Lonely Me And The Lonely Caring Goddess - Chapter 237: To a Lover Like a Best Friend.

To a Lover Like a Best Friend.

“Mama~”

We found Kishiyama-san’s mother at the café surprisingly easily.

When she noticed her daughter, her eyes widened at the sight of us. Naturally—any parent would be startled if a stranger brought their child to them. Thinking about it now, if Sara-san hadn’t been with us, I might’ve looked suspicious myself.

“Um, Takanashi-kun is Yuu-kun’s best friend! Yuu-kun went off somewhere, so he came with me instead.”

At least she made some attempt to introduce me. If she mentioned I was Yuuji’s close friend, that should be enough to avoid concern. I decided to follow up with a clearer explanation.

“Yuuji had to step away for something urgent, so I took his place.”

“I see. I appreciate you taking the trouble.”

“Not at all. He might be a while.”

“He ran off after that older girl.”

And just like that, she completely undid my efforts at being considerate. Then again, now that we knew she was an elementary school student, I couldn’t exactly expect her to read the room.

Still… kids these days really are something else.

“Yuuji-kun, huh? Haha, is that so. Too bad for you, Asami.”

“Right? Even though I’m right here for him!”

“Is that a line from an anime?”

“Yup!”

So that was an anime quote… Makes sense now. Hearing that, Sara-san also sighed heavily.

Having finished my role of escort, I said my farewells to the two of them and stepped away.

I still had shopping to do, but more than that—I couldn’t stop wondering how things had turned out with Yuuji and Natsumi-senpai. Should I go check on them first?

“Sara-san, what do you think?”

“Well… there’s still plenty of time for shopping, so why don’t we look for the two of them first? I’m curious myself.”

As I thought, Sara-san was also concerned. So we decided to prioritize searching for them over shopping. Hopefully, any misunderstandings between them had already been resolved…

“Still… I was surprised to learn she’s in elementary school. I had assumed her childish behavior was some kind of act. But knowing it’s age-appropriate, it’s actually kind of endearing.”

“I thought the same, at first. Her behavior felt too childish, so I eventually just asked her directly.”

“Still, makeup at her age is a bit early. And it’s not good for the skin, either.”

I agreed that elementary school seemed too young for makeup—but is it really bad for the skin?

…Come to think of it, I’d never actually seen Sara-san wear any makeup. Of course, she didn’t need it, but I had assumed all women wore some. That’s why I thought a vanity table would be a necessity…

“Fufu… I do take basic care of my skin. But no, I don’t wear makeup.”

She must’ve figured out what I was thinking just from the way I looked at her. As usual, I’d been read like a book.

“I don’t think you need makeup at all, Sara-san. I like you just the way you are.”

“Thank you. If you say so, Kazunari-san, then I’ll stay this way.”

Even if she doesn’t wear makeup, there may come a time when a vanity would be useful—so I decided to go ahead and get it as planned.

While thinking about that, we continued walking toward where the others might have gone. Up ahead, we saw a stairway and a door leading outside. It was likely they’d taken one of those paths.

“Which do you think they went with?”

“…If I recall, the rooftop doubles as a garden space with a kind of horticultural section. Mood-wise, that seems the more likely choice.”

Mood-wise, huh…

In other words, Sara-san believed Yuuji might be planning to confess. Although Natsumi-senpai had gone ahead of him, it was unclear how much she’d considered that.

Which means… we might be intruding.

“Sara-san… do you think we’re getting in the way?”

“…Let’s observe the situation and decide. After all, when you confessed to me, Natsumi was there too… If she happens to witness this, I’d say we’re even♪”

With a playful glint in her eye, Sara-san let out a light, charming giggle.

***

Yuuji’s POV.

I debated whether they had gone outside or taken the stairs—but ultimately decided on the stairs to the rooftop.

Given how things were with Kazunari and the others, it was hard to imagine they’d left the building.

When I reached the rooftop, I stepped into a charming garden-like area with a Western-style layout. As I looked around, I spotted a hanging chair swaying unnaturally—someone was in it. Peering more closely, I was pretty sure it was Natsumi-senpai.

I carefully approached, making sure not to be noticed, then suddenly stepped forward to stand right in front of her.

“Yah! Wh-what the—!?”

She jumped slightly, clearly startled. Part of it was probably the shock—but another part may have been the fact that it was me who had appeared.

“I’ve been looking for you. There’s a lot we need to talk about, but first, let me clear up the misunderstanding.”

She said nothing, but the tense edge in her posture began to ease. It seemed she was at least willing to listen.

Though… now she just looked awkward and restless.

“She’s my cousin. What she said was just teasing—none of it was serious.”

Still silent, she gave me a small nod. She didn’t look surprised, so maybe she’d had an inkling. In any case, I was relieved she believed me.

“She’s also in elementary school, by the way…”

“Wait… what!?”

The shock hit her so hard I could practically see cartoon sound effects pop up behind her. So she hadn’t noticed after all. Asami might act mature for her age, but she’s 100% a grade schooler.

Natsumi-senpai drooped her shoulders and lowered her gaze, quietly placing her hands on her chest while muttering under her breath…

Well… how do I put this…

Much as I hate to say it, Asami is probably on the… developed side, even for her age. Both in height and, well… other areas.

Possibly even more than Natsumi-senpai.

“Elementary school… uhm…”

I wanted to offer some comfort, but had no idea what to say. Say the wrong thing, and I’d be accused of harassment. Maybe a subject change would be safer.

“So… Natsumi-senpai, do you believe me now? That it was a misunderstanding?”

She snapped out of her thoughts, quickly removing her hands. In response, she glared at me with a tiny growl.

What was that? So cute.

Anyway—this was the moment of truth.

I was convinced she’d been jealous. And that meant, at least on some level, she cared about me. Even if it wasn’t intentional.

If she was already aware of that, I could move fast. Since we don’t get many chances to meet… I couldn’t waste this one.

If she wasn’t yet aware… I’d figure that out when we got there.

“Why wouldn’t you let me explain? If you had just listened for a moment, I’m sure you would’ve understood.”

“Uuwa…”

I hadn’t meant to sound like I was blaming her, but that’s how it came out. Too late to backpedal now—I’d already committed.

“I’m not here to scold you. I just want to know—why did you leave without hearing me out?”

I locked eyes with her, making it clear I wouldn’t budge without an answer. Her gaze faltered, and I noticed a faint blush rise in her cheeks.

That alone made my heart leap—I knew she had feelings for me. Even if she hadn’t fully admitted them yet, I could see it.

So I held my ground, waiting for her to speak. After a few moments, she finally blurted out, visibly flustered and a little defensive:

“Ugh, FINE! Yes! Okay!? I was jealous! There, I said it! Happy now!? I surprised myself too, you know!?”

Spoken half in frustration, half in surrender—but entirely in her usual style. And incredibly endearing.

So she was aware. That much was clear. Which meant… she likely understood what those feelings meant too.

“I get what it means now. After thinking about everything that’s happened since we met… I realized something. Once it hit me, I didn’t even know how to deal with it. My heart was a mess, and I’d never felt this way before…”

She struggled to find the right words.

Watching her, it was obvious—she was overwhelmed by emotions she hadn’t fully sorted out yet. She’d probably had some feelings for me before, but everything that happened today had sent them into overdrive.

Which meant… it was now my job to help her face those feelings—honestly and clearly.

And I was ready to do just that.

“ “……” ” 

Neither of us moved, frozen as we continued to stare at each other.

I thought I could push through with momentum—but now my heart was pounding uncontrollably. Just thinking about what I was about to do made me too nervous to take the next step.

So this is what a confession feels like… so nerve-wracking.

For the first time, I truly understood just how impressive Kazunari is. To do something like this—not just in front of Natsumi and the others, but even in front of Ms. Satsukawa’s mother… No wonder Hayato always said he respected him. I finally get it now. I respect him too—deeply.

“…W-What is it?”

Natsumi seemed puzzled by my sudden silence. Her gaze was wary and questioning.

I realized that the more I thought about it, the more I’d be paralyzed by nerves. So, like jumping off the stage at Kiyomizu Temple, I decided to just say what needed to be said first.

“I… like you, Natsumi-san.”

“…Huh?”

She looked completely blank, her expression frozen in confusion, as if the words hadn’t registered. But slowly, comprehension caught up, and her face began to turn bright red. To be fair, I was probably just as red myself.

“W-What… What are you saying all of a sudden…?”

“It’s not sudden. I’ve felt this way for a while. You just didn’t notice. You ignored how I felt and led me around however you wanted. I was completely at your mercy.”

Somehow, saying the part that had troubled me most helped me regain my composure. Maybe it was unnecessary, but after being jerked around for so long, I figured I was entitled to a little jab.

“Wha—!? Don’t make it sound like I was playing with you! That makes me sound awful! I wasn’t trying to—”

“Wait, don’t tell me… you weren’t aware of it?”

“Uwah… F-Fine. I’ll admit I might’ve led you on a bit…”

It seemed Natsumi was recovering her composure too. Maybe this chaotic back-and-forth was exactly our pace. We’re clearly not the sweet, syrupy type of couple like Kazunari and Sara. That just doesn’t suit us.

“Phew… I was freaking out just a moment ago, but now I feel strangely deflated. Honestly, I always dreamed of being confessed to in some romantic, dramatic way—like something out of a TV drama, just like Sara… and here you are, ruining it.”

“Well, should we start over and do it right?”

“No thanks. I doubt you’d go all out like Kazunari did with Sara.”

“Not really my style. But if you want me to try, I could work on it.”

“That’s not really my style either. There’s no way I could be some pure-hearted heroine like Sara.”

Truthfully, when she heard my confession, she looked every bit the blushing maiden to me—but I knew she’d just deny it if I said that out loud.

We were back to our usual banter, but I couldn’t let things end here. I had worked up the courage for this confession—if I let it just fade into the conversation, that would defeat the purpose.

“You don’t have to look at me like that—I know exactly what you said, and I understand what it means.”

Her gentle smile in that moment gave off a quiet maturity, a comforting warmth. That was Natsumi-san, through and through.

“I’ve been thinking a lot while we were apart earlier. From the beginning, I always thought you were different from other guys. But because of Sara and the others, I just thought of you as someone easy to be around, not romantically… more like a good friend.”

That wasn’t just her; I had seen our relationship the same way too. That kind of easy connection… maybe that’s why we got along so well.

“I felt the same. A friend, a fellow chaperone for Kazunari and the others—that’s how I saw you. Until I realized my own feelings, I was right there with you.”

“Yeah… I figured as much. That’s why I let myself have fun teasing you. It was easy, and honestly… fun.”

Now she was just saying it outright—no guilt, no shame. But the annoying part was, she was right. I had enjoyed it too. So really, we were both having fun.

“But I realized something—how special you were to me. When I understood that my reaction earlier was jealousy, everything clicked. My heart was racing, I panicked, I didn’t know what to do… It wasn’t logical at all, and that’s when I knew.”

Her cheeks gradually turned red again.

I’d already gotten my answer by this point, but I knew better than to get complacent. This wasn’t over yet.

“Hey… are you really okay with someone like me? I mean, I’m not girly like Sara, I could never be that devoted to someone—not even half as much. I can’t pamper you, I’m not great at household stuff, I’m not even sure I can be all lovey-dovey. And my chest’s small…”

Listening to her, you’d think she couldn’t do anything right.

But what I want—what we want—isn’t some picture-perfect sweet romance like Kazunari and Sara. We’re not them, and we don’t need to be.

Also… the chest thing isn’t really a problem.

“Let me ask you this instead: what kind of relationship do you want? Do you really want that sweet, cuddly, lovey-dovey thing like Kazunari and Sara? I don’t. If our hearts are connected, I’m fine with us just being the way we’ve always been—happy, comfortable, natural. Well… maybe I’d like a little affection now and then.”

I shared my honest feelings with her. She tends to compare herself to Sara, but that’s not necessary. Sure, Sara might be the textbook ‘ideal’ woman, but I don’t want ideal—I want Natsumi.

“I feel the same way… And yeah, I did notice you want a little affection. Hm… I just can’t imagine myself acting all lovey-dovey though.”

“Me neither. I can’t even picture us doing that. And thinking about it now, we’ve spent so much time thinking of Kazunari and Sara as the perfect couple, but honestly… we’re not that different from them.”

“…Uwaa, don’t say that. Now I won’t be able to look Sara in the eye.”

Hearing her say that made me happy—because it meant she saw us the same way I did.

I loved talking with Natsumi, but it was time to bring this conversation to its conclusion. If I let this drag on any longer, I might just collapse from anticipation.

“I’ll say it again—Natsumi-san, I like you. Everything I said earlier is how I feel. I like how easy it is to be with you, how much fun we have. So… give me your answer.”

This time, the words came easily. I wasn’t nervous anymore. Maybe I’d finally shaken it off. We didn’t need flowers or grand speeches—this was who we were, and that was enough.

“…Honestly, there’s not an ounce of romance or mood here. But maybe this is our style. Just so you know though, I’m still not feeling it yet. So if you expect me to start acting like your girlfriend right away, that’s probably not going to happen.”

“I understand. That’s just how we are.”

“Haha, true enough. I give in—you win.”

With her face bright red, she looked up at me—and for once, she didn’t look away. The change in her was so striking, it made my heart pound even harder. Even though I’d already heard the answer, I was still tense…

“…I like you, Tachibana-kun. If you’re okay with someone like me…”

“I want you, Natsumi-san. Please… go out with me.”

The moment I finally heard her say it, the words just tumbled out of me. No filter, no finesse—just a raw, honest response. Natsumi looked stunned for a moment before bursting into a giggle. Figures—ending on a clumsy note is so like us.

“Heh… You really are a strange one. If you like being led around that much, then I won’t hold back. You’d better be ready.”

She said it with a dazzling smile.

That smile was brighter than the sun above us—or at least, that’s how it looked to me.

To others, we might seem unchanged. But I know—we know—that something real connected us today. That’s enough.

“So… let’s take care of each other, okay? And um… if you ever do want to get all lovey-dovey… I’ll try, even if it’s embarrassing.”

“U-Understood. Looking forward to it, Natsumi-san.”

“Mm… I love you, Yuuji-kun.”

And just like that, she delivered the final, most flustering line of all.

I could already tell—I was going to be wrapped around her finger in no time.

And so, the two of us became lovers… who still felt just like best friends.