A Sweet Romance That Starts With One Bottle of Juice, Between a Heiress Who Must Marry Her First Kiss and a Lonesome Guy With a Menacing Look - Chapter 1 - A Romantic Comedy Life That Begins With an Indirect Kiss - Part 2

Chapter 1 – A Romantic Comedy Life That Begins With an Indirect Kiss – Part 2

Well… I’m somewhat interested, but I don’t think basketball is it for me.

There are some barriers that just being tall is not enough to overcome. Stamina to keep running on that small court and dexterity in the fingers to apply precise handling skills are also necessary.

That made me feel limited.

What’s the point of joining the club now? I’ll just stand out and feel out of place anyway—Hmm? Eh?

I was thirsty again, so I looked in my bag for the carbonated drink I bought at the convenience store earlier, but I couldn’t find it.

Apparently, after my wallet, I left my drink in the classroom.

It’s a lower priority than a wallet, but if there’s a bottle of juice on my desk the next day, it’s going to look bad.

I don’t want people to think I’m dirty or anything—

It’s a pain in the ass, but I’ll go back for it.

I reluctantly walked up the stairs and back into the classroom again.

Now there was a female pupil in the classroom.

She’s sitting on the seat next to mine…that means…

“Oh, my seatmate, Yasuda-san?”

As soon as she noticed me coming into the classroom, she approached me.

“H-Hello.”

I bowed and entered the classroom.

It’s Y-Y-Yasunomihara-san…

She is the highest-ranking female student in my class caste, the “Sun of class 1-B”, Yasunomihara Yuuka.

She is the daughter of the Yasunomihara family, a world-renowned company, and is a young lady who is always treated well.

The fact that she has blonde hair and the teachers don’t scold her about it is probably because of her young lady privilege.

I thought I’d just give her a proper greeting and quickly grab my juice and go home…but…

“Huh?”

—My juice was gone.

While I was hurriedly looking for a juice, Yasunomihara-san was sipping something to drink next to me.

—Wait a minute, that juice…

T-That’s the same kind of juice I was drinking earlier…

“Yasunomihara-san, that juice is…”

“Yes? What’s with this juice?”

“Oh, no, I mean…”

It was then.

Suddenly, the front sliding door was opened and a woman in a maid uniform entered.

What the hell? Is she a cosplayer?

“Young miss! Where have you been? If it’s your luggage, it’s already in the car—Eh…”

“Oh, you’re late, Natsume. I told you the committee meeting finished at 5:00.”

“Young miss… That juice is?”

“Hmm? What? F-Father said that I can buy food on campus!”

“T-That’s not it! When I came by here earlier, I found the young miss’ bag and plastic bottle, and I had taken them to the car first—”

When told this, Yasunomihara-san scurries around her desk.

“My bag is definitely not here. As expected of Natsume, you were so thoughtful to bring it in while I was in the bathroom! Thank you.”

“No, that’s not what I mean! Then whose juice is that!?”

“Ah—”

Suddenly there was a pause, a break in the conversation, and all of a sudden, all eyes turned to me.

“Aaaahhhh!”

Yasunomihara-san collapsed on the spot, holding her head.

What the hell is going on!?

“Yasunomihara-san?”

“…Yasuda-kun? Is this yours by any chance?”

“Ah…yeah. I left this same one in the classroom earlier.”

“Y-Y-Young miss… What did you do…”

The maid, who was called Natsume, also collapsed to her knees in front of the sliding door.

For some reason, despair was occurring beyond my knowledge.

✳︎✳︎

Yasunomihara-san was lying on her desk, not moving at all.

Natsume-san walked up to me and started explaining.

“What I’m about to tell you is a bit unscientific, but it’s all serious, so please listen carefully.”

“Y-Yes!”

What is she going to tell me?

“There is a legend that those who inherit the blood of Yasunomihara must not take kissing lightly, a tradition that has been passed down for hundreds of years.”

It seems like it might become a long story…

Rather, kissing…?

“Legend has it that an ancestor of Yasunomihara once survived an incurable illness by kissing. Because of this, there is a legend that those who do not cherish kisses will die prematurely, and in fact, all the people from Yasunomihara who are said to have had an indifferent relationship with their first kiss partner and did not marry later on, have died within three years.”

“That’s scary—”

“It’s not scary at all!”

Yasunomihara-san ranted as she plopped down on her desk.

“Yasuda-sama, I hope you understand the situation now.”

“I don’t understand it at all.”

“….Allow me to explain concisely. Based on tradition, Yasuda-sama, who had become the partner of the young miss’ first kiss, must now spend his life together with the young miss.”

—Eh?

“That is because the young miss drank from your juice bottle and she has come to be aware of it…”

“Does that mean even an indirect kiss is not acceptable?” (T/N: Acceptable here means to pass the indirect kiss as nothing, doesn’t apply to the tradition.)

“Yes, that is right.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Past cases have shown that it is not acceptable.”

I wonder what the criteria are.

Even with all these explanations, honestly, it’s hard to believe in curses or similar things.

Well, I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong…

“Um, regarding this matter, do I have any rights or veto power?”

“Yasuda-sama does have the right to refuse—However, as I mentioned earlier, if Yasuda-sama refuses, the young miss’ life may end prematurely.”

“Hey, watch the way you’re saying it…”

I looked at Yasunomihara-san.

She was rubbing her forehead, which was just sticking out of her perfectly coiffed hair, against the desk even more.

…W-What a problem this is. This is almost a threat.

—If I refuse, Yasunomihara-san’s life is in danger (Though I’m unsure if it’s really true or not). In short, I have no right to veto.

“…I understand the situation for now. Well, it’s not easy right away, but I—” 

And like that, Yasunomihara Yuuka and I were forced to go out with each other.

✳︎✳︎

“Um, it’s my fault, I’m sorry.”

The usual lady-like, high-spirited Yasunomihara Yuuka was nowhere to be found.

After Natsume-san said she was leaving the classroom and disappeared, Yasunomihara-san came to apologize.

“Well, I don’t really mind it.”

“I am terribly sorry.”

“I already said I don’t mind it. But what about Yasunomihara-san?”

A little embarrassed, I asked Yasunomihara-san how she feels…

Given the current circumstances, it seems like she can’t even afford to think about marrying me or anything like that right now.

“Yasuda-san, are you okay with me?”

“It’s not about whether I’m okay with you or not, it’s just the way it is. Because I think I’m at fault for forgetting the juice.”

“N-No… It’s all my fault. I’m sorry.”

Yasunomihara-san has kept her head down since a while ago.

After that, no matter what I said, all I got was “I’m sorry.”

“Well then. As my escort has arrived, I shall take my leave here.” 

“Ah, yeah. See you tomorrow.”

With a slight bow, Yasunomihara-san got into her car.

We’re really going to start dating from now on, huh…

“I got a girlfriend before a friend…”