Hey, Best Friend. How About A Kiss Today Too? - Chapter 38: "Shall we hold hands?"

“Shall we hold hands?”

“Renji, your mom had such a big smile, huh…”

“Don’t say anything…”

Covering my face with my left hand, I gaze up at the sky.

On this holiday morning, the morning sun illuminates the quiet residential street, creating an irritatingly summer-like blue sky.

What comes to mind is the hellish breakfast table.

Mom, with a smile I had never seen before, was enthusiastically patting my shoulders.

On the table were toast, jam, salad, fried eggs, coffee, and more toast. Of course, it was a meal for one person.

I don’t know why there were two slices of toast. It was a doubly difficult breakfast for me, who doesn’t eat much in the morning due to weakness.

“…”

“…”

With the awkwardness in full swing, Sagiri and I continue down the empty street on our way to school.

The awkwardness that has been going on for the past week was overridden by the morning bed incident. The reality is that I can’t pretend it never happened.

The fact that I kissed her, the fact that she saw me trying to kiss her in bed with her, all of these things are true after all.

If there is a wormhole somehwere… I want to get in it.

My heart was seeking peace.

“Hey, Renji.”

Sagiri’s right shoulder lightly touches my left shoulder.

“Shall we hold hands?”

My tranquility was instantly shattered.

“H-Hands?!”

I felt like I gave a stupid response. What, hands?! …

“Yeah, hands…”

“What the…?”

What’s with the “What the…?”

No, this can’t be helped. Because that Sagiri girl went ahead and held my right hand without waiting for my response!

Her slender hand, radiating a heat that could rival the summer sun, instantly entwined with my left hand.

It was the classic “holding hands” move.

What’s with “classic”?

Before even reaching school, my mind was about to reach its limit.

Someone, help me.

“Hold it tight…”

“S-Stop…!”

Squeeze, release, squeeze, release.

Sagiri’s right hand, holding my stiff left hand, opened and closed. The ticklish sensation stimulating my palm continuously attacked me.

“I g-got it…”

“Ah…”

Unable to resist any longer, I tightened my grip on Sagiri’s slender hand, and a soft sigh-like voice escaped from beside me. Of course, it was the sweet voice of my childhood friend.

Surely, my rising body temperature wasn’t solely due to the summer heat.

“…Doing something like this on the way to school makes your heart race, doesn’t it?”

“…We’re just holding hands though.”

Yes, in the past, we used to hold hands normally. 

Because Sagiri and I are childhood friends.

“…What if we get caught like earlier?”

“…We’re just holding hands.”

And even now, we’re holding hands. Because Sagiri and I are best friends.

“…Your face is red again though?”

“…So is yours.”

“…It’s summer, after all.”

“…Then, so is the reason for mine.”

Passing by the side of the park, I heard the chirping of cicadas from a distance.

It added to the summer atmosphere, making the heat even more pronounced.

“…………”

“…………”

The sound of cicadas echoed oddly.

“…Let’s head to the main street.”

“…Yeah.”

Today, too, was hot.