Volume 3 - CH 11

After school, on the day Yuzuru and Arisa had a nice conversation on their cell phones.

Yuzuru was called to the rooftop by Ayaka and Chiharu.

“What do you want, Ayaka-chan, Chiharu-chan.?”

Did they come up with some kind of a prank?

Yuzuru asked them, thinking rather rudely.

“Can I ask you a straightforward question, Yuzurun.?”

“I don’t mind…”

“Yuzuru, do you like Arisa-chan after all?”

When Ayaka asked him that, Yuzuru felt his face heat up slightly.

Scratching his cheek in embarrassment, he looked away and replied.

“Well… that’s just as it looks.”

Objectively speaking, it is obvious that Yuzuru likes Arisa to a certain extent.

Of course, Yuzuru was aware of this.

“So you also know that Arisa-san likes Yuzuru-san?”

“… Well, I think it’s mutual.”

Yuzuru replied to Chiharu’s question.

The other day, although she was talking in her sleep, Arisa did indeed tell Yuzuru that she liked him.

There is no doubt that they have feelings for each other.

“Hmm~.”

“He~e…”

After hearing Yuzuru’s answer, Ayaka and Chiharu went like…

“You are being too distant, Yuzurun!”

“We’ve known each other since we were kids. You can consult with us, you know.!”

Smirking, Ayaka and Chiharu poked at him.

They wanted to make fun of him.

And that’s exactly why he wanted to keep it a secret from them.

“When did this happen? As I thought, your birthday present was Arisa-chan? Did you like her from then on?”

“Or did it start around the time at the pool? Did you spend Christmas together?”

“Oy!　Stop it!”

Yuzuru forcefully pulled Ayaka and Chiharu away from him.

Then he sighed.

“You guys will make fun of me …like that, right? …I didn’t want to tell you because of that only”

“I didn’t see you trying to hide it, though”

“If you’re embarrassed, why don’t you try being a little more discreet?”

“Yes, yes… It was my fault…”

When Yuzuru replied grimly, they both chuckled.

“Well, well, don’t be so sullen.”

“Have you told Soichiro-san and Ryozenji-san yet?”

“I did… As for the others, well, it would be bad to tell you guys and then hide it from Nagiri-san, so you can tell her… Just don’t tell anyone else.”

Yuzuru said, and they nodded widely.

“Naturally. We’re very tight-lipped.”

“We know what to say and what not to say.”

Whether being tight-lipped … is true or not, indeed, the two of them have never betrayed Yuzuru’s trust.

So it was safe to believe them here.

“So, why don’t you just confess?”

“Is it because you can’t make up your mind or something pathetic like that?　Or is it because you guys are practically lovers now?”

Yuzuru shook his head denying them.

“I’m going to confess …At the right time, in the right way. You see, Arisa told us before right? …that a romantic turn of events would be nice.”

Don’t tell me you forgot.

Yuzuru reminded Ayaka and Chiharu.

In any case, the reason he was able to find out about Arisa’s thoughts and feelings was that Ayaka gave her strange orders in the “King’s Game”.

“I see, as expected of Yuzurun… Completely different from certain someone from somewhere.”

“……”

“……”

Yuzuru and Chiharu, who had instantly guessed who the someone was, did not comment.

On the other hand, Ayaka seemed to have noticed the strange atmosphere and proceeded with the topic as if to cover it up.

“So there’s nothing we can do to help?”

“Well… Let’s see. If anything, assure Arisa that the reason… I don’t confess to her is not because I don’t like her, or because I’m indecisive, or anything like that… I’m sure she is impatient.”

If Yuzuru were in Arisa’s shoes, he would be worried as to why she hasn’t confessed to him.

Maybe she’s frustrated.

Yuzuru wanted to tell her how he felt about her, so it was not his intention for Arisa to tell him how she felt about him.

Besides, he doesn’t want Arisa to think he’s a pathetic man.

“That’s right. I’ll tell her that Yuzuru-san is a man who does things when he needs to.”

Chiharu replied.　

Then Ayaka, who seemed to have been thinking about something, opened her mouth.

“You know if Yuzuru and Arisa were to become romantically involved… What will you do at school?”

“Hm? No… Well, I guess we’ll continue to hide it as before. Arisa doesn’t want people to know…”

Arisa doesn’t have a crush on anyone, and she’s not supposed to be interested in relationships.

However, if she were to suddenly fall in love with Yuzuru, her “friends” would be displeased.

Arisa was concerned about that.

“But when you go out on a date or something, you’re bound to get caught sometime, right?”

“Once you become lovers, you don’t have to hide it, do you?”

“No… Well, that is true. But, you know, there was no connection between me and Arisa before, and then suddenly if we became lovers…”

That would mean that Arisa was hiding it intentionally. (As a matter of fact, she was hiding it intentionally…)

This can be a problem with others… as far as Arisa is concerned.

“Then, as long as it’s not too sudden, it’s fine, right? To be honest, I have an inkling of when Yuzuru plans to confess your feelings… So it’s fine if the distance between Yuzuru and Arisa at school is close by then. “

“It’s true, but …… what exactly are you going to do about it? …. I’ve never had a relationship with Arisa before, and I think it’s going to be abrupt to suddenly close the distance between us.”

There has to be some kind of natural trigger.

When Yuzuru said that, Ayaka put on a big smile on her face and puffed out her big chest.

“I’ll take care of that! I’ve got a great idea.”

“A great idea? What kind of idea is that?”

“It is, you see….”

“I see! As expected of Ayaka-san”

Ayaka and Chiharu left Yuzuru alone and got excited on their own.

As expected, being the one involved, Yuzuru can’t help but ask them about their “great idea”.

“What’s your plan?”

“That you see… You’ll find out tomorrow….”

“Think you’re in a big boat.”  (TN: It means that be assured that you have found someone to rely on or that you don’t have to worry about it)

Two childhood friends confidently stuck out their large breasts for their age.

Is this going to be okay?…

Yuzuru was filled with anxiety.

Then, the next morning.

“Good morning, Yuzuru-san. Here you go.”

“Ah, Arisa. Good morning… Thank you.”

Today, too, Arisa came to Yuzuru’s apartment to deliver his lunch.

Yuzuru thanked Arisa and received his lunch box.

Normally, he would give her the lunchbox he had washed, along with his opinion of its taste…

“Are you sure you’re not overdoing it? You can take the day off today too…Though, It would be kind of a weird way to put it.”

Since she was sick, he refrained from taking her lunch yesterday.

So today, there was no lunch box to return to Arisa.

Arisa, on the other hand, smiled, narrowing her eyes.

“I’m fine. In fact, I even wanted to make it yesterday… I enjoy making Yuzuru-san’s bento quite a bit, you know?”

“… Really? Well, that’s fine then.”

It is rude to forcefully refuse or deny the kindness of Arisa.

Thinking that Yuzuru withdrew without question.. and decided to reiterate something he had told her before…

“Anyway, it’s not my intention to push you too hard.”

“Yes, I know. I’ll do it within reason… I’ll send you a text message if I feel like it is too much trouble.”

Arisa said this in a joking atmosphere.

Yuzuru couldn’t help but smile as well.

“…then, I’ll be heading to school ahead of you.”

Arisa then turned on her heel.　

She looked a little regretful.

And Yuzuru felt the same way.

“You know what, Arisa?”

“What is it?”

Arisa stopped and looked back.

Her flaxen hair swayed softly.

“…Would it be difficult for us to go to school together?”

“Mornings are much more conspicuous than evenings…”

In the evenings and after school, students go home at different times, so the possibility of being spotted by classmates was relatively low.

In the morning, however, students tend to go to school at the same time (except for those who have morning practice for club activities, etc.), so it is inevitable that they will be seen.

“I see…”

“Yes… Sorry about that.”

“No, it’s okay. From my side as well, sorry about the weird stuff I said.”

Yuzuru watched the back of Arisa as she walked away. …

He was a little bit hopeful about Ayaka and Chiharu’s “great idea”.

And that day’s lunch break.

Yuzuru left his seat to have lunch with Soichiro and Hijiri today as well.

When he left the classroom and tried to meet with them…

“Yuzurun, let us join you today.”

In front of the classroom, Ayaka said that to Yuzuru.

And behind Ayaka, Chiharu waved her hand… to someone in the classroom and said,

“Since we are here anyway, why don’t you join us too Arisa-san?”