Translator: RaidenTL
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Dazed...
Miyuki stared blankly at the star stickers on her ceiling. The whining buzz of a mosquito in her ear finally made her sit up with a start.
Letting her head loll forward like a zombie, she felt her senses slowly returning.
"....."
Matsuda… was gone.
Did he go downstairs?
Come to think of it, she vaguely remembered him saying something to her as she lay there, then flicking her lightly on the forehead…
Miyuki's fingers, which had been fiddling with the center of her forehead, suddenly moved to her lips.
"Ah…!"
The memory of her kiss with Matsuda came rushing back.
Thump! Thump!
Her heart, which had felt still, suddenly began to pound, and a hot blush spread across her face.
A faint minty scent lingered in her mouth.
Mouthwash… right, this was the taste of mouthwash.
She thought she'd smelled the distinct scent of mouthwash on him when they were talking, and when their lips met.
And then Matsuda's tongue came in and…
"Ugh…"
The soft, wet sensation as it gently licked her teeth.
Remembering it, Miyuki buried her face in her pillow, not knowing what to do with the overwhelming embarrassment.
In any case, it seemed the lingering scent of the mouthwash Matsuda had used was still in her mouth.
But mouthwash…
Could it be that he went to the bathroom before coming into the room to prepare for something like this?
Did he ask for a tour of the room with the intention of kissing her from the start?
'No…'
Matsuda was pretty good about brushing his teeth.
Even at school after lunch, he always made sure to do it unless he was pressed for time…
And hadn't she done the same, brushing her teeth while Matsuda was talking to her father in the living room?
Most people who care about hygiene brush their teeth after a meal.
So she shouldn't jump to conclusions.
Besides, hadn't she also had a premonition that something… intimate might happen today?
It wasn't right to blame Matsuda.
In fact, there were no grounds to blame him at all.
Why? Because she'd had plenty of chances to refuse, but she hadn't.
Of course, she had been scared.
She'd never kissed anyone before, so there was a vague sense of fear, and seeing Matsuda's serious expression had only amplified it.
That's why she had planned to tell him to stop if he came any closer.
But the moment Matsuda apologized with all his heart, she felt okay. Her heart started to pound, and she began to feel a sense of anticipation.
[I'm sorry, Miyuki.]
Recalling his apology, Miyuki pulled the pillow so tight it was hard to breathe.
His voice, already a low baritone, had dropped even lower, and it was incredibly pleasant to hear, calming her down.
It was strange.
How her emotions could change with just the sound of his voice.
But a question suddenly popped into her head.
I wonder… what did Matsuda feel when he kissed me?
Don't tell me he was disgusted by the taste of what I had for lunch?
"Aaaaaah…!"
Miyuki let out a muffled scream into the pillow, crossing her legs and kicking the bedsheets wildly.
She was terrified that Matsuda might have actually felt disgusted.
Even though she'd brushed her teeth… not much time had passed, so the aftertaste of the food must have still been there.
No, that's not right.
All she could taste from Matsuda was mouthwash.
So her mouth must have only tasted like toothpaste, too.
Just as Miyuki was trying to calm herself with that thought, she remembered that she had eaten a melon right before the kiss.
'Ah, right…! The melon…!'
Miyuki flinched and lifted her face from the pillow, her expression turning miserable.
If she ate melon right after brushing her teeth, the taste might have mixed with the remaining toothpaste to create a bizarre flavor.
If so, this was a complete… disaster.
'I'm going crazy…'
She felt pathetic for being so full of negative thoughts.
Exasperated, Miyuki unconsciously licked her lips, only to be startled by the taste of mint once again.
"Oh, come on…!"
She let out her frustration aloud, then sat cross-legged on the bed and gently closed her eyes.
Think positive thoughts.
Right, let's think about what it felt like to have my first kiss.
"....."
Miyuki's shoulders trembled slightly.
Her cheeks flushed as her body temperature shot up.
The corners of her mouth twitched into a smile, and she was too restless to sit still.
It was sweet.
Her pulse, now racing in a good way, confirmed this feeling.
But she felt it wasn't a proper kiss.
Probably because she was too flustered when it happened.
Maybe she needed to do it one more time with a clear head to know for sure…?
As Miyuki's face turned beet red while lost in various fantasies, a thought suddenly crossed her mind.
'What are we…?'
Looking back on the time she'd spent with Matsuda, their relationship was definitely not a normal one.
The fact that they'd even kissed suggested he had feelings for her…
But it didn't seem like they were officially dating either.
After all, Matsuda had never once told her that he liked her.
Usually, a couple starts dating after one person confesses.
Of course, some people naturally become a couple without any words, but those cases are rare. For most, a confession is essential.
Matsuda, who always speaks his mind, wouldn't be afraid to confess that he likes someone…
Is he confused about his own feelings?
Then again, she had never told Matsuda she liked him either…
But that didn't seem to be the only issue.
The first problem that came to mind was how they addressed each other.
She called Tetsuya by his first name, but she called Matsuda by his last name.
Matsuda, having seen this, might have concluded that they weren't close enough yet.
'Or is he just playing with me…?'
Matsuda was tall and handsome, so he must have been with many girls.
Even though he had improved a lot, it wasn't impossible that he, having lived a promiscuous life, thought of her as just a way to kill time.
"....."
It was a plausible scenario, and the thought made her feel miserable.
Let's not get carried away with such delusions.
In any case, just as you need to cast the bait properly to get a bite, the problem seemed to be her own ambiguous attitude.
For now, she was supposed to hang out with Matsuda today, so she would watch his reactions while they were together.
And if his reaction was good…
If it was good…
'Ugh, I don't know…! Let's just go…!'
Click…
Miyuki was shaking her head to clear her chaotic thoughts and about to get off the bed when the soft sound of a hinge turning made her jump and scream.
"Kyaaaaaah!!"
At that, Kana, who had been trying to sneak in like a thief, shrieked in surprise.
"Aaaah!! What!? What is it!?"
Realizing the person in front of her was her older sister, Miyuki snapped.
"Jeez, sis! Why do you come in without knocking?!"
"Well… I thought you were sleeping…"
"Sleeping…? At this hour…?"
"Yeah. Matsuda-kun said so. He said you looked tired, so he came down alone."
"Ah…"
So he left because she had just stared blankly at the ceiling after the kiss.
That must be why he flicked her forehead. Because she didn't respond when he spoke to her.
Calming her startled heart, Miyuki asked.
"Where's Matsuda-kun? Is he talking with Dad?"
"No, he left."
"What…? Why…?"
Miyuki was dumbfounded.
Kana looked at her like she was crazy and replied.
"What do you mean, why? He stayed for another hour after coming downstairs. It's about time he went home."
An hour…?
Had that much time already passed?
Had she been so dazed that she'd lost track of time, so out of it that she hadn't even heard a car start?
This was insane.
'But how could he just leave like that…!'
They were supposed to hang out…! Wasn't that a bit much?
Of course, he was probably being considerate after seeing her state… but she had to confront him about it.
Though she wasn't sure if she could.
Miyuki let out a deep sigh and asked.
"Why are you here, sis…?"
"To borrow a book. You know that novel I was reading the other day?"
"It's there. On the left corner of the bookshelf."
"I'm taking it, okay?"
"Yeah."
"I'll text Matsuda-kun that you're awake. He was really worried."
"Okay…"
As Miyuki answered weakly and was about to lie back down on the bed, a thought flashed through her mind, and she snapped her head up.
"Text him…? How can you text Matsuda-kun?"
"Oh… I got his number."
Kana waved her phone proudly.
The muscles in Miyuki's face twisted into a bizarre expression.
"Why would you get Matsuda-kun's number?"
She had no idea what was going on. Not a single clue.
Seeing Miyuki's eyes widen to twice their size, Kana said.
"He was cool at the beach. He's proactive, polite… so I got his number to get in touch."
She's interested in him?
What is this ridiculous situation?
Miyuki, who had been standing with her mouth agape, snapped back to her senses.
"But, sis, Matsuda-kun is the exact type you hate…? He has no manners… he's selfish…"
"He seemed very polite to me. And he listens well… Didn't you see how he was with Mom and Dad today?"
"That's… that's because he was in front of adults…! To me, he's always… sarcastic… and teases me all the time…"
Why were these criticisms of Matsuda spilling from her own mouth?
Why was she trying to paint a negative image of him for her sister?
What was she so afraid of?
This made her look so pathetic and manipulative.
She could die from her own foolishness.
"He's just joking around. Then again, you take everything so seriously, you might have taken it to heart."
Even though she'd spoken with such conviction, it wasn't having any effect.
This was pointless… and just made her feel sorry for Matsuda.
Her heart was in turmoil.
It felt like it was aching, but also like she was getting angry.
'Why did he have to give her his number…!'
"Anyway, thanks for the book. I'll enjoy it."
As Miyuki was grumbling about Matsuda internally, she heard Kana's words and shot out her hand.
"....Come to think of it, I was going to read that. Give it back."
Miyuki was being difficult out of displeasure.
Kana's expression filled with disbelief.
"What are you talking about…? Who gives something and then takes it back?"
"I haven't given it to you yet. I was going to lend it to you."
"Why are you being so childish…? Are you a kid?"
"Just give it to me."
"You're not going to read it right now."
"I am going to read it right now. I'm bored."
Kana let out a disbelieving laugh and tossed the book in front of Miyuki.
"There, happy?"
Miyuki picked up the book, opened it to the first page, and replied without even looking at Kana.
"Yeah. Now get out. I need to concentrate."
"Jeez… I can't believe this…"
After Kana left, grumbling, Miyuki tossed the book onto the pillow and flopped onto her back.
She was furious.
One minute he's setting the mood and kissing her…
And the next, when Kana asks for his number, he happily gives it to her?
Does he like any girl who shows interest?
Is that it, you idiot Matsuda?
In Matsuda's mind, was a kiss such a casual thing you could do with anyone?
Old habits die hard, huh?
So it was true? He was just playing with me?
Her insides were boiling.
Frankly, the only reason Kana showed interest in Matsuda was because of the way he'd been acting.
If Matsuda had been as arrogant as he used to be, Kana would never have asked for his number.
No, he wouldn't have even been able to meet her family in the first place.
And he doesn't even know who he has to thank for that change…
"This is unbelievable, seriously…!"
Her head was telling her to hear his side of the story first, but her heart was telling her not to forgive him.
And right now, Miyuki was siding with her heart.
Her face scrunched in anger, Miyuki immediately grabbed her phone.
As she was about to storm out of the house, she paused, her eyes landing on the book next to her pillow.
"....."
She couldn't shake the guilt of having thrown a tantrum over a book she didn't even want to read.
In the end, she placed the book in front of Kana's door, knocked a couple of times, and only then did she leave the house.