Chapter 22: The Day I Threatened Him Part 1 – Soafp Translation

7-8 minutes

Translator: Soafp

　Eighth grade. Autumn.

　It had been two months since I started dating Hiroto.

Ever since we started dating, I have grown more and more fond of Hiroto each day.

If I had to describe my current feelings simply, I would probably say, “I’m ready to marry him.”

　That’s how much I was growing fond of Hiroto.

“Hey, Hiroto.”

“Hmm?　What is it?”

Ehehe, it’s nothing.”

“What’s up with that?”

　I poke Hiroto’s shoulder.

　I’m just happy that he cares about me.

　I’ve heard that falling in love makes you stupid, but I guess it’s true. Lately, all I can think about is Hiroto.

“Oh, right. Where do you want to go this Saturday?”

　I ask Hiroto with a high level of excitement.

　We are going on a date this Saturday.

　We haven’t decided on the details yet.

　I don’t think we’re going to have a sleepover …….

We are still in junior high school, and it would be troublesome if the police find out, right?　

　But I would like to lie to my parents and do something like that at least once.

Huh?　

　Am I not a bit too pink in the head?　

As for Sunday, both Hiroto and I have other plans.

“Oh, by the way, is it okay if we cancel our date on Saturday?”

“Eh, why?”

“A friend of mine who transferred to another school is coming back here, and I haven’t seen my friend in a while.”

“Is that so. Sure, I understand.”

I lower my tone of voice a little, but without expressing it so as not to burden him.

　It’s just the way things are, and I can’t help it this time.

I don’t have any friends after transferring schools, so I have no idea what to expect from it.

I can easily imagine how much he misses his friend after a long time.

Besides, I can always go on a date with him.

　For once, I’ll pass it on to that friend who transferred to another school.

　It was Saturday.

　For the past two months, I had been seeing Hiroto at least on one of the weekends, so these two days without seeing him were hard for me.

　But still.

“—I’m bored.”

　I lay on my back on the bed and looked up at the white ceiling in a daze.

…Boring, boring.

Too lazy.

　Since I’m here, I might as well go for a walk outside.

　Just walking is good exercise, and I have to be careful to maintain my style.

With the spirit of “good day when I think of it,” I got up from my bed and immediately started preparing to go out.

I was happy to get out of bed, but I couldn’t think of anywhere to go.

　As for clothes, I was planning to go shopping with my friends tomorrow.

　There are so many places I would like to go with Hiroto, but by myself, I can’t find the energy to go anywhere.

“Oh, right.”

　Let’s buy a reference book for the high school entrance exam!　

　I know it’s a little early, but I want to go to high school with Hiroto.

　For that, I need Hiroto to improve his academic skills!　

Fufu….

　With the corners of my mouth naturally loosening, I decided to head to the bookstore in the department store.

　I take the escalator up to the floor where the bookstore is located.

　But when I reached the fourth floor, I stopped dead in my tracks.

Because there was my beloved person there.

“—Hiroto?”

　Hiroto was in the bookstore.

　What a coincidence.

　I wondered what was going on between me and Hiroto. Like God made us meet each other.

　While I was having such an upbeat thought, there was a question mark over my head.

　Maybe he’s not with his friend who transferred to another school?　

　What should I do?

Should I talk to him?　

　But if they were temporarily separated, like in the restroom, it would be annoying.

　Meanwhile, there was someone approaching Hiroto.

　She, with a bright smile on her face, taps Hiroto on the shoulder.

“What is she?”

　I feel a bad emotion welling up inside me.

The friend who transfererd here?

Is the friend a girl?

　I had assumed it was a guy.

　From this distance, I can’t hear what they are talking about.

　But they both seem to be having fun …….

　After a while, she grabbed Hiroto’s arm and started skin-to-skin with him as if they were lovers.

　Hiroto was flustered and backed away, but they were still clearly close.

“…………”

　A dark feeling ran through my mind.

　Hiroto has many friends of the opposite sex.

I’m a woman, too, and I understand how it feels. Hiroto doesn’t have any ulterior motives like other boys do.

　But even though ……

　I couldn’t accept it.

Hiroto already has a girlfriend, me.

　I want him to keep his distance from other members of the opposite sex. Skinship is out of the question.

I don’t care if the girl is the one making contact with him.

　If a girl has a small personal space, it’s even more reasonable to keep your distance.　

　I want to believe in Hiroto.

I don’t think he is the kind of person who would cheat on his girlfriend.

　But seeing him like that makes me worry.

　Even if Hiroto doesn’t want to, what if he comes on to me?　

Don’t…..Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.

　Thoughts that I did not want to think kept falling one after another.

　I couldn’t take it anymore and left the department store as if to escape.

　That night.

　I called Hiroto.

“Asuka?　What’s wrong sud—-“

“—Hey, who were you playing with today?”

　I cut right to the chase.

“Eh, I think I told you before, I was playing with a friend who transferred to another school.　What’s wrong with that?”

　Hiroto looked puzzled.

　Even through my phone, I could feel it.

“That friend of yours is a guy, right?”

　A moment of silence.

　I guess he did not expect this question.

“No, it’s a girl.”

“A girl, huh? Why didn’t you tell me first?”

　I was a little relieved that he had not hidden anything from me.

But if he was going to play with girls, I wanted him to say something.

　More importantly, I don’t want him to casually play with the opposite sex. If he does, I feel uneasy if he doesn’t take me along.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think I needed to say anything, since you didn’t ask.”

“Ha?　Of course you should!”

“Ah, is that so? I’m sorry. I’ll tell you next time, okay?

“Next time ……. There’s going to be another one next time. Aah, yeah.”

　Bad feelings come up one after another.

　The hand that holds the cell phone is getting stronger and stronger.

　The depths of my eyes are gradually becoming dark and stagnant.

“A-Asuka?”

“Don’t be friends with any other girl but me.”

　I found that my true feelings, my selfish and selfish true feelings, had been laid bare.

“U-uhm, you must have misunderstood me.　I didn’t mean to cheat on you or anything…”

“I’m just saying I don’t want you to be friends with her.”

“Eh, w-what’s wrong?”

“I can’t have Hiroto being touched by another girl. Hiroto is in a relationship with me. You should be aware of that!”

“Touched…… Oh, maybe you saw me somewhere?　She’s always had the distance problem. But she’s like that with everyone, so don’t worry about it.”

“That’s not the point!”

　The shout was close to an angry yell.

Even through my phone, I could tell that Hiroto was scared.

　And I found myself letting the momentum get to me.

“If you continue to be friends with girls other than me, I will break up with you.”

　Yes, I had threatened him.