Chapter 5 - The Beautiful Girl Next to Me Wants to Talk
At the cafeteria table, Tsukishiro-san sat next to me, and Takase sat beside Shun. Up front, the aura of those two sunshine-types was so dazzling I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.
"Hey Shun, which middle school were you from again~?"
"I was from Shinokura Middle~ What about you, Ai?"
"I'm from Nankou Middle~"
They’re already calling each other by name! It’s only been a few seconds since they met—how high is their communication stat!? No, maybe this is just how sunshine-types operate? Wait, Takase Ai… Don’t just ignore Tsukishiro-san and chat with Shun the whole time! It’s super awkward over here!
Tsukishiro-san next to me—was kind of terrifying. She was silently eating her napolitan pasta with perfect fork-and-spoon technique, but her head was turned toward me the entire time, staring me down. She was eating napolitan without even looking… with those piercing eyes…
Scary scary scary—this is horror, Tsukishiro-san! How are you even eating like that? And why are you staring at me while doing it?
"Hey, Kanzaki-kun. I’ve thought this for a while, but you’re really cool. You’re tall too—how tall are you?"
Just as I was freaking out over Tsukishiro-san’s paranormal behavior, Takase suddenly flashed me a radiant smile. That personal space… Don’t just close the gap like that!
"...180."
I answered bluntly without meaning to. No, wait! I just suck at conversation!
"Ehh~ Tall and handsome? That’s totally moe~ Hey, give me your LINE ID."
Takase’s dazzling smile as she held out her phone made my heart skip a beat.
W-Wait, seriously…!? Does this kind of romcom situation actually exist!?
Just as my panic hit its peak—
BANG!
The desk beside me made a loud noise. Startled, I turned to see Tsukishiro-san standing up with wide eyes, glaring sharply at me.
"Hii…!"
I thought my heart was going to stop.
Takase quickly turned to Tsukishiro-san.
"Whoa, Rei… What’s wrong?"
"S-Sorry… It’s nothing."
Tsukishiro-san shook her head slightly.
…No way it’s nothing! That was terrifying!
But Takase seemed to catch on. She smirked knowingly.
"Ahh… I see, I see."
Then she said to Tsukishiro-san in an exaggerated tone:
"Hey Rei, you should ask Kanzaki-kun for his contact info too~ Okay?"
"I-I’m fine… It’d just bother Kanzaki-kun."
"Bother? Why?"
"T-That’s…"
This is bad. If they dig too deep here, our past might come to light…
I quickly pulled out my phone and held it out to Tsukishiro-san.
"I’d like to have your contact info too, Tsukishiro-san."
Saying it myself, I realized how flirty that sounded! I was acting on impulse, but now I’m super embarrassed. From the outside, this probably looks like I’m just hitting on her…
Then, her face suddenly turned bright red, and those sharp eyes softened for just a moment—changing into a gentle gaze that shouldn’t have been directed at someone like me.
"Is that… okay?"
Guh! She’s so cute…
She pulled her phone from her blazer pocket. Unlike my plain phone, hers had a pink case with a cute bear printed on it.
"That’s a cute bear."
"Yeah, this is Kumami-san—"
From there, Tsukishiro-san couldn’t stop talking. The origin, the limited edition design, the anime adaptation—info came pouring out one after another. Like she was releasing years of pent-up feelings, she spoke rapidly.
All I could do was nod dumbly. Amazing… She usually seems so cool, but when it comes to her favorite things, she turns into a fast-talking otaku… But that part of her hasn’t changed.
Tsukishiro-san’s eyes sparkled wide open. Like a child picking out their favorite candy—innocent and gleaming. She used to look like this too when talking about things she loved.
While Tsukishiro-san continued her machine-gun talk, Shun and Ai leaned in and whispered to each other.
"Hey Ai, those two…"
Shun paused his chopsticks and spoke in a low voice with a grin.
"Mutual crush? That’s what it looks like~"
Ai, picking at her daily fried chicken with one hand and holding her phone in the other, replied coolly.
"Whoa, mutual crushes really do exist, huh."
"Seeing it in real life is kinda emotional~"
I could feel their gazes on me and Tsukishiro-san, who was passionately talking about Kuma-bi-san, while I could only nod along—and my face grew even hotter.
A few minutes later—just as she finished her breathless monologue, Tsukishiro-san snapped back to reality.
"…!? W-What was I just…"
She covered her mouth with her hand, eyes darting around.
Just moments ago she was talking like a bullet train, and now she shrank down and fell silent.
"S-Sorry! I just… ended up saying a bunch of weird stuff."
Her ears turned red as she looked down.
W-What is this adorable creature…!? The gap is lethal…!
Barely holding back from collapsing from her cuteness, I once again held out my phone.
"Then… let’s exchange, okay?"
She gave a small nod and opened LINE. With slightly trembling fingers, she registered my account. Every little movement somehow tugged at my heart. When she finished, Tsukishiro-san gave a faint smile—not with those piercing eyes, but with a gentle gaze.
***
Today… I was really happy. Because I finally… got to talk to Kanzaki-kun again.
This morning, before class started. I overheard the other girls saying, “I want Kanzaki-kun’s contact info~” and my chest tightened.
I wanted to be the first to ask, too. But I didn’t have the courage, so I just watched silently.
But… when he was struggling because he forgot his textbook, I gathered my courage and spoke to him.
I was scared he’d think I was weird, or be creeped out… My head was full of worries.
Even so—when I spoke to him, he smiled properly.
The words we exchanged for the first time in a year gently warmed my heart.
…And then, when Ai suddenly said, “Give me your contact info,” I really thought my heart would stop.
Because Ai is cheerful and cute, and she has a big chest… She’s the kind of girl everyone likes. Even Kanzaki-kun… probably.
Before I knew it, I’d stood up without thinking—and I was so embarrassed I wanted to crawl into a hole.
But then, Kanzaki-kun held out his phone to me.
He said, “I’d like to have your contact info too, Tsukishiro-san.”
It felt like a dream, too good to be true, and I was so happy… My heart wouldn’t stop pounding, and I could barely breathe.
Getting to exchange contact info with Kanzaki-kun today—will surely become an unforgettable, precious memory.