Volume 9 - CH 11

Sasaki Emi is Intimidating

Both Emi and Siri are being super gungho about the kiss.

The atmosphere has turned into one I can not get out of without doing it……….

Eh? Me? Kissing Emi……?

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Do I seriously have to do this!?

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I didn’t even get to that point with Kurusu-san you know!?

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It’s true that Emi is super cute but she would only be wasting herself on a guy like me.

She’s the girl who’s supposed to go out with Akechi Hideyori if I didn’t recall my past life memory.

Obviously, asking me not to be conscious of her is just impossible…….

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Ahh, damn, I like you Emi!

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This is something I just recently noticed…….

Maybe Emi isn’t in love with Takeru?

If I’m allowed to get conceited, I might even think that she’s into me.

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But what kind of feeling is Emi directing at me!? Like or Love, which is it!?

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It’s just impossible to be that blind and insensitive right? No matter how I think about it, Emi’s sense of distance when it comes to me is just too close.

The dream I had of Kurusu-san cemented that feeling even more.

Emi’s eyes and gestures were just like the ones Kurusu-san directed at me.

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I know that they are two different people but I can at least tell when a girl is being affectionate toward me.

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My time with Mishima Haruka also had an influence on me.

Seeing the air Kurusu-san and Mishima had around them, I started thinking that Eien-chan, Sakuya, and even Yurika might be in love with me too.

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If they are as direct as Yoru toward Takeru then I would be able to tell with certainty though……..

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I don’t get it…..

I get the feeling that a lot of girls are into me but it would be too narcissistic of me to think that they all have a feeling for me right……..

Even If I bolstered my self-confidence and say it, I would say that there’s a girl or two who are into me at most.

Emi, Risa, Madoka, Sakuya, Eien-chan, Nodoka, Seiko, Yurika, and Mishima. I am on good terms with all of them but I can’t imagine that they are all seeing me in a romantic way…….

Emi and Mishima’s feelings were close to love so I somehow noticed from their behaviors.

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Since I was the first one Risa called when she got in a fight with Takeru, it’s possible that she’s feeling that way for me too.

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Madoka has also been strangely kind to me lately so I can’t help but think that she might be into me.

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My sense of distance with Sakuya is kind of a blur so it’s hard to tell how she feels about me and I’m not even sure if she’s conscious of me or not.

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Eien-chan has been teasing me a lot but I don’t know if it’s because she likes me or if she just finds me that teasable.

But I do feel that her feeling was subtly closer to love than like.

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Nodoka always calls me scum this trash that but she would still hang out with me so I can’t really tell.

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I have a feeling that my sense of distance with Seiko is somewhat wrong as well. That said, being an only child for 30 years, I just don’t know how much distance is appropriate for siblings.

But I think that her feeling was more than like too.

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Yurika has been stalking me so I started thinking that she might like me too.

But it’s still unsure whether her feeling was simply the adoration she has as my apprentice or as a woman……

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——–but who do I like?

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Is there really a girl out there who likes me? The trauma I carry with me on that was simply too heavy.

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Both Captain and my uncle said the same thing…….

Why do I have to suffer so much in both lives…….

I’ve suffered twice as much in life as a normal person my age and my life ahead is filled with Bad Ends……

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Why do I even have my previous life’s memories……..

I’d be better off not remembering my previous life and not knowing that this is a game’s world…….

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Is it really okay for a guy like me to fall in love…….?

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If I do fall in love, who would I direct my feelings toward……?

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“………”

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With so much doubt inside me, I can’t kiss Emi.

I like Emi very much. However, since I’ve never thought about it, I don’t know if she’s the one I like most or not……

I want to have my own answer by the time I graduate high school.

I don’t know if I can stay alive until the end of the story though…….

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I’ve already experienced the fact that life can suddenly come to an end with no reason or explanation behind it.

That’s why I want to live each day without regrets.

Would there be a girl who’s willing to live a life like that alongside me……….

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That’s why I want to kiss Emi only when I’m sure that she’s my No.1.

That’s my decision.

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She’s my important person. I do not want to be irresponsible and hurt her feelings.

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“…….Emi.”

“Hideyori-kun….?”

“I can’t kiss your lips but…….”

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Like I was pushing Emi down, I got on top of her.

It’s been a long time since I last saw Emi’s face this close.

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“Hideyori-kun…..”

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Ahh……

Emi is so cute…….

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It’s not that I don’t want to let myself go and kiss or push her down.

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But I’d be no different than the real Hideyori that way.

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I don’t want to hurt her.

I really like Emi so I do not wish to get swept away by some temporary desires.

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If we are in that kind of relationship then I’d happily do it.

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“Emi……”

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I brushed up Emi’s bangs.

Her hair feels different than my own.

Emi’s forehead came into view.

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“You asked me to do this……. Don’t complain to me later alright………”

“Eh…….?”

I slowly planted my lips on Emi’s forehead.

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“……..”

“……..”

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I immediately moved away from her forehead.

My lips probably only touched her skin for less than 3 seconds.

But even though it’s such a short time, I’ve never felt my heart beating faster in my life.

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I did something to Emi that I didn’t even do to Kurusu-san.

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“Ah….., Uhh….., sorry……”

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Seeing Emi freeze up, I apologized.

I said that it’s her fault since she’s kinda asked for it but as a man, I think that’s just irresponsible so I’m willing to take responsibility.

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“……..Uuu.”

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Embarrassed, Emi wrapped herself in my blanket and hid her face.

Rather, she’s awake after all huh? Well, that doesn’t matter anymore.

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“I, I wouldn’t do it to anyone okay? I did it because it’s you……. I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t Emi you know……..”

“Uuuu………”

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Emi started fidgeting inside the blanket.

Judging by how much she’s tossing and turning in my bed, she must be pretty embarrassed…..

Now she’s just rolling around.

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“I LOOOOOVVVEEEEEE YOUUUUUUU.”

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A long muffled squeak came from inside the blanket.

I couldn’t hear her clearly but……

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“Just now, did you say you love me?”

“Hideyori-kun.”

“Uwah!?”

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Taking off the blanket, Emi raised her arms up and pointed at me.

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“How did you hear that? Normally, you’d be like [Did she say something? Well, whatever] in your mind right!”

“……Did you say something? Well, whatever.”

“Good.”

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It seems she was satisfied with that.

If she’s really fine with just that then it’s probably alright.

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“By the way, Hideyori-kun…..that kiss earlier, did you mean something by it…….?”

“Did you say something? Well, whatever.”

“……..”

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Perhaps she’s planning to throw it at my face, I feel intimidated by her right hand that’s gripping the pillow.

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“H~i~d~e~y~o~r~i?”

“Emi-chan!? Sorry, okay! Sorry! I’m so sorry!?”

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Thus started the unrelenting exchange of blows on top of my bed.

TLN: You thought there would be no progress?

THIS IS THE VOLUME OF PROGRESS!!