Liar's Lips Fall Apart in Love - Volume 1 Chapter 1.11

The Spring When I Met You 11

…No, what are you even doing here!

Perhaps tired of the unresponsive Nanase, the guy eventually left his seat.

Seizing the opportunity, I stealthily moved next to Nanase. I tapped her on the back, and when she turned around, her face lit up with recognition.

“Sagara… Ah.”

Remembering the promise not to speak, Nanase hastily covered her mouth. I gestured silently for her to “come here,” and we quietly left the tatami room, hoping no one would notice us.

“…What are you doing?”

As soon as we were alone, I confronted Nanase. She looked down, embarrassed, and muttered, “I’m sorry…”

“I thought it would be less intimidating to ask girls for their contact information, so I sat at a table with them… but the girls that were sitting there seemed to be friends already.”

“You shouldn’t worry about that. Just jump into the conversation.”

“Yeah, but… they were all talking about things I didn’t know about… I couldn’t fit in at all…”

Come to think of it, I vaguely remember someone saying long ago that when three girls get together, one is always left out. It might not be as dramatic as being completely being left out, but it certainly isn’t a pleasant feeling.

Trying to cheer up the disheartened Nanase, I spoke as kindly as I could.

“…There were girls sitting at the middle table. Why don’t you try talking to them?”

“Okay… I’ll give it my best shot!”

Nanase lifted her head, clenched her fists in front of her chest, and with a swift turn, she said, “Watch me!” before heading back into the tatami room to sit next to a girl with fluffy short hair.

“Hello, nice to meet you!”

Nanase said with an awkward smile, and the girl next to her laughed, saying, “Aren’t you a bit stiff?” Good, not a bad start.

After that, I completely blended into the background, taking a seat in the corner of the tatami room. I had become one with the walls, and no one paid me any attention.

Sipping my oolong tea, I watched Nanase. She seemed to have warmed up to the girl she was talking to and was nodding along happily.

It looked like Nanase’s table was the most lively spot in the room. The guy sitting across from her was, if I remember correctly, a handsome guy from our seminar.

I forgot his name, but getting along with someone like him would probably bring her fifty steps closer to a rosy college life.

After two and a half hours, the social gathering ended, and I paid the participation fee to the organizer before slipping out early.

“Who’s up for karaoke at the after-party?”

I heard someone shout, but I ignored it as usual and stepped outside.

Kiyamachi Street at 21:00 was bustling with many people, showing a different face from when I had arrived.

Ignoring the touts calling out to passersby, I walked away when I heard “Sagara-kun!” called out to me.

“I exchanged contact information with five people! Goal achieved!”

Nanase caught up to me, proudly holding up her smartphone. I couldn’t leave her alone in a place like this, so I reluctantly slowed down my pace.

“The girl I made friends with, Tsugumi-chan, said she knows Sacchan!”

“Hmm. Good for you.”

“Sagara-kun, are you taking the bus? Or Hankyu? Let’s go home together!” (Tln : Hankyu Railway)

Nanase looked at me with a cheerful smile, and I glanced at her from the corner of my eye. This time, I couldn’t bring myself to refuse. I’m not heartless enough to tell her to go home alone in this situation.

…But, what about her? Is she not going to the after-party?

“Hey, Nanase… what about the after-party? Aren’t you going?”

If she truly wanted to live the life of a social butterfly, she should definitely attend the after-party. It’s an opportunity to expand her social network even more. However, Nanase frowned slightly as if troubled.

“Yeah, I’m tone-deaf, and I don’t know any of the recent popular songs… Plus, I’m a bit tired. Although it was fun.”

Nanase’s face showed signs of fatigue. She looked up at me with a sleepy smile, her makeup seemingly faded, revealing a natural, bare-faced expression.

“I’m glad I came today. I was able to take a step forward thanks to you, Sagara-kun. Thank you.”

I hadn’t actually done much. Being thanked so directly made me feel restless. I’m not used to this kind of thing.

We boarded the bus at the Shijo Kawaramachi stop together.

Kyoto’s city buses have a flat fare system, paid upon exiting. The thought of spending 230 yen made me feel bitter.

The bus wasn’t too crowded, perhaps because it was still early for the last bus. We found seats at the back, and I sat by the window, with Nanase settling down next to me.

As I gazed out the window in silence, something leaned against my shoulder.

Startled, I looked over to see Nanase resting her head on my shoulder, breathing softly in her sleep. She must have been truly exhausted.

…Well, she did work hard.

I was reluctant to have been made into an impromptu pillow, but I decided not to wake her. I’d let her sleep until we reached our stop.

As I closed my eyes, I could clearly feel the glitter painted on my eyelids. The fake eyelashes were curled perfectly, sticking naturally to my eyelids.

The sleeping Nanase radiated warmth, and her weight gradually shifted onto me. She wasn’t heavy, but she was definitely close. Every time the bus swayed, her chest brushed against my arm, changing shape softly. It was a softness I couldn’t imagine having anywhere on my own body.

I briefly thought they were larger than I expected, and apologized internally for the accidental touch. I felt like I could hear her heartbeat from where we touched.

…No. Maybe that was the sound of my own heart.

As much as I felt sorry for Nanase, I found myself focusing all my senses on my arm until she woke up. It’s just a sad man’s saga.

◇◇◇

Haruko’s PoV

“Haru-chan’s lipstick is super cute. Which brand is it?”

A week after the social gathering, during lunch break.

After eating lunch in the cafeteria and touching up my makeup, Tsugumi-chan asked me that. Delighted, I took out my lipstick to show her.

“This one! My cousin gave it to me as a graduation present from high school.”

“That brand has really good reviews. It’s known for its great color payoff and long-lasting wear.”

“But, I can’t really afford department store makeup casually. Maybe I’ll buy it when I get my next paycheck.”

“Tsugumi, weren’t you broke last month? You’re going to bankrupt yourself shopping again.”

At the cafeteria table, besides Sacchan, there were Tsugumi-chan and Nami-chan.

Sacchan and Nami-chan had a language class together, and Tsugumi-chan and Nami-chan were in the same seminar.

Since the recent social gathering where Tsugumi-chan and I became friends, we’ve often had lunch together as a group of four.

“Speaking of which, my boyfriend got mad at me the other day. He said I spend money without thinking.”

“Isn’t Tsugumi’s boyfriend a working adult? You met him through an app, right?”

“Yeah. He acts all mature and gets really annoying. Just the other day…”

The conversation shifted to more intimate boyfriend stories, so I kept quiet.

Since Tsugumi-chan and Nami-chan both have boyfriends, this kind of talk has become more common.

When it gets to this point, there’s nothing I can do but listen silently with my zero experience.

…Hmm. The love lives of sparkling girls are quite something…

Tln : I will update the novel 3-4chapters /weeks. if you wanted to read more. please do checkout the premium chapters!. thanks…