The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 12

Chapter 12

I arrived by train at a station with a large commercial facility, and then I met up with Misa at the ticket gates, who had texted me saying she was already there.

Misa was wearing a pure white dress with a straw hat.

She looked like a fairy that had appeared for the summer. Her presence was otherworldly.

Upon seeing my head, Misa frowned.

“Haru, you’re not wearing a hat. I thought we’d match.”

“Ah, yeah. I borrowed a parasol from my mom. But our hats would be different types anyway, would we really match?”

“It depends on how you feel about it.”

“I guess so…Ahaha.”

“Fufu.”

Both of us burst out laughing at the same time.

I’ve always gotten along best with Misa out of all my friends.

I’m both honored and happy to be best friends with her.

“Seen anything good? I haven’t bought anything recently, so I’m not sure what’s good.”

“I don’t particularly know much either, but I did some research before coming here. This place, for example.”

Saying that, Misa shows me her smartphone screen.

Displayed is a store inside the commercial facility, and it looks reasonably priced.

“Nice! Thanks for looking that up, Misa——I love you!”

“Ah, stop. It’s hot, Haru.”

Misa says this as I hug her, but she doesn’t try to pull away.

Hehe, what a cutie.

After enjoying Misa’s charm for a bit, we headed to a swimsuit specialty store.

Given the season, there were many customers besides us. It felt inviting.

As you’d expect from a specialty store, there was a wide variety of swimsuits.

“Wow, so many choices. This is going to be tough.”

“Yeah. Let’s at least pick up a few to start.”

The one I bought in middle school was a one-piece.

Still, showing skin is…embarrassing!

My legs are fine; I got used to showing them off naturally in my track team uniform, and since they’re toned, I don’t feel self-conscious.

But the upper half is a different story…Maybe a one-piece again? Yeah, sticking with what’s familiar is best.

“Misa—found anything good—!?”

As I turn around to see what Misa is choosing, I find a black bikini in her hands.

A bikini!? And it’s black!?

“M-Misa. You’re going with that?”

“…Yes. Do you think it’ll suit me?”

“Uh, it’s you, so I think it’ll suit you, but… you like this kind of thing?”

“…Maybe. I think I like it.”

“I-I see.”

I never thought Misa would be so bold!

Even though she looks like the very embodiment of innocence—this girl!

The cashier’s going to be baffled!

…I can’t compete with that.

Seeing the girl you like in a bikini—of course he’s going to be glued at her. And here I am, looking at one-pieces…

I move away from the section I was browsing and find a design I like.

“…This might be good. It’s a little big, but maybe it’s too much frills for me…”

“Haru, are you going with that?”

“Eh!? Uh, well, I’m still deciding.”

“Is that so? You like sunflowers, right? Your hairpin is a sunflower, too.”

“Yes?”

I only realized after Misa pointed out that what I’m holding has a sunflower design.

It wasn’t that I hadn’t noticed because it was a small detail; I just instinctively liked it.

…I’m a pretty simple person, huh?

But somehow…this is fine.

“…I’ll go with this!”

***

On the day of the pool outing, I’m still nervous.

I wonder what Seko will think of me dressed like this. Will he find me cute?

Or maybe only Misa will catch his eye, and I’m worrying for nothing…That would be the worst.

I really want him to look at me…

After changing into our swimsuits, we leave the locker room and head towards the poolside. I quickly spot Seko.

“Woah…”

Seeing Seko, a sound involuntarily escapes my lips.

Surprisingly, Seko has a toned body, and his abs are faintly visible.

My heartbeat speeds up even more.

Somehow making it over to Seko, his eyes widen in astonishment as he sees us.

“Seko-kun, what do you think?”

“It’s amazing! Perfect! I thought a goddess had descended! Please go out with me!”

“Fufu, I’m glad. This was quite a challenge for me.”

…I wish Seko would compliment me too.

But I can’t be honest about it, so I ask,

“…What about me?”

“Umm… Hinata, you look great too.”

“Hmph. It’s totally different from what you said to Misa.”

I ended up taking an indifferent attitude.

However, my heart is secretly ecstatic.

As Seko looked at me, he said I looked great, and he didn’t seem weirded out.

I’m glad I took the chance.

Hey, look at me more. I bought this swimsuit for you, you know?

Don’t hold back, look at the chest area too. The frills are cute, and it has sunflowers.

Seko, you said sunflowers suit me, remember?

Hey, please, look at me more, Seko.

I follow Seko’s gaze. Sure enough, he’s enamored with Misa in her bikini. My chest tightens painfully.

Please, don’t only look at Misa.

“Don’t stare at Misa like that.”

“Come on! What’s the point of a pool event if I can’t do that?”

“You could just enjoy it normally.”

“Fufu. This is my first time coming to the pool with friends like this. Isn’t it fun, Seko-kun?”

“It’s a lot of fun! Haven’t even swum yet but I’m already having a blast! Oh, there’s a water slide. Let’s try it out!”

“What’s that, a slide? It looks fun. Let’s go.”

“…so stupid.”

Turns out, to Seko, I’m just the best friend of the girl he likes, Misa.

Even the compliment he gave me earlier was probably just out of courtesy.

Despite looking forward to this before, I suddenly feel like going home now.

My spirits are sinking. The lively voices around me are starting to grate on my nerves.

Among them, a voice gently reaches my ears.

“Hinata, aren’t you coming?”

I realize that Seko and the others have already started walking to move on.

Seko noticed that I wasn’t following and called out to me.

I’m relieved. Seko wasn’t just looking at Misa; he was paying attention to me as well.

Seko, I like you. I really like you. I love you——

“Ah… I, I’m coming!”

I reply and hurriedly head towards the two of them.

Just then, my foot slips on the wet floor, and I almost fall forward.

“——see? I told you so. Between leaving your stuff behind and this, you’re quite the scatterbrain.”

“Sh-shut up. …But, thanks…”

Seko, who was in front of me, catches me.

I snap at him in my usual tone, but immediately, words of thanks naturally escape my lips.

Seko caught me.

Could it be that we’re in a hugging pose right now?

This is dangerous; my heart feels like it’s going to burst. But upon actually touching him, I can feel the firmness of Seko’s body even more.

It’s somehow… reassuring. Is this what a man’s body feels like?

Also, I never knew that skin-to-skin contact could feel this good.

Is it because it’s Seko? Because it’s someone I like? I wish we could stay like this forever.

“Aren’t you going to let go?”

“Ah!”

“…!”

Upon being pointed out by Misa, Seko hurriedly pulls away from me.

A mix of disappointment and relief washes over me.

What would have happened if we had stayed like that?

…I want to touch him again.