The Reason Why The Cool Beauty Who Repeatedly Ignores Messages Replies Only To Me. ~The Lonely Beauty Wants To Know The Lonely Me〜 - Chapter 51

Episode 51: Promise

Saeki takes me to the beach at night

The sea at night is dimly lit by the moonlight.

I walk along the beach with Saeki, holding a lantern from our tent.

The atmosphere was like a scene from a movie.

“The night sky looks beautiful here.”

“Y…Yes, it is.”

It was a time for just the two of us. A space that was just ours.

It felt somehow special.

“Saeki, why are we here?”

“… I wanted to listen to the sound of the waves.”

As I looked at the water reflecting the moonlight, I naturally heard the sound of the waves.

Saeki’s long hair swayed in the night breeze as I walked next to her , and her sweet scent spread.

Saeki’s… fragrance.

“To tell you the truth, I couldn’t relax even when we were alone over there…”

“You couldn’t relax?”

“…I’m a girl, after all. Sleeping with a boy like you is quite nerve-wracking.”

“W-What, that’s not like you.”

“……That’s just how it is.”

Saeki didn’t say much.

She had a somewhat distant look in her eyes and occasionally narrowed them as she looked at me.

“Okami-kun… why did you decide to be friends with me?”

“Well… during the cultural festival, you seemed like you wanted someone to talk to, so I couldn’t help it.”

“…You’re lying.”

“I’m not lying.”

“…You were also interested in me, weren’t you?”

“I-I wouldn’t say interested… more like I felt a connection.”

“…Huh?”

“Ah, forget it! It’s nothing.”

Maybe this conversation didn’t mean much.

Still, I found myself enjoying this time talking with Saeki.

“Hey, Okami-kun. Since it’s summer, would you like to go see some fireworks?”

“Fireworks? They’re kind of noisy, so not really.”

“Do you want to see them?”

“You’re really pushing this… do you really want to go that badly? Then let’s invite the others too.”

As I said that, Saeki tightly squeezed my hand that was holding the lantern.

Her long, slender fingers overlapped with mine.

“…Isn’t it fine if it’s just the two of us?”

“Huh……”

Saeki had a serious expression.

It’s not a blank face, it’s a face that isn’t joking.

“No…?”

“It’s not a no… I-I understand.”

I nodded slightly and made a promise to Saeki.

“At the end of summer, fireworks festival… promise.”

With our hands still together, she entwined her pinky with mine.

Tonight, Saeki seemed like a completely different person, assertive in her own way.

And so, we made a promise at the end of this summer.