When I Let My Runaway Senior Stay at My House, Beautiful Seniors Started Gathering Around Me - Chapter 5: Hinata's Gal Friend

Chapter 5: Hinata’s Gal Friend

“Seriously, sleeping so defenselessly.”

Hinata stroked Tsubaki’s cheek as he slept beside her.

Seeing him squirm as if ticklish, Hinata thought he was genuinely adorable, yet at the same time, she reflected on how she had never met a boy like him before.

“Even in a relationship as unusual as this, being wanted still makes me happy, huh… Back then, he was just a junior who let me stay over for the night, but during sex, I even allowed him to call me without honorifics… Physical compatibility really is a thing.”

More than just being called by name, Hinata changed completely when it came to intimacy, demanding affectionate exchanges from Tsubaki. Once she clung to him, she wouldn’t let go, even locking her legs tightly around his waist. However, at that moment, Hinata was so fixated on wanting to be close to Tsubaki that she didn’t realize she had slipped into a needy, affectionate mode.

“Gotta go to the bathroom for a bit.”

Hinata got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

Naturally, since only she and Tsubaki were in the house, it was quiet. Yet, she couldn’t help but smile wryly at how it felt significantly more comfortable than her own home.

“I wonder… what kind of person Tsubaki’s mom is.”

She was curious to meet her, but when she thought about how she would explain herself, she decided it was best not to meet at all.

After finishing in the bathroom and returning to the room, she found Tsubaki unexpectedly awake.

“Ah, sorry. Did I wake you?”

“No… I just woke up on my own.”

“I see. I thought maybe you woke up because you felt lonely.”

“…Sorry. It was really just a coincidence.”

“Please don’t apologize for that, or I’ll feel pathetic.”

Her usual cool demeanor was nowhere to be found. Hinata, now overwhelmed with embarrassment, quickly turned her face away, only to see her own flustered expression reflected in the mirror.

(I… have never made this kind of face in front of a boy before.)

Come to think of it, not even in front of her friends.

(Not even in front of my ex… Ah, whatever, that guy doesn’t matter.)

Shoving the image of her ex out of her mind, she accepted that there was no escape and dived into the bed—straight onto Tsubaki.

“Whoa!?”

“Diiiive.”

Tsubaki’s startled voice was a stark contrast to Hinata’s completely monotone one.

With their bodies pressed together again, Hinata rubbed her face against the chest of the junior boy who had drawn out this new side of her.

“Am I heavy?”

“No… You’re more soft than heavy.”

“Knew you’d say that. You’re such a boob freak.”

When she called him a boob freak, Tsubaki’s face turned red.

He could act all manly when they were intimate, yet at moments like this, he showed his younger side, which made Hinata feel an urge to take care of him as his senior.

(We’re not dating… Just hanging out lazily. Doing it when we feel like it… A casual relationship like this means less hassle.)

Despite thinking that, Hinata failed to notice how attached she had become to Tsubaki.

Normally, she would have spent her after-school time with friends. Yet, even though they had planned this in advance, she had prioritized being with Tsubaki. Most likely, no matter what had come up, she would have turned it down just to spend today with him.

“…Alright.”

She rolled off Tsubaki and lay down beside him.

She had felt sleepy when she first returned from the bathroom, but after all that, she was now wide awake.

“…Um, Hinata?”

“…What?”

She had been the one who told him to call her by name when they were alone, but hearing it still made her heart race. Thankfully, Tsubaki didn’t seem to notice.

When she glanced at him, he was staring at the ceiling.

“Um… You’re touching me.”

“…Oh.”

Without even realizing it, Hinata had started rubbing Tsubaki’s thing.

(When it’s just the two of us, I lose control.)

She thought about pulling her hand away, but it didn’t feel bad at all.

To be honest… If she really wanted to, she could still go for another round. But it was already late, and if they did, she’d have to take another bath. So, she decided to hold back.

“Should we sleep soon?”

“Yeah… We probably should.”

And so, at last, Hinata fell asleep beside Tsubaki.

“Hey, Tsubaki.”

“What is it?”

“…Can you stop using polite speech with me too? It feels weird if you’re calling me by name but still speaking formally.”

“But… you’re my senior.”

“Then just drop it during sex, okay? Please?”

Apparently, that was a conversation they had the next morning.

▼▽

Monday.

His body felt strangely light today… It wasn’t that he felt unwell. On the contrary, he felt amazing.

It wasn’t a bad thing, but could it be because he had started spending time with Hinata-senpai? He wasn’t sure, but it was possible that the exciting days he had never experienced before were affecting him.

“…Even if I don’t say it out loud, calling her by name still feels a little weird.”

Hinata… Hinata… Maybe I should call her Hinata-san instead!

“Hinata… Hinata… Hinata-san.”

Honestly, either way made his heart race.

That being said… that being said.

The fact that he had slept with a woman he wasn’t even dating, that he had let her stay over, and that they were continuing their relationship—this had turned into a secret he could never tell anyone.

“…Oh.”

As he was lost in thought, he noticed Kanato and Rio walking ahead of him.

They were as close as ever, which was nice to see, but for a couple like them, even as friends, it was hard to approach them.

“This is… a tricky problem.”

Now that he thought about it, his mom had mentioned something like this.

That when people got married, they would gradually spend less time with the friends they used to hang out with, and eventually, they’d stop seeing each other altogether… If that was the case, would those two also drift apart someday?

“…That would be sad, but I guess it can’t be helped.”

“What can’t be helped?”

“What do you mean, what?”

“…Huh?”

I wasn’t paying attention and kept looking down while walking.

Because of that, the moment I looked up, my forehead accidentally hit Kanato’s chin, who had somehow appeared right in front of me.

“Gah!?”

“Kanato!?”

“One hit! KO!”

Unlike me, who was worried, Rio excitedly imitated a referee despite her boyfriend falling on his butt.

Setting aside the fact that I had no idea when she got here, I reached out a hand to help Kanato up.

“Thanks…”

“No, I should be the one apologizing.”

I could have just walked away, but now that I’d been found, it looked like I was stuck walking with them.

And just as I thought, that’s exactly what happened. As we walked with Kanato between me and Rio, our conversation turned to what I had been thinking about earlier.

“Seriously? You were worried about that? We can still hang out like normal.”

“Yeah! And if Kanato’s too busy, I can hang out with Tsubaki instead!”

“Is that really okay…?”

There were so many things to comment on, but in the end, they reassured me not to worry.

If I had a more cynical mindset, I’d think they both assumed I’d never get a girlfriend or a wife.

“Alright, enough about me! How’s soccer going, Kanato?”

“Going great! As a second-year, I’ve gained the seniors’ trust.”

“You’ve been like that since your first year! Everyone relies on you, Kanato!”

“Heh, well, I guess I am pretty great!”

Kanato looked pleased with Rio’s words, but that was only because he had both ambition and absolute confidence.

I had seen him play during gym class, and he really was good at soccer. Plus, with Rio as his manager, always watching him, he probably performed even better than usual.

“…Kanato, you’re really cool.”

“…Thanks.”

Kanato rubbed his nose, looking a little embarrassed.

“Hmm… Good thing Tsubaki isn’t a girl… He’d be a tough rival for sure.”

“What does that even mean?”

When we arrived at school, I saw Hinata again.

As usual, she was with Murakumo-senpai, responding to her with half-hearted nods while keeping a blank expression… and then, she looked at me.

“…”

I thought we would just pass by each other like always, but Hinata suddenly turned her gaze away with a quick motion. That was unexpected.

On top of that, her face instantly turned red, which made me feel awkward as well.

“Hey, Hinata? This happened before too… Did something happen?”

“Nothing.”

“Tsubaki! What are you doing!?”

“Hurry up!”

“O-Oh!”

The moment I got to the classroom, I received a message.

“Lunch break. Same place.”

▼▽

Lunch break.

“Excuse me…”

“Welcome.”

Hinata was sitting by the window, waiting for me.

She smiled and opened her arms. Taking that as my cue, my body slowly moved forward… until there was no distance left between us, and she wrapped her arms around me.

“Thanks for coming.”

“You called me, Hinata… and I wanted to come too.”

“…!!”

She hugged me even tighter.

“Hmmm… I had my suspicions, but so that’s how it is.”

“…Huh?”

“…Tch.”

A voice rang out, but it wasn’t mine or Hinata’s.

Slowly, the door creaked open, revealing Murakumo-senpai peeking inside.

“I saw everything~♪”