V3Ch3: Part 1

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

---

I had never had a girlfriend in my previous life, so it was a dream come true for me to spend my daily life with such a being.

There were so many things I wanted to do.

Just cuddling and having conversations would be enough, and I also longed to hold hands and go to school together… And if our relationship with her progressed, hugging and kissing, things that I had never experienced before, would also be part of the dream.

“So that’s what it’s like… to have a girlfriend”

I muttered such thoughts to myself. It had only been a few days since I started dating Ayana… There wasn’t a day that passed without feeling happiness and gratitude for this, and this was something I always thought about when I woke up in the morning—especially when I woke up.

“…It’s six o’clock.”

Perhaps because it was thirty minutes earlier than my usual wake-up time, I felt sleepy. Thirty minutes in the morning is precious, but… feeling sleepy means my body is telling me to go back to sleep.

“Well then, I’ll sleep a little more.”

As I hugged the comforter close to me and turned on my side, I entrusted myself to the remaining time of sleep, which could be considered fleeting. And the thirty-minute sleep felt like it was over in an instant.

“…Has it been about thirty minutes?”

Since I was accustomed to waking up at six-thirty on weekdays, even if I were to fall back asleep or felt very sleepy, my body would naturally wake up around that time. Although I still felt sleepy, the fact that I had awakened again meant that it was probably time for my usual waking time to arrive.

“…?”

I thought it would be best to quietly wake up, but I sensed someone outside the door. Was it my mother…? That’s what I thought, but it’s rare for my mother to come upstairs at this time of the morning… But besides me, my mother was the only other person in the house… So, it must be my mother after all.

While observing the door with the comforter over my head, the person who quietly opened the door and entered was not my mother.

“Good morning~”

With a soft voice, the one who entered gently was Ayana.

Why would she come at this hour, when she was supposed to have returned yesterday…? Ignoring my confusion, Ayana approached me with a smile. It seemed that she hadn’t noticed that I was awake.

“Towa-kun is still asleep, it seems. I was so eager to see you that I came at this early hour… I wonder how much I love you, Towa-kun.”

The way …… Ayana seems to have come this early in the morning with a single-minded desire to see me.

“Towa~kun? It’s morning, you know~… Fufu♪ I like this. Although it’s not the first time, I’ve always wanted to wake up my beloved person like this♪”

…Hmm, actually, I think I listed a few things I wanted to do when I got a girlfriend before I went back to sleep, but one of them that I didn’t list was being woken up by her.

Even though Ayana said it wasn’t the first time… but, having her come to wake me up like this was really a dream come true!

“Umm, actually, you’re not awake enjoying my reaction, are you?”

Giku!? (Gulp)

“Towa-kun occasionally plays pranks like that… Shall I check?”

Giku giku!?

“If you were awake, you’d probably be thinking ‘Giku’ in your mind♪”

How does she know?

In all the time I’ve spent with Ayana, I’ve never been able to keep anything from her, and sometimes I’ve even had the illusion that she can easily read my inner thoughts… Maybe she really has some ability that I don’t know about.

(Well, that’s impossible.)

As I inwardly chuckled at the absurdity of the situation, she approached me.

“Good morning, Towa-kun.”

“……………”

“You’re still asleep, huh. Your sleeping face is cute and cool as always♪”

Cute or cool? Which is it?

From my perspective, Towa’s face is undeniably handsome, and I can understand why it’s considered cute… But, thinking about it, if I say this about my own face, it makes me seem like a narcissist.

(…What?)

Until just now, I had barely opened my eyes, but with Ayana approaching, I closed them so as not to be caught. All I could rely on for information was my sense of hearing… The proximity was so close, just a little movement could result in contact… There was no mistake, she was definitely there!

“Umm… Haa♪ Towa-kun’s sleeping face… is the best♪”

Ayana-san… Her breath is definitely hitting me!

Not only her breath, but her voice, filled with a hint of anguish, could be heard, making my heart race from the very morning… But even in these moments, if I think of it as a privilege to have her, my mood improves.

But… How long should I pretend to be asleep…?

“I could watch you for hours. I guess that’s just how much I love you, Towa-kun.”

She probably didn’t expect me to wake up from her whisper… She seems completely captivated by my sleeping face.

I can’t intentionally make a good sleeping face or say anything nice in my sleep at times like these.

“…Towa-kun. Are you really asleep?”

My heart races dangerously.

If I open my eyes now, Ayana might be staring at me with dilated pupils, as if saying “No lying allowed,” right? No, that’s probably not the case, right?

Perhaps this is the punishment for pretending to sleep in front of my beloved girlfriend.

“Ayana-chan. Is Towa still not awake?”

“It seems like it, Akemi-san… Shall we watch his sleeping face together?”

? What are they talking about?

“Well, why not! It’s been a while since I’ve gazed at my dear son’s sleeping face!”

What are you saying, Mom?

With the addition of another presence, I keenly feel Ayana and my mother staring at my sleeping face.

(Is this the punishment for pretending to sleep? Being subjected to a gaze from my girlfriend and mother…? What kind of hell is this? Hell, you say? No, no, it’s definitely hell.)

Afterward, I naturally pretended to wake up about five minutes later… So, do you understand what I’m trying to say? I spent approximately five minutes being stared at by the two of them.

“Well, occasionally it’s quite nice, isn’t it! If we have another chance, I’d love to watch again!”

“I’ll be sure to accompany you!”

“Don’t!”

It was inevitable that my voice would reverberate in response to such a situation.

---

“Damn… I’m a bit tired already this morning.”

“Fufu, it’s because you pretended to be asleep, you know♪”

Ayana said that to me as I took a deep breath.

It seems my feigned slumber was noticed not only by Ayana but also by my mother… and what’s more, they both realized it the moment they entered the room, which is quite terrifying.

“…Hehe.”

“What’s wrong?”

Ayana tilted her head in confusion as I suddenly burst into laughter.

It wasn’t that I laughed for no reason, but there was a definite reason behind my smile.

“Are you remembering what happened with Seina-san? Even though I wasn’t there, I feel like we reached the best outcome.”

“Yeah… That’s right.”

Seina-san, Ayana’s mother… I never imagined we could reconcile, especially after seeing her expression when I visited their home. But after we made amends, her smile never seemed to fade.

[Why was I so foolish as to distance myself from such a warm environment…? I truly was a fool.]

While she occasionally made negative remarks, her overall demeanor was cheerful.

And then, I learned why Seina-san had disliked me—Towa—so much. I never imagined there would be such a connection between her and my father from our childhood.

“I never imagined that Seina-san and my father were acquainted…”

Yes… I never dreamed there would be such a connection. Even with all the memories from my past life, there was no trace of this information, so this is a truth I could only learn by living in this world as its inhabitant.

(…Is that also a childhood friend?)

Childhood friends… It’s a cliché setting in romantic comedies, but considering how this relationship has brought about all the twists and turns until now, it’s quite complex.

“You haven’t told Akemi-san about this yet, have you?”

“Well, no… I mean, it’s not something I can easily discuss without Seina-san being present.”

“That’s true…”

I’ve already informed my mother about reconciling with Seina-san, and she said she’d like to hear more if the opportunity arises… Although, the conversation was quite sudden, so she was quite wide-eyed.

“But things are moving in a good direction…..Hey, Towa-kun?”

“Hmm? What is it?”

Ayana stopped and looked up at me intently.

A gentle breeze blew, causing her long black hair and skirt to sway… and as her bangs fluttered, her two eyes peered at me with utmost seriousness.

“Let’s hold hands as we walk.”

“O-Ou…”

It’s quite a cute suggestion coming from her with such a serious gaze and tone…

I comply and hold hands with Ayana, walking slowly along the increasingly crowded school route.

“Could it be… you can see the future, Towa-kun?”

“!?!”

I involuntarily shudder at Ayana’s words.

Luckily, my agitation doesn’t seem to be transmitted to Ayana, but anyone would be surprised by such a sudden question… especially someone like me.

“It’s nothing deep like that. It’s just that everything seems to be moving in a positive direction when I’m with you, Towa-kun… It’s like you’re predicting bad things in the future and helping me… That’s all I thought.”

She says with a smile.

She’s very sharp… I’ve known that for a while, but even if it’s just her imagination, it’s impressive for her thoughts to go this far… Ayana truly is an amazing girl.

“That’s right.”

“Eh?”

So, I decide to let out a little bit of the truth.

“I had some idea of what might happen. So, I thought about what I could do and acted accordingly.”

You’ll probably laugh when you hear my words.

“Fufu♪ You really are amazing, Towa-kun!”

“You don’t really believe me at all with that smile, do you?”

“That’s not true♪ Well, it’s wonderful that you care about me that much… I love you, Towa-kun♪”

As I expected, she laughed, but then she hit me with the ultimate sweet bombshell.

Ayana, apparently not content with just holding hands, leans in and hugs my arm tightly.

“Let’s go all the way to the classroom today!”

“Can we at least stop at the school gate?”

“Eh~”

No, it’s not that I don’t want to…

But if we get too lovey-dovey at school, the teachers might say something… I’ve seen senior couples get warned for being too clingy.

“Muu… I guess you’re right. Well, if I want to get lovey-dovey at school, we can always hide and do it. Just like before♪”

“Right.”

“You won’t tell me that’s a no-go zone?”

“I won’t say it, but I want to be lovey-dovey with Ayana too.”

“…”

“Are you blushing?”

“…I don’t know. Because, I mean, you say things that make me blush more than just words alone. But I’m happy to hear anything you say, and when you say it so casually like now, it makes my heart skip a beat!”

“So, you’ve been shot through the heart?”

“Exactly!!”

…Why is this girl so incredibly adorable?

I say this, and she blushes even more, as if she’s really been shot.

“…Kuku.”

“W-Why are you laughing?!”

“Sorry, sorry. I’m not trying to tease you, Ayana.”

“Then why?”

“It’s because you show me so many different expressions… because you, who always show me cute expressions, are by my side… I’m just savoring that happiness.”

“…~~!!”

Aah damn, It is so cheesy, it’s embarrassing.

“Just embarrassing for both of us, it seems, as she lightly pats me on the shoulder.

“By the way, how powerful was that last one?”

“…It was like a love bomb exploding in my heart.”

A love bomb? That’s a new one.

Today, not only is Ayana throwing out all sorts of words, but she’s also showing me many cute expressions, so there’s no other way to describe the beginning of the day than perfect.

Now, as we gaze at each other like this…

“You two… could you please consider the time and place a bit?”

A bell-like voice shakes my eardrums, forcibly diverting my gaze away from Ayana.

Of course, I knew whose voice it was, but Ayana and I both turn our eyes towards her simultaneously.

“Good morning, you two. You’re quite hot and heavy this morning.”

She wears an expression of exasperation, but her eyes are filled with unmistakable kindness.

She—Iori—stands beside us.

“Good morning, President.”

“Good morning, Senpai.”

After Iori greets us again, she continues speaking while looking around.

“I said it earlier, but please consider the place. It’s not that it’s a problem, but you were quite conspicuous.”

“Ugh… Sorry. But it’s Towa-kun’s fault…”

“Am I at fault?”

I must object to that!

Sure, my cheesy lines triggered it, but originally, it was Ayana who set the conversation in motion… still, am I to blame? Somehow, I feel like I am, so I close my mouth.

“What’s all this about? I’d love to hear about it.”

Like she’s found an amusing toy, Iori says to Ayana with shining eyes.

Ayana tells her what conversation we were having without being evasive, but Iori soon wears a face of exasperation again and speaks.

“So, you two were getting lovey-dovey in the end?”

In the end, that’s what happened, and Ayana and I nod with wry smiles.

“As long as you’re not bothering anyone, let’s not talk about it anymore. But as a substitute, and I know it’s not the same, can I join you from here?”

Ayana and I nod at Iori’s suggestion.

From then on, as the three of us head to school together, I take a step back from Ayana and Iori.

(I guess I can’t join in the conversation just now.)

The conversation has turned into a full-on girl talk about which make-up they use and what kind of hair care they do, so I’m completely out of the loop.

But listening to this girls-only conversation is a good experience, and it’s educational because it’s topics I don’t usually hear about.

“Talking with Otonashi-san is always fun.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that.”

“And… Oh, sorry, Yukishiro-kun. I monopolized Otonashi-san.”

“No, no, it’s fine. Watching you two enjoy your conversation is fun for me too.”

If I feel lonely because Ayana is taken away, I can just spend all my time with her after school, so it’s more than fine.

“Heh? You seem very relaxed, Yukishiro-kun. You trust Otonashi-san so much.”

“Fufu♪ If we end up with some lonely time, we can just go to each others house and relieve it, right?”

“…Well, yeah.”

Not only are these words implying a sticky-sweet relationship, but her gesture of touching her lips with her finger is alluring.

Ayana didn’t consciously try to make an impression, but it seemed like the students around her, including Iori, were thrilled to see her.

(Really, she’s amazing in so many ways…)

She captivates not just me, but everyone around her endlessly.

Her bottomless heroine power is something I constantly feel, but that’s also what makes it impossible to look away.

“If… I let my guard down, I might get swept up in the atmosphere. Otonashi-san is amazing when Yukishiro-kun is around.”

“It’s the power of love, you know!”

“Alright, alright, I get it… Was Otonashi-san always like this?”

“No… well, nothing’s really changed.”

When asked by Iori, I responded like that.

Certainly, for those who knew Ayana until now, seeing her express affection like this with words might seem fresh.

“Regardless of the situation, Ayana has always had many sides to her, but being expressive like this is the real Ayana. I’ve known her since we were kids, so I understand.”

“I see.”

The current expression, embodying the words like “Yamato Nadeshiko,” is also Ayana’s true self, and her innocent, carefree appearance from childhood is also Ayana.

Thanks to the relaxed atmosphere between us, Ayana’s carefree nature is also visible in front of others, which I think is a good trend.

“But I see, this is how Otonashi-san is?”

“Do you understand now, Honjo-senpai?”

“… What’s with that?”

She’s probably saying that no matter what I say, it’ll end up sounding sweet when it comes to Ayana… I guess I’ll just have to give up on that. After all, it’s me, you know?

“There’s also the familiarity from childhood, but since she’s naturally cute to begin with, she ends up like this too. If I were the president and Ayana was my girlfriend, wouldn’t it be the same?”

“I don’t get your hypotheticals, but yeah, if Otonashi-san were my girlfriend, she’d probably be like that.”

“See?”

“Yeah…”

By the way, I and Iori were having this conversation while looking at Ayana’s face.

As she gazed at both of us, her face gradually turned red, and now she was already blushing and looking down in embarrassment, but both I and Iori were watching her closely.

“She’s cute, isn’t she?”

“She’s adorable.”

“Mou, that’s enough already!”

Alright, let’s stop here as it might be too much for Ayana to handle.

“Mou… I’ve been through a lot since this morning.”

“Well, I’ve seen something nice since morning. Hey, if we happen to meet on the way to school again, shall we walk together like this?”

I’m fine with it… but when I looked at Ayana, she didn’t seem to have any complaints and nodded, so it seemed fine.

“It won’t be that often, and I won’t get in your way, so rest assured.”

“We are not that narrow-minded.”

“That’s right. We’d be happy if you didn’t hesitate to talk to us.”

“Really? Then I won’t hold back and do just that♪”

After making such a promise, we resumed our walk and soon arrived at school.

I parted ways with Iori at the shoe lockers, and Ayana and I headed to our classroom… but on the way, I came across a rather interesting sight.

“… Hmm?”

“What’s wrong?”

Ayana tilted her head in confusion as I suddenly stopped, and she also stopped moving, looking to where my gaze was fixed.

“Aren’t those… “

Ayana and I were looking at… Aisaka and Mari.

Even from a distance, Mari’s energetic aura was unmistakable, and his distinctive bald head made him instantly recognizable as Aisaka.

“It’s rare to see those two talking.”

“They’re both students at the same school, so it’s not impossible.”

But… I don’t know. My sensors are tingling when it comes to those two.

Mari, with a grin that couldn’t be hidden, was clearly enjoying the conversation… and it seemed to be over now.

As Mari walked away with her back turned, Aisaka turned towards us, and Ayana and I gasped in surprise.

“Ah, your face is red.”

“Ah, you look happy.”

With faces flushed with happiness… though our words differed, they were spot on.

Aisaka couldn’t hide his delighted expression, and his flushed face showed his embarrassment.

(Come to think of it… he seemed to have a crush on someone younger.)

Various hints suggested he had a crush on someone younger, but could it be… could it be that Mari is that person!?

“It’s possible that Aisaka… likes Mari, isn’t it?”

“Eh…?!”

Although I’m not entirely sure, it’s understandable that I would suspect Aisaka when I see him like that… But I don’t intend to confront him about it, of course.

“Well, it’s just a possibility. When we talked before and I asked if he liked anyone, I mentioned someone younger, and he blushed.”

“I see… But isn’t it completely obvious?”

“…Eh?!”

Although Ayana and I saw the same scene, our interpretations were different… Unlike me, a guy, from Ayana’s perspective as a girl, Aisaka’s behavior seemed to clearly indicate that he liked Mari.

Now, in the middle of our conversation, Aisaka, who had been walking towards us, noticed.

“Hey, Yukishiro and Otonashi-san, good morning!”

“…Good morning.”

“Good morning, Aisaka-kun.”

Hey, your voice is even more energetic than usual… Is it confirmed?

“You’re always like this, but aren’t you even more energetic than usual today? Did something good happen?”

“Eh? Oh… n-no, nothing in particular?”

No, no, your eyes are darting all over the place.

It seemed like Aisaka didn’t think we had seen what happened earlier, even though Ayana and I had witnessed it from afar, and he coughed conspicuously to distract us.

“Well, I’ll head to the classroom first! See you later, both of you!”

With the speed of someone who had trained in the baseball club, Aisaka ran off.

Before we could even warn him that he’d get in trouble for running, Aisaka disappeared.

Overwhelmed by Aisaka’s sudden departure, we both muttered the same words.

“It’s confirmed.”

“It’s confirmed, isn’t it?”

Is it… is that really it?

Well, I thought so earlier, but it’s not like it’s confirmed… but still! Aisaka’s behavior was just too honest.

“Anyway, let’s go to the classroom for now.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

With that, we finally headed to the classroom.