My Sex Friend Is My Childhood Friend? - 17-18

Chapter 17: I Will Never Forget

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Mahiru pulled me by the hand as we lined up at the entrance. Looking around, I saw nothing but couples. The crowd buzzed with excitement.

Everyone must be thrilled to enter this dreamland. So, I asked Mahiru.

“Hey, do people like us, who were just getting it on, really qualify to enter this pure world…?”

Mahiru panicked and covered my mouth with both hands.

“Shh! There are little kids around! And we didn’t go all the way, so it’s fine…”

“What? We totally went all the way.”

Mahiru’s voice dropped to a barely audible whisper.

“I mean… I haven’t gotten my treat inside yet…”

Apparently, the concept of “all the way” differs between a succubus and a human.

Mahiru stretched up and tapped my head lightly.

“Geez. You’re the star today, so don’t get too full of yourself.”

She’s definitely playing the big sister today.

We scanned the ticket codes at the gate and entered. Even though we were walking single file, Mahiru didn’t let go of my hand. Looking down, I saw our hands clasped like lovers. We were like the postcard photo of a couple. 

Inside the gate, everything—left and right—was filled with vibrant buildings, and I got as excited as a kid.

Well, you know, when a younger girl treats you, it’s my responsibility as the adult to have a blast. But, to be honest…

My family wasn’t well-off when I was a kid. I didn’t have many memories of being taken to expensive places like this. I knew my parents worked hard every day, so I understood, but as a kid, I was jealous of other kids.

That was why I never wanted to waste my “firsts” with someone unimportant. Even as an adult, I turned down invites to come here a few times. So, being here with Mahiru for the first time made me incredibly happy. Seeing my excitement, Mahiru’s eyes softened, and she looked happy too.

“Onii-chan, you don’t come here often?”

There was no point in acting cool, so I told her the truth.

“Actually, it’s my first time here. Kinda embarrassing at my age, right?”

Mahiru blinked, narrowed her eyes slightly, and for some reason, patted my head.

“I see. You seem like you’d be popular, so I thought you’d have come here with tons of girls and would forget about coming with me.”

I shook my head side to side, my voice getting a bit loud.

“No way. I’ll never forget coming here with you, Mahiru.”

It was embarrassing, but that was my honest truth. Mahiru looked shy too. Her fair skin showed a faint pink blush on her cheeks.

“Yeah. I won’t forget either.”

We held hands tightly. Then, Mahiru whispered in my ear.

“Hey, Nagi-kun, hearing you saying such sweet things makes me want to do it again.”

Mahiru walked over to the entrance gate and spoke to a staff member.

“Um, if we leave partway, can we come back in?”

Is she planning to go back to the car to do it? Officer, please arrest this lustful beast! 

As expected of my sex friend. Her joy, anger, sorrow, and everything else just turned into desire.

Well, I’m actually kind of happy about that, though. But still! We’re barely a few meters from the entrance! I’m in kid mode today and want to properly enjoy the park.

I lightly chopped Mahiru’s forehead. She held her head with both hands, puffing out her cheeks in mock indignation.

“Hey, let’s move along. We haven’t even stepped into Pii-chan’s habitat yet!” (Pii-chan being the park’s mascot character.)

If I let her set the pace, we’ll just wander here all day.

We lined up for the park’s signature coaster. The wait was over an hour, but the tunnel-like queue was cleverly designed, so we were never bored. Mahiru pointed at characters, getting all excited. Seeing her like this, I realized she was just a normal university girl after all.

You don’t see this side of her during our hotel hookups. 

As sex friends who usually showed each other our less-than-ordinary sides, these normal moments felt unexpectedly fresh. Our turn came, and we rode the coaster together. It zoomed through a rocky, mine-themed mountain, weaving freely in every direction.

At the climax, it burst out of a waterfall and plummeted. Mahiru squeezed her eyes shut and gripped my hand tightly. She was usually so composed, but at heart, she was still a delicate girl. Watching her, I could feel the desire to protect her forever welling up inside of me. 

I guess I really do love her.

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Chapter 18: A Lost Child in the Land of Dreams

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After we came out of the bear-themed attraction, there was a small stall nearby lined with toy accessories. Mahiru stopped in front of the rings. Then, turning toward me, she gave a look like she was resigning herself to something.

“Nagi-kun, let’s go to the next one.”

Seeing that expression reminded me of how I used to always hold back from asking for things I wanted when I was a kid. So I said.

“Sorry, I need to use the bathroom real quick. Go on ahead.”

And I returned to the stall. A toy ring. When I caught up, Mahiru was waiting for me. Her cheeks were puffed out as she beckoned me over.

“Hurry, hurry, or we’ll run out of time!”

Says the one who was about to head back to the car for sex… Well, I’m not one to talk though. 

Catching my breath as I caught up, I handed Mahiru a small pouch. Inside was the ring from earlier. I took it out and gently slipped it onto her finger. She smiled—like a brilliant sun shining down. It felt like a smile that gathered all the happiness in the world. Mahiru placed her right hand over the left one with the ring and said,

“…Thank you, Nagi-kun. I’ll treasure it forever.”

After that, we took pictures with a wandering Pi-chan, spun around on another roller coaster, and bought a teddy bear plushie at the gift shop. We enjoyed ourselves like a couple on their first date.

It was so much fun, and I felt like I recovered a bit of the loneliness I’d carried since childhood. Maybe I even reclaimed some of the time I lost with Maya. The “Maya Hatsuharu” inside me— That original memory of her still remained an important part of who I was.

I realized that Mahiru and Maya were gradually overlapping in my mind. At this point, I was more afraid of losing Mahiru than I was obsessed with taking revenge on Maya. As I walked with those thoughts swirling in my head, Mahiru suddenly stopped and looked back at me. On her head was a cat-eared hair accessory. In her right hand was a large bucket of popcorn. Her cheeks puffed up like a chipmunk, she looked like she was trying to say something.

You’re eating way too much.

Just seeing her face made me laugh. Mahiru patted her legs and gestured as if to say they were sore. Maybe her feet were tired? We decided to take a break around a quiet pier area with few people around.

Little by little, the sky began to darken, and the chirping of bugs grew louder. The sky beyond the pier had turned a shade of crimson. Mahiru and I sat side by side at a boat dock partway down the pier.

A fake dock, one where no boats would ever come for all eternity. We sat there, our legs swinging freely. The grains of sand stuck to the soles of our shoes from the day’s adventures fell one by one into the water, creating ripples across the surface.

The ripples clashed and collided, and their once beautiful shapes eventually distorted and disappeared. My fingers brushed against Mahiru’s. On the ring finger of her left hand was the toy ring I had just bought. Looking at that ring, I made up my mind.

I would tell Mahiru how I felt.

My heartbeat suddenly spiked, and I could feel my heart twisting in my chest. My lips went dry, and I realized my fingertips were trembling. I started to speak.

『Mahiru, I like you. I want to be with you.』

The words I had always wanted to say lingered in my heart, but Mahiru spoke first. She pulled her fingers away from mine, clasped her hands tightly over her chest, looked me straight in the eyes, and said.

“I really love you, Nagi-kun. But… I’m sorry. I can’t date you. I can’t be your girlfriend.”

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