The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 68

Part 8.5: Cat’s Feeling

Chapter 68

Having learned of Haru’s feelings towards Rento-kun, I decided to call her to the cafe to talk about what lies ahead.

As a result of listening to her story, it seems it’s true that she too has feelings for Rento-kun and has for much longer than I have.

Although I was angry that she had been secretly building a relationship with Rento-kun behind my back, I couldn’t bring myself to blame her after hearing her out.

Having fallen in love with him myself, I can somehow understand her feelings.

We confirmed that neither of us was willing to give up on him and then moved on to discussing his condition.

Apparently she doesn’t know much about his constitution; I could tell that she had not been told about it by his mother.

This gave me a slight sense of superiority, a feeling I shouldn’t have towards my best friend.

It made me realize again that we were both best friends and rivals.

For now, we promised each other to avoid approaching him, both for his sake and to give ourselves time to sort out our feelings.

We’re in a state of confusion and do not know what action we will take.

The regret would be unbearable if we were to hurt him as a result of our impulsive actions.

“Misa, you shouldn’t fall for a guy who sleeps with a girl he’s not even dating.”

“Haru, you shouldn’t fall for a guy who publicly shows his affection almost every day to another girl.”

It felt like sparks were flying between us.

The shopkeeper brought our coffee with trembling hands. I took a sip to calm myself.

The coffee here is truly exceptional.

“By the way, Haru. When did you and Rento-kun start that relationship?”

“Um, around November, I guess.”

“I see. That was right after I made my declaration to you.”

“…Yeah. Your declaration lit a fire inside of me. So, why are you asking this?”

“Just to make sure..”

November. It does coincide with the time when ‘that thing’ of his was gone.

“Haru. Did you ask Rento-kun not to ask me to go out with him?”

“Eh, I didn’t say anything like that.”

“Then why did he stop asking me out?”

“I don’t know. To begin with, I hadn’t even realized it that Ren stopped saying that.”

“Really? Even though he used to shout it every morning in the classroom?”

“…I didn’t realize it because I didn’t want to hear it. I listened at first, but I’ve been avoiding it since last summer… It’s painful to feel the heartache every morning.”

There’s a chance Haru is lying, but I could only believe she was telling the truth after seeing her talk with such a pained expression.

Besides, she’s not good at lying.

“…I see. I’m sorry for doubting you.”

“No, it’s okay. If I were in Misa’s place, I think I would have doubted too.”

She smiled as she said this, and I returned a smile.

It wasn’t her doing. Then, did he himself decide to stop asking ‘go out with me’?

——Perhaps his heart no longer belongs only to me.

A sense of urgency I had never felt before began to overtake me.

***

The reason Rento-kun collapsed is my fault.

That time——When I saw the kiss mark on his body and realized Haru had left it, a boiling flame of jealousy and a dark haze covered my heart drives me into action.

I was driven by desire and stealing his lips before I knew it.

I imitated a scene from a shoujo manga Saki once brought by pushing my tongue into his mouth.

The moment our tongues touched, I felt a rush of pleasure in my brain, more intense than when he hugged me from behind last summer.

My mind was completely immersed in it.

I lost myself, desperately seeking him.

I never thought I could lose my reason like this.

Kissing was such a pleasurable sensation.

I heard Haru’s scream.

A voice I would usually rush to comfort, but I was smiling inside at that moment.

I was scared because it felt like a darker side of me had emerged, but my heart easily gave in to this darkness.

Eventually, Haru separated us.

Freed from him, my body hurriedly began to replenish its oxygen.

Maybe I would have suffocated if she hadn’t stopped me.

I realized I had truly lost my reason.

And because of my foolish actions, he collapsed.

Knowing his condition, I despised myself for being selfish and not caring for his health.

I felt disgusted with myself, and a murderous intent arose.

I wanted to apologize to him directly, but his mother asked me not to contact him until after the holiday.

Maybe she’s given up on me and decided that I can’t be trusted with him.

And him, too. He might be disappointed in me.

He might hate me now for my indecency.

These thoughts raced through my mind, and except for when I talked with Haru I couldn’t even go out or eat properly during the holiday.

At least… At least I wanted to apologize to him.

It was an apology purely for my own sake, but I felt like my heart would fall apart if I didn’t.

The holiday ends today, and classes resume tomorrow.

He’ll probably come to school… no, will he really come?

I’ve heard through messages that he’s feeling better, but will he really show up?

…He might not want to see me and refuse to come to school.

I made a promise to Haru.

During this holiday, we agreed to refrain from excessive contact with him.

In fact, it was my suggestion.

——Yet, my hand was dialing his number.

I couldn’t wait until the next time we might meet.

My heart wasn’t strong enough to wait for a time that might not come.

The ringing continued. Maybe he won’t answer?

I realized this after I made a call that my right hand, which was holding the smartphone, trembled, so I steadied it with my left.

Please. Answer me. Rento-kun——

The ringing stopped the moment I gripped the smartphone harder while praying.

Instead——

『Hello?』

I heard his voice.

The voice I had longed to hear, a voice that calms me——My favorite voice.

Suppressing my racing heart, I tried to sound like my usual self.

“……Hello, Rento-kun. It’s been a while.”

『Yeah. Just a few days, though.』

I felt a stabbing sharp pain in my heart.

“For me, it felt very long. Didn’t it feel that way to Rento-kun?”

『…no, it did feel long.』

“Fufu, I see. I’m glad to hear that.”

The pain in my heart eased.

My body had become so fragile that even such a trivial conversation triggered such a sensitive reaction.

It’s scary, but it also felt good for some reason,

“…sorry. I know I probably shouldn’t even call, but I couldn’t help it.”

『No, it’s okay. I was really bored.』

“…Thank you, and I’m sorry.”

『You don’t need to keep apologizing.』

“It’s not that. The apology just now was for what happened the other day, for suddenly doing that… I’m really sorry. I still don’t understand why I did something like that… But maybe, deep down, I wanted to. Are you disappointed with me?”

I closed my eyes and listened. I wanted to hear his answer, yet I didn’t.

Holding these contradictory feelings, he said——

『No, not at all.』

He said that so smoothly.

“Lies. It was your first time, right? And I just took it from you so forcefully.”

『No, really. I was surprised, but… I didn’t hate it.』

“Really?”

『Really.』

“You’re not just saying that to make me feel better, are you?”

『I’ve never lied to Misa about things like this before.』

“This could be the first time.”

『You believe in everything else I’ve done, right?』

“Of course. You’ve always been sincere with me.”

『Then believe me this time too.』

“…That’s not fair, Rento-kun.”

『…You’re being unfair, Rento-kun.”

“Fufu. I know.”

Just as he recognizes my charm, I understand his.

He’s not someone who would lie in a situation like this.

I see… he forgives me. No, he wasn’t even angry in the first place.

That’s right, among his charms, there was also a very deep kindness.

I was saved by that kindness.

“I, Misa Yosaki, like you, Seko Rento as a man. I want to be by your side and support you.”

So, driven by his kindness and the restlessness raging within me, I said what I had thought not to say.

All to make him mine.