63 How We Interact: Hinase Riri’s Side
“Hey, Riri, aren’t you a little too close to Amatsuki lately?”
Kaede suddenly said that during break time.
It’s rare for Kaede to bring up Suzuna’s name.
“It’s nothing, we’re just friends.”
“Is that so? I think it’s unusual for you, Riri.”
“What’s unusual?”
“You don’t usually interact with… quiet girls like that.”
There’s a hint of a barb in her tone.
“Suzuna’s just quiet because she’s not good at talking to people. She talks a lot once you get to know her.”
“Isn’t that what ‘quiet’ means?”
“…What are you trying to say?”
Kaede sometimes mixes subtle digs into seemingly normal conversations.
But she’s good at it, never going too far, so if I get angry, I’ll be the one who seems short-tempered.
“I was just wondering how you and Amatsuki became so close. You’re completely different.”
“There’s no such thing as ‘types.’”
Suzuna is just bad at expressing her emotions. She’s a cute girl once you talk to her.
I don’t like it when people talk about her like she’s a different species.
“Is that so? I don’t really know her.”
“That’s because you’re not trying to.”
“Then maybe I should get to know her.”
“What?”
“Introduce me to Amatsuki.”
It’s rare for Kaede to say something like that, and I don’t understand why.
“What do you want to do that for?”
“You seem close to her, Riri, so I’m curious about what kind of person she is.”
“We talked before, didn’t we?”
Kaede talked to Suzuna when she took off her glasses and changed her hairstyle.
“That doesn’t count.”
“You should have a general idea.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Then maybe you’re not compatible.”
I tried to end the conversation there.
I don’t think talking about Suzuna with Kaede will lead to anything good.
“Hmm… so you don’t want to introduce me, Riri.”
Kaede’s lips curled into a slight smile.
She knows what I’m thinking, and yet she’s trying to continue the conversation.
“It’s because Suzuna’s not good at that kind of thing.”
“You know a lot about Amatsuki.”
Kaede’s tone was still suggestive.
“You’d know that much if you were close.”
“Then why don’t you introduce me to her since we’re close?”
“I told you, I’m not doing it. You’re being persistent.”
If Kaede is curious, she can just talk to Suzuna herself.
There’s no need to go through me.
“But you were trying to include Amatsuki in our group at first.”
“That was a while ago. It’s not relevant now.”
It’s true that I tried to do that when I first met Suzuna.
But as I got to know her, I realized she didn’t like that kind of thing, so I stopped.
“So you’re saying you’re prioritizing Amatsuki over me?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s normal to introduce friends to each other, but you’re refusing, Riri.”
“That’s because…”
“You’re saying ‘Suzuna is bad at socializing.’ But you’re prioritizing Amatsuki, whose wishes you haven’t even heard yet, over my request, Riri.”
Kaede is being strangely persistent today.
“You even make lunch for her. Is she that important to you?”
I knew someone would say that eventually, and it was Kaede.
“Suzuna lives alone and always eats junk food. That’s why I make lunch for her.”
Our situations are different from those who live with their parents and have someone make lunch for them.
She should understand that reason.
“You’re talking about her like she’s your girlfriend.”
“…Huh?”
I was taken aback and speechless.
“You sound like those girls who say, ‘My sweetie always eats junk food, so I have to make him food because I’m worried!’ …That’s how you seem to me, Riri, in your attitude towards Amatsuki.”
Kaede’s voice went up an octave, and she blinked rapidly, imitating a lovesick girl.
She was a completely different person from her usual self.
“That’s how it seems to me.”
Then she returned to her usual low-key tone.
The gap is too much.
“No, it’s not like that.”
I guess this is what Kaede wanted to ask all along.
That was a long-winded lead-up.
“…Well, yeah, you’re both girls.”
Kaede chuckled.
Those words weighed heavily on my heart.
“Well, I guess that kind of thing is normal nowadays. But I’d be surprised if you were… that way inclined, Riri.”
“…So you think so, Kaede.”
“You still don’t have a boyfriend, Riri. I’d be worried if… girls were your type.”
So what if they are?
“So you should be careful about how you interact with her, before strange rumors start spreading.”
“Strange rumors…?”
“Hinase Riri, the girl who rejected countless boys, is now making lunch for another girl? It’s only natural for people to think that way.”
That makes it sound like I’m doing something strange.
What’s wrong with liking Suzuna and making lunch for her?
“I’ve warned you. If you want to navigate school life smoothly, you should do everything in moderation.”
Kaede continued to smile cheerfully until the end.
◇◇◇
“Suzuna, it’s lunchtime.”
During lunch break, I went to Suzuna’s desk with her bento.
Kaede said that, but she’s overthinking it.
It’s true that I have feelings for Suzuna, but no one would figure that out just from a bento.
“Ah, okay. Thank you…”
Suzuna has been calm lately.
Before, she’d get jealous just from seeing me with Kaede.
Suzuna must have seen me talking to Kaede during break time and playing volleyball with her during P.E., but she didn’t say anything.
…Does that mean she’s not interested in me anymore?
“I’d be worried if… girls were your type.”
Kaede’s words from earlier replayed in my mind.
Would Suzuna also be unable to accept that kind of relationship?
…If so, that would be… upsetting.
“I was talking to Kaede earlier, and she said she’s interested in you.”
So I tried this tactic.
I want to make her jealous.
If she gets jealous like before, I can believe that she also has feelings for me.
If she remains indifferent, I’ll start to worry that I’m the only one feeling this way.
“…Well, I’m not interested in her.”
A blunt reply.
That’s the usual Suzuna, not overreacting to Kaede’s name.
How boring.
I opened the bento box and placed it in front of Suzuna.
“So she asked me to introduce you to her, what do you think?”
Suzuna didn’t look at me.
She looked down and spoke in a bored tone.
“Riri-chan, are you listening? I said I’m not interested.”
“…Ah, okay.”
“Well, I’ll talk to her if she comes over, but I don’t want to go through the trouble of introducing you two if you don’t want to.”
A noncommittal answer.
Apparently, Suzuna no longer has any strong feelings about my relationship with Kaede.
Before, she’d get upset just from that and start practicing volleyball alone.
She seems to have cooled down considerably.
“…”
Then Suzuna froze, looking at her bento.
What’s wrong? She usually eats without saying anything.
“Suzuna, what’s wrong?”
“…Spinach.”
“Spinach?”
I included spinach ohitashi in today’s bento.
I have to make sure she eats her vegetables; otherwise, she’ll just eat noodles forever at home.
But today, she stopped.
“Do you… hate it?”
Suzuna nodded.
“I didn’t know that…”
I asked her about her likes and dislikes before making her bento.
“I hate it so much that I erased it from my memory.”
“What’s that supposed to mean…”
Suzuna occasionally says strange things.
“It’s fine, you don’t have to force yourself to eat it. Just leave it.”
“O-Okay…”
But Suzuna’s hand reached for the spinach.
She picked up a small portion with her chopsticks and brought it to her mouth.
“Suzuna?”
“…Huu.”
She took a breath and put it in her mouth.
“…!”
Suzuna’s face turned pale, and she chewed, trembling slightly.
She really does hate it.
“Eh, why are you eating it?”
What’s with her, saying she hates it and then eating it? What’s going on in her mind?
“…I can’t… leave it.”
“I told you it’s fine to leave it.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because you made it, Riri-chan.”
“Eh…”
Suzuna, still trembling slightly, reached for the remaining spinach.
“So I’ll eat it.”
“You don’t usually eat spinach?”
“I absolutely never eat it.”
“Ah, I see…”
Suzuna is so unfair.
She just pretended to be indifferent and made me feel down, and now she’s suddenly making me happy.
My heart changes color so easily with a single word or action from Suzuna.
64 My Mark
Riri-chan is talking to Tachibana-san during break time.
It’s a common sight, nothing unusual.
It was only recently that I started feeling uneasy about it.
The burning emotion that was smoldering within me was extinguished by biting Riri-chan’s breast.
But it’s been four days since I went to Riri-chan’s house.
The mark must be gone by now.
I started feeling restless again.
Knowing that ripples were forming in my once calm emotions, I stopped looking at Riri-chan.
There’s no point in harboring these feelings.
I just want to live a peaceful life.
◇◇◇
“Suzuna, it’s lunchtime.”
Riri-chan brought me lunch when lunch break started.
It’s become a routine, but this isn’t normal.
Classmate, friend… it’s strange to have someone make lunch for you, no matter the relationship.
“Ah, okay. Thank you…”
I bowed my head in thanks.
It’s strange that I feel such dark emotions just from seeing Riri-chan, who does so much for me, talking to another friend.
I have to act normal, like it’s nothing.
“I was talking to Kaede earlier. She said she’s interested in you.”
Even though I just resolved to act normal, Riri-chan brought up Tachibana-san’s name, as if testing me.
I felt the flames of my suppressed emotions flare up.
She knows I don’t like this.
She knows I have negative feelings towards Tachibana-san.
Why is she saying this?
“…Well, I’m not interested in her.”
But I’m not a child.
I’m trying to understand and manage my own emotions.
I replied calmly, maintaining my usual tone.
Riri-chan placed the bento box in front of me.
“So she asked me to introduce you. What do you think?”
She’s persistent.
There’s no way I’d want to be introduced to someone I’m not interested in.
Riri-chan should know that.
But calm down.
It’s okay, I can stay calm.
I looked up at Riri-chan’s left breast.
…No, the mark that kept me calm is gone.
The peace within me slowly crumbled.
“Riri-chan, are you listening? I said I’m not interested.”
“…Ah, okay.”
A curt reply.
Riri-chan also didn’t seem very enthusiastic, despite what she said.
Then she shouldn’t have asked.
“Well, I’ll talk to her if she comes over, but I don’t want to go through the trouble of introducing you two if you don’t care.”
I barely managed to hold it together.
Good, Riri-chan didn’t notice.
After that, I froze, seeing spinach in the bento.
First Tachibana-san, now spinach…
I briefly wondered if Riri-chan was deliberately trying to annoy me.
But Riri-chan’s expression was genuinely apologetic, so I realized I was overthinking it.
So I ate it all.
It would be rude to leave it after she went through the trouble of making it.
“…Thank you for the meal.”
I thanked her and returned the bento box.
“You’re welcome.”
Riri-chan smiled happily.
She took the bento box and efficiently packed it away.
“I’m really sorry about this every day.”
“Ahaha, I’m doing it because I want to. But Kaede also said something earlier. She said we’re too close, making lunch for each other and all.”
Even after lunch, she’s still talking about Tachibana-san.
“…So?”
“Eh? Well, she said I should do things in moderation, or I won’t be able to maintain my relationships smoothly… but I don’t really care.”
Riri-chan laughed it off, but…
She doesn’t understand.
Tachibana-san is trying to interfere with our relationship.
I can’t control what other people think.
But I can’t just ignore it.
I don’t like Tachibana-san, and I don’t like Riri-chan’s reaction.
A burning emotion rose from the pit of my stomach.
I stood up.
“Suzuna?”
“Come with me.”
“Where?”
“Just come.”
“Ah, okay…?”
I led Riri-chan out of the classroom without giving her a chance to refuse.
We walked down the hallway to the music room.
I opened the door.
It was empty.
“It’s been a while since we came here together, Riri-chan.”
Back in April, when I first met Riri-chan.
In this music room, she forced me to call her “Riri” instead of “Hinase-san.”
Calling each other by our first names strengthened our bond.
“Hey, Suzuna, what are you planning, bringing me here?”
Riri-chan grinned mischievously and dramatically put her arm around her own shoulder.
She probably thinks she’s being playful, but she might be right.
“Take it off.”
“…Huh?”
Riri-chan blinked.
“Unbutton your blouse.”
“…Um, is this… some kind of roleplay?”
Riri-chan seemed to understand the situation, but she also seemed bewildered.
“It’s not roleplay, so hurry up.”
“What if someone comes in?”
“That’s why I’m telling you to hurry.”
“Ah, no, that’s not what I meant. Why are you making me do this?”
I don’t want to tell her the reason.
“Just take it off.”
“No way, I’m not just going to take it off like that.”
“Why not? You did it before.”
I brought up the incident at Riri-chan’s house for the first time.
She also remembered and her eyes widened in surprise.
“…That was because you took it off, Suzuna.”
“It’s the same thing. You accepted it, Riri-chan.”
“You were angry, so I let you.”
I see. That’s how she’s playing it.
“I’m still angry.”
“Why?”
Don’t play dumb.
Riri-chan definitely knows.
“You know why.”
“I haven’t done anything to make you angry. Is it about the spinach?”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what is it?”
Why does she want me to say it so badly?
She’s mean.
“Kaede, Kaede, Kaede… it’s annoying.”
“Ahh, is Suzuna jealous again?”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Riri-chan’s lips curled into a slight smile.
A confident smile.
Maybe this is the reaction she wanted to see.
But my anger isn’t stemming from jealousy.
“You deliberately brought up Tachibana-san’s name to make me angry.”
“…Um…”
Riri-chan is honest, so she couldn’t reply immediately when I hit the mark.
My suspicion turned into conviction.
“That’s what annoys me. It’s fine if you have a valid reason to bring up her name, but it doesn’t make sense to do it just to make me angry.”
“Well, that’s… you see…”
“You’re caught red-handed. Since you did it intentionally, apologize.”
“Ugh…”
Riri-chan was cornered.
This is what happens when you act out of character.
“Sorry, Suzuna… I…”
“You don’t have to apologize.”
“Huh? You just told me to—”
—Thud
I pushed Riri-chan’s chest.
Riri-chan’s back hit the wall, and she had nowhere to go.
“Show me your apology with your actions.”
“So what do you want me to do…?”
I pointed at her blouse.
“Take it off.”
“Seriously…?”
“Hurry up.”
“And you’re not even going to do it for me this time…”
Last time, at Riri-chan’s house, I was the one who undressed her, almost forcefully.
But today is different.
I’m making her undress herself, so she can’t use the excuse that I forced her.
“You want me to forgive you, right?”
“…Sigh…”
Riri-chan obediently untied her ribbon and unbuttoned her blouse.
Her black bra and white breasts were revealed.
The mark I left was gone.
“What are you staring at?”
She’s probably embarrassed to be the only one in her underwear at school.
Riri-chan blushed.
“The bite mark… it’s gone.”
“Of course it is. It fades with time.”
My mark disappeared.
Then Riri-chan might leave me.
I felt a sense of unease welling up within me.
“Are we done?”
“Not yet.”
I moved closer.
“Hey, this is bad if someone sees us.”
“We’re both girls, so it’ll be fine.”
“Well… it’s better than… a boy and a girl… or maybe not…”
Riri-chan was muttering to herself, but I didn’t have time to listen.
I ran my lips along her chest.
“Seriously, so suddenly…”
I bit her right breast this time, since I bit the left one before.
I pressed my lips against her skin, searching for the right spot.
I found a nicely rounded area.
“Here I go.”
“Here I go… you’re not going to…”
I bit down with my front teeth.
“Ouch… Suzuna, be gentle…”
No.
Riri-chan has been mean lately.
I think she deserves to be punished.
So I bit down harder than before.
“Hey, you’re going to tear it!”
Riri-chan’s voice was filled with pain.
I guess I should forgive her now.
I stopped biting and looked up.
“…There’s a mark.”
A red mark bloomed on Riri-chan’s right breast.
“Of course there is! How hard did you bite?!”
Riri-chan quickly buttoned her blouse.
“I hope it lasts a long time.”
“…No, stop it. I don’t want this mark to stay forever.”
“That’s why it’s good.”
I prefer it if the mark that Riri-chan hates stays forever.
“…What do you mean?”
“Nothing.”
Because it means I’m more deeply etched in her heart.
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