Chapter 7


TL: Akabane


***


Until recently, I thought there was no progress at all with Kujo. But looking back on recent events, I no longer think that way.


I don't think I could do something like that to someone I don't like, not after what she said, not after what happened in the back account.


Maybe I'm wrong, but I think Kujo is "holding back" on me right now, just like when she turned down my confession. She's trying to figure out if I'm worthy of being next to her or not.　


I don't think the most beautiful girl in my class is going to have a boyfriend without a care in the world.


-- And I'm taking a walk around the house, or at least gathering my thoughts about what's happened recently.


Worst of all, it was raining today. Even though I have an umbrella, I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I forget it's there. So my shoulders are cold.


I hate the damp air on rainy days the most.


I was thinking about this, but instead of going home, I was walking to a nearby park for a change.


On weekends, this park is usually full of people, but today there was no one there.


"Huh?"


It wasn't that no one was here.


But there was one woman sitting on a bench, not sheltered from the rain.


I looked closely with my eyes and saw .......


Wasn't that Kujo?


"No, no. What are you doing?"


I pointed my umbrella at Kujo, who was soaking wet.


There was a short pause, and then she looked up at me with lifeless, vacant eyes.


I've never seen Kujo with a face like this.


"Nothing. I just got sick of home and came out, that's all. ......"


It was a faltering reply that sounded like she was forcing herself.


A weakened voice I had never heard before.


A depressed face I had never seen before.


The unknown Kujo.


I couldn't leave the person I love in this mess in a park in the pouring rain.


"Please come to my house for now."


Kujo shook her head without resistance and came to my house.


I'm glad today happened to be the day that everyone in the house was out except me.


I let her in, and the first thing I did was to get her to take a bath, lest she catch a cold.


She didn't try to get in by herself even though I told her to ...... so I had to blindfold her while I went in with her.


"Kujo. Is the hot water okay with you?"


"......Yes. Thank you."


I don't know what's going on because my vision is pitch black, but sitting in front of me is a naked Kujo.


A naked Kujo with her white skin exposed.


When I think of that, my head fills with naked Kujo .......


"What?"


I got the blindfold. No, the blindfold was taken off.


In front of me was a naked Kujo with a blindfold in her hand.


Her body is more slender than I imagined, her chest is bigger, and her legs are......!


"What are you doing!"


"Hmm?　You can't be washing yourself with a blindfold on, can you?"


"No, no, I do, but ....... Is that okay with you, Kujo?　I like Kujo, so I'll be looking at your body."


"Hmmm. If you want to see it, why not?　It's not like my nakedness is something that would diminish if you saw me naked."


Kujo, who feels no embarrassment at all about being seen naked, sits in chair and waits for me.


She says it's not something that would diminish if I saw it, but I have a feeling it would diminish something important. ......


Kujo takes off the blindfold and I'm so out of control that I go straight to washing her.


I mean, this situation of me washing her body also seems strange.


I lather up a special cloth for washing my body and wash Kujo's body.


Apparently, the force was good, and a voice that sounded pleasant leaked out, "Haa ......."


"Can you wash the front too?"


"......!"


I didn't resist because it was Kujo's wish. I never had any guilty feelings. I was not feeling guilty.


I unconsciously washed her breasts as if I was rubbing them, I washed her stomach as if I was stroking it, I washed her thighs with my hands, and did other things that were completely over the line, but it all ended without Kujo ever once getting angry with me.


As I was not told by Kujo, I indeed could not go as far as wiping her body.


"...... phew. Thanks."


I started chugging the cocoa in silence, and the first thing Kujo said to me after her body warmed up was words of gratitude.


"You can stay here as long as you want. Please take your time."


"Yes."


I was lying in the same place where I usually lie down and watch TV.


Thinking about lying down in a place where the person I love is always there makes me happy.


I mean, Kujo is suffering, but I'm thinking something wicked.


"Haa."


I heard a sigh.


My heart suddenly tightened and for some reason I sat upright in front of the couch where Kujo was lying down.


"What's wrong?"


"Eh, no, it's just a reflexive ......."


"Hmmm. What's that?"


Kujo, who had always had empty eyes, laughed at me. She laughed at ...... me, though.


Kujo is clearly in a strange state.


Could it be that the reason Igarashi was concerned about Kujo was because this could happen?


"Kujo."


"Hmm?"


"Kujo, before you got involved with me, why was Igarashi like a bodyguard?　These days, it's like you're just childhood friends, but you're so close. ......"


"Ah. Igarashi was worried about me. See, you can tell if you look at me now, can't you?"


Apparently I was right about what I thought.


It doesn't matter, I think the air got heavier because I made Kujo reaffirm her current situation.


"Oh, that's right~....... I thought for sure that Igarashi was in love with Kujo."


"Igarashi likes me?　I don't think so. Because he has a girlfriend."


"What?!　Is that so?!"


"Yes. Yanagi's first impression of Igarashi may have been the worst, but he's a very caring and nice person, you know?"


"Heh. ......."


Indeed, he must be a good person since he supports me and Kujo.


"Oh, but I think you can tell, Yanagi, that the part about being willing to use violence for the sake of a goal is a little not good."


"I think so too. ...... I was so scared when he grabbed me by the chest. I would have cried if someone had done that to me."


"But you didn't cry for me?"


"Yes."


"Right. Yanagi is amazing, isn't he?"


This was the first time Kujo had ever praised me.


As I was saying "hehehehe", I was beckoned by Kujo to come sit next to her.


I had no reason to refuse, so I sat down next to her.


I felt warmth on my buttocks.


I want to ask "Why did you invite me to sitting next to you?" but I was not in the mood to ask.


I just sat down next to her.


"What?'


Kujo leaned on my right shoulder.


"Yanagi, you have a surprisingly strong body, don't you?"


"Yes, I've been working out."


"Hmmm. Are you a hidden macho?"


"No, I'm not that macho. I'm just not skinny or fat. You can probably find a body like this among your classmates."


"I'm not a muscle freak, okay?"


I want to punch myself for thinking she was a little perverted.


"I just thought your body was so strong."


"...... Yes."


"Hm?　That's all."


"Oh, really? I thought for sure that Kujo was a muscle maniac and that my body met her eyes."


"Muscle is ....... I'm not the kind of woman who drools over a man's body. Oh, I drool, so now I'm done."


Apparently, Kujo is a pervert.


This is a figure she would never show in class. It makes me feel special and happy to know that I know something that no one else knows.


After a few seconds of silence.


"There's something I'd like to tell you, Yanagi."


She spoke to me in a serious tone.


I felt the air tighten on my skin.


I let my floating heart sink and listened intently to Kujo's story.


"Actually, I--"


She began to speak calmly and suddenly, and the content of her speech was why she had to be protected by Igarashi, It was the reason.



PREV | NEXT