Hey, Best Friend. How About A Kiss Today Too? - Chapter 67:  "...We're best friends, right?"

 “…We’re best friends, right?”

I found myself pushed down by Sagiri in the small club room. Just to clarify, it was only my upper body that was pushed down, and it was on the desk, not the floor.

I had the luxury to think about such things because it seemed like Sagiri, who had pushed me down, seemed to be filled with unease.

“…What’s wrong?”

The evening sun streaming into the club room was blocked by Sagiri’s long, white hair, creating a curtain-like effect and trapping me beneath it.

Looking up from my double confinement, I saw the anxious face of my childhood friend.

Honestly, it was such a waste, considering what a beautiful girl she was.

“…I don’t plan on doing anything.”

“You better not do anything.”

I didn’t think these were lines I should be saying, given I was the one being pushed down. But due to my childhood friend’s, my best friend, who’s feeling uneasy, I had no choice but to do so.

It didn’t really mean much in the current situation considering I was pushed down,, but it did help me stay calm.

“Do you… not want to do anything with me?”

“Of course I do.”

I wondered what she was so anxious about. Sagiri had always been doing outrageous things, but today was even stranger. Maybe she wasn’t feeling well, I thought at first, but considering our conversation yesterday while sharing Sagiri’s bed, that didn’t seem to be the case.

“Then… you don’t want to?”

“Will you feel better again if I did something?”

“…!”

Her eyes widened with a sudden realization. Looking at her face, I thought, “Ah, I see.”

“Y-you think I’m not feeling well!”

“People who feel fine don’t make that kind of  face.”

“…Huh?”

“How many years do you think I’ve been by your side? I’d notice something like that easily.”

“…Sorry.”

I secretly thought it was a bit pointless for her to apologize while still pinning me down. But more importantly, right now, I had to help my troublesome childhood friend regain back her energy.

“So, what happened?”

“…Hinachin said I wanted to be spoiled by Renji.”

“Yeah, she did.”

“…It’s true, but…”

Sagiri had a good quality of not denying herself even when she had doubts, but when it was proclaimed so boldly, it seemed a bit presumptuous of her.

Only me and my family probably knew about her complex mental state, where she had high self-esteem but a negative core.

“…We’re best friends, right?”

“…Yeah.”

And that applies to me as well.

It’s one thing to say it’s fine to let Sagiri do as she pleases as a best friend, but when she directly asks me that, it stirs up complicated emotions within me.

In other words, both Sagiri and I belong in the category of troublesome people.

If someone asks me why I’m not dating Sagiri, all I can say is that she seems to want to keep our current status quo, despite repeatedly doing things that go beyond the realm of what best friends normally do.

What else can you call it other than being troublesome for each other?

“… If we’re best friends, then I thought it wouldn’t be right for me to only do what I want.”

“… It’s a bit late to realize that now.”

Perhaps I’m to blame for spoiling Sagiri too much.

But think about it. If Sagiri is happy and I also benefit from it, why should I refuse?

Well, the result of that thinking has led to the situation we’re in now.

“And besides, Hinachin also said that she’d be happy if I let a comrade depend on me once in a while…”

“Hey, is she the one who put these ideas into your head?”

That bandaged girl is putting ideas into the head of an already unstable Sagiri.

But at least she seems to have had some basic sense and kindness. If Kusakabe had said something like, “I’d be happy if I could strangle a comrade for you,” things might have taken on a different meaning by now.

“I haven’t been able to do anything for you, Renji, while Hinachin works so hard for her family through her part-time job…”

“That’s true, but… huh?”

In the current example, aren’t “me” and “family” interchangeable?

Of course, I can’t ask Sagiri about that in this situation and with her current mental state.

“So I also want to do something for you if you want it…”

“Then could you start by getting off me?”

“That’s not what I meant!”

“Then what!?”

Because, you know, this position is quite uncomfortable!

I’m lying on the desk with only my upper body while supporting myself with both legs, trying not to touch Sagiri’s body unnecessarily as she pins me. Muscles I don’t normally use are working overtime, and I might have muscle soreness tomorrow.

“Is it really being best friends to feel obligated to do something for each other like this?”

“… That’s not it, but…”

“Then start by getting off me, and we’ll talk about it later. Quickly!”

“… Okay.”

As soon as I became conscious of my uncomfortable position, I started to feel suffocated. Perhaps my feelings got through to Sagiri because she slowly moved away from me.

I also got up from the desk. There was a slight creaking sound as I stood up, but I decided not to dwell on it because it was scary.

More importantly, it’s about Sagiri right now.

While it’s often heart-fluttering to see her old-fashioned modesty, seeing it so frequently in such a short period of time brings more worry than anything else.

Besides, Kusakabe is handling the timid character all by herself. It’s okay to imitate her greatness, but there’s absolutely no need to imitate everything about her.

Sagiri has her own charm.

“Sagiri.”

“Huh?”

So…

“Mmm…”

“Mm…”

With my best friend who has so many good and bad qualities, our lips met. Feeling all of that and finding it all endearing might just be a weakness of mine.

But if I had one wish, it would be to kiss not in this dark atmosphere, but with the same bright feeling as when we sneak out of the morning classroom.

It’s a very luxurious dilemma, you might say.