About the Cool Beauty in My Class Declaring She Won’t Eat Anything Except My Bento - 22

Chapter 22: A Celebration for Just the Two of Us

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“I’ll say it again, but good job today, Ayano.”

“Good job to you too, Kirihara-san.”

Night fell, and Ayano came over to my room. As expected, Ayano hadn’t participated in the after-party either.

“Is it okay for you to skip the after-party?”

“Events like those are most enjoyable for people who are already close friends. If I went, everyone would just feel strangely obligated to look out for me.”

“I think there are plenty of people who wanted you to come, though.”

“Including that. They’re looking out for me in a different sense, aren’t they?”

“That’s true.”

There would likely be people trying to force a conversation with Ayano, which would probably ruin the atmosphere of the party.

(Being popular sure is tough.)

“In the first place, you’re here for the same reason, aren’t you, Kirihara-san?”

“Well, pretty much. Personally, I’m happier spending time with you, Ayano.”

“I’m glad.”

“Glad?”

“I was also thinking I wanted to spend some relaxing time with you, Kirihara-san, after the sports festival ended.”

Ayano said this while dressed in her loungewear. Since she must have worked up a sweat during the festival, it was only natural for her to come over after finishing her bath, but it made it feel even more like we were living together, making my heart race. But had she ever asked for us to be “together” quite this directly before?

(I feel like it’s been happening more than I realize, but I’ll choose not to remember right now.)

“Oh, right. Today’s lunch was also very delicious. The potato salad reminded me of the first time I received a meal from you.”

“Ayano, do you like rolled omelets and potato salad?”

“H-how did you…?”

“You had a particularly happy look on your face in the classroom.”

『You have a very happy look on your face.』

When she said that to me earlier, Ayano’s cool mask had melted just a little bit too.

Since we started getting involved with each other, I came to realize that she always consciously tried not to show her expressions. But when she was eating her lunch, she had a blissful smile on her face, seemingly without realizing it.

“…Yeah, I’m really happy.”

Those words of mine were partly because Shu and Kurumi were happy, but I was also happy that I had become a presence large enough to transcend Ayano’s cool side. I had put that meaning into it as well.

“Oh, come to think of it, those two didn’t go to the after-party either.”

I asked the question as I remembered it while heading toward the kitchen. Since I heard from Ayano that she likes egg dishes, I planned to make omurice today.

“Do you mean Kurata-san and Aoi-san? Now that you mention it, they were heading home together.”

“I wonder if they live close by.”

“They are neighbors. I ran into Kurata-san when I visited Aoi-san’s house before.”

“Wait, you were doing things like that?”

“I went over to play.”

Ayano said this as she placed her lunch box in the sink. I thought our distance had closed rapidly lately, but I never imagined something like that had happened. No, of course it would…

(It’s just that the distance between me and her is strange. Ayano’s private life is important too.)

“…Um.”

“Hm?”

“No… it’s just that you were scowling…”

Apparently, it had shown on my face without me noticing.

“No, well… I’m going to say something weird.”

“Yes.”

“I just thought, I guess a lot of things happen even when I’m not around.”

Recently, I had been with Ayano for almost all the time I wasn’t at school. She came to my house for dinner, and even after she returned to her room, we’d call on the phone. From an objective standpoint, she had become a part of my daily life, and to begin with, we’d started talking at school lately too.

That was why, thinking that Ayano had a life even in places I didn’t know about─

“Hehe, you’re cute.”

“Eh?”

Ayano, who had been helping me with the dishes next to me while I cooked, spoke. I involuntarily asked her to repeat those unexpected words.

“Do you want to be with me that much?”

“N-no, it’s not like that… Well,I suppose it is, but it’s not that I’m trying to be possessive or anything.”

“So it is like that?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, no one hates being together. Setting that aside! I’m not the kind of guy who gets jealous of Kurumi. I was just thinking it’s good that while our time together has increased, you’re still able to take time for yourself.”

This was also my honest feeling. Just as Ayano had told me to “prioritize yourself,” I didn’t want to do anything that restricted Ayano’s actions because of me.

“Then, if I were meeting with a man, would you be jealous, Kirihara-san?”

“Ugh, that’s…”

I would probably—no, I would definitely be jealous. I knew full well that I had no right to say anything… but it was not about logic. It just felt unpleasant.

“You’re very easy to read, Kirihara-san.”

“…I’m often told I’m unsociable by Shu and the others, though.”

“Then it means you are easy to read in front of me.”

“That goes for you too, Ayano.”

“I suppose so. But, the only time I show that side of myself is in front of you, Kirihara-san. I would never show it to Kurata-san, Aoi-san, or anyone else in the class.”

Ayano, who had noticed my inner conflict, strongly denied those worries. In this moment, the joy of her saying “only me” outweighed the embarrassment.

“So, it’s okay for you to be jealous.”

“That would be creepy. Seriously.”

“Kirihara-san’s jealousy is cute, so I’d rather you did.”

Ayano said this almost as if she were angry for some reason. Perhaps she just didn’t want to be the only one showing her weak side.

“Then I shall do so. My Lady.”

“Hehe. Thank you.”

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“…Kirihara-san.”

“What’s up?”

“Why is there a cake here as if it’s the most natural thing in the world?”

“It’s a reward party, after all.”

“Don’t ‘after all’ me!”

After we finished off the omurice, I took a cake out of the fridge without saying anything just to see Ayano’s surprised face, and she got flustered exactly as I’d hoped. This was the “preparation” I had mentioned to Kurose.

“I-I really should pay…”

“No, it’s fine. I got this from the café where I work part-time.”

“Oh, I see… You work at a café, Kirihara-san?”

“Didn’t I tell you?”

“This is the first I’ve heard of it! But… thank you.”

Just seeing Ayano’s eyes sparkle made it worth more than the price of free.

Sitting in the living room, Ayano immediately took a bite of the cake. She stuffed the strawberry from the shortcake into her cheek and then put a piece of the cake itself onto her fork. Her face melted every time she put a bite into her mouth. As I became absorbed in watching that face, Ayano’s cheeks gradually turned red.

“Um… it’s embarrassing when you stare at me that much.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“D-don’t worry about it!?”

“It’s jealousy because those guys kept me from seeing Ayano’s smile during lunch today.”

“Ah, that’s unfair…”

“But the feeling of disappointment was real.”

I loved lunch because I could see Ayano’s happy face, but today it was interrupted.

(I don’t think it’s strange to want to savor this moment to make up for it.)

She acted so cool in class, yet here she was, melting with happiness and turning red. A sense of immorality welled up from knowing she only acted this way in front of me, but that too led to my own happiness.

“…………In that case.”

“Hm?”

Even though she brought it up herself, Ayano’s face turned an even deeper shade of red. Covering her mouth with her hand, she peeked at me through her neatly arranged bangs.

“Is it okay if I stay with you a little longer today?”

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