CH 271

“Why am I here? It’s obvious. I’ve been stalking you.”

She confessed honestly.

“You see, I have very good hearing, right? I can hear sounds even when there is quite a distance between us, and I can recognize Kotaro-kun’s footsteps, so I followed you without being noticed.”

A little apologetically, Shiho explains how she came here.

“I’ve noticed that you’ve been having some trouble lately, so I’ve been curious. Also, you haven’t been giving me much attention, so I’ve been lonely.”

You were lonely?

No, but it’s true that we probably don’t spend as much time together these days as we used to.

The year started off a little awkwardly, partly because of the incident with Kurumizawa-san.

We managed to repair our relationship, but I think the influence of the incident still remains and we are beginning to have some differences, albeit only a little.

Shiho didn’t like this delicate gap.

“But I thought that if I questioned you too much, you wouldn’t like it… I know it’s better not to know too much, okay? I know that Kotaro has his own privacy and I want to make sure that I respect that. But I still wanted to know, so I couldn’t help eavesdropping.”

“You mean you didn’t intend to get caught?”

“Yes. I was going to leave quietly after I got a sneak peek of what was going on, but … Kotaro-kun was about to get hit, so I couldn’t hold back anymore.”

Shiho appeared just as Ryuzaki raised his hand.

If Shiho had not jumped out of the way, I think I would have been hit.

I had accepted the fact that I was going to be hit.

‘I didn’t care how much it hurt me.’

I still didn’t take care of myself – I guess that’s what it means.

But Shiho wouldn’t allow it.

She was the one who prevented me from getting hurt.

(I guess this is the part of me that is immature…)

I reflect on myself from earlier.

I’ve been more considerate of myself than before, but it wasn’t enough.

“I-I’m sorry? Um, I still care about Kotaro-kun, so … it seems I tend to do weird things.”

Shiho may not be able to stop herself.

She seemed to be aware that she was over-involved and apologetic.

…Oh, wrong.

I strongly felt again that since I was giving Shiho such a look, all my actions were wrong.

“There is no need to apologize. Rather, I’m sorry too.”

Shiho cares about me so deeply.

There was no way I was going to deny her that.

“I’m glad you’re concerned about me and I’m grateful that you care about me. So please don’t apologize.”

I told her and took Shiho’s hand in mine.

Covering her small hand with both of mine, I gently conveyed my feelings.

“Thank you for protecting me.”

Then, I also expressed my gratitude to her.

Shiho’s thoughts were conveyed to me, and when I told her so, her face changed from a sullen expression to a happy smile.

“Don’t thank me! But if you don’t hate that…, that’s all that matters.

“I will never hate you.”

I can’t do that.

There is no way I could ever hate a girl who hates to hurt me more than I hate to hurt myself…