"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] - Chapter 25 - Inseperable!

“You’ve made me cry and bullied me countless times.”

When Ibuki said this, Airi lowered her shoulders.

Ibuki, seeing the pitiful girl in front of him, folded his umbrella and entered the dome.

Then, he turned to face Airi to notice that she had an unusually pale face.

“In addition, you…”

“N-No… It’s different… What happened earlier…”

“I’m the one talking right now.”

Airi fell silent at Ibuki’s words.

In response to Airi’s silence, Ibuki spoke candidly.

“I could never beat you. I always lost in fights and was always made to cry. That’s why I hated you.”

“…But you won when we were kids, right?”

“I’m a guy. It’s no good if a guy beats a girl with violence. It’s more embarrassing, to be honest.”

Winning against a girl with violence was shameful. Being made to cry was even more shameful.

Even if it was a story from when they were in second grade. Even if Airi was bigger than Ibuki back then it was still an embarrassing memory.

“What’s with that? Just because you’re a guy and I’m a girl…”

He might have been talking about physical ability. In reality, Airi also believed that she couldn’t beat Ibuki in terms of height and other physical aspects when they grew.

But convincing herself and having it pointed out by someone else were two very different things.

…Because he was a guy and felt defenseless because he couldn’t fight a girl. He was basically giving away his win.

Having that fact pointed out again was unpleasant.

“I may not be good at socializing, but you were. People always surrounded you. Teachers and classmates liked you from a long time ago, and you had many friends, right?… Even my mother often said she wanted a daughter like you.”

Ibuki always stuck to Airi’s side like a piece of fish waste.

When they played in a group, they would include him with Airi.

When Airi wasn’t around, he was always alone.

His relationship with Kuzuhara and Hazuki also began through Airi.

It started as friends of a friend.

…Of course, now they were just normal friends, and Ibuki had learned to get along without Airi, but even so, he had always envied Airi’s cheerful and sociable nature.

He hated it.

Because it made him feel miserable.

“In addition, you’re better at the piano.”

“…The piano isn’t really useful, is it?”

For Airi, the piano was something she played occasionally for fun. It wasn’t something to boast about. Maybe if she were so skilled that she could make a living from it, she could be proud, but at the very least, Airi’s skills didn’t reach that level.

In that sense, there was not much difference between Ibuki and Airi.

“I used to think I had talent… I was hurt when someone who started later than me surpassed me.”

Ibuki said that and furrowed his brow.

What Ibuki cared about was something Airi hadn’t paid any attention to.

It wasn’t a pleasant thing for Ibuki to have to compare himself with Airi all the time.

His clumsy drawings compared to Airi’s skillful ones.

He started to hate drawing because of Airi.

It was all because of Airi…

“I used to hate going to the gym too. I always lost to you back then in physical strength… Well, it’s different now.”

Since he had developed physically as a man, he was undoubtedly stronger than Airi.

Of course, physical education was done separately for boys and girls, so they no longer competed.

“Also, your cuteness and beauty, I don’t like them.”

“C-Cute…”

“I have to walk next to you. I’m not here to be your sidekick.”

“…”

“Why are you blushing? I’m not giving you a compliment or anything.”

Ibuki scratched his cheek, a little embarrassed, and then cleared his throat and brought the conversation back.

“I’ve always, always, always, and even now, I feel inferior to you. Because of you, I feel suffocated… I hate it.”

Ibuki finally let out the feelings he had been holding back.

He revealed the secret he had intended to take to his grave.

But he didn’t feel bad about it.

Because he knew that Airi felt the same way.

That provided a small comfort to Ibuki’s pride.

“…..”

“…..”

After a few moments of silence, Airi spoke.

“…Can I ask you one thing?”

“What is it?”

“You hate me, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Then why are you with me?”

In response to Airi’s question, Ibuki scratched his cheek and answered.

“Being with you is fun.”

“Even though you hate me?”

“Even if I consider that, it’s still fun… Summer vacation without you is lonely, after all.”

“Hmm…”

In response to Ibuki’s answer, Airi smiled with a mischievous grin.

Ibuki, feeling a bit embarrassed, asked Airi in return.

“You, on the other hand… Isn’t it suffocating for you to be with me? Why did you stay with me?”

In response to Ibuki’s question, Airi wore a smug smile.

“Well, Ibuki-kun, you know, you can’t live without me, right? You have no choice.”

“Isn’t that cunning?”

Ibuki couldn’t help but smile wryly. Then, he reached out to Airi once again.

“Alright, let’s go back.”

“No.”

Airi said, turning her face away.

“…You know, I still haven’t forgiven my parents.”

“It’s not like they don’t care.”

Ibuki forcibly took Airi’s hand and tried to stand up. However, Airi shook her head in reluctance and resisted.

And then, she clung to Ibuki.

“Hey, let’s stay together.”

“Stay together huh…”

“Let’s run away from home.”

Airi whispered those words with a mischievous smile on her face.

☆☆☆☆☆☆

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TL : Zenon#4120