The Reason Why The Cool Beauty Who Repeatedly Ignores Messages Replies Only To Me. ~The Lonely Beauty Wants To Know The Lonely Me〜 - Chapter 17

Episode 17: Cultural Festival (3) ~A New Relationship Between the Two~

Saeki called out to me, and I sat back down on the folding chair.

What does Saeki want to talk about…?

I wonder if she’ll complain with that condescending attitude as usual.

Knowing Saeki, that’s a possibility.

Thinking about that, I turned to face her.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

“……”

Saeki suddenly fell silent. Unlike usual, she was gripping her uniform skirt tightly, her shoulders tense.

“……”

“Hey, you’re the one who said you wanted to talk, so why are you silent now?”

“…I-I have my own timing, so stop complaining.”

Saeki spoke angrily, taking a deep breath. Looking at her, she seemed unusually nervous, fidgeting restlessly.

“At first, I found you strange… but over the past month, talking with you has been somewhat enjoyable.”

Enjoyable talking with me…?

Wait, is this a confession or something?

“You don’t flatter me like others do, nor do you try to use me. You’re always straightforward… it’s refreshing.”

“What? Are you saying I should treat you more specially?”

“No. Don’t interrupt me.”

“S-sorry.”

When I apologized, Saeki sighed and continued.

“It might be strange to ask this from someone who prefers solitude…”

Saeki closed her beautiful eyes and moved only her lips.

“If it’s okay with you… would you be my friend?”

“Friend…?”

“Even after the festival is over… can we keep talking like this?”

What Saeki wanted to talk about—something unimaginable coming from the usual Saeki.

Friends…?

I can’t get her expression at that moment out of my head.

Normally expressionless and quiet. Yet now, she was visibly nervous, far from her usual haughty demeanor.

I always thought Yukine Saeki, the aloof beauty, had no interest in others. That’s why I often left her messages unread and treated her coldly.

So why would she want to be friends with someone like me…?

If I became friends with Saeki, my life…

“Is it not okay…?”

Becoming friends shouldn’t feel like a confession. But maybe that’s how awkward Saeki is. With her looking at me like that, there’s no way I can refuse.

“…I-I don’t mind.”

When I answered, Saeki’s eyes widened.

“Heh… now that we’re ‘friends,’ no more half-hearted replies on Lime, and respond within three minutes.”

“What kind of rule is that?”

“Because you always reply with random stickers…”
Well, she’s not wrong about that…

“Got it?”

“…Y-yeah.”

“Good. Now, let’s get back to work.”

Saeki briefly smiled and stood up from her chair. Oh no, I might have agreed to something quite troublesome.

“Okami-kun.”

“What? Something else?”

“…Thank you.”

At that moment—my heart wavered a little.

[Afterword]

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