After Distancing Myself From the Childhood Friend Couple Who Looked Down on Me, I Started Interacting With a Small Animal-Like Beautiful Girl - Chapter 47

A week had passed since I officially started dating Ino-san, and since I’d completely broken things off with Daiki.

Daiki now lived like a shadow of his former self. The dazzling aura he used to carry was gone, as if it had been nothing but a mirage. He hardly ever looked people in the eye anymore. Even when sitting or walking, his head was always lowered, as though he feared meeting anyone’s gaze.

The drastic change in the once-popular, easygoing, good-looking guy made him the center of attention again, but for the opposite reason. Even without people staring at him openly, his hunched shoulders and nervous shrinking made him look constantly frightened.

The first time I saw Daiki after I’d forced our separation, I was struck by how small he seemed. I had never seen him look that way before, and the feeling it gave me was hard to put into words.

As for Takagi Yuika, who had broken up with Daiki, she had become the subject of a rumor. Word spread that she’d been cheating with him despite already having a boyfriend. I had a good idea where the rumor came from. The classmates who were in the room the day Shirou told me the truth.

Maybe they spread it because Daiki’s reputation had collapsed, and they wanted to pile on, or maybe they just found a scandal involving a former popular guy and his ex interesting. Whatever the case, it didn’t matter. The damage was done.

Azuma, another member of Daiki’s group, was also dragged down by association. Now, even when he tried talking to classmates, he was ignored. Back when he stood at the center of the class alongside Daiki, enjoying the spotlight, he probably never imagined things would turn out like this.

Serika, on the other hand, had drifted apart from her old friends Kimura and Ueno, and she wasn’t especially close with the rest of the class anymore either. But she didn’t seem miserable about it. In fact, her face looked lighter, freer, as if she no longer found coming to school such a burden. Our relationship wasn’t the same as it used to be, but as her childhood friend, I just hoped things would keep getting better for her.

And me? What happened to me that week.

“Yoshizaki! Forgive the rudeness of asking this so suddenly!”

“You and Saitou-san, are you two dating?!”

“If it’s true, just say so! Please, please, for the love of everything, shake your head no and deny it!!”

Several of Ino-san’s fanboys, classmates I’d never even spoken to before, cornered me with desperate eyes. They said the way Ino-san and I had been acting lately was far too close, and they couldn’t stop wondering.

“…Yes. Ino-san and I are dating.”

The faint hope on their faces drained away in an instant, leaving them pale as paper. Their shoulders sagged, their bodies crumpled, and they fell to the floor muttering things like “This can’t be real” and “So it’s over.”

They eventually raised their heads, forced weak smiles, and gave me shaky thumbs-ups.

“Don’t worry, we’d never dream of interfering. We don’t have the guts.”

“Besides, if we did, Saitou would probably obliterate us. Worth it, though.”

“If possible, could you spare us a couple of her best shots from a boyfriend’s perspective… No, no, I didn’t say anything!”

Faces drained of life, they stumbled back to their seats.

“Didn’t one of them almost cross a line at the end?”

“Yeah, that was kind of scary. Right, Yuki~”

Shirou reached out and patted both Kouki’s head and mine, even though Kouki was looking a little put off.

I gave a wry smile and answered him.

“It just means Ino-san’s that popular. But even if I managed to get the perfect photo of her, I wouldn’t show it. Things like that they’re privileges reserved for her boyfriend.”

I knew I said that, but I still couldn’t help the streak of possessiveness that slipped out.

“…Ahhhh~~~~~ This is what I’m talking about! You’re totally unaware!”

“Why are you angry?”

“That was super dangerous. My heart nearly exploded.”

“And you’re just brushing it off like it’s nothing?”

Kouki planted his hands on his hips and looked up at the ceiling, while Shirou kept rubbing at his chest. They both blamed me, and when I asked what exactly they meant, they just answered in unison, “Don’t change a thing.”

I tilted my head at my contradictory friends, but even as I did, I realized I was enjoying this.

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The moment July arrived, summer came in full force.

The sun grew harsher by the day, and at the same time, the excitement of students looking forward to summer break swelled more and more.

Yet, beside me, her expression was emptier than usual, as though a heavy gray cloud hovered just above her head. She wasn’t even dozing off in class, which hadn’t happened since the day I confessed.

The reason was obvious. It all started with what our homeroom teacher announced this morning.

“We’ll be doing a seat shuffle before summer break. Something for you all to look forward to!”

The teacher’s smiling words had barely left their mouth before the light vanished from Ino-san’s eyes.

She must have been really shaken.

I remembered how, and not long after we’d entered school, the teacher’s arrangement had placed us in our current seats.

Three months had passed since then, and in that short time, my first year of high school had already felt dense and was packed with change. If not for that seating chart, I might never have spoken to Ino-san at all. I might never have changed the way I did.

The thought of being separated from her soon tugged at me, too, though I tried to console myself. If our seats changed, we’d just have to find more time together outside of class.

Just then, I heard her murmur.

“I wish we didn’t have to change seats.”

Her quiet voice was laced with loneliness, and it made my chest tighten.

Even after the first period ended, she kept her gaze lowered, so I leaned over and spoke softly.

“Ino-san. If you don’t have plans after school, do you want to come over?”

“…I’ll go.”

Her expression brightened back to the Ino-san I knew. Relief washed over me.

The magic of Maru never failed.

That afternoon, I walked home with Ino-san. For the first time, I was bringing her to my house as my girlfriend.

When we arrived, Maru greeted us at the door. I said, “I’m home,” giving the little guy a pat before heading inside.

Since Ino-san had visited a few times before, Maru no longer kept its distance from her. Instead, the gray puffball rubbed itself against her legs.

Her round eyes darted with delight while tracking its every movement. It was so adorable and amusing that I couldn’t look away.

Sitting together on the sofa, I watched her play with Maru and a toy wand. Without meaning to, I found myself calling her name.

“–––Ino.”

The movement of her slender arm, holding the cat toy, came to a halt.

She turned toward me, her eyes wide, her cheeks steadily flushing red.

Her lips trembled open and shut, as if she wanted to speak but couldn’t, and the sight was so endearing that I couldn’t hold back anymore. Along with the way I’d just called her name, the words spilled out.

“I love you, Ino.”

“–––Ack… That’s way too sudden. You can’t just say that out of nowhere.”

“I’m sorry. I just felt like now was the right time.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Honestly, you’re impossible…”

She let out a small sigh, then dropped her gaze. For a second, I thought that was the end of it, but instead, she leaned gently against me.

When she looked up, her face was softer than I’d ever seen it, lit with the sweetest, most adorable smile.

“I love you too. I love you so much, Yuki-chan.”

This time it was my turn to go red.

That smile. I didn’t want anyone else to ever see it.

As we gazed into each other’s eyes, a familiar weight settled onto my lap.

We both turned at the sound of a sharp little “meow.”

Maru sat there staring at us, as if to say we should not forget about them.

Ino-san and I glanced at each other and burst out laughing together.

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Author’s Note

This is the author.

With this chapter, “After Distancing Myself From the Childhood Friend Couple Who Looked Down on Me, I Started Interacting With a Small Animal-Like Beautiful Girl” has reached its conclusion.

I’ve received many messages saying you’ll miss it, and knowing that so many of you enjoyed this story truly makes me happy.

To everyone who read until the very end, and to those who supported me with comments and stars… Thank you so much.

While the main story ends here, there’s a chance I might write an extra chapter someday.

I’m also planning to share new stories in the future, and if the mood strikes you, I’d be glad if you showed them the same love.

Once again, to everyone who found and read this work… Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

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Translator’s Note

Hi everyone, Nyx here!

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all of you who took the time to read my translations. Your support, comments, and encouragement really mean a lot to me.

Also, I would really appreciate it if you could read my other translation and feel free to correct any errors you see, as the translation isn’t perfect, as you can see in the preview. But anyway, thank you again. (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶) ‹𝟹