"You can't kiss me can you?" When I accepted my childhood friends challenge, she unexpectedly softened and is acting like a love-struck girl [Dropped]

Airi Kamishiro dislikes Kazami Ibuki.

However, it wasn’t always that way.

In the past, she liked him.

She always wanted to be with him.

For Airi, Ibuki was like a younger brother.

You could even say he was her subordinate.

Ibuki used to be shy and timid.

On the other hand, Airi was sociable, cheerful, and curious.

So, Airi always held Ibuki’s hand and made him interact with others.

Whether it was the first day of kindergarten or elementary school.

She would pull him up when he was always crying.

Airi always walked in front, while Ibuki walked behind her like an obedient disciple.

Airi hit her growth spurt earlier so she was taller than him.

Whenever they fought, Airi always won.

Airi’s point of view always prevailed.

Airi was the older sister, and Ibuki was the younger brother.

Airi was above, and Ibuki was below.

Without her, he would be lost and would be unable to do anything on his own.

That’s what Airi had thought since she was a child.

The first time things changed was… around second grade of elementary school.

They had a big fight, got physical, and Airi was left in tears.

Ibuki, who had always been on the receiving end, fought back, and Airi cried from the shock.

Since then, Airi stopped using violence against Ibuki in fights.

Because she couldn’t win no matter what.

Since then, they hadn’t fought in a way that would hurt each other.

Because Ibuki had been strongly taught by his parents never to lay hands on a girl.

As time went on, Ibuki started catching up to Airi little by little.

First in physical strength.

Then in height.

Finally, in academic performance.

By the time they reached middle school, he had already surpassed her in strength and height.

She was a girl and he was a boy.

Losing in strength and height is natural.

Airi easily accepted those facts.

At least they were still competing in academics.

In fact, weren’t they vying for the top two spots?

They were equal in friendship and rivals.

That’s what she had thought till now.

…Or tried to convince herself.

Airi’s illusion shattered when they entered high school and they both took their first exams.

Ibuki took the top spot, while Airi could only manage a rank better than a third.

It was nothing.

Until now, their competition had been on a lower level, making it look like they were competing.

Because the ceiling was low, there were times when Airi could win by chance.

Ibuki had long since overtaken Airi.

Before she knew it, Airi was looking up at Ibuki.

Before she knew it, Airi was staring at Ibuki’s back.

Though he used to be teased for his girly face, he had turned into a handsome young man.

His slender body had become a strong, masculine one.

He started becoming attractive to girls too.

He even went to study abroad to learn new things.

There was a time when he couldn’t do anything without Airi.

Unbeknownst to her, he had started making decisions on his own.

Before she knew it, he had acquired more initiative, action, and courage than she had.

Airi began to dislike Ibuki when she noticed that he started outmatching her.

His well-proportioned face.

His masculine, sturdy body.

His high academic achievements.

His courage.

His kindness.

His thoughtfulness.

She disliked all of it.

She disliked the fact that he was outstanding, perfect, without a single flaw.

And she hated herself even more for feeling jealous of his admirable qualities and his coolness.

That’s why she came to dislike Ibuki more and more as time passed.

Because it would remind her of her own ugliness.

Her parents, who appreciated and expected Ibuki despite her disliking him, annoyed her.

Even if their assessment was reasonable, it angered her.

So, in order to trouble them, she left home on a whim.

…Actually, she had intended to return immediately if they tried to stop her.

But they didn’t, so she had come this far.

Still, the reason she hadn’t gone too far from home was that she wanted to be found.

She didn’t want to go back willingly.

She wanted to see her desperate parents searching for her.

Airi’s presence here was for such a silly and boring reason.

And being pointed out by her childhood friend made her even angrier.

So, Airi thought, why not trouble him?

She wanted to hurt her childhood friend, who seemed flawless and perfect, even if he wasn’t.

So, she said it despite wanting the opposite.

“I dislike you. Just disappear from my life.”

“W-What…?”

In response to Ibuki’s visibly shaken state, Airi continued.

“I dislike you. Everything about you. Don’t look down on me just because you’re taller than me. I hate that you’re stronger than me, faster than me….. You used to be weak and slow! I hate that you’re smarter than me, have better grades. I hate that you don’t brag about any of it. I hate it. I hate that you’re more talented and perfect than me. And I hate that I’m so envious of you being cool and wonderful. That’s why I hate you more and more. Because it makes me confront my own ugliness…… My parents, who value and expect great things from you, even if it’s fair, it annoys me. That’s why I left to make them worry…. Actually, I was planning to come back if they tried to stop me, but they never did, so here I am…. But even if I go back, I want them to find me near the house. I don’t want to willingly return. I don’t want to go back to them. And I especially don’t want you to point out this dumb and boring reason.”

And then she noticed the look on Ibuki’s face after saying all that.

She had done it.

She had said things she shouldn’t have said.

Sje crossed a line that shouldn’t have been crossed.

She had shattered something that was precious to her.

Even if it felt stifling, she wanted to spend time with him, even if she disliked him.

She wanted to maintain her relationship with her childhood friend, who she might like more than she disliked.

And she had destroyed it with her own hands.

Airi finally realized that what she did was wrong.

“Um, w-wait. Th-that… what I just said was just, you know, playing with words…”

As Airi tried to come up with excuses, Ibuki interrupted her.

“I disliked you too.”