The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Today was a very fulfilling day.

Ren visited my house until the evening.

The cake he brought as a souvenir was delicious, and he took a photo of me eating it, saying it was cute.

Although he declined to go further and do it with me, instead, he left many marks on my body.

Just looking at them under my clothes makes me feel happy. I was also able to please Ren using my bre*st.

Each time I made Ren happy with my body, I felt a real sense of belonging to him, and it was very comforting.

We also shared a more grown-up kiss.

At first, I was driven by the urge to mark his body and moved eagerly.

But then Ren started to move too, and our movements intertwined, and from there, my memory became hazy.

When Ren left, I really wanted to see him off to the station, but he only let me accompany him to the entrance.

However, he hugged me tightly at the end, so I was happy. Besides, we’ll be together again tomorrow, so I shouldn’t be too selfish.

After seeing Ren off, I immediately returned to my room.

His lingering scent in the room was slightly exciting and comforting; it was like being wrapped in his presence.

But now is not the time for that.

I checked the contents of the box I somehow managed to keep from him.

“…Six. I remember there were six last time too, so yeah. It’s the same.”

I sighed in relief.

If the number had decreased, it would mean he did something with someone else.

I took this to prevent that from happening and to make sure Misa couldn’t do anything with him either.

“…It’s okay. Even if there was an opportunity, Ren wouldn’t do it. It’s only with me.”

I muttered to reassure myself, but I was still anxious.

Lately, Ren has always gone somewhere during lunch break.

He says he’s going to the infirmary, but I can’t help suspecting he might be meeting someone in the infirmary. After all, there’s a bed there…

But Misa has been with me all the time, so that shouldn’t be a concern.

Yet, I remember that day, the first day after Golden Week, the day Ren gave me the hairpin, and the day Ren and I shared our first kiss.

At that time, Ren went home with Misa. Then he turned back and came to my house.

So, Misa had a chance to do something with Ren during that time.

Actually, when I hugged him, I faintly smelled flowers.

I was so jealous that I tried to overwrite it with my scent by hugging him tightly so that my smell would stick to him.

…This is bad. When I’m alone, I think about weird things.

To escape being alone, I went to the living room, where my mother had just returned from shopping.

“Haru-chan. Do you want to eat now?”

“No, I just wanted to talk to you, Mom, so I came down.”

“What a cute reason! Let’s talk-let’s talk!”

Mom quickly patted the sofa next to her for me to sit.

I obliged and sat beside her.

“So, what do you want to talk about?”

“Sorry, I didn’t think of anything.”

“You wanted to talk to me even without any particular topic!? Wow, Haru-chan is so lovey-dovey. Is this Ren-kun’s effect?”

“No, I’m not lovey-dovey!”

“Ah, you’re so cute! My daughter is really adorable! Oh, right. Do you want to see the photos I took a lot today?”

“…I’ll look.”

Mom opened her smartphone’s album app and showed me the photos she had taken the day.

There were so many, and some were quite similar. Mom took too many continuous shots.

Among them was a photo of me smiling happily and Ren looking at me while smiling.

“Mom, give me this photo.”

“Oh, this one? Fufu, are you going to use it as your phone wallpaper?”

“No, I won’t! I’m just going to keep it for safekeeping!”

“Ah, you’re definitely in your lovey-dovey phase…”

“…Mom is teasing me in a Ren-like way…”

“Are you going to like Mom even more now?”

“…I like Mom just the way she is.”

“Haru-chan, I love you too!”

“Uwa-uwaa~”

Mom hugs me and rubs her cheeks against mine. Since I’m firmly held in her arms, I just let it happen.

Every time I meet Ren, Mom’s mood gets weird.

While receiving Mom’s love, I wonder if it’s better to avoid letting Mom meet Ren after all.

Finally freed by my mom, she used her smartphone to send me the photo.

“Anyway, I must say it’s a nice picture. It really shows the relationship between you two. Almost like… siblings.”

“Am I the Onee-chan?”

“…No, Haru-chan, you’re such a joker.”

“I’m not joking! And besides, we’re, we’re a couple! Not siblings!”

I argued, but when I looked at the photo again, indeed, we didn’t look entirely unlike a brother and sister…no, we’re not! Not at all!

* * * * *

Today, I went on a date with Ren to Yokohama.

The bouldering gym was a lot of fun, and the pancakes we had for lunch were the best.

At first, Ren was like, ‘Pancakes for lunch…?’ But after eating, he said, ‘I’m somehow completely satisfied. That was amazing,’ which I found funny.

But we soon got hungry again, so we went to a burger place and shared some fries.

I was surprisingly hungry too and ate quite a lot, which made Ren laugh.

That was embarrassing.

And most importantly, I got Ren to choose some underwear for me.

Now I can wear something he chose for me every day.

I also thought about how it would be when I wore it to tempt him next time.

In the evening, I parted ways with Ren and managed to get home before dinner.

“I’m home!”

“Oh, Haru-chan, welcome back.”

As I opened the door, Mom was there at the entrance, just changing her shoes.

Dad also came out from inside.

“Huh? Mom, Dad, are you going somewhere?”

“We’re just about to go shopping for dinner. Do you want to come, Haru-chan?”

“Umm, I just got back, so…”

“We can buy your favorite chocolate.”

“I’ll go!”

I immediately gave in to the temptation of chocolate, and Mom chuckled.

Dad also turned his face away, trying to hold back his laughter.

Ugh, embarrassing.

Just after returning home, I hopped into the car Dad was driving and headed to the supermarket.

“Huh? Don’t we usually turn left here?”

“There’s a sale at a different store today, so we’re going there.”

“Hmm-mm, I see.”

I’m a little excited to visit a store we don’t usually go to, so I’m glad I came along.

When we arrived at the store, it seemed to be true it was on sale, as it took some time to park the car.

When I entered the store with Mom and Dad, it was like a battlefield.

Customers with intense looks were jostling each other, fighting over the best deals.

“Then, Haru-chan, Mom and Dad will go on ahead!”

“Uh, what about me?”

“Haru-chan, you’re not ready for that battlefield yet… Feel free to do what you want! See you!”

Mom, in battle mode, and Dad, with a resigned look, plunged into the fray.

Don’t die, Dad.

As Mom said, I decided to wander around looking for the chocolate they would buy me today.

That’s when I spotted someone familiar. My heart leaped the moment I saw her.

“A-ah! H-hello, it’s been a while.”

“Oh, isn’t it Haru-chan? Long time no see.”

I had instinctively called out to Ren’s mother.

The last time I saw her was when Ren was taken to the hospital. An incident that was my fault.

I was worried she might have a bad impression of me.

I wanted to confirm this and hopefully improve her perception, so I approached her.

“I’m really sorry about last time…”

“Hmm? Oh, you mean about Rento. It’s fine. You two are still getting along well, right?”

“Ah, yes. We’re getting along well. And he’s helping me with my studies.”

“Rento is? Was he smart enough to teach others?”

“He explains very well! I’m not good at science and math, but I really want to go into a science field.”

“Oh? Why do you want to go into a field you’re not good at?”

“…Part of it is wanting to be in the same class as the two of them. But I’ve also thought about what comes after… I want to be a nurse. I thought maybe I could help someone close to me who gets sick.”

Becoming a doctor is impossible for me, but I still want to pursue a medical field.

I want to be able to nurse him whenever he gets sick.

It’s a dream I’ve recently had.

“…I see. I think that’s admirable. Also, if Rento chooses to get along with Haru-chan on his own will, then I have nothing to say about it. Please continue to be good friends with him.”

“Yes, of course! If anything, I’m the one who wants to ask you…’

As I became embarrassed and my words trailed off, Ren’s mother chuckled softly.

“Haru-chan, you really like him, don’t you?”

“Eh!? T-that, well… yes. I, I love Ren.”

Deciding not to dodge the question, I gathered my courage and answered clearly.

Ren’s mother narrowed her eyes and said,

“I see. Do your best.”

I didn’t fully understand the intention behind her words, but I replied energetically, ‘Yes!’

“Haru-chan, you call Rento ‘Ren,’ right?”

“Ah, yes.”

“…Previously, when Rento collapsed, he called out a name ‘Ran.’ I asked him about it, but he doesn’t seem to remember anything from that time.”

“Is that so? Then who could ‘Ran’ be…”

“Do you want to know?”

“Ah. Does Ren’s Mom know about it?”

“Yes.”

As I expressed my surprise, Ren’s mother gazed off into the distance and said,

“Don’t you think ‘Ren’ and ‘Ran’ sound a bit similar?”

“Um… now that you mention it, I guess you could say that?”

“Well then, I should be going now. Two hungry men are waiting for me at home.”

“Oh, yes. Thank you for listening to me!”

“No problem. …Do your best, Haru-chan.”

Being told to ‘do my best’ again felt like more than just a polite encouragement.

There seemed to be an implication in her words, but I couldn’t figure out what it was.

In the end, Ren’s mother left me with several questions.

But I believe these ‘hints’ will serve as signposts on my path to be with Ren.

——I will do my best.