A Childhood Friend, Reunited After 10 Years Acts Deredere With Me

“Sora! Happy New Year! I know it’s sudden, but give me a New Year’s gift!”

“Seriously, why so suddenly…”

When I woke up, Alice, who was the first to wake up, said something like that. But New Year’s Day…. I was about to get out of bed to check how much money I had in my wallet.

“Areh? Sora, what are you doing?”

“Eh…? It’s your New Year’s gift, right?”

“Yes, that’s right. But my New Year’s gift and Sora’s gift are a little different. What I mean…”

Alice kissed me while hugging me. She does it for a few seconds and says with a smile.

“Is this.”

“…Hah.”

………

……

…

“Fuooh! So this is what you call a Hatsumode! There’s so many people, Sora.”

“Yes, there are.”

For Alice, who had been in the U.S. for many years, Hatsumode must have been either quite a while or the first time for her. From my point of view, it’s crowded with people, and since I don’t really believe in God in the first place, it doesn’t interest me.

(But oh well…)

The fact that this is my first date with Alice this year is not so bad. No, I’m rather happy about it.

“All right, then, let’s get to the shrine right away, shall we?”

“Yeah! Let’s go, let’s go!”

After a long wait, it was finally our turn. We clapped our hands together and prayed in our hearts.

（I prayed for Alice’s good health.)

I don’t believe in God, but it’s not a bad thing to wish. After I finished making my wish, I turned to Alice, who seemed to have finished immediately.

“What did you ask for? Alice.”

“Hehehe~. I asked for Sora to stay healthy! And that Sora will always love me!”

“I don’t care about the former, but the latter, you didn’t need to ask God for that, did you?”

I can’t imagine myself not liking Alice. I’ve been with her for the past six months, and I don’t feel like I’m going through any of the typical “weary period” of lovers, but rather I feel like I’m becoming more and more dependent on Alice.

“…That kind of thing you say so nonchalantly… Sora is unfair.”

Alice says so with a blush on her face and her mouth agape. I’m kind of amused.

“Oi, both of you. Are you gonna flirt even in a place like this?”

“Nn? Yo, both of you. It’s been quite a while.”

Behind us were Shiina and Shunya. It seems that these two had also come to pay their first visit to the temple.

………

……

…

“Eh? Isn’t Sora late?”

I was a little concerned that Sora had gone to buy juice after losing the rock-paper-scissors-s game and had not returned after ten minutes.

“Did he go to the toilet or something? I don’t think that guy would leave without Alice.”

“I’m going to go take a loo…!?”

It was when I was about to run past to go check it out. Sora was surrounded by three girls who looked as if they were trouble.

“Wha… wha what…!”

“Wow…that guy’s amazing, Sora is. I’ve never seen a reverse pick-up before.”

It was a pick-up, no matter how you look at it. But it was not a man hitting on a woman, but a woman hitting on a man.

“It’s true, Sora is pretty good looking.”

That’s right. Sora is surprisingly high-spec. He can study, he can do sports, and at 182 centimeters tall, he is a good-looking guy. He is an excellent person.

“Mumumu…”

Of course, that is not why I was attracted to Sora. I was attracted to Sora because of his kindness.

So…to be honest, I don’t like those women who don’t know anything about him. If I were to describe this feeling in a simple way, I would call it jealousy.

“Ah! Hey? Alice-chan!?”

Shunya called out to me, but I didn’t care. I ran towards Sora and jumped into his arms.

“Eh… someone else’s woman.”

“Ahaha! I am this guy’s girlfriend! I’m sorry, but this guy is my permanent appointment, so please stay away from him!”

Of course I believe Sora. I don’t think he would ever have another woman. But…I still don’t like it. I don’t like the fact that Sora is talking to other girls.

“Fuun…”

“He’s got a girlfriend…”

“He’s a pretty good-looking guy, so it can’t be helped~”

With that, the pickup group moved away.

“A-Alice… thanks. You saved me.”

“…Hey Sora~ I’m in a really bad mood right now, so when I get home… you know?”

I might be a little displeased, but to say “very” would be too much. However, since I’ve got the authority to be pampered by Sora to the fullest, I’ll take it as a good thing.