CH 28

“I’m nervous……”

“Agreed.”

Now. Nagi and I are in front of the station. We’re meeting Eiji and the others here.

Eiji and his girlfriend know my house. Two of them said it’s OK to meet at my house. The other person doesn’t know where I live. So we decided to meet in front of the station.

“……She hasn’t shown up.”

“We came quite early. We still have 30 minutes before the meeting time.”

“Hm, are we that early?”

We’ew supposed to meet at 10:00 a.m., but it was only 9:30 a.m. right now

“…On the other hand, it’s been an hour and a half since then. Aren’t your legs tired?”

“I’m fine. I killed some time at a nearby cafe on the way.

As expected. Nagi and I got here quite early.

I had told Nagi I would pick her up at nine o’clock, but I somehow decided to go there at eight o’clock. ……And Nagi was already at the station.

“It was fine until a few minutes ago. It’s about to get cold. You’ll catch a cold if you wait in a cold place.”

When I said that, Nagi fell silent.

I looked at her and wondered what was wrong. Nagi was giving me an angry look.

“Souta kun, you can’t talk about others either. I’ll come for you as soon as I arrive.”

Nagi giggles……as she said so.

“In other words. We’re just alike, aren’t we?

I also let out a giggle at those words.

“…..Maybe you’re right.”

“Oh, there you are. Hey !”

At that moment, I heard his familiar voice. I turned my head toward it with Nagi.

“You’re here so early ! I didn’t think you were here yet.”

“You’re the one who came early.”

It was Eiji and his girlfriend, Nishizawa Kirika…….

Eiji and Nishizawa then turned their attention to Nagi.

“This is the second time we’ve met properly. Makisaka san, Nishizawa san.”

“Oh, it’s been a while ! Thank you for taking care of our Souta !”

“Really !”

“What position are you guys in?”

The two bowed beautifully.  Even though I was stunned. ……As Nagi was half a step closer than before, her heart started beating loudly.

The sweet fragrance wafted through the air. Her distance is enough to touch the back of her hand.

I looked at Nagi unintentionally. She noticed my gaze and made eye contact with me.

But. I wondered if she didn’t understand the meaning of my gaze, and she smiled.

……I really want you to stop doing that.

I wonder if Nagi understands that she has a pretty face. It’s bad for my heart to be smiled at this close range.

“Hey. When I lifted my head, both of them were flirting. What should I do?”

“What should we do? Should we flirt too?”

I regained consciousness after hearing such a voice. The first time I saw them, When I looked, Eiji and the others were secretly talking. ….I could hear the whole content.

“Hey, what’s going on? Have they stared at each other like that before?”

“I know. What are these guys doing, playing a legitimate romantic comedy?”

“I can hear you.”

When I said that, Eiji’s shoulders jumped.

Seriously… Nagi’s face turned bright red. But Nagi wouldn’t move away from me. It seems that her shyness is getting the better of her.

“W-well. Putting that aside. The other person is Shinonome chan’s friend, right?”

“Ah, yes. Her name is Hayama san and she’s a very cheerful person.”

As she said so. From the station, I saw a cheerful-looking person walking towards me.

“……Could it be that person?”

Nagi looked at that direction and raised her voice. Bright as you can see… the blond woman waved her hand.

“Yes ! It’s Hayama san !”

The woman walked up to me. I’d heard about her…….The woman was a gal-like person.

However, she’s very open-minded. There’s no bad atmosphere around her. Nagi’s only friend.

“I feel like I’m the last one. I’m sorry.”

“No, no, no, it’s still quite earlier than the time. ….I’ll introduce you.”

Said Nagi. She left me once and stood next to her.

“This is Hayama Hikaru. She’s a friend who goes to the same high school as me.”

“I’m Hayama Hikaru ! Call me Hanayama or Hikaru, whatever you like. I have various hobbies. I may look like this, but I’m very tight-lipped. If you need advice, I’m here for you.”

“That’s right, Hayama san will listen to you sincerely.”

Come to think of it, you said you had asked a friend for advice the other day.

Nodding our heads in agreement, we finished introducing ourselves.

Then, Hayama approached me.

“Oh……you must be Minori kun I’ve heard about you.”

“Y-yeah?”

Then she looked me up and down. I was a little shivered.

“Not bad.”

“H-Hayama san ! T-that’s not good !”

Nagi interrupted Hayama’s gaze. Nagi stood right in front of me.

“I-I don’t care if it’s you, Hayama san ! Souta kun is off limits !”

Nagi glared at Hayama. She was like a kitten claiming its territory. Has she ever turned hostile towards someone before?Her scariness wins over her loveliness.

While looking at Nagi, Hayama nodded her head in satisfaction.

“I know, I know. I just wanted to see how cool he was because Shinonome chan always said so. Don’t worry.”

At Hayama’s words, Nagi froze. 

“Not bad…… Mr. monopoly. By the way, Kirika doesn’t do this kind of thing to me.”

“Do you want me to do that?”

“Sometimes?”

“Hee…if Eiji says so, I’ll do it next time.”

Hearing their conversation, even Nagi’s ears turned red. 

“…You guys are teasing Nagi too much. I don’t care if she hates you.”

I don’t want to see Nagi being teased any more…….I can’t help but want to see it, but I decided not to.

“More than that. We’ve gathered, so let’s go. Come on.”

I started walking, thinking that staying here any longer would be a nuisance to those around. Nagi made a surprised face and sat right next to me.

I could feel Eiji and the others grinning at me when they saw this…with that, we headed for my house.

◆◆◆

“It’s too late to ask this now. Have you two changed how you call each other? 　Didn’t you call each other by last name before?”

Eiji’s words made us freeze. ….We looked at each other and nodded.

“Last time Souta kun’s mother came to visit, I changed it to calling him by his first name. It’s strange that I’m the only one calling him by his first name, so we started calling each other by our first names. ……Though it’s still a little embarrassing.”

Nagi said so. She looked at me and smiled a little embarrassed.

‘Well, again. I’m sure I’ll meet Souta kun’s mother and…..father.”

“T-that’s…right.”

I wonder what my dad would say…if he saw this. Yeah, I have a bad feeling.

Eiji was looking at me with a grin.

“Hmm? So she already greeted your parents.”

“The way you said it.”

“So? How was it? Isn’t she happy? Your mother.”

Even though I thought it was an irritating way of saying it. I nodded my head.

“Right. It’s not the first time…but, It’s the first time she has seen me bring a friend home. She was delighted.”

“Is that so?”

When I was thinking of punching Eiji, who kept grinning, at least once. We arrived home.

“This is the apartment where I live.”

“Oh, wow. It’s a nice place.”

Eiji and Nishizawa know it’s my house, so the only one who reacts properly is Hayama.

But since she’s reacting sincerely, I feel like she’s not a bad person. Maybe my criteria for not being a bad person is too loose.

Thinking about that. I lead the three of them with Nagi.

“Come on, follow me.”

◆◆◆

“Oh ! I always thought that a man who lives alone is sloppy. You’re doing a good job.”

When I walked in, Hayama shouted in surprise. I couldn’t help but smile.

“Only cleaning up thought. Nagi, haven’t you told her yet?”

I asked Nagi. She immediately shook her head.

“I don’t want to talk too much about my friend’s bad points.”

“….I see.”

Well, it is true if you ask me. Nagi would not talk about it.

“I can’t cook ……Well, let’s just say I don’t. Well, it didn’t last long.”

Nagi looked at me. I guessed she was asking if she could tell her. I nodded and handed it over to Nagi.

“Eating out and preparing side dishes is not enough nutrition. I come here every Saturday to make lunches and meals.”

Nagi said so. Hayama’s eyes widened.

“…Huh? Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

Nagi nodded seriously. Hayama looked at me and Nagi alternately.

“Are you sure you’re not dating now?”

“S-seriously !”

Nagi denied it with red cheeks. I smiled and stood next to Nagi to say something.

“Because Nagi is kind. She doesn’t like it when I get sick. Besides, if I get sick… I won’t be able to keep the promise I made to Nagi. Na……gi?”

I think I did a rather good job of supporting Nagi. Thinking that, I looked at Nagi.

Plump. She was trembling with her cheeks swollen.

I’m angry ! As if to say that.

“……Nagi?”

It’s a little complicated.”

Nagi said so. Nagi takes a step closer to me. The distance between us, which was already close, became even closer. Or rather, we are almost in close contact.

She looked at me with her blue eyes. 

I felt embarrassed. I suddenly looked away.

Nagi’s sigh. ….It wasn’t in dismay. but a sigh mixed with a bit of happiness.

“Well, it’s fine now. We’re studying in the living room, right? Let’s go quickly.”

“Y-yeah.”

Nagi went to the living room first. I followed her…….

I felt three stabbing gazes coming from me from behind.