The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 66

Chapter 66

In the end, I explained to Saki-chan that I started calling Misa by her name because she said it was ‘unfair’.

Saki-chan was extremely excited throughout the explanation, and her juice quickly disappeared as she drank it to cool down her heated state.

Just as I managed to avoid an indirect kiss with Saki-chan, our drinks were all empty.

Then Misa held out her palm upwards towards me.

“Rento-kun, I’ll go throw away the trash. Give me those empty containers.”

“Oh, no problem, I can do it by myself. In fact, I’ll take both of yours too.”

“It’s okay. You’re here even though you’re not in perfect condition yet, so let me do this much.”

“…well, I mean, Misa, won’t you get lost?”

“Ah!? D-don’t be ridiculous! Hmph, just give them to me. I’ll go.”

Misa snatched the drink containers from my hand and walked somewhat angrily off towards the station.

“Is she really going to be okay?”

“She’ll be fine. She can always contact us if something happens. Besides, how did you know that Onee-chan is actually directionally challenged?”

“I had a hunch before, but she admitted it herself.”

“Onee-chan admitted it herself!? Today is full of surprises… ‘If you haven’t seen a boy for three days, you should look at him with renewed eyes,’ I guess this is what it means.”

“I think it’s a little different.”

If Saki-chan found out that Misa and I were supposedly dating at school, she might faint. It seems like Misa hasn’t mentioned that to her.

While I was making conversation about her life in junior school similar to the kind of conversation anyone would have with their uncle at a family gathering, someone approached us from the opposite direction of where Misa had gone.

Turning around cautiously, I saw a girl with flashy pink hair.

“Long time no see, Saki-chan. We meet again.”

“Mai-san!”

The girl, Mai Koido, called out to Saki-chan instead of me, and Saki-chan reacted as if she knew her.

“What’s going on?”

“Hehehe. You look surprised, Senpai. I wanted to see that reaction!”

“Eh? Rento-san, you know Mai-san?”

“Koido is my junior in high school.”

“Eh, does Mai-san go to the same high school as Onee-chan?”

Saki-chan didn’t know which high school Koido attended? Then how did they meet each other?

“Yes, that’s right. Oh, Senpai. I happened to meet Saki-chan recently when she was lost. It was a chance encounter.”

“Saki-chan, you got lost again?”

“I wasn’t lost. I just wandered into the maze of life.”

“That’s pretty much everyone, though.”

Saki-chan, making an absurd excuse, puffed her cheeks in response to my teasing.

“I don’t know, I often run into you outside, Koido.”

“Really, after that scene last time when I said I didn’t know when we’d meet again…Now it’s all spoiled.”

“Right, it’s all spoiled. How can you not see this coming? Huh, I guess It just proves that Koido isn’t cut out to be a master.”

“Why does it end up like that!? Wait, Senpai, are you on a date with Saki-chan? Are you a lolicon?”

“We’re with Yosaki, and she’s Misa Yosaki’s cousin.”

“Ah, I see…So you used Yosaki Senpai as bait to lure out Saki-chan…”

“I thought it was enough reason not to be considered a lolicon…”

Koido chuckles and says, ‘Just kidding.’ I understand it’s a joke, so I don’t say anything more.

It’s our usual banter.

Saki-chan, who had been silently listening to our conversation, joins with, ‘Um.’

“Mai-san, don’t you seem more excited than when we last met?”

“…Do I? I think I was like this before?”

“Hmm, your tone of voice hasn’t changed, but the atmosphere? It feels different.”

Questioned by Saki-chan, Koido laughs nervously, ‘I didn’t know that, ahaha’, and seems a bit flustered.

It’s rare to see her like this.

“Ah, right. Where’s Yosaki Senpai now?”

I thought she was obviously trying to change the subject, but it’s true it was strange that Misa hadn’t returned yet.

“She went to throw away the trash, but it’s taking her too long to come back… Maybe…”

“That’s possible. I haven’t heard from her yet.”

“Knowing Misa, she might have gotten lost but is too proud to ask for help.”

“Wow, that’s so like Onee-chan. That’s totally possible.”

Saki-chan and I exchanged glances and nodded, then stood up from the bench.

“Sorry, Koido. We’re going to look for Yosaki.”

“Ah, yes. That seems like a good idea.”

“Oh, right. The fruit juice shop over there is selling out-of-season strawberry milk. I recommend it to you Koido, who seems like someone who’d enjoy it all year round.”

“Ahaha, it’s really out-of-season huh? Well, maybe not today.”

“Aren’t you thirsty?”

“It’s not about that, just~”

Koido was vague about her reasons.

I wondered if she was short on pocket money and turned to Saki-chan.

“Sorry, Saki-chan. Can you wait here for a while? Don’t move, okay? Really. Seriously.”

“Eh? Okay… but I feel like I’m being made fun of.”

“Sorry-sorry. Koido, please look after Saki-chan.”

“Ah, okay. Got it.”

I left them and hurried to the fruit juice shop, bought a strawberry milk, and returned.

“Here, Koido. This one’s for you.”

“…huh? No-no-no. I can’t accept it.”

“Just accept it as a treat from your Senpai. I already bought it.”

“…then thank you, Senpai. I’ll enjoy it!”

“I owe Koido a lot, so it’s fine. There’s the matter with Saki-chan and… other things too. Well then, see you later, Koido.”

“Yes! Bye, Saki-chan.”

“Bye. Let’s meet again later!”

After parting with Koido, Saki-chan and I head towards the station hand in hand.

Saki-chan had contacted Misa so we won’t miss each other.

“…Rento-san, what kind of person is Mai-san to you?”

As we searched for Misa, looking around, Saki-chan asked me this.

Hmm, what should I say?

Koido is my junior at school, a Master (Shishō), and sometimes someone I can’t take my eyes off——

“Sorry, I’m not really sure. Well, she’s my junior in high school.”

“…I see. I was worried she might take my place, but I guess my fears were unfounded.”

“Ahaha, what’s that? Saki-chan is Saki-chan.”

While having such a conversation, we continue searching for Misa.

The station in the large city is quite huge, so I thought it would be difficult to find her, but surprisingly, we found her quite easily.

After throwing away the trash, she managed to reach the monument where we were supposed to meet but seemed lost about where to go next, looking around restlessly.

Approaching her, I call out.

“Misa.”

“Ah… why are Rento-kun and Saki here?”

“Why? Because Onee-chan was lost.”

“Oh. I wasn’t lost. I was just contemplating about my own direction in life.”

“Why are you analyzing yourself now? Come on.”

I extend my hand towards her. Then she stares at it, puzzled.

“What’s this? A fine?”

“Of course not. …I don’t want you to get lost again. Let’s hold hands.”

“…Fufu. Rento-kun, your face is all red.”

“It’s hot because someone got lost and I had to search all over in a panic.”

“Ohh. I see you were desperately searching for me.”

Knowing I’d be beaten no matter what I say, I averted my gaze from her.

Misa chuckles softly, saying ‘Thank you, takes my hand, and intertwines our fingers.

“Wow, Onee-chan and Rento-san are really close.”

“Fufu. You just noticed?”

I suddenly remember that while Saki-chan is a little devil, Misa is the true femme fatale.

Realizing this, I start to sweat, wondering what’s going to happen to me sandwiched between these two.

***

After meeting up with Misa, the three of us went shopping with me in the center holding hands with them.

I could feel the stares around us, but I didn’t think anything of it because I had been trained in the school.

Saki-chan is always smiling, and Misa, trying to look composed, has her ears turning red.

I found her adorable.

Saki-chan said she wanted to buy a book, so we first headed to a bookstore.

“What are you buying?”

“The latest volume of my favorite shoujo manga!”

I see. Her surprisingly mature knowledge must come from shoujo manga. I convinced myself of this internally.

Since we’re holding hands, I also end up in the shoujo manga section.

I don’t like this section because it’s somehow awkward and uncomfortable.

“Wow, there’s a new volume of a series I was also curious about!”

“Classic bookstore moment. Are you going to buy that too?”

“Hmm, I’m not sure. I’d like to think about it for a while, so Rento-san and Onee-chan, feel free to look around on your own.”

“Really? Okay. But Saki-chan, you absolutely must not move from here, okay?”

“Pout. What’s with that? Are you treating me like a child again?”

“No, when it comes to you sisters, it’s serious.”

“Ah, I can’t let that pass. I can understand Saki, but why am I included in that?”

“I see. You’ve already forgotten your earlier mistake.”

I really wish they would just admit they’re directionally challenged. Seriously. I really do.

Now, Misa and I moved to the shelves lined with reference books for college entrance exams after leaving Saki-chan in the shoujo manga section.

Among them, I picked up a physics reference book published by a prep school.

“……Is that a reference book for Haru?”

“Ah… yeah, something like that.”

“Thinking about another girl during our date, Rento-kun, you’re so bold.”

Misa’s grip on my hand tightens, but it doesn’t hurt.

“Right, I’m sorry.”

“…Fufu, just kidding. It’s about her future, so it’s natural for you to be concerned at a bookstore. Rather, um, well, I’m actually in love with your kindness.”

“Ugh.”

Her sudden affection hits me hard. After all, it’s the affection of someone I like.

“Rento-kun, are you not struggling with your pwn studies?”

“Hmm… I’m a bit weak in Japanese. That’s partly why I chose the science track.”

“Oh, but even for less competitive national universities, Japanese is needed for the common test.”

“Yeah, I know. But I don’t understand what to study for it.”

“Then let me help you. For example, this reference book is recommended. And for classical Japanese, this one——”

Misa then suggested some Japanese reference books for me. Since I couldn’t buy them all at once, I decided to start with the first one she recommended.

She also mentioned she would give me one-on-one lessons on reading comprehension periodically.

What a generous support!

After reuniting with Saki-chan, we each paid for our purchases and left the bookstore.

Then, as usual, we aimlessly walked around, entering stores that caught our interest.

However, Misa frequently suggested taking breaks, probably still concerned about my condition.

Grateful for her consideration, we enjoyed our time while taking short breaks along the way.

“Ah, Rento-san, Onee-chan. I want to go to that store.”

“Sure.”

“Alright.”

The store Saki-chan wanted to visit was a so-called accessory store filled with reasonably priced accessories.

She seemed to have something specific in mind as she let go of my hand and headed straight to a particular item.

Picking it up, she gathered her hair at the side and tried on the scrunchie she was holding.

“How does it look, Rento-san? Does it suit me?”

“Yeah, it’s super cute.”

“Ehehe. Then I’ll buy this!”

“Are you sure you want to decide so quickly?”

“Yes! I fell in love with it at first sight, and you said it’s ‘super cute’!”

I almost blurted out that she herself was the cutest, but somehow managed to hold back.

Why do I feel compelled to compliment her?

Maybe it’s also a skill of this little devil girl.

“R-Rento-kun.”

Turning towards the voice, I saw Misa, her face flushed as she gathers her hair at the back like Saki-chan.

“I want you to choose a hair accessory that suits me… Is that okay?”

Of course I couldn’t refuse her request.

I immediately began looking through the items on display and instinctively chose a small white scrunchie with a red flower accent and handed it to Misa.

After checking the scrunchie I handed her for a moment, Misa tried it on and asked, ‘How does it look?’

The white scrunchie stood out beautifully against her black hair, looking incredibly——

“Beautiful.”

My honest opinion slipped out. Then I covered my mouth in a hurry.

Realizing that my words were genuine, Misa’s face turned even redder.

“…Thank you. I’ll go buy this.”

Misa quickly went to the register with the scrunchie, and Saki-chan followed her to pay together.

“Wow, this scrunchie is lovely. What flower is this?”

“I think it’s a rose.”

Hearing their conversation, I, who knew nothing about flowers, realized that the design was a rose.

That was about all my mind could process at this moment.

——I was simply mesmerized by her beautiful appearance.