My Childhood Friend Attacked Me When I Declared That Her Birthday Present Was 'Me' - Chapter 16

What Everyone Thinks at Least Once

“Shindou.”

“Yeah? What’s up, Kouta?”

Kouta and Shindou, now in their classroom, take their seats.

Shindou’s seat is in front of me.

“You mentioned something about ‘settled into being a couple’ earlier…”

“Oh, I did.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means exactly what it sounds like… settled into being a couple.”

“No-no, what is that… Shindou… I thought you would understand.”

“Understand what?”

Sipping on his banana au lait drinks through a straw, Shindou raises an eyebrow.

“No, my relationship with her!”

“No, I already know? Aren’t you guys best friends?”

“Yes! Exactly! That’s the word I’ve been waiting for!”

“You’re so loud… Your voice…”

“Haven’t I told you that million times?”

“Ah… you did say that I guess? I was like, [Why don’t you start dating Kaori-chan?]”

“And every time, I’ve been telling you that we’re only best friends and we won’t go there.”

“Oh…you did say that too.”

“And yet, we ended up going there. So how did you see us?”

“But you did it, right?”

” … “

“Hey, you did it, right? With Kaori.”

” … “

“Just staying silent won’t help the conversation, you know?”

Sip- sip-

The sound of Shindou sucking up the banana drink echoes in the noisy classroom.

“That’s the answer, and that’s the reality. Look at the reality properly.”

“I… I’ve been looking at the reality… to the point where it hurts.”

That long day, that intense day. I don’t want to go back anymore.

“Well, maybe you still think you can escape because you used protection, but even thinking that way shows a lack of morality. You have to remember that getting laid is a very serious thing, and you should engrave it in your heart… “

Kouta’s sweat keeps pouring out. His appearance is met with a puzzled gaze…

“What? You didn’t do it… raw, did you?”

“That’s too much! Your voice is too loud, Shindou!”

Stop with that overwhelming voice in the middle of the class!

And… stop grinning like that! You, Kaori!

“So you’re trying to escape? Let me tell you as your best friend, that’s just cowardly.”

“That’s way too blunt! Besides, it’s because of Kaori, who suddenly attacked me…”

“Come on, you’re a guy, right? Even if she came at you suddenly, there’s a physical difference that allows you to escape, isn’t there?”

“Well, that’s…”

“You can free yourself, right?”

“Well, that’s… I was caught off guard…”

“I understand even less now. Are there situations where you have unexpected encounters and end up doing it?”

“Well, there are various reasons for that…”

“Various reasons?”

He explains in detail those various reasons.

Explaining… and then…

“Hmm, it’s your fault, isn’t it?”

“Why…?”

Why am I always at fault? Always.

“I hate to say this, but Kaori may be smart in some ways, but she’s also pretty clumsy, right? For example, she brings a cup of ramen for lunch even though she didn’t bring hot water, or when it’s a joint activity for boys and girls, she thinks it’s fine to change together in front of the boys…”

“That’s just being stupid.”

“No, no, it’s her innocence. She’s pure, you know? So if you said something like, I’m your birthday present or something like that, of course, she’d take it seriously.”

“Really? No way…”

“Even if she caught you off guard, you should still be able to free yourself.”

“Well, that’s… I was caught off guard…”

“But maybe it’s not just that. As your best friend, I understand you. You had some expectations too, didn’t you? You had some hope that it would turn out that way!”

“Why are you saying such terrifying things?! Shindou!.”

“That’s right, Shindou-kun!”

As if interrupting, a fool bursts in, raising her voice like a musical actress.

“Thank you for expressing everything I was thinking, Shindou-kun!”

“Well… I thought it was strange too, so I just poked at it a bit, and this is how it turned out.”

“Shindou… and Kaori… You guys are so loud in the morning… Stop it, everyone is staring at us…”

“Everyone is watching us? That’s even better!”

“Enough already!”

With a force that almost dislocates his shoulder, Kaori lifts her left arm. And then…

“Everyone in Class 2-3! We’ve cultivated a love that will last a lifetime! Give us a big round of applause!”

Clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap- clap-

“Hey, everyone! You don’t have to applaud!”

“Oh, good morning… What is this?”

Haito-sensei arrives.

“Teacher! Please join in the applause!”

“What is this? A celebration? Ugh… Please don’t do that, it’ll affect my hangover!

“Just applaud for now!”

“Uh, okay… ” clap- clap-

Haito-sensei claps half-heartedly.

“So, what are we applauding for?”

“Well, actually, we’re celebrating Kouta and me having s*x!”

“What?!”

“Hey, stop it, you idiot!”

In an unpleasant way, she’s really gone off on a weird tangent…This girl, seriously.