Chapter 19: That Ogami guy, why is he getting so chummy with Hiyori…? (Hidetoshi’s Perspective)
(Geez, is Hiyori still mad…?)
The fight we had about a week ago, and the breakup talk that followed… Thinking enough of a cooling-off period had passed since then, I sent Hiyori a LINE message last night, but her reaction was lukewarm.
Even though I sent her quite a lot of LINE messages, her only reply was a pouting rabbit sticker.
After that, she just left my messages unread, completely ignoring me.
(She should grow up a little. I was in the wrong too, but isn’t she taking this too far?)
Sure, a lot happened, but she could at least show some sign of forgiving me. We’re going to get back together eventually anyway.
Trying to get my attention with such an obvious “I’m mad” display, it’s clear the only thing that’s grown about her is her chest, and her personality is still as childish as her height, I thought, as I shifted my mindset.
(Can’t be helped. For my childhood friend who can’t be honest, I guess I’ll be the one to give in!)
The fact that she went out of her way to send an “I’m mad” sticker, and then left my messages unread, must mean Hiyori is still conscious of me.
She’s probably starting to feel empty continuing this not-so-fun game of being friendly with Ogami, but with everything that happened, she can’t be honest and apologize to me.
So, I’ll give in here, and create an opportunity for us to talk.
If we just talk things out a bit there, our usual interactions will return… and everything will go back to normal.
(Seriously, Hiyori is such a kid…! I wish she’d learn a thing or two from Nina.)
Not only did Nina confess to me saying she was fine being the other woman, but even now she says it’s okay for me to be friendly with other girls. Compared to Nina’s magnanimity, Hiyori really is small in both stature and heart. Well, her chest is her overwhelming victory, though.
I mean, she’s dating a great guy like me, so she should forgive a little fooling around with other girls.
Even in manga and stuff, when the protagonist is super popular with lots of girls, the heroines don’t just leave him; they actually compete to appeal to him, trying not to lose to their rivals, right?
I was expecting something like that, but for her to scream hysterically and throw juice on me, Hiyori really is a child.
Well, I’m probably the only eccentric guy who’d make a child like that his girlfriend, so I have to take responsibility and fix our relationship!
Thinking that, I waited for Hiyori to come to school after my morning practice ended.
We’re childhood friends and our houses are close, so I kind of know her daily routine. I’d staked out the spot around the usual time, and I called out to Hiyori, who arrived a little later than I expected.
“Yo, Hiyori! About the LINE message I sent yesterday—”
Hiyori, whom I’d greeted, glanced at me.
I started to talk about dinner, trying to continue the conversation, but she ignored me and tried to slip past.
“Hey! Wait up! Just because you’re mad, ignoring me this much is going too far, isn’t it?!”
“…Can you let me go? I’m in a hurry.”
“There’s no need to rush, right? Look, I’ll buy you a melon bread from the school store! Let’s talk for a bit!”
This is the best way to deal with Hiyori when she’s in a bad mood. If I dangle her favorite melon bread in front of her, her mood usually improves.
I said it as a signal that I wanted to make up, just like always, but Hiyori, of all things, rejected my offer.
“I don’t need that. Let go of my hand.”
“What, is melon bread not enough? Alright, I’ll treat you to a drink too.”
“That’s not the issue. Stop it.”
“Ah! You’re a tough negotiator! Can’t be helped, huh! I’ll even treat you to your favorite chashu bowl at the ramen shop for dinner! You can even have pancakes at karaoke! Come on, cheer up already!”
“Cheer up, you say… you…!!”
At my grand gesture, Hiyori’s eyes widened in surprise.
She might be moved that I said I’d go this far for her.
Well, I got money for dinner from Mom, so I can afford to treat her that much… If this can fix my relationship with Hiyori, it’s a small price to pay.
Thinking that everything would go back to normal now, I was about to continue speaking with satisfaction, but I shut my mouth when someone suddenly tapped my shoulder.
When I instinctively turned in that direction, what I saw was the figure of Ogami Yusuke, whom I despise, standing there with a blank expression.
“…What are you doing?”
“Th-This has nothing to do with you, does it?! Get lost!”
Being told that by Ogami, who was taller than me and glaring at me with a straight face, I couldn’t help but flinch.
While Hiyori took that chance to shake off my hand, I retorted, glaring back at him, determined not to lose to Ogami.
This is a problem between us childhood friends. There’s no room for Ogami to interfere.
But, without even twitching an eyebrow, he said this to me.
“No, there is. If a friend is being bothered in a weird way, it’s natural to help them, right?”
“Bothered in a weird way? I wasn’t doing anything like—”
“She told you to let go of her hand, but you didn’t listen, did you? You were trying to force her to go along with you; that’s plenty weird harassment.”
“Guh, ugh…?!”
Hit with a perfectly sound argument, I groaned, unable to say anything.
I was about to be overwhelmed by Ogami’s attitude—his complete composure, or rather, the way he calmly berated me while looking at me with cold eyes—but I have a trump card.
It’s a special something that Ogami probably wouldn’t understand, and drawing this treasured sword, I’ll cut him down in a single stroke.
“That’s just ’cause you don’t get it! Hiyori and I are childhood friends! So, I understand her feelings! Hiyori isn’t actually bothered by this at all!”
See that, Ogami? This is the treasured sword that only I, who’s known Hiyori for over ten years, can wield: the “Childhood Friend Privilege.”
We have our own kind of relationship. A relationship that you, who’s only been friendly with Hiyori for a mere week to spite me, wouldn’t understand.
If I use this, even Ogami will have no choice but to shut up. Because he can’t understand the depth of my relationship with Hiyori.
Or so I thought… but Ogami, still showing no reaction at all, averted his gaze from me, looked at Hiyori, and said something unbelievable.
“…So Ema says, but… what about you, Hiyori-san? Were you really not bothered?”
“…Huh?”
…Wait. What did this guy just say?
Hiyori-san…? Why the hell is he calling Hiyori by her first name?
Isn’t that way too familiar? I mean, was Ogami always that kind of character?
Why is this guy, who only just got friendly with her, calling Hiyori like that…? I was bewildered, but immediately after, an even greater shock struck me.
“…Just as Yusuke-kun says, I really was bothered. It was annoying.”
“Huh? Huh? Whaaa…?!”
Why isn’t Hiyori saying anything to him either? He’s calling her by her first name so familiarly, you know?
And why is she siding with Ogami? Even though I went out of my way to give in to fix our relationship, is she going to throw that away?
I mean… did she just say Yusuke-kun? Could that be… Ogami?
Why are Hiyori and Ogami calling each other by their first names? Since when did they get like that? What in the world is going on with these two?
Panicking and dumbfounded, I couldn’t hear anyone’s words anymore.
When I came to my senses, both Hiyori and Ogami had disappeared… Standing there all alone, I could only groan, completely unable to calm down.
“What the hell is going on, seriously…?”
I, who had thought that I’d fix my relationship with Hiyori and those fun days would return, was reeling from a complete sucker punch.
But surely, it would be alright… Telling myself that the dozen or so years Hiyori and I had spent together couldn’t possibly lose to just a few days with Ogami, I braced my weak legs and headed back to my classroom.