I Confessed My Sexual Preferences to My Online Game Best Friend, and the Person Who Showed Up at the Offline Meetup Was the Cute Girl from My Class - 27

Chapter 27: A Distance That’s Too Close

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“Come on, you two! We can’t call it a day without taking this last one!”

Ichinose-san made her way lightly through the noisy arcade and stopped right in front of the newest purikura booth. The pure white light leaking out from the gap in the curtain pierced my eyes like an entrance to another world.

“Uh, no… Ichinose-san. I’m good. This isn’t really a place for a guy to mix in, is it?”

As I gave a wry smile and stepped back, a soft sensation brushed against me from the side. Shinonome-san lightly tugged at the sleeve of my shirt with her fingertips.

“Sato-kun… …It’d be sad to leave you out, and we should take at least one as a memory, right? …Okay?”

She peeked up at me with an impish smile.

You’re really the one saying that?

Her voice carried the bright tone of “Shinonome-san” she showed at school, but deep in her eyes was the unmistakable will of my partner Haru. 

(We made a promise, didn’t we? I’m not letting you run.)

“…Fine. We’ll take it, okay?”

When I finally gave in with a sigh, Ichinose-san chirped, “Nihihi! That’s the spirit!” and shoved Shinonome-san and me into the white-curtained booth. Inside, it was even tighter than it looked from the outside. With all three of us lined up, our shoulders nearly touched. From my left drifted Ichinose-san’s sweet berry-like scent. From my right came Shinonome-san’s fragrance, fresh like the May breeze, with a clean hint of soap. My brain nearly overheated from the flood of sensory information.

“Photo start! First, let’s go with peace signs! Three, two, one!”

In sync with the machine’s high-energy countdown, Ichinose-san leaned close against my left shoulder and threw up a peace sign.

“Kazucchi-kun, smile more! You look like you’re on a wanted poster!”

“…Don’t ask the impossible. This is the best smile I’ve got.”

Next pose. This time, from the opposite side of Ichinose-san, Shinonome-san gently rested her shoulder against my right one.

“Sato-kun… …Are we maybe a little too close?”

Her voice echoed right by my ear. Her faint breath brushed against me. My heart started pounding louder than when a raid boss appeared, thundering so hard I could hear it in my ears.

…Haru, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?

(Nihihi… …Caught me? Come on, make a proper face, partner.)

We seemed to settle that exchange through eye contact alone, and Shinonome-san flashed a mischievous grin. It was an expression that “Rin Shinonome” at school would never show, playful and irresistibly charming. The fact that I had that expression all to myself at this close range nearly shattered my self-control.

After several shots, we moved to the doodling corner. Ichinose-san and Shinonome-san skillfully decorated the screen with colorful drawings while I watched in a daze from behind. On the screen was Ichinose-san with a radiant smile, Shinonome-san with a flawless model smile and between them, me, stiff as a borrowed cat, looking utterly pathetic.

“All done! Look, Rin-rin! Isn’t this ‘Three Best Friends!’ stamp super cute?”

“It really is. …Oh, I’ll add cat ears on Sato-kun’s head. …Nihihi, they totally suit you.”

“Hey, Shinonome-san… …Don’t edit me without permission.”

Shinonome-san laughed as she drew pink cat ears on my image. That face was exactly the same smile Haru showed after defeating a tough enemy in our online game. With the printed sticker sheets in hand, we left the arcade. The evening sun reflected off the station building’s glass, beginning to paint the city orange.

“Phew! That was fun! …Oh! Hey, you two, got a second?”

Partway down the corridor leading to the ticket gates, Ichinose-san stopped and pointed at a stylish variety shop inside the station building.

“I just remembered I have to pick up some things my mom asked me to get from here and a couple other places! It might take a while, so you two can head home first!”

“Eh? Really? …Want some help, Saki?”

Shinonome-san asked worriedly, but Ichinose-san waved her hands vigorously.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! There’s underwear and stuff, so it’d be embarrassing with Sato-kun around! So! Saki’s disappearing here! Sato-kun, take Rin-rin all the way to the station platform—no, make sure you properly see her off, okay? Promise?”

“…Uh, y-yeah. Got it…”

“Nihihi! See you tomorrow at school, Rin-rin! Kazucchi-kun, thanks for today! Byeee!”

Like a storm, Ichinose-san vanished into the lively shop. The surrounding noise suddenly felt amplified, and the silence between us grew strangely heavy. All that remained were Shinonome-san and me.

“…She’s gone, Ichinose-san.”

“…Yes. …Sato-kun—Kazu… …What should we do?”

Shinonome-san looked up at me through her long lashes. The mask of “Shinonome-san from school” was gone. This was the walk home alone together that I had promised her yesterday. With the May twilight, that time quietly began to unfold.

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I stopped at the entrance of the variety shop and secretly watched their backs from behind a pillar. Rin-rin walked beside Kazucchi-kun, her steps just slightly shorter to match his pace. Even from behind, I could tell that there was a special, warm atmosphere flowing between them, something even I couldn’t slip into.

“…Phew. That was some acting, huh?”

I exhaled softly and looked at my reflection in the mirror. The shopping for my mom was half true and half a lie. What I really wanted was to leave them alone together. I gently stroked the purikura sticker still in my hand.

Kazucchi-kun, frozen awkwardly on the screen. And beside him, my best friend smiling with a girlish face she had never shown anyone else. We had known each other since middle school, but I felt like today was the first time I saw Rin-rin truly let herself be. Rin-rin was a perfectionist. She always tried to be the “ideal Rin Shinonome” for everyone. But when she was with Kazucchi-kun, she smiled mischievously and laughed from the bottom of her heart…

The only person in the world who can bring out that human, vulnerable Rin-rin is you, Kazucchi-kun.

“…Maybe I’m a little jealous.”

I murmured with a wry smile. I loved Rin-rin too. But after spending the whole day together, I was certain. With just a single shared glance between them, a “front-row seat” that even I couldn’t enter was instantly formed.

Kazucchi-kun, take care of Rin-rin, okay? …She may not look like it, but she’s actually really lonely and honestly kind of selfish sometimes. …But the only one who can accept all of her, just as she is, is probably you.

I pulled out my phone and sent Kazucchi-kun a private message on LINE without telling Rin-rin.

『』Saki: If you make Rin-rin cry, I’ll tell her everything you said during your love consultation!』

『Saki: Just kidding!』

『Saki: Have fun, you two!』

After pressing send, I slipped my phone back into my pocket with satisfaction. The inside of my chest stung slightly, like it had been tinted with the colors of the evening sky. But an even stronger feeling of meddlesome affection made me smile.

“…Alright! Maybe Saki should buy some cute bath salts as a little reward for herself!”

Humming to myself, I stepped deeper into the lively store while praying that the “afterimage of May” the two of them carried would transform into something even sweeter somewhere in this city. I turned once more toward the ticket gates where they had disappeared and softly whispered.

“Do your best.”

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T/N: Saki is the BEST GIRL!!