Chapter 95: Beyond Friends

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Translator: Soafp

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“—Say you like me.”

Under the moonlight, 

I looked straight into her eyes and said that.

“……!”

As she approached, I instinctively turned my gaze away. 

She was already so cute, and now being this close made everything (confusing).

“I can't say it.”

Hatsune-san turned her face away. 

This is bad, this is bad!

But wait, do friends really say they like each other like this? I have no idea since I've never had many friends.

…It's incredibly embarrassing, though.

“If it's through LIME…”

“I've been saying it out loud this whole time.”

“…… (I have no comeback).”

I've never even told my family I liked them.

Of course—Hatsune-san is a precious first friend. I enjoy being with her. I want to stay friends forever.

…But still. 

Saying that face-to-face is really embarrassing.

“……”

“……”

After that conversation, everything suddenly turned silent.

Our footsteps naturally began to head home.

---

“Icchi, I like you.”

“……”

“I like you!”

“……Ugh.”

“I like you so, so much!”

“P-Please stop… (half-crying).”

And then, after that, there was complete silence— 

Well, that would have been better. 

I was bombarded with those words for several minutes.

Countless “I like yous” attacked me. 

…Probably received a lifetime's worth. 

From now on, I probably won't hear them again.

“I like you!”

…That wasn't the case (retracting previous statement).

Ah, I wonder what face I'm making right now. 

Just thinking about it is terrifying.

“That new hair color of yours, is it my color?”

“Eh?”

“Bingo~.”

“…Ah, no. When I was deciding the color, I caught a glimpse of my phone and saw Hatsune-san's name, so…”

“Hmm.”

…And finally, the barrage of “I like yous” ended. 

Thank you, my hair, for saving me (blessings of the rainbow).

“Even so, normally, would someone use my name's color?”

“Ah… Was it unpleasant?”

“Nope.”

“O-Oh, I see.”

“I was really happy. Super, super happy.”

“Is that so? …(blushing).”

“Just make it all pink.”

“……Please spare me from that (personification of cherry blossoms).”

“I don't want to either!”

“Right?”

“Ahaha~. Icchi is still rainbow-colored.”

When I glanced over, there was her usual smiling face.

I hadn't been able to look at her since all those “I like yous,” but seeing her like this makes it real.

Hatsune-san is truly an important friend. 

I don't want to lose her. 

I don't want to see her sad. 

I want to stay friends forever.

…And that's not enough to just think it.

For someone like me to maintain that relationship with her, 

I need to put it into words. 

To hold onto her.

“…Ah, um—”

“Hmm~? Oh, I am home. I'll return this ear cuff!”

“Ah, yes…”

But those words never came out.

As usual, I saw her home. 

And the night would end like this—

——“You have no memories, but you have come from the future to redo your life.”——

——Just like that. 

Again.

…Ah, come on. 

Today, those words echoed until the end. 

How many times will I go back to the past?

“Bye-bye! I'll wash the clothes and return them tomorrow!”

“—Hatsune-san!”

“!? W-What?”

Before I knew it, I had grabbed her hand. 

I opened my mouth.

“The reason I'm here now is because of you, Hatsune-san.”

“……Heh?”

“About how you saved me from that police questioning, how we watched a movie together, and how you invited me to the study group…”

“W-What are you suddenly saying?”

“I’m sorry, but that’s why—”

As I recall all of this, I realize how much she has helped me in the past.

Thanks to Hatsune-san, I’ve been able to get along with various people.

Because of Hatsune-san, I was able to get first place on a test for the first time.

Hatsune-san was the first one to become my friend.

That’s right.

These are my feelings for her, clear and unclouded.

For that important friend of mine.

So naturally, it comes out of my mouth.

“—I like you, Hatsune-san.”

---

[Momo PoV]

[Hajime Toumachi.]

A classmate with rainbow-colored hair.

Looking back, there were many things.

The first time I met him was at the start-of-year ceremony in our first year.

The first time we talked was when he was being questioned by the police at the park.

[—”Um, that person is my classmate…”—]

Despite his dazzling hair, his personality was quiet.

He wasn't used to talking to people or initiating conversations.

He was timid, but sometimes he was sharp.

…A strange classmate.

《—”I want to be friends with Icchi!”—》

At the park, I said those words to him.

…It was strange, but we became friends.

《—”I want to get closer to you, Icchi!”—》

After club activities, those were the words I said when I became honest.

…It was strange, but he became really fun friend to be around.

[—”Thank you for working so hard!”—]

On the test, he got first place.

He worked hard, hard, and hard for us, and when he achieved that result, he couldn't hold back and said those words to me.

…It was strange.

I couldn’t ignore him; he was important.

[—”I-I thought so too…”—]

On Friday, on the phone—those words slipped out.

…It was strange.

I just wanted to be together forever.

[—”Say you like me!”—]

On the last Monday of the three-day weekend.

Those words I couldn’t hold back anymore.

…I don't know.

What lies beyond that?

Not knowing—

“—I like you, Hatsune-san.”

I turn around. My hand is being held, and he says it.

His straight gaze.

What came from his heart.

“—!”

With a crack.

His voice woke me from the dreamy state I was in.

The image of him helping me back then.

The face of him smiling after that.

Clearly, it flows through my mind.

“…”

“Uh, I said it, but…”

“…”

“H-Hatsune-san?”

Still holding his hand.

While staring at him.

I open my mouth, frozen.

“H… huh…?”

I can’t say it.

[I like you too]—I wanted to respond that way.

…How embarrassing.

For some reason, I feel too shy to say anything.

Even though I've been saying it all along.

I’ve been saying it all this time, annoying him.

“…Ah… ugh…”

I don't understand.

My cheeks are getting hotter and hotter.

I can feel my face turning red.

It's noisy.

My heart is beating so loudly that he might hear it.

“Hatsune-san…?”

Every time that voice, those eyes, are directed at me, my heart races frighteningly.

What is this?

Everything is new to me, and I don't understand.

“Um, a-about tomorrow, at school!”

“Eh?”

“Thank you for today…!”

“Y-Yeah. See you tomorrow.”

I show my best smile.

Then, I run away as if I'm escaping, opening the door and stepping into the entrance.

I catch a last glimpse of him waving goodbye.

—Bam.

I sit down in the entrance without taking off my shoes.

From the outside air to the air inside the house.

My vision is bright, and I cross my arms to bury my face in them.

“Ah…”

The soft texture of the knitwear.

His clothes.

His scent.

It feels as if he is right here in my heart.

“…”

That triggers something.

[—“I like you, Hatsune-san”—]

The memory plays back once more.

“What… is this…?”

My heartbeat is racing unrealistically.

My body feels hot. My breath is ragged.

[—“I like you, Hatsune-san”—]

That voice won't leave my ears.

Something beyond happiness.

This is already—

“No…!”

That feeling is surely something bad.

I want to stay friends with Icchi forever. I don't want to be apart. I don't want any distance between us.

So I forcibly suppress it.

I mustn't notice it.

Starting tomorrow, things will go back to how they were.

“…Alright.”

I exhale.

…Yeah, I'm okay.

See? Right now, I can say it—

“I-I like you… Icchi.”

—Absolutely.

I'm not in love or anything.