Chapter 14: Boyfriend 3

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

---

June 8th. Saturday. 4:33 PM. I'm sixteen. Today is Kai-chan's death anniversary.

Rik-kun and I left the store. It was still bright outside, but the rain that had started before we went in had grown heavier. Just as I was about to say goodbye, he spoke up.

“I’ll walk you home. I've got a folding umbrella.”

He popped open a black folding umbrella as he spoke. To my surprise, he offered to walk me all the way home. I told him it was okay, that he didn't have to…

“Come on. Besides, this counts as a proper date, doesn't it?”

He insisted, not backing down. He's always so persistent. Just like that time… huh? What time was that?

“What's wrong?”

Rik-kun peered into my face. …What was I thinking about again? …Oh well, whatever.

Either way, I didn't want to show him the place where I lived—a place that wasn't really my home, just somewhere I slept. …So, how could I get my sweet boyfriend to give up?

While he talked about his club activities and our classmates, all I could think about was how to escape.

It was Saturday evening. We walked through a busy shopping district, past couples, families with kids, and elderly couples.

The streets were full of people. We then entered a residential area lined with condominiums, all neatly organized like part of a park. As he kept talking, I just gave vague responses, still preoccupied with finding a way out.

“Do you really like me that much?”

“Hmm? Yeah, of course.”

He answered so directly that I ended up looking down, unable to respond. I'm probably making a really weird face right now, grinning like an idiot… Honestly, I felt so happy I could float away.

But for some reason, I didn't want him to know. Maybe it was because today was Kai-chan's death anniversary. …So, I desperately tried to hide my feelings.

In the end, I couldn't shake him off. We walked together, just the two of us, sharing the umbrella, all the way to the entrance of my apartment building.

Speaking of which, the entrance to my building has a touch-card automatic lock. He lingered until we got there, but this is where it had to end. Naturally, it was time to say goodbye.

I felt relieved. Why? Because he didn't see where I lived? Because he didn't see through my hidden feelings? I don't know. I really don't know.

This is all new to me. He's my first boyfriend. How could I possibly know? It's fine. It's fine like this. I finally have a boyfriend. I like you, Rik-kun. I really like him.

As I stepped through the one-way automatic door of the entrance, he suddenly said,

“Next time, show me your other house too.”