The Beautiful Girl Who Asked Me to Pretend to Be Her Boyfriend Didn’t Want to Break up With Me for Some Reason

The sensation of something pressing against my cheek brought my half-awake consciousness to the surface. When I opened my eyes, there was Shirafuji—someone who shouldn’t have been here at this hour—looking down at me.

Her silky silver hair flowed lightly, and she blinked her long eyelashes as her sky-blue eyes narrowed with a gentle smile.

Apparently, the sensation on my cheek was caused by Shirafuji’s finger.

“Did I wake you? I’m sorry. Your sleeping face was so cute that I acted on impulse.”

“There’s no way my sleeping face is cute. If anything, yours was way cuter. You fell asleep while watching a movie last night.”

“…So that did happen. Thank you for carrying me to bed, Hakuto.”

She smiled awkwardly, her cheeks slightly flushed, as she expressed her gratitude.

…It seems she doesn’t remember what she said last night. In that case, I probably shouldn’t bring it up either.

I’m not so naïve as to believe in words spoken carelessly under the influence of sleep or alcohol.
I mean, sure, I wish those words were true, but that’s another matter.

“Oh, I almost forgot. Good morning, Shirafuji.”

“Good morning, Hakuto.”

As usual, we exchanged greetings and smiles.

“Talking like this right after waking up feels kind of refreshing,” she said.

“Yeah, usually we meet up after getting ready.”

“It’s a little embarrassing to be seen right after waking up, but since I got to see your sleeping face, I’d say we’re even.”

I seriously doubt my sleeping face is on the same level as hers, but it seems she thinks so. That thought made me happy, though…

Her words from last night replayed vividly in my mind.

“I love Hakuto so much, so why don’t you do anything for me…?”
“Even if this is fake, I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t love you.”
“Hakuto is absolutely—absolutely—mine and mine alone!”

Those words were so shocking that I remembered them word for word.
After all, they hinted at feelings that could shake the very foundation of our relationship.

“Well, I’m heading out for my usual morning run. What about you, Shirafuji?”

“I’ll join you, if you don’t mind. Although, I might just slow you down.”

“No way I’d leave you behind. I’ll match your pace. I’m not trying to break any records or anything, so walking is fine too.”

“In that case, I’ll go change into something more suitable for running.”

“You brought workout clothes?”

“Always be prepared, as they say… Shall we change together?”

“Go use the changing room.”

We changed into separate outfits, got ready enough to head outside, and stepped out together.

Both of us wore tracksuits suitable for exercise. Since we’d be running, Shirafuji tied her long hair into a ponytail—which, for some reason, I ended up doing for her.

She looked sporty, a rare sight, as she did some light stretches in preparation.

“Shirafuji, aren’t you bad at exercise?” I asked.

“I wouldn’t say I’m good at it, but I can handle running just fine.”

Her slightly indignant gaze made me concede. She had a point—being completely hopeless at exercise would make daily life difficult.

“We’ll run side by side, so let me know if the pace is too fast.”

“You don’t have to worry about me. I’m the one who decided to come along.”

“I’d worry if you were alone, and besides, I want to run with you.”

When I held out my hand, she hesitated briefly before taking it, her expression somewhere between flustered and unsure.

“…Do you think you can just get away with saying things like that?”

“I don’t know any better lines to use.”

After that small exchange, we started our run.

We jogged through the early morning streets at a slightly slower pace than usual. The cool, pre-July air was perfect for exercise, and the streets were nearly empty this early, which was a relief since Shirafuji always seemed to draw attention when we were together.

The rhythmic sound of our footsteps and breaths echoed softly. It had been a while since I’d run with someone else.

Having someone beside me made it feel different—in a good way.

“You’re not overdoing it, are you?” I asked.

“I’m… fine!” she replied, her breathing slightly ragged.

Sweat glistened on her forehead, and her neatly tied hair revealed her pale nape, which seemed dazzling in the morning light.

Looking at her like this, I couldn’t help but think how attractive she was.

Still, I hadn’t expected her stamina to be this low. Comparing her to a guy like me, who runs daily, might be unfair, but even so, she was running out of breath quickly.

Maybe I should slow the pace? No, that would be underestimating her.

If she looked like she might collapse, I’d stop her immediately. After all, I was the one who brought her along, so it was my responsibility to make sure she didn’t get hurt.

After about twenty minutes, we returned to the front of the apartment building.

“Shirafuji, are you okay?”

“Yeah… but I’m a little shocked. I didn’t think my stamina was this bad,” she said, her hands on her knees, panting heavily. Her frustrated expression hinted at her determination to improve.

“This kind of thing builds up over time. Staying cooped up all the time will leave you out of shape.”

“…You’re right. I need to exercise more. Lately, I’ve even felt like I’ve been gaining weight.”

“Really? You’re already so slender, a little weight wouldn’t hurt—”

“No. I can’t allow it, and it’s embarrassing. Since I’m always sticking close to you, Hakuto, I’d hate for you to think I’ve gotten fat.”

Her serious gaze left no room for argument.

…Well, I could understand not wanting to gain weight from a psychological perspective.

But hearing that made me recall the sensation of holding her close.

“Don’t worry. I can accept you no matter how you are, Shirafuji.”

“That’s not kindness; it’s blind faith. And for the record, I’m not fat. If I were, it’s only because the food you make is too delicious.”

“Thanks for the compliment. Anyway, let’s head back. You take the first shower. I didn’t sweat at all, so I’ll go after you.”

“…We could always shower together.”

“No, we can’t.”