When I Helped Out At My Classy Classmate's Family Home, They Started Going All Out To Close In On Me From Every Angle. - Chapter 34: Maybe ―2

Maybe ―2

The first recreational activity at the mountain retreat was hiking.

After placing our belongings at the lodging nestled in the mountains, the students set out to climb a nearby peak.

Twenty minutes into the hike, our group found ourselves trailing at the very back. The others had slowed their pace to match Ayame’s increasingly labored steps.

Ayame was drenched in sweat, her breathing ragged and labored. She looked visibly exhausted.

“Are you okay, Ayame?” Chika asked, her concern evident.

“I’d like to say I’m fine, but to be honest, this is really tough,” Ayame replied, her face etched with fatigue. Normally, she would’ve forced a smile to avoid worrying Chika, but it seemed she no longer had the energy for that.

Mikage, who had been sticking close to Ayame, bowed her head slightly toward the rest of us.

“I apologize for the delay. Please understand that Ayame-sama has a frail constitution and struggles with strenuous physical activities.”

“Ah, that makes sense. Ayame does miss gym class pretty often,” Chika nodded in understanding, seemingly recalling past instances.

Even as we talked, Ayame’s pace slowed further until she came to a complete stop, bending forward with her hands on her knees, her shoulders heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. Judging by her state, it was clear she couldn’t continue without help.

Should we contact the teacher and ask for assistance?

As I debated internally, Ayame raised her head and spoke, her voice weak but determined.

“I’m sorry, but could someone lend me a hand? It’s a bit difficult for me to climb on my own.”

“You don’t have to push yourself. If we explain the situation, I’m sure the teacher will understand,” I said, trying to ease her burden.

“No, I don’t want to give up. It’s hard, but if I can make it to the top, it’ll become a wonderful memory with all of you,” Ayame replied, managing a faint smile despite her exhaustion.

Her words and her fragile smile stirred something protective within me.

“In that case, it would be insensitive to tell you not to push yourself, wouldn’t it?”

“Exactly. We all want to make this a great memory, too,” Chika agreed.

“Our job is to support Ayame so that we can all make it to the top together,” Shuuji  added.

Resolute in fulfilling Ayame’s wish, the three of us—Chika, Shuuji , and I—quickly rallied.

“Alright! Let’s help Ayame!”
“Yes! I’m counting on you, Tetsu!”
“Make sure you support her properly, alright?”
“Please take care of Ayame-sama, Kanda-san.”

“Wait, hold on a second! Why is this suddenly my responsibility?!”

The three of them unanimously assigned the task to me, leaving me flabbergasted.

It was so seamlessly coordinated that it felt almost premeditated, their timing impeccable.

As I stood there, mouth agape in disbelief, Shuuji  and Chika began to explain.

“Well, you and Ayame get along pretty well, don’t you? Besides, if I helped her, Chika would probably get jealous.”

“This is a great chance for you to grow closer to Ayame, Tetsu!”

“I get what you’re saying, but wouldn’t Mikage be a better choice? She’s Ayame’s attendant, and she’s probably stronger than I am,” I reasoned.

“Unfortunately, I can’t,” Mikage interjected matter-of-factly.

Mikage firmly shook her head, her lips pressed into a thin line, her expression one of profound anguish, as though saying she was torn apart inside.

“I, too, wish to support Ayame-sama,” she said, “but I have a mission that I must fulfill.”

“A mission you must fulfill?”

“To deal with the threat of wild animals.”

Her unexpected response made me blink in surprise.

As I stood there, dumbfounded, Mikage continued.

“Bears, of course, and even wild boars can pose a serious threat to human life. To protect Ayame-sama, I must ensure that no such dangers are present in the vicinity.”

“Uh, I doubt there are any around here. I mean, this is a school trip site, so they’ve probably confirmed it’s safe, right?”

“However, bears have recently been sighted even in urban areas. Can we truly be certain that there are none here?”

“Well, when you put it like that…”

Mikage’s argument was reasonable. It was unlikely, but we were still in the mountains. The possibility, however slim, couldn’t be dismissed entirely.

Still, letting Mikage go off on her own didn’t sit well with me. Strong as she might be, she was still a girl.

With that in mind, I tried to counter.

“Even so, you shouldn’t go. If you ran into a bear, you’d be in danger.”

“Please don’t worry. While a head-on confrontation would be difficult, I could handle it using indirect tactics.”

“Han-handle it…?”

Her confident reply left me speechless. The idea of her taking on a bear alone felt absurd, as if she were some overpowered protagonist in a novel. Was she even human?

While I stood there, my face stiff with disbelief, Mikage stretched lightly, then turned her back to us.

“Well then, I shall be off. Please, take care of Ayame-sama.”

“Wait, don’t push yourself! If it gets dangerous, make sure you run, okay?!”

Ignoring my worried plea, Mikage disappeared into the woods.

Left behind, I felt two hands clasp my shoulders from either side. Shuuji  and Chika were grinning mischievously.

“You wouldn’t refuse Tsukimoto-san’s request, would you, Tetsu?”

“If you leave Ayame-chan alone, Mikage-chan might actually kill you, you know?”

“I get it, okay? I was never planning to leave Ayame behind in the first place,” I grumbled, brushing them off as I headed over to Ayame.

She smiled up at me, her eyes narrowing in relief.

“Thank you so much, Tetsu-kun. Could you support me by wrapping your arm around my waist?”

“Uh, that would mean I’d be, like… really touching you. Is that okay?”

As I hesitated, Ayame kept her innocent smile and nodded.

“It’s perfectly fine. I don’t mind anything as long as it’s you, Tetsu-kun.”

A bombshell statement dropped so nonchalantly.

The impact was so overwhelming that I ended up mimicking a goldfish gasping for air, my mouth opening and closing soundlessly.

Feeling awkward, I mumbled and fidgeted with my lips, trying to mask my embarrassment with a sarcastic remark.

“If you’ve got enough energy to tease me, maybe you’re not doing so bad after all.”

“Tease you?”

Ayame tilted her head quizzically, clearly not grasping my sarcasm. It seemed her words weren’t meant to tease but were genuinely heartfelt.

Don’t trust me so easily like that! I’m a guy, you know?! Guys can be wolves, you know?!

Feeling like I might implode, I steeled myself and wrapped my arm around Ayame’s waist.

It was so slender it felt like it might break if I held her too tightly. Her body was perfectly proportioned—curves where they should be, and a slim waist to match. Not just her face and personality; even her figure was flawless.

“S-so, let’s give it just a bit more effort, okay?”

“Yes.”

Despite my nervous, fumbling attempt to encourage her, Ayame responded with a radiant smile.