CH 25

School ended and the four of us headed home.

Even though we spend our lunch break together, that is basically the only time we are involved in school, so this was the first time for us to leave school together with so many other students around.

The last time we hung out at my place, it was after the cafeteria had been cleaned and there were only a few people around, so it wasn’t that noticeable, but today it was right after the end of the school day, so naturally there were a lot of people there.

“Seriously, I’m glad Keiichi and Saejima were present. If the two of us had gone out of school together with people misunderstanding us like that, we wouldn’t have been able to stop the rumors.”

Looking sideways at the Sakura Sei Gakuen students who occasionally look at us, I let out a sigh.

Whether they are looking at Kohinata and feeling soothed, looking at Keiichi the model and admiring him, looking at me and Saejima who are leaving school together with jealous eyes, or looking at me who have a bad reputation and talking behind my back,……, it is impossible to tell.

Today only, there are likely to be many onlookers who are concerned about the relationship between me and Kohinata.

“We’re on the way home together, so don’t worry about it. If you’re worried, I can pretend to go into Tomoki’s house once.　I have time for that.”

“Me too.”

The two of them say such words of concern to me.

Although I appreciate Keiichi and the others’ concern, I can’t ask them to do that just to relieve my anxiety.

“Do you want me to do that, Kohinata? I’ll be careful not to let the other guys know.”

I have a problem answering the question based on my own judgment, so I ask the other party.

She turns to me and shakes her head in a rusty movement that sounds vaguely onomatopoeic, while walking with her right hand and right foot in front of her at the same time.

Kohinata does not seem to be interested in romance, but she is indeed nervous about going to a man’s house alone.

I looked at her and muttered, “Are you sure you’re okay with this? ……” and then told Keiichi and the others that I’d just take their feelings.

☆ ☆　☆　☆　☆

“I’m sorry if it’s just me, but I’m going to go change into my loungewear for a bit. Kohinata, have a cup of tea and relax. There’s plenty of time until nine o’clock, so please make yourself comfortable too.”

Kohinata, who was sitting on the kotatsu in front of the TV, nodded her head in agreement with my words. She seems to have relaxed, but she occasionally looks around and seems to be fidgety. She seemed more restless than when she first came to my house.

I smiled at Kohinata, then moved to my room and quickly changed into my jersey.

I felt somewhat more relaxed in my loungewear instead of my school uniform, which I had worn outside the house. I think that it makes sense to start from the beginning, and I think that I might be using it incorrectly.

When I came back to the living room, Kohinata had put her phone on the kotatsu. When she noticed that I had returned, she adjusted the direction of the phone with her face down. I looked at the screen and saw this written on it.

“‘SSSorry for this”

“……………… ou.”

I had trouble reacting.

First of all, should I be concerned that there were two “S” too many, or should I be concerned that the word did not continue, or should I be concerned that this was not a word you would use when visiting a friend’s house?

For the time being, I simply replied, “Take it easy”.

Since Kohinata nodded slowly after hearing my words, I think it was probably not the wrong response. That was good.

I let out a quiet breath, relieved that I had passed the first ordeal. But I realized that there was another ordeal already prepared for me in this room.

“…… ah, yeah. Oh, I see. ……”

Kohinata is sitting in front of the TV – on the horizontal side of the kotatsu, close to the right side.

Kohinata must have just acted the same way she did the last time she came to my house. I am sure it was half-unconscious.

But the situation is clearly different from before, Kohinata-san.

Damn …… what should I do …….

If I were to sit here where Saejima and Keiichi were sitting, wouldn’t it seem like I was avoiding Kohinata? To be honest, I only feel embarrassed and happy to sit next to Kohinata, and there is not a single micron of dislike in my heart.

As a result of my hesitation, agitation, and confusion, I somehow ended up sitting right in front of Kohinata.

“………………”

No, no, no, what am I doing? I cannot play a game with the TV right behind me!

Perhaps wondering what I was doing, Kohinata has a scowling expression on her face. As I was pouring out cold sweat while watching her, our legs made contact with each other inside the kotatsu.

Although it was a light touch, I could feel the softness of Kohinata’s feet and her body heat through my socks.

Kohinata and I shook at almost the same time. Our gazes remained locked.

“Ahhahaha …… can’t play games in this position, I’ll go over there.”

She must have finally realized that I was coming next to her – her face turned bright red, her small body shrunk even more, and then she shook her head slightly.

She must have been hiding her embarrassment when she poked me on the calf with her little foot as I was getting out of the kotatsu.