The Beautiful Girl Who Asked Me to Pretend to Be Her Boyfriend Didn’t Want to Break up With Me for Some Reason - Chapter 34

“—Kuwazome Hakuto, I understand this is a sudden and selfish request, but would you consider entering into a fake relationship with me?”

It was mid-November, with the chill of autumn setting in and the year’s end in sight.

I slipped a letter into Hakuto’s shoe locker—an old-fashioned method—and called him to the rooftop to voice my selfish desire.

I still vividly remember the way Hakuto frowned as if he couldn’t comprehend what I was saying.

His skeptical reaction felt fresh to me, someone who was usually well-liked by men.

He had short, black hair, a slightly chiseled face, and a sturdy build. Though he might seem imposing, I felt a vague sense of reassurance when I faced him.

His eyes were extraordinarily calm.

His amber-colored irises, lighter than his hair, seemed to look at me and yet not at all.

Perhaps he avoided meeting my gaze to make me feel less intimidated. A person who could be so considerate didn’t seem to match the fearsome rumors about him.

Another reason I approached him might be our slight connection: Hakuto and I lived in neighboring apartments. We had seen each other a few times and exchanged casual nods.

From what I had seen, he seemed perfectly normal.

“Sorry, but I don’t understand what you mean.”

“Then, let me express myself more clearly, including my honest feelings. I’ve grown tired of being confessed to by someone new every week. So, I thought you could act as my fake boyfriend to ward off others. That’s why I called you here.”

What I wanted from Hakuto was simple: a shield against other men. I hoped to have a peaceful school life by having him pretend to be my boyfriend.

It was a relationship of convenience, entirely self-serving.

I couldn’t offer him much in return. Despite being called a “perfect prodigy” at school, I was clumsy, a messy homemaker, and lived in a cluttered room. My only objectively superior traits were my academic abilities and appearance.

“Why did you choose me? Just curious.”

“Because you have a stern look that keeps others away, yet I’ve only ever seen you live peacefully at school. You seem to be the type who suffers from your appearance.”

“And what if I’m the kind of person the rumors say I am?”

“I trust my ability to read people. Besides, if you were truly as bad as the rumors claim, you wouldn’t have been able to get into a high school with such high standards.”

“There are supposedly intelligent troublemakers too.”

“Someone who goes to such lengths to push people away wouldn’t be a bad person. You don’t have the air of a rough person, and despite being neighbors, you’ve never tried to approach me.”

Hakuto kept responding in ways that distanced himself from me. He probably found my request troublesome. He also seemed to have resigned himself to being misunderstood and misjudged by others, even by me.

Perhaps that’s why he didn’t expect much from me—or anyone.

In a way, that was convenient for me. I understood that feeling.

“Hakuto, you’re not interested in me as a romantic prospect, are you? Your gaze is straightforward yet indifferent, treating me as if I’m not even here. I recognize that because I’m the same way.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

“Additionally, you don’t expect to be liked by others, do you?”

“…And if I don’t?”

“Then you’re perfect for the role of my fake boyfriend. Of course, I’ll pay you. I was thinking a few tens of thousands of yen per month.”

“I don’t need that kind of money.”

“Don’t joke around. I’m serious. It’s only fair compensation for taking away part of a high school boy’s youth.”

At first, I thought money would be the way to persuade Hakuto. It was one of the few things I could offer, and money felt like a reliable currency between two people who had little else to expect from others.

“Since you live alone, wouldn’t some extra money be welcome?”

“…How do you know I live alone?”

“I hear voices through the walls, and no one seems to come and go from your place.”

“Fair enough. …But I’m just a gray, ordinary high school boy—no girlfriend, no romantic interest, barely enough friends to count on one hand.”

“Then I’m worse off. I don’t have any friends. No boyfriend either. Guys bombard me with unwanted attention, and girls target me because of it. It’s unbearable, really.”

Painful memories surfaced.

Why? Why did it turn out like this? All I wanted was a peaceful high school life.

But reality was far from that.

“I’m not asking much of you, Hakuto. I don’t expect anything. This is just a desperate attempt to make things a little better. You’re free to use me however you wish. I only ask that you don’t betray me.”

I poured my heart into my words, then waited for Hakuto’s response.

After what felt like an eternity, he sighed softly, lowering his eyebrows as if in reluctant resignation.

“…Let’s discuss the terms. If that’s okay, I’ll do it.”

Hakuto agreed to my selfish request.

■

Half a year has passed since then.

Now, I can’t imagine life without Hakuto.

“This isn’t what I intended. I wanted a mutually convenient, fake relationship. I thought I’d only seek Hakuto when necessary. I didn’t think I needed a boyfriend, a friend, or anyone to talk to…”

Feeling drowsy, I tried to etch Hakuto’s sleeping face into my memory, keeping my eyes barely open.

But even that wasn’t enough.

I unconsciously reached out toward his peaceful form, stopping just short of touching him.

Touching him might wake him. I was relieved that I still had enough self-restraint to stop myself.

I didn’t want to disturb Hakuto’s calm.

“Hakuto. Kuwazome Hakuto. My fake boyfriend, my neighbor, my rare friend—and the most important person in the world to me.”

Yes, the most important person. Convenient words, aren’t they? They can define any relationship, regardless of the emotions involved.

Still, my feelings are starting to overflow, no longer confined within me.

What a troublesome person I am. Claiming to need nothing while harboring endless desires.

Hakuto’s hair, eyes, eyelashes, lips, tongue, chest, arms, body—everything. I wish they could all be mine, but it’s not that simple.

We’re just fake lovers.

To step beyond that boundary, we’d need to break through a fragile yet impenetrable wall.

And yet, that’s fine.

“One day, I’ll make you truly want me.”

Hakuto still holds back, keeping a line drawn because we’re fake. He doesn’t want to betray me by crossing it.

I need to change that mindset first.

I’ll pamper, melt, and blend Hakuto into my life until he’s utterly mine. Though, perhaps I’m the one who’s already melted.

“For now, I’ll dedicate this fake love to you.”