Chapter 52 – Chapter (52)

52

Recently, I would think about many problems.

I've been confessed to by the prince and Hasumi.

Yeah, I've been confessed to.

Since then, they tried to accoste me often.

And no matter how I magnificently ignore them, or how fast I think of leaving and escaping with all my strength; yeah, presently, even though I use all my strength, I don't seem to be able to run off.

I understand that the prince is attracted to me.

He conveyed it in every conversation.

However, Hasumi's att.i.tude didn't change from before his confession.

He was sarcastic like always, making a fool out of people.

This fellow, was he really in love with me?

These were the questions I would think about. Or maybe, the Hasumi of that time was an impostor?

"What do you think about it? Asukkun."

"Even if you ask me……"

Asuka smiled wryly while drinking tea.

Tea really suits Asuka.

The prince and Hasumi have a western type of image, but Asuka had j.a.panese type. He seemed like he'd look good in a yukata and jinbei.

Does it suit him because he was born in a household that had a j.a.panese sweets shop after all?

By the way, I am in the middle of a 'sampling of his latest work' meeting.

The pastry is called Aoyagi, it's a sweet that look like a blue daif.u.ku.

It's a bit cold, and is delicious.

The sticky texture of the mochi with the mellow taste of the bean paste.

Delicious. Give me another.

I took another Aoyagi and ate it.

And then I drank a bit of the bitter tea. I reached paradise at once.

"Aren't you already used to how he is? You shouldn't feel bothered."

"Is that so…...but, my impression of him won't turn good though? It's plummeting down instead?"

"Even if you tell me this…….."

Asuka made a troubled face.

Recently, the times I ask Asuka for advice increased.

As expected of someone that would become the next council president, he kindly gave consultation, and his advice was on point.

Asuka had become my good consultation partner.

Of course, since I would be troubled if I was liked by him, I've been p.r.i.c.king warnings like "don't come to like me please".

When I do this he would answer me, "That's absolutely impossible," with a serious look.

I wonder, what does he mean?

Well, I'll be troubled if he were to like me, right?

"What does Kaguragi want Hasumi to do in particular?"

"Even if you ask me…..what I want him to do…….."

"You feel dissatisfied with Hasumi's att.i.tude now, right? That's why you wanted to talk about it with me. Am I wrong?"

"Rather than…...dissatisfied, his att.i.tude didn't really change, so I would feel insecure and ask myself if the things that happened that day were a dream."

"In short."

Asuka put down his tea cup and said with a serious face.

"Kaguragi wants Hasumi to properly do things that shows his 'like' towards you, right?"

"―――what?"

Huh? Really?

But that might be the case.

It's not like I don't like Hasumi's att.i.tude of now.

I am more at ease as he is right now, and want him to remain like this if possible.

But if everything remains as it is, I feel like Hasumi's confession would turn out as if it never happened.

And it's not like I want his confession to become as if it didn't happen.

He told me about his feelings clearly. I can't let it be as if it never happened. Even in the case I couldn't respond to his feelings.

"Isn't Kaguragi thinking about it too much? If Hasumi really likes you, then he would think about actions to suit that right. It's okay for you to be pa.s.sive. Don't mind Hasumi. Because that looks like you are having expectations, you know."

"......as if I am having expectations…...does it really look like this?"

"At least, in my eyes."

I'm not having expectations.

But if the people in the surrounding sees it like this, then I must be more careful.

He said that it's fine if I am pa.s.sive?

Certainly, I might have been thinking too much.

"As one would expect from Asukkun. Thank you for the good advice."

"......I too never thought that I would be asked for consultation about love from a girl you know……."

"That couldn't be helped right? If I were to ask such consultation from my friends it would become a very big deal, and I couldn't think of anyone that I could ask for consultation with easily apart from Asukkun."

"Now, I thought that that might have been so."

Asuka laughed refreshingly.

He really was of help. I feel somewhat refreshed too.

As I thought, the next council president is really reliable.

"Asukkun, how about becoming a counselor in the future?"

"......I'll try to think of that as a compliment."

It really was a compliment though?

From then on, I tried to keep it in mind to be pa.s.sive.

When Hasumi greets me with a smile, I immediately ran away.

When he tried to talk to me I'd smile in response and promptly leave.

How do you find my pa.s.sivity, eh!

"That's not pa.s.siveness, but being ready to flee."

Ah, as I thought?

Today's food samples were dango. It's a dango full of bean paste on a skewer.

However, it's not just a dango on a skewer.

It was a dango kneaded with tea inside.

It's an extraordinary product as I taste the tea and red bean paste's sweetness at the same time.

However, the tea is indispensable. Because it would be troublesome if the dango were to be blocked in your throat.

"Kaguragi, don't try to do anything. It's okay to just behave normally."

"Ah…..normally you say?"

"Yes. It's fine if you quarrel with him as usual."

I don't intend to quarrel with him though.

Those are just normal conversations though?

"......what are you doing? Another sampling meeting?"

"Wa, Hasumi-sama…...what timing……"

"You mean that my arrival is inopportune?"

Hasumi's voice lowered. Scary!

"It's, it's not at all inopportune. If you want, do you want to eat too?"

"Okay."

Saying that Hasumi sat beside me.

And then bit on the dango I had in my hand.

I was dumbfounded by Hasumi's action.

I mean! There are still so many dangos on the plate.

Why did he expressively come to eat mine! It was even half-eaten!

.......nh? Half... eaten?

"Thanks for the meal. It was delicious."

Hasumi laughed with a broad grin.

Backing off, I made *bang* sound when standing from my chair.

When I looked at Asuka, he was staring at Hasumi with wide open eyes too,

I returned a glare to Hasumi.

"Wha, what are you…….!"

"Recently, you've been avoiding me, right? That's your punishment."

"Punishment……?"

"Yes. Moreover, I should show my intentions, right?"

When I immediately turned to look at Asuka, he averted his eyes in an unnatural way.

You betrayed me didn't you, d.a.m.n Asuka……!

I'll put a curse to sweep you off your feet later…..!

Hasumi looked at the angered look I used to glare at Asuka as if enjoying himself.

"If you wish, shall I seriously make advances on you?"

"I, I'll refrain myself!"

"It's fine even if you don't though."

This fellow is enjoying himself in teasing me, isn't he?

That's my real intention, you know! I'm not saying this to boast but, I never had a chivalrous spirit till now for some reason.

Ah mou! Even if his att.i.tude didn't change from his usual self, I'm troubled if he does this sometimes!

Silently looking at us quarreling, Asuka muttered with an exasperated voice.

"Do this when you are alone please…...it's difficult for the senpais to enter, you know."

Taken aback, I looked at the door and first saw Asahi-san grinning, and the other senpais standing still at the door.

I feel like everyone here is grinning, but that's unmistakingly my paranoia.

"You really get along, don't you?"

"We don't get along at all!"

I refuted Asahi-san's teasing with all my being.

Ah, my face is hot.

When I looked at Hasumi, who was the cause of all this in the first place, that fellow had cool expression.

Doesn't this look like I, who was fl.u.s.tered, was the idiot!

I was too embarra.s.sed and looked at the desk.

Asuka quietly whispered.

".....both Kaguragi and Hasumi, whichever is……"