22 A Child Who Isn’t Straightforward: Hinase Riri’s Side
Amatsuki Suzuna is a girl who always runs away.
Reserved, quiet, and dislikes standing out.
That’s fine.
Even I know that everyone has their own comfort zone.
But I want her to remember that she was the one who crossed the line first.
◇◇◇
It was spring, just after we became second-years. I still hadn’t fully settled into the new class. After school, I was killing time in town when a shady-looking man approached me.
“You’re cute, so… I think you could easily earn money, even if it’s just for 1 or 2 hours a day.”
I’d been approached by strangers before, but that was within the school, and they were teenagers like me.
Being approached by an adult man is scary.
My body stiffened instinctively.
“Huh? What’s that? Super sketchy, it’s creepy. I’m not struggling for money, anyway.”
My fear translated into a defiant tone.
“Lies, dressed like that, there’s no way you’re not interested. It’s not sketchy at all, so just listen to what I have to say, and you can refuse if you don’t like it.”
Was he used to this kind of response?
Or did he think dealing with a young girl was easy?
Anyway, the man didn’t miss a beat, continuing as if it were nothing.
“I’m already refusing. Seriously, you’re persistent.”
I raised my voice reflexively.
I’m sure my voice echoed even in the crowded street.
Yet, I didn’t make eye contact with anyone passing by.
The passersby avoided me with unnatural haste.
Seeing a high school girl arguing with a man in a suit, they probably didn’t think it was a lovers’ quarrel.
The people here just didn’t want to get involved in trouble.
I was in trouble, I wanted someone to help me.
But I had no one to rely on at that moment.
“Ah, ahhh. Sorry, sorry, were you waiting?”
A girl’s voice, strangely high-pitched, rang out.
She had black hair in pigtails and was wearing black-rimmed glasses.
I immediately recognized her as a classmate in the same uniform.
“Uh, um…?”
I was flustered and couldn’t speak properly.
I didn’t know her, and I certainly hadn’t arranged to meet her.
So why did she speak to me at this moment, when everyone else was just passing by?
“Shopping first? Come on, we don’t have time, let’s go.”
She took my arm.
I felt a strong, unwavering will in her grip.
“Hey, wait a minute!”
The man in the suit was still trying to talk to me.
The girl glared at the troublesome man.
“Sir, this girl and I have something to do. Besides, if you keep pestering her, I’ll call the police. You’re targeting a minor, and if rumors spread, it could affect your job, you know? Is that okay with you?”
“…Tch, whatever, fine.”
Defeated by her clear hostility and determination, the man backed down, looking annoyed.
“Let’s go, Hinase-san.”
The girl said my name clearly.
She easily drove the man away and helped me with her own hands.
It was the first time anything like that had ever happened to me.
“Ah, y-yeah!”
I followed her lead.
I thought her back, her glossy black hair swaying, was beautiful.
That was the moment I became truly aware of her—Amatsuki Suzuna.
◇◇◇
The problem was what happened afterward.
“Amatsuki-san, do you like sweets?”
I tried to thank Suzuna and asked about her preferences.
“I hate them.”
She replied instantly in a blunt, unfriendly tone.
After that, no matter what I asked, she denied everything.
“I’m going home.”
And then she just left.
I had no idea what her motive was.
◇◇◇
But I wouldn’t give up.
I woke up early and waited for Suzuna in the morning so I could talk to her.
“Good morning, Amatsuki-san!”
She clearly looked like she was about to run away, so I hugged her arm to stop her.
And when I tried to get closer—
“Um… when are you going to let go of my arm?”
—This.
Hey, you were the one who grabbed my arm and helped me!
Why do you hate it when I do it?
And that was the first and last time Suzuna ever touched me.
Unbelievable.
“Hinase-san, what do you think of me?”
Then, Suzuna suddenly asked a bold question.
“Hm? I like you?”
I pressed on.
I desperately tried to show my affection, to become closer to her.
“What about you, Amatsuki-san? What do you think of me?”
Surely this would bring us closer?!
“…N-Normal.”
Huh?!
I don’t understand, I don’t understand.
And then she just ran away. What’s with this girl?!
◇◇◇
Even so, I wouldn’t be discouraged.
I made plans with her after school and exchanged contact information.
Then Suzuna was glued to her phone, staring at it.
“Um, Amatsuki-san? What’s wrong? Why are you staring at my phone so much?”
“…No, it’s just, you’re cheating, Hinase-san.”
“Eh, what is?”
“Looking this cute in such normal clothes… Give me a break. If I wore that, it would just be pajamas.”
Why would she suddenly say something like that?!
This girl is a whiplash of sweet and harsh!!
“And is this picture edited? It’s not, is it?”
“Well, look. I did edit my legs to make them thinner.”
“Ehh…?”
Suzuna zoomed in on my profile picture and stared at it.
No, no, no!! Don’t look at it like that!!
And I should have changed it to a more flattering picture if I knew Suzuna was going to see it!!
“They’re the same.”
And then she complimented me in a casual tone.
The sudden shift is too much, it’s making me flustered.
◇◇◇
I continued my efforts.
—I fed her pancakes at the cafe and got her to acknowledge me as a friend.
—I got her to call me by my first name in the music room.
—I patted her head when she was feeling down in the classroom after school.
W-Well?
It would be a lie to say there wasn’t a rewarding aspect for me.
But I’ve tried my best to be there for Suzuna.
I know she’s the type of person who likes to keep her distance.
So I tried to approach her at her pace.
…And yet, lately, it’s been bad.
—She told me she actually liked Shindo Minato and used to make him lunch every day.
—She went out of her way to make lunch for his little sister and tried to teach her how to cook.
And more than anything!!
—She said she doesn’t want to be close to me at school.
No way!!
I thought I’d been respecting Suzuna’s feelings as much as possible.
I thought she was just trying to distance herself from me at school because it was too sudden and she wasn’t used to it.
But if she intends to keep doing that, it’s a different story.
It doesn’t make sense for her to be close to Shindo (the older brother) and Kokona, but not me.
School caste?
What’s that?
There’s no such thing at school, and even if there was, I don’t care.
I just want to be friends with Suzuna.
I don’t need any other reason.
But Suzuna keeps coming up with nonsensical excuses.
“If that’s how you feel, Suzuna, then I have a plan!”
So I decided to change Suzuna myself.
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