I Tried Pulling When Pushing My Childhood Friend Didn’t Work, and It Totally Broke Me Inside - Chapter 1

I’m Akikawa Daisuke, and I have a childhood friend named Shiraishi Yuna.

She’s always expressionless and hard to read, but I like her anyway.

I first confessed to her in middle school and got rejected.

But I couldn’t give up. Even now, in my second year of high school, I keep confessing over and over.

And today, I’m going to do it again, though I’ve lost count of how many times.

“Yuna, I like you! Please go out with me!”

“No.”

Again, I got rejected today too…

“I’ll go home if you’re done.”

“Yes… But why do you seriously walk to and from school with someone you already rejected?”

“Nothing…”

It’s nothing.

Yuna is really confusing.

The first time she rejected me, all she said after “No” was “I’ll go home.”

And almost every day, she comes to my room and makes herself comfortable like it’s her own.

Doesn’t that mean she likes me?

But she rejected me…

Well, at least it makes it easier to confess again without it being awkward.

“Daisuke?”

Yuna peeks at me.

She really is so cute.

“N-no, I-I’m really fine.”

“I’m going home. I’ll come by your room later today.”

“That’s fine, but you still won’t go out with me?”

“Yeah, I won’t.”

“Why? Do you dislike me?”

“Not really…”

I really don’t understand her.

“Oh, shoot. The teacher called me today. I’m sorry, but you go home first.”

“Okay.”

“If you want to come to my room, that’s fine too.”

“Yeah.”

“Then, see you later.”

Yuna leaves.

“Not today either, but I don’t think she hates me… So, anyway, I guess I should go to the teacher’s office.”

☆

I finished my business in the teacher’s office and was heading home when I heard someone call my name.

“Daisuke-kun?”

“Oh, hello.”

“Hello. Weren’t you with Yuna today?”

“I had something to take care of, so Yuna went home earlier.”

She is Yuna’s mother.

She’s very different from Yuna. She’s friendly, full of emotions, and easy to talk to. Even though she’s about the same age as my mom, she looks so young I could almost believe she was Yuna’s sister.

“Oh, I see. By the way, did she reject you again today?”

“Huh?”

Again today?

Does she know I confess to Yuna so many times?

“Well, Yuna always tells me every time you confess to her, so I hear about it.”

“Ah, I see…”

Yuna, please stop reporting this…

“Hey, Daisuke-kun. Do you want to go out with Yuna?”

“Yes.”

“You answered right away. Then, here’s some advice.”

I can’t afford to miss a single word.

“Keep some distance from Yuna.”

“Huh?”

What is she saying? If I do that, all my hard work so far will be wasted.

“If pushing doesn’t work, try pulling back. That’s the basic rule of love.”

“Really? But Yuna is waiting in my room even today.”

“You can’t spoil her. Start tomorrow. Take some distance and make her realize how important you are.”

“But…”

“Just take some distance for a while, okay?”

“Yes…”

“All right! Good luck! Then, see you later.”

Distance?

But since it’s Yuna’s mother giving me advice, maybe I should try it.

☆

“I’m home.”

“Welcome back.”

Mom greeted me as I walked in.

“Yuna’s waiting, so go see her quickly.”

“I know.”

I went to my room and found Yuna lying on my bed, and she was reading a manga.

“Welcome back.”

“Thank you.”

“Hey, did something happen?”

“No, nothing.”

“I see…”

I kept thinking about Yuna’s mom’s advice. How am I supposed to keep my distance…?

“Daisuke.”

“Hm?”

“I want a cola.”

“Yes, yes.”

Why won’t Yuna go out with me?