Episode 57 – The person I just met is not my boyfriend!

Suika’s athletic ability was amazing, as she is an active member of the basketball team.
As I had thought when we were playing 1-on-1, she was running without seeming to get tired even after moving so hard, so I could only call her a monster of physical strength.

It was fortunate that I was able to catch up with Suika as soon as we left the park.
Despite her haste, Suika was still obediently stopping at the traffic light at an intersection with few cars passing by.
No, she did not stop. She had been stomping her foot on the spot for a long time.

Thanks to that, I somehow managed to call out to Suika from behind.

“Suika!”
“Hoee….? Arase-kun, what’s wrong?”

Suika was surprised to see me, perhaps because I called out to her so suddenly.

“I’m sorry, suddenly,”
“No, it’s fine, but …… something wrong? Ah, did you forget something?”
“No, it’s not that…”

This again is hard to explain. It’s the same as when we first met.

You’re going to get hurt.
I don’t know if it’s a prophecy or not,……. I think if it was Suika, she might believe me somehow,……, but there was nothing I could do.

“No, I was worried about a girl going home alone on a dark night street.”
“…… Eh?”
“…… hmm?”

Suika repeatedly closed and opened her eyes.
Then she quickly turned her face away.

“I-I see.”
“What’s wrong?”
“……….., it’s nothing. Oh, the signal changed! Okay, well, ……”
“I’ll take you home.”
“Eh!?”

You’ve got a big reaction every time.
Oh, no, wait. Did I do something wrong?
It’s not a good idea to go home with someone you’re not that close to. I don’t want someone I’m not that close with to know where I live.

“I’m sorry. You don’t want me to know where you live, do you?”
“……, why?”
“…… hmm?”
“?”

I feel like we’re not having a good conversation.

“At any rate, there are no proper electric lights around here, and it’s dangerous, so I’ll take you to the halfway point. Let’s cross the street at the traffic light.”

After crossing the light, the dark road continued. There are streetlights, but the ones around here are dimly lit, and to be honest, they only illuminate the area directly below us.

“Mouu, you’re overreacting. Suika was born and raised around here, you know? Will you stop licking my countryside upbringing?”
“Well, I don’t want anything to happen to Suika because of it. Just in case.”
“I-I don’t think anyone would go for a girl like Suika who doesn’t look very girly,…….”
“There’s that, too. It’s a dark street, so what if a cyclist or something jumps out suddenly?”
“I don’t know if that’s possible. I mean, even if there was, if it were Suika, she could avoid it with ease!”

Not really. In fact, in the future I just saw, she was run over. Perhaps she was in a hurry and didn’t see what was going on around her.

“I don’t know if you’ll get hurt again by saying that.”
“Ugh,…… well, if you say that much Arase-kun, I feel like it’s really possible,…….”
“Right? Well, just be quiet and let me send you on your way.”
“But why are you so worried about Suika, Arase-kun? The other day, too,…… Suika’s injury will not affect Arase-kun in any way, right?”
“That’s true, but …… I guess it’s because I like”
“!?”

◆

“Ha, Eh!?”

My face gets hot in an instant. I shouldn’t be able to normally understand the meaning of the words that Arase-kun uttered, but my face is so hot that I don’t care about that.

L-like….. Eh?
H-He confessed to me……?

“I thought again when we played 1-on-1 earlier, but I like to see Suika playing basketball. What can I say, she has a passion that I don’t have? I mean, that’s something I don’t have. I envy her.”
“……, that way, huh?”

That way or ……. Oh, almost. I almost started worrying about replying to your confession.
Phew,…… I misunderstood,…….

“!?”

Wait. You said you like the way I play basketball? Well, that’s another thing I’ve been thinking about, and I feel like that’s just a normal embarrassing thing to say.

Ugh, I’m definitely blushing right now. ……
My face has been hot ever since a while ago.
Good thing it’s nighttime now. If it were this dark, he wouldn’t know my face is red.

“…… Suika?”
“N-nothing…….”

Then, I did my best to cover it up. I wonder if Arase-kun is quite a natural? I mean, haven’t you noticed? Okay, I have to make him notice me here.

“You said you liked me, so I was …… surprised, or rather, how should I say it …….”
“….!? I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant. ……”
“I-I know!”
“………….”
“………….”

Damn ……, that was awkward. It’s good that he noticed, but it’s awkward. I want to fix this kind of thing with Arase-kun sometimes.
But at times like this, I don’t know what to say. ……

“Oh, here.”
“Hmm?”
“Here we are. This is Suika’s house.”

And after walking for a while in silence, I found myself at my own house.
It was a strange feeling as if it was long or short. Remembering my earlier confession, heat lit up my face again.

“Well then, thanks for getting me here!”
“You’re welcome. Study hard!”
“Ugh, I forgot. …….”

After waving to Arase-kun and watching his back, I open the gate fence.

I felt like I spent some quality time with him. The voluntary training that Arase-kun accompanied me was that good, and somehow I felt like I understood him from the play.

“I wondered if he had quit.”

He said it had been a few years. It was true that it had been a while since he had played, but in the second half he was really good, and I thought he was still at a good level as long as he had the physical strength. I was surprised that it was not his dominant hand.

It was fun to play 1-on-1 with Arase-kun.

“But where have I seen Arase-kun play before, ……?”

I had seen it before, and was about to mutter something like that.

“Suika.”
“!?”

Someone was standing in front of the entranceway.
There was a mother in the shape of an ogre …….

“M-mother ……?”
“What time do you think it is?”
“Uh,…… about ten o’clock,……?”
“You know what time it is. And yet, you’re out here this late. It’s test time and you don’t even study. ……”

Oh, no. This is really bad!
She’s out of her mind!

“No, no, no, this is ……, this is …….”

It’s better not to make excuses for myself. I know that, but in front of the demigod in front of me, for some reason, I can’t say what is true.

“Pft.”
“…… eh?”

But for some reason, mom snickered as if it was a lie that she had been angry with me earlier, and lightly tapped me on the shoulder.

“Well, I’ll give you this time”
“…..W-why?”

Why are you suddenly willing to forgive me! I don’t get it at all!

“I never thought Suika would have a boyfriend.”
“Boyfriend ……? I’m not sure what you’re talking about! No, that’s not true! You’ve got it all wrong, mom! That guy you just met isn’t my boyfriend or anything!”
“You’ve been playing basketball all your life like a little girl, and I never thought you’d be lying about meeting someone to take a break from your studies. I’m a little relieved”

M-meeting up with someone… ……
You’re not listening to me,…… and why are you crying,……?

“Listen to me! Arase-kun is just a friend!”
“Arase-kun. Huh, bring him home next time. Oh, don’t worry, I won’t tell your father.”
“Hey, listen to me!”
“Just for today, okay? You’ve got to study hard, too!”

Saying that, mom walked into the house without hearing a word I said.

I was lucky that she didn’t get angry with me, but …… it seems like the result was alright and not so …….

With mixed feelings, I went inside the house too.

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