81 Cute Girl: Hinase Riri’s Side
I walked down the hallway, hand-in-hand with Suzuna.
Suzuna’s hand is always warm.
But today, I couldn’t feel the warmth as much.
…It’s probably because my own body temperature is higher than usual.
◇◇◇
“It’s your fault for making me so unstable. So take responsibility.”
“This is… what it means to… like someone, right?”
“This is the feeling you taught me, Riri-chan. So teach me… what to do next…”
“Hey, what should I do? How can I feel better? I wish I hadn’t learned this if it’s going to make me feel this way.”
◇◇◇
Remembering Suzuna, collapsed on the floor, baring her heart to me, made my body heat up.
No one has ever spoken to me so directly, and the gap between that and her usual image was overwhelming.
To think that Suzuna, so delicate and hesitant to change our relationship, felt that way about me…
And she even put it into words…
I’m falling for her even more.
I’m so happy that our feelings are mutual.
“R-Riri-chan…”
Suzuna’s voice called out from behind me.
“What’s wrong?”
Suzuna was looking down.
She often does that, but today, it seemed more pronounced.
“Ah, you’re walking a little too fast.”
“Ah! Sorry, sorry!”
I can’t help it.
I got so excited that I unconsciously quickened my pace.
I have to be more mindful since Suzuna is smaller than me.
Even that is cute, though.
“No, it’s fine. We have to hurry back.”
Suzuna sighed as she spoke, and I couldn’t help but look at her lips.
Suzuna’s lips look thin at first glance, but they were actually quite soft.
I thought about kissing her again…
“Riri-chan? Aren’t you coming?”
“Ah, right. There’s no need to stop.”
This is bad, bad.
I was having inappropriate thoughts about Suzuna again.
I started walking again, trying to shake off those thoughts.
…But it can’t be helped.
She confessed her feelings, let me kiss her, and almost let me go further.
Thinking about it calmly, isn’t it a miracle that Suzuna would allow me to do that much?
So I can’t help but think about it.
How surprisingly slender Suzuna’s legs are, how her skin is smooth and dry even on such a hot day.
How her voice gets higher and cuter when she’s feeling something…
Ah, I can’t get enough of that Suzuna.
“R-Riri-chan, you’re walking too fast…!”
“Eh, really?”
Not again, I thought, and slowed down.
I might have unconsciously quickened my pace again, lost in thought… or rather, daydreaming about Suzuna.
“Are you doing this on purpose…?”
“No, of course not.”
“You’re saying that, but you’re actually angry, aren’t you?”
“Angry…? About what?”
I don’t think there’s anything for me to be angry at Suzuna about today.
“You’re angry because I bit your leg.”
Ah, that’s right… I forgot.
The aftermath was so overwhelming that I forgot about it.
“I’m not angry. Or rather, I forgot about it.”
“Lies. You wouldn’t normally speed up like that.”
W-Well… it’s not normal.
But that’s why it happened…
“And you were walking even faster than before.”
“Eh, seriously?”
My unconscious is scary.
How oblivious can I be?
But I can’t tell that to Suzuna…
“Riri-chan, you pushed my head away when I bit you. You were angry, weren’t you?”
“No, no, that’s not true! It just… hurt a little too much, so it was a reflex…”
I wasn’t really angry.
But Suzuna’s biting habit has gotten a bit… intense lately.
I think she should be aware of that.
It would be fine if she were a little gentler.
“It hurt so much that you pushed me to the floor?”
“Well, that’s… true, but…”
And please don’t remind me of that now.
It makes me remember what happened afterward.
Ah, impure thoughts! More impure thoughts!
To end this topic, I decided to offer convincing proof.
“Look, see? There’s a mark! Doesn’t it look painful?”
I lifted my skirt and showed Suzuna the bite mark on my thigh.
There was a clear, large, red mark.
It looked quite painful.
“…”
Suzuna quickly looked away.
Why?
“Suzuna? What’s wrong? Finally realizing how painful your actions were?”
“Put it down.”
“Huh?”
“Just put your skirt down. Don’t show me your leg.”
…What’s the meaning of this?
She’s the one who bit me, and now she doesn’t want to see the mark?
I don’t understand.
“But if you don’t show me, I can’t convey how much it hurt.”
“It’s fine, I don’t want to see it.”
“Even though you bit me?”
“I don’t want to see it.”
…Suzuna’s ears seem red.
“Is there a reason you don’t want to see it?”
“There is.”
“Why?”
“Just because.”
“You were the one who lifted my skirt and looked earlier.”
“That was then. And you were the one who was embarrassed, so why are you acting so nonchalant now?”
“It’s embarrassing to be seen without warning, but it’s fine if there’s a reason, and I’m showing you on purpose.”
“That’s so arbitrary.”
“That’s how it is.”
Even I think I’m being inconsistent.
“What about you, Suzuna? Why can you look at it before but not now…?”
“W-Well, it’s obvious! We were about to… do that earlier… Showing you my leg now would have a different meaning…”
“Ah… I see…”
I finally understood why Suzuna blushed and didn’t want to see my leg.
Hearing that made me feel embarrassed too, so I quickly lowered my skirt.
“S-So you think about those things too, Suzuna…”
“O-Of course I do! Anyone would… after that…”
“After… that…?”
“Don’t make me say it! I’m definitely not saying it!”
“Oh, hmm…”
That’s a little disappointing.
But I’m also happy that she’s thinking about the same things.
“Anyway, I’m not angry. I was just lost in thought and unconsciously sped up.”
“Lost in thought about what?”
“Well…”
Well, since Suzuna told me…
It wouldn’t be fair for me to hide it either.
“Like… what we were doing in the music room earlier…”
“…A-Ah, uh…”
Suzuna’s ears turned bright red.
Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.
“…You pervert…”
And I got called a pervert.
“Hey, we’re both in the same boat!”
“Don’t think about that!”
“You were thinking about it too, Suzuna.”
“That’s because you showed me your leg. You were thinking about it on your own, so you’re the pervert!”
Wh-What kind of logic is that…?
“Then I remembered because I saw your lips!”
“M-My li—That’s normal! Should I cover them with a mask?”
A-Ah… well, that’s true.
“Pervert, Riri, you pervert.”
“I don’t want to hear that from the girl who bit my leg!”
“So you are angry!”
“I’m not!”
I’m sorry, Suzuna, but…
It’s cute how you’re hiding your embarrassment by raising your voice.
82 My Body Reacts
“Riri, aren’t you a little too late?”
“Sorry, sorry.”
When we returned to the classroom, Riri-chan was being scolded by Tachibana-san.
Since they’re busy, it’s natural for her to be angry if Riri-chan is this late.
And since I’m the reason, I felt bad.
“How can it take this long to walk a lost boy from another school to the exit?”
Ah…
That’s right, Riri-chan was walking with an unfamiliar boy, and I got fired up seeing that, but…
He really was a stranger.
Oh no…
I feel even more guilty…
“So, I said I’m sorry.”
“Well… it’s fine. Did you manage to see him off?”
“…P-Probably.”
“Probably?”
“He wasn’t there anymore, so he’s probably fine.”
“Hmm? Where were you, and what were you doing, Riri?”
Riri-chan’s actions were completely inexplicable.
I should just tell them it’s my fault…
“Excuse me, can we order?”
“Ah, yes!”
Riri-chan immediately responded to the customer’s call.
“Ah, Riri, we were still talking…”
She seamlessly switched to work mode and shut down Tachibana-san’s question.
That’s impressive.
“Seriously…”
Tachibana-san seemed to give up and went back to work.
“Amatsuki-san? Did you bring the ingredients?”
“Ah, yes. Sorry I’m late.”
I handed the plastic bag to the leader.
“No, it’s fine, we still had some left. Let me know if you need anything else.”
So, nothing happened to me…
I had nothing else to do, so I decided to observe the maid cafe again.
“Have a nice day, miss.”
Riri-chan saw off two girls from a lower year.
“D-Did you see…? That was Hinase Riri-senpai, wasn’t it?”
“She was so cute!”
Fufu…
If this were me from a while ago, just hearing those words would have messed with my head.
But I’m different now.
I’m calm enough to listen to gossip.
That’s right, that’s right, Riri-chan is cute.
“Her usual gal aura was gone, so she was twice as cute, wasn’t she?”
“Yeah, no one would be able to resist her like that.”
…Ah, maybe not.
Hearing that made me feel… complicated.
I like the cute Riri-chan, but a popular Riri-chan is a different story.
The thought of so many people looking at her with those eyes made me feel restless…
“Suzuna.”
“Ah, yes!”
Riri-chan suddenly appeared next to me.
“I’m done with my shift.”
“Ah, I see…”
The maid cafe shifts are divided into morning and afternoon.
But since we’re running low on ingredients, the people on the afternoon shift might not have much to do.
“You’re only working in the morning too, right, Suzuna?”
“Yeah.”
This beautiful, cute girl… likes me.
It didn’t feel real earlier.
Now that I’ve calmed down and processed the situation, it still doesn’t make sense.
Is this really happening…?
“So, we have free time. Let’s look around together.”
“O-Okay.”
Riri-chan took my hand, and we left the classroom.
“Maid outfits really don’t suit me.”
Riri-chan had changed back into her uniform.
Her sleeves were rolled up, her blouse unbuttoned to the second button, and her skirt was above her knees.
She was back to her usual self.
“It suited you, though.”
“But it’s hard to move in. Forget it.”
…I wonder why.
When she was in her maid outfit, it felt unreal, but seeing her in her uniform suddenly made it feel real.
It made Riri-chan feel closer…
“Suzuna, are you hungry?”
“I’m… normal, I guess…”
As it got closer to lunchtime, the number of students from other schools and their families increased, making the hallway even more crowded.
Riri-chan suggested we get something to eat.
“Is there anything you want to eat? Well, I don’t know if they have it here, but…”
“A-Anything is fine…”
Anything Riri-chan likes is fine.
I don’t have any particular requests.
“What about drinks? Want to buy something?”
“No, either way is fine…”
I’ll drink if there is something, and I won’t if there isn’t.
“…Suzuna.”
Riri-chan suddenly stopped.
“Yes?”
“…You’re being stiff.”
Stiff?
Is she talking about our joined hands?
“Don’t look at my hands.”
Apparently not.
“Your attitude, your reactions.”
“E-Eh, is that so…?”
“You’re being… very indifferent, distant.”
“I’m not trying to be…”
Riri-chan looked at me with a puzzled expression.
Please don’t stare at me like that…
“Why are you looking away?”
“Because you’re looking at me, Riri-chan.”
“It’s normal to look at you, Suzuna.”
“No, don’t look.”
“That’s weird.”
She might be right.
But I don’t know what’s normal anymore.
I don’t know what to do.
Ah, I’m overthinking it, and my hands are starting to sweat…
“R-Riri-chan, let go of my hand.”
“Eh, what? You’re pushing me away even more? What’s going on?”
“No, it’s not that… you know, right?”
If this continues, my sweat will get on Riri-chan’s hand…
“No, no, that’s not it. You’re trying to run away.”
“I-I’m not running away! I’m not a child!”
“You were running away all the time at first.”
“That was then!”
“Your attitude is similar to back then.”
Seriously…
Why is she getting closer when I say that?
Her face is too close, I can smell her scent, and I don’t know where to look.
And thinking about all that is making my hands sweat even more.
“J-Just… l-let go.”
“Absolutely not! You have to tell me why you’re being so distant!”
Riri-chan’s grip tightened.
N-No, stop it!
My sweaty hands, my dirty sweat is getting on Riri-chan’s beautiful hands!
Okay, I’ll endure it and tell her, since I feel bad.
“My… my hands are sweating! It’s embarrassing, so let go!”
“Hmm? …Ah, well, now that you mention it…”
Riri-chan squeezed my hand to check.
“No, stop it!”
“That’s unusual. You don’t usually sweat, Suzuna.”
Why is she calmly analyzing this?!
“It’s gross, isn’t it? So let go!”
“It’s fine, yours isn’t gross, Suzuna.”
Why is she nodding with such a nice smile? Is she crazy?
“Just… let… go…”
I tried to pull my hand away with my other hand, but it was no use.
Ah, her grip is too strong…
“So why are you acting like this and sweating so much? You’re not sick, are you?”
“…It’s… nothing, okay?”
“No, I won’t let go until you tell me. And stop being so uncute.”
She’s squeezing my hand again.
She can definitely feel the moisture.
This is impossible!
“Okay, I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you!”
“Go ahead.”
…Damn it.
Riri-chan always has the upper hand…
“…I-I’m… embarrassed.”
“Embarrassed?”
“W-Well… you know… we’re… d-d-dating… now, and…”
“Yeah, we are.”
Why can she say that so casually?
Am I the strange one?
“Thinking about that… makes you seem like a different person, Riri-chan… And I wonder if you see me differently too… and all sorts of things…”
“…Oh!”
Riri-chan’s eyes widened for the first time.
“Suzuna, you’re so cute!”
“Wh-What is?”
“You’re so conscious of me that you’re embarrassed, aren’t you?”
“…I’m not embarrassed!”
“Look me in the eye and say that.”
That’s impossible.
“See? I told you. Now let go.”
“…Hmm? Fufu.”
She squeezed my hand tighter.
“R-Riri-chan! That’s not what you said!”
“Sorry, you’re too cute, so I don’t want to let go.”
“Th-That doesn’t make sense!”
“Come on, let’s go.”
“W-Wait…!”
She’s a liar!
Riri-chan isn’t listening to me at all.
Th-This is embarrassing…
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