The Story of a Man Who Vowed to Not Let Any Man Come Between Yuri, Only to Find Himself Caught in Between Them - Chapter 15: Yearning♡

Chapter 15: Yearning♡

“Good morning, Sakuya-kun.”

“Good mornin’, Sakuya-kun ♪”

With a beautiful smile bomb, they greeted me early in the morning!! 

The memory remained in my mind, and what I thought would settle down after a day or two has continued until now.

Well, even though it has reduced somewhat, I can’t help but imagine that the two of them might start kissing each other when I see their smiling faces.

“What is it? Your face looks red, you know?”

Mai noticed my change and said so, then she smiled slyly and approached me with her face close to mine.

“Could it be that you’re remembering that day, nya~?”

“…”

“Mai, don’t tease him too much like that. He might end up hating you, you know?”

Yuka said from behind, and Mai’s expression changed noticeably.

The mocking expression she had just a moment ago disappeared, and she quickly apologized to me.

“I’m sorry, Sakuya-kun. I didn’t mean it that way… I just, well, I…” She looked like she was about to cry in an instant, but I reassured her, saying it’s okay.

“Well, I don’t dislike it, so it’s okay. To be honest… what Mai said wasn’t wrong. I’ve been unable to forget about that thing, and my heart’s been pounding like crazy… sorry. It’s embarrassing, I’m sorry for being creepy and for just existing.”

“Sakuya-kun!?

“You don’t have to say it like that! If you were aware of us, that’s actually great!!”

I… I can’t forget about it. How much I wanted to brag about it to Rito, my fellow comrade in yuri, how much I wanted to tell Sangou that I saw such a dream-like scene, I’ve been feeling this way all along.

“…Well, it’s only natural to be aware of someone!”

“…You were aware♪”

“Hehe… but, it’s a bit different from just being aware, you know?”

What does she mean?

But recently, I’ve been thinking that even exchanging words in the classroom has become normal. Of course, both boys and girls look our way, but there’s no sweetness in our interactions, so we’re not being interrogated or anything… or so I want to believe.

“Okay, I’m going to the restroom.”

“Be careful.”

“What are you guys, Mother and daughter?”

With that, Mai quickly left the classroom.

Yuka, whom I thought was heading back to her seat, didn’t move from her spot and kept her gaze fixed on me.

“…Yuka?”

“Ah…”

When I called her name, she flinched and her body trembled.

She continued to stare at me intently, her cheeks loosening into a gentle smile, and she said the following.

“It feels good to be called by my name after all. It’s completely different from being called by my last name… I really prefer this way.”

Well, calling her by her name also makes me nervous in its own way.

“Aren’t you going back to your seat?”

“Oh, Sakuya-kun, I’d rather talk to you more. And now you’re asking me to go back over there?”

“…Aren’t you being sly?”

“I apologize, but this feeling is sincere, you know? It’s been since Saturday that we last saw each other.”

“Well, it’s only been a day.”

“But that one day felt so long. You, being our first guy friend, are special to Mai and me after all.”

Special, huh… I shouldn’t misunderstand, though. I’m sure she doesn’t have such intentions, I thought to myself, realizing how shallow I was becoming.

(Well, they may seem like that, but they’re not. After all, these girls are in a yuri relationship.)

That’s why I can understand that there is no ulterior motive behind the words I receive from Yuka and Mai… It’s both sad and happy at the same time.

“Good morning, Ihomote-kun. And good morning, Minase-san,” said Class Rep as she approached.

“Hey there.”

“Good morning, Shinozaki-san.”

Class Rep looked at me and Yuka alternately, placing a hand over her mouth as she continued speaking.

“I knew you occasionally made eye contact, but I never thought you’d become such good friends. It’s unusual, especially for Minase-san.”

“Oh, really? But… hehe.”

“What’s that…?”

“Well, you see, Sakuya-kun is my… no, not only mine, he’s also Mai’s first-ever guy friend. So, it’s understandable that we would want to talk like this, right?” Yuka said challengingly, and Class Rep took a step back.

She probably didn’t expect to be countered like this, but even so, I was naturally happy to hear Yuka say that. I nodded with his arms crossed.

“Hey, what really happened?”

“Well, you know, during work, I happened to meet them and we had a chance to talk about various things. That’s right, isn’t it?”

“Yes, we talked about a lot of things and got to know each other♪”

“I see…”

“By the way, I’ve been wanting to ask, does Shinozaki-san like Sakuya-kun?”

“Huh? Me? Like him?”

Hey, don’t point your finger at me.

I mean, it’s true that I used to talk to Class Rep quite a bit, and I’ve been teased about it by others before, but we’re really just good friends, so I always deny it. There’s no way it’s like that.

“I don’t think so. We just get along.”

“Okay, that’s fine then.”

“I’m back~… Wait, what are you guys talking about?”

At that moment, Mai joined them.

Later, Mai also exchanged a few words with the Class Rep, and Class Rep returned to her seat, looking as curious as ever.

“Well then, Sakuya-kun, I’ll go back now.”

“Huh? What about Mai?”

“Hey, I was just in the bathroom and didn’t hear your conversation, so I can still stay here, right!?”

“Huh? Oh, yes.”

Yuka sat back in her seat, leaving only Mai.

“Did something happen?”

“Huh? Why do you ask?”

“Well…” 

It just feels different from when we met at the weekend.

The part of them that feels for each other hasn’t changed, and I could sense that even in the little time we had just spent together… 

(What is it? Something feels different… But I can’t quite figure out what it is.)

Although I wanted to take a moment to think about it, I didn’t have the luxury to do so with Mai right in front of me. It seemed like I had no choice but to keep her company.

After thinking for a moment, Mai smiled and said, 

“Yuka and I have been thinking about various things. And I realized something new, like all the things my family said in the past and other hurtful words just don’t matter anymore, that kind of feeling.”

“Hmm?”

“Hey, Sakuya-kun.”

“What is it?”

Then Mai retracted her smile.

“Yuka and I… We’re really similar in a lot of ways, like our preferences and stuff.”

“Yeah.”

“So… Well, maybe it’s still too early for this. It’s better to make you realize it gradually.”

“Um… In other words?”

“It’s nothing, really. I’m going back to Yuka’s side.”

“Huh? Okay.”

In the end, I couldn’t quite understand what Mai was trying to say. Just as Mai finished speaking, Yorihito walked into the classroom, and I couldn’t help but feel relieved that he didn’t witness the moment I was talking to the girls… Because I was sure he would ask me what happened like  Class Rep did.

“By the way, Sakuya.”

“Hmm?”

“Do you get paid well for your part-time job as Tsukki?”

“Well, it’s decent. I got a special allowance during the summer last year, so I made quite a bit.”

“I see… Well, it doesn’t really have a special meaning, but I’ve been thinking of getting a part-time job too lately.”

“Oh? Do you have something you want to buy?”

“Well, yeah.”

The best part-time job varies for each person, but I think Tsukki’s job pays pretty well, especially during the summer like I mentioned earlier.

As the time for that season is coming soon, I wonder if I’ll be able to rake in some money this year too, and I’m curious to see if some of it will contribute to laying the foundation for my Yuri plans.

“By the way… Huh?”

“What’s… up?”

Suddenly, a male student approached us.

He was Aikawa, if I remember correctly, quite popular in our class and considered good-looking. With a refreshing smile, he opened his mouth and said.

“Good morning, Ihomote-kun. There’s something I want to ask you.”

“Something you want to ask?”

“Yeah. Did you have anything going on with Minase-san and Aizawa-san… like, romantically?”

“Nah, nothing at all. Not even a remotely sexy story, sadly.”

“I see… I apologize for asking.”

I had prepared a confident response because I had a feeling I would be asked about this kind of thing. And from Aikawa’s tone, it seems like he’s fishing for information about one of them. I never thought I would be in a position to be asked about it myself… Well, from Minase and Aizawa’s perspective, even someone as good-looking as Aikawa could be a nuisance.

“What do you mean by Minase and Aizawa?”

“Oops…”

After that, Yorihito continued to ask me about the two of them for a while… Aikawa, I can’t forgive you.