Chapter 44: Starting Line ①

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Translator: Soafp

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Airi probably didn't want a one-sided relationship where she was only on the giving end.

From my perspective, just the monitoring work was more than enough.

But apparently, she had already seen through that—that it was my way of being considerate toward her.

It had to be something that, no matter how anyone looked at it, would benefit only me.

“…Let me squeeze your b00bs!”

“Of course. Want me to take off my bra?”

“No, no—leave it on.”

She agreed so easily that it was actually me who got surprised.

Airi pressed her chest closer toward me.

I instinctively swallowed.

(Alright… I'll steel myself too.)

I couldn't run away at this point.

Gathering my resolve, I extended my index finger and gently poked the upper curve.

It had firmness, yet my fingertip slowly sank into it.

A sigh of admiration escaped me.

“Whoa…”

“Ren-kun, you're not actually a virgin, right?”

“Even if I'm not, you're only the second person in my life.”

It might be improper to compare, but even if the size was similar, the feeling was completely different.

Like a child poking a water balloon, I found myself prodding here and there with my fingertips.

This is Hokkaido, this is LA, this is London…

“Hey, Ren-kun.”

“Ah, sorry. Did it hurt?”

“That's not it…”

Airi looked at me with slight dissatisfaction, then suddenly grabbed both of my wrists tightly.

Just like that, she guided them onto her ample ch*st.

“Won’t you desire me more?”

A large, soft sensation filled my entire palms.

Blood rushed through my body all at once, heating me from the core.

Combined with her slightly flushed face—something rarely seen—it stirred my instincts as a man intensely.

“This is the first time a boy has touched me like this… but it’s not so bad.”

“Really? I heard most people don't like it that much.”

“Maybe it's because it's you, Ren-kun. Yeah… maybe I'm a little happy being touched by you.”

At her words, I swallowed hard.

Did she like me?

Or was it just that she wanted to depend on me, that she didn't want to be abandoned?

Up until now, I'd never really known any girl besides Yuzuki, so all I could do was feel confused.

“Ren-kun, are you actually enjoying this?”

“Yeah, a lot.”

“Such an instant answer. Your hands are getting more proactive too. That's good.”

…Wait, when did my hands switch to autopilot?

It really drove home how terrifying instinct can be.

“If you like b00bs that much, want me to sandwich yours with mine?”

“…Where did you even hear that?”

“Web novels.”

The power of web novels—terrifying.

“Not interested?”

“It's not that I'm not, but…”

Honestly, going that far felt like crossing a line.

Then again, even just touching her chest like this already felt like I'd crossed quite a boundary.

“I just think… doing that kind of thing with someone who doesn't even like me…”

“Do you really think I'd do something like this with a guy I feel nothing for?”

“…No, that's not it, but honestly, I don't really understand how you truly feel, Airi.”

At this rate, it would feel like I'd bought her with money.

I had no intention of treating her like a tool—like her father had.

If anything, it almost seemed like she wanted to be treated that way…

“Then I'll just say it clearly while I have the chance. I like you, Ren-kun. Romantically.”

“…Eh?”

“Remember what you said? That wanting to stay by someone's side, and smiling naturally just by seeing them—that's love.”

With a gentle smile, Airi continued.

“You're the first person who made me feel that way, Ren-kun. Congratulations—you've become the first love of a girl who's pretty but kind of troublesome.”

“I-I mean, that's…”

I never expected a confession out of nowhere in a situation like this.

My words got stuck.

No—my thoughts completely froze.

“R-really…?”

“It's true. Think about it. You completely changed my life. Wouldn't it be stranger if I didn't fall for you?”

“It's not just that I'm like a replacement for your father or family… right?”

“That's not it. I'm not that stupid. Honestly, I was pretending to be cool, but when you were alone with Kitayama-san earlier, I got jealous. You wouldn't feel that way about family, right?”

It didn't seem like she was lying.

If I assumed she liked me, everything she'd done up until now made sense.

Even letting me touch her like this.

“I… don't know…”

“Don't worry, I'm not trying to pressure you. I just want you to understand. In fact, I'd rather you don't give me an answer right now.”

If I had to say whether I liked Airi or not, I definitely did.

But whether it was romantic… whether I wanted her as a girlfriend—I honestly didn't know.

More than anything, with the whole situation with Yuzuki still lingering in my heart, I wasn't in the right state to start a new relationship.

“Instead, I have one condition.”

“A condition?”

“Like this—at least three times a week, ask something of me. You already know, right? That feeling of wanting to do something for the person you like.”

That desire to make someone you love happy—almost a kind of self-satisfaction.

She seemed to be saying that whatever benefited me would also benefit her.

I understood that feeling all too well, so I couldn't argue.

“…Alright. Like today, at least three times a week, I'll ask something just for my own satisfaction.”

“Thank you.”

Airi gently placed a finger on my lips.

“Someday, I'll give you my first time here too. No—”

She kissed my other cheek lightly and continued.

“I'll give all my firsts to the person I first fell in love with. I love you, Ren-kun.”

---

[Nodoka Side]

Nodoka Komori lay on her bed, hugging her pillow tightly to her chest.

This school trip had been completely different from any before.

Sure, there had been trouble involving Ito along the way, but in the end, it wrapped up nicely.

(So this is what youth feels like!)

“Hehehe…” she let out a strange laugh as she rolled left and right across the bed.

Her rolling got faster and faster—

Thud!

She slammed her head into the wall.

“Ow…!”

Inadvertently, she confirmed it wasn't a dream.

Even as she rubbed her slightly reddened forehead, her lips remained loose in a smile.

This kind of everyday life would surely continue from now on.

She believed that without a doubt.

But that certainty would soon be shattered.

Riiing—

It all started with that single phone call.

Nodoka glanced at her smartphone screen.

(Senpai?)

What could this be about all of a sudden?

Tilting her head, she answered Airi's call.

“Can you meet me for a bit right now?”

“Huh? Right now?”

“I need to talk. About Ren-kun.”

The moment she heard that boy's name, Nodoka shot upright as if spring-loaded.

A boy who had completely turned her daily life upside down—for better or worse.

Right now, he was the most important presence in her life.

“Where should I go?”

“The Starbucks near the station.”

“Got it.”

After setting a time, Nodoka began getting ready to go out.

To her, Airi was her Senpai—but without a doubt, also someone like a friend.

They even had more in common than one might expect.

(…Including the fact that we both care about Ren.)

Nodoka knew about Airi's unfortunate situation.

But recently, every time Ren mentioned Airi's name, an indescribable feeling stirred deep within her chest.

As Airi got to know Ren more, an unnameable anxiety quietly began to grow inside Nodoka.

“Big sis, going out?”

As she stepped out of her room after finishing preparations, her younger sister Anna asked.

Nodoka nodded.

“Yeah, kind of. I suddenly made plans to meet someone.”

“Wow, that's amazing. Getting called out last minute—that's totally extrovert territory.”

“Right? Right?”

“But why do you look like you're about to go pick a fight?”

“Huh? D-do I really look like that?”

“Yeah. You look really scary.”

Nodoka herself hadn't even realized it.

She was just going to meet a senior who felt like a friend, and yet for some reason, she found herself clenching her back teeth tightly.

“Could it be… something related to Oji-san?”

“Ugh… how do you know that?”

“Whenever it's about that guy, you make a face I've never seen before.”

Ever since getting closer to Ren, it felt like she'd been shown side after side of herself that she never even knew existed.

Nodoka didn't even know what to call those feelings.

“Well, you do like that guy, don't you?”

“T-that's not true!? W-why would I ever like someone like him!?”

“Come on, Onee-san, it's about time you admit it. I'm tired of hearing the same excuses over and over.”

“Excuses? That's rude!”

It was true—maybe she was a little conscious of him.

But was it really okay to call that feeling “love”?

Even this feeling—where she'd get more worked up than usual whenever Ren teased her.

“Onee-san, if you keep being like that, someone's gonna steal him from you, you know?”

“S-steal him…? It's not like I…”

“If that Senpai takes him, would you really be okay with that?”

At Anna's words, Nodoka's heart thumped loudly.

Before she knew it, tears began to spill from her eyes.

“Eh—huh? I-I'm sorry, Onee-san. Did I go too far?”

Panicking, Anna hurried over and brought her some tissues.

Nodoka roughly wiped her tears away.

“N-no. I'm not crying. I'm not. Something just got in my eye. Anyway, Anna, watch the house for a bit, okay? I'll be back soon.”

“O-Onee-san…?”

As if running away, Nodoka opened the front door.

Her mind was completely blank.

She didn't even understand why she was crying.

It felt like someone she didn't know had taken up residence inside her.

Before she realized it, she had arrived at the station earlier than usual.

When she entered Starbucks, she spotted Airi already seated, having secured a table.

“I ordered for you already. A hot café latte, tall size—that's right, isn't it, Nodoka-san?”

“Ah, yes… thank you. How much was it?”

“I'll pay. I was the one who called you out so suddenly.”

Nodoka sat down across from Airi.

For a while, the only sound between them was the quiet sipping of coffee.

It was Airi who finally broke the silence.

“I confessed to Ren.”

“…Huh?”

The mug slipped from Nodoka's hand and hit the table with a dull clunk.