The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 70

Chapter 70

My delay in realizing my feelings for him led to a late start in the race to win him over.

I started noticing interactions between him and Haru that I hadn’t seen before, which made me anxious.

As a result, I took a certain action.

There’s an advantage that she doesn’t have, but I do.

It’s the difference in the relationship between him and me as recognized by those around us.

The impression of him and her is that they’re good friends who often bicker.

On the other hand, he and I are seen as a guy who’s been in love for over a year and his unrequited love.

So, if I say, ‘I’ve started dating Seko Rento’, it will instantly become a fact in the eyes of others.

Thus, it became known that Rento-kun and I were dating at school.

Of course Haru was angry.

She questioned why I did such a selfish thing.

But I didn’t want to be told something like that by her, who was breaking our promise and continuing to approach him.

Since it wasn’t something to discuss at school, I called Haru that night.

I called Haru while hugging my recently bought macaron-shaped cushion in my room.

Then she answered immediately.

『Hello?』

“Good evening.”

『You’re going to explain properly, right?』

“Yes, of course.”

This is the first time I’ve heard Haru speak so sharply… no, since we argued near the riverbank just before he collapsed.

『Why did you do that? It’s not like you, Misa. Ren was troubled too.』

“I had no choice. I thought I had to do something too since you’ve been approaching him.”

『…I haven’t been doing anything.』

“Don’t lie. You’ve been meeting him alone after school, haven’t you?”

『…Only twice. And the first time, Ren was the one who came to me.』

“…I see. And the second time was last Monday?”

『Wait. How did you know that… Did you hear it from Ren?』

“I haven’t heard anything from him. It’s just a hunch. But judging by your reaction, it seems I was right.”

From the smartphone’s speaker, I hear Haru’s pitiful ‘uhh.’

Even in such a situation, her reaction is cute, making her endearing and yet also enviable.

『Yes, last Monday after school, I met with Ren, just the two of us. And we also had dates yesterday and the day before.』

“…What? You did that much?”

『Why not? You were the first to break our promise, Misa!』

“Me?”

『On the last day of Golden Week, you called Ren!』

“…True, I was the first to break our promise. I’m sorry for that, but I apologized for that the next day. And since you also made a call, we agreed to be more careful in the future, right?”

『You said that, but you might break the promise again, Misa. If I just sit back and wait, Ren might be taken away by you… I can’t stand that!』

“Since then, I’ve reflected and haven’t done anything.”

『But now, you’re trying to make Ren yours while involving everyone else! I can’t believe you anymore!』

“That’s because you keep approaching him… Ah, this is getting nowhere.”

I let out a sigh.

We both have things we can’t give up, so the conversation is going in circles.

As I’m pondering what to say next, I hear her voice sounding like she’s about to cry.

『…I hate this. Why does my crush have to be the same as Misa’s? Why do I have to fight with Misa?』

“That’s… unavoidable. Who we fall in love with isn’t something we or even ourselves can control. And there’s only one of him.”

『If only there were two Ren…』

“Fufu, if that were the case, they would probably complain and fight with each other.”

『Ahaha. I can see that. Ren is strict with himself, so it would be troublesome if he had another himself in front of him.』

“Yeah.”

『…….』

“…….”

Despite the tense atmosphere just a moment ago, we find ourselves talking in a friendly atmosphere again, as if everything was normal.

We were fighting over him, yet we could still have fun talking about him.

『…Ehehe.』

“…Fufu.”

We both started laughing without realizing it.

It seems, after all, fighting is difficult for us.

『…Sigh. I’m sorry, Misa. I got carried away.』

“No, it’s me who should apologize. I shouldn’t have resorted to such means.”

『Yeah, that’s right! You need to apologize to Ren too…But what do we do now? To resolve this situation, we’ll have to tell everyone that you and Ren have ‘broken up,’ right?』

“That is… ”

Even though it’s a mess I created, it’s a very painful act to consider.

『Well, I guess it can’t be helped. I monopolized Ren last week, so I’ll let you have him for this week.』

“…Really?”

『There were things I did wrong too, so let’s call it even. But we need to start resolving this situation next week, okay?』

“Fufu. You mean the ‘conclusion.’ Got it. Thank you, Haru.”

『Ehehe. We need to get along, or Ren will worry. And actually, I don’t want to fight with you, Misa.』

“…Right.”

My best friend is so considerate.

I always thought she was somewhat spoiled when it came to him, but… maybe she’s grown too.

Realizing this, I smiled at the thought of my friend’s growth.

***

Today, he came over to my house.

Though, it was more like I half-tricked him into coming.

He brought a total of seven cakes with him.

Feeling guilty and knowing we couldn’t eat them all, I asked him to take three back home.

I tried to pay him for the wasted cakes, but he firmly refused to accept the money.

I felt guillty for causing him to spend so much because of my lie, but he said,

“It’s a return gift for the gift Misa gave me the last time she came to my house. And the ones I’m taking back will be for my dad’s birthday cake next week.”

I instantly realized that was his way of following up.

“Then, I’ll personally deliver a cake to your father on the day.”

He replied with a joke,

“That would be… my dad might get too happy and ascend to heaven. We don’t want his birthday turning into his death day, so please don’t.”

Refusing to let me make amends, he jokes about it, determined not to let me pay back.

Really, I love him from the bottom of my heart.

“Then, I’ll be off. Thanks for having me.”

I see him off at the entrance.

As he walks away with his back to me, I find myself speaking out loud.

“Rento-kun… I love you. I really do.”

He turns around——

——I feel the same. We’re lovers from now on!

…If only it had been half a year earlier, maybe that would have been his reply.

“Thank you, Misa. …Me too.”

He smiles with a lowered eyebrow as he gives me that response.

My legs finally move only when the door completely closes and he’s out of sight.

Then I go upstairs to my room, pick up the cushion he was sitting on earlier, and hug it.

It faintly smells of him, sending shivers through my body.

I collapse onto the bed with the cushion in my arms, burying my face in it.

After lying there for a while, I move the cushion back to my chest.

Glancing down, I notice my skirt has rolled up.

I wore it bare-legged today, thinking he might like legs.

It’s easier to take off than pants, and in the worst-case scenario, we could have done it in the skirt.

That’s why I wore my favorite underwear, wanting him to find me cute.

Emotions well up, and I press my face back into the cushion.

My eyes start to feel hot, and gradually, the area around them becomes wet.

“But why…? Am I not good enough…? Because I neglected your feelings for so long? Because I was too late in realizing my own feelings? …Because Haru is more important to you?”

Even as I only speak to myself, the words hurt my heart.

It’s like a form of self-harm; I mock myself.

Still hugging the cushion, I pick up my smartphone and quickly operate it and bringing the speaker close to my ear.

『Misa』

『Misa』

『Misa』

『Hey, Misa』

From the speaker, the sound of him calling my name flows continuously.

Each time, my heart leaps, and my body trembles.

It was a little whim of mine.

Among the files I was recording, there was a scene where he kept calling my name, so I cut that part out and saved it as a separate file.

Sometimes, I listen to his voice like now.

His voice makes my heart race and at the same time, calms me down.

It’s such a contradictory effect.

The only drawback is the background noise.

Someday, I wonder if he would let me record in a quiet place.

Would he think I’m strange if I asked?

But I think he wouldn’t refuse.

He would probably scratch his cheek, embarrassed, and say, ‘What’s the use of my voice?’

Rento-kun, love, I love you. I love everything about you.

Right now, I could say it as many times as you want.

More times than you’ve ever said to me.

If you’ve wanted to, you can have my body. ..

To make up for my past actions, I’ll fulfill any of your wishes.

So, that’s why, that’s why…

“Be mine, Rento-kun——”

I whisper in a muffled voice while tightly hugging the cushion.