The Story of Waking up With My Beautiful Childhood Friend and Realizing We Had Spent the Night Together - Chapter 35.2: SIDE - Inoue Asahi

Chapter 35.2: SIDE – Inoue Asahi

With just that one word, she looked into my eyes kindly.

Her gaze was as calm as the surface of the water.

There was no fear or uncertainty.

She truly believed she could handle everything.

…And she was probably right.

“Are you really… okay with this…?”

I asked hesitantly.

Yukimura-senpai smiled and nodded.

“Yes.”

Her gentle smile and voice made me exhale in relief.

I see…

She’s going to protect me.

It’s okay to rely on her.

I felt truly reassured from the bottom of my heart.

“Thank you… I’m sorry for causing trouble.”

Those words almost slipped out of my mouth.

“—But”

Just as I was about to reach for the hand of the person in front of me—

“In return, can you grant me just one request?”

That statement made me freeze.

(…Re…quest…?)

It took me a moment to process the words.

This person, asking something of me…?

I searched for any clue as to what it could be.

But nothing came to mind.

Still—

“W-what is it…? Please, tell me anything!”

Before I knew it, I had spoken with determination.

If I could do something for this person—

There was no reason to hesitate. If it was within my power, I would do anything.

I truly believed that.

I had admired her for so long. It felt like a miracle that we had grown close.

And now, even in this moment, she was helping me.

I owed her far too much. I could never repay it all.

But even so, if I could do even the smallest thing—

If I could be of use to her, then anything.

“…Thank you. Then—”

I looked up and saw an ethereal beauty.

A face so perfectly sculpted, like a piece of art that everyone admired.

Her eyes curved into the shape of a crescent moon.

(…She’s so beautiful.)

That thought was completely out of place.

No matter how many times I saw her, she was breathtaking.

Her pale, delicate fingers reached out and touched my cheek.

Then, she softly parted her lips.

“—From now on, don’t have anything to do with Amano-kun.”

Those words—

My mind went blank.

“…Huh…?”

For a moment, I couldn’t comprehend what she had said.

I chewed over the words, repeated them in my mind, and yet, they still made no sense.

“…Iori-senpai…?”

Why, at this moment, was his name being mentioned?

No—more importantly—

(What… is this…?)

To cut ties with Iori-senpai?

That was her request?

“…Why…”

Yukimura-senpai didn’t answer.

She only smiled quietly and looked down at me.

—As if she was telling me that I didn’t need to know anything.

“From now on, you mustn’t talk to him anymore.”

“…”

“No matter what Amano-kun says, just push him away and end your relationship.”

…I don’t understand.

What is she saying?

Who is she to tell me this?

“If you can promise that… then I will protect you, Asahi-chan.”

As I wavered, Yukimura-senpai—

“—Can you promise me that?”

She whispered, holding out her pinky finger.

A gentle voice. A soft curve to her lips.

Yet, deep in her eyes—

“…Ah…”

I lost my words.

(…Who is this person…?)

I stared at her in shock.

There was no doubt that the person standing before me was Yukimura Mizuki-senpai.

Beautiful, kind, and cool. My idol.

—Or at least, she was supposed to be.

(…I’m scared…)

I didn’t know this person.

I had never seen her with such hollow eyes before.

(Why is she… like this…?)

Her gaze was empty.

There was no kindness, no warmth—not even hostility or malice.

Just nothing.

She was looking at me with complete indifference.

I shifted my attention to her extended pinky.

—If I took that finger, I knew she would save me.

I was certain. She would protect me in the best possible way.

But in exchange—

(…Iori-senpai…)

I would lose him.

Senpai. Amano Iori-senpai.

To me, he was just—

(…Just a friendly upperclassman…)

So, it was fine.

He would probably be relieved to get rid of a bothersome junior like me.

—That’s what I told myself.

(…No…)

Yesterday, in that dark warehouse, surrounded by scary upperclassmen—

‘…Iori-senpai…’

The person who came to my mind in that desperate moment wasn’t the one I admired.

The one I truly wanted to save me back then—

(…What is this? That means…)

I tried desperately to deny it.

That couldn’t be right.

He was just a friendly senpai, nothing more.

…Yet, once the thought surfaced, memories flooded my mind.

His annoyed face when I talked to him at school.

His frustration when I dragged him into a one-on-one basketball match and beat him.

His reluctant expression when he bought me taiyaki on our way home.

—And the first time we met.

The warmth of his back when he carried me.

Each one of them, precious memories.

(…Ah, this is the worst.)

Of all times, why now?

‘—I heard the craziest rumor. That Iori-senpai got a girlfriend!’

I thought it was just a rumor.

‘—Turns out, it’s true. And she’s insanely gorgeous.’

He has a girlfriend.

And knowing that, I—

“Why…”

My voice trembled as I pleaded for an answer.

But Yukimura-senpai said nothing.

She only smiled down at me.

—As if telling me to choose.

(…Why Iori-senpai…?)

The question surfaced again.

What was the connection between them?

(…No way…)

A possibility came to mind.

But I refused to believe it.

I didn’t want it to be true.

I looked up at the breathtaking beauty before me.

(Could she be… interested in Iori-senpai…?)

Impossible.

She was Yukimura Mizuki, the school’s untouchable flower.

There was no way—

And yet—

(…I have to choose…)

A clear ultimatum.

Do I throw away something precious to protect myself?

Or do I reject this offer and hold onto what matters most?