The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 59

Chapter 59

The Last Day of Golden Week.

In the end, I didn’t meet Ren during Golden Week.

There was the promise I made to Misa and the words from Ren’s mother, so I just kept our communication to messages.

But when I’m alone with my thoughts, I can’t help but have bad thoughts.

I have made him sick twice. Maybe he has come to dislike me.

I’ve repeatedly typed and then erased messages asking, ‘What do you think of me?’

I want to hear it. I want to know his true feelings. No, even just hearing his voice would be enough.

That should calm me down.

After much deliberation, I decided to call Misa… not Ren. She’s a rival but still my best friend, and she shares the same worries.

I wait for the response.

However, the ringing doesn’t start. Confused, I checked the screen and saw the message ‘The other party is currently on a call’ was displayed.

“…What does that mean?”

It’s certain that Misa is talking to someone. But who?

Misa doesn’t have many friends. Essentially, it’s just Ren and me!

With a feeling of urgency, I call Ren. If he answers, I’ll just say it was a mistake and hang up.

Maybe we could have a brief conversation.

——in the end, I found out that Misa’s call partner was Ren.

“Why… why are Misa and Ren talking?”

Misa decided that we shouldn’t contact Ren rashly.

Why is Misa talking to Ren? …Could it be that Ren called? Did Ren want to talk to Misa, not me? Is Misa the one Ren wants, not me?

After that, I called Ren every minute.

Over and over again, the ‘on a call’ message appeared. My heart felt like being squeezed every time I saw it, but I didn’t stop.

Finally, after several minutes, the ringing started, and the other side answered immediately.

“Ren. Who were you talking to just now?”

Before I knew it, those were my first words.

“When I called Misa, it also said she was on a call.”

『Ah, yeah. I was just talking to Yosaki.』

“Who called whom?”

『Yosaki called me.』

“Really?”

『I wouldn’t lie about something like this.』

“But I talked with Misa. We decided to leave Ren alone for a while.”

『Well, you’re calling me now too, aren’t you?』

That hurts to hear. But Misa was the one who acted first.

“Uh… Hey, was it really Misa who called? You didn’t call her?”

『I swear I didn’t call her. Want me to send you the call log?』

“…No, you don’t have to go that far. Hehe. Yeah, I believe what Ren says.”

Ren wouldn’t lie to me, because Ren cares about me a lot. Not trusting Ren would be like telling a lie myself.

Then, I was able to have various conversations with Ren. I felt relieved as he talked to me in the same way as before.

… it’s okay because Misa broke the promise first.

I can do what I want too.

***

Golden Week ended.

Ren was able to return to school, and I was happy that he came back.

But he still seemed unwell and often went to the infirmary during lunch break.

I offered to accompany him, but he gently refused, saying it wasn’t necessary.

Despite him denying it on the call yesterday, I’ve been thinking negatively and wondered if he refused because he dislikes me.

However, he followed me home after school. It was because Arahira Senpai might bother me again.

Misa, having heard about it, also accompanied us, which revived my somewhat low spirits.

But my blissful time was short-lived and I soon arrived home.

Then Ren and Misa left together.

My heart ached as I looked at their backs, so I quickly went inside.

They were concerned about me and accompanied me home, so I shouldn’t feel this way. But I really hate the fact that they have time alone together.

I couldn’t muster the energy to change into home clothes, I just sat on my room’s carpet and stared blankly at nothing——that’s when my smartphone vibrated.

Thinking it might be my mother, I casually checked the screen and saw his name displayed. It was a call.

Suppressing my pounding heart, I immediately answered.

“R-Ren? What’s up? It’s rare for Ren to call me, ehehe.”

My voice came out softer than I expected. It’s a little embarrassing.

『Can you come outside for a bit?』

“What…? C-could it be?”

Understanding his words, I looked out the window to the entrance. There he was… my cheeks completely relaxed into a smile.

I wanted to be by his side immediately, so I rushed to the entrance and opened the door, and there he was.

“Ren! Ah… is Misa not with you?”

I called out his name with the excitement of being alone together, then belatedly remembered to ask about Misa.

“I’ve already parted ways with Yosaki.”

“I-I see. But why is Ren here? I mean, I’m happy, but just wondering why.”

My emotions were a mess, and I was embarrassed that he might notice it.

I asked him while fiddling with my short hair to hide my feelings.

“I forgot something.”

“Forgot something? Did you leave something last time you were here? Sorry, I didn’t notice.”

“It’s not that.”

He said, and handed me a small bag. I tried to contain my anticipation.

“I was going to give this to you.”

“For me? You’re giving it to me?”

“Yeah. I want you to open it.”

It was a gift from him. I carefully opened it so I could keep it properly.

Inside was a sunflower design hairpin.

The moment I realized what it was, I hugged him.

“Ren! This is!”

“I couldn’t find the exact same one, but I found a hair clip with the same sunflower design. It’s not exactly the same, but what do you think?”

“I’m happy… Thank you, Ren. I’ll treasure it.”

I thanked him and tried it on my bangs. Then he compliments me on it, saying it looks good on me.

I’m glad, it felt like a missing part of me had returned.

Then I told him I wanted my entire body to belong to him.

I wanted proof of it.

The image that wouldn’t leave my mind——

——To erase that, I wanted him to take my lips first——and just as I was about to say it, he kissed me.

I was so happy. Happy, happy, so happy.

My lips were now Ren’s.

Realizing this made this kiss become an even more sparkling memory. I found myself wishing for another one.

As my feelings reached their peak, he said,

“Haru, about what I said the other day——I like Haru Hinata.”

I felt like crying.

——I was sure that I could be happy from now on.

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

“… I’m happy. Then, from now on, we——”

“But we can’t date.”

“…Because of Misa?”

“Yeah. I still like Yosaki too. So, I want you to wait until I sort out my feelings. I’m really sorry.”

“…It’s okay. Because I’ve decided, and that won’t change now.”

I can’t be without Ren anymore——I can’t be happy unless Ren is with me.

I understand the conflict he’s going through now, but someday, he’ll come to me.

He said he likes me. So——

“I’ll wait for you forever.”