Chapter 2 serious time with the girls
Aina Shinjo's encounter with Hayato-kun changed everything.
Although my daily life hasn't changed much, just thinking about him, my benefactor, fills me with happiness... I want more, I want a deeper connection with him—this desire grows stronger and stronger.
"Aina, what are you going to do later?"
"I'm going to rest for a bit. Could you tell my sister for me?"
"Okay! We'll meet up again later then!"
"Mm."
Right now, all I can think about is Hayato-kun, but I definitely won’t show it.
Though it’s hard not to act differently around him, I can’t be too excited in front of my sister just yet.
"...What's going on? I can feel Hayato-kun's presence from over here."
It feels like I’m being drawn to him by his aura, and I walk forward without thinking.
Even though it's gym class time, since it's the last period of Friday, the teacher gave us some freedom as a reward for a week’s worth of effort.
As long as we don't sneak back to the classroom, we can even take a nap if we want. So, like me, who was just engrossed in a game of softball, other students have also gone off to rest.
"So, where’s Hayato-kun...?"
Even though it’s gym class, why am I looking for Hayato-kun from a different class? The reason is simple—today’s gym class is combined with his class.
Although the unusual attention I’m getting from others makes me uncomfortable, just occasionally making eye contact with Hayato-kun calms that discomfort... no, it only makes me feel hot all over. Hayato-kun really is a troublemaker.
"Sis, I’m sorry. Just a little more time... Let me have Hayato-kun all to myself for a bit longer. I’ll consider it a privilege for being the first to discover him ♪"
After apologizing to my sister, who isn’t nearby, I continue my search for Hayato-kun.
If there were other people around him... To be more precise, those friends who seemed to be close to him were there, I might have had to give up.
"...Ah."
But unexpectedly, I quickly find Hayato-kun.
Under the shade of a tree planted at the corner of the playground, he’s leaning against the tree, looking comfortable as he sleeps.
I try to make no sound, slowly approaching and sitting next to him, gazing at his peaceful sleeping face.
"...So nice."
His sleeping face is so calm, it feels like just staring at it would make me lose myself.
Even though he might not be considered a handsome guy like those you see on TV, to me, he’s the most handsome person in the world... sigh, Hayato-kun, I’m so captivated by you.
"...I should be able to sniff his scent, right?"
I suppress my nervous heart as I move closer to Hayato-kun.
As I lean in and inhale, a scent that reminds me he's a man gently stimulates my nose.
"Mm... This might not be good."
Just staring at his sleeping face already makes me feel a tickling sensation inside. If I also smell his sweat, I’m sure my lower abdomen will twitch.
"...Gulp."
My eyes fell on Hayato-kun's defenseless left hand.
My heart was pounding with fear that he would find out and wake up, and I held his hand and gently lifted it.
"Hiss...hiss..."
Great, Hayato-kun doesn't seem to be awake at all.
Since I know this, I have to make good use of it. I put Hayato-kun's hand on my cheek... and then my body immediately trembled with joy.
I felt the happiness of his hand touching my cheek directly, and at the same time tried a bolder move.
"Hey, Hayato-kun, do you like big breasts?"
I asked, and put Hayato-kun's hand on my chest.
It actually sounds like I'm showing off when I say this, but I know that my body has grown into a weapon that many men covet.
My breasts are slightly larger than my sister's, and although they have recently exceeded the value of 90, they are still growing.
"I told Hayato-kun the story of spiders, didn't I? They slowly set traps like this... and then bite hard at the end♪"
Ahh... I don't think I'm satisfied yet.
I carefully observed the situation and moved Hayato-kun's hand to my lower body.
"...Ahhh♪"
I said I'd eat it all in one go, but actually I'd like Hayato to devour it instead...just kidding♪ Of course, I'm being serious, you know?
▼▽
"...Huh?"
I suddenly woke up and looked around.
"...Ah, that's right. I must have been too tired after exercising and just fell asleep."
During the last period of PE on weekends, as long as you don't return to the classroom, you can do whatever you want. So even if I fell asleep like this, I wouldn't be scolded or have my grades affected. To put it subtly, it's awesome.
"Mm?"
However, at that moment, I felt a gaze fixed on me from nearby.
"...Huh?"
"Hi♪"
It was Aina-san.
Although she wasn't right up against my shoulder, the distance between us was so close that her face was almost right beside me, so I instinctively straightened my back and pulled away.
"Ahh! Why are you leaving~?"
Well, if someone is that close to you, anyone would do the same, right? But when she saw me trying to move away, she showed a dissatisfied expression, so I stopped.
"...There's still 15 minutes left..."
There were 15 minutes remaining until the end of the class, so maybe I could chat with her slowly for a bit.
"Why is Aina-san here?"
"I was playing softball earlier, but then I thought I’d take a break, so I looked for a quiet place to rest and found Hayato-kun."
"I see."
This place is indeed perfect, shaded by trees. Not only does it block out the sunlight, but the sounds of the classmates also seem to be far away, making it very quiet.
"How should I put it... it feels like we've been talking a lot lately."
"I feel the same. It's so refreshing♪"
Aina-san smiled sweetly as she said this, showing the kind of smile that could captivate anyone, making my heart flutter. I quickly switched topics to hide my inner turmoil.
"By the way, why aren't you with your sister?"
"Mm, does Hayato-kun dislike talking to me?"
Unexpectedly, I was hit with a counterattack.
I definitely didn’t dislike it, in fact, I was quite happy about it… So I honestly expressed my feelings.
"I was a little nervous, you know. After all, I'm talking to the famous beauty sister, Aina-san."
This wasn't flattery, but a sincere statement.
For a moment, Aina-san lowered her head, her body trembling slightly, but she quickly lifted her head and smiled happily.
"It feels pretty nice to be called beautiful. So that's how you see me, Hayato-kun?"
"Not just me, everyone thinks so."
If not, she wouldn't be so well-known throughout the entire school.
"...I don’t need it. I only need to hear what Hayato-kun says."
"Huh?"
"Nothing~♪ Ah, I really wanted to chat a bit longer, but it seems like time's almost up."
"...Mm?"
I checked the clock and realized it was almost time to gather with the teacher.
We hurriedly sat up, but at that moment, Aina-san almost lost her balance, and I immediately put my hand on her body.
"Th-thank you, Hayato-kun..."
"...Oh."
But here came a problem.
Since she was leaning towards me, my hand brushed against Aina-san's chest.
"Ugh..."
"Hayato-kun, I won’t be angry, so don’t worry. After all, you saved me. I should be the one saying thank you♪"
I had already prepared myself, expecting her to call me a pervert or tell me not to touch her, followed by a slap. But that didn't happen. Aina-san's smile seemed almost divine to me.
"Hayato-kun said we’ve been talking a lot lately, but from my perspective, it’s actually me who’s been helped by Hayato-kun quite a lot."
"...Ah~ Well, there was also that time the dictionary fell, right?"
"Why... do you help me so often?"
"Huh? Isn’t that just natural?"
When someone is in trouble, it's only natural to help them.
Of course, this theory can vary depending on the situation, but the idea of rescuing or protecting someone is probably something I learned a lot from my father.
"............"
As I pondered about my family, Aina-san looked at me with concern.
"Sorry, sorry, I suddenly remembered something. But right now, it's not the time to be chatting, Aina-san!"
"You're right! Let’s hurry, Hayato-kun!"
Was it just my imagination? It felt like this before, too—whenever I got involved with Aina-san, time always seemed to fly by.
After I asked that, she said there was nothing to it, but the expression on her face kept changing, almost as if she were saying, "Maybe that's the case." Seeing her like that made me genuinely happy.
"Sigh, Hayato-kun, I’ll slowly wrap you up with silk threads."
"Silk threads?"
"Mm. Didn’t I tell you? I like spiders."
I hope it's not due to my lack of knowledge that I can't fully understand what she means.
Later, Aina-san and I successfully joined the others. Although the fact that we were going back together drew some attention, it wasn’t a big deal.
The reason for this... was probably because everyone thought someone like me and Aina-san would never have anything happen between us.
"Hayato is with Shinjo-san’s little sister? That’s quite rare."
"It’s just that we happened to be together. Nothing happened to spark any rumors."
"Haha, I know that much."
That said, there was the incident earlier where we were talking up close or I accidentally touched her chest, but of course, I couldn't tell my friends about that.
"Alright, everyone, good work. Disband!"
At the sound of the teacher’s voice, all of us moved at once.
In that moment, however, I couldn’t stop thinking about something I noticed while talking to Aina-san earlier.
"...What’s this?"
I realized that my left finger had some sticky liquid on it.
It wasn’t thick, just a slight strand-like stickiness... and it had a slightly sweet and sour smell, a fragrance that was hard to describe, but not unpleasant.
"Where’s Aina resting?"
"Me? I..."
As Aina-san was chatting happily with Arisa-san, our eyes met, and in that instant, she blinked.
"What’s going on—"
"Nothing~ Hurry up and go back, Sis."
"Okay, okay..."
Aina-san didn’t turn around and just walked ahead, but the person who reacted to that wink wasn’t me.
"Hey, hey... Did Shinjo-san just wink?"
"She definitely winked at me!"
"No way, it was at me!"
The male classmates walking beside me were enthusiastically discussing things like that. Although they didn’t directly state it, they probably thought the wink was aimed at me. Now, I really feel that my relationship with Aina-san has improved, and I can't help but feel happy.
(This might sound a bit strange, but Aina-san is like a storm.)
She appeared during Arisa-san's confession, and I don’t know what made her interested in me, but now we’re able to talk like this. However, for me, someone like Aina-san, who can easily penetrate others’ hearts and bring them into her rhythm, is like a storm.
(...Hmm, but whether it's Aina-san or Arisa-san, it seems like they no longer care about that matter. That's really great.)
For women, such an experience is really terrible, and it is normal to leave psychological trauma.
Even so, they remain as they always have... No, I don’t really know much about their daily lives, but since their friends' attitudes toward them haven't changed, they must be living just like before.
(Just like that, my efforts at the time were meaningful.)
Once again, I sincerely feel that I’m glad I stood up.
"What's up, Hayato?"
"Why are you grinning? Are you thinking dirty thoughts?"
"Why would you think that?"
Although I was still feeling happy, my two friends interrupted me. I grumbled to them while heading back to the classroom.
Once the last class of the week ended, I only had to go home. At that moment, I inadvertently glanced at the vase by the classroom window.
"...Hey, hey, hey, the water hasn’t been changed."
I don’t know about other classes, but in our class, it's generally the duty of the assigned student to change the water in the vase. However, the student in charge today wasn’t in the classroom, and the water was still murky... Seeing that, I sighed and picked up the vase.
"I should change it. The flowers probably like clean water too."
I walked to the water source and refilled the vase with fresh water.
Even though many people might think that something like this doesn’t need to be paid attention to, since my mom used to replace the water for the flowers, now that I’ve noticed the issue, I couldn’t ignore it.
"Alright, this should be good, right?"
With fresh water in the vase, it seemed like the flowers regained some life.
"...Even with something so small, I can feel a connection to my late mom. It’s not so bad."
Of course, this also includes Dad... Honestly, every time I think about my family like this, I can't help but feel melancholic.
"I should hurry home."
After putting the vase back in place, I left the school.
Walking home, I fell into deep thought, thinking about how a lot had happened this week... No, to be honest, a lot of things did happen.
"Maybe it’s just a feeling, but how should I put it... It seems like a lot of things are about to change."
Although I felt like a prophet, strangely, I couldn’t laugh it off as a joke, and so, as I sensed this feeling, Halloween day arrived.
The next day, Saturday, although I wasn’t particularly eagerly awaiting this day, I still headed toward Sota's house as it started to get dark.
I was holding some fruit and the props I had prepared for cosplay.
"Since that time, I haven’t worn you."
The pumpkin headpiece sticking out of the bag still had that annoying expression.
Despite the events that had unfolded, the pumpkin head had a look that seemed to say, "Don’t worry about those things, just enjoy the moment, bro."
"But because of this guy, I had the courage to stand up to the bandits back then... Anyway, I’m counting on you today too, partner."
I gently patted the pumpkin head inside the bag as I arrived at Sota’s house.
It seemed that I arrived around the same time as Kaito, and Sota’s mother guided us to the courtyard where the party would be held. There, we saw Sota in an extremely formal cosplay outfit.
"Good to see you both! Today, we’re going to have a blast!"
When Sota welcomed us like this, Kaito and I couldn’t help but respond loudly.
"You're really going all out!"
"I didn’t even recognize you for a moment!"
It was completely understandable why Kaito and I would say that, since the Sota in front of us wasn’t just wearing an extravagant magician-style outfit, but also holding a magic wand that looked like it had been custom-made with heavy investment.
"This is only natural for a nerd like me! But when I get serious, it’s not just this!"
"…Uh, you’re really impressive, seriously."
Even though I’d seen cosplay photos of others on social media, the quality of his costume could probably match, if not surpass, theirs.
I already knew Sota was a nerd and had heard that he was into cosplay, but I didn’t expect him to be this passionate about it.
"Alright, you two, hurry up and change into your costumes."
"...After seeing your level of effort, you want us to change?"
"Our costumes are as basic as they come."
With that, Kaito and I immediately changed into our cosplay outfits and gathered again in the courtyard.
Kaito was dressed as a Dracula-inspired character, wearing a suit and cape, with makeup on his face that made him look quite impressive.
"Dracula is a classic choice."
"Looks pretty good, huh? Compared to mine…"
Their gazes turned toward me.
I was just wearing my usual clothes, with the pumpkin headpiece on, and holding a toy lightsaber.
"...So uncreative."
"Stop complaining. This is fine."
I secretly thought I should have put a bit more effort into my costume.
Right now, my outfit was exactly the same as when I went to rescue the Shinjo sisters and their mother. I definitely couldn’t show up in front of them looking like this.
(But, today’s probably the last time I’ll dress like this... I wonder if we’ll gather like this again next year.)
As I was lost in thought, they both stared at me and said.
"...But it really fits the atmosphere."
"Yeah... it's the look of a strong person."
"What does that mean?"
It seemed that, to them, I now looked like some kind of ultimate warrior.
To respond to their strangely expectant gazes, I recalled my movements from when I practiced kendo, and swung my toy lightsaber with graceful motions. Upon seeing this, they clapped and cheered.
"You really do look strong."
"For some reason, I'm kind of scared now."
"Why?!"
It was a little accurate to describe me as frightening right now, but I hoped they wouldn’t think of me like that.
After a bit of imagining kendo practice and joking around with them, I suddenly felt exhausted, so I sat down on a chair and took off my pumpkin headpiece.
"Alright, now that we’ve shown off our cosplays, let’s eat!"
The table in front of us was filled with the dishes made by Sata’s mom. My stomach had been growling since earlier.
"Let’s eat!"
From here on out, it was just a meal disguised as a cosplay party.
Kaito and I were both enjoying the food made by Sota’s mom. Being in our growth period, we were eating like there was no tomorrow.
(...Homemade food really is the best.)
Whether it was the school cafeteria or eating instant noodles or convenience store bentos at home, I rarely cooked. Because of that, I really envied these lovingly made homemade dishes.
"I brought more food! Hehe, Hayato, seeing you eat so happily really makes me proud of my cooking."
"Thank you! This is really amazing!"
There were dishes we high school boys loved, like fried chicken nuggets and fries, as well as pumpkin soup to match the Halloween theme. Every single dish was delicious.
"I’m so happy. I wish my son could thank me so openly like you do."
"He’s just shy, please understand."
Indeed, it might be a bit embarrassing to express gratitude to the family members we live with every day, but I believe it’s important to express our feelings when we can.
"It’s just saying thank you, right? You should say it when it’s the right time. You should really cherish your family, Sota."
"...Yeah, you’re right. Alright, thanks, Mom."
Seeing Sota express his gratitude so openly, Kaito and I couldn’t help but feel warmed inside.
From Sota’s perspective, my words might have annoyed him, but despite that, he was willing to take my advice. Perhaps it was because he knew my parents had passed away when I was young, and that made him more willing to listen to me.
"Being thanked by my son really makes me happy... By the way, Hayato, are you sure you're not facing any problems?"
Sota’s mom had been smiling at Sota, but when she turned to look at me, her expression suddenly became filled with deep concern.
"I’m fine. I told you before, my grandparents take really good care of me."
They understood that I couldn’t forget my parents, and they always agreed to my selfish requests, supporting me financially without hesitation.
For them, I’m sure they are extremely worried about me, their motherless son.
The year-end holidays are coming up soon, so I’ll need to bring them some gifts when I visit.
"Hey, Hayato, if you ever run into trouble, you can always come talk to us, okay?"
"We’re good friends, you don’t need to hold back!"
"...Haha, alright."
Even though we usually do silly things together, at times like this, they really do come across as cool. Just like Kaito said, they’re truly the best kind of friends.
Afterward, we turned the volume down so we wouldn’t disturb the neighbors and spent the rest of the time happily playing.
"By the way, since we’re all gathered here, let’s make some tangible memories, shall we?"
"Good idea. Let’s take a picture together!"
"Agreed!"
After all, we went through the trouble of dressing up, so it would be a waste not to take some pictures while chatting and eating.
When Kaito suggested it, Sota and I both agreed, so we asked Sota’s mom to take a photo of the three of us together.
This was an annual event. Even though it was just the three of us, for me, it was a chance to bond with my important friends, and we smiled as we promised to do the same next year, having fun just like today.
"Alright, that’s it for today. Thanks! I’m heading home now."
"Okay. See you at school next time!"
"Bye~!"
Kaito was staying a little longer, so I left Sota’s house first.
The surroundings were already pitch black, and walking alone on the brightly lit streets made it feel eerily quiet. It was the same when I got home.
"That was really noisy earlier… but it was fun. Haha, now that I’m home, I’m back to being alone."
After the hustle and bustle of earlier, coming home to be by myself in this peaceful, quiet environment, with no noise, was a stark contrast. The calmness of everyday life was waiting for me.
"It’s so lonely…"
If Dad hadn’t had that accident, and if Mom hadn’t gotten sick… If they were both still here, I would’ve come home to lights on and someone waiting for me.
"Come on, Hayato, spoil your mom a little. Kids should always spoil their parents, you know?"
"Yeah, you should rely on Mom while you can. Once you grow up, you won’t be able to do that anymore."
The words my parents had once said to me resurfaced in my mind.
Spoiling… Ah… I can’t do that anymore… Mom, Dad.
"Your expression really looks carefree."
Thinking about my parents made my mood sink. To ease this feeling, I grabbed the pumpkin headpiece.
This face really looked annoying, almost mocking.
As if saying, "What’s this guy thinking?" I tapped the pumpkin headpiece, then put it back on.
"Whatever, it’s Halloween after all. I’ll just walk around here for a bit."
The bustling streets might be okay, but if someone saw me wearing this here, they’d probably scream in shock… Even so, I decided to keep it on until I reached the end of this road.
"Hehehe~♪"
I hummed a song by my favorite artist as I walked happily along.
Then, when I reached the end of the street, I was actually looking forward to seeing if anyone would be there. I really want to curse myself for thinking like that.
"...Huh?"
As I turned the corner at the end, I noticed there was indeed someone there… but the person was someone I definitely should not have encountered dressed like this.
"...Ah."
"...Ah!"
Whether it was fate’s cruel joke or my own punishment for getting carried away, standing in front of me were Arisa-san and Aina-san, two people I should never run into while dressed like this.
(Why are they here?!)
Both of them stood there frozen, staring at me in complete silence.
Why were they here? Why were they walking around in a place like this? A flood of questions filled my mind, but I quickly turned and started to walk back.
However, my shoulder was grabbed with an immense force.
"Wait a second!"
Not only was my shoulder grabbed, but the voice seemed to have a power that kept me rooted to the spot.
It was Arisa-san, and the strength of her will even made me want to give up on escaping and made me sigh inwardly as I turned back to face her.
"What’s going on?"
My voice had almost no inflection, but when hiding my true identity like this, I really felt a little different from my usual self.
A beautiful girl was staring intently at me, wearing the pumpkin headpiece, and the scene felt incredibly surreal. Aina-san was the first to break the awkward silence in this strange moment.
"Sis, look, this gentleman seems to be quite troubled. Why don’t you calm down a bit? There’s a park nearby, would you like to go there with us?"
"...Alright."
Although I thought about it for a moment, it seemed like leaving now was not really an option.
Guided by the two of them, we went to a nearby park, where we found a bench under the newly replaced streetlights and sat down.
"……"
"Heh."
I sat in the middle, with the two of them sitting on either side of me.
On my left was Arisa-san, who hadn’t taken her eyes off me, and on my right was Aina-san, still wearing her usual smile.
(Being sandwiched between two beautiful girls, feeling like a guy with a pumpkin head... What kind of situation is this?)
Let me say it again—what a surreal scene this is!
In a way, I was relieved that they couldn’t see the cold sweat forming on my face. I couldn’t help but steal a glance at Arisa-san, who was still looking at me with such intense interest.
"Ah… so great."
Why was she giving me such a dazed expression on her own?
I couldn’t find a way to break the silence, but then Aina-san spoke up, as if to rescue me.
"Sis, I completely understand why you’re so moved, but we can’t let him feel uncomfortable, can we?"
"Ah… You’re right. I see now."
At that moment, it felt like the intense gaze from Arisa-san had finally softened a bit.
After hearing Aina-san’s words, Arisa-san cleared her throat twice and, with a calm demeanor, said seriously to me.
"Thank you so much. You saved our family."
Arisa-san gripped my hand even tighter than before.
She thanked me directly, and I looked straight at her, but I saw the same expression in her eyes as before—it looked like she was seeking support, as if she had found a glimmer of hope in someone she could trust.
I almost lost myself in her gaze, but then I felt Aina-san, sitting on the other side, gently place her hand on my shoulder and stroke it.
"Could you tell me your name?"
Her voice was sincere.
The atmosphere at that moment made me feel that if I didn’t answer, they would never let go. Although I hesitated, I decided to answer honestly.
But not with my real name, Domoto Hayato, rather with another name I had made up.
We had only met that night and again here, so there was no need for them to remember. I hoped they would forget it quickly.
"My name is…"
"……"
Arisa-san had been waiting for my response.
To avoid using my real name, the name I had come up with to get through this situation was—
"Jack. My name is Jack."
I chose this name because it’s inspired by the Jack-O'-Lantern, so it seemed pretty perfect!
In the next moment, the two of them had completely different reactions.
"Jack-san♪"
"Phahaha!"
Jack—Arisa-san’s face turned red as she murmured with a look of deep admiration. Aina-san, on the other hand, burst out laughing, holding her stomach.
"You’re my..."
That being said… can I say something?
After I introduced myself as Jack, Arisa-san’s gaze became even more intense.
(I only just realized I shouldn’t have called myself Jack… this name is so embarrassing. Why did I say it so proudly with such confidence just now?! Although, at least they can't see my face!)
I really wanted to escape right then, wishing I could somehow deal with this embarrassment... But I was trapped between the two of them, unable to escape, and the discomfort was unbearable.
(...And it’s probably because both of them are leaning against me, I can feel their chests.)
The size and softness, far beyond what any high schooler should experience, made my head spin.
Anyone, please, save me from this space that could either be described as heaven or hell—though, of course, no one would come to my rescue.
"Heh, Hayato-kun, are you troubled?"
"Of course… huh?"
Without thinking, I suddenly turned my gaze to Aina.
"Hayato-kun?"
Though I heard Arisa-san’s confused voice, I couldn’t focus on that at the moment.
Aina-san’s expression wasn’t teasing me; instead, she looked at me with an incredibly gentle and reassuring gaze.
"Sorry, actually, I noticed a while ago. Sis still hasn’t figured it out, but I already knew who you were."
Aina-san spoke with a mixed expression of a smile and apology. Hearing this, I couldn’t help but let out a small sigh under my pumpkin headpiece.
It seemed that when people were shocked, they became unnervingly calm, and I understood exactly what Aina-san’s words meant. Even though I had hidden my true identity under the pumpkin headpiece, she still called me Hayato, which meant she really had figured it out.
"…Then I suppose there's no point in hiding my face anymore."
Since I had already been found out, there was no use in keeping up the pretense, so I took off the pumpkin headpiece.
"It’s Hayato-kun!"
"You, you’re…"
As soon as I removed the pumpkin headpiece, Aina-san was the first to exclaim, while Arisa-san looked at me in surprise… Speaking of which, Aina-san, you’re way too close! Even closer than before!
"Aina-san? Please, it’s really embarrassing if you’re this close, can you move back a little…?"
"Huh~? But this is such a touching reunion scene!"
That’s not it, Aina-san already knew my true identity, right? Besides, we’ve been chatting for the past two days, so this isn’t exactly a reunion, is it?
But when did she figure out who I was?
Curious about this, I asked, and the answer left me even more astonished.
"I realized it while observing the scene where sis was confessed to ♪"
"...So you knew from the very beginning."
So, all that time I spent on edge since then… was pointless? By the way, she said she was about 80% sure at the time, and it was through our subsequent conversations that she confirmed my identity.
"Aina…"
"Well, I wanted to have him to myself for a little while…"
"Really, what am I going to do with you?"
The two sisters surrounded me, engaging in a friendly and intimate conversation, though Arisa-san was gripping my hand quite forcefully.
Now that we’d come this far, I decided to just go with the flow and turned my gaze back to Arisa-san, speaking up.
"Um… I’m sorry for hiding it for so long. But, actually, it feels weird to apologize like this."
I certainly had no intention of revealing that I was the one who had saved them back then. I’ve also said many times that I didn’t expect anything in return.
Even so, I was caught now—not by any particular design, but by mere bad luck and coincidence… Ah, no, since Aina-san figured it out, Arisa-san probably knew from the start.
"Hayato…-sama…"
"-sama…?"
Arisa-san lowered her head for a moment, then raised it again.
"I’ll properly introduce myself. I’m Shinjo Arisa. It’s a great pleasure… a great pleasure to meet you."
Arisa squinted her eyes as if looking at something dazzling, and this expression left me bewildered.
Despite sensing the strange aura in Arisa's gaze, I couldn’t escape her stare.
"Please take care of me… Shinjo-san."
After I responded like that, Aina-san suddenly leaned in close and said to me.
"I was the first to get on good terms with him, you know? Hehehe ♪"
"Wait, Aina-san...?"
"...Aina?"
Arisa-san emitted a somewhat gloomy aura, which then quietly dissipated. It was as if she was trying to one-up Aina-san, as she stood up straight.
"Can I just be called Arisa by you? I’d really appreciate it if you called me by my first name, no need for formalities."
"……"
Although calling by first name wasn’t an issue, just like when I called Aina-san by her first name earlier, I still felt really uneasy.
But since I had already called Aina-san by her first name, if I kept addressing Arisa-san by her last name, wouldn’t that be unfair…? Though it was an extravagant dilemma, I ultimately gave in and said her name.
"Arisa-san?"
"Hmm… Please call me by my first name without honorifics. Please call me like an object... I'm sorry. Please call me like a close friend."."
"Uh…"
But calling her by her first name directly would essentially jump to the level of friendship, wouldn’t it?
Arisa-san’s blue eyes fixed on me, as if telling me that unless I called her by her first name, she wouldn’t look away… So, I surrendered.
"Alright. On the other hand, could you tone down your way of speaking a little? Even though this is our first time talking, we’re in the same grade, and it feels weird with all the formalities."
"…I’ll feel nervous though."
"I should be the one feeling nervous."
I’m the one who should be nervous. It’s important, so I said it twice.
It was just dropping the honorifics, yet Arisa-san was so distressed, then she seemed to finally accept it and nodded.
"Understood… I’ll try my best. Please take care of me, Hayato-kun."
"Yeah. Arisa, please take care of me."
"…Wah ♪"
Arisa-san’s perfectly structured features seemed to twist as she suddenly broke into a wide grin.
Seeing Arisa-san’s mouth moving and mumbling as she lowered her head, I couldn’t help but feel scared. I instinctively leaned backward, but in doing so, I bumped into Aina-san, who was sitting behind me.
"Only sis is being so sly. You can call me by my first name too, you know?"
"…Aina?"
"Mm… That’s great. My heart’s all twisted up ♪"
Arisa muttered with her head lowered, and Aina's body shook as she writhed around. Meanwhile, I was stuck in the middle with the pumpkin headpiece… What on earth was this scene?
Later, since it was already late, we naturally dispersed.
Although I had been swept along by their pace the whole time, there was one thing I still wanted to say to them.
"I want to walk you both home… No, let me do that."
Although they were together, the area was already quite dark. Considering what had happened earlier, I was even more concerned.
"Since that incident, the police will temporarily increase patrols in this area, but I still hope to walk you both home. It's also to ease my own worries."
"Are you worried about us?"
"Of course I am."
"Hmm… Hayato-kun ♪"
Women are beings that need to be protected—I don’t intend to impose this idea on others, but the situation with these two is a bit different.
Afterwards, I walked them to a place not far from their homes. However, rather than me leading them, it felt more like they were holding my hand and guiding me forward.
"Well, this is it, Hayato-kun!"
"We'll see you at school."
With these two beautiful girls waving me off, I finally began my journey home.
After such a memorable time, I was truly exhausted. However, because I had been so close to them, now, thinking back on the warmth, softness, and pleasant fragrance I had felt, I couldn’t help but feel my cheeks flush.
"...I really am just a high school brat."
As I thought about these things, I returned home.
▼▽
If this is fate, then I should believe in it.
Several days had passed since the incident when I was nearly assaulted by that robber, and I finally met him again. At first, he called himself Jack, but now I know that he had already known Aina and that they went to the same school.
"Doumoto... Hayato-kun... Hayato-kun... Hayato-sama."
Whenn I saw him remove the pumpkin headpiece and reveal his true face, my heart raced uncontrollably, as if I was reliving the same heartbeat I had back then.
His slightly messy hairstyle and gentle eyes made him seem like a righteous, outstanding young man.
I had thought he was muscular, but in reality, he wasn’t. I could tell he worked out, maybe he participated in some kind of sport.
Although a variety of thoughts flooded my mind, I couldn’t help but fall for him at first sight. I wanted to talk to him more, to keep looking at him, and to hear him call my name again and again.
I wanted to be his, as soon as possible.
"…Hehe."
I had never felt so excited before.
That person is mine… When I thought about it, a strange tingling sensation spread through me. I wanted to stay by his side, to make him happy, to offer all of myself to be his support... These were the thoughts filling my head right now.
"And… he’s been looking at us."
Hayato-kun has been looking at us.
I know he lives nearby, and whenever our gazes meet, we exchange greetings. I can’t help but curse the old me. Why didn’t I meet him earlier? He’s always been protecting us.
"That’s right… Hayato-kun has always been protecting us. The time he helped us was truly fated."
Yes, he’s always been… Wait, what did I just do?
He’s always been protecting us, but what have I done for him?
Right… I’ve done nothing. Since that’s the case, there’s only one thing left for me to do now. To repay him for all the protection he’s given us, I will become his devoted tool. I will watch over him from his side, become his and his alone, and remain by him forever as his possession.
"…This is so wonderful ♪"
To live as something that belongs only to him, this is the reason I was born.
I expressed my desire to become his slave in a conversation with a friend. There’s nothing wrong with that. I want to be his slave. That’s right… just like that!
"Hehe… Hahahaha ♪"
This is so great. What a beautiful world this is.
Hayato-kun… Hayato-sama… The sweet words flowed through my body as joy. It feels like I am truly beginning my life now.
I, Shinjo Arisa, am Hayato-sama’s slave… This feeling is unbearable, it’s so intense.
My master… Ah, but it feels a bit shy. But my heart is truly satisfied, truly happy. This part is undeniable.
"…But suddenly saying something like this might embarrass him. What should I do, Arisa… How can I become Hayato-kun’s slave?"
This is a topic that will probably last a long time.
Post a Comment