Hey, Best Friend. How About A Kiss Today Too? - Chapter 39: "...There's nothing."

“…There’s nothing.”

“Hey hey hey hey! Hello, hello! Sagiri and Renji, we’ve been waiting for you!!”

After arriving at the school and passing through the unnecessarily large building, there was a small room at the far end of the special classroom building, which was once a warehouse. Opening that door revealed our beloved Volunteering Club’s mascot, also known as the Selfhood Research Club’s president, Yuzuru, who was spreading his usual small-animal-like cuteness with boundless energy.

“Oooooh! You made it, Yakumo-chan and Akahori! I wish you were a bit late, though! Then I could spend more time with Yuzuru-chan!”

Next to him, a carnivorous animal disguised as a large herbivorous mammal, Hasegawa, was attempting to mimic a roar but instead delivered words and a smile without any malicious intent.

Although his ulterior motives were quite apparent, poor Yuzuru seemed completely oblivious to it.

“Hello there, both of you! You guys are so close today too!”

An energetic childhood friend matching the enthusiasm of the other two. Where did the meekness from just a moment ago disappear to? 

Personally, I’m grateful that they’re not dragging any strange suspicions, but such a sudden change creates a kind of discomfort or, what should I call it, something strange.

“Hehe, is that so…?”

The big guy awkwardly rubbed his nose with his finger, but it didn’t look cute when a guy did it.

“No, no, not as much as you too, Sagiri and Renji!”

Ignoring the sadly neglected Hasegawa, Yuzuru, an embodiment of innocence, said that with a smile. I was briefly startled, but I thought it would be okay since it was with Sagiri.

“N-No, it’s not like that.”

…Sagiri?

“Hmm? Hmmm??”

Stop it, Yuzuru. Don’t inspect me and Sagiri with that head-tilting gaze of yours.

“…Did something happen between you two?”
She broke his tone and threw out a genuine question.

With the high tension from earlier, I might have been able to brush it off, but in this natural state, or how should I put it… no, I can’t say anything.

I can never admit that I’ve been kissing her, right?!

“…There’s nothing.”

Sagiri blatantly averted her gaze.

Stop it, Sagiri. You’re digging a massive hole right now, you know?

“Is that so?”

Now, the small-animal-like Yuzuru looked up at me.

“Uh, yeah…”

“I see.”

I understood.

I must appreciate their innocence and purity.

“Yeah, that’s right. Yakumo-chan and Akahori are just as usual.”

“Good morning, Hasegawa. You’re a good guy.”

“Yeah, I’m a good man, you know?”

Hey, can I call you Hasegawa, the nitpicker?

Is that not okay? Sorry. Thank you.

“By the way, isn’t the client coming today!?”

With a forced cough, they abruptly changed the subject.

“Yeah, that’s right! It’s been a while since we’ve had a client for the Volunteering Club’s case!!”

Yuzuru, who was equally abrupt in changing topics, replied.

Today’s activity at the school during the holiday was the Selfhood Research Club, or rather, life counseling.

Selfhood is about being different from others.

It’s about something precious that is unique to oneself.

However, it also embodies the fragility of adolescence, where one may feel a complex about not being ordinary.

The purpose of this Selfhood Research Club is to help such individuals and explore how to live true to oneself.

“So, so! Who’s coming, Yuzuru-chan!?”

Undeterred, the big guy Hasegawa raised his excitement along with Yuzuru.

If Hasegawa hasn’t heard, then Sagiri probably hasn’t either, I thought.

“Everyone knows her! She should be coming soon, right?”

“Even us?”

And just as Sagiri asked back—

Knock, knock.

A gentle knock came from outside.

“Right on time! Please come in!”

Yuzuru’s voice echoed. There was a brief moment, and the door slowly opened.

“Uh, excuse me…”

The person who entered was a familiar female student.

“Oh, it’s Hina-chin!”

“Ah, Kusakabe-chan!”

“Hey hey, welcome welcome! Hina-chan, the Selfhood Research Club welcomes you!”

One by one, Sagiri, Hasegawa, and Yuzuru called out the girl’s name.

Taken aback by the sudden attention from all three of them, she trembled slightly before speaking.

“T-thank you… I’m Kasukabe Hina…”

Nervously, she introduced herself as if it were their first meeting.

—Kasukabe Hina.

She’s a female student in the same class as us.

Her height is average. Taller than Yuzuru but shorter than Sagiri. However, even from above her uniform, it’s clear that she has a slender figure, a slightly skinny girl.

Her long bangs cover her nose, hiding her eyes.

She’s timid and quiet, a girl who doesn’t usually have much interaction with others.

Or so it would seem, under normal circumstances.

But not here, not today.

“Don’t worry, what we talk about here won’t be shared with anyone! This is the ‘Selfhood Research Club’ after all!”

“Yes…”

Timidly, Kusakabe shifted her gaze from Yuzuru to me.

Yes, lately… she’s been bothering me.

“So, what’s Hina-chan’s story?”

“Uh, Yakumo-san… well, um…”

Ah… and then, I understood why she chose this holiday for this conversation.

“Don’t be nervous! The Selfhood Research Club is a gathering of those struggling with being themselves!”

“Yes, um!”

Surely, we were the only ones she felt she could talk to.

Nervously, she took a deep breath and then…

“I-I want my neck… to be, uh, choked!!”

The unexpected words echoed in the small club room.

Kusakabe Hina.

For some reason, she was the girl who misunderstood and thought I was being choked by Sagiri… a quiet classmate.