The Best Friend of the Person I Like is Secretly Approaching Me - Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Koido diligently took care of Arahira in her tracksuit during club activities.

Her figure was just like—

“Seko, Koido is serving as the manager for the soccer club.”

“It seems that way from the looks of it.”

“In fact, I confirmed it with someone from the soccer club yesterday. Koido has been managing the soccer club since the end of Golden Week.”

“Her timing for joining the club is a bit odd.”

“That concerned me as well, but it seems he said she was struggling to decide which club to join.”

“I see.”

Somehow, I understood why Oda had brought me here and what he wanted to convey.

“Oda, you’re suggesting that Koido might be a spy for Arahira, aren’t you?”

“… That’s right. Everything was orchestrated. The plan to frame Seko wasn’t something that started yesterday. It had already begun several weeks ago.”

“If that’s the case, it means our information has been leaking to Arahira through Koido.”

“Indeed. I heard that Seko is going to meet with Koido soon, so I thought it necessary to inform him of this fact beforehand.”

“I see. Yeah, you’ve been a big help, Oda. But——”

“What are you two doing here?”

A voice that came from behind cause us to involuntarily turn around.

There stood Kaita, a classmate and also a member of the soccer team.

“K-Kaita-san. We, uh, that is…”

“Were you watching Koido? What’s up, Seko? Not satisfied with just those two, you’re trying to make a move on our angel too?”

“Wha! No, that’s not it, Kaita-san! Seko was just—”

“It’s fine, Oda. This guy is not seriously thinking anything like that. Right?”

“Huh?”

As I stop Oda, Kaita lets out a small chuckle.

“Seko, how did you figure it out?”

“You’re a liar, after all.”

“That hurts to hear… Seko. You’re meeting with Koido after this, right?”

“You, how do you know that?”

“Never mind that for now. Won’t you let me join you there?”

“Why?”

“…I just want to help Seko. Or should I say, I want to atone for my sins?”

“If that’s the case, then do as you please.”

“Seko!?”

Oda was astonished that I accepted Kaita’s offer.

“It’s true that Kaita-san did restrain Seko who seemed about to go on a rampage yesterday, and it’s also true he helped guard Yosaki and Hinata, but can we really trust him? In the first place, does Seko still intend to go and meet Koido?”

“I haven’t forgiven Kaita, but anyway, he’s probably already connected with Koido, right?”

“I-If that’s the case, shouldn’t you be even more cautious!?”

“I’m grateful to Oda… For a moment, I even doubted her when I saw that… But Koido is an important junior of mine. I can’t see her as an enemy.”

“…I see. If Seko has decided that, then I’ll say nothing more.”

“Sorry about that.”

“What for? We have a good relationship, don’t we, Seko? There may be a need for thanks, but no need for apologies.”

I almost fell for Oda’s cool charm.

Kaita watched our exchange and muttered, “Your relationship is kind of nice.”

***

Oda had gone home earlier, and Kaita returned to club activities.

I aimlessly wandered around the school to kill time until the appointed time.

Every time I passed by someone, I was met with hostile stares or heard them talking behind my back, but it didn’t particularly wound my heart.

I was just glad to be alone.

As the promised time approached, the school gradually became quieter.

Most of the clubs must have finished their activities for the day.

I headed not to the pool’s changing room… but to the bottom of the west staircase.

Standing there for a while, Kaita eventually showed up.

“Sorry to keep you waiting.”

“I knew you had club activities, so don’t worry about it. Has Koido already left?”

“It seems like it. Arahira senpai was looking for her… What’s that you’re holding?”

“Hm? Oh, it’s strawberry milk. I thought I’d try to lure Koido with it.”

“Does she like that kind of stuff?”

“Doesn’t she drink it when she’s with the soccer club?”

“At least I’ve never seen her do it. I think she drinks a lot of water. Besides, it’s pretty rare for someone in a sports club like ours to drink that kind of drink anyway.”

“That’s true. But we shouldn’t be talking about this now. Let’s hurry up and go.”

“Yeah.”

Kaita didn’t seem to know where Koido and I were supposed to meet, so I ended up guiding him to the pool’s changing room.

“Huh, it’s not locked.”

“Surprisingly not.”

“…Hey, Seko. Could you let me have that strawberry milk? Of course, I’ll pay for it.”

“I don’t need the money, but why?”

“It seems like she’s still wary of me. I thought I’d try to earn some goodwill.”

“Looks like the handsome guy is saying nonsense.”

“Indeed, it’s relatively easier to gain trust if you have a good-looking face, but there are other things that are more important.”

“He’s actually saying his own face is good-looking…”

“Being aware of it is important. Well then, I’ll be going ahead.”

Even when faced with sarcasm, he smoothly dodges it, making me realize once again that this guy truly lives as a handsome man.

Kaita knocks on the locker room door, then slowly opens it and steps inside.

“Senpai—eh? Why is Kaita senpai here?”

Though I cannot see him, I can hear Koido’s voice from inside, speaking with a clear sense of distance.

“I told you yesterday that I wanted to help Seko. You like this, right? Would you accept it?”

“…I don’t need it. I don’t particularly like strawberry milk.”

“What? That’s what she said, Seko.”

“S-senpai!?”

A startling revelation flew into my ears, so I couldn’t help but lean in and join the conversation.

Upon seeing me, Koido’s eyes widened in surprise.

“No way… sorry. I always thought Koido liked strawberry milk, so that’s all I’ve been buying. My bad.”

“Eh, ah, no, that’s not it! I mean, I really do like the strawberry milk that senpai buys for me!”

“Really? By the way, the one that Kaita is holding was originally bought by me.”

“Ehh!? Then I’ll take it!”

Saying that, Koido took the strawberry milk that she had been refusing until now, inserted the straw, and began to drink.

“Phew. As expected, the strawberry milk bought by senpai is delicious!”

“Really? You’re not forcing yourself? You don’t have to go along with my shitty taste, you know?”

“I’m serious! So please don’t be so negative—Senpai, I want you to keep buying lots for me in the future!”

“Ever thought about buying them yourself?”

“Nope!”

“…Sigh. Well, okay then.”

As I resigned myself to continue living as Koido’s dedicated strawberry milk wallet, I could hear Kaita’s laughter.

“Ahahaha. Koido, you’re like this in front of Seko?”

“Ugh… I completely forgot that Kaita senpai was here…”

“Haha. Well-well, I never knew our little angel was like this. I wonder what the others would think if they saw──”

“Kaita senpai. You absolutely must not tell anyone else about this, okay?”

“Oh. Ah, yes.”

“Also, please leave the room right now. I have something important to discuss with senpai.”

“Okay, got it.”

“Ah, but please don’t go home. I want to talk with Kaita senpai for a while too.”

“…Understood.”

Completely intimidated, Kaita followed Koido’s instructions and left the changing room.

However, he probably hadn’t gone far since Koido had mentioned that there was more to talk about later.

“Senpai.”

After watching Kaita’s back as he left, I turned toward Koido, and she was puffing her cheeks and glaring at me.

“Why did you bring that person along?”

“I was told to bring him along.”

“Weren’t you taught not to bring strangers home?!”

“Kaita isn’t a stranger, and if you’re going to say that, it should be ‘don’t follow strangers.’ Besides Koido, you only act like this in front of me huh?”

“Uhh…. That is… well, I thought maybe Senpai would overlook me even if I was like this.”

“I see, I’ve been underestimated from the start… Well, that makes sense… I was emotionally gutted right from our first meeting… It’s only natural to be underestimated…”

“Come on, cheer up, senpai! It’s really for you, you know—I thought maybe you’d be happier this way.”

“Really?”

“…Seriously.”

“I knew it, Koido is an amazing junior.”

“Heheh. That’s right-that’s right! After all, I am senpai’s junior!”

This is the usual vibe.

I’ve definitely been saved by Koido’s attitude time and time again.

But I wonder if she did it all ‘just’ for my sake.

“Thanks Koido. For doing it for me.”

“…Senpai?”

“But it’s okay now. I’m sorry for pushing you too hard.”

“…What do you mean by pushing?”

“You were forcing yourself to act all cheerful, right? I’m sorry I didn’t realize it.”

“…Senpai. Are you serious?”

“…”

“It’s true that maybe my true self isn’t actually like this, but I’ve never once thought it was painful or hard to talk with you, Senpai. On the contrary, it’s fun. I always think about how I want to talk more with you, Senpai, or wonder if we’ll meet again tomorrow. In front of you, Senpai, my true self is just me. So, that’s why——”

Koido grips my hand with both of hers, looking straight into my eyes as she says—

“You don’t have to stay away from me, Senpai!”

She said that with a slight tear in her eye, and before I knew it, I stroked her head.

“U-um, senpai…”

Koido shows a puzzled look, her face turning a little red.

“Sorry, Koido. That last part was half-joking.”

“W-what’s that! And what do you mean by ‘half’!? Does that mean the other half is serious!?”

“I guess so. I was despairing a little, thinking that I was making Koido work too hard.”

“You don’t have to think so at all! I’m not forcing myself one bit! In fact, I, uh… like spending time with senpai!”

“Thanks Koido.”

“Ugh, if you’re going to pat me, be gentler please—but somehow, I’m also happy like this.”

As I mess up Koido’s hair a bit roughly, she narrows her eyes pleasantly while still complaining.

“Well, anyway. There’s something I wanted to check on.”

“What’s that? I mean, apart from whether I’m pushing myself too hard… Ah, I see what you mean.”

“As expected of Koido, you noticed… Sorry. I just wanted to test Koido. To make sure you’re not really a spy for Arahira. Koido is an important junior to me; so I said such a mean thing to confirm that. I’m really sorry!”

“…Geez, senpai, it can’t be helped… As if something like that would make me angry at you, senpai.”

Koido smiles mischievously, but her eyes were filled with kindness.

“It’s true that I am a spy, but it’s actually the other way around. I was infiltrating the soccer club as your spy.”

I couldn’t help but smile seeing Koido make such a statement with a smug face.

“I kind of knew that.”

“Ehhh. I’ve been hiding it until now because I wanted to see senpai surprised, so please be surprised! But it also means you believe in me, and that’s good too!”

“How can I not believe my precious junior?”

“Whoa, that’s dangerous. That made me a little bit nervous.”

“Don’t fall for me.”

“That’s not gonna happen.”

“That’s a relief.”

“I feel complicated when I heard that… ehehe.”

Seeing Koido’s shy smile, I couldn’t help but find her adorable and gave her head a generous pat.

A protest of ‘Be more gentle, please!’ arose, but I continued without minding it.

“But senpai, didn’t you really suspect me just a little?”

“That wasn’t me. It was another me who sleeps inside of me.”

“Stop making such bad excuses! And don’t use that setting, it overlaps with my character!”

“What, Koido, was that your character setting? It’s about time you graduated from your chuunibyou phase.”

“Geez, senpai is the one who started it! It’s not true at all!”

Just as the joking was heating up, Kaita appeared with veins popping on his forehead and said, ‘Umm, are you still not done talking?’

That made us calm down and share our reports.

Thanks to Koido’s spy activities, I confirmed that we had gathered enough evidence, including the proof she obtained. So it was decided that we would go to Matsui-sensei’s place first thing tomorrow morning.

As promised, I went outside this time so Koido and Kaita could start their discussion.

I thought about going home first because it was already dark outside, but I decided to wait as I figured I should at least see Koido off to the station.

Their discussion ended in less than ten minutes, and Koido came out of the changing room saying, ‘Sorry to keep you waiting!’ Kaita came out shortly after.

Then, when I offered to walk Koido to the station, she quickly replied, ‘Please do!’

It seems Kaita was going home separately.

On the way back to the station I asked Koido.

“How much did you tell Kaita?”

“I didn’t go into too much detail. It wouldn’t be right for me to talk on my own. I just casually mentioned that the rumors are actually false and that I’ve been gathering evidence to prove it, and I asked for a little bit of help.”

“Help? Is there still something else?”

“Yes. Well, you’ll understand by tomorrow! Anyway, it’s my lucky day that Senpai is sending me home!”

“I turned down an invitation to go home with Yosaki and Hinata, so I might get killed if they see me like this.”

“…That’s pretty bad, huh.”

“I don’t want to imagine that. Come on, let’s head back quickly.”

“You say that, yet you’re so kind to match your walking speed to mine, senpai!”

“Can you stop explaining every little bit of consideration I make for you? It makes it awkward for me!”

“Heheh, sorry, senpai!”

I sigh as Koido apologizes but shows no sign of remorse.

However, I don’t feel any anger watching her look so happy.