The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 123

Chapter 123

Walking through the town hand in hand with Saki-chan. Perhaps because this isn’t the first time we’ve spent time together like this, I don’t feel particularly nervous.

Her tied-with-a-scrunchie ponytail sways gently with every step. It’s cute.

Of course, I’m not holding hands with Koido. But she secured a position on the opposite side from Saki-chan.

“By the way, Saki-chan, were you able to come to this station by yourself?”

“Ah, I went to pick her up. I knew that Saki-chan had a poor sense of direction.”

It seems that Saki-chan was lost when she first met Koido too. That’s why Koido is well aware of Saki-chan’s nature.

“I see. That makes sense.”

“Muu. Please don’t say that, Mai-san! And Rento-san, what do you mean by ‘that makes sense’! I’m not directionally challenged. I just like to take detours!”

“It can’t be called a detour if there is no guarantee that you will reach your destination.”

“Rento-san, you’re being mean!”

Saki-chan puffs up her cheeks and purses her lips. But she doesn’t try to let go of my hand; instead, she tightens her grip.

It’s even more adorable.

That gesture reminds me of someone——

“Ah, we’ve arrived.”

I’m brought back to reality by Koido’s voice announcing our arrival at the destination.

The place we’ve come to is a sweets buffet. This was Saki-chan’s request.

What a charming place it is.

“Here, I was curious about it since it was featured on TV!”

“Oh? Then we can look forward to it.”

That’s right. Things featured on TV tend to be quite good, one way or another.

Just like that time…

“Come on Senpai, let’s go inside. You wouldn’t visit a place like this with Oda-senpai.”

“You’ve got a point there.”

That’s true, it’s a place where going just with another guy feels a bit weird.

In fact, the other customers are either groups of women or couples.

Upon closer thought, I wonder how our combination must look to others. I can understand the pairing of me and Koido, but Saki-chan is a bit younger. Maybe we look like a family gathering?

“Wow! Rento-san, there are so many cakes lined up!”

Usually, she acts somewhat mature, but now she’s as excited as someone her age should be. Seeing her like this makes me feel at ease.

Yeah, Seeing her like this makes me feel at ease.

Luckily, there were seats available, and we were smoothly guided to it.

The seats we were guided to had chairs and a sofa facing each other.

I figured I’d let the two of them use the sofa, so I sat down on a chair. Then Saki-chan came to sit next to me.

“Saki-chan. I think the sofa is softer and better.”

“For me, the best place is next to Rento-san.”

“Better than next to Koido?”

“Yes!”

“Hey, what’s with that question, senpai? You definitely thought you had a chance of winning, didn’t you?”

“I don’t engage in battles I can’t win.”

“Saki-chan, this senpai is the worst.”

“I also don’t challenge battles I can’t win, so we’re the same!”

Although she says we’re the same, I wonder if there’s even such a thing as a losing battle for Saki-chan.

It feels like our premises are different.

“Sigh… Well, I’m fine being alone. Anyway, it looks like there’s a one-hour limit here, so let’s go get some food.”

“Yes! Ehehe, I’m going to eat a lot!”

“Take care. I’ll keep an eye on our stuff.”

“It’s okay, senpai. This country is peaceful. Plus, do you think someone here would do something like that?”

“Hmm, but still…”

“I want to go with Rento-san to pick it up.”

“Let’s go. The cakes are waiting for me.”

“The way you treat me is totally different! Senpai, that’s so mean!”

When Saki-chan looks up at me like that with puppy eyes, well, I just can’t say no.

I really think Saki-chan is a master at being spoiled. It’s not just because she’s younger, but it feels like she has a knack for tickling people’s hearts, yet it feels natural. It’s like a natural talent.

As someone once told me, I might really be weak to this kind of pampering.

***

An assortment of various sweets is arranged on a large plate on the table.

Even though you can go back to the buffet as many times as you want, I wonder why most people always take too much the first time.

I feel like I think about this every time I come to a place like this.

“Ehehe. I took too much.”

“Well, it’s a buffet after all. Maybe it’s better to take too much.”

“That’s right! It’s all about the mood!”

“If you can’t finish it, I’ll eat it, so just go ahead and do as you please.”

“Yes, thank you! Rento-san, you’re so reliable!”

Saki-chan looks at me with sparkling eyes.

Hmm, I should have taken a smaller portion for myself.

“Don’t tell me, senpai, you’re not aiming for Saki-chan’s leftovers, are you?”

Koido says that with a smirk. From her expression, it’s clearly a joke meant to tease me.

But Saki-chan takes it seriously, her face turning red in embarrassment.

“Eh, um, that would be too embarrassing. But… if Rento-san wishes, I…!”

“Koido. Don’t use me to sexually harass Saki-chan. I’m the one who would get in real trouble here. And Saki-chan, that was just Koido’s joke.”

“Eh, a joke…?”

“Ahaha, sorry. I didn’t expect Saki-chan to actually believe it.”

“Saki-chan is more innocent than us. Don’t say weird things.”

“Got it. Hehe, it’s not just me, but including you, senpai is really senpai!”

Don’t use ‘senpai’ as an adjective, I thought so while I shifted my gaze to Koido’s plate.

…Hmm?

Koido had mostly picked up classic cakes like shortcakes. But what caught my attention wasn’t that.

In the center of the large plate was a single spot of black. It’s coffee jelly.

I also took some because it looked delicious, but I’m pretty sure Koido can’t drink coffee because it’s too bitter.

I wonder if jelly is okay for her.

“Hey, Koido──”

“Ah, Rento-san!”

“Hm?”

Just as I was about to ask Koido about the coffee jelly, Saki-chan next to me called my name, making me turn towards her.

Then, a fork was pointed towards me, and on its end was a piece of chocolate cake.

“Th-this! I-It’s a half-eaten cake! Say ‘aahn,’ please!”

The fork was trembling slightly, and Saki-chan’s cheeks were faintly red.

Even for the little devil Saki-chan, doing the ‘aahn’ must be a bit embarrassing. And that made it all the more adorable.

“Is it okay?”

“Yes… Don’t you like my ‘aahn’?”

“There’s not a single person who wouldn’t. Itadakimasu.”

I open my mouth and take the cake from the fork Saki-chan is holding.

Mmm, the chocolate flavor is rich and delicious.

Somehow, I feel like I’ve gotten a little used to this way of eating.

“Ehehe. I did an ‘aahn’ for Rento-san. And th-that’s like an indirect kiss. I couldn’t have done this before…”

“Oh”

While chewing the cake, I realize. That’s right, my senses were numb and I had forgotten, but this would be considered an indirect kiss.

“Sorry Saki-chan. I’ll go get a new fork.”

“Muu… Ei!”

As I start to stand up from my seat, Saki-chan thrusts the fork energetically into the cake on the plate as if to stop me and then puts it into her mouth.

After chewing for about ten seconds, she swallows and Saki-chan smiles.

“As you can see, we don’t need a new fork. So, please don’t worry about it, Rento-san.”

As Saki-chan said this, she turned her face away from me. But I could tell what kind of expression she had by the redness of her ears.

As I was thinking how cute her age-appropriate reactions were, I heard the sound of a snap from the front.

“Hehe, I’ve captured a photo of senpai humiliating a junior high schooler.”

“Hey, that headline is way too harsh.”

“Mai-san… please share that with me too!”

“Sure. Then, let’s take another one!”

“Are you listening?”

After that, Koido didn’t just take a single picture; she took several more.

I asked her to send me the photos she took, and when I looked at them, the expression on Saki-chan’s face was similar to the ones I’d seen up until recently.