The hallway near the club room is known as the best place for confessions. That day I lay on the couch. The window was open, so I could hear the voices of all the students around me.
-I’m sorry for calling you out of the blue. Did I disturb you?
The boy was a third-year member of the basketball team. He was a very flamboyant person and attracted everyone’s attention.
-I don’t mean to be rude, but…
Hayasaka-san’s voice sounds a little scared. It’s the fourth time a boy has confessed his love to Hayasaka-san in this hallway. I understand.
-Don’t be nervous. I mean, I’m the one who is. Do you know what I’m trying to do?
-Maybe.
-Does this happen to you a lot?
-Yes, occasionally.
-I can see that.
From the atmosphere in the air, he knew that his confession would not succeed. But since he had come this far, he had no choice but to do it.
-I’ve been in love with you for a long time. I’d like to ask you to go out with me.
-I’m sorry. But I can’t.
-Do you already have a boyfriend?
After a pause, Hayasaka-san replied with a weak voice.
-Not yet.
Good answer, you shouldn’t say that you have a boyfriend. If you do and Yanagi-senpai finds out, you’ll be in trouble.
-So there’s someone else you like?
Then the footsteps of someone running away may be heard.
-Is it over already?
Maki, who was lying on the sofa on the other side of the room, asked about the situation outside.
-You shouldn’t get up yet.
Apart from Hayasaka-san, who ran away, there is only one other person left. Heartbroken students hang out in the hallway for a while.
Once, I hurried to sit up and our gazes met, which was awkward.
-It is not easy to be a pretty girl.
Maki says.
-Hayasaka-san has been having a hard time lately.
-Have you heard anything about that, Maki?
-Well…
This guy is the president of the student council, but he’s dating a teacher. Miki-chan, the English teacher.
She’s a sophomore and has a nice character. She doesn’t talk to Maki much, but judging by the fact that Maki doesn’t show any interest in the other girls, they must get along well.
And Miki-chan is a very approachable teacher and many girls often come to her for advice.
-Someone seems to have stolen her gym clothes, and she’s also been receiving a lot of creepy love letters.
-Creepy love letters?
-They have no name and the sender is unknown. And then they write the next day asking for an answer.
This is a little scary.
-Even a guy in the same high school uniform followed her home.
-So that’s what happened to Hayasaka-san. I hope she’s okay.
-Well, it didn’t seem to bother her that much.
Maki said and continued to talk.
-When something like this happens to pretty girls, they feel like “here we go again”. I think she’s been experiencing it since she was very young, like it’s a routine occurrence.
-I see.
-Hayasaka is shy and reserved, right? So I guess she’s had a lot of trouble with it in the past. She is always courted by strange men and adored by girls.
-Sounds likely.
I say to myself as I get up from the couch. Surely there’s no one else in the hallway. But when I looked out the window, our eyes met.
To my surprise, it was Hayasaka-san who had stayed behind.
When she noticed me, she spoke to me in signals.
“Can I come in now?”
I guess she thought I was alone. Then she mischievously made a heart symbol on her chest with her hand. That was a terrible mistake.
-What does that mean?
Maki, who had gotten up from the sofa, looked at me and Hayasaka alternately and said.
-You two aren’t just friends, are you? She’s not the Hayasaka I know. Her expression with you is very different from the one I see every day.
She gently covered her face with her hands. I could almost hear her saying, “Forget everything you just saw.
*****
-I am sorry.
Hayasaka-san covered her face with her hands. She had come to the club to talk to me. I had tried to clear up the misunderstanding, but it was in vain.
-It must have been embarrassing for Kirishima-kun to be seen by Maki-kun.
-Just a little.
“I’ll talk to you later,” Maki said smiling as he left the room.
-I wanted Kirishima-kun to feel embarrassed. I’m sorry.
-It’s okay, I don’t mind.
-Really?
The space between her fingers slowly opens and she looks at me between them.
-You’re not upset?
-No, it’s fine.
When I said that, Hayasaka-san finally lowered her hands.
-Maki-kun will ask you if we’re going out.
I don’t think so. He’s a surprisingly reserved guy when it comes to such things, and Hayasaka-san seems to have calmed down. She looks around the room curiously.
-So, this is the Research Club room. It’s very cozy.
-It used to be a drawing room.
-How are things going with Tachibana-san?
-Very complicated.
-Sorry, I should have known. You follow her boyfriend on social media, don’t you, Kirishima-kun?
-It is my daily routine.
-It’s definitely not good for your mental health.
-I’ve become so tolerant that I don’t care. I don’t feel like I have to look at social media once a day and grit my teeth. I want to feel the frustration tomorrow and the next day.
-You look like you’re serious.
Hayasaka-san laughs at these words.
-And you know what they do?
-Yes, Tachibana-san is studying with her boyfriend.
For the past few days, Tachibana-san has been studying for her exams with her boyfriend in the library.
Pictures were often posted on her boyfriend’s social network. She would appear writing in her notebook or reading a book. And we haven’t seen each other since, mostly because the clubs are closed during exam weeks.
-I thought Kirishima-kun would be the one to help her study. Because Kirishima-kun’s grades are better than mine.
-I thought so too, but you can’t compare me to her studying with her boyfriend.
And I don’t know why I say he’s her boyfriend anymore. As it is, he’s her fiancé. The fact that she’s getting married after graduation makes her completely unattainable.
-Kirishima-kun, you’re completely out of touch.
-Sorry, I know I should be happy because I’m with you.
-No, I know you’re probably depressed, so I wanted to cheer you up. I want you to know that you can always count on me. Or am I not good enough?
-No, you’re wrong. I like you a lot, Hayasaka-san.
As soon as I said that, she got up from the sofa she was sitting on and sat down next to me. She raised her index finger and looked at me expectantly.
-Kirishima-kun, say it again.
—…I like you very much, Hayasaka-san.
The next moment, Hayasaka-san took me in her arms and pressed her body against mine tighter than ever.
She pulls her legs together as well as her upper body. I can’t help but notice how short her skirt is.
-Hayasaka-san, what are you doing?
-Trying to cheer you up, Kirishima-kun. Isn’t it hard for you to see Tachibana-san so close to her boyfriend?
-We’re at school.
-I like touching you, Kirishima-kun. When you came to visit me the day I was sick, and you crawled into bed with me, I was so happy to have you close to me and to be able to touch your whole body, just as you touched all of mine.
-Remember when we made that rule about not doing anything extreme?
-I don’t think I have a bad body. A lot of guys look at me in a lewd way. The guy who confessed to me earlier also looked at my breasts a lot.
-Hayasaka-san, are you listening to me?
Despite my warnings, Hayasaka-san didn’t stop.
-So I think I can make Kirishima-kun happy. I think I can make him happy with my body.
-Hayasaka-san, you may not have noticed, but you’re saying some pretty annoying things!
-I don’t like other people looking at me like that, but when it’s Kirishima-kun, it doesn’t bother me at all.
She grabbed my hand and tried to put it between her white thighs that stuck out of her skirt.
-W-Wait…
-What? Why won’t you touch me, Kirishima-kun?
-No, no, no, you’re going too fast. What’s wrong with you?
When I said that, Hayasaka-san made a sad face and asked: “Too fast?” After a moment, she nodded her head and said, “I see, that’s right.
-I think we should start with this, I really like it too.
Then she closed her eyes, turned to me, and lifted her chin. She’s clearly expecting a kiss. What’s wrong with her?
Just because I told her that I like her, she’s so wild. There could be a reason… Anyway, I have to do it.
-Hayasaka-san, I think you’re still unaware of the situation.
I pointed to the window without curtains, this room is in view of the hallway. And at that moment, Maki was there, waving at us.
Silently, Hayasaka-san covered her face with her hands again.
-I won’t do that in school again. I don’t want Tachibana-san to see me here. I don’t want to do anything that might cause trouble for Kirishima-kun.
Hayasaka-san seemed to have regained her composure this time. And this time, Maki-san left as well.
I helped Hayasaka-san to sit on the sofa and made him a cup of coffee, although I wasn’t sure if he would drink it.
-What happened to you all of a sudden? You’re not like that.
When I said that, Hayasaka-san looked away awkwardly and said,
-Lately, I’ve felt that Kirishima-kun has been avoiding me.
-I don’t mean that.
-Even though the club was closed for exams, we haven’t seen each other all week.
-I’m sorry, I’ve been busy studying for finals. ….
-You’re right. We shouldn’t neglect our studies.
But her words didn’t stop there, Hayasaka-san blushed and continued.
-I felt insecure, and when you told me that you liked me, I was so happy that I couldn’t control my feelings. I’m sorry for being so heavy.
She took a pencil from my pencil case on the coffee table and began to touch it.
-Can I ask you something that has been bothering me for a long time?
-Sure.
-Kirishima-kun, why do you bring so many pens?
-I guess it’s a habit I’ve had since elementary school. It doesn’t mean anything special.
I bring twelve sharpened pencils to class every day.
-I really like that. Kirishima-kun’s pencils.
-Then I’ll give you two.
-Will you? Thank you.
Hayasaka-san held a pencil in each hand and smiled happily. It was such a beautiful scene that if it had been a commercial, it would probably have increased pencil sales by 20%.
After that, Hayasaka-san asked me a lot of questions. How and where did I buy my glasses? Why do I always wear a tie, even in the summer?
-Honestly, I don’t know much about boys, so I’m curious.
-Just ask. If it’s Hayasaka-san, I’m sure everyone wants to please her.
-But I don’t know how to talk to anyone but Kirishima-kun. I don’t know when to talk to them, and when I’m with them, all I can do is nod my head.
That’s true. Hayasaka-san attracts a lot of attention, but besides being cute, she’s also clumsy.
-And I can’t feel free to talk to a guy either. Then everyone starts saying things like, “Do you like him? Are you going out with him?
-Do you think you’ll be misunderstood and get into trouble?
Hayasaka-san smiled slightly as she said, “Probably.
-Have you had any problems with that lately?
-Not really, it’s the same old confessions, but I’m used to it by now.
-I see, so no missing gym clothes, no nameless love letters in your shoe locker, no boys following you home… Seems reasonable.
-Huh?
Hayasaka-san is surprised and freezes for a moment.
-Kirishima-kun, did you know?
-Yes, I’m sorry. I’ve just heard this information.
-Don’t worry about it. Actually, it’s been a long time since I received love letters, and I’m trying to go home with some friends. So everything is fine.
-How often has this happened?
-Since a while ago. And when I was in high school, it happened a lot. Do you think it will stop if I say I have a boyfriend? Then he wouldn’t bother me so much.
But suddenly, after these words, she started to shake her head.
-It’s not like I want to reveal my relationship with Kirishima-kun or anything. If I do, it’ll be hard for Kirishima-kun to get close to Tachibana-san.
-And you shouldn’t say that you have a boyfriend either. Even if your favorite person is from another school, you never know who they’re related to.
-Yeah, you’re right. Well, I’d better get back to class.
She got up from the sofa while saying those words, but suddenly called back to me.
-Hey, Kirishima-kun.
-What is it?
-I… I’m your girlfriend, right?
-Yes, you don’t have to ask again.
Hayasaka-san smiled with a satisfied “hehehe” and left the club room. Once alone, I scratched my head. So she’s worried that I’m avoiding her.
I think it might be time for us to spend more time together, especially now that the club is inactive due to exams.
To be honest, I lied about being busy studying for exams.
I put my hand in my pocket and took out some letters. Hayasaka-san said that she hadn’t received any love letters for a long time.
For the past few days, I’ve been collecting them to keep them out of Hayasaka-san’s sight.
Even Maki-san said that she didn’t seem to be upset by what happened, but that’s only because I’m very careful and patient. I’m trying to protect her from whatever might happen to her, even though I’m very afraid of getting into trouble.
Hayasaka-san is the kind of girl who is weak and tends to put too much pressure on herself. So I want to get rid of the person who is bullying her.
*****
-What? Did you really know?
Maki exclaimed. We stood in the corner of the field during gym class.
-Yes. I still didn’t know about the sports clothes.
The girls played tennis. Hayasaka-san had an old-fashioned gym uniform that she borrowed from the infirmary.
I’ve often seen Hayasaka-san standing in front of her locker with a letter in her hand and a worried look on her face.
-By the way, I’m the one who chased her home.
-You, Kirishima? What do you mean?
-I watched her from a distance to make sure she wasn’t being followed.
-You didn’t seem to realize that you were the stalker.
-Really?
One time I saw her about to go into her house, but she suddenly turned around and I panicked. She didn’t see my face, but it made her think I was suspicious.
-So the problem that remains to be solved is, who has their gym clothes?
-Yes. And the culprit could be one of the active club members.
The only time you can put a letter in the locker is after school.
-It is finals week, but many students are still here to volunteer. We’re still here, too. It won’t be easy to find the culprit, will it?
-Actually, it will be easy.
I’m confident that we will find out soon. It’s just a matter of time.
-Really? I thought it would be hard to find the culprit. I thought it would be difficult to find the culprit.
-Mysteries are deliberately complicated to surprise the reader.
What happens in reality is much simpler.
-That is a big statement. So do you have any idea who did it?
-That is what the mystery is about. The culprit could be a teacher, a girl, or me, but that’s because it’s written to surprise. And this time, the culprit would be a boy.
-Kirishima, I think you’ve read a lot of mystery books.
-And what else did you think was going on in a mystery club?
-I thought the mystery was me, because I was a weird guy who fell into the abyss of jealousy. The guy who checks the social networks of the boyfriend of the special someone he’s in love with day and night while listening to the sound of the piano coming from the room next door.
-Well, you’re not so wrong.
I have three possible suspects. The first is Yamanaka-kun, from the manga club.
He’s the one who watches Hayasaka-san the most during gym class. His interest in gym clothes is obvious.
My second suspect is Ichiba-kun. Rumor has it that he got a zero on his midterm exam, even though he is supposed to be smart. He’s also a member of the soccer club. He talks loudly about playing with girls from other schools, but always looks sideways to see how Hayasaka-san reacts.
My third suspect is Nohara-senpai, from the badminton club. For a girl, her feelings and tastes are not that far from those of a boy. She is a third-year student and has confessed her feelings to Hayasaka-san twice, and has been rejected both times.
She still hasn’t accepted Hayasaka-san’s rejection. She comes to our class several times, pretending to be a second year, and keeps giving her longing looks. She’s the kind of girl who makes a drama out of everything.
The second time she confessed her feelings to him and was rejected again, she cried in front of everyone.
These three people want Hayasaka-san, and what they have in common is that they do not accept rejection. This is a very difficult problem to solve when you are in love with someone.
-So how do we identify the culprit from here?
-There is one more clue.
-The collected love letters?
We can use their handwriting to determine who is responsible.
-Can you ask Miki to give you a copy of the tests?
-Sure.
-That is a very reckless answer. If they find out, you’ll be in big trouble.
-Miki-chan will do whatever I tell her.
No doubt, that man says the most unbelievable things.
-Anyway, Kirishima, please tell me about your relationship with Hayasaka. You seem very protective of her.
-It is not something I usually talk about with other people.
-That’s okay. But it’s not fair since Kirishima is the only one who knows my secret with Miki.
-I guess I have no choice.
I went on to briefly explain my relationship with Hayasaka-san.
-Eeeeh… You guys are messed up.
Says Maki. Not the kind of thing you want to hear from someone who is dating a teacher.
-So you’re dating each other to fill the void.
-You could say that.
-That’s what you think in your head, but I don’t think it works that well.
Maki was skeptical of the 25% chance of heartbreak method.
-There is at least one serious flaw.
-What kind?
-The possibility of the lover becoming the main partner.
In other words, a radical change in the mutual feeling of wanting to take things further between Hayasaka-san and myself.
-If one of you deliberately makes the other one want to take the first place, it would result in one of you getting hurt.
What Maki-san says makes a lot of sense.
—I hope you won’t go to that extreme.
******
Class was over and I was standing in the club in front of a stack of papers.
I tried to match the love letters with the letters on the test, but most of the letters on the test paper are alphabetical.
Miki is an English teacher, so that’s no surprise. The name and translation are in Japanese, but there are too few letters to do a handwriting analysis. And we only have the second grade answer sheets, so third and first grade are out of reach.
It was a completely careless mistake that I could have solved with a little thought… …. Sighing, I put the two love letters I’d taken from the shoe locker on my desk and looked at them.
One compliments Hayasaka-san’s appearance and the other urges her to respond. It’s certainly creepy to ask for a reply without a name.
One of the love letters to Hayasaka-san asked her to show them her gym uniform. I looked at the letter in my hand and realized something.
The letters were written very carefully. That’s natural for a letter to a girl. That is, it’s different from normal handwriting.
I’ve heard that handwriting analysis is difficult, even for professionals, and there’s no way I could do it if I hadn’t been so observant in art class.
I wonder if there are other clues. But I’m not a nimble person, and once I’ve decided to solve the problem by handwriting analysis, it’s hard to use my head from there.
I could go to the three people I have narrowed down and tell them one by one that they are the culprits, hoping that one of them will confess. However, if I don’t have any proof, it will be very difficult to get away with it.
Miki-chan had asked us to return the exams in the afternoon, and the clock is ticking. Well, I guess it’s inevitable.
I gave up and decided to go home to sleep. That’s when I put the exam paper in the envelope to return it… But then I had an idea.
I left the club room. I went downstairs to the first floor.
I went to a room in the old school building on the other side of the club. I opened the door and went in.
There was a guy sitting at a desk. I walked behind him and put my hand on his shoulder.
-Can I have Hayasaka-san’s gym uniform back, please?
The boy turned his body to me and was silent for a moment, thinking about what to say.
-How did you know it was me?
-You didn’t give your name.
-I see, so that’s it.
The boy replied in a calm tone. I put the two letters on the table and say.
-You can’t do that. You have to put your name on everything that’s important.
******
Hayasaka-san is playing tennis. But she is hitting the ball awkwardly in the direction of her opponent.
She wipes the sweat from her forehead with her hand, her face glistening. The uniform she’s wearing this time is her own.
The culprit is Yamanaka-kun, a member of the Manga Club. He is careless and forgets to write his name on exams and in his love letters.
But to be precise, this letter is not a love letter….
The day I visited the manga club, I saw a tablet on Yamanaka’s desk. There was a character on it that looked a lot like Hayasaka-san. She was wearing a gym uniform and had just started drawing the scene.
-You mean you watched her all the time?
When I asked, Yamanaka-kun nodded.
-I couldn’t draw her well, and I wanted her to be my model.
-So you wrote her a letter and put it in her locker. But when she didn’t respond, you borrowed her gym clothes.
-Yes, it was very selfish of me and I did the wrong thing.
And it seems like the reason he’s doing this is because the end of the cheerleading competition is coming up and he has to turn in his work.
-I wanted it to be of the highest quality possible. But it wasn’t enough for me to wear the gym clothes, I wanted to see it up close, so I wrote another letter.
If you didn’t put your name on the letter, how did you expect me to respond?
-I knew I had to return the uniform. But when I left the school, I saw Kirishima-kun behind me, and I didn’t see a chance to be alone with her. I’m sorry,
-You should have been more direct with her and asked her what you wanted. And don’t praise her looks so much, it’s too creepy for girls.
Then Yamanaka-kun shuts up.
-Do you like Hayasaka-san?
-If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have made her the heroine of my manga.
He’s right about that.
-It’s not like I want her to be my girlfriend or anything. No, to be honest, if she had accepted my request to be my model, I probably would have told her my feelings. But now it’s different, it’s not something I intend to do.
Then he went on to tell me that he actually likes to observe everyone because he can interpret the environment and the people around him to create a good story.
-I could also tell that Hayasaka-san was always watching you, wherever you went. And Kirishima does all that for her. You know what that means, right?
-Hayasaka-san loves someone else.
-I know.
Yamanaka-kun was in the same high school as Hayasaka, and he overheard her talking to her friends about who she liked.
-There was a very popular boy in the year above me at another high school. And I think you know him because you went to the same school.
-Yes. It’s Yanagi-senpai, and she’s still in love with him.
-What does that have to do with anything? You love Hayasaka-san, don’t you?
Yamanaka-kun said something so unexpected that I couldn’t help but say, “What?” So he takes out his tablet and shows me a manga he’s working on.
-I tend to look into people’s eyes. They contain emotions. Even if I’m drawing the same character, I draw the eyes differently depending on the scene and the speaker.
-You are quite an artist.
-I am just a simple mangaka.
Yamanaka-kun draws a story in which the main character, a girl, has a love triangle with two boys. The girl is based on Hayasaka-san.
-One of the boys is the senpai the heroine admires. And the other one is just a classmate.
-So it’s a shoujo manga.
-Yes, I’ve liked them since I was a kid, thanks to my sister.
I understand that feeling, I also read a lot because of my sister.
-The heroine chooses her classmate at the end instead of her senpai. Why do you think that happens?
-In shojo manga, the classmates are stronger than the attractive and gentle senpai.
-I see that you are an educated man.
But Yamanaka’s reason for ending the story that way is different.
-Admiration is different from liking. It’s easy to confuse the two because they’re so similar. But the secret lies in people’s hearts. There are many positive feelings like admiration, desire for affection, and tenderness. But the pure feeling of love is much more special and different from all the others.
-You have a very sensitive understanding of emotions.
-Maybe. So I think Hayasaka-san’s feelings for her senpai are just admiration. One day she will realize that. It’s not the same as liking someone. That’s why, somewhere deep inside me, I couldn’t give up on Hayasaka-san. But recently I realized that the true love reflected in her eyes is for the person she looks at closely every day.
-Which is?
Then I ask another question.
-By the way, are you looking at my eyes?
-Do you want to know who you’re in love with?
-There are times when we don’t understand our feelings.
Yamanaka smiles at my words and says:
-I won’t tell you. I see in your eyes a little resistance of acceptance, not knowing that you are heartbroken. Kirishima-kun, you must be very confused.
—I see.
-Kirishima-kun, love is a cruel thing. I’ve been in love with Hayasaka-san since high school. I can’t think of anything else but her. There were nights when I had no choice but to keep drawing Hayasaka-san’s image in the back of my eyelids. But these feelings have nowhere to go and will end up with no reward.
-I have often thought of those many unrequited loves.
-Hayasaka-san is the special person of many people. And yet only one person likes you. When the people you love don’t like you, it’s also very cruel. I want Hayasaka-san’s feelings to be rewarded.
Yamanaka-kun then went back to his desk to work on his manga. He looked like he was going to cry, so I decided to leave the room.
-I hope you win the manga contest.
-Thank you.
After school, the library was empty. Tachibana-san’s boyfriend is absent from school, so there will be no lovers’ study session today.
I found a copy of Tosa’s diary on the shelf and spread it out on my desk. I have to catch up.
I write down the conjugations of the auxiliary verbs in my textbook. Then someone comes in. It’s Hayasaka-san. She sits down next to me with a slightly embarrassed look on her face.
-That’s where Tachibana-san’s friend always sits, right?
-From the pictures on social media, I’d say so.
-Did you pick it randomly?
-There is no news on social media today, so I decided to sit here and feel the frustration instead. So her boyfriend is always here, always looking at her profile… It’s a shame.
-You are beyond help.
Hayasaka-san laughs. She seemed to be in a good mood. Then, after a little hesitation, she moves her body toward me.
-I thought you said you wouldn’t do anything weird at school anymore.
-This is all Kirishima-kun’s fault!
-My fault?
-Yeah, it’s not fair for you to be so nice.
-I still don’t understand why.
-Forget it, I’m just being pushy… Just a little, just this once.
Hayasaka-san smiles. It looks like Yamanaka-kun told her everything.
-Hayasaka-san, from now on, if you have any problems, tell me directly.
-Yes. But even if I don’t tell you, Kirishima-kun will help me, right?
She rests her face on my chest.
-Hey, Hayasaka-san, what if someone sees us?
-That would be exciting.
No, no, no. This is bad, she has the personality of a bad girl.
-I’m sorry I asked you if I was your girlfriend the other day. It must have been a bit upsetting for you.
-It wasn’t that bad.
-I won’t do things that annoy you anymore. I’ll be a better friend from now on.
-You’re already a good friend.
-No, I always make Kirishima-kun worry about me, and you’re always careful about everything. So you can feel free to do whatever you want. Whenever you’re feeling down, I’ll be there to support you.
-I’m sorry, I don’t feel up to it.
-That’s okay. Because I’m Kirishima-kun’s girlfriend. I want to do what Kirishima-kun wants. I want to be the girl that Kirishima-kun wants. I want to do everything for you.
-Hayasaka-san?
-Tachibana-san could have been hugged by her boyfriend right there, right?
Just imagining that scene makes my heart ache.
-I want you to do the same for me. I want you to do the same thing that Tachibana-san’s boyfriend does to her. It’s nice of you to take care of me. But I’d rather be touched, even if it hurts a little, than to be displayed out of my reach.
Hayasaka-san seems to be very pleased that I have solved her problem. Her facial expressions and gestures show that she loves me.
It’s not often that I receive such unconditional love from someone. It’s like a miracle.
-Kirishima-kun, Kirishima-kun, Kirishima-kun, Kirishima-kun, Kirishima-kun, Kirishima-kun, Kirishima-kun, Kirishima-kun.
But isn’t that too much of an emotional accelerator? Hayasaka-san slowly grabs my wrist.
-I want Kirishima-kun to touch me.
She tries to put my hand on her chest and I quickly stop her.
-Hayasaka-san, wait a minute.
-Don’t you want to touch them?
I don’t know how to react to this situation. I feel very confused. I went through the same thing the other day.
-I don’t do things like that just because I feel like it.
Hayasaka-san says
-I know I’m the second one, but I want to be a real girlfriend too.
-Hayasaka-san is an exemplary friend.
-But if we weren’t lovers, we’d do a lot more.
-Yes, but… But you have to think about it. We are true lovers, but we are aware that we are each other’s number two. And you already have someone you love more than me, Hayasaka-san.
-Yes. But even if she’s number two, Kirishima-kun is fine. That’s how I feel. So I want you to touch me. I want Kirishima-kun to let me in more.
Before I knew it, Hayasaka-san had unbuttoned the second button of her blouse.
-I want to be a real friend too.
-Okay, but this is a library. There are a lot of windows.
-I don’t mind being seen. I want to show everyone how I feel about Kirishima-kun.
-If that happens, it will ruin Hayasaka-san’s image and there will be a big fuss.
-That’s fine. I’m not interested in people forcing that image on me. I didn’t like them from the beginning. Boys just want to do dirty things with me. And girls just want to have me as a pretty accessory by their side.
-Hayasaka-san?
-Everyone tries to make me into their image. Innocent, kind, but what is that? But not Kirishima-kun. Only Kirishima-kun is different.
-You need to calm down.
-Kirishima-kun really takes care of me. He cares about me, he helps me. That’s why I want to do something special with him.
-Hayasaka-san, listen to me.
-I want everyone else to leave. All that matters is Kirishima-kun and me.
Hayasaka-san, you’re very excited. I wonder if it’s a reaction to being suppressed. But the more your words and actions fall apart, the more beautiful your expression becomes. There is an unhealthy fascination in your empty eyes.
-Will you accept me as I am, Kirishima-kun? You will accept me, won’t you? This is who I am. I won’t let anyone touch me. But I want you to touch me, Kirishima-kun. Please come and touch me.
Hayasaka-san grabbed my hand and pulled it to her chest. I was completely caught up in Hayasaka-san’s flow and couldn’t say a word.
-I like you, Kirishima-kun.
And my hand is about to touch Hayasaka-san’s breast. “Huh?” I’m even more surprised. Because she tried to put my hand inside her blouse.
I can see the lace on her breast. And she tried to put her fingertips into the gap between the lace.
-Hayasaka-san!
It’s not a matter of touching or not touching. It’s about going further.
-I want to give it to Kirishima-kun. I’ll never give it to anyone else. But I want to give it all to you, Kirishima-kun. I want you to have it. You will have it, won’t you? Please take it.
The pressure is on. When a girl gets serious, a guy probably won’t be able to resist.
At this rate, my fingertips will reach into the hollow of her breast and touch something soft. Someone stops me. And just then I hear footsteps in the hallway.
The light returns to Hayasaka-san’s empty eyes. She seemed to come to her senses at the last moment.
We hurriedly separated, and at the same time, the door opened. The heavy footsteps stopped. The one who entered…
-The president.
It was Tachibana-san.
-What are you doing here?
She looked at me and Hayasaka-san alternately with a puzzled look and nodded her head. It was Hayasaka-san who responded immediately.
-We were just studying!
She’s acting surprisingly suspicious, but she’s back to her usual self.
-Tachibana-san should let Kirishima-kun help her study too! It’s easy to understand!
After saying this, she quickly buttoned her blouse and left the library. As she left, Hayasaka-san clasped her hands together on Tachibana-san’s back as if to say, “I’m sorry about before. And then, with a worried look, she held up two fingers at the same time and said, “I will only be your second friend.
So the storm passed, and Tachibana-san and I were left.
-What are you doing here, Tachibana-san?
-I have to study.
Tachibana-san replied with a sullen face. Then she sat down next to me with a frown on her face.
-I always do it in this place.
She spread out her study materials and silently passed the pencil to me. I’m going to start working on my homework, too. It’s a relief to have some peace and quiet again. Time flies by.
I’m sure Hayasaka-san got lost in the heat of the moment. For now, I’ll just try to calm down.
But Tachibana-san grabbed me by the collar after she solved two math problems.
-Why did you study with Hayasaka-san?
She said in an angry tone.
