I used to meet the same girl when I traveled with my parents..."

I don't remember how we first met, but it was the same girl I met on every trip. I remember that we became good friends and played with her every time we met.

"It seems... That girl was Miran, right?"

"Yes!" When I confirmed it, Miran nodded happily.

"Haven't you noticed?" she continued.

"Um... You look so different, sorry."

"But you remember me now, don't you?" When I apologized, Miran laughed for a moment.

Then she nodded as if she had made up her mind and told me, "Actually, it was me who asked my parents to continue the engagement...".

"Eh? Miran?!" I was stunned by this unexpected information.

I thought her parents had decided it themselves. Miran nodded her head and spoke with some hesitation.

"I'm glad to be in the same high school as Shuji... and I really wanted to get to know you well from the first year, but after a year passed, I still couldn't do that..."

I remembered how she kept calling me when he was a freshman. That's why I'm curious as to why she's so interested in me.

"............"

However, when I thought that she had such feelings for me, I immediately felt that all the things that had happened with her were funny things.

Later Miran told me,

"Well, I feel that I can't go on like this and use the excuse of our engagement."

"Oh, so that's what really happened, huh?"

I nodded as I remembered her behavior since the beginning of our sophomore year. I remembered that she had inquired about my relationship status, but then her attitude changed, and after that, our engagement came up, right? As I dissolved into emotion, Miran apologized to me.

"I'm always worried that Shuuji will be upset because he suddenly became my fiancée."

That feeling she always worried about—

"Miran...," I said.

I have a feeling that I'm not the only one who is worried about the engagement. Then I shook my head and said,

"I'm just confused anyway, but I don't consider it a nuisance."

"Really?"

"Yes, on the contrary, I am the one who is worried that Miran will not like being engaged to me."

Miran is an extroverted gyaru who is popular with everyone. I was always worried that she wouldn't like the idea of an introverted loner like me as her fiancé. When I told her this, Miran shook her head quickly.

"That's not true, you know! Shuuji was always very kind!"

Miran's face turned red after saying that. Seeing her like that made my face blush as well. I don't know if I've ever received such affirmations or compliments before. There are so many things I've never experienced before that it makes me feel uncomfortable.

"Shuji, you know..."

After a moment of silence, Miran looked at me. Unlike her hesitant expression just now, she actually gave me a big smile and said, "Thank you for agreeing to be my fiancée".

"----" Those words are too beautiful to be true, so I don't know what to say.

"Miran...."

I felt the same way. Miran's words made me think, I have locked myself in the house for a long time because I am not interested in others. But Miran pulled me out of that state. She made me try new things. Myself in the past with myself in the present is completely different. That's how I felt again, and I looked into Miran's eyes.

"Being engaged to Miran has made my world bigger" I was fascinated by her beautiful eyes and I thanked the fiancée I loved so much,

"Thank you for being my fiancée."