My Childhood Friend Seems to be the Main Heroine. - Chapter 10

　It is mid-April, and the winter cold has completely disappeared.

　On the train station platform, a beautiful girl with a glamorous style that is not appropriate for a high school student is standing alone.

　Her school uniform belongs to a well-known school far away.

　This means that she is not only good-looking but also smart. She is a perfect girl whom everyone envies.

　While the guys around her were trying to find a way to get close to her, the girl, Machigane Riri, was playing with her phone while humming a song happily.

[ You better stay on the platform today. It’s too much trouble to look for you. ]

[ I know. I bought drinks in advance, so I’ll be on the platform today. ]

[ Then, okay. I’ll be there soon. ]

[ Roger. ]

　Tapping the send message button, she opens her phone’s internal camera and starts to tidy herself up.

　Are there any split ends?

　Are her bangs neat?

　No lipstick residue.

　No bent ribbons.

　She checks carefully.

　The men around her realized that she already had a man, and they became depressed on their own.

　It’s not surprising.

　It is impossible for a beautiful girl like her not to have a man.

　They never had a chance.

　They gave up on her and started thinking about work and school.

“Fufu “

(All according to plan.)

　Sensing that most of the eyes on her were no longer on her, Riri turned up the corners of her mouth slightly.

　This is one of Riri’s ways of avoiding being picked up.

　Before they talk to you, they give up on you by flashing a man’s shadow in their mind.

　This is not so effective if there is a pushy guy, but it is enough because there are almost no guys who want to play with women at this time on weekdays.
　

(Besides, it is not wrong to say that I’m waiting for a man.)

　Not everything is a lie.

　It’s just that the relationship is not what people around her think it is.

(Oh, there’s a little bump here.)

　So Riri continues to check her appearance until just before her childhood friend comes down the stairs.

“Oh, here he comes. Good morning, Saito.”

“Good morning, Riri.”

　Riri called out as she spotted a familiar figure behind her in the crowd of people getting off the train.

　The fresh-faced boy who turned around at the sound of her voice was the childhood friend she had been waiting for. His name is Minazuki Saito.

　Saito raised his hand lightly and joined Riri.

“You don’t have a guy with you today.”

“Did you want someone to be with me? “

“No, it would have been better without.”

“Right?”

　The two people exchanged a few pleasantries and boarded the train.

* * *

“Haa, haah, damn.”

“Akashi. We’re going to finish in one lap. Hang in there. “

　Saito cheered Kai, a boy with naturally permed hair, who was running with dizzy and dazed steps.

　It was the third day after the entrance ceremony.

　Saito and his friend were taking a physical fitness test.

　The first period consisted of grip strength, long body forward bend, and repetitive horizontal jump, followed by the 1,500-meter run in the second period.

　Kai was a member of the badminton club in his junior high school days, and according to him, he is a fairly good sportsman.

　At first, he was in the first group, but he dropped out in the middle of the race because he had been studying for almost half a year, and his physical strength had decreased.

　His pace has slowed down, and he looks as if he is having a hard time.

　It would be better if he could run at his own pace without worrying about the others, but it is difficult to do so when there are so many people around him.

　This is a common scene in physical education classes.

　Saito took his eyes off Kai and looked ahead.

　Then, what caught his eye was a large bosom that was shaking and bouncing.

　(Huge!)

　Saito muttered in his mind reflexively.

“Wow, that’s amazing!”

“Her weapons are bouncing!”

“Isn’t that size too big for a high school student?!”

　The boys around him seemed to be equally shocked and cheered.

　Saito, wondering who in the world had these evil b*obies, looked up to see his childhood friend’s face.

(Oh, shit!)

　Saito quickly averted his eyes.

　She was sensitive to such a look, and if she found out that he had been watching her, he would need to buy her something as a punishment.

　If she does it once again, his wallet life gauge, which was dying because of the incident the day before yesterday, will be completely gone.

　That is something he must avoid.

　I know this in his head, but he can’t help but look at her.

　Saito glanced sideways at Riri.

“Haah, huh.”

　She was running with a straight back and beautiful form, keeping a steady rhythm. She was running faster than most girls.

　When he first met her, she was a typical athletically inept person, falling down every time she ran, losing her posture, and throwing a ball that flew in the opposite direction.

　However, this has improved since she started learning judo in the middle of her elementary school years, and now Riri is rather good at sports.

　Nowadays, she invites him to the sports center once every two months or so.

(She has grown up so much. Well, not much has changed inside of her.)

　Her body has grown, but her personality is exactly the same as when he met her.

　She always acts cheerful, but in fact, she is timid, not honest, lonely, and always afraid of something.

　She is still the same as before.

　Saito stood up after filling in the time on the record sheet as Akashi came back from his lap.

“Haah haa, I’m finally done.”

　Riri, who had successfully completed the 1,500 meters without losing pace, was walking to cool down when a girl with brown hair pulled up on the side approached her with a record sheet.

“Good job, Riri-cchi! You did it in exactly six minutes. That’s really fast. I could never do that.”

“Thank you, Shuri-chan!”

　Her name is Yakumo Shuri.

　She’s a friend of Riri’s that she made just the other day.

　If people had to describe her in one word, it would be “gal.”

　She wears makeup, just barely revealing her face, and pulls her skirt up just a little too high.

　Her face is not as pretty as Riri’s, but it is well-defined, and she is a beautiful girl.

　Riri is a bit picky, as she is not shy and says what she thinks, and as an individual, Shuri is easy to get along with, and she spends most of her time with Shuri when she is not with Saito.

“You have a nice face, a great figure, and are athletic. Please share some of the secrets with me too.”

“Hyaaah!? “

　Riri is startled when Shuri suddenly touches her br*asts from behind.

“Wait, stop it! Shuri-chan is attractive enough without taking anything from me.”

“Oh, that’s very nice of you to say〜, Riri-cchi. I’m a little touched.”

“If that’s what you think, remove your hand.”

“Nyahaha. I can’t do that, it’s too comfortable to touch.”

　Despite her best efforts to stop Shuri, Riri was left to her mercy for a while.

　After that, they continued to play with each other in a friendly manner until the chime rang, signaling the end of the second period.

“Ah, class is over. Riri-cchi, let’s go back? “

“Sorry, Shuri-chan, I forgot to leave my towel over there.”

“Riri-cchi, you’re so clumsy. Okay, I’ll go first.”

　Riri refused Shuri’s invitation and stayed on the field because she had forgotten something.

　When she saw that the students around her were gone, Riri slowly walked away.

　But she soon stopped, her face contorted in anguish.

“Ouch. I’ve done it. “

　Riri looked at the base of her right leg.

　At first glance, it did not appear to be injured, but in fact, it had been throbbing painfully ever since she had twisted it while running earlier.

　But Riri acted as if she did not realize it.

　The truth is that it hurts so much that she wants to ask for help.

　The reason for this is simply that she doesn’t like relying on others.

　Riri has never liked to cause trouble for others.

　She feels sorry for making others do things for her.

　On top of that, she is very timid about trusting people because of the horrific events of her past.

　Painful.

　It hurts.

　Help me.

　Someone help me.

　Even though deep down inside, she knows it.

　Inexcusable.

　Because I might be betrayed again.

　She can’t say it in words or show it in her attitude.

　She’s a troublesome woman.

　She thinks so herself.

　But no matter how hard she tries.

　She can’t change it.

　She can’t help it.

　She had no choice.

　It hurts, and she needs someone’s help.

　But… she’ll handle it on her own like she always does.

?

“What? “

　She looks up from looking down, and there’s a boy she has known since childhood standing there with a dumbfounded look on his face.

“Why? “

　 She thought he had left first.

　She thought he wouldn’t notice.

　Before she knew it, she was asking him a question.

“How many years do you think we’ve been childhood friends? I can tell you’re a tough girl.”

　Saito responded in a matter-of-fact way.

　As if he takes that for granted.

　As if it were normal if it’s the case.

　He knew Riri.

　Just like the day they first met.

“You twisted your leg, didn’t you? I got you some ice packs and towels to cool it down.”

“Ah, thanks.”

　She thanked him, and he replied, “You should be thanking me.”

　Then she said, “Hmm,” and he bent down with his back to her.

　She guessed he meant that he would carry her on his back.

(Ah, really. I’m no match for my childhood friend Saito.)

　Riri mutters this in her mind, her mouth falls open, and she jumps on his back.

“So, we’re going back?”

“Yeah.”

　Saito stood up with Riri on his back and started to walk away.

　He took a long way around so as not to run into any of the other students.

　But he was too embarrassed to tell her that.

　Riri said instead.

“Thank you. I guess this makes up for the time you spent staring at my bre*sts earlier.”

“Pfft! You noticed?! “

“Oh, come on, Saito! Don’t shake me. It’s dangerous.”

“That’s because Riri says weird things! “

　The two childhood friends return to the school building, bickering and arguing.