Chapter – 05
Yamazaki Makoto (Game Protagonist)
“Makoto! Want to walk home together today?”
There’s a girl I’ve recently become close with.
She’s the one who just said that to me.
Her name is Hirokishi Kirara-san, and she’s an incredibly cute girl.
She’s said to be one of the top-tier girls even among the first-years.
We just sit next to each other, but Hirokishi-san often talks to me.
I don’t know why Hirokishi-san talks to me, but my heart races every time.
I mean, someone that cute is talking to me… It’s only natural for any guy to feel that way.
It’s only been a week since I met her, but I’ve completely fallen for her.
There’s no reason for me to refuse when she asks to walk home together.
“Is that okay?”
“Yeah! All my friends have plans today, so they’re not around.”
“Th-then, I g-guess I’ll walk home with you…”
“Haha, you’re way too nervous.”
I stuttered from nervousness, but Hirokishi-san just laughed it off.
She’s truly a wonderful woman.
And so, I ended up walking home with Hirokishi-san.
â
ââI talked with Hirokishi-san as we walked home together.
“Makoto?”
“Yes…”
I stopped when Hirokishi-san called my name.
“Makoto, do you have a girlfriend or anything?”
“No, I don’t…”
“Then, is there someone you like?”
“I-I don’t have anyone.”
“Huh, is that so? But you’re childhood friends with Kaoru-chan, right? Don’t you like her?”
Hearing that, I remembered…
Come to think of it, I’d promised to walk home with Kaoru today, hadn’t I?
I was so happy when Hirokishi-san asked me to walk with her that I completely forgot…
But if it’s Kaoru, she’ll probably forgive me if I apologize later.
Thinking that, I decided to focus on my conversation with Hirokishi-san for now.
To be honest, I do like Kaoru.
She’s my childhood friend, and she’s that cute, so it’s only natural.
If someone asked me who’s cuter, her or Hirokishi-san, I think it’s a matter of preference, but I honestly can’t choose.
Besides, I’ve never seen Kaoru being overly friendly with other guys, and she’s always been very attached to me.
But I also like Hirokishi-san.
I don’t know what she’s getting at with her questions, but maybe she’s interested in me…
Thinking that, there’s no way I can say I like Kaoru.
I thought that and said,
“N-no… Kaoru’s just a childhood friend…”
“But Kaoru-chan is really cute, isn’t she? And yet?”
“Th-that’s right… Besides, there’s no way I could see someone I’ve been with since we were kids as a romantic interest.”
“Huh, that’s surprising.”
Hirokishi-san seemed convinced by that.
Good, I managed to brush it off for now…
Even if it was just a spur-of-the-moment lie.
As I was thinking that, Hirokishi-san asked me another question.
“So, Makoto, have you ever had a girlfriend before?”
“Um… Why do you ask?”
“No particular reason. I just thought you seemed kind of inexperienced with women. Even though you have Kaoru-chan…”
Well, Kaoru is my childhood friend.
And I’ve never really talked properly to any girl other than Kaoru…
But I remember a friend saying that it’s better to have that kind of experience, especially for someone who seems experienced like Hirokishi-san.
Maybe Hirokishi-san is the same way.
Thinking that, I ended up putting up a front.
“I-I have had a girlfriend before, you know?”
“Ehh? Really?”
“R-really!”
“Hmm… then can you hold my hand?”
“O-of course I can… I can even put my arm around you, no problem.”
I said that and linked my arm with hers.
Honestly, my heart felt like it was about to explode…
“Haha, you’re funny, Makoto.”
“I-I am?”
“Yeah. But no more linking arms. You should only do that with someone you like, okay?”
Hirokishi-san said that with a smile.
I was completely captivated by her smile.
I want to say that I might like her right now, but that’s pretty scary.
If she rejected me, maybe I wouldn’t be able to talk to her anymore… So I’d rather keep things as they are.
Thinking that, I had no choice but to follow Hirokishi-san’s words.
“Y-yeah, you’re right…”
“Oh! Which direction is your house, Makoto?”
“My house is that way.”
I said that and pointed east.
“I see. Then we’ll part here. My house is that way.”
“I-is that so…”
“Yeah. Well then, see you!”
“Y-yeah.”
ââAfter that, I walked home alone.
“Ahh, she’s really cute…”
Hirokishi Kirara-san… She’s famous for being cute in our classâno, in the whole gradeâand is incredibly popular with both boys and girls.
She usually belongs to the popular group, but she comes to talk to me regularly.
Hirokishi-san is very sociable and gets along well with the boys too, but I’ve never seen her alone with any guy other than me.
“Still, her cuteness is different from Kaoru’s…”
Kaoru is also good-looking, so she’s popular among the boys.
But unlike Hirokishi-san, Kaoru isn’t very good at talking with guys, and she’s usually either with her female friends or with me.
That’s why, in terms of popularity with guys, Hirokishi-san ranks higher.
Because she can get along with anyone.
“Come to think of it, did Kaoru walk home alone?”
Thinking that, I felt a little bad…
Should I contact her now?
As I was thinking that, my mom called and asked me to run an errand.
“Oh! This is perfect.”
I thought I’d use my mom’s errand as an excuse to Kaoru.
There’s no way I could tell her I forgot our promise and walked home with Hirokishi-san.
I want to get closer to Hirokishi-san, but I don’t want my relationship with Kaoru to sour either.
And so, I decided not to contact Kaoru and talk to her another day, heading off to do the errand instead.
