Chapter 28: Sending off a nervous childhood friend

Sending off a nervous childhood friend

How long have our lips been pressed together?

Our tongues, intricately intertwined, creating lascivious sounds.

Aya and I were kissing on the rooftop.

In front of everyone’s eyes.

The performance of the Wind Orchestra must have ended.

From the gymnasium, I could faintly hear the applause.

Aya and I slowly unlocked our tongues, separating our tightly pressed lips, as if breathing in sync.

A delicate silver thread seemed to linger between our tongues, reluctant to part.

The applause from the gymnasium still continued.

However, applause wasn’t coming from the rooftop audience – everyone there was in a state of shock.

I glanced around the edges of my field of vision.

There were no smartphones pointing our way.

Seems like no one captured the moment. Everyone was probably taken aback by the suddenness of it all.

It’s not that I’m afraid of our relationship being known.

I just don’t want Aya’s photo―especially one of us kissing―circulating without our knowledge.

I remembered when a photo of Aya at the tournament was shown to one of the girls. It had been quite uncomfortable.

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I turned my gaze back to my childhood friend in front of me.

Aya’s face was flushed red, her eyes watery.

A bit of the shy girl she used to be when we first met was showing through.

In my usual manner, I spoke.

“Want to walk around a bit more?”

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

Aya smiled awkwardly.

Her inner turmoil was evident.

But perhaps inspired by my composure, Aya managed to put on her usual expression, seemingly unaffected.

――Are you okay? Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

I was about to say that but stopped.

No, those weren’t the right words for this moment.

“It’s okay now, Aya.”

With absolute confidence, I smiled.

“Yeah, it is.”

Aya also smiled softly this time.

A natural, happy smile that she always had.

Together, we walked towards the exit of the rooftop.

The distance between us wasn’t too far or too close, just our usual spacing.

Unlike when we first arrived on the rooftop, there wasn’t anyone approaching Aya to talk now.

We entered the building and descended the stairs.

When we reached the vending machines, I turned to face Aya, who had been following behind me.

Before we tour the cultural festival, let’s eat something at least.

“Aya, what do you want to eat?”

Aya burst into laughter and made an exasperated face.

“Already talking about food? You gluttonous Boyan.”

“Nah, you’ve got the ‘I’m hungry’ look too.”

Today, Aya had only eaten an anpan in the morning. Being the ankle grabber must have burned a lot of calories.

“Ugh… now that you mention it, I am starting to feel hungry thanks to you, Boyan.”

“Should we have yakisoba and takoyaki?”

“You’re so greedy.”

“Because Aya’s giving off that ‘I want both’ vibe.”

“…just takoyaki then.”

“Alright, let’s head to the takoyaki stall first.”

The two of us descended to the first floor.

Without stopping at the voting box at the end of the corridor, we stepped outside the school building.

Vendor stalls lined up from the school building to the main gate, and the smell of yakisoba and takoyaki wafted through the air. It looked incredibly delicious.

We walked through the bustling crowd of visitors, just Aya and me.

When we reached the takoyaki stall, we joined the line at the back.

While waiting in line, neither of us said a word.

It wasn’t awkward or anything like that.

Talking was enjoyable, but silence was fine too. Even without conversation, it was comfortable.

That was the normalcy between Aya and me.

After about fifteen minutes, our turn finally came.

I raised a finger.

“One order of takoyaki… no, make it two.”

Since Aya was staring intently at the takoyaki next to me, I changed my order to two.

Holding two plates of octopus balls (takoyaki), we walked along the street filled with vendor stalls.

Every bench placed here and there was occupied.

“Aya, how about we find some shade around here? You must be tired from your haunted house duty.”

“No, I’m fine. All the shaded spots are taken up, and I want to eat takoyaki while walking!”

In the end, we decided to have our lunch standing near the main gate.

Aya was skillfully devouring the takoyaki at a good pace, exhaling “hafu hafu” as she ate.

Suddenly, I noticed a gaze on Aya.

There were two guys, likely college students who had come to enjoy the festival, observing Aya with interest as she enjoyed her takoyaki.

Their gaze was fixated on Aya’s face, then drawn to her chest.

They stopped and exchanged whispers.

Most likely saying something like “Isn’t she cute?” or “Isn’t her chest big?”.

Encounters like this were common when I was with Aya.

In the past, I might have waited for them to leave.

Using my own body to shield Aya from their view, I said, “Something up, Boyan?”

Aya looked up at me with a carefree expression.

“Just shading you from the sun.”

“Aww, thanks… hehe, shading Boyan, huh?”

“Yeah, I’m your parasol.”

“Sun-Boyan, hehe, pff…”

It seemed something tickled Aya’s funny bone, causing her to laugh uncontrollably.

Aya was smoothly consuming her takoyaki.

Gradually, I noticed her getting more tense.

By the time she was chewing the last one, her expression was that of a warrior about to head into battle.

“Sorry, Boyan. I won’t be able to tour the cultural festival with you anymore today.”

“Why?”

“I’m going to talk to everyone about it later.”

Everyone probably referred to Aya’s group of girlfriends.

She intended to tell them about her breakup with Tokita.

“You mean you’re going to tell all your friends?”

“Yeah.”

The Aya who used to fear creating waves or awkward situations had made up her mind.

Worry filled my chest.

――I’m going with you.

――Aya doesn’t have to talk.

――She might get hurt.

――Aya doesn’t have to do this.

――I’ll handle everything.

Various words floated into my mind in an instant.

I held them back from pouring out.

Aya wasn’t the same Aya who would just go along with whatever I said.

She had decided to be with me of her own accord.

Instead of speaking, I placed my hand on Aya’s cheek.

Through her slightly sweaty skin, Aya’s emotions flowed into me.

――I might be disliked.

――By everyone.

――They might scorn me.

――But.

――I have to say it.

――I have to.

――Boyan.

――Me.

“Aya, you’ll be alright.”

I won’t disappear.

I will be Aya’s anchor.

I won’t let the current foundation crumble.

I conveyed that message.

――Yeah, Boyan.

I’m…

I’m okay.

I felt Aya’s heart filling with warmth.

“Well then, I’m going to see the others.”

Aya touched my hand with a relieved smile.

I had apparently been stroking Aya’s cheek all this time.

When I glanced around, I saw students looking at us in surprise.

I quickly removed my hand.

“Sure, go ahead.”

Aya burst into laughter again.

“Boyan, you haven’t had a single takoyaki, have you?”

“Oh, I forgot… Ah, ouch!”

My mouth burned intensely.

It’s scalding.

I let out a “afu afu” sound as I tried to release the heat from my mouth.

“Are you okay!? You’ve got a sensitive tongue, Boyan. You need to eat slowly.”

“Oh right, I forgot…”

“Seriously… You shouldn’t space out when you’re eating”, Aya scolded me in a motherly tone.

This was our usual exchange.

“My bad.”

And then, Aya would playfully tease me with “Sensitive-tongue Boyan~.”

But for a brief moment, Aya’s expression seemed a bit anxious.

“No, having a sensitive tongue can apparently sense danger… I don’t think it’s a bad thing.”

Her tone carried a comforting quality, as if she truly wanted to encourage me.

Her gaze upon me wasn’t the same as the look she gave to a childhood friend…

Oh, things have changed.

Within Aya, my presence…

And even this feeling of her not readily leaving my side.

I could feel a warm emotion welling up in my chest.

“Well then, I’m going.”

“Sure.”

“Boyan… You don’t have to wait, it’s okay.”

“Oh, you noticed?”

“It’s written all over your face that you want to wait.”

――It might be better to head home today.

My intuition was telling me so.

If I stayed at school, I’d likely run into Tokita.

It seemed better to face Tokita tomorrow.

“…Alright. I’m heading home now. Aya, don’t stay out too late either.”

In the past, I would have worried and waited in front of the main gate the whole time.

Smiling wryly as I imagined my past self, I carried on.

Aya walked towards the school building with a nervous expression.

Gradually, her figure faded into the crowd.

Her departing back seemed smaller than usual…

――Aya, you’ll be okay.

――I love you.

――I’m here for you, always.

Various words appeared in my mind in an instant.

“I’ll see you later, Aya.”

Conveying all of that.

The visitors on the vendor street, the students, all turned to look at me.

It seemed I had spoken louder than I thought.

Aya also turned around to look at me, with a bashful and troubled expression.

Navigating through the crowd, Aya’s feelings reached me.

――Boyan, you…

Saying “see you later” here, that’s not fair.

Oh well.

You’re such an idiot, Boyan.

If I fall any more for you…

What will happen to me?

Boyan…

Thank you.

I’ll be able to do my best now.

I’m going…

Aya waved her hand slightly in front of her chest and continued walking.

The people who had been looking this way shifted their attention back to their own matters.

As Aya left, she seemed to stand a little straighter.

Aya was okay now.

There’s no need to witness what will happen with her girlfriends.

I just need to handle the things I have to do, calmly.

Finishing my hot takoyaki slowly, I headed towards Tokita without leaving the school gate.