CH 8

“….”

“….fufu”

Currently, I am on my way home with Ichikawa san.

Of course, with arms clung.

I’m doing my best to keep my composure.

When Tohno san spoke to me after class, I felt her sharp gaze on me.

The look was from Ichikawa san, who before lunch, forced me to cut off my conversation with Tohno san and left the school.

Then, for some reason, Ichikawa san, who was ahead of me, caught me and decided to accompany me home.

Even though we are a little far from the school, I feel that if we repeatedly go to and from school together like this, someone might see us someday.

I mean, I still have this feeling, so things are not good.

“H-Hey, Ichikawa san.”

“Yes? Oh, should I cling more? You’re so bold.”

“No, that’s no—Wait !?”

“Fufu. So cute”

“….”

I eventually had no choice but to accept it because I knew it was futile to resist.

But I’m a boy, too. So all kinds of troubles come up.

It takes advanced mental strength to suppress it.

I need to distract myself with some conversation……

“Come to think of it. You always come home with the others, what happened?”

“The others? Oh Jinguji kun and others right? They have club activities, and I told Shizuka that I had some business to take care of and came home. We haven’t had lunch together lately, though, which has made her suspicious.”

“I knew it…..”

People will suspect something when the person they have always been with suddenly disappears. Naka suspects that I may have gotten a girlfriend as well. I totally fooled them though.

“I told you to keep this between us but, did you tell your friends?

“I didn’t”

The only thing I suggested at the time was to keep people from finding out about our relationship. In that sense, friends can be included, I thought it would be possible to tell a truly trusted friend.

“I feel like it’s okay to tell a friend.”

“So you told Fujimoto kun ?”

“….I haven’t.”

If I tell that guy, he’s definitely going to make a big deal out of it, and I’m sure he’ll spill it somewhere……

Trust is another matter.

“Well, in my case, I’d probably tell Shizuka. The others are out of the question.”

Huh……?

You are not that close with anyone other than Sakino san? It didn’t seem that way to me.

“The only person I consider my best friend is Shizuka. The rest are just friends.”

“I’m surprised you say such harsh things. From the outside, it looks like you are all a closed group.”

“It’s not all about what you see. That is because Shizuka does a great job. I wouldn’t even go out to play if it wasn’t for Shizuka.”

I see. In other words, I thought everyone was rallying around Ichikawa san, but it seems that Sakino san was the one who was making it all work.

She seems to be dry to everyone except Sakino san.

“She’s pretty careful about her surroundings. I’m just worried that I’ll make her feel guilty about me asking to keep it a secret. But I really wish I could go public.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

I’m a pathetic man, I’m really sorry……

It was Ichikawa san who asked me to keep quiet, but it was like I made her say it.

All because I’m too pathetic and have too low specs.

Are you really glad that I’m an ordinary boy?

“I don’t blame you. But we may not be able to keep running away like this forever.”

“Y-Yeah…”

That is absolutely correct. At some point, this relationship will be discovered by Naka and his classmates.

If we go home together like this or have lunch together like we did today, it is almost impossible to hide it. Even now, I am suspected of something.

“I’m going to wait for as long as it takes for you to feel confident in yourself.”

“……!”

A saint. This person.

“Fufu, So, try your best to flirt with me soon so that everyone will know and I can make out with you without a problem.”

“I-I’m gonna try my best….”

If you say that, I have to do my best too.

I can’t imagine me and Ichikawa san making out in front of our classmates, though.

Huh? Didn’t you say the other day that you weren’t good at flirting in front of everyone?

I don’t understand women’s minds……

“Well, there’s another reason I can’t talk about this to Shizuka.”

“Eh?”

“Never mind. I’m talking to myself.”

What was that about?

I’ve been left out, but I’m curious.

“That’s right. Komiya kun.”

Ichikawa san doesn’t seem to have any intention to talk about it and calls me by name as if she had something in mind.

“Can I get a picture of you?”

“Huh? Mine?”

“Yes. I’ve always dreamed of taking a picture with my boyfriend when I date someone and having it as wallpaper.”

“Ahh, yeah..”

What a surprise, Ichikawa san is surprisingly trendy…

I thought she wasn’t really interested in that kind of thing.

“Okay, let’s get a quick shot.”

“Eh ? Right here !?”

“Eee”

“Wai– !?”

Ichikawa san leans into me without fear of being seen. I was at a loss for words at the increased level of closeness than when we had just crossed arms.

This is bad. My head is spinning.

Ichikawa san leaned over me backward as if to hug me and took out her phone.

I’m on the screen and my face is stiff with a clenched fist.

“Hey, can I get a more smiley face?“

“Aa, yeah….”

Ichikawa san seemed to enjoy seeing me nervous as she appealed to me with her eyes through the screen.

Kashak. (SFX)

“Tss!?”

And when I was distracted by Ichikawa san, she suddenly pressed the shutter.

I hope I didn’t look weird.

“Fufu. What a nice face. I’ve sent it to you on line.”

“Y-yeah. Thanks.”

The moment Ichikawa san said that, my phone rang.

I open the chat with Ichikawa san and look at the pictures she sent me.

Let’s see.

“Ee?! I look so weird!”

I was in a half-lidded state with an awkward smile on my face. It was the worst picture I had ever seen.

“Ee, Didn’t you always look like this?”

“No, what does my usual face look like ?!”

“I think it’s good. I like it so much I’ve already set it as my wallpaper.”

“Stop !?”

I’d like you to re-shoot it.

“Fufu. Now when they see you, they won’t even recognize you.”

Is that okay? Ichikawa san?

But she seems happy, so it’s okay.

If you say that it’s bad and you get close again as you did earlier, that’s fine too ……

Then we walked a little more, and as we approached a crossroads, Ichikawa san stopped.

“Well, that’s enough for today. Thank you for accompanying me.”

“You’re welcome”

“This is as a thanks”

“Eh?”

Something soft hits my cheek with a kissing sound.

“Well then..”

“………”

…………..

………

……

Oh, come on, Ichikawa san.

Is it okay for me to fly this high?…..

Me? Of course, I feel okay.

By the time I regained consciousness, It was already dark