The Beautiful Girl Who Asked Me to Pretend to Be Her Boyfriend Didn’t Want to Break up With Me for Some Reason - Chapter 88

Chapter 88: Let’s Look Forward to It

“By the way, are you going to invite Kyoichi?”

This happened after we returned from the maid café.

Just like she said she would, Shirafuji changed into a maid outfit to practice serving, and once we reached a good stopping point, I asked her that question. She looked down with a troubled expression.

“…I’m thinking I should at least ask about his plans.”

“You can’t bring yourself to do it?”

“Yes. I just don’t know how to bring it up.”

She spoke with a lowered brow and quietly sat beside me.

I was already used to being close enough that our shoulders could touch.

But today, she seemed to be acting a bit more clingy than usual.

“We’ve only had a handful of chances to really talk, so I don’t even know how to interact with him. Also… I’m embarrassed to show my dad how I look in a maid outfit.”

“Even though a bunch of people will see you at the school festival?”

“Well, isn’t it embarrassing for anyone to invite a father they’ve barely ever seen and have him watch you serve people while wearing a maid outfit?”

“That’s true, but… hearing that while you’re still in the maid outfit just feels weird.”

“You’re already used to it, Hakuto.”

“You’ve gotten way too used to it.”

Why are you so comfortable wearing a maid outfit in someone else’s room?

I’m pretty sure I’ve only seen her like this a few times—enough to count on two hands.

“Compared to living together, spending time in a maid outfit is nothing.”

“Well, I guess that’s true.”

“Besides, you’ve already seen pretty much everything, Hakuto.”

“Don’t say things that are hard to accept.”

Even if it’s true, it’s not easy to nod along with it.

For a normal high school boy, those memories are impossible to forget.

I often think our level of physical closeness might even go beyond that.

Being held in someone’s arms… it’s oddly comforting.

Both Shirafuji and I might be starving for physical affection.

Other than family, I’ve never had anyone get this close to me. And Shirafuji—well, that goes without saying.

Thinking of it as a reaction to that makes it hard to reject.

“…I feel like if you invited Kyoichi, he’d be happy to come.”

The reason they haven’t been close until now was intentional.

He found out that his new wife was harsh with Shirafuji, so he had no choice but to create some distance for her sake.

If you think about it that way, inviting Kyoichi to the school festival might come with the risk of the news reaching Shirafuji’s mother… but even so, I don’t think Kyoichi would refuse.

“Do you think so?”

“I do.”

Shirafuji looked for confirmation, and I answered plainly.

Then, still looking troubled, she leaned against my shoulder.

She wasn’t very heavy, and her long hair slid down like a curtain.

Her gesture clearly showed she trusted me completely, and I couldn’t say I felt nothing.

It’s just that I wasn’t sure how far I could go, so I hesitated.

I think maybe it’d be okay to go a bit further.

But the problem is—I don’t even know how.

“…Let’s try calling.”

Shirafuji spoke as if squeezing out the words, then casually pulled out her phone.

Naturally, she had Kyoichi’s number saved.

Even though they hadn’t been close, they still needed to communicate from time to time.

Still, Shirafuji’s expression was tense.

It wasn’t hatred that showed—it was nerves.

She knew Kyoichi wasn’t an enemy.

“Hakuto, I have a favor.”

“Anything.”

“Could you hold my hand until the call ends? I’m still not confident I can talk properly.”

“Got it.”

With no reason to refuse, I nodded, and she let out a breath of relief.

Then she gently took my hand.

I thought she’d just hold it normally, but she naturally laced her fingers with mine.

I was a little surprised, but her slender fingers didn’t let go.

If this helped her relax, it was a small price to pay.

After calming her breathing, Shirafuji finally made the call.

She put it on speaker, probably so I could hear it too.

The call tone rang once, twice, three times—

“Hello, Father?”

‘…It’s rare for Shirafuji to call. What’s up?’

Kyoichi’s calm voice came through.

It sounded flat and cold, but that was probably just how he normally spoke.

“Um… well…”

‘…I’m not in a position to say much, but just take your time and explain it one thing at a time.’

Kyoichi’s gentle words made Shirafuji nod silently and take a deep breath.

“…Father. Next week, there’s a school festival. If it’s okay with you, would you please come?”

She kept it simple and waited for Kyoichi’s response.

Her tension showed in her face and voice more than ever.

This was probably her first time asking him something like this.

Kyoichi replied with a quiet “Hmm,” then fell silent.

He was probably checking his schedule.

He’s a man who’s always busy with work.

Even I started feeling nervous, unsure how this would turn out.

After waiting several tens of seconds, we finally heard him clear his throat.

‘I think I can at least drop by to see how things are going.’

“…!”

Hearing that positive response, Shirafuji’s face lit up.

She had expected him to be too busy and refuse, so this made her happy.

“Thank you, Father.”

‘It’s not something you need to thank me for. Since it’s a school festival, I assume there’ll be some kind of event?’

Sensing that he was indirectly asking what kind of event, Shirafuji and I looked at each other and shared a bit of awkwardness.

“Actually… we’re doing a maid and butler café—”

‘…………I see. I’ll look forward to it.’

After a pause, which probably revealed his inner feelings of not knowing how to respond, his words came through. The two of us couldn’t help but smile wryly.