Despite the emotional atmosphere, it’s a regular weekday, so we have to go to school.
I take Satou’s hand and we leave the house.
As we walk towards the station, I talk with Satou a bit more.
「Do you have any plans for the upcoming Golden Week?」
「Golden Week? U-Um… not really, no.」
「Then, how about we go somewhere together? It’s a holiday after all, maybe we could go on a little trip.」
「…Does that mean, s-staying overnight?」
「No, I wasn’t thinking that far… but well, depending on the place, that possibility might exist.」
「Wa…」
Satou’s eyes widen in surprise.
Perhaps suggesting a trip for just the two of us was too forward.
I have no experience inviting the opposite sex to such things, so I’m not sure about the appropriate distance.
What should I do?
I at least want to secure a promise to hang out…
As I’m pondering this alone, Satou suddenly smiled happily and clinged to my arm.
「Fufu, where shall we go?」
「Is it okay?」
「…Nn, what do you mean?」
Satou tilts her head cutely.
She’s really improved in terms of shyness compared to when we first met.
No, maybe this was the real Satou all along.
Well, if that’s the case, her change is even more pleasing.
「No, if you don’t mind, it’s fine. We’d book separate rooms anyway if it came to that.」
「Ah, ahh… is that, so. …I think I’m expressing my feelings quite a bit, but is it not getting through to Hinata-kun…?」
She squeezes my arm tightly, pressing the swell of her uniform against me.
This different kind of softness from when I hug her makes my heart skip a beat.
She was crying just a little while ago…
Of course, it’s good that she’s energetic.
「If it wasn’t getting through, I wouldn’t come to pick you up at your house.」
「I-I see. Then, I’m glad…」
Satou blushes with embarrassment and pulls away from me.
「That aside, we’ll still book separate rooms.」
「…Muu.」
At my words, Satou pouted slightly, looking a bit dissatisfied.
Cute.
But I swallow the word, thinking she’d get angry if I said it now.
「…Even if the rooms are separate, we’re free to visit each other, right?」
「Of course.」
「Understood. In that case, I guess that’s fine.」
Satou snorts playfully.
「Satou, have you become a bit more selfish?」
「…I-Is that so?」
「Yeah. Like you’re properly saying what you want to do, or you’re less reserved. Ah, I mean it in a good way, of course. Sorry, my choice of words was bad.」
「I-It’s okay. I don’t mind. …Besides, the fact that I can be selfish now is thanks to Hinata-kun. Even after hearing that story about me, you didn’t make a disgusted face and stayed by my side as always. I feel like I can show you everything… of course I would think that…」
Satou narrowed her eyes softly, looking shy.
I can’t help but smile in response.
No one wouldn’t be happy to hear that the walls around someone’s heart are now zero.
And above all, because Satou’s sobs still lingered in my ears from earlier, I was happy to see her smiling like this.
「…I see. Then, please keep smiling by my side forever.」
「…Eh?」
「Because that’s all I need to be satisfied. I will never, ever say anything insincere.」
I convey this to her once again.
──Light Novels──
──Read Here──
Even if someday, in the future, Satou and I were to fight, I would never say that I regretted being kind to her.
Satou listened to me with a gentle gaze, but as soon as I finished speaking, she looked away.
「……」
Her steps became slightly smaller, and her shoulders began to tremble.
I tried to look straight ahead, but since our bodies were half-touching, I could feel Satou desperately wiping her eyes.
「Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that outside.」
「…No, it’s okay. I was just a bit too happy for Hinita-kunto to say that. I tried to hold back from jumping up, and a little bit overflowed. …Please, let me stay by Hinata-kun’s side forever too.」
Satou said this, looking at me awkwardly but with a smile that seemed to come from the bottom of her heart.
And so, we arrived at school a little later than usual.
As soon as we entered the classroom, a lot of people gathered around Satou.
She was wearing her glasses since we were at school, giving her a slightly intellectual cuteness different from her bare face.
After hearing about Satou’s past, I had been honestly worried about something.
It was about Satou’s popularity at school.
As is clear from the crowd around her now, Satou is quite cute even without my bias as her friend.
I don’t know enough about the students at this school to say she’s the cutest in school… but still, her attractiveness is considerable, and it’s undoubtedly made her a high-profile figure among many students.
Satou’s recognition is now spreading in our class and among the first-year students, and it’s almost certain that it will soon reach the upperclassmen as well.
And when that happens, naturally, Satou will attract attention.
Attention from almost the entire school, in fact.
It’s not out of the question that some might even confess to her.
When that happens…
Will Satou be able to endure it?
Of course, I plan to support her with all my strength by her side, but in the end, it’s Satou herself who will attract the attention.
Satou, who became afraid of facing people honestly after being told “It was a waste being kind to you”, will she be able to withstand this massive amount of “kindness”?
That’s what I was thinking, but.
「Satou-san, you used to wear different glasses, right? Did you change them recently?」
「Y-Yes, I did.」
「I thought so! The new ones really suit you!」
「R-Really…? I’m glad to hear that. These glasses, um… were chosen for me by someone important, so I like them very much too. Matsushita-san, your bracelet is lovely.」
「Really!? Thank you~!」
She seemed totally fine.
She was happily chatting with her classmates, complimenting each other’s accessories.
The other students watched Satou and the other girl smile and laugh with bright expressions.
Even from my perspective, I couldn’t sense any malice.
…Or rather, the pronoun she used, which was probably referring to me, is incredibly embarrassing.
No, of course I’m happy, and I think I understand that she feels that way.
But, well, how should I put it.
It’s kind of different when it’s said directly to you versus when it just slips out in another conversation…
I don’t show it on my face, but I’m embarrassed.
Then, Satou suddenly looked my way.
I was observing her too, so our eyes met.
「……」
「……?」
We stare at each other for about a second.
Silently, without words…
Even though we’re not exchanging emotions, Satou’s cheeks gradually turn a shade of pink.
And finally, she smiles softly, as if melting, before returning to her conversation with her classmates.
「…She’s really cute.」
I mutter under my breath.
A slightly different, soft smile filled with a sense of security than the one she shows to everyone else.
It’s unfair to direct that kind of smile at me for just a moment.
It seems no one realized that I was the recipient.
But some percentage of the students who witnessed this close-to-natural smile from the beautiful girl seemed to be holding their breath at its beauty.
Feeling embarrassed, I scratched my cheek and decided to look out the window until homeroom started.