The Day After I Told My Shut-In Genius Childhood Friend, Who’s Highly Dependent on Me, “I Got Confessed To,” She Showed Me a Hypnosis App

◆ “Shinonome Mio”

After school. Right after homeroom ended, I tapped Honami on the shoulder.

“Honami, I’m going out for a bit.”

“Ah. Is this the girls’ get-together you mentioned yesterday?”

“…Probably?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Honami looked at me with a puzzled expression. I had a feeling this wouldn’t really be a normal girls’ get-together.

Senpai is unpredictable, and I’m not planning to be friendly either.

(She’s my enemy, after all.)

Kirisaka Shino-senpai, I honestly have no idea what she’s thinking. From the last time I met her, she probably isn’t on my side.

(Momose-san is coming too, right?)

Glancing over, Momose-san was hurriedly packing her things. The girls around us were asking, “Are you going somewhere?”

I gave a vague reply to brush it off.

(Girls’ get-togethers? She probably does this kind of thing all the time.)

I still feel uneasy around Momose-san. She seems to have everything I don’t. Friends, going to school normally, and a close enough relationship with Honami to go out together.

But now I can go to school too.

(From now on, I’ll be the one by Honami’s side.)

I stayed with Honami all day today. If I’m nearby, I can keep him from leaving.

While watching, I noticed some of the girls around Momose-san staring sharply at me.

“…”

I quickly looked away. Why were her friends giving me such looks, not Momose-san herself?

(Maybe Momose-san was talking to them about Honami.)

If that’s the case, it makes sense they see me as a nuisance. After all, I suddenly stepped between the two of them. And I’ve been staying close to Honami, trying to lead him away from Momose-san.

(But… I can’t stop.)

I pulled Honami along and said, “Let’s go,” leaving the classroom quickly.

“…Honami, be careful going home. If you get lonely, I’ll come pick you up.”

“Aren’t you the one who’ll get lonely?”

Talking like that, we left the school. We parted ways at the front gate, and I headed to the shop senpai had told me about.

◆

“Hey, Mio-san.”

At a four-person table, Kirisaka Shino-senpai was sitting alone while sipping coffee.

Momose-san wasn’t here yet. I had left first, so that made sense.

“I’m sorry about that. I went ahead and ordered just the coffee.”

“It’s fine.”

I sat down. The cafe was bright, with lots of white and pink decorations. Many girls in school uniforms were sitting at other tables about our age, around us.

“The strawberry tart is my recommendation.”

I had no reason to refuse, so I ordered that and a coffee. Momose-san could order after she arrived. Senpai also added a strawberry tart to her order.

“So, Mio-san, how’s school going?”

While waiting for the food, she asked suddenly.

“That sounds like something a father would ask.”

“Any topic is fine. I just wanted to know about you, so I picked an easy question that might get a reaction.”

I didn’t really want to share personal stuff with her.

“There are no problems so far.”

“Really? You don’t talk much with Nanaka-chan?”

I wondered how she knew that. Maybe Momose-san had told her after I said we’d become friends.

“Isn’t it normal to have someone in class you don’t talk to?”

“That’s true, but Nanaka-chan was close to Honami, right? Then it would be natural for her to talk to you too, since you’re always next to Honami.”

I imagined the class before I arrived. Before I came, Honami and Momose-san were probably always together. When I stepped in, Momose-san got pushed aside.

(But I knew that would happen.)

I feel uneasy when Momose-san is near Honami. I’m afraid she might take him away. That’s why I can’t stop myself from stepping in.

Senpai muttered something strangely.

“I think you and Nanaka-chan would get along pretty well.”

“…Huh?”

“Just try talking to her properly.”

I was left completely speechless.

(…Me and Momose-san getting along?)

No, no.

“…That will never happen.”

“Hehe. Is that so? Try talking to her sometime. It looks fun, and make sure to invite me too.”

“What…”