CH 14

I and Hoshimiya were standing in line when we came to the station platform to go to school.

“…There are as many people as ever.”

“Ahaha, that’s right.”

As the hustle and bustle grows louder, the line also forms. Normally, you have to push your body into the train. Being in close contact with strangers is stressful. I talked to Hoshimiya about this as a way to pass the time. Hoshimiya chuckles sympathetically and then confides something more unmissable to me.

“Sometimes…They touch my butt.”

“Isn’t that the worst? If there’s a pervert, you’d better speak up.“

“If it’s a mistake, you’re in big trouble. The most important thing to remember is that you can’t be too careful. I mean, it’s scary…”

I don’t know, but I think these types are the target.

Hoshimiya is cute and it would be natural for her to be noticed. She is also easy to spot because of her flamboyant attire. And if she is the type to stay put even if she is victimised, isn’t she ideal for those who touch her?

“……”

“Kuromine-kun? What’s wrong?”

“No…”

Maybe the stalker is on the train. It’s just a possibility, but it’s possible enough. Then I know what I have to do. Protecting Hoshimiya is the reason for me to live now…

The train will be coming soon.

The people in front of me in line are getting on one after another.

I and Hoshimiya also get on the train, but it is very crowded. It’s painful.

It would have been better to take a three-hour bike ride to get there.

But this was no time to complain.

“Hoshimiya, this way.”

“Kuromine-kun?”

I grabbed Hoshimiya’s hand and led her to the door. I lead Hoshimiya to a small space right next to the door, and cover her petite body with mine. With this, Hoshimiya’s back would be protected by the train wall and her front would be protected by my body…… It feels like I’ve cornered a small animal in a small space.

Hoshimiya, looked up at me blushing and muttered, “Kuromine…kun?”

“This way, you don’t have to worry about someone touching you……”

People are pushing me back, but I’m careful not to make contact with Hoshimiya’s body by putting both hands on the wall. It’s a bit like a kabedon, but it’s better than me being in close contact.

“H, h, h, here…Too close, Kuromine-kun……!”

“There’s no other choice. There are just too many people…”

Maybe my face is red too. It’s embarrassing. Not only is Hoshimiya’s face on my chest, but our bodies rub against each other through our clothes because we are extremely close to each other.

I’m also embarrassed by my behaviour itself. Am I being too cool? However, it would be much better for me to suffer from shame than for Hoshimiya to be touched by someone I don’t know.

“Ku, Kuromine-kun….Kuromine-kun’s smell is…!”

“Hoshimiya? Are you okay?”

“…Ueh? Eh?”

To use a cartoonish expression, Hoshimiya’s eyes were now glazed over.

She has no fixed gaze, and is ostentatious. Apparently, she is not used to men in the true sense of the word. This is what she gets like when she lives with a man. She is not immune to this.

A little time passes and the train stops. However, it is not the station where we get off.

New people are entering the station in droves. The train was originally packed, but now people are coming in again, which puts a tremendous amount of pressure on my back.

I had been keeping a safe distance from Hoshimiya by putting my hand on the door, but it became difficult to do so. My arms lost their strength and support. I was in close contact with Hoshimiya from the front.

“Fugyuuuuu———!”

The voice, which was cute but suppressed, was emitted from Hoshimiya’s mouth. In any case, Hoshinomiya is now sandwiched between my body and the wall of the train. It must be painful.

“Ho, Hoshimiya…Are you alright?”

I ask Hoshimiya, who buries her face in my chest.

“……”

“Hoshimiya?”

“Nneh?”

Hoshimiya slowly raised her face.

Her eyes are staring at the sky, and her cheeks are red like apples.

It’s as if she had a bath and it got a little too hot.

“I can’t….anymore…”

Finally, she dropped down.

Ho, Hoshimiyaaaaaaaa!

○

“Never thought I’d see the day I’d feel safe in the classroom…”

Feeling a sense of normalcy in the usual noisy classroom, I sit down in my seat and let out a breath. It really has been a tumultuous morning.

I casually looked at Hoshimiya. She was happily conversing with her friends. Her voice was loud. You’re still a prominent presence. She acts like she’s having fun and forgot about the train. …I’m glad.

“I feel like what I did was counterproductive…”

I had driven Hoshimiya to the wall with the intention of protecting her, but I ended up sticking close to her.

Now my achievements will be, ‘suddenly hugging her’, ‘possessing an erotic book similar to Hoshimiya’s’ and ‘sticking close to her with my whole body’.

……That’s more harmful than a stalker, isn’t it?

“Riku-chan!”

“Haruno…”

The childhood friend who looked kind of miffed was standing in front of me. She seemed to be in a bad mood. Thinking about it, it had been a while since Haruno had spoken to me like this. Recently, I had been feeling a bit distant from her.

“I need to talk to you! Can you come with me!?”

…Wh, what?

I don’t have a very good feeling about this.