The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 63

Chapter 63

Misa asked me to go on a date and brought me to a coffee shop run by a grim shopkeeper where I had previously gone with Saki-chan and suffered humiliation.

As we entered, the shopkeeper’s eyebrows twitched upon seeing us.

“Hello, do you have space for two?”

Misa asked, and the shopkeeper nodded then guided us to the seats we had occupied before.

That confirmed he remembered us.

There seemed to be no other customers.

The shopkeeper had been relaxing at the counter earlier but swiftly went outside and then returned shortly.

I wondered what he was up to.

“Rento-kun, will coffee be fine for you?”

“Ah, yeah. Hot, please.”

“Then I’ll have the same.”

Misa ordered for both of us when the shopkeeper came to our table.

The shopkeeper went back to the counter to prepare the coffee, but his ears seemed to be turned toward our conversation.

“This is my third time here.”

“I remember you mentioned coming here with Hinata before.”

“Yes. …I’ve been thinking, why do you call Haru ‘Hinata’?”

“…yes? I’ve always called her that from the start.”

“But you call her by her first name when it’s just you and her, don’t you? Just like you do with me.”

——The air froze in an instant.

It felt like I was being interrogated.

“…It’s for the same reason as with you, Misa.”

“No, that’s not enough. Explain it clearly from your mouth.”

“…After I became aware of both your feelings, I thought it would be more considerate not to show such familiarity as calling each other by first names in front of you two.”

“I see. Well, I did understand that, though.”

“Then don’t make me say it.”

“Fufu. Just a little tease. …Besides, I wanted to hear it directly from you. It’s different to hear you say it even if I could guess.”

Misa smiled mischievously.

Drawn again to her smile, my slight annoyances dissipated.

At that moment, the shopkeeper brought over the coffee he had prepared. Then he whispered something to Misa after placing the cups quietly on the table.

She chuckled softly.

“I appreciate it.”

The shopkeeper bowed and returned to the counter after Misa expressed her thanks.

“What did the shopkeeper say?”

“It seems he’s made the cafe exclusive for us.”

“Huh? What’s he thinking…?”

I glanced sideways at the shopkeeper.

He stood in front of the counter, hand to his ear and eyes closed, seemingly abandoning his work to enjoy our conversation.

I see, he turned the ‘OPEN’ sign to ‘CLOSE’ when he stepped out earlier.

Does anyone normally go to such lengths?

“Then let’s take advantage of the shopkeeper’s kindness and have a thorough talk, Rento-kun.”

“…Sigh. I have a lot I want to comment on, but this takes priority. So, why did you do that?”

“Do what?”

“The lie you told about us dating.”

“Oh. We like each other, right? It wouldn’t be strange if we were dating.”

“Misa.”

“Just kidding.”

“It’s rare for Misa to joke, especially in a such like this.”

“I’m confused too…My heart is more disturbed than ever, I don’t even know what words might come out of my mouth next. That’s how much I’m not at ease right now.”

Misa took a sip of her coffee as if signaling the start of the main topic.

“Rento-kun. You went to see Haru after parting with me after school, didn’t you?”

She asked me with a piercing gaze.

Lying seemed pointless here.

“Yeah. But only twice.”

“Twice, I see. The first time was on the first day, right?”

“…How did you know?”

“That’s easy to guess. Haru came in with a new hair clip on her bangs, looking so happy the next day. It was obvious.”

I smiled wryly at that thought.

However, it’s impressive that Misa notices such details.

Is it because they’re best friends, or is it because——

“And the second time was… last Monday, right?”

“I can understand why you noticed the first time, but how did you know about the second time too…”

“Because she came to school with a big smile the next day… of course I can notice that. She was in a good mood this morning too. You must have met over the weekend.”

“…Ah. I think I understand now. Your actions this morning, the motives, and all that.”

Maybe Haru’s good mood this morning had triggered her.

Then she said it, ‘Seko Rento and I have started dating.’

I took a sip of my coffee, letting the slightly cooled bitterness spread in my mouth.

“Hey, Rento-kun. If I had asked you out, would you have spent this weekend with me?”

“That is…”

The reason I went to Haru’s house on Saturday was that her mother, Akira-san, perceived me as Haru’s boyfriend and was worried because I hadn’t visited recently.

And the reason for our date on Sunday was that Akira-san asked us at Hinata’s house on Saturday if we ‘don’t go on dates outside.’

…In short, there were reasons for both days.

If it had just been a simple date invitation, maybe I would have declined.

Both from Haru and from Misa.

Seeing me struggle with an answer, Misa spoke softly, almost as if she was talking to herself.

“I see. Then let me change my question. Rento-kun, did you go on a date because it was with Haru?”

“…That’s a difficult question. This time, I had another reason for spending the weekend with Hinata, but I don’t think I would have gone if someone else had invited me for the same reason,.”

“So, in addition to the fact that it was Haru, there was another reason that made you feel you had to go, and that’s why you spent the weekend together.”

“Yeah.”

“Then, if I said I wanted to see you because Saki misses you, would you come to meet me?”

“…Yeah.”

“That’s good to know.”

Seemingly satisfied with my answer, Misa stopped asking questions.

She then twirled her cup, creating a whirl of coffee inside, watching it intently.

“You’re always so sweet to Haru. I thought you went unconditionally because she asked you.”

“Am I sweet to Hinata? Really?”

“Yes. Even today, you consciously spoke to her when she was hesitant to join our conversation. When she finished cleaning and came to us, you noticed she was mindful of the surrounding gazes and hurried to leave the place for her sake. And at her house, you were about to go to her side when she looked so sad while saying goodbye… See? You’re sweet to her.”

All these were things I could recall. How much has Misa noticed? I felt like all my actions were being watched.

It’s a bit scary, but it also conveys the depth of her feelings.

“Me too…”

Misa’s expression turned bitter, then she exhaled deeply.

She then closed her eyes and became motionless.

Her eyes, nose, mouth——nothing seemed to move.

The only thing moving was her heart.

Gradually, her face turned red.

Then her beautiful, emotionless face started to distort.

“Misa!”

Thinking something was wrong, I stood up and rushed to her side. When I shook her body, she opened her mouth and started breathing heavily.

“Misa… were you holding your breath just now?”

“…Yes.”

“Why would you do that? Your face turned red, and if you kept going like that——”

“I could have died.”

“If you know that, then why——”

“Because you would look at me.”

I swallowed my words.

Her eyes, which had lost their light, stared straight into mine.

“Rento-kun, you’re very kind. I think that’s one of your charms——But that kindness torments my heart. Haru is a bit airhead but charming, and even as a woman, she stirs a protective instinct in me. That’s why you end up paying a lot of attention to Haru. You act to help her, leaving me behind, going to her side… I’ve realized that just waiting isn’t enough. To capture your attention like before, I need to be hurt——See? Now, your eyes are on me, and it’s only capturing me. Yes, just like that, keep looking at me. Don’t look at any other girl. Look only at me, Rento-kun.”

“Misa…”

“Call my name. Call it more. Call only my name, my name alone. I’ll call your name too every time you do. Rento-kun. Rento-kun. Rento-kun. Rento-kun… Fufu. Calling each other by name is wonderful… Haa, to think that I could capture the attention I’ve always wanted from you just by holding my breath… At first, I thought about pouring this hot coffee over myself, but that would be unfair to the shopkeeper who brewed it, and I wanted you to see my body in its beautiful state, so I stopped. It’s good I didn’t do it in the end. Fufu.”

I gasped as I saw her smiling.

How could she have become so twisted——And yet, why does she seem so beautiful to me?

Just like this, I find myself so drawn to her.