My Childhood Friend Is Dangerously Sexy and Cute - 6

Chapter 6: Here’s a Super Lovey-Dovey Couple

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“I’m telling you, it’s me! I’m your classmate, Kaho Hoshino!”

Yuki and I looked at each other.

““Who?””

“That’s so mean! We’re in the same class!”

No, seriously, who is she? The new term hasn’t even been going for a week yet, there’s no way I’ve memorized all my classmates…

For now, I took another proper look at her. Dressed as a waitress, she was, generally speaking, cute. She had light brown hair and a pretty trendy vibe. But she didn’t seem like the type who messed around. Judging from how she talked, she seemed cheerful and not like a bad person.

“Are you really in the same class as us?”

“Yeah…”

After being treated so terribly, the waitress, or rather Hoshino, looked like she was about to cry.

“I see… Then could you take a picture for us?”

“Eh!? Why!? Isn’t this the part where we chat a bit and become friends!?”

“But you’re a waitress, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, do your job.”

It was starting to get annoying, so I went along with Yuki. Somehow, I felt like this girl would shine when teased. This was my chance! Me, who always got teased, finally teasing someone else!

“Uu… so mean…”

On the verge of tears, Hoshino still obediently borrowed Yuki’s phone and took our picture. She was pretty straightforward.

That said, why do girls always want to take pictures so quickly? Well, I’d take as many pictures of Yuki as she wants, but there’s no benefit to taking pictures of me…

Looking at the photo she showed us, I had my usual stiff, awkward expression.

“Still, Fujisaki-san and Asama-kun, you two are really close. You’re always together in the classroom too.”

“That’s right. Our relationship is the best in the world, no, even the entire galaxy.”

I thought she would go back to work, but it seemed like Hoshino still wanted to talk. Was this waitress slacking off? But Yuki looked pleased by Hoshino’s words and puffed up proudly.

“I’m jealous…”

“Hm?”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing. More importantly—”

Somehow, that “jealous” sounded like it carried complicated feelings.

“I’ve wanted to be friends with Fujisaki-san ever since our first year! I thought your hair was really pretty! So, um… can I talk to you in class sometime…!?”

“Eh? Ah… um…”

Hoshino rapidly fired off her words toward Yuki. Hearing that, something from the past briefly crossed my mind. Yuki didn’t seem to expect that kind of thing and looked flustered. But at least to me, she didn’t look like she disliked it.

So I spoke up in her place.

“Talk to her anytime. Yuki and I don’t really have many other friends.”

“Really!?”

“Yeah.”

“…But please stop pretending to be someone else next time.”

Yuki, having recovered, said that. It seemed she had categorized Hoshino as someone to tease, just like me.

“I told you I’m not pretending!?”

“Well, we seriously didn’t know who you were.”

“You two really are awful!?”

With those words, Hoshino returned to her work.

“Good for you. Looks like you might make a friend.”

“I don’t really need one. As long as I have you, Hiro-san, that’s enough.”

“But you’d still want girl friends, right?”

“I don’t. Besides, I’m worried she might be getting close to me just to aim for you, Hiro-san.”

“That’s impossible…”

She was mostly talking to Yuki… If anything, she might be into girls.

“A-Anyway, we should eat before it gets cold, Hiro-san.”

“Y-Yeah.”

I stared bitterly at the “Lovey Dovey Juice” in front of me.

“Hiro-san, let’s drink the juice together first.”

“We don’t have to drink it together, do we?”

We could just drink separately…

“That’s how this item works.”

Saying that, Yuki brought her face close to one of the heart-shaped straws.

“Come on, Hiro-san.”

“I-I mean…”

“It’s a little embarrassing for me to stay like this alone. Please hurry.”

Ugh… The other customers and even the staff were clearly watching us… This was way too much like some kind of humiliation play! But since we were being watched, if I didn’t drink, it felt like I’d just embarrass Yuki. I had no choice…! I steeled myself and put the straw in my mouth.

“O-Okay… Let’s drink.”

“Let’s.”

Then we started drinking at the same time. Our faces were so close our noses could touch. Naturally, our eyes met at this close distance. One second, two seconds, three seconds…

“Fufu.”

Right in front of me, Yuki narrowed her eyes happily. The moment I saw that, my mind felt like it was about to boil over. My face was burning. Unable to stand it, I gulped down the juice all at once.

“Ah… Hiro-san, you drank almost all of it by yourself.”

“I-It can’t be helped! It’s embarrassing!”

“Shall we order another? I want to savor that moment more.”

“STOP!”

Ah, this is the worst. I want to get out of here already.

Hoshino was covering her face with both hands, blushing and going “Whoa, whoa, whoa!” and I could hear others saying things like “How innocent.”

Please stop! Hiro’s life is already at zero!

After that, to heal my heavily damaged mind, I started eating the pancakes. For now, I had matcha whipped cream, and Yuki had strawberry.

“Ah, this is good.”

“Right? These pancakes are famous.”

Then we didn’t need the Lovey-Dovey Juice, did we…

“Ah, Hiro-san.”

Yuki leaned toward me.

“W-What is it?”

—lick.

Yuki licked my lips, just slightly to the right.

“Hyah!?”

“There was some cream on you, so I licked it.”

“You didn’t have to lick it!?”

“There was cream there, so it couldn’t be helped.”

“Don’t say it like ‘because there’s a mountain there’…”

“It’s a bit bitter, the matcha is nice too.”

Yuki smiled as she said that. Seriously, this was bad for my heart. My heart was pounding way too much.

“Hiro-san, Hiro-san. I want to try yours too.”

“Hm? Oh, sure.”

I tried to hand her my plate, but Yuki stopped me.

“Feed me. Like ‘ahh’.”

“Huh? Eat it yourself.”

Any more embarrassment like this would be overkill.

“No. I can’t eat it myself.”

“You literally are eating it though…”

“Mouth-to-mouth is fine too.”

“Like hell I can!”

“Then ‘ahh’ it is. Come on, hurry and feed me, Hiro-san. Say ‘ahh.’”

She slightly opened her small mouth and spoke in a sweet voice.

Damn, she’s cute. Fine, whatever! Who cares about everyone watching!

I took a bite-sized piece of pancake with my fork and held it out to her.

“A-Ahh…”

“Yes. Ahh… Mm. It’s delicious.”

“…Glad to hear it.”

Yuki’s face softened blissfully. Was it just me, or were her cheeks a little red too?

“It tastes even better because you fed it to me, Hiro-san. Now, as thanks, mine too…”

“I’m good.”

“No, please. Open your mouth.”

Yuki took a bite of her strawberry pancake and brought it to my mouth.

“Mm…”

“Say ‘ahh.’”

“A-Ahh…”

I reluctantly opened my mouth. And chewed the pancake. Just chewed it.

“Is it good?”

“Yeah… I guess.”

I couldn’t taste anything at all.

“I’m glad. Then let’s keep feeding each other.”

“I’m already full…”

And like that, we left the café.

I never want to come to a place like this again. I want to enjoy sweets peacefully in a calm café, with no screaming staff and no one watching, sipping coffee elegantly. When you eat sweets, you’re supposed to be saved by their sweetness. They’re not meant to shorten your lifespan with tension and heart-pounding anxiety. And definitely not for sharing a drink face-to-face with your childhood friend, or feeding each other like that. And especially not for that kind of “sweetness” that comes from those actions. I don’t want that. Probably. Maybe…?

Well, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad once in a while… No, no, no, impossible. My heart wouldn’t survive.

“Let’s come again, Hiro-san.”

“NO WAY!”

“You say that, but you’ll come with me again next time, won’t you, Hiro-san?”

No way. Absolutely not.

So I wished she’d stop smiling so happily like that. 

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