What If I Told Tomori-san, The Girl Who's Cold Only Towards Me, That I Knew Her Secret Account? - V2 Chapter 3.3

I Want to Hold You 3

(W-well, I’m not lying.)

It’s true that when a strong gust of wind caught me, Kagisaka-kun saw what was inside my skirt.

“What do you mean by that!?”

I’ve got her now!

There’s no way she can beat me in this argument!

However, it’s a secret that I’ve been fighting with Kagisaka-kun every day!

Wait, she’s going crazy… No, wait? More like half crying——

“I-I like him… I’m definitely the one who understands him the most…”

Half crying? No, she’s actually bawling!?

What should I do?

Even though I launched a preemptive attack, I can’t help but feel sorry for her…

“!?”

The intercom rang.

It seems like the owner of the smartphone has returned.

“Sorry! I’ll hang up now!”

“Ah, wait——”

After ending the call, I deactivates his phone.

I greet Kagisaka-kun again at the entrance.

“Welcome back.”

“? … uh, what’s going on?”

“What?”

“Your face looks tense.”

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

I can’t exactly tell him that I was having a heated argument with his Otaku friend.

“Hey, Kagisaka-kun?”

After returning to my room, I ask, trying to suppress my nervousness.

“Is there something you’re hiding from me?”

The person you were talking to on the phone earlier seemed quite close to you.

Perhaps, she’s your girlfriend. If that’s the case…

“You’ve got a keen sense.”

“!”

“The truth is, there’s something important I need to tell you about, Tomori.”

” …ah.”

The tears that were about to overflow before the call threatened to spill again.

(…No, don’t cry.)

During the incident in May…

In the park at night, I ended up crying in front of Kagisaka-kun, and I didn’t want to show such an embarrassing side of myself anymore.

(That’s right. Even if Kagisaka-kun has a girlfriend…)

I should smile and congratulate him properly. That’s what I, his friend, should do.

“Tomori has many friends. I thought it might come out sooner or later even if I kept quiet.”

However…

The story he opened up about completely differed from what I had imagined.

#

Azusa Tomori’s room.

After picking up the forgotten smartphone earlier, I show the screen to Tomori.

” …!?”

Her adorable expression contorts with shock.

The accessed page on the smartphone is the infamous underground site’s bulletin board.

Yes, one of the reasons I came to her house today was to talk to Tomori about this bulletin board.

『Worst-case scenario.』

My prediction in the student council room was not wrong.

Azusa Tomori is too kind.

If she were to find out about the existence of this underground site, she would undoubtedly try to help me.

(If that happens, the situation will definitely escalate into a quagmire.)

People around me will be strongly aware that Kimitaka Kagisaka is very special to Azusa Tomori.

If things go wrong, Tomori might not be able to remain ‘Everyone’s friend.’

That would be troublesome.

『Azusa-chan is like the hero of this school, a white blood cell that rushes to the scene whenever there’s trouble to resolve the situation.』

Seira had said, but it’s easy to imagine what happens when a body loses the vital white blood cells that fight against viruses.

(The current Aisudepends heavily on a person named Azusa Tomori.)

Just like the planets in the solar system revolve around the sun, if ‘Everyone’s friend.’ were to disappear, the school would lose its momentum.

And…

“It’s going to be okay.”

As I expected, Tomori smiled to reassure me.

“I’m really sorry, Kagisaka-kun.”

” ….. “

Why are you apologizing? You don’t need to.

“My friends got you into trouble because of me. But I want you to understand it’s not your fault. The one at fault is me for not realizing everyone’s feelings.”

No way that’s true.

As always, you’re too kind.

“You see, it’s just online harassment for now, but if I leave it alone, it could escalate into real-life harassment. So, I’ll handle it somehow. Kagisaka-kun, you don’t need to do anything.”

It’s like a reliable, warm sun shining on me.

Now, I finally understand why Tomori got so many consultations.

With this perfect smile, anyone can’t help but want to rely on her.

I feel like leaning on you.

(But, I must never do that.)

What happened when so many people relied on Tomori unilaterally?

May.

Tomori, who was abducted to a karaoke room, was hit with a stun gun, forcibly stripped of her uniform, and almost assaulted by multiple men.

『…I’m sorry, Kagisaka-kun. I caused you trouble. I’m really sorry.』

Even after I rescued her, she kept apologizing with tears in her eyes, as if she bore all the responsibility.

That hoarse voice of my partner from that moment is still etched in my eardrums. That’s why——

“Don’t try to handle everything alone.”

I need to pour my feelings out to Tomori.

“Are you going back to how you were before we teamed up? Treat me more like your partner.”

” ….. “

“What happened to your usual sharpness? Remember what you said to me in class earlier about not being alone?”

“…”

“Lean on me a little.”

I urge her gently.

Surely, in Tomori’s mind, the feeling of solving things alone during the incidents still lingers.

People can’t change easily.

But—gradually, she can change.

“I’m not good at relying on others either.”

I had a hard time getting along with my family, ran away from home, distanced myself from my old friends, and avoided any connections with others at school.

Not creating connections with others.

That was Kimitaka Kagisaka’s rule.

(Of course, I thought confiding in classmates about my feelings was impossible.)

That’s why, now.

——I also need to take a step forward.

“There are two people who are bad at relying on others right here. That’s why let’s think of a way together.”

“But! That would be a bother to you——”

“You idiot. There’s no way it’d be a bother. I’m actually happy that I can be of help to you, Tomori.”

“!?”

Because I straightforwardly expressed my feelings, Tomori seemed unusually surprised.

(Oh, even I’m surprised.)

For me, who had rejected connections with others, to say such words… But——it’s all thanks to Tomori.

Thanks to her, I was able to change just a little bit.