Chapter 28: What will happen?

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Translator: Soafp

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Runa said she liked me.

Her words, staring straight at me, carried no hint of teasing… every expression on her beautifully composed face was lovely, but even that serious look was, of course, beautiful.

(…Wait, don't analyze this calmly! I just got confessed to! By the number one beauty in our class! A stunningly beautiful girl with a great figure and a kind personality!!)

My mind was in panic, sure, but it was also undeniably overjoyed to be confessed to by such a beautiful girl.

(No way… is this even real? Am I dreaming… ouch!?)

When I pinched my cheek, the pain that shot through me was more intense than I expected.

It was probably because I pinched too hard, but that reaction seemed to worry Runa.

“A-are you okay!?”

“Ah, yeah…!”

Runa approached me, concerned, and placed her hand on my cheek.

Compared to my already heated cheek from excitement and everything else, her hand felt cool and pleasant… but more than that, being so close and staring into her eyes left me frozen.

“Um…”

“…I'm not lying. I'm serious.”

“…!”

“But… do you hate it that much?”

“Huh?”

Hate it… why!?

“Because… you pinched your cheek that hard, as if you'd rather this were a dream, right? Do you hate that I like you that much…?”

“N-no way!”

“Then, then why…?”

“Because… I was just surprised. That's all. Because Runa… likes me…?”

Yes… setting aside that she liked me, from the moment I helped Runa, it didn't take long for us to become close, and our interactions became unbelievably intimate.

Being invited to her house, allowed into her room, hugged… seeing such affection from her, doubting it would be rude to Runa, but the thought that she could like me just wouldn't leave my mind.

“I… did something…”

“Don't belittle it by saying ‘something.' I don't want you to belittle my feelings, and more than that, I don't want you to say something like that about yourself.”

“…Sorry.”

“You don't have to apologize… fufu.”

Runa chuckled softly and drew even closer.

Not just the beauty in front of me or the softness I could feel from her body, but above all, I couldn't look away from her gorgeous eyes.

“Besides liking you, there's something else that feels strange. Masato-kun, sometimes you seem like you have two sides.”

“That is…”

“If one side is your unsure, caring, gentle self, then the other side is when you helped me… when you helped Rira… and when you tried to help your mother.”

“…That… was just me being desperate.”

I couldn't stand NTR… the act of trying to take someone's precious person, so I acted using the Netorase Sensor's power just for that reason.

I felt that way about Runa and Rira, but comparing it to my mother wasn't the same… she's family, important to my father, and at that time, my blood was boiling beyond normal.

“But surely… that was also a part of who you are. Because I wasn't scared or upset, only a little intimidated… it's because, to me, Masato-kun is such a big presence now.”

“Um…”

Even now, I couldn't find the right words to respond.

I couldn't blame myself for being unable to grasp the situation… it was such a sudden confession.

She didn't seem to be lying… nothing she said was untrue.

“You wouldn't do this to someone you didn't like, right?”

“…!”

Runa said that, hugging my arm tightly.

She leaned against me, as if she intended to stay right next to me, putting her weight on me.

Indeed, no one would do this to someone they didn't care about.

No… I'd realized it too—yet to imagine this possibility felt impossible, given how little time I'd spent with Runa.

“Your confusion is understandable… if I were in your position, I'd think it's too sudden too… but I can't stop this feeling. You saved me, I've seen you, and I've felt your kindness… that's why I ended up liking you.”

“…Seriously?”

“Completely serious.”

Serious… apparently.

Hearing her words, I couldn't help but feel genuinely happy… no doubt about it.

Being confessed to by someone as beautiful as Runa… I never even considered the possibility.

Yes… I'm definitely happy.

But it's too sudden, and I don't know how to respond. If I go along with this half-heartedly… I feel neither Runa nor I would end up well.

“Runa.”

“Yeah?”

“Um… I'm happy, but right now, I don't have an answer that would satisfy you… I'm really pathetic.”

No, I'm happy… more than anything.

I've said it many times, there's no way I wouldn't be happy to be confessed to by such a beautiful girl. And yes, I might even have hoped for it.

“It's just… so much has happened recently.”

“Yes… so much has happened, including with me, Rira, and even my mother.”

“……………”

“But I am not being rejected, right? You're not thinking you dislike me or anything like that?”

“Of course not. But I'll apologize as many times as needed—I'm sorry for not being clear.”

I'm such a coward.

Even though I should be happy, deep down I wanted this… not just with Runa, but just being with a beautiful, well-proportioned woman like this is thrilling, yet here I am.

Runa chuckled softly at my bowed head.

“You don't have to apologize. It was too sudden… we should have taken more time… fufu, I guess I get flustered like this too… that's another part of knowing you.”

Runa didn't get angry.

Her attitude, respecting my response, gave me comfort, though I still wondered… really, this is happening.

(This… is clearly because I helped her.)

Using the NetoraSensor, we became close… and the rapid closeness was definitely because I helped her.

Runa seemed to understand my thoughts and continued.

“I understand the suspension bridge effect. But that's only what made you catch my attention… the time spent afterward is what made me like you.”

“…Seems like it.”

“You're aware of me… that's enough. I'll make sure these feelings aren't one-sided—so, let's continue from here, okay?”

With a radiant smile, she hugged my arm tightly.

More than the softness of her arm or her scent, I couldn't help thinking… this has gotten out of hand.

(…Huh? And recently, with Rira… and Reina-san too… no, no way… could that really… happen?)

I couldn't help but think so.