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 - 28

Chapter 28: Possessiveness as a Partner

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The clamor of the station faded far into the distance behind us. After Ichinose-san disappeared beyond the variety shop, an indescribable, strange silence flowed between us. Without either of us saying so, our feet drifted away from the usual street in front of the station and headed toward the riverbank on the outskirts of town.

“…Phew. It’s finally quiet.”

When we reached the top of the steps leading up the embankment, Shinonome-san stretched her arms high. It was a May evening. The western sky painted a gradient from blazing orange to deep violet. The river reflected that light, glittering as if countless gold coins had been scattered across its surface.

“…Yeah. Toward the end, Ichinose-san was totally just playing with us for her own amusement.”

“Nihihi. She does have that side to her. …But you didn’t exactly hate it, did you? Sato-kun…”

She deliberately used the name she called me at school. I gave a wry smile and sat down on the slope of the levee.

“…Cut it out. Hearing that name all day makes my ears hurt. …Hey, Haru.”

Haru.

The moment I said that name, I felt something that had been tense inside me slowly melt away. Shinonome-san sat down beside me, leaving just a little space between us, and hugged her knees as she stared at the river.

“…What is it, Kazu?”

What came back was her natural voice—clear and dignified, without any voice changer, yet incredibly comforting. I took a deep breath and decided to pull out the thorn that had been lodged in my chest this whole time.

“…I’m sorry. Let me apologize properly.”

“Huh? For what?”

“About Monday. …I lied about going shopping with Futaba and met Ichinose-san instead. …Playing games like your partner while hiding that from you… It’s been… I don’t know, it’s been eating at me.”

When I lowered my gaze and said that, I sensed Rin beside me catch her breath slightly.

“…You’re such an idiot, Kazu. …I already forgave you. …Back Tuesday night, when you apologized so desperately.”

“…But you were really quiet then. …I was scared you might’ve actually despised me.”

The silence that night. And the single word, “idiot.” That thorn from that day still hadn’t fully come out of my chest. My clumsy truth. At school, Rin Shinonome was like the sun in a distant world. But “Haru,” sitting beside me now, was the one and only person who had stayed by my side for three years, laughing no matter how stupidly I messed up. Losing her was far more terrifying to me than losing any peace I had at school.

“…There’s no way I’d despise you.”

Shinonome-san’s voice trembled slightly. She swung her sandaled feet back and forth, as if trying to hide her embarrassment, and declared it firmly.

“…I was just lonely. …You’re my partner, Kazu. …I wanted you to rely on me first. …It felt like Saki beat me to it. …And that just… …wasn’t fun. …Nihihi, I guess that’s what you’d call possessiveness as a partner?”

“…Possessiveness, huh. …Sorry about that. I’m not planning on giving your front-row seat to anyone.”

“…!!”

Her face turned bright red, and she quickly looked away.

“…Idiot. …You can’t just say things like that so casually.”

“S-sorry, I didn’t mean it in any deep way or anything—”

“Okay, okay, that’s enough.”

As we exchanged those words, the sky deepened further, and the first star began to twinkle quietly. Three years ago, our relationship had started as voices through a screen, laced with static. And now, here we were, close enough to feel each other’s warmth, watching the same sunset. That fact carved itself into my chest more deeply than defeating any highest-difficulty raid boss ever had.

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The murmur of the river. The distant clatter of a train rolling by. And the silence beside Sato-kun(Kazu)so still it almost felt like I could sense his slightly quickened heartbeat.

…What is this? This sweet, slightly painful feeling.

When Kazu apologized. When he said, “I’m not giving your front-row seat to anyone.” A small flame seemed to light deep inside my chest, warmth slowly spreading outward. For three years, I had listened to this person’s voice through a voice chat headset. I had known only through sound when the boy called “Kazu” laughed, when he got grumpy, and when he came to save me. I had known all of it through sound alone.

But now, I knew more than that. Kazu’s habit of scratching his head when he felt shy. The faintly wistful look in his eyes when he called me “Shinonome-san.” And..

The broad line of his shoulder right beside me. Through a headset, there had been no clean, soap-like scent. Through a screen, I could never have known the softness of his hair moving in the wind.

…Real life has this much information. …Everything feels so close…

At school, I always wore the mask of “Rin Shinonome.” Bright. Kind. Flawless. But here beside Kazu, I was just “Haru.” I could be selfish. I could pout and get angry. I could admit something as embarrassing as “I was lonely.” And he would accept all of it so naturally under the ultimate absolution because we were partners.

…Do I… like him?

The word that suddenly crossed my mind, I hurriedly pushed away.

No. That’s not it. This is just a bond built over three years. We’re soul partners. That’s all. Kazu and me. It’s not something as simple as romance…!

If I didn’t tell myself that, I might rest my head on his shoulder right now. I might take his big hand and say, “Don’t go anywhere.” Kazu probably didn’t realize just how special he had become to me. Saki had said it—“Kazucchi-kun knows the real Rin-rin.” That was true. He was the only person in the world I could show my most uncool side to.

I stole a glance at his profile, illuminated by the sunset. A little blunt. But kinder than anyone. My partner.

…I don’t need to name this yet. I don’t want to break the breakwater called “best friends.” For now… I just want to feel the sound of the wind and his voice.

I exhaled softly and tightened my arms around my knees once more.

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“…Hey, Haru.”

“Hmm? What?”

Shinonome-san turned toward me, her eyes looking slightly moist. My heart jumped.

…This is bad.

Right now, she wasn’t radiating even a millimeter of the aura of the school’s most beautiful girl. She was just a girl you could find anywhere and yet, wearing the most precious expression in the world.

“…After calling you ‘Shinonome-san’ all day, I realized something.”

“…What?”

“…To me, you’re still ‘Haru.’ No matter how pretty you get. No matter how popular you are. The you who sits beside me like this, complaining while talking about games… That’s my number one partner.”

“…!!”

She flushed bright red and buried her face in her knees.

“…Kazu, you idiot. …Is that something you say right here?”

“…I just said it because I thought about it.”

“…Nihihi. …But thanks, Kazu.”

Without lifting her face, she reached out one hand and tightly grabbed the sleeve of my shirt.

“…I wouldn’t have gone to that offline meetup if it wasn’t you, Kazu. …I’m really glad you’re my ‘Kazu.’”

The twilight slowly painted over our figures. But the warmth of her hand clutching my sleeve was hot and certain, strong enough to keep out any chill of the coming night.

“…Alright, let’s head back before it gets too dark. Don’t be late logging in tonight.”

“I know! …Oh. …But before that… Can we stay like this for just a few more minutes?”

“…Yeah. …As long as you need, partner.”

We remained seated side by side, watching the night descend over the river. Whether this was love, or simply an evolved form of friendship… We still didn’t know. But the “silence” we shared in the May breeze weighed far more than the chat logs we had built over three years, and it held our hearts firmly together.

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