The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 114

Chapter 114

It seems that Misa went to the first-year class during the break before noon to ask the junior couple if they could give up that spot just for today.

That’s why those two weren’t there today.

Then, Misa started to interact with me as usual in the afternoon. My classmates seemed to think we had made up, and I could hear some of them complaining that it was boring.

Since Misa and I left the classroom during the lunch break, Haru looked at me with a puzzled expression but didn’t confront me about it.

It seemed like Haru really was waiting for us to return, as she hadn’t touched her lunch at all. So, the three of us ended up quickly having lunch together.

***

That evening, after such a minor commotion.

Haru has been working hard on her studies recently, and she contacts me with questions about problems she doesn’t understand.

While responding to her, I was also making progress with my own studies.

Teaching others is a way to confirm my own understanding, and seeing her enthusiasm motivates me as well, so I’m actually grateful for it.

Final exams are approaching, and there’s a mock exam just before them. So, it could be said that now is the perfect time to study.

Moreover, she needs to produce results on this mock exam that will satisfy Misa, or else she won’t be able to pursue science.

That’s why she’s working so hard, and I want to support her wherever I can.

“…The questions have stopped.”

I mutter to myself while looking at my smartphone, which had been vibrating continuously until just a moment ago.

Well, there are certainly questions that don’t need to be asked, and the fact that the questions have stopped means that she is understood, which is a good thing.

I raise both arms and stretch my body, preparing to tackle the subject I’m not good at: Japanese.

As expected, it’s hard to get started on subjects I’m not comfortable with, but with exams approaching, I have no choice but to do it.

…However, as much as I say that, it’s still difficult to focus on a subject I dislike, so my concentration breaks easily.

I gave up on reading the essay questions and casually shifted to reviewing grammar and vocabulary.

While I continued to study with this escapist attitude, my smartphone vibrated after a long silence.

Is it another question from Haru, or maybe from Misa… I thought, but it was neither.

The sender of the message was Haru, but the content was completely different from what it had been before.

『I’m here right now.』

Along with that message, the photo that was sent showed the park where we used to meet up after school.

The surroundings were dark, and I could tell it was taken just now.

『Ah, why?』

I sent a reply immediately but only got a read receipt with no answer coming from the other side.

Guessing her intentions, I quickly changed into some casual clothes, left the house, and headed for the park.

Running through the dimly lit streets that were barely illuminated by the streetlights, I was out of breath by the time I arrived at the familiar park.

Breathing heavily, I looked into the park and there she was.

She was wearing the same black sweatshirt as me, which was hard to see in the darkness, so I was glad she was standing under a light.

“Haru.”

“Ren!”

When I entered the park and called out to her, she greeted me with a beaming smile and hugged me tightly.

“Ren…Ren…”

“Haru… Why are you here at this time?”

“…I was just on my way back to shop at the convenience store.”

“There’s a convenience store near Haru’s house, right?”

“…You knew?”

“Well, I went there from time to time.”

I remember the convenience store I often stopped by on my way back from Haru’s house after school.

It should have been quite close to Haru’s house, so this park is a bit far for just a side trip to the convenience store.

Realizing her lie was caught, Haru groans, ‘Ugh’, and hugs me even tighter.

“I really wanted to see you, Ren. But today is a weekday, so it’s Misa’s day. I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but I couldn’t help myself.”

“…but still, it’s dangerous for you to be out walking alone at this time.”

“…Ehehe. I just thought that Ren would be worried and come for me.”

Well, I had somewhat guessed that.

From the fact that there was no reply, it seemed she had no intention of moving from here until I arrived.

I let out a sigh and grasped her right hand.

“Come on, let’s go home. It’s already late at night. If we’re not careful, we might get picked up by the police patrol.”

“…Okay, I understand. But there’s just a little something I want to ask.”

Haru squeezed the hand she was holding and asked.

“…Where did you go for lunch today with Misa? What did you do with Misa?”

I feel the urge to look away from her eyes, but I resist and answer.

“I was following Misa, and then she went into the pool’s changing room. We talked there, mostly about what happened yesterday.”

“…Is that all?”

“Then, well, we hugged each other. But… because of what Haru did for me yesterday, ‘that’ didn’t happened.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“…I see. Yeah. If Ren says so, then it must be true. I’m glad.”

With Haru satisfied, we continue on our way home, still holding hands.

Our fingers naturally intertwine with each other.

“Ehehe. Walking down this road together reminds me of the old days.”

“It’s not like it was that long ago.”

“Don’t fuss over the small details… But back then, we weren’t holding hands like this, right?”

“That’s true.”

“Ah, but you know. I really liked that feeling back then. I was always excited, wondering if Ren would hold my hand someday, and now it’s come true. Ehehe, I’m so happy.”

“…I see.”

——It might seem that way, but I started to wonder if this was really what Haru wanted.

With that doubt in mind, my responses became somewhat absent-minded.

“Hey, Ren. Come over to my place after school like before. Let’s clear things up.”

“No, it’s okay. Besides, we need to prepare for the mock exams now. It’s for your future too, Haru.”

“…Okay. I understand. But tell me right away if you can’t stand it anymore. No, tell me before you can’t stand it. I’ll try my best so it won’t come to that.”

All I could do was give her another simple ‘Yeah’ in response to her enthusiastic resolve.

***

After dropping Haru off at her home, on the way back.

Just as we parted, a call came through on my smartphone.

It was Misa.

『So, where are you now, Rento-kun?』

“…Outside.”

『I know that. You’d be surprised how much ambient noise you can hear from the other end of a call. What I’m asking is your specific location.』

“…Just left the convenience store, sort of.”

『Rento-kun. Stop lying.』

“…I’m alone right now.”

『…I see. You were with Haru until just a moment ago.』

As expected, it was impossible to deceive Misa. In fact, I felt like she knew from the beginning.

I didn’t respond to her deduction, but perhaps taking my silence as affirmation, she muttered, ‘Looks like I’m right’, and sighed.

As I pondered what words to respond with, I began to hear rustling sounds——the sound of fabric moving.

After it settled, there were rhythmic tapping sounds, followed by a click.

“Misa. No way…”

She didn’t say anything.

But as she mentioned earlier, it seems that you can easily hear the ambient sounds from the other side of a call, and soon I start to hear a swishing sound, with a rustling noise in the background.

Realizing what she was doing, I started running.

I didn’t know exactly where to go, but she was likely outside.

So, to meet up with her quickly, I have to hurry back towards home.

I keep the call connected as I run out of breath. I don’t care if my heavy breathing can be heard on the other end. I just ran back the way I came.

When I got back to the park, perhaps by chance, she was standing at the entrance.

“Rento-kun” 『Rento-kun』

I heard her voice both in front of me and through the phone.

The call ended, and that girl—Misa—walked up to me and then kissed me.

Misa stepped back from me, placed her slender and beautiful finger on her lips, and smiled seductively.

“I heard your heavy breathing, Rento-kun. You knew I had gone outside and ran here, didn’t you? You were worried about me walking outside alone so late at night, and you quickly came here. I’m happy, Rento-kun. Look at me more. Act recklessly with single-minded devotion for me. Ahh… you’re so lovely…. I love you, Rento-kun.”

Faced with Misa’s mesmerizingly beautiful smile, I said to her, ‘Let’s go home.’

But Misa ignored my words and hugged my body.

“No. The overwrite isn’t complete yet.”

“Overwrite?”

“Yes. You must have hugged her too. And now you want to go home without hugging me? That’s unacceptable. Tonight, it’s me who you hugged. I won’t go home until I’ve ingrained that into your body.”

I wondered how long that would take…

Without asking such a tactless question, all I could do was hug her slender body.

When I hugged her back, she relaxed her lips and brought them close to mine.

“This much should be fine, right?”

“…Ah.”

I do not know how much the moonlight piercing through the night sky illuminates the ground.

——But I wish, I truly wish, that there is enough light to brighten our future.

That’s what I think while gazing at the half-moon in the night sky.