It was the morning after my long phone call with Akise-san—even though the actual logistics for today had taken all of five minutes to settle.
I stood around awkwardly in the station square, our designated meeting spot.
Since it was nine o'clock on a Saturday morning, the foot traffic was fairly heavy. I worried that my large frame was getting in everyone's way, which made me want to retreat into a corner.
Checking my phone, I saw it was only 8:50. I had already been standing here for over thirty minutes.
My apartment was a bit pricey but conveniently located near the station, meaning it was only a few minutes' walk from my door to the terminal. I had left early to ensure I wouldn't be late, but I had clearly overdone it.
The bag stuffed with textbooks was digging into my shoulder, and the weight was starting to become a problem. I shifted it to the other side and switched the umbrella I was holding to my other hand.
The tip of the umbrella clicked against the concrete. I looked up at the sky, but there were no rain clouds in sight for the moment.
The morning news had predicted a fifty percent chance of rain. We were halfway through June, after all; it was that time of year when a downpour could start at any second. Since I was carrying a heavy load of papers, I really hoped the weather would hold.
As I was lost in thought, I suddenly noticed a change in the atmosphere.
"What is it...?"
The people around me had begun to buzz with excitement.
Following their collective gaze toward the station gates, I saw a girl walking out, looking restlessly from side to side.
"Ah, Yanagida-kun!"
The moment her flaxen eyes caught sight of me, a radiant smile bloomed across her face.
As I had suspected, the girl was my companion for the day, Haruka Akise-san.
She was already naturally striking, but seeing her run toward me with a dazzling smile while waving her hand... the sheer impact of it was devastating.
"The train was more crowded than I expected, so I’m a bit late. I'm sorry!"
"No... you’re right on time. Don’t worry about it."
I felt the weight of curious and envious stares piercing me as I spoke familiarly with her. Usually, I would have shrunk under that kind of social pressure, but right now, I was too preoccupied to care.
Akise-san was simply too cute.
She wore a refreshing, modest, yet feminine outfit. Her top was a thin, white, short-sleeved blouse. The translucent fabric and puffed sleeves highlighted a sense of clean elegance and casual charm without feeling forced. Below that, she wore a chic jumper skirt. It was a refined knee-length piece, but the way it swayed softly with every step was incredibly eye-catching.
The silhouette was cinched slightly at the waist, striking an exquisite balance between the diligence of a student and a keen sense of style. A black canvas backpack, bulging slightly with textbooks, hung from her shoulders, and she wore white short socks with loafers.
The look was understated, suited for a study group, yet it still displayed a clear sense of effort. Her natural radiance elevated an outfit that might have looked dowdy on anyone else into something sophisticated.
"Ah, um..."
"Is something wrong?"
"I think your clothes... really suit you. You look cute."
"Wha—!?"
It was as if I were delirious. Words so frivolous I couldn't have imagined them coming from my usual self just leaked out of my mouth.
She must have heard mediocre compliments like that a thousand times before. And yet, she dyed her lightly made-up cheeks crimson and offered a bashful smile.
"Th-thank you. I didn't think you’d say something like that to me, so I was surprised. I'm so happy...!"
"Well, I'm aware it's unlike me. But I felt like I had to say something, and before I knew it, I was speaking."
"You're unfair, Yanagida-kun."
"Am I?"
"Yes, unfair. I was planning on focusing seriously on our studies today... but if you tell me I'm cute, my head is going to be in the clouds."
She let out a little giggle and placed a hand against her cheek. Looking at that unfairly adorable gesture, I couldn't help but think she was the one being unfair.
I wanted to linger in this moment forever, but the onlookers wouldn't stop staring. When I swept a hostile glare over the crowd, the gawkers quickly averted their eyes and began to disperse. At times like this, I was actually grateful for my large build and naturally sharp eyes.
As I exhaled a sigh of relief, I felt a tug on my sleeve.
"Um... I think you look cool too, Yanagida-kun."
She delivered the blow while looking up at me through her lashes, her face flushed with embarrassment. The sheer power of the move made my knees wobble.
"Is that so? It's just a normal jacket and jeans."
"You're tall and muscular, so even simple clothes really pop on you... Yeah, I think you look great!"
Akise-san nodded repeatedly as she scrutinized me from head to toe. I had tried to choose something clean and not too flashy, and it seemed I had passed her test. I felt an itchy sensation from her direct praise, but...
"If I look decent enough to walk beside you without standing out in a bad way, then I'm satisfied."
"Hehe, if anything, I might be the one getting nervous."
We shared a small laugh. It was a peaceful, if slightly embarrassing, moment, but a sudden sense of dread welled up in my chest. I felt like I was forgetting—ah.
"Crap, the bus...!"
"Oh! Right! We have to hurry!"
After meeting at the station, we were supposed to take a bus to the Civic Center. There were only a few minutes left until the departure time. As we started running toward the stop, Akise-san let out a small cry.
"Oh no!"
"What is it?"
She was staring at the black umbrella in my hand.
"I forgot to bring an umbrella!"
"Ah... well, the news said there's only a fifty percent chance of rain. Maybe we'll be okay."
"If it does rain, you’ll have to let me into yours, okay?"
"Eh?"
I nearly stumbled at how naturally she said it. She didn't wait for an answer before running off again, and we reached the bus stop just as our ride was pulling in.
"We made it!"
"Yeah."
Akise-san's cheeks were flushed, perhaps from the sudden sprint, as she gave me a bright smile. I decided not to overthink things. As long as it didn't rain, we'd be fine.
We boarded the bus together. Akise-san, who commutes by bus, tapped her pass on the reader, while I, who rarely uses public transit, took a numbered ticket.
I saw her sit in a two-person seat at the back and started to take the seat in front of her, but a hand suddenly gripped my arm.
"..."
"♪"
With a smile, she patted the empty space beside her. She wanted me to sit with her.
My hesitation lasted only a second. I gave up and sat down.
"Thank you ♪"
I couldn't help but give a wry smile at how happy she looked. I pulled my backpack onto my lap and hugged it, crossing my arms. I did it to secure the bag, but also to make sure I didn't accidentally bump into her in the narrow seat.
"Is it too cramped?"
"Not at all. If anything... it's reassuring. It feels like I'm being protected."
"Is that so?"
Since we were on a bus, I kept my voice as low as possible. It turned into a whispered conversation that reminded me of our phone call the night before.
"Speaking of being protected... that was really cool earlier. When you went 'glaaare' and chased all those people away."
"That wasn't really... I just didn't like being stared at. Looking scary isn't exactly a point of pride."
"I don't know about that. I think your sharp eyes are handsome."
Was she planning to hit me with "cool" compliments all day? I realized she wasn't just being polite, which made me feel genuinely bashful. I looked away toward the fare display above the driver's seat to hide it. I heard her giggle beside me.
"But if that's the case, I guess I can't expect 'that' kind of scenario when I'm with you, Yanagida-kun."
"What 'scenario'?"
"You know, like in stories? 'Getting hit on while the boyfriend is away' or 'Come with me instead of that guy.' Since you're so tall, you'd never lose sight of me, and everyone would run away the moment you glared at them."
Hearing her talk so dreamily about it made me imagine the situation for real. My blood ran cold, and I felt a surge of irritation. It might be a romantic trope for girls, but for the guy, it was a nightmare.
"I'll work hard to make sure nothing like that ever happens."
"Yeah ♪ ...You have to protect me, okay?"
"Understood."
A pincer attack of compliments and upturned gazes. The power was overwhelming. It was terrifying how quickly my will to resist was being dismantled.
Until recently, my size and face were things that kept people at a distance, making it hard to make friends. But ever since I met Akise-san, I felt like I had more reasons to be grateful for the way I was born.
I felt a laugh bubbling up at how fickle I was being, but then I paused.
What was I doing, accepting this so naturally? I wasn't her boyfriend; I was just a friend. I felt a twinge of self-loathing for harboring these possessive feelings... but then I saw her smiling happily and figured it was fine.
"Next stop, Civic Center Front..."
"It’s almost our stop."
The time had flown by during our whispered chat. Feeling a lingering sense of regret, I looked at Akise-san, who was sitting by the window, and asked her to press the stop button.
"I can't reach~. You do it, Yanagida-kun."
"..."
She dangled her hands playfully and didn't even try to move from her seat. I gave her a flat look, but it bounced right off the shield of her perfect smile. I didn't know what she was up to, but I had to press the button.
I leaned forward, my upper body crossing in front of hers as I reached for the wall—
"Fuuu..."
"Wha—!?"
A sudden, tickling sensation in my ear made me nearly jump out of my skin. I turned a shocked gaze toward the culprit, who was covering her mouth with both hands, shaking with laughter.
I managed to press the button and slumped back into my seat.
"Akise-san."
"I-I'm sorry! I just suddenly wanted to try it...!"
I looked at her with pure exasperation.
"That was definitely a foul."
"Yes... I'm sorry..."
I had suspected it the other day, but the real Akise-san was surprisingly mischievous. As she sat there looking dejected, she reached into the bag on her lap and pulled out a wrapped bundle.
When I realized what it was, my eyes widened. No way...
"I made a bento for us, so will you forgive me with this? Please?"
"I forgive you."
My response was instantaneous. Even I was surprised by how fast I folded. Akise-san, who had been the one asking for forgiveness, looked just as stunned.
"Yanagida-kun, you're really... how should I put it..."
She trailed off, but her eyes told me exactly what she was thinking. For the record, I'm not "easy." I pride myself on being a stubborn person, but for some reason, when it comes to her cooking—or rather, when I'm with her—I...
"Ah, we're here. Let's get off."
"Right."