Hey, Best Friend. How About A Kiss Today Too? - Chapter 68: "Will you wait for me?"

“Will you wait for me?”

The two of us kissed in the quiet club room.

We closed our eyes, blocking out the twilight seeping through, our lips meeting as if to confirm each other’s warmth and softness. Sagiri’s trembling, evident even through our lips, gradually subsided, and she began to wrap her arms around me.

As the warmth of our bodies touching increased, so did the strength of her embrace. We held onto each other tightly, unwilling to let go.

Yet, our lips only touched. We didn’t go beyond that. There was no intertwining of tongues as seen in movies, dramas, anime, or manga, where characters affirm their love for each other.

Because this was just a kiss for the sake of us being best friends.

“…Ah…”

Slowly parting our lips, a small sigh escaped from her. 

Her soft-colored eyes opened, looking at me with a warm gaze.

“Feeling a bit better?”

I couldn’t help but think that I was spewing out some incredibly cheesy lines. Who kisses someone and says something like that? A complete cheeseball, that’s who. But maybe it’s because kissing has become somewhat commonplace for both Sagiri and me, that we couldn’t find any other words to say.

“…Not really.”

“…I see.”

In that case, there’s no helping it. So I kissed her again. The scent of grapes lingered, probably from the juice we drank earlier in the day, but the comforting feeling undoubtedly came from her.

“Renji…”

“…Ah, yeah.”

When we parted our lips again, both of us were out of breath. We were reluctant to take a breath, wanting to feel each other more, to continue kissing each other, to reach our limits, before we pull away from each other.

Who decided that kisses that only touch aren’t deep enough?

I don’t think it’s true. The proof is in the relationship itself.

“Mm!”

We kissed again.

This time, it was fierce, almost like a collision, one side receiving it. Our breathless kiss quickly came to an end.

“Renji… Ren…ji…”

Gradually, Sagiri began to initiate the kisses. Repeating the kisses as if to confirm my presence, calling my name multiple times.

It was undoubtedly a one-sided form of dependence that I had been worried about earlier, but who could reject such a cute form of dependence?

“Renji, Renji, Renji!”

“Wait, wait a sec!”

Just as I thought that, the kisses became more and more intense.

What started as just us touching lips now produced the sound of moist lips making lip-smacking noises. I didn’t have time to be impressed by the fact that it actually made that sound. Instinctively sensing danger, I tried to retreat, but…

“Ren… Wait!”

“Whoa!?”

But my childhood friend didn’t allow me to. 

As I lifted one foot to escape, I was pulled back, losing my balance. Fortunately, there was a desk behind me, so I ended up just sitting on top of it.

“Mmm… Mnn… smack… Mm… hahh…”

“Sagiri…

“More… Mmm… More…”

“Sagiri…”

But fortunately, Sagiri continued to kiss me. Since I had been standing before, the kisses were a bit of a stretch, but now that I was seated at the desk, they became kisses where I had to hunch my back.

Just that change in position intensified the momentum dramatically. With the shift from bottom to top, and my posture becoming even more forward-leaning, there seemed to be no stopping her.

To anyone’s eyes, it was obvious that we were crossing far beyond the boundaries of mere friendship with this storm of kisses. And my mind was beginning to dissolve into the forbidden pleasure of those feelings.

And that’s when it happened.

“Ding-dong, ding-dong…“

“Ah…”

“Ahh…”

In the narrow confines of the room, where only the sound of our lips and our breaths dominated, the chime of the school bell echoed.

With each ring, the heat and the thoughts consumed by the intimacy with my best friend gradually dissipated. It seemed the same for Sagiri too, as by the time the short-lived chime ceased to sound like an eternity, her hand, which had been on my back, had also retreated.

“…Sorry.”

“…No, I should be.”

As we both regained our composure, an immense awkwardness loomed over us. Sagiri, her face now flushed, covered it with her hands, while I sat at the desk, looking away in a direction that didn’t matter.

I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if the chime hadn’t rung. But rather than simply pondering that, my thoughts continued to spiral…

…I couldn’t help but think that if we were lovers, we wouldn’t be feeling this awkwardness.

“Feeling better now?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

But I quickly covered up those feelings and deceived myself by asking the same question as before. If she had said she wasn’t feeling better, I didn’t know what I would have done, but this time, it seemed like she really was okay.

“Uh, you kind of… bit my lip, didn’t you?”

“Hey, come on! Don’t remind me!”

Yeah, it definitely wasn’t okay.

We got so caught up in the moment that we ended up doing something quite daring during the kiss – using our own lips to sandwich the other’s. It might be pushing the boundaries of friendship, but since Sagiri initiated it, I guess it’s probably okay.

Just thinking about it makes my face feel like it’s about to explode with heat, so no, it definitely wasn’t okay.

“Hey, Renji.”

“What is it now?”

Trying to avoid being caught with a flushed face, I reluctantly met her gaze again.

“Mmm…”

Our lips touched.

But it wasn’t like the passionate kisses from earlier; it was just a gentle peck. And yet, my heart raced as I looked at her embarrassed face.

“Thanks.”

“Oh… uhm, yeah…”

I couldn’t even say “you’re welcome” because my chest felt so tight in the best possible way. Just being thanked made my heart pound so hard it felt like it might burst.

I took Sagiri’s outstretched hand and slowly stood up from the desk. I worried if my trembling hand and racing heartbeat were noticeable through hers. My palms were probably sweating like crazy. It was a nervousness I couldn’t believe came from someone I had been kissing just moments ago.

“Tomorrow, Sa—”

“S-Sagiri!?”

That’s why I was surprised when she hugged me from the front and buried her face in my chest. My senses were all over the place.

“Tomorrow!? But… Tomorrow’s the closing ceremony, isn’t it!?”

“Will you wait for me?”

While I panicked, Sagiri, still holding onto me, calmly continued speaking.

Yes, calmly.

“Wait? You mean… go together in the morning?”

But somewhere in her words, I felt the same discomfort as before, which helped me regain my composure.

And there was something nagging at the back of my mind.

“No, aft… after school… At our usual park. I’ll come right away…”

That’s when my ominous premonition hit the mark perfectly.

“I’ve been invited to confess tomorrow…”

My childhood friend was the school’s beauty, so she often received confessions. With the end of the semester approaching and summer vacation beginning, there might be some who hope for a chance. Over the years, there have been many, and she’s always politely turned them down, even though she could have simply ignored them. Yet, she always visits the park where I wait with a smile, so I sit there drinking grape juice, just like always.

Even though things had been the same until now, even after we started kissing.

Hearing that, my heart rate slowed down completely, enveloped in a new, unrelenting sense of unease.