The Genius, Naturally Angel-Sama, Marin Shiozaki, Also Known as 'The Three Heavens Beauty,' Submits a Marriage Registration Without My Permission, and Before I Knew It, I've Become the Angel's Husband - 34 - Leaks

Leaks

“I didn’t expect us to get found out… sorry.”

“… No, it’s my fault too for not being more careful.”

“… I’m not too bothered about being found out… but we might get some comments from people, and then there’s Kiyohito…”

“… Yeah. Well, it was bound to be revealed sooner or later. Can’t be helped.”

Aoi-kun looks really troubled.

I feel genuinely sorry and think I’ve caused him trouble again. But at the same time, I can’t help but feel a bit relieved that we can finally be openly affectionate. I’m awful for thinking that.

“Um, hey! I was thinking of making your favorite hamburg steak today! How about… we cook it together?”

“… Yeah, let’s do that,” he said, forcing a smile.

I’ve made him force himself again.

I’ve made him feel bad again.

How does he really feel about me?

“Let’s put cheese on it.”

“Yeah.”

◇

“Yaa-maa-guu-chi! So, how far have you gone with your angel?”

“How far…? We haven’t really…”

“Are you seriously telling me you haven’t done it yet, even though you’re married?”

“Just because we’re married doesn’t mean we have to…”

“Oh, come on! That’s impossible! When did you start dating? Tell us the whole story!” Several guys badgered me with questions from the moment I walked in.

Usually, Kiyohito would step in to mediate, but he just sat silently at his desk.

“…”

Marin-chan, meanwhile, was surrounded by girls from our class. Even those who normally don’t interact with her were bombarding her with questions. Some students from other classes even came by just to see me, whispering and laughing amongst themselves.

This was all pretty much as expected, but for someone who hates being the center of attention, it’s quite a bit of torture. 

The worst part, though, is having my best friend distance himself from me.

“Alright, everyone, sit down. We’ve more or less finalized the details for next month’s school trip, but we still need to decide on the bus and plane seating arrangements. We’ll take care of that today. Stick to your group and discuss amongst yourselves. I’m tired, so I’m gonna take a nap,” said the teacher, slumping over his desk and promptly falling asleep.

So, our group gathered, and unsurprisingly, the atmosphere was tense.

“…Honestly, it might be better if I go with Umi-chan. And maybe we should change the free time schedule too,” Kiyohito muttered.

“Kiyohito… I’m really sorry. I never meant for this to happen…”

“It’s fine. I don’t want to hear it right now. Whether it’s the truth, lies, or excuses, anything you say will just piss me off.”

Then Umi-chan shook her head.

“I don’t want that. I want to be with Aoi-kun,” she said, her eyes unusually resolute.

“But… you two are… married…”

“That doesn’t matter! You said it yourself, Kiyohito…,” she retorted.

Originally, the agreement was to keep our relationship a secret and not go around together during free time. But now that it’s out in the open, that promise is meaningless.

Even though we all understood this, Umi-chan stated her feelings without hesitation. She hadn’t been the one to leak our secret, and for my own peace of mind, I wanted to spend the time with her. 

However, suggesting that myself felt impossible.

“It’s fine as it is. I’ll go around with Kiyohito-kun, and Aoi-kun, you can go around with Umi-chan. We don’t need to change that. Right, Aoi-kun?” 

“…Yeah, that’s fine.”

Amid the cheerful voices around us, a gloomy, funeral-like atmosphere hung  over our group. 

I knew this was coming. 

From the moment we decided not to reveal our relationship, this outcome was inevitable unless we kept it hidden forever.

“Alright then, for the bus and airplane seats, it’ll be me and Umi-chan. Everything else stays the same,” Kiyohito said quickly, before returning to his seat.

There were no harsh words or mean-spirited actions, just an overwhelming sense of distance that struck deep in my heart.

He was my only friend, my only best friend. He had helped me countless times, saved me in countless ways. 

And now, it seemed like our relationship might end without me ever being able to repay him.

With these heavy thoughts weighing on my mind, the school day came to an end.

◇ Saturday Morning

I woke up later than usual. Checking my phone, I found only app notifications.

Getting up sluggishly, I greeted, “Good morning,” as I sat on the sofa. Marin-chan, as cheerful as ever, responded with a bright, “Good morning!”

“…Didn’t sleep well?” she asked, noticing my fatigue.

“Hm? No, I slept fine. Really,” I replied.

“I see… Oh, right! Let me give you a shoulder massage! You’ve been studying hard even at night lately. Your shoulders must be stiff!”

“Huh? No, I’m fine. They aren’t that stiff.”

“Leave it to me, leave it to me!” she said confidently, rolling her shoulders as she emerged from the kitchen.

As she massaged my shoulders, I found her surprisingly skilled.

“Ahh, that feels good…”

“See? Your shoulders are pretty tense, sir!”

“…Really?”

Then, Marin-chan hugged me from behind, resting her head on my shoulder.

“I’m here for you,” she whispered.

“…Yeah.”

“Sorry. I know I can’t really replace him,” she said, starting to pull away. I grabbed her arm.

“Huh?”

“…I want to kiss you.” 

I blurted out