Translator: RaidenTL
I saw Tetsuya coming out of his house.
He was stuffing a piece of bread in his mouth. If he drops crumbs in my car, I'll kick his ass out.
As if he could read my mind, Tetsuya immediately crammed the rest of the bread into his mouth the moment he saw the car.
He reached for the back door, but then, as if remembering something, he stopped and opened the passenger door instead.
Click.
His face clouded with bewilderment.
"Uh... Miyuki? Isn't it my turn to sit in the passenger seat today?"
He remembered we'd agreed to take turns.
Miyuki answered with a bright smile.
"Matsuda-kun looked bored, so I just sat here."
"Oh, I see... Should we switch?"
"I don't think we need to. Hurry up and get in."
"Ah, okay. Matsuda, thanks for the ride again today."
Sensing something off about Miyuki, Tetsuya hesitated for a moment before getting in the back.
I grinned at the guy thanking me, baring my teeth.
"You bet."
Hey, Tetsuya. Miyuki's a little different, isn't she?
But that's just a taste of what's to come.
Soon, I'll make you sob in sorrow over losing your childhood friend.
The only thing you'll have left is that Hypnosis App.
Not that you'll ever get your hands on it since it doesn't exist, and even if you did, I'd take it from you immediately, www.
Still, that bastard is lucky.
No, more than lucky, he's blessed when it comes to women.
Both Renka and Hiyori end up liking him even when he's just minding his own business.
It's so damn unfair.
I have to run around like crazy to trigger events, but girls just seem to flock to that guy, who's clearly an inferior version of me.
I get it, this is the world of DokiAka, and Tetsuya is the standard rom-com protagonist, but still. My wish, my destiny, is to save all the heroines from his clutches.
That is the path to the happy ending.
My fighting spirit reignited for the day, I arrived at school and headed for the entrance with the two of them.
After changing into my indoor shoes, I was opening my locker in the first-year hallway to get my books when Miyuki spoke to me from behind in a quiet tone.
"Can't you organize your books a little? It looks so messy."
She was right. My books were just tossed into my locker haphazardly.
They weren't stacked neatly, so it took a moment to find the textbook for each subject.
With my class books in hand, I waved my arm dismissively.
"Hey, you should be glad I even keep my books here. Shouldn't you be praising me?"
"That's true, but... waiting... um..."
I think she was about to say, It's annoying to wait...
She's so shy.
I placed the locker key in her hand and said, "You can organize it for me during the break after second period."
"No way. Why should I?"
"We can do this much for each other. We're friends... right?"
I deliberately emphasized the word 'friend'. Miyuki flinched and took a half-step back.
She looked like she wanted to argue but couldn't find the words.
Chuckling, I gave her a light pat on the back and walked into the classroom.
"Hi, Matsuda-kun."
A classmate waved at me awkwardly.
She was the girl who had been eating bread at the main gate the other day and choked because of me.
What was her name again... Masako?
I guess now that we're acquainted, she feels she can greet me first.
Thanks. But I'm not going to pursue you.
Though if she were to spread her legs for me, I'd happily accept.
I gave a lazy wave back and greeted her.
"Hey, Bread Girl."
"B-Bread Girl...?"
"Did you choke on bread again today?"
"N-No... I was fine today."
"That's a relief. Keep up the good work."
"Ah, yeah... You too, Matsuda-kun."
I sat down and was having a pointless conversation with Tetsuya when I saw Miyuki walk in.
A little time had passed since we split up in the hallway. Did she actually organize my locker?
Judging by the affectionate glare she shot me for a moment, I think she did.
[Matsuda-kun, stay behind for a bit.]
[Why.]
[Just stay.]
After secretly reading Miyuki's message, I laid my head down on my desk.
Tetsuya tapped my shoulder lightly.
"Matsuda, it's time for P.E. We have to go to the changing room."
"I'm just gonna sleep for five minutes. You go on ahead."
"Really...? Okay. Don't be late."
"Yeah."
I heard the clamor of my classmates as they all left in a noisy crowd. A short while later, the classroom fell silent.
As I was pretending to be asleep, something tapped gently on the top of my head.
"Matsuda-kun."
It was Miyuki's finger.
I slowly sat up and looked around the classroom.
Looks like everyone went to the changing room.
I looked up at Miyuki, who had her hands on her hips, and asked, "Why'd you tell me to stay?"
"I have something to say."
"What is it?"
"Stop using the word 'friend' as an excuse to order your classmates around like your minions."
She seemed to be talking about what happened in the hallway.
I stood up from my seat and narrowed my eyes.
"Order them around? And 'classmates'? That's a hurtful thing to say."
"I-It's true...! At school, we're in the same grade... and I'm the class president..."
"Class president? Are you trying to pull rank on me right now? Drawing a line between us? You're really starting to hurt my feelings."
"That's not what I meant..."
"Then what did you mean?"
I stared down at her with a serious expression. After a moment of hesitation, she suddenly reached out and touched my bangs.
Her voice grew quiet as she picked a stray thread from my hair with her fingers.
"It's just... I felt frustrated for some reason..."
Miyuki confessed her true feelings while rolling the thread between her fingers.
With her head bowed low, she continued, "O-Of course, I know you asked me to organize your locker because you trust me..."
"You wanted to get back at me for what I did to you?"
"Not really... It's more like, I wanted to tease you while calling you out... but I didn't think you'd take it so seriously... I'm sorry..."
In other words, she tried to call me out playfully, but her acting was too convincing.
She totally had me fooled. And thank god for that.
I thought you were genuinely upset.
Shaking my head, I ruffled Miyuki's hair a bit roughly.
"Don't...!"
Miyuki let out a pouty complaint and fixed her hair.
After patting down the top and meticulously arranging her bangs, she started straightening the misaligned desks of our classmates.
Why does she even do stuff like that?
Is she just doing whatever she can think of because she feels awkward and doesn't want to just leave?
That's so like the kind-hearted Miyuki.
I walked over to Miyuki, who was adjusting a desk by the window, and placed both hands on it, trapping her.
Then, I shot her a smirk.
"Your acting seemed pretty genuine, though..."
"D-Don't be mistaken... There was nothing like that..."
"Fine, whatever. Just give me my locker key."
"You should say 'thank you' first..."
"Don't want to."
"Then I'm not giving it to you either. Good luck in your afternoon classes without your textbooks."
"I just won't go. I guess I'll have to skip class for the first time in a while."
Miyuki stared at me, dumbfounded by my casual reply.
After looking at me in silence for a few seconds, she asked, "Are you serious...?"
"If you're curious, you can test me."
A dry laugh escaped Miyuki's lips, as if she was at a loss for words.
After a few more of those, she changed the subject.
"Aren't you hot?"
When I tapped her sleeve and asked, she flinched in surprise and shot back a question.
"What do you mean?"
"Why are you already wearing long sleeves? Especially when you run so hot."
"...H-How do you know I run hot?"
"I know because I've touched you a lot."
"M-Matsuda-kun...!"
Miyuki snapped, her head whipping around to check our surroundings.
Even in the empty classroom, she was worried someone might hear.
Relieved to see no one, she mumbled, as if about to scold me.
But...
"Huh...?"
Her eyes widened as I leaned back slightly and brought my face close to hers.
"Hey."
"...What...?"
"Don't you think getting angry is a bit of an overreaction, especially after our lips have already touched?"
When I blatantly brought up the incident from the weekend, Miyuki practically freaked out and tried to play dumb.
"W-We...? Did we...? I don't really remember..."
"Should I help you remember? Come here."
"....."
At my aggressive advance, a blush started to creep up Miyuki's cheeks.
It spread from her cheeks to her entire face, reaching all the way to her ears.
She fidgeted, twisting and turning, not knowing what to do with herself, before looking at me with demure eyes.
"R-Right now...? Really? For real...?"
I was half-joking, but it seems our Miyuki takes everything seriously.
She looks a little tempted. I guess she's curious what a second kiss would feel like, huh?
Since the opportunity has presented itself, I shouldn't back down.
"Yeah."
"P.E. class... we have to go..."
"We still have plenty of time. My back's starting to hurt, you know? It's tough matching my height to a shorty like you."
I even put my hands in my pockets to provoke her. She bristled, about to say something back.
But then she met my intensely serious gaze and clamped her mouth shut.
"....."
She tilted her head slightly, glancing at me while licking her lips.
A sign that she's tempted.
After a moment,
Rattle.
She closed the window next to us.
It's not even a tinted window. What a ridiculous thing to do.
I can see right through her, trying to gain some psychological comfort any way she can.
Finally, she met my eyes, her own filled with firm resolve.
She even moved her arms behind her back.
It's taking everything I have not to burst out laughing at her little pre-kiss announcement.
If I laugh in a serious moment like this, Miyuki might get sulky and leave.
"C-Close your eyes..."
Her voice was smaller than a mosquito's buzz.
I did as she said, handing the lead over to her.
A moment later, Miyuki's sweet scent grew stronger.
Proof that her body was getting closer.
Soon, just as Miyuki's nervous breathing began to tickle my ear,
Touch.
Miyuki's moist, warm lips met mine.
We stayed like that, perfectly still.
No tongue, no touching each other's bodies, just still.
Chirp—! Chirp—!
As my senses heightened, the sound of the cicadas in the trees pierced through the window and into my ears.
Morning, just before lunchtime. An empty classroom. A sweet, innocent kiss between two people who haven't confessed but both know they like each other.
It's a scene straight out of a love comedy.
The event CG is probably...
Something like this.