After My First Love Who is My Classmate Became My Family, My Childhood Friend Became Really Sweet to Me - Chapter 17

Princess Carry/Childhood Friend’s Distance/Real Feelings

Even thought she is already a high school girl, Tsukino’s body is still as light as a feather.

Carrying her like a princess, I put my childhood friend down on the bed of her room. It might be better to wake her up, but looking at her peaceful sleeping face, I can’t bring myself to do so. Maybe this is how cat owners feel when their cat is sleeping on their lap.

“It’s so typical of Tsukino, she can sleep peacefully even when I carried her all the way to her room.”

I look at Tsukino’s peaceful sleeping face from a distance.

Her face looks so innocent and defenceless. Her smooth and white skin is just like a little girl in a famous western painting.

Yeah, she looks really cute. She looks exactly like an angel.

I would never have thought about this in the past. The reason I’m aware of Tsukino’s attractiveness now is because—I’m seeing her as girl.

I actually want to watch over Tsukino’s cute face forever, but the words that Hinata said to me earlier is still stuck in my mind.

Eventually, I gently pat Tsukino’s head and get up to leave her room.

Just before I left the room,

“That’s too bad. I was hoping that you would at least kiss me.”

The sudden voice from behind startled me. I quickly turn around at the voice.

Tsukino is sitting on her bed, puffing her cheeks out as if complaining.

“You just missed your best chance, you could secretly kiss me just now.”

“But that’s really unreasonable, isn’t it? Tsukino wouldn’t like it either, right?”

“I don’t mind if it’s Yuto. If Yuto really wants to kiss me, I really don’t mind.”

“Alright then, let me correct my words. Even if Tsukino doesn’t mind, I don’t want to do it that way. I would hate myself if I kissed Tsukino secretly, I don’t want to cross the line with a girl I’m not dating.”

“I see. Then if Yuto is sleeping defencelessly, I’ll leave him alone too.”

No way, you were going to do it if you had the chance…?

Anyway,

“You should’ve told me if you’re awake. When did you wake up?”

“From about Yuto picked me up. I was so excited when Yuto picked me up and carried me like a princess, but I felt bad about what I did to Hinata-san. I have to properly apologize to her tomorrow.”

Then Tsukino didn’t hear the conversation between me and Hinata?

“I was talking to Hinata when Tsukino was sleeping. Hinata said she is sorry that Tsukino and I can’t go out with each other because of her.”

“I see, that’s very typical of Hinata-san.”

Tsukino sits on the edge of the bed and looks up at me.

“But it can’t be helped. It’s for Hinata-san’s sake. Yuto saw Hinata-san’s face when she found out that I wasn’t going to participate in the ‘Confession of the Holy Night’ event, right? She was so relieved.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

If that’s the case, Hinata’s words are contradicting with her wish. While Hinata sincerely hopes Tsukino’s love to come true, she hopes just as much that I won’t date someone.

“Tsukino, we made a promise, didn’t we? When I confessed to you, you said we won’t go out until Hinata is comfortable with me as a true family, but it looks like we’re in a tight spot.”

“That’s right, Hinata-san is so kind. Even when we say it’s okay, she still…”

“No, not just Hinata. Tsukino is also in a tight spot.”

Tsukino’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Tsukino, you told Hinata that you won’t take me away from her, but how should I put it. When you said it, you seem like you were trying to convince yourself… you seemed to be in pain.”

“…how can you possibly know that?”

“Because we have known each other since childhood. Do you have any idea how long we’ve been together?”

“…that’s the troublesome part having a childhood friend. You can’t hide anything from them a time like this.”

Yeah, I agree.

Tsukino has a sad expression on her face.

“It’s true that I don’t want to hurt Hinata-san, but I also want to have a special relationship with Yuto. The more I see Yuto, the more this wish grows in my heart.”

Tsukino holds her hand in front of her chest as if protecting something important.

“I want us to hold each other hands like lovers, I want us to hug each other like lovers, I want us to sleep together like lovers, I want us to spoil each other like lovers, I want us to kiss each other like lovers—I want to do a lot of things with Yuto that I can’t do as childhood friends.”

“That’s why…!”

Why don’t we just go out already—how much easier if those words can come out of my mouth.

‘I want to continue to live with Yuto like we do now.’

Hinata’s face when she said those words out loud is stuck on my mind.

I’m sure that I have to do something about it.

If this continues, both Hinata and Tsukino’s heart will break because of me.

“I’m sure I have to do something.”

“…but if you do, maybe you will break Hinata-san’s heart. Maybe you will leave a very deep scar in her heart.”

“I know that, but Hinata and Tsukino have gone through enough pain because of me. …I have to do something.”

“Yuto, you’re really serious about this… I understand. Then I’ll talk with that in mind.”

What does that mean I wonder.

The way Tsukino talks about it, it’s as if she knows this is the opportunity to change our current relationship—

“You want to do something about this situation, don’t you? Then we have to decide right here and now whether we are going to date each other or not.”

Ahh, that’s right.

I want to be Tsukino’s boyfriend.

“…I understand Tsukino’s feeling. You’re worried that my relationship with Hinata might drift apart, right? If I talk to Hinata about it and cherish the time we spend together as a family, I’ll still be able to—”

“No, Yuto. What I’m most worried about isn’t your relationship with Hinata-san as a family.”

—eh? What?

I’m lost at words. What are you talking about Tsukino?

“But you said that you’re worried about my family relationship with Hinata…”

“I’m sorry, but that’s just a pretext, because I thought that if I told you the truth, it would be impossible for Yuto and Hinata-san to live together like before.”

Tsukino catches my eyes with an expression as if she won’t let go of me.

“It’s another reason why I thought I shouldn’t protect Hinata-san any longer. …I’m sure Yuto knows exactly what I’m talking about.”

“————”

I don’t understand Tsukino’s words.

—stop it.

I don’t know what are you talking about.

—don’t say that.

My head refuses to think about it.

—if you say those words, there’s no going back.

“Hey, Yuto. You know Hinata-san…”

Tsukino says with her usual expressionless face.

That crucial words that I desperately avoid until now.

“Hinata-san likes Yuto. Not as a family, but as a girl.”