A moment of silence dominated the classroom, and the first to be unable to bear it was Satou, who had gathered everyone’s attention.
「…G-Good morning.」
As soon as she muttered that to the class, many people within my sight widened their eyes.
「…Eh, is that Satou-san?」
「No way.」
「Seriously?」
「Amazing…」
「Cute…!」
「Pretty…!」
Everyone murmurs.
Among them, the word “cute” seems particularly frequent.
「…Fu.」
Fufufu, I know, I know.
It seems everyone hadn’t noticed, but Satou has been cute all along recently.
Well, I’ve known for over a week, but it’s not about who knew first.
You guys finally realized, huh.
…I got a bit carried away as my tension eased.
As I stood there with my arms crossed, nodding, before I knew it, a crowd had formed around Satou.
Through the gaps, I can see Satou doing her best to respond with a wry smile.
「Oi Kaoru, is that it?」
「That’s it.」
「That’s it, huh…」
Minato and I exchange glances, completing our earlier answer check.
「I only had the impression of her being plain though.」
「I thought so at first too. We’re both bad at judging, aren’t we?」
「Really.」
I have confidence in evaluating cute things as cute, but I no longer have confidence in discovering hidden cuteness.
Still, the reason I was able to notice Satou’s cuteness was, of course, because Satou herself made an effort to change.
「What did you do to Satou-san?」
The reason why the hidden beautiful girl stopped hiding.
It’s natural for Minato to ask me, who seemed to know the circumstances.
However, unfortunately, there aren’t many things that come to mind.
「If I had to say, I was a practice partner for getting used to people, I guess.」
「Practice for getting used to people?」
「Since we take the same train and commute together, we tried to ride together and talk as much as possible… well, something like that.」
I don’t mention holding hands because it’s embarrassing.
There’s nothing strange about just talking.
「Riding together and talking, huh.」
「What?」
「Almost every day, right?」
「Well, on school days.」
「What about in school?」
「In school? Recently, we’ve been eating lunch together.」
「…Kaoru.」
「…What?」
「Nnnー …never mind. If you need help, let me know. I can mobilize the drama club pretty much anytime.」
「That’s not the kind of power a first-year should have.」
What’s going on with the hierarchy in the drama club?
After homeroom and the morning classes, which started soon after, a large number of people gathered around Satou again.
Considering that Satou arrived late to the classroom, this lunch break would be the first chance for classmates to talk to Satou properly.
「Satou-san, let’s have lunch together!」
「U-Um…」
The girls in the class were the first to approach Satou, pulling nearby desks towards hers.
At that moment, Satou sent a glance my way, but I nodded, thinking it was a good opportunity for her to make friends.
I guess I’ll eat with Minato today.
「Yo.」
Just as I was thinking something heartless, Minato came up next to me.
「Wanna go to the cafeteria?」
「Ahー… no, let’s eat in the classroom today.」
「Roger that. By the way, Kaoru, you’ve been bringing a lunch box lately.」
「W-Well, yeah.」
In a classroom buzzing with Satou-related topics, I can’t possibly say “I’m eating a lunch box made by Satou”, but thanks to almost everyone’s attention being on Satou, it’s unlikely anyone will notice we’re eating the same lunch box nearby.
After watching the desks continue to connect around Satou, I stood up.
「Sorry, gotta hit the restroom.」
「Then I’ll start eating.」
「Yeah.」
After excusing myself, I start walking down the hallway.
Then, I could faintly hear someone following me at a quick pace.
Pretending not to notice, I pass by the restroom.
Then I turn the corner in the hallway, climb the stairs, and reach the landing just before the rooftop… which is off-limits to students.
A dimly lit space with no lights on.
Sunlight is barely streaming in through the window of the door leading to the rooftop.
There’s no sign of people.
All the noise is below.
「…Hinata-kun.」
Suddenly, as a voice echoes, hands wrap tightly around my waist from behind.
A sweet scent and a familiar softness.
「You’re doing your best, Satou.」
「……」
There was no verbal response, but instead, the strength of her embrace increased.
When we briefly made eye contact in the classroom, I received a strong telepathic message from Satou asking for help. It was as if she wanted to escape from there immediately.
Knowing it was an issue of energy and stamina rather than anyone being unpleasant, I called her out to this deserted place with a glance.
I only intended to be a conversation partner, so I didn’t expect to be hugged.
Well, I have no reason to refuse.
…Actually, I’m a bit happy.
「Was I able to talk to everyone properly?」
Satou asks with a somewhat anxious tone.
「Yeah. You were doing your best.」
「I wasn’t just looking down or had a dark expression…?」
「None of that. You were looking at them properly, just like when you’re with me. As for your expression, well, it looked like you were nervous.」
「…Uh.」
「We’ll work on that gradually. No need to rush.」
「…Okay.」
She mutters that and squeezes me tightly again, this time increasing the sense of closeness rather than strength.
Due to our height difference, Satou’s head doesn’t rest on my shoulder while standing, but even so, I get the strange feeling like she’s whispering in my ear.
「What did you tell everyone when you left?」
「…Um, that I was going to the restroom.」
「Then we can’t stay long. Unfortunately.」
「…Yes. But please, let me recharge like this for a little longer…」
Recharg.
Satou is a warm-blooded girl, after all.
Of course, I know she doesn’t mean it that way.
Even so, Satou feels a bit cooler than usual, as if her body temperature is slightly low through her uniform.
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「If it’s recharging, maybe the opposite would be better…」
「…Nn, Hinata-kun?」
I gently released Satou’s hands from around my waist and slowly turned to face her.
I stare at her straight on.
Then, perhaps embarrassed by having been clinging to me just moments ago, Satou looked away uncomfortably.
Looking closely, her cheeks seem a bit red too.
Neatly trimmed bangs, clear skin, well-proportioned features, and a loosely fitting uniform.
Even seeing her again, she’s cute after all.
I gently push this cute girl’s shoulders, making her step up one stair.
Even so, I’m still taller.
But now our eye level is almost the same.
「What are you doing…?」
Without explaining to Satou, who tilted her head in confusion.
I gently pulled her close with my right hand.
「I think I heard somewhere before that hugs are good for relieving stress.」
「E-Eh, a h-hug…?」
Satou’s strength drains away.
She leans her whole body against me, and her modest weight is pleasantly distributed across my entire body.
「W-Wawa, ehhh, what is this, what is this…」
「Didn’t we do something similar during the fitting yesterday?」
「M-Maybe so, but…」
Thinking about it again, I wonder why I hugged her during the fitting.
「And besides… it’s recharging, right?」
「R-Recharging…」
「This way is more efficient, isn’t it?」
「…T-That’s true, but…」
After the conjunction, she lightly taps my chest.
It didn’t hurt at all, which was actually dangerous.
However, that seemed to be her last resistance, and after that, Satou seemed to give up and rested her face on my shoulder.
「U-Um… Hinata-kun.」
「Nnn?」
「Is this… really just for recharging…?」
「…Eh?」
Even though she’s whispering in my ear, Satou speaks at the lowest volume I can hear.
「I-If it’s 100% for my sake… well… I’m happy, but… it’s a bit lonely.」
Her warm breath touches my ear.
Even though there’s a precedent, I’m doing something unfamiliar like hugging a girl right now.
So how my heart is doing, Satou should have heard it yesterday.
「…Then, can I do what I want?」
「…Y-Yes, you can.」
Satou whispers in a trembling voice, and her slender arms wrap around my back.
The feeling of being embraced, the sense of security, the excitement.
All of these were supposed to be what I gave to Satou, but instead, I’m receiving them from her.
To return the favor, I hugged Satou’s body with both hands.
Her small body trembles slightly in my arms.
「T-This is amazing… too amazing.」
Perhaps because she’s nervous, her voice is a bit higher than usual.
「Is it too tight?」
「Not at all, I’m perfectly fine. Rather, it feels good…」
Satou’s strength melts away as if she’s dissolving, and soon my entire body is enveloped in the softness of a girl.
Or rather, this might be bad for me too.
Like goosebumps, a sense of happiness shoots through my entire body.
Stress relief.
Apparently, that’s really true.
「I-I feel like I’m going to hyperventilate…」
「Eh.」
「Ah, but you can’t… don’t let go…」
She squeezes me even tighter.
Every single reaction is unbearably adorable.
After continuing this “recharging” for a while, I released Satou.
「Fufu, ehehe.」
「Seems like you’re okay now.」
「Yes. I feel like I could even give a speech at a school assembly right now.」
「Don’t, that would worry me.」
「Fufu.」
Satou laughs in high spirits and descends the stairs to stand beside me.
It’s about time we head back, or people might start worrying, but Satou reluctantly hugged me once more and then shyly held my hand.
Her warm hand slips weakly, and only my index and middle fingers barely catch on.
「Hey, Hinata-kun.」
「Nnn?」
「…Next time, let’s do this in a place where we can truly be alone.」
「…!」
A place where we can truly be alone.
That means not in a train or at school, but in a place with more established privacy.
I couldn’t respond to Satou’s uncharacteristic statement and just squeezed her fingers.
「Fufu.」
Whatever she took from that, Satou smiled joyfully again and turned towards the stairs leading back to the classroom.
「……」
What’s this feeling?
Satou’s rhythm, or rather, it’s different from usual.
Even in her stance, there’s no sense of weakness.
Her words are clear.
A picture-perfect beautiful girl.
「Ah, and Hinata-kun.」
Satou, who was about to descend the stairs, stops.
「Let’s have lunch together again sometime.」
「…Yeah, of course.」
「Yay!」
With that, Satou finally returns to the classroom.
I waved until her cheerful back disappeared from sight, and then immediately crouched down on the spot.
「Who was that…!?」
The way she talks, her gestures, the content of her statements, her expressions… can someone change that much?
What’s the reason?
Today’s experience of talking with classmates?
Satou’s slight bravado?
Or… because I hugged her…?
「…That’s way too cute.」
Her delicate body.
Her soft warmth.
Her sweet scent.
The strange sensation that Satou is still in my arms doesn’t go away.
Sorry, Minato.
I don’t think I can go back just yet.