Although She's a Beautiful Student Council President Who Maintains Her Coolness Towards Everyone, She Wants to Act Spoiled and Lovesick Around Him, Who is Misunderstood by Everyone as a Delinquent - Chapter 40: Afterwards

On the way home after leaving the park…

“Hey… I know it’s a bit late to ask this, but are you really sure you’re happy with me, Shizuku?”

“What are you talking about…? Fufu, it’s because it’s you, Riku-kun, that we ended up in this relationship, you know.”

Shizuku, who focused her gaze on their hands that were held together, shows a happy smile. Furthermore, as if to prove that her words are true, she squeezed his hand tightly.

“Uh, hey… If you squeeze my hand that hard, it’ll start to get sweaty, you know?”

“…I see.”

“That’s not the point, is it!? So, I was saying, I’d like you to hold it more gently, please.”

“No way. Because even though you’re dating me, you still say such things.”

The “such things” Shizuku was referring to are the words he first said.

“I know it’s a bit late to ask this, but are you really sure you’re happy with me, Shizuku?” – that’s what he said.

It’s because he has such low self-esteem that he ends up phrasing it like that. Shizuku, who knows this, couldn’t just let the conversation slide.

“I would never date someone out of just curiosity or for fun… I accepted your confession because I truly like you.”

“…”

“So, please don’t say things like that. Saying it that way hurts me, who chose you.”

Shizuku, who spoke with kindness in her words, talked to him with a smile.

“I didn’t mean to hurt you at all!”

“It’s fine. I know you didn’t mean it that way. But… you’re my boyfriend, you know? Since you’re my boyfriend, I need you to have more confidence.”

“Wow, you’re really emphasizing that…”

“Fufufu, well, it’s true. If you promise not to say anything negative about yourself next time, I’ll loosen my grip on your hand.”

Shizuku, who offered such a deal, showed off her cleverness that she’s developed over the years.

She navigated the situation so that Riku doesn’t get too uncomfortable – in this case, not holding his hand too tightly for too long – and also making sure he doesn’t say anything to put himself down.

It was truly amazing that she could come up with all this in just a few seconds.

“…I understand. I take back what I said earlier. Sorry.”

“As long as you understand. It’s helpful that you’re so quick to get it.”

True to her word, Shizuku loosened her grip on his hand and nodded in satisfaction.

“…I feel like I’m being dragged along already. I should be the one in the opposite position.”

“But I’m older than you, Riku-kun. If I don’t do this much, I have no position.”

“It wasn’t like that in the park.”

“That’s different! This is different!”

In the park, Shizuku had cried tears of joy while leaning on Riku’s chest… He had held her tightly the whole time.

After giving a sharp retort, she blushed with embarrassment.

“…But someday, I’ll show you that I can lead too…I said the same thing when I confessed.”

“T-Then I’ll look forward to that day…I have no intention of giving in when it comes to leading, either.”

“There’s something I can beat you at, Shizuku.”

Despite Shizuku’s somewhat blunt response, influenced by the earlier retort, Riku expressed his conviction.

“Oh? That means you have something that can lead me on, right?… I’d like to see you try.”

“Ah, well… It’s a bit difficult here…”

“You brought it up, Riku-kun. You should take responsibility and do it properly…”

“I don’t know, okay? Even if I do it.”

“Fufu, if you think you have a chance of beating me, you should be able to do it. …Or is it just a bluff?”

Despite boasting that he had a chance of winning, Riku was flustered by Shizuku’s request to see him try. This was the moment when she saw the possibility of it being a bluff and decided to be more aggressive.

However… It took only a few seconds for them to realize their mistake.

“Fine, if you insist, I’ll do it.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

The moment Shizuku slightly raised the corners of her mouth and smiled defiantly…

“It’s a bit forceful… but whatever.”

That voice marked the start of the proof that it was not a bluff.

Riku stopped, his hand firmly holding onto Shizuku’s. Since their hands were connected, if one stopped, the other would have to stop as well.

The first thing Riku had to do was stop Shizuku in her tracks.

“What’s wrong? Stopping suddenly like that…”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Now that Shizuku had stopped, Riku forcefully made his move. Walking on the road, he gave way to her on the sidewalk. Next to her was a wall of asphalt that surrounded a house.

What Riku did was related to the “wall”…

He pushed Shizuku’s shoulder towards the wall while also closing the distance between them, creating the intended composition.

Pressing their connected hands against the wall, he placed his other hand above her head with a “thud.” Shizuku’s back was against the asphalt wall. In front of her was Riku’s large body and his face up close.

With their hands pressed against the wall and the hand above her head, her movements were further restricted.

Moreover, with Riku being so close, Shizuku couldn’t move at all. This distance was the same as when they kissed earlier.

“What-what-what!?”

“I thought I might have a chance if I caught you off guard since we’re both beginners at this… I’ve never done anything like this before, though.”

A “Kabedon.” That’s precisely what Riku did.

“Think about… the location… This is a place where cars and people pass by, isn’t it?”

“You were the one who wanted me to try, Shizuku. I asked if it was okay.”

“Doing something like this… all of a sudden… is unfair…”

Shizuku, who was blushing and speaking in a broken tone, was no longer the confident girl from before. This was the moment Riku claimed victory.

“…Alright, it’s over.”

Riku couldn’t help but exclaim this.

Even for Riku, this was a first. As someone who rarely takes the initiative, wall slamming for 10 seconds was his limit.

It goes without saying that his embarrassment reached its peak, and as soon as he tried to distance himself from Shizuku, something happened.

“Aren’t you… going to do anything?”

“…Huh?!”

With an upward glance and a sweet, pleading voice, it was as if the switch from their time at the park had been flipped on again.

“But… there’s no way you can win with just this, right?”

“Well… saying that with such a red face isn’t very persuasive…”

Not hiding her embarrassment, Shizuku switched to a more aggressive approach than Riku. This situation was a clear picture of being on the defensive.

“I… want you to do it.”

With a soft sigh, Shizuku moved her hand away from her mouth. Her thin lips, tinged with a light pink, glistened as if moistened.

“Gulp..”

Not just her lips, but Shizuku’s entire expression was so captivating that it made Riku swallow involuntarily.

“Is it okay… to do it here?”

Though the street Riku and Shizuku were on had little traffic, it was still a public road. They couldn’t predict when pedestrians or cars might appear.

“I… want you to do it.”

“…Alright.”

Riku placed his hand on Shizuku’s small chin and tilted her face upwards. With that, everything was ready.

Riku leaned in to steal Shizuku’s lips with the momentum. And just as their lips were about to touch…

“Beep!”

“…Huh!?”

“…Ah!?”

A motorcycle carrying two people raced by, honking its horn at Riku and Shizuku.

They were in the middle of the sidewalk, which normally wouldn’t warrant being honked at, but this time they couldn’t argue.

“Ah, haha… It’s our fault, isn’t it?”

[Stop flirting around here!]

The meaning of the horn was undoubtedly that. Riku distanced himself from Shizuku as if obeying the warning.

Meanwhile, Shizuku, still blushing, didn’t move from her spot but slowly turned her gaze to Riku and opened her mouth.

“Riku-kun…”

“What, what is it?”

“Um, tomorrow… Let’s continue tomorrow.”

Shizuku put more strength into the hand holding Riku’s in a lover’s grip, making her request in a sweet, pleading voice. She, too, had understood the meaning of the horn.

“Yeah, I promise.”

“Let’s do it a lot… tomorrow.”

And so, Riku and Shizuku continued walking hand-in-hand, taking her home.