The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

“I like you… Please go out with me!”

“I’m sorry.”

Having confessed my feelings to my crush during the high school entrance ceremony, I faced a crushing defeat.

Thus, my love was supposed to end——or so one would think, but once the runaway train started, it didn’t know how to stop.

Just because one confession failed doesn’t mean I had to give up. I continued to actively approach Yosaki.

“I like you, Yosaki! Date me!”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Today’s weather is nice. Look at that blue sky. It’s as beautiful as you, Yosaki. Please go out with me!”

(TN: 夜咲 Yosaki, 夜=night, 咲=bloom, maybe he’s saying ‘Look at that blue sky. It’s as beautiful as a night-bloom (Yosaki) flower’ idk.)

“Well, being compared to the blue sky just because of my name…”

“I bought Yosaki’s new favorite snack series, and it was delicious! By the way, why does the word ‘delicious (美味しい)’ contain the character for ‘beautiful (美しい)’? You’re beautiful today too, Yosaki. Please go out with me!”

“Oh, it’s really delicious.”

Every time I met Yosaki, I tried to express my feelings as aggressively as possible.

Fortunately or unfortunately, we were in the same class, so my cries of love echoed and exploded in the classroom.

Such days continued for a year.

Time flew by, and the classmates who seemed so young when we entered school now appeared somewhat more mature.

This was also true for Yosaki. She, who was beautiful from the start, now seemed even more attractive.

As a second-year high school student in the same class, I once again proclaimed my love in the middle of the classroom.

“We’re in the same class for three consecutive years, Yosaki! This must be fate!”

“If you say that, then it applies to Oda-kun as well.”

For the entire year, Yosaki never accepted my love, but she didn’t reject me either.

She responded in her own way, and we’d have regular conversations after that.

Some classmates watching our exchange would comment, “There they go again”, “Seko never learns”, “Yosaki-chan is so cool”.

They’d just chuckle at the familiar scene.

“You! Harassing Misa again! She’s already told you it’s annoying, so stop it!”

Interrupting between Yosaki and me was Haru Hinata, Yosaki’s best friend since high school.

Hinata stood defensively in front of Yosaki, arms spread wide.

“Hinata, don’t get in the way. I just want to express my feelings to Yosaki.”

“What you’re doing is forcing your feelings on her! Just go away already!”

“Haru, it’s fine. I don’t really mind.”

“Misa, he’s getting more carried away because you keep pampering him.”

“It seems like she’s okay with it.”

“Enough! Don’t get any closer to Misa without my permission. Hmph!”

Hinata declared unilaterally, then turned away and hugged Yosaki tightly.

“Misa is so cute today! And your hair smells so good…!”

“You’re pretty much the same just like him, Haru.”

“No, no. Our relationship is pure friendship, unlike with him. I don’t want to be lumped in the same category.”

“I don’t see much of a difference, really.”

Hinata rubbed her cheek affectionately against Yosaki’s, then proceeded to sniff Yosaki’s hair.

Turning around, she flashed a triumphant look at me.

Being flaunted with their skinship, I shouted, “It’s so annoying!” while biting my handkerchief and stamped my feet on the ground.

Our classmates laughed at the scene.

Maybe this is why I’m still the class clown, but it’s not as painful and somehow different as it was in middle school.

It’s surprising how different situations can feel just based on whether you brought them upon yourself.

“I see, Hinata’s in the same class again.”

“Sadly, yes. Ugh. I thought for sure you’d be in a different class from Misa this year. I wonder how the teachers decide.”

“Well, they probably group close friends together.”

“That’s absolutely impossible. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.”

“What did you say!”

“Fufu. Maybe Seko-kun is not entirely wrong?”

“Yosaki!”

“Misa~ you’re always spoiling this guy~ tsk tsk!”

Hinata began tickling Yosaki’s sides. “Ah, hey, ah, stop it!” then she exclaimed in a sultry voice anyone wouldn’t expect from her.

I couldn’t bear to watch and turned my head away, covering my ears.

Haru Hinata. A girl with distinctive short chestnut hair.

She apparently did track and field until middle school, which honed her body.

On that well-toned body, she notably has a larger bust.

She claims it’s an E-cup, which is larger than Yosaki’s.

She was in the same class as me last year, so she was also in the same class as Yosaki.

Apparently, she had been engrossed in track and field for most of her life, and upon entering high school, she wanted to become more feminine.

She dyed her hair its current color for that reason.

Her decision to attend this school was also because they allowed hair coloring.

When she first entered our class and saw Yosaki, she was taken aback.

『She looks like a doll, so cuteeeeeeeeeee!』

That was her first impression of Yosaki.

After that, she quickly took action. She approached Yosaki, her ideal of beauty.

Yosaki accepted her, and now both proclaim they are best friends.

Being such a close friend to Yosaki, she probably finds my existence quite bothersome.

Though calling myself a fly is quite self-deprecating. Perhaps I’m like a pesky fly buzzing around her princess.

Hinata and I often butt heads when it comes to Yosaki, and we both have things we aren’t willing to compromise on.

However, after our quarrels, we usually play together.

Because of this, classmates sometimes ask, “Why are you two so close?”

I really don’t have an answer to that question.

Yosaki, who doesn’t reject me even when I confess my feelings, and Hinata, who may lash out at me but shows kindness, like giving me a band-aid when I’m hurt.

I always tell myself that it’s because she is kind to me.

***

Somehow, I managed to get through another tedious lesson today.

The eagerly awaited end of classes finally arrives.

Some dash home immediately. Others head to club rooms in groups. Diligent ones go to the teachers to clarify any doubts about the lesson.

Everyone has their own post-school routines.

The three of us aren’t in any clubs, and we don’t have specific plans, so we slowly make our way home.

“I can’t believe we’re in our second year already. It doesn’t feel real.”

“I wonder if we’ll be busy with exams around this time next year.”

“Ugh, why’d you have to mention that?! Misa, you’re so mean!”

“S-sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.”

“It’s okay, because I love Misa!”

With those words, Hinata hugs Yosaki.

Yosaki, accepting her embrace, pats her head with an expression that seems to say, ‘it can’t be helped’.

Hinata’s face melts with delight.

I watch the scene from a distance. The two often engage in such skinship like this, especially when we are walking home together like this.

Of course, I don’t know what they are like when I’m not around.

Realizing they can’t walk home while hugging, they instead start walking arm-in-arm.

I wonder why girls walk around holding hands or arm-in-arm with other girls.

Mulling over such trivial thoughts, I walk alongside them.

After walking for a bit, we reached a crossroad near a small park. My house is to the right, while both of theirs is straight ahead. So, this is where we part ways.

“Well, see you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, see you tomorrow.”

“Yay, finally alone with Misa! Come on, let’s go.”

“After hogging Yosaki all this time, you’re still talking like that. Geez, see you, Hinata.”

“We were never alone because of you! Hmph, bye!”

Hinata, relentless in her teasing to the very end, sticks out her tongue.

I watch them walk away for a bit before turning at the crossroad… and entering the nearby park.

I take my usual seat on a bench.

A gentle breeze blows. Though the wind remains chilly, the temperature is getting warmer.

I recall a day when a similar breeze blew, but the feelings and images of that time quickly faded, and my next thought was how much colder it was in winter.

There was a time when I bought canned coffee from a vending machine to warm my hands, then it changed to corn soup, and now I no longer need to buy anything.

It feels nice to bask in the sun and daydream.

While I am lost in thought, someone approaches and sits directly in front of me.

This sunbathing spot is my rendezvous point with Hinata.

“Well then, let’s go to my house again today.”

At Hinata’s invitation, I reply, “Yeah,” and stand up next to her.