26 A Space for Two: Hinase Riri’s Side
O-Oh…
Suzuna… Suzuna is at my house.
It’s only natural since I invited her, but I’m overwhelmed with excitement and nervousness at the same time.
“Wow.”
Suzuna gasped as soon as she entered the entrance.
This apartment building is quite impressive, even in this area, so I guess it seems new to her.
“Ahh… ahaha. Yeah, it’s all thanks to my parents.”
But this isn’t my achievement; it’s thanks to my dad, who provides for us.
Dad provided a house that’s too grand for a high school girl living alone.
But this is the first time I’ve had a friend over, so I didn’t expect this reaction.
Suzuna looked around curiously.
Her gestures were somehow like a small animal, and it was cute.
“This way.”
Suzuna kept stopping to look around, so I called out to her and led the way.
And Suzuna obediently followed behind me, which was also cute.
“As expected, your environment shapes you…”
Suzuna muttered softly.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Beautiful people are born in beautiful places.”
“You’re saying weird things again, Suzuna.”
Suzuna usually doesn’t talk much, and then suddenly she says something unexpected.
And she says it with a straight face, so I know she’s not joking, which makes it even more embarrassing.
Suzuna tilted her head repeatedly, as if she didn’t understand what I said.
Airheads are so troublesome.
I took a breath and unlocked the door.
“Go ahead.”
“Excuse me.”
Suzuna entered the living room.
She continued to look around.
Suzuna usually doesn’t show much interest in anything.
So seeing her like this makes me happy, like she’s interested in me.
“There’s nothing here, but have a seat.”
I had Suzuna sit on the sofa and went to the kitchen to get the electric kettle.
“Where’s your room, Riri-chan?”
Just as I was thinking that, Suzuna suddenly expressed interest in my room.
Wait a minute.
“Eh, you want to go in already?”
“Hmm? Is that not okay?”
I’m already nervous enough having Suzuna in my apartment, let alone in my room.
“Riri-chan, don’t tell me your room is messy?”
“N-No way! I cleaned it! It might not be tidy, but…”
I only decided to invite Suzuna over a little while ago.
Once I decided to get closer to her, I’ve become surprisingly bold.
If I had planned this in advance, I would have tidied up a bit more, but since it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, it’s not perfect.
That made me even more nervous.
“Hmm. Then there’s no problem, right? Let’s go to your room.”
“Fine. But wait a minute, can you drink tea, Suzuna?”
“Yeah, I can.”
“Okay. Then to my room.”
I filled the electric kettle with water and turned it on.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
I led her to my room.
“Oh!”
Suzuna gasped as soon as she saw the room.
Her reaction was clearly different from when she saw the entrance and the living room.
It sounded like a more… visceral surprise.
I wonder what it is. Is my room strange?
Does it not suit Suzuna’s taste?
…I’m a little scared to ask.
“Hey, don’t stare so much. It’s embarrassing.”
“Really?”
“No one stares that much.”
It feels like she’s seeing a part of me I don’t usually show, and it’s making me blush.
“Anyway, have a seat. Although there aren’t any chairs, so it’s either the bed or the floor.”
“Ah…”
Suzuna hesitated for a moment with a troubled expression.
But then she sat on the floor.
“The bed is fine too, you know?”
“I’m good here.”
I thought she might at least use the bed as a backrest, but…
Suzuna seemed to like that spot and didn’t move.
I took off my blazer and ribbon and hung them on a hanger to relax.
“I wonder if the water’s boiled. I’ll go check.”
“Okay.”
I left the room.
When I returned to the kitchen, the water had boiled.
I put tea leaves in the teapot and poured in the hot water.
After letting it steep, I poured the tea into teacups through a strainer.
“And this too.”
The cookies I baked today.
I actually thought about giving them to Suzuna at lunch, but I held back because giving her both a bento and cookies seemed like too much.
“I never thought things would turn out like this. I’m glad I made them.”
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but things are going well.
Suzuna is in my room, drinking tea I made, and eating cookies I baked.
It’s exciting.
It feels good, like a part of Suzuna is becoming a part of me.
Having Suzuna in my territory makes me feel nervous, but also safe.
I want to keep her here forever.
Suzuna is like a small animal, so I guess that’s how I feel.
I put the tea and cookies on a tray and carried it to my room.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
When I returned to the room, Suzuna looked at me.
“Sorry, let me do everything.”
Suzuna apologized apologetically.
It made me happy. It was cute.
I felt a surge of protectiveness, wanting to hug her tightly.
“It’s fine. You’re the guest, so relax.”
But I hid my feelings and acted mature.
If I’m too aggressive, Suzuna will pull away, so I have to be careful.
“Here you go.”
I bent down and placed the tea and cookies on the low table.
“Th-Thanks.”
“…? You’re welcome.”
Suzuna’s voice sounded a little flustered.
I tried to look at her face, but she was looking down, so I couldn’t read her expression.
Oh well.
“You can eat that.”
“Okay.”
As soon as I said that, Suzuna quickly grabbed a cookie and put it in her mouth.
Is she unusually hungry…?
But I’m glad she ate it right away.
I’m curious about her opinion. I wonder if it suits her taste.
“…So? Is it good?”
“Yeah.”
I sat on the bed and watched Suzuna.
Suzuna was munching on the cookies, but her replies seemed absentminded.
“Really?”
“Uh, yeah.”
…Suspicious.
“Suzuna, you’ve only been saying ‘yeah.’ Did you not like it?”
“N-No, that’s not true.”
Even as she said that, her voice sounded like she was hiding something.
And Suzuna was still looking down.
I can’t tell what she’s thinking if she won’t show me her face.
“Then why are you looking down?”
When I asked that, Suzuna timidly looked up.
“It’s really delici—ah.”
Just as Suzuna looked up at me, she froze.
She wasn’t looking at my face, her gaze was fixed somewhere lower.
“Hmm?”
Suzuna blushed and quickly looked down again.
What happened…? I followed Suzuna’s gaze and realized that I had my legs spread a little too wide.
“Eh… ah. A-Ahaha, sorry, sorry. I got a little too relaxed at home.”
I quickly closed my legs.
Sh-She must have seen… right?
“No, I’m the one who should apologize.”
Suzuna nodded repeatedly, still looking down.
Suzuna definitely saw my underwear and panicked.
“No, no, I’m the one who showed you something strange. Of course you’d be flustered.”
“No, it’s fine.”
“Oh, o-okay…”
But wait a minute.
No girl would react like that just from seeing another girl’s underwear.
They’d usually laugh it off or not even care.
But Suzuna is looking down shyly, avoiding eye contact with me.
What does that mean?
Could it be… something more than just friends…?
N-No way, right? I can’t imagine Suzuna, with her cold demeanor, having those kinds of feelings for me.
But it bothers me.
I’m dying to know what Suzuna thinks of me.
Leave a Reply