Chapter 20: My childhood friend and I exchanged light banter

My childhood friend and I exchanged light banter

In the blink of an eye, it became the day before the cultural festival.

Arriving at school early in the morning, the whole school was bustling with energy.

There were no classes today; instead, students were busy with preparations for the cultural festival from the morning.

Our class, along with Class 2, was in charge of setting up the haunted house attraction and everyone was running around.

I had finished making the sign that I was assigned, so I went to help with the setup in Class 2.

“Hey, Boyan’s here! Quickly set up the desks in a vertical row over there”, Tokita, taking command, gave clear instructions.

“Got it.”

I moved the desks as instructed.

The haunted house had a small maze-like structure. We stacked two desks on top of each other and attached boards to create walls.

There were spaces where actors in ghost costumes and people operating tricks would hide, scaring visitors as they passed by.

I placed the desks according to the layout plan I was given.

Phew.

Near the exit, I arranged three desks vertically in two rows and placed another set of three desks on top of them.

It was quite labor-intensive.

When I finished stacking the last set, a sweet fragrance wafted in.

“Hey there, Boyan!”

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A flash of chestnut-colored short hair appeared in my field of vision.

“Aya, good morning.”

I looked at my childhood friend who seemed to be in a good mood.

“Yeah, good morning.”

Aya’s eyes momentarily flickered, but she quickly met my gaze again.

An internal voice seemed to be saying, “Stop avoiding eye contact with him at school.”

It seemed like she had stopped avoiding eye contact with me.

“Aya, are you feeling okay today?”

“Yeah, I’m fine! I couldn’t help much yesterday, so I’ll do my best today!”

Aya had left school early yesterday. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

The day before yesterday, in the art preparation room, I had brought Aya to climax multiple times. Perhaps due to that, Aya’s health had deteriorated during the cultural festival preparations yesterday. She had gone to the nurse’s office and left school early.

This week, Aya’s health had suffered for two days.

It’s not surprising.

Between the competition, amusement park and cultural festival preparations, Aya was already busy and on top of that, she was faced with significant decisions because of me. It was almost overwhelming.

Considering her future with Tokita, her relationships with her female friends… Her anxiety and stress must be immense.

“For the first day, I’ll be hiding here”, Aya said with enthusiasm.

She showed no signs of fatigue.

“Here? Under this desk?”

“Yeah, exactly. See, since we lined up the desks vertically, it created a sort of hole underneath, right? I’ll lie down in there and wait for my ‘prey’ to come.”

“What will you do if the ‘prey’ passes by?”

“I’ll reach out and grab their ankles.”

Aya extended her arm in front of me and clenched her fist.

“That sounds… like it would startle them.”

If it were me, I’d probably wet my pants from the surprise.

“But you have to be careful not to grab too hard. You might make them trip and fall.”

I lightly bent my elbow and signaled to Aya.

Aya reached out towards my arm, her grip firm and strong.

“Aya, that’s too strong. The visitors might actually fall.”

“Oh, really? Then… about this much?”

This time, she gently took hold of my arm.

“No, that’s too gentle.”

“It’s difficult to get the right balance, huh?”

Aya and I naturally interacted with each other.

Just like close childhood friends.

The surrounding students probably saw us as close childhood friends too.

At first glance, our sense of distance seemed the same as before the class trip.

But when Aya released my arm…

Her fingers lightly brushed against my arm, as if in a lonely, gentle caress.

I couldn’t help but gaze at Aya, reluctant to part.

I can’t return to being just close childhood friends.

As I unconsciously exchanged glances with Aya, Tokita called out.

“Aya! Can you come here for a moment?”

“Ah, sure… See you later, Boyan.”

Tokita beckoned to Aya from the entrance of the classroom.

With a heavy step, Aya headed towards her boyfriend.

“Do you have some time this afternoon? I have something important to talk about”, he said.

“…Sure, I also have something to discuss”, she replied.

At first glance, it might sound like an ordinary conversation between a couple.

But the distance between the two facing each other was greater than usual.

Afternoon.

I peeked into an empty classroom from the hallway.

In the center of the classroom, Aya and Tokita stood facing each other.

I didn’t follow Aya or Tokita.

I didn’t know the time or place they were meeting.

I just followed my instincts and happened to come to this place where I encountered them.

While Aya’s face was tense with nervousness, Tokita appeared relaxed.

He gazed at Aya with an indescribably gentle expression.

Aya was the first to speak.

“Hey, Tokita, you see… we…”

Aya seemed to be desperately searching for the right words.

― We need distance.

― This can’t continue like this.

― I’m sorry.

― I’m not interested in Tokita anymore.

― It’s better for both of us to be apart.

― It’s not Tokita’s fault.

― We should break up.

Unable to put the swirling emotions into words, she moved her mouth hesitantly.

She clenched her hand into a fist and her fist was trembling.

Eventually, as if determined to continue, Tokita cut in.

“Aya, is your body okay now?”

His voice was low and unassuming.

It wasn’t the high-pitched, anxious tone he had been using lately.

“Yeah, um, yeah.”

“Good… Listen, you don’t have to push yourself anymore.”

“Huh?”

“It was tough, right? Losing badly at the competition and still going to the amusement park. You were feeling down and tired and I didn’t properly consider your feelings. I’m sorry!”

Tokita lowered his head.

His profile showed a genuinely apologetic expression.

“I’ve been getting anxious lately… So, I’m really sorry!”

Tokita didn’t raise his head until Aya said, “It’s okay.”

However, Aya didn’t say anything.

After a while, Tokita lifted his head on his own.

There was no sign of anxiety in his expression.

“Anyway, getting to the main point… At the post-festival party after the cultural festival, they’re apparently introducing a ‘Best Couple Award’ this year.”

“Yeah…”

Aya slightly pulled back, sensing a bad premonition.

I felt the same.

“Girls have been talking about it a lot and it seems like we’ll get a lot of votes. Me and Aya, I mean.”

Aya’s heart seemed to jump at that moment.

I vaguely remembered hearing about such an event as the ‘Best Couple Award’. They set up ballot boxes during the two days of the cultural festival and the winners were announced at the post-festival party, right?

“And, as part of the organizing committee, we want to make sure we’re well-prepared for this new event. It seems like we want to secure votes for Aya’s friends as well.”

Aya stood there in shock.

Her emotions were coming through.

She was so flustered that her vision seemed to waver.

Her friends were acting.

The members of the organizing committee were acting.

Reversing all of that would be an incredibly high hurdle for Aya.

Well, that alone wouldn’t make Aya this flustered.

Perhaps, but her traumatic experience from elementary school might be related.

Being put on the spot in front of everyone, something becoming a fact and needing to overturn it… Aya might have gone through a very difficult time.

Tokita continued talking cheerfully, seemingly unaware of Aya’s state.

“Apparently, they’re already planning some incredible surprise performance. Me and Aya are going to be disguised or something? They want to create a commotion in the audience with something like ‘Who’s that?’ at first.”

While Tokita laughed excitedly, Aya’s face was one of despair.

A heavy, dark weight seemed to descend upon her heart.

Perhaps noticing Aya’s distress, Tokita became a bit flustered.

“Ah, sorry, I got carried away and kept talking. It’s troublesome, right? Aya, you don’t have to force yourself. I’ll handle the lines and the performance. You just need to stand beside me and smile…”

Aya’s body swayed.

She leaned forward, nearly falling and placed her hand on a nearby desk.

“Are you okay!?”

Tokita instinctively reached out and grabbed Aya’s upper arm.

“Mm…”

A troubled sound escaped Aya’s lips.

It was an unconscious utterance.

The same melancholic sound she made whenever I kissed her or touched her body.

A voice that no one, not even Tokita, had ever heard.

A voice that could easily shatter Tokita’s self-control.

“…Aya, are you feeling dizzy?”

While gripping Aya’s arm, Tokita slowly pulled her closer to his body.

He leaned in, as if about to kiss her.

Aya extended the hand that Tokita wasn’t holding, placing it in front of Tokita’s face.

“Wait… sorry, Tokita.”

“Huh? Why?”

Tokita peered into Aya’s eyes and moved even closer.

Aya squirmed, trying to evade his lips.

“Wait, Tokita… listen…”

“But we did it during the school trip.”

Tokita used the hand that wasn’t holding Aya’s arm to pull her waist closer.

“Hey, stop… Ah, no, I don’t want this.”

As Aya resisted and her voice carried a tinge of sadness, Tokita’s expression turned into one of unbearable desire.

His lower body was visibly bulging against his pants.

“Why not? Why is it not okay?”

Tokita spoke in a low voice.

“Listen, Tokita… I mean…”

I couldn’t bear it any longer.

The kiss in the school trip parking lot was different.

Aya was clearly unwilling and resisting.

Even if Aya hadn’t resisted just now, I wouldn’t have been able to bear it.

I took a step forward, intending to rush into an empty classroom.

At that moment, a high-pitched sound rang in my ears.

― Don’t go.

― Don’t move.

― Don’t interfere.

God’s intuition was shouting in my head.

A flood of images rushed into my mind.

Vivid images that were too clear to be mere intuition.

Just like when I rescued Aya from Edato-sensei.

Memories of the future that would likely happen ahead.

—Tokita forcefully pulling Aya close and pressing his lips against hers.

An aggressive, passionate kiss.

Aya, held tightly, managed to push Tokita away.

And there, she realized clearly.

That I didn’t want anyone but Boyan to touch me.

Boyan would definitely stop if I genuinely didn’t want it.

Aya told Tokita through her tears.

“Sorry, let’s break up.”

And like that, with tears streaming down her face, Aya left the classroom and I chased after her—

God’s intuition presented this as the shortest way to obtain Aya.

It probably was.

But I would no longer allow any other man to touch Aya even with a single finger.

Without hesitation, I reached for the door of the empty classroom.

At that moment…

A crashing sound echoed.

Turning, I saw Tokita falling back against a desk.

Aya had pushed him away.

—No issue here.

God’s intuition slightly adjusted its course, albeit belatedly.

Even intuition hadn’t foreseen Aya’s actions.

“A-Ah, sorry, Tokita…”

With her arms still outstretched, Aya apologized.

“No, I also… went too far.”

Tokita also apologized, appearing to have regained his senses.

Yet, his expression held a hint of resentment.

“…No, I’m really sorry.”

With a pale face, Aya lowered her head again.

It seemed like she was apologizing not only for pushing him but also for everything that had happened and was yet to come.

Tokita addressed her in a soothing tone.

“Hey… how about a date this weekend, after a long time?”

“Huh…?”

“You know, we haven’t really had a proper date lately. I’ve been feeling a bit frustrated about that.”

Aya remained silent.

She kept her head down, her chestnut hair obscuring her profile, making it impossible for me to see her expression from here.

“Actually, our anniversary is coming up, right?”

That anniversary had already passed.

Even the anniversary of their first date.

“Sorry for suddenly asking… I’m sure you’ve got plans and stuff. I’ll message you later.”

Aya simply nodded.

“…I have a student committee meeting, so I’ll head off.”

“…Yeah.”

Tokita walked towards me as if escaping.

I hurriedly distanced myself from the door, running to hide around the corner.

After Tokita left.

I waited in the corridor’s shadows for Aya to come out.

Maybe about three minutes passed.

Aya appeared at the entrance of the empty classroom.

Walking down the corridor, she disappeared into the girls’ restroom at the end.

I went up to the restroom’s entrance and waited for her again.

Is Aya okay?

The trauma she thought she had overcome seemed to have resurfaced, bigger than ever.

An excessively self-conscious, timid and relationally fragile Aya… in this situation, would she be able to tell Tokita they should break up?

For a moment, I felt concerned.

However, it was only for a moment.

I remembered the scene in the empty classroom a while ago.

Aya, beyond what intuition had predicted, pushing Tokita away.

“What’s up, Boyan! What happened!?”

Aya stood there, eyes wide.

“Oh, I was walking around here for the cultural festival preparations and saw Aya going into the restroom.”

“I see.”

Aya blushed.

It seemed she was embarrassed to be seen going into the restroom.

Looking closer, I noticed her hair was slightly damp.

Her eyes were puffy.

She had cried quite a bit… probably washed her face multiple times.

My chest tightened.

“Are you okay?”

I had been listening.

Right now, I must be wearing an expression of deep concern.

Aya suddenly turned, her gaze seeking support.

From her wavering eyes, I could feel Aya’s emotions.

—Boyan.

I’m with Boyan.

But what should I do?

How can I handle this?

I’m scared.

Help me.

…No, I can’t.

No.

I mustn’t rely on Boyan.

I have to decide.

I have to make the decision—

“Are you okay?”

Aya tried to act tough.

It was evident that everything wasn’t okay.

But Aya had resolved to overcome this herself.

Physically taking Aya away from here would be easy.

I could leave and forcibly take Aya with me, even if it meant stealing her from Tokita.

That would probably make things easier for Aya too.

But Aya chose to confront the situation.

She chose to come to me on her own.

So, all I can do is watch over her.

“Well, Aya seemed unusually carefree.”

“What did you say!”

We bantered like close childhood friends as we returned to the classroom.