My Childhood Friend Who Takes Care of Me Seems to Be a Yandere... No, That Must Be a Misunderstanding - Chapter 20-21

Chapter 20: Leaning on My Childhood Friend

After it was decided that Mii-chan would stay over, my heart started racing with happiness and nervousness, and I felt a little restless.

After getting out of the bath, I dried my hair with a towel and went back to the living room.

My body was warm and relaxed from the bath, and I stretched without thinking.

“Phew~ Baths really feel great!”

A smile naturally spread across my face.

I wonder why taking a bath always makes me feel so happy.

As I said that and turned around, I saw Mii-chan sitting on the sofa, staring at me.

“Hm? What’s wrong, Mii-chan?”

I tilted my head, and Mii-chan let out a small laugh.

“…No, it’s nothing. I was just a little worried you might faint again.”

“Huh?”

Mii-chan looked at my hair and spoke with a slightly teasing tone.

“You fainted from overheating just the day before yesterday, right? Did you make sure to get out of the tub at the right time today?”

“Ugh…”

I was at a loss for words for a moment.

That day, I remembered thinking about the kiss in the bath, and I got so flustered that I lost consciousness without noticing…

“I-It’s not like that! I was careful today!”

I said that as I roughly wiped my hair with the towel. Mii-chan gave a small smile.

“I see. But you always look so happy after a bath.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. You look all fuzzy and relaxed, and it makes me feel laid-back too.”

“Hehe, I’m glad if that’s how it is!”

Bath time is such a happy time, and if that feeling got through to Mii-chan, that made me even happier.

Still feeling soft and warm inside, I gently sat down next to Mii-chan.

“…?”

Mii-chan opened her eyes just a little wider.

“Hm? What is it?”

“No, it’s just… You’re being unusually clingy today.”

“Hehe, maybe it’s because I’m feeling good after the bath?”

When I said that honestly, Mii-chan looked away slightly and muttered, “…I see.”

For some reason, her profile looked kinder than usual, and that made me feel even happier.

───────

When we got back to the room, I flopped onto the bed.

It felt so good to be wrapped in the fluffy futon that I rolled around a bit.

“Geez, Hina… You’re too excited.”

Mii-chan sat beside me with a small laugh.

While lying on my back, I glanced up at her.

“Well, I get to sleep with Mii-chan. Of course I’m happy!”

“…You’re really like a kid.”

Mii-chan sounded a little exasperated, but her face looked kind somehow.

I smiled lazily at her and reached out my hand.

“Hey, come closer?”

“…Geez, you’re so hopeless.”

After hesitating for a moment, Mii-chan lay down next to me.

For some reason, that made me feel relieved.

It gave me this real sense of comfort, like she was really here with me.

I gently wrapped my arm around her, and her body stiffened slightly.

“…Hina?”

“When I’m like this, I feel calm.”

I didn’t really understand it myself, but it made me feel less anxious.

Because earlier, when I saw Mii-chan and Aoi-chan talking for the first time, I started feeling kind of weird inside…

(…Huh? Why am I thinking like that?)

It’s not like Mii-chan belongs to me.

But my chest felt heavy, and before I knew it, I was tightly gripping Mii-chan’s clothes.

—

Chapter 21: The Kind of “Love” I Feel for My Childhood Friend

“Mii-chan… you’re warm, and it feels nice.”

When I leaned into her like I was clinging to her, Mii-chan’s body trembled slightly.

“…Hina, if you act all clingy like that…”

“If I do…?”

When I looked into Mii-chan’s face, her usually calm cheeks were lightly flushed.

That expression made me happy, and I let out a soft laugh.

“What?”

“Mii-chan, your face is red, you know?”

“…It’s just your imagination.”

She turned away in a pout.

That little gesture was so cute, it made me want to snuggle up to her even more.

Come to think of it, even when we accidentally kissed after that accident, I think I was teasing her like this.

“Hey, Mii-chan.”

“W-What…?”

“Do you like me?”

Even though I was the one asking, my heart skipped a beat.

It wasn’t meant to be that deep. I just felt like asking, somehow.

But if she said, “I don’t like you”… how would I feel?

Mii-chan’s body flinched again.

After a moment of silence, she murmured.

“…You’re asking that now?”

“Yeah. I want to know.”

Mii-chan lowered her eyes for a second, let out a quiet breath.

Then she looked at me straight and spoke slowly.

“I love you. A lot.”

Is this “love” as a friend? Or does it mean something more, like love?

My chest tightened.

I think… my heart is racing.

“I see…”

I didn’t know how to respond, so I just muttered.

How do I really feel about Mii-chan?

Do I like her too?

When I asked myself that, the answer came right away.

(I like her.)

It was such a natural feeling that I couldn’t deny it.

But even if I admitted it, that didn’t mean I could sort it out right away.

Because is this “like” as a friend? Or is it something else—

The moment I thought that, my heart jumped.

No, no, that can’t be. I mean, we’re best friends…

“…Hey, Hina?”

Mii-chan’s voice dropped a little.

The tone made a shiver run down my spine.

“Right now, I really want to hold you… Can I?”

“…Huh?”

Mii-chan’s eyes wavered.

Her face showed both hesitation and something she couldn’t hold back.

I just… wanted to be held.

I didn’t know why. But I felt like if I was in her arms, I’d be okay.

“Yeah… go ahead.”

The moment I said that—

“…!”

Mii-chan’s arms wrapped tightly around me.

It was so strong… but gentle too.

“…Hina, you’re not fair.”

She whispered that near my ear, and it gave me chills.

My chest ached, and my heart wouldn’t stop pounding.

“Mii-chan…?”

When I slowly lifted my face, Mii-chan’s was right in front of mine.

So close our breaths could touch.

Wait… isn’t this the kind of moment where we’d end up kissing?

“…!”

Just as my heart gave a huge thump, Mii-chan suddenly pulled back.

“…Sorry. That was close.”

“Huh?”

“If we go any further… I don’t think I’ll be able to stop.”

Mii-chan gave a slightly pained smile, different from usual.

The moment I saw that face, I finally realized.

—Wait? Could it be… that I like Mii-chan in a romantic way?

But I still couldn’t come up with a clear answer.

So I clung tightly to Mii-chan’s arm.

“…Can we stay like this just a little longer?”

“…Yeah.”

Mii-chan awkwardly stroked my back.

The pounding in my chest probably wasn’t just my imagination.

Wrapped in Mii-chan’s warmth, I gently closed my eyes.