Source
https://kakuyomu.jp/works/16818622176550308690/episodes/16818792436798365059
The sports festival ended without incident, and the next day arrived.
It was nearing the end of June, yet the muggy weather persisted as usual.
I hate this time of year’s heat the most. The oppressive humidity always makes it impossible for me to fall asleep.
No… this time, that’s just an excuse.
There was a clear reason for this lack of sleep, unrelated to the temperature.
“After what happened, how could I possibly sleep soundly…!”
Hurriedly pulling my uniform sleeves over my arms, I suddenly recalled yesterday.
The sports festival where we got utterly crushed. Exposing all my lame, pathetic flaws, suffering the ultimate humiliation.
But—after that, I talked with Renka.
She hugged me tightly and gently. Then, she whispered these words into my ear.
[You know, I… I like that about you, Akito. I really do.]
[Actually, I… I like your flawed parts too, you know?]
Ah… Damn it, my face is burning.
My heart starts pounding loudly. Renka’s warm body heat, her soft touch, her sweet scent—every time I recall just one thing, my pulse quickens.
I’ve been like this since last night.
Because of that, I barely slept… and ended up waking up at the absolute last minute.
“G-gotta go!”
Stuffing breakfast bread into my mouth, I bolted out the front door.
…This is bad, I thought. No time to fix myself up. My bedhead and tie must be a mess.
If I ran into Renka like this, I’d just bother her again—
“—A-Akito! Good morning!”
A slender, beautiful girl with flaxen hair tied up halfway.
Fujisaki Renka—my childhood friend and first love—was standing there.
Gulp. I swallowed the bread without thinking.
“R-Renka? Why…?”
Until a few months ago, this had been a normal sight. She used to wait for me like this almost every day, her childhood friend.
But… lately, we’d been going to and from school separately.
So I genuinely wondered why Renka was here.
“I wanted to walk to school with you, Akito. I was waiting… Was it bothering you?”
Her anxious, upward glance.
Renka is the school’s most beautiful girl. Faced with such a delicate expression from her, there was no way a lowly background student like me could hold up.
“It’s… not bothering me though…”
“Oh, okay. Ehehe, I’m glad.”
She grinned. It was a bright, childlike smile.
Then, Renka took a step closer to me.
“Ah. Akito, your hair’s sticking up.”
“Ugh… th-this, well…”
“Fufu. Akito, you’re cute.”
Her voice sounded delighted.
…What is that, I thought. The old Renka would have said something harsh like “sloppy” or “loser.”
“Hey, Akito. Can I fix your bedhead for you?”
“Huh!? O-okay…”
“Ehehe, thanks. Alright, here goes—”
Saying that, Renka stretched up a little and reached her hand toward my hair.
Renka touched my bedhead with her bare hands. …Close. Too close. Renka smelled incredibly good, and my heart was racing again.
“—Okay, all done. tie too?”
“No, I can do that myself…!”
“…Oh. Sorry, Akito. Did you really not want me to do this…?”
This time, Renka gave me a sheepish, forced smile.
It was like the gesture of a puppy that hadn’t been petted. …Somehow, it made my chest ache. So I took a deep breath before saying,
“…Well, maybe I’ll ask you after all.”
“R-really? Okay, leave it to me!”
Her smile bloomed like a flower.
Watching Renka’s ever-changing expressions like that…
I still… thought something was off.
Renka had always been… well, aloof towards me, or rather, she often acted harshly. Even setting that aside, I’d fallen for her gentle side.
Anyway. Right now, Renka was clearly acting strange.
And what came back to me was—yesterday’s conversation.
All those sweet, tender words Renka had said, telling me she loved me so much.
(What… what did she mean by that…?)
Didn’t Renka hate me to begin with?
Even if that was just my overreaction, what does “loving me so much” even mean?
As a childhood friend? Or… could it mean that kind of thing?
“—There, all done. Thanks, Akito.”
After fixing my tie, Renka flashed a bright, happy smile.
…I’m the one who should be thanking her. What on earth has gotten into Renka?
I stared intently at her face.
Long lashes. Beautiful eyes. Fair skin. Cherry-blossom-pink lips—I couldn’t help but be captivated by her adorable features.
“Hm? Akito, what’s wrong? Is there something on my face?”
“No… Sorry, nothing at all.”
“Is that so? Hehe, you’re so weird, Akito.”
Renka smiled cheerfully, then put her hands behind her back.
“Well then, Akito. Shall we go to school?”
“Oh, uh…”
Yesterday’s thing… apparently it wasn’t a dream or an illusion after all.
My childhood friend—she was acting strange again today too…
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