“Wassup. Good morning, Souta.”

“……Good morning. You look very sleepy.”

Eiji opened his big mouth and yawned.

Makisaka Eiji.

He had a cheerful personality and for some reason he had interest in me. In a word, he is a very good friend.

I’ve known him since high school. ……We’re so close that I can say he is my best friend.

I can even say that thanks to him, I can get a girlfriend…..a fianceé.

“Well. Kirika didn’t let me sleep.”

“……I see.”

I averted my gaze at the slightly graphic words.

“Well, putting that aside. What were you guys doing over the weekend?”

“…Relaxing at home, I guess.”

“Hmmm. I see.”

This guy. He seems to have noticed something. But is it a good thing that I don’t deny it?

Now is a period of trial and error. With various things.

As I was making excuses to myself, Eiji said, [Ah] as if he had just remembered something.

“By the way, didn’t you guys tell my sister about this? She was so surprised. You guys went beyond being in a relationship and became engaged.”

“Ah, I didn’t tell her that.”

“You should go out with her sometime. Maybe she’ll buy you a drink.”

I laughed at Eiji’s words and agreed with him.

“But really. You’re amazing in many ways.”

“What do you mean by “many ways”?”

“I mean, a lot of things.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Think, young man.”

“You’re the same age.”

While we are having this exchange, the bell rings. Homeroom begins.

[Let’s work hard today, Souta kun.]

There was such a notification on my smartphone.

“Yeah, let’s work hard for each other.]

Because of this. I can do my best today.

◆◆◆

[I finished early, so I’ll pick you up.]

I chuckle at those words.

“Hm, what? She’s coming to pick you up?”

“…..Don’t read the expression on my face.”

“Haha, my bad, my bad. But if you make that kind of face, it’s obvious.”

“Is that so?”

Eiji nodded while I was feeling complicated. I replied back to Nagi.

[I’ll be waiting for you.]

◆◆◆

“I also sent Kirika [♡ I wish you’d pick me up] and she replied, [I’ll go if you’ll buy me a parfait].”

“……You. Is that something that you do when you are chatting with Nishizawa?”

“Of course I’m joking.”

Eiji smiled as he headed for the school gate.

Then exactly. I saw a girl walking down the street.

Her hair is pure white like the color of the snow.

Her eyes are blue like the sea.

Her face was unique with a very beautiful expression.

It would be no exaggeration to say that she captures the eyes of everyone who sees her.

–Shinonome Nagi.

My girlfriend and fiancée. And the person to whom I pledged my future.

Looking at her. I thought about myself again.

Compared to Nagi,I have a plain appearance. …………No. Compared to Nagi, everyone else is the same.

The only thing I’m proud of is that I’m taller than her and I’ve gained enough muscle to carry her in my arms.

I, Minori Sota. Must keep trying to become a man worthy of her.

The girl with that has a somewhat mysterious and beautiful atmosphere. The moment she found me, her face broke into tears.

“Souta kun. I’m sorry to keep you waiting. I see you are here too, Makizaka san.”

“I just came here too.”

“Okay. It’s Souta’s pick-up.”

Eiji laughed and Nagi immediately took my hand with a small smile.

“Souta kun is always a big help to me.”

“…It seems like you’re really starting to look like Souta’s wife. Well, I mean, you seem to take care of Souta everytime.”

“I don’t remember being taken care of very much.”

It was when we were talking like this.

I saw a car on the right side of the road from the school gate.

A very expensive looking car. ……This one. It’s a famous luxury car. I’ve seen this emblem before.

At the same time, Nagi’s face scrunched up.

Nagi’s eyes were looking at the car—at the man in the passenger seat.

A man got out of the car. He was a man in his…..early 20’s.

I stepped in front of Nagi. Eiji was standing next to me.

“…Eiji.”

“Just in case.”

We exchanged a few words. I looked at him again.

“….It seems that I wasn’t welcome. Yeah, it’s surprising.”

A very refreshing man. Nice atmosphere and looks.

He was slender and tall, maybe 5’8″ or so.

I felt a terrible stirring in my chest.

“Minamikawa sama?”

I heard Nagi’s words from behind me. The man called “Minamikawa” looked at Nagi and smiled.

“Nice to meet you, I guess. I’m Minamikawa Yoto, the man who was rejected.”

At his words. Eiji and I immediately knew what he meant.

–He was the one who proposed to Nagi.

Eiji made his move before I did.

“…… Don’t get violent here. There are a lot of pedestrians on the street. I won’t let you kidnap those two.”

Eiji says this as he steps in front of me. There was a smartphone in his hand…..

A call was already made to the police.

“W-wait. Wait. It’s not like that. I’m not here out of spite.”

“…Like I trust you.”

“……Wait, Eiji.”

It was a completely one-sided view of him as an enemy.

Originally speaking, he is not so bad. I mean, this is our first meeting, so I don’t know his personality.

If anything, it is me who is to blame.

I was the one who broke everything and kidnapped Nagi.

“Don’t stop me, Souta. It’s too late after something happened.”

“It’s really not like that ! Look, then, driver ! Get away from me for a minute ! I don’t have anything suspicious on me ! See !?”

As if in a panic, the man –Minamikawa san raised his hand. He looks like a criminal who had been held at gunpoint by the police.

“I’m not here out of spite, really. I just came to tell you that you two are in danger.”

“Should I listen to you?”

“E-erm. From my point of view, you are my father’s business enemy, but I was treated so generously. I don’t want to treat you with impunity.”

“…….For the time being, why don’t we listen to the story?”

I held Nagi’s hand. Just in case.

“Souta. Don’t move away from Shinon for the time being–you know that, right?”

“I can’t let Nagi get into any danger. Thank you, Eiji.”

There is something about my response being lenient.

If you assume the worst, Eiji’s response is the best answer.

However, that worst-case scenario seemed to be a little different.

Calm down once. Minamikawa san let out a breath.

“Once again, I would like to introduce myself……but I think it would be better to start with the main topic.”

“…..Go ahead.”

Nagi nodded her head in agreement.

She looked at me and Nagi.

“Shinonome Nagi chan. And, Minori Souta kun. You two are being targeted…….by my associates.”

With a bitter face full of regret, he said so.