Chapter 165 | I Really Like You

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I decided to skip school with Rika.

Though, it was already nearing the end of the third trimester, and there weren’t many classes anyway (final exams were over).

We returned home.

In the living room, I faced her.

…But even though I intended to tell her what I’d been hiding, the words wouldn’t come out.

However…

Dahlia had encouraged me.

She said it would be okay.

With her support, I opened my mouth.

“Hey, Rika.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“There’s… something I’ve been hiding from you.”

Rika didn’t seem surprised.

She just quietly listened to my words.

“Our classmates, you know. They all disappeared… That was… I asked my grandpa to do that.”

“……”

“I’m sorry, I did it without asking. But…”

“It’s okay.”

“Huh?”

Rika was smiling.

She wasn’t scared, nor did she seem to blame me.

Rika gently reached out her hand.

“Thank you, Shin-chan. You did it for me, didn’t you?”

“Yeah… but I think I might have gone too far.”

I knew that my grandpa tends to overdo things when his grandson asks him for a favor.

Knowing that, I still asked him to do it.

So, it was my responsibility…

“You don’t have to shoulder it all alone, Shin-chan.”

“Rika…”

Rika smiled at me.

Just looking at that smile calmed my heart.

My biggest worry was that she would hate me.

But she smiled. Her warmth enveloped me.

“Shin-chan, you acted for my sake. Don’t blame yourself.”

“…”

“We should share our feelings when things are tough. Though, that’s probably not something I should be saying after getting so upset by myself…”

I stood up and went to Rika’s side.

She smiled and opened her arms, accepting me.

When I hugged her tightly, Rika’s warmth and sweet scent soothed me.

“I think… I’m going to make a lot of mistakes from now on.”

“I think so too… Your grandpa is going to be involved for a long time to come.”

“Yeah… But I don’t want you to hate me. Not Grandpa, and not me…”

“Of course not.”

It was an immediate answer.

I was so happy to get a reply right away that I felt like crying… No, I was crying.

“I’ll accept all of you, Shin-chan. Because I love everything about you.”

“Rika… Rika…!”

Ah, I’m so happy.

It’s truly wonderful to have someone who accepts all of me like this.

“Shin-chan, I love you. I love you so much.”

“Yeah… Yeah! I love you too, Rika!”

We hugged each other, confirming our love.

And… from now on, forever.

“Stay by my side forever and ever… Rika.”

“Yes!”

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