Chapter 37Directly from Herself
Natsukawa doesn't really find me disgusting...? Can I assume that she doesn't really hate me...? Or, is it something else? Seriously, which one is the right one...?
"Even though she doesn't find me disgusting... ...but, why does it have to be now? Natsukawa always said that she wouldn't let me meet her little sis. Because it's about her cute little sis, she usually becomes very protective and vicious. I'm scared, you know. And, that's why I'm trying not to bring it up anymore..."
"Hmm, even if you say so... ─H-Hey Aichi, this is the first time I'm hearing about this, you know?"
"Ugh..."
Oh... ...The Goddess has recovered! You all heard me, she has recovered! Oh, it's an honor to see your face ─Well, her face looks like she's in real pain... ...I guess, she thinks that I'm disgusting, right? I've never seen her look that sullen before.
"B-Because... ...I already knew that you would be angry with me, Kei..."
"Of course! You rejected Sajocchi so rudely before, but now you want him to meet Ai-chan?! What do you really want?! You really are a wishy-washy kid, aren't you?!"
"U-Ugh..."
O-Oh... ...I really don't know why, but Ashida was very aggressive towards Natsukawa today. It was a rare sight, especially since Ashida had always supported Natsukawa, treating her like a pious person.
"I-I told you it's not time yet, didn't I...!? That, until a few days ago, I myself didn't expect to feel like this...!"
"Huh?! Why are you even mad at me at this time?!"
"─Oh, hey, you two, stop it, stop right now! For some reason, you guys are starting to really fight!"
We, of course, shouldn't disturb others. See, that waitress is already looking at─ ─Hey, why at me? By the way, it's not like what you think, okay...? Why do you keep looking at me with such a cold stare?!
Since it seems that these two girls are excited beyond the point of no return, I stood up and broke them up. Especially Natsukawa seemed like she was about to give in to despair. If I don't break them up here, it feels like the situation will escalate. Hence, I tried my best to break them up.
"I-I don't really mind, no matter what you two tell me! I'll listen to what you two want to tell me!"
"Are you sure...?"
"Yeah, I'm sure!"
"─Hmph!"
As I compromised with them, Natsukawa showed a relieved and adorable face, as she looked into my eyes. As for Ashida, she snorted in annoyance.
What's wrong with her? It's almost like I'm being Ashida normally. Natsukawa being me, and Ashida being Natsukawa. I never thought that this kind of thing could happen, as if our bodies were completely switched. Wait, does that mean I'm a girl now? Hehe... ...Hey, 'me', you're really disgusting.
By the way, it really surprised me... ...For Natsukawa to not completely deny my existence, I had never thought that she had ever felt that way before... I mean, I always assumed that her kindness to me had diminished over the years. I'm very happy, but it hasn't touched me yet.
"Excuse me if I say this in a strange way, but... ...what caused this change of decision? Did I just achieve something with my current level? Or, was the decision based on a fundamental investigation?"
"Wh-What the heck are you talking about... ...I'm not investigating anything, though."
"It's somewhere between disgusting or not, isn't it? Yeah, you do find it disgusting, but it's not actually disgusting, so you're starting to want Sajocchi to meet Ai-chan, aren't you?"
Can't you stop saying 'disgusting' this 'disgusting' that like that... ...Even though we're not facing each other right now, hearing that constantly makes me twitch, because I am a boy after all. Seriously, though, it's bad for my heart.
"Th-That's not true."
"That's not true?!"
I was so shocked that I interrupted her words unconsciously.
That's not true? So, after raising my hopes, you crushed them again? Thank you so much... ...Seriously, I'm tired.
"Huh...?"
"Urgh...!"
Ashida complained tiredly. And sure enough, it really did sound like it was directed at Natsukawa.
So, this is what she meant by the conversation going nowhere, huh...?
If that's the case, then I just need to ask a specific question that won't allow any evasion. I had already said something unnecessary earlier.
"Your change of heart is not important right now. But, instead of 'I don't mind letting you meet her', you said 'I want you to meet her', what do you mean by that? Is there a specific reason for that?"
"Th-That's..."
O-Oh...! Natsukawa blushed ─ Oh, so cute! So cute! Is she being shy?! Seriously?! Is the reason so hard to come up with?!
Stop showing me that face! I just changed my mind not too long ago! My brain won't be able to handle all this!
Just as the thoughts in my head were about to explode, the waitress brought the fries we ordered.
Can't you hurry up a bit more? I mean, it's already this late, there's hardly anyone here ─ Oh, it's that waitress... ...Urgh, she glared at me.
"And that's because?"
"Th-Th-Th-That's..."
Although we were interrupted by the waitress, Ashida forcefully pushed Natsukawa even further.
Hey, aren't you putting too much pressure on her? Even Natsukawa isn't shy anymore, but instead she's really scared. Look, she's turning pale, isn't she?
"─ki-kun and..."
"Eh...?"
"S-Sasaki-kun and..."
"Sasakin and?"
"You call that boy 'Sasakin', huh..."
Sasaki, huh... ...I don't know why the name of that handsome j*rk from our class came up here. But hearing it directly from the girl I like certainly doesn't feel good. I'll spill more of my 'spicy rumors' on his little sis, Yuki-chan, next time...!
As I replied to Ashida's choice of nickname, she glared at me with 'Shut up for a moment'.
...I'm sorry, but your naming technique is too weird... ...it really surprised me. Even when she shouted my nickname, I always thought 'Huh, Who?'. I mean, 'How should I act' when she called me 'Sajocchi'?
"─Because Sasaki-kun... ...and Airi, they are getting along with each other... ...and the others too..."
"...?"
"...?"
???
Isn't it good? What's so weird about it?
I know about some girls from our class who visited Natsukawa's house, with Sasaki being the only boy and him showing─
I remember when Sasaki showed off his selfie photo with Airi-chan.
I'm sure the other girls must have also taken a photo with Airi-chan. What a touching scene. I know that, Sasaki is really trying to make a harem, that b*stard...
"Is that bad, getting along with each other?"
"I-It's not bad, but..."
"It reminds me that Ai-chan tries very hard to remember the names of friends."
"Is that so?"
I could imagine a confused Airi-chan surrounded by everyone, having her head stroked, being urged to remember their names. Somehow it makes my panic feel warm... Sasaki, hey you, just go away, don't join in.
The atmosphere from before has disappeared, and the atmosphere has become loose. Thanks to Airi-chan being an angel, even Ashida seemed to relax a bit.
"So what's the matter?"
"You really snapped, huh?"
"Shut up."
Ouch, ouch...! This girl... ...how could you step on my foot! More precisely, how could you be so accurate! Huh, you really do have a great personality!
"S-So... ...I guess this is 'different' from what I imagined..."
"This is different...?"
Different? In what sense? The nuance I got when she said that she couldn't accept it... ...Is that so?
Natsukawa said that, as the reason she doesn't want me to meet with Airi-chan, is because I might be a 'bad influence' for her. Does that mean it's the same for Sasaki and the others? And, since she gave me permission this time, are those people much worse than me? Seriously, what are you all doing...?
"Do you regret that Sasaki, Shirai-san, and the others met with Airi-chan? Don't you think they're a bad influence, huh...?"
"N-No, that's not true!"
"Oh, I-I see..."
Putting Sasaki aside, if the gentle Shirai-san is also 'wayward', then Natsukawa is indeed too strict. Probably, she also wouldn't let Airi-chan be in my presence at all.
I'm glad Shirai-san isn't a bad girl. Or she would be a dangerous existence for boys.
"...I see."
"Eh?"
Eh...? I see? Hey, Ashida, wait for me, please, don't leave me alone. Why are you crossing your arms and nodding to yourself as if you've found the solution? Oh, what could this be? Is this the type that doesn't make sense if you're a boy? Is this what they used to call a girl's heart? If that's the case, of course it's impossible for a loner sitting in the corner of the classroom like me to understand...
Cold sweat ran down my back, as my eyes met Ashida's. Lest, she saw my panicked face, she let out a long breath... ...I'm sorry, but it was indeed very painful.
"─You can't accept that, can you? Ai-chan pushed aside someone who was closest to you and was familiar with someone else, and that someone wasn't even there in the first place."
"...Ugh."
"...Hmm, what?"
"And, you happened to see the figure of Sajocchi in Sasakin."
"S-Stop it already..."
...Huh?
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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