CH 76

Today, Rin is coming at me hard.

It’s like she’ s preparing for a jab and then a straight punch.

“By the way, Towa-kun, have you dated anyone?”

“——Goho!?”

I was surprised by Rin’s sudden question and coughed.

Oh, it hurts to get water in some weird places …….

I’m just saying, please don’t ask me those questions like you read my mind.

It’s bad for my heart. ……

…… But wait.

It’s possible that Rin is trying to ask a different question because of her incorrect wording,…….

Rin stroked my back gently as she said, “Are you okay?”

“I’m sorry. I asked you something out of the blue. ……”

“Well, it’s okay. …… What do you mean by dating? Like shopping or something?”

“No, more like a relationship.”

I coughed again and wiped my mouth with a tissue.

Then I looked at Rin, who was anxiously watching my expression.

“…… Why the sudden question?”

“I’ve been wondering about this for a while, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to ask you. ……”

What kind of opportunity is this?

I was about to make a comment, but I held back.

If this question wasn’t coming from Rin, it would sound like sarcasm.

“He’s not going to be here anyway, but it sounds interesting, so let’s hear it!” Making fun of me like that.

“You’re a little abrupt, aren’t you, Rin? Well, it’s okay.”

“So, how …… is it?”

Normally, when you ask about something you’re curious about, you get a rather intrigued and sparkling look on your face. ……

Now she looks at me with a mysterious expression.

She looks somewhat anxious and fidgety.

I scratch the back of my head.

“No.”

I answered in one word.

Rin’s tense face relaxes a little.　

However, her expression quickly returned to her usual poker face, as if she was bracing herself.

“Never?”

“Why the suspicious look in your eyes? You don’t question me, normally ……. I mean, if you’d seen me in person, you’d know I didn’t.”

“Is that so?”

“Why are you tilting your head ……? Why do you care so much about this topic?”

“Yes! I’m very curious!”

“Eh …”

“Please tell me all about it! I’ll answer if you ask me. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have. This is just a typical high school conversation!”

Wow, …….

The innocent, childlike expression on her face was startling.

I dropped my gaze and sighed, trying not to look at Rin’s face.

“Huh ……. If you say you’re curious about me, …… I’ll tell you about my disappointing history with women, and you’ll get nothing but pity and compassion. …… Seriously, there’s nothing there. ……”

The overwhelming sense of emptiness …….

Well, I don’t care about the love between men and women …….

“Is that so …… Surprising?”

“That sounds like sarcasm to me.”

“No, I mean it.”

Uh, ……. What the hell am I doing wrong?

Why does Rin have that ”please don’t say anything strange” look on her face?

“You’ve got more to talk about than me, Rin. Well, I don’t have to ask. ……”

She has been called the goddess of the school.

After all, there are many people who are attracted to her …….

There is no reason why she shouldn’t have received a confession or two.

It would not be surprising if some of them went out with her atleast once.

Of course, there are also relationships between men and women who like each other, but …….

There are even some people who, after being confessed, try it out like a sample, saying, “I don’t really like her, but she confessed, so I’ll go out with her just to see.”

I wish …… Rin wasn’t like that ……a little bit …… just a little bit.　

Just a little …….

“I’m like you, Towa-kun, I have none.”

“No, no, no. ……. You’ve at least had a confession, right?”

“Yes, I have, but I’ve never gone out with anyone.”

“That’s surprising. ……”

“I don’t know. I don’t like to go out with people I don’t know well. ……. And I wasn’t really interested in that kind of thing at all before.”

Rin emphasized the word “before” as if she wanted me to point out that part.

I looked up at the heavens and said, “People change, don’t they?”

Of course, I didn’t look at …… her.

But–

“So, you’ve not leaned on anyone like this, have you?”

“Only Towa-kun,” she muttered, leaning over my shoulder.　

She leaned her body against me as though she was pleading with me not to let her drift away.

As I became aware of Rin’s presence, my heart began to beat loudly and insistently, and my body began to heat up.

I’m tickled by her …… smooth hair.

“When I look at Towa-kun, …… I kind of want to squeeze him. It’s strange …….”

“I don’t think I have such a strange body structure. ……?”

“You do, sir. You’ re like a vacuum cleaner.”

“Is that a compliment, ……?”

“Of course.”

Rin smiles at me.

The more she looked at me with that charming expression, the more my heart began to race.

“So, Towa-kun, is it okay if I …… squeezed you from behind?”

As if to drive me crazy, Rin continued with her words.

Honestly, …… the destructive power is tremendous.

If I let my instincts get the better of me, I’m sure it will be easier.　But…….

“I refuse.”

I lowered the tone of my voice to keep as calm as possible and said.

“Huh. ……?”

I’m not sure if my response was unexpected, but Rin’s eyes blinked in disbelief.

“Well, aren’t you going to say, ‘Do as you please’, like you usually do?”

“‘I really can’t say that. Besides…”

“Besides…?”

“…… Sometimes people just want to fight back, you know?”

Rin’s cheeks puffed up at my words.

She looks like a child, not like a mature woman.

I glance sideways at her as if to complain.

The way she sulked was so cute that I almost laughed, but I held my mouth and tried not to look.

“Mmm ……. Towa-kun is so mean. ……”

Rin then grabbed my clothes and pulled me in a gesture to make her presence known.

I bet she’ s got an example expression on her face with her eyes watering. ……

Ah, …….

I couldn’t resist the force pulling my hair back.

Then, I poured the few remaining food into my mouth all at once.